Handmade versus Imports. The Fall Arts and Craft Show Season has arrived!

If you've ever tried to make a living by doing art and craft shows, you know that this is the time of year that you've worked so hard and waited so patiently for. This is the time of year that your hard work and talents pay off - hopefully.

I've had my share of getting ready for craft shows, working night and day, all weekend and all the next week to restock what sold the weekend before. Until you experience that for yourself, you don't realize just how hard these people really do work.

In my neck of the woods, October begins the month of back to back craft shows. The closest one to me, and one that I did for many years is in Ozark at the fairgrounds. Mariah and I went to it yesterday.

Although I don't do craft shows any longer, I really do appreciate the talents of the many crafters and artists I met with and talked to. The talents ranged from jewelry artists, furniture makers to those who made pre-made scrapbooks, an altered artist and a young girl who was selling her adorable polymer clay figures. I saw a variety of styles and skill levels and what I appreciated was that they were out there - giving their all and offering their handmade work to the public. It brought back some really NICE memories of when my kids were younger. They traveled everywhere with me to all the craft shows. They were so much help! I don't know how I ever did it without them. The first thing we did every morning was paint their faces. Every so often, they would walk the show together with a group of kids who's faces I also painted and advertise to kids to come by and get their face painted for 50 cents. One show we made an extra $400 by painting faces (that's alot of kids! - do the math). We had quite a routine. Alex was about 7 or 8 at the time and was very good at running the cash register and working with customers. Mariah loved to talk to people and package their purchases. It was great family time and it was fun! It taught the kids what it was like to work hard and earn money.

Of course that was back in the time when "crafts" were generally handmade by the artist sitting in the booth. Disappointingly, there were so many imports at the show yesterday, that it really spoiled the occassion. My heart went out to all the true crafters, who really put their heart and soul into the work they were selling.

I am a supporter of the arts. I would rather pay more for a piece that is handmade by the person I'm purchasing it from. Many times that person will share an experience about the inspiration for the piece or how the whole family is involved in the business. I like that! I support that! It's impossible to get those kind of memories when you purchase imports.

I visited with an adorable older lady who was giving up showing at craft shows because she said that she just couldn't compete with the imports at shows any longer. HOW SAD! She was a decorative painter and her work was gorgeous. She had a fishing scene painted on the side of a suitcase that caught my attention. Next to it were some primitive carved wooden fish. She told me how her son carved those fish and she painted them. They called them "Finley River Flounder". That story really spoke to me and so I bought a pair (they are perfect for my lodge style house, and Dana jokes about how those are the ONLY fish I'm able to catch!) Now when I look at those fish, I think of her and the Finley River Flounder story.

We ate lunch at a booth who offered Buffalo Burgers, Brats and Hot Dogs. They run about 90 head of bison and work the farm as a family. He shared with me his story about the family business. They butcher and prepare their own meat with their own recipes for the brats, summer sausage and jerky. So what did I do? I ate a Buffalo Brat. It was delicious and not only that, I was happy to support a family run business.

I'm sure many of you will be visiting Arts and Craft festivals in your area. I hope you will give consideration to the people who truely put their heart and soul into their work and support them. Have a chat with them, see what inspires them. Get their story, buy their artwork! If you want imports.....go to Hobby Lobby or Pier One.

Next weekend I'll be off to Art in the Park and the following week...WAR EAGLE!! I'll be back later this week sharing some teasers from my next book on "Making jewelry with Metal". But for now....Now it's playtime with some metal!

Thanks for stopping by the Artbuzz... please share your thoughts with me!

CHAY CHAY CHANGE.....CHANGE IS GOOD! and GIVING is better!

A long time ago, while rooming with Barbara McGuire at a trade show, she shared with me how to get out of creative chaos. She said to me " Change an element". Sometime's we all get stuck in a rut, or we are working on a project that is almost there...but not quite and we like some part of it and not another, so what do you do? Change the shape, add a color, add another design element, but CHANGE IT!

I've always remembered those words and realize that they can apply to all aspects of life. So when I was tired of my hair....what did I do? I changed it! You may have already noticed the new photo on the blog. That is a brand-spankin new hairdo. Change is GOOD! Im not afraid of change! I got the hairbrained idea last weekend. So yesterday, without further adieu, I called my stylist and said CUT MY HAIR! I left with a new look on life, felt creative and just feel great about my new style.

Okay...I know that has nothing do to with art...well...in a way it does, Jen can do wonderful artwork with hair, but in a small way...if you find yourself in a creative rut...change it! Doesn't have to be drastic, but at least take a small step.

