Apologies to anyone out there following this journal...I've spent the past few weeks relentlessly painting, sanding, building, sewing, cutting, pasting, and cajoling family members into helping me prepare for my two main Christmas season income-generators (aka craft fairs)...and we did it!!! YAY! Huge thanks to all of those who came out and made these fairs so rewarding for me...thank you all so much.

Today marked a significant departure from my recently hectic, pre craft-show-season routine. I slept in a bit, cooked and ate real food, payed attention to my neglected Canine friend, and took care of the messes that had piled up in previously clean corners. And I savoured every minute!!
I felt less zombie-ish than expected, and attribute this to discovering my missing CD collection beneath one of my clutter mountains. My symptoms of music withdrawal have been quashed, and I spent the evening going about my tasks with headphones firmly affixed...ah, that's better! (amusing side note: so absorbed in my tunes and work, i was startled to find my step-dad "ssh-ing" me to keep it down...apparently i'd been passionately singing aloud to Nathan Wiley's Bottom Dollar CDand didn't even realize it!)

I want to share some happy little treasures I picked up from the Victoria Park fair. I ran out of time to pick up all the things i'd planned on purchasing, but did end up with these lovelies



Behold the charming and rustic wood vessel finely crafted by Mike Morrison, with a wood-turning ornament by his booth-sharer Stewart Shaw, an adorably happy little lime green fused glass birdie by Patricia Romeo, a copper goldfish ornament from Epona's Fancy(for my "unusual Christmas Ornament" collection,) and the exceptional-as-always raku pottery work by Sarah Beck.

So, while I'm sort of sad about no more Craft fairs, I am looking forward to a relaxing and festive holiday! I'll soon be posting a fun and eclectic little Christmas gift list, so check back soon if you're looking for ideas!

"I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep..."

-Simon and Garfunkel

this morning I awoke to a most abundant and pleasant delivery from the postal crew...among the various correspondence was my much anticipated Secret Santa gift, from none other than Sugene Mine, of All this is Mine fame!!

The gift exchange was organized by Jeaneen of Yattafor members of an online forum for creative women in business. And Sugene was soooooo generous with her gift, sending along this adorable tea party stationery setthat i am itching to write some letters on, a block of divine handmade chocolate fudge soap that i want to eat, a box of delectable made-in-France truffles (i ate 2 for breakfast), a nifty little trinket box (to hold some of my many odds and ends) and the best part: a custom made long sleeve maroon tshirt with my forum user name "packrat" printed in bold white letters. Does it get any better? Everything was carefully wrapped in pretty paper, making the whole affair a great deal of fun, and i was glad to find several of Sugene's promotional stickers and buttons included...i'll be sure to pass them around...Thanks Sugene...(((hugs))) and Thanks to Jeaneen, too!!



In other news, yesterday wrapped up my first craft show of the season...whew! I had a great time and am happy to report that everything went exactly as hoped for...maybe a tad better, even! The premier of the "Industrial Strength" necklace (see Oct. 30th entry)was a runaway success, with Cape Bretoners glad for the chance to demonstrate their own pride of place as well as contribute to a worthy cause.

A giant thank you to all my repeat customers who came back to support me again in 2005, and a great big "Welcome!" to all the new buyers of Lamoore Designs ...it was great fun meeting you all, and I hope to see you again Nov.25-27 at the Armories in Sydney's Northend for Cape Breton's only juried festival of fine art and craft, where I will be showing my paintings as well as some jewelry items/accessories not previously seen...see you there!

some "craft show season-themed" lyrics:

"For the benefit of Mr. Kite,
There will be a show tonight
on trampoline...
...having been some days in preparation,
a splendid time is guaranteed for all."
-The Beatles

I discovered another positive review out there on the big web...the U.K's Bag Lady approved enough of my seashell designs to feature them in her discriminating blog...
read what she had to say by clicking here.(Scroll down a bit when you get there, as she posted the review sept. 19th, a little while ago!)

Since I'm getting a lot of people asking when my upcoming shows are happening, I'll post the dates again:
Nov.11 weekend at Marconi Campus, Sydney, N.S

Nov. 25 weekend at Victoria Park (The Armories in the Northend of Sydney, N.S)

In case you need to choose one or the other, I should let you know that the goods I bring to the two shows will differ slightly...Victoria Park's is a juried show(all items must pass certain standards), while the Marconi show is unjuried...this means that there are certain items I will have at the Marconi show that won't be in the Victoria Park show (my $10 earrings, for example, will only be available at Marconi). The show at the armories is largely comprised of Cape Breton (and other) Vendors making a living from their craft, and it's a great show to attend if you want to encourage living, working artists in your community to keep on keeping on! I'll have a little more space there, as well, so I may have room to bring some of my paintings along with my Finders Keepers line. Marconi is called "the Big One" for a reason...it's huge. lots of vendors selling food, art, knickknacks, and everything in between...fun :o)
Or you could come to both shows and get a free gift!
(I will also be giving away gifts with purchase at both shows as long as supplies last...I *heart* Christmas, don't you!!)

In case anyone's been wondering why the main site's not been updated in a long while, it's simply because i've not yet cloned myself (been too busy)...stay tuned, I promise that after Christmas I will be adding a TON of new products. I also have a zine (thanks to a handy little guidebook called "the Stolen Sharpie Revolution" I purchased from Sugene at All This is Mine)in the works, hopefully to get finished sometime in the new year. 2006, look out!

"I have plans for the future, guess they're futuristic plans,
Move out west and buy some desert lands,
maybe up north, just past Alaska,
you know nothing of this if they ask ya."
-Clutch

Archive