I've heard of artists creating "chaos cards". These cards are about the size of an ATC and can be decorated in a variety of ways. The one thing they have on them are ideas such as "Add a color", another may say, "Change the shape", another may say "Add texture" and so on. When your in a creative rut, you randomly draw a card and do what it says. It can go a long way in to jumping over a creative rut.

Now...let's change subjects for just a minute and talk about giving and sharing . I'd like to introduce you to someone who I don't think know's what a creative rut is. I've had her website link on the side bar for quite a while. She's known in the art community as JLO...yep we have a JLO in the industry. Her real name is Jen Lowe. One of the BEST things about being in such a creative industry is constantly meeting wonderful talented people and developing lasting friendships with them. Jen and I met on a cruise three years ago...the cruise was another subject in itself, but we were on a cruise and our personalities just clicked - she was teaching for Spellbinders and I was teaching for AMAC. Since then we've shared creativity, personal matters, family stuff and in general have ridden one heck of a roller coaster between crafts and family.

You'll have to get on her blog site and read all about Lucy McGoo. Recently I've been blamed for her having to create a blog. (I take full responsibility and blame Katie Hacker for inspiring me to blog). I'm proud to say I've been inducted into the Lucy McGoo hall of fame and been dubbed as the Lindy Loo (my knickname from way back) of Lucy McGoo. She even wrote a poem! Will her creativity ever stop?

The creative industry is all about giving and sharing. The more you share, the more you get. When I was a "green - so new to the industry I didn't have a clue" designer, Donna Kato & Barbara McGuire took me under their wing and graciously guided me. Told me what to do, and what NOT to do. They are responsible for my contacts with book editors and magazines and even TV. I will always be thankful to them. I show my thanks by giving back to the industry and sharing with others what they taught me. When I met Jen she was a fabulous artist, but had no idea of what it was to be a designer in the industry, so I took her under my wing and proudly became her mentor. I'm her cheerleader! I know you'll be seeing more of her in magazines and books...and who knows...we just may create our own TV show...(my hubby has promised me a camera for our anniversary - hint hint to the hubby!) So there's definately more things to come from Lucy McGoo and Lindy Loo McGoo....

Okay..that's all the jibber jabber I have for the day...until next time on the ARTBUZZ!

Eye candielicious pure yummy inspiration.....

Sometimes I exchange the sweets to eat....with sweets to feast my eyes on! (The calories don't add up too bad that way!) At last it's arrived and as expected the latest issue of Belle Armoire is full of pure eye candielicious inspiration. I'm especially excited because of the "Belt it Out" series inside featuring a couple of the pewter and clay belts I designed earlier this year.

Even though I'm not a textile artist, I find the artwork full of inspiration. Maybe it's a specific pattern, texture or color combination. Maybe it's a combination of materials I would have never thought to use together. If you're in a rut, you may just find the jump start you need in this magazine!

And, if that candielicious magazine isn't enough to satisfy....and you find yourself craving more, check out the latest Belle Armoire Jewelry Issue. The Kids Art Pendants feature the artwork of my girls, Julia and Elise. If you find yourself amongst some inspiring young Picasso's in your family, this project is a great way to showcase their art.

Okay, Im off to the studio..........It's a metal jewelry play day!

Until next time....

Wire Wrapped Jewelry - Gone Wild!

Here's a look at what some of the jewelry looked like during the Iron Age.

This is called a torc. This object was worn around the neck and was made up of precious metals and bronze. These were actually quite common across Britian and Europe and were worn with the terminals towards the front.

Talk about a Pain in the Neck!! Literally! These torcs were very heavy and probably only used on special occassions. Thank Goodness huh?
Notice the size of the torcs in the back of the second picture.

I would defintely put this into the category of "wire wrapping gone mad!".

Coffee with Carol - The Carol Duvall Show is back!

One of the things my Mom always looked forward to in the morning was sipping her coffee and watching the Carol Duvall show. I always knew when one of my segments aired because she'd give me a call and say...YOU'RE ON!

Then the day came when HGTV decided to no longer run Carol's show. This really upset my Mom and Im sure lots of other loyal viewers too! She said her mornings just weren't the same. Well, evidently HGTV took note of that and listened to all of you viewers, because now she's back - every morning at 7:30am. I'm so glad they did. I get to enjoy seeing my crafty friends again in the morning. What a way to start the day...Coffee and Crafts!