I Survived the 2007 NM State Fair!

Made it through another year at the fair! Always fun, always exciting! Thursday was the most exciting day. One of the Belgian Draft horses got loose and charged into the Arts and Crafts area, causing the characature(sp?) guy to go diving across the tables of the booth next to him. Luckily, the horse made a sharp right turn and ended up out in the street instead of going through our tents.

The same day we had a cloudburst of rain(1 1/2 inches in 20 minutes) that created a river through the entire Arts and Crafts area. Of course, this happened at the moment Aaron decided to go check out the south end of the fair and my booth neighbor had gone on a bathroom break, so I stuggled to get tarps up while rain poured in and got everything wet! Luckily, the next morning everything looked much better than it did when we closed early. Thank goodness for Clear Bags! Nothing of mine was actually damaged, all the water stayed on the outside.

The last weekend ended up being the best of the Fair, so I ended up doing well on average for the whole show.

I'm very excited about a contact I made on the last day, but I will keep that a secret until I work out the details and make sure it happens. This contact is a woman who wants to license my art for a special product! This is the type of direction I have been wanting to take my art and I'm blown away by how everything seems to be coming together for me!

As always, I met some very wonderful people out there, thanks to everyone who made it a wonderful show!

This week we plan on taking it easy! Today we will do nothing but lay around the house and watch movies! Seventeen days straight of 12-14 hour days is difficult when you aren't used to it! We can finally have some homecooked meals (no more Fair food!) and actually do our grocery shopping! Not to mention getting the house cleaned up and doing the laundry!

Tomorrow I hope to get back in the studio for a few hours. I have a couple more shows scheduled for the month of October, I will post info about them once I get back to work. Plus I have several new paintings to photograph and post. Until then, hope everyone is having a wonderful day, week, month and year!

Six days to go!

At my studio today. Taking a break from the Fair to ship out orders and rest a little. Aaron is out at the booth holding down the fort. Last night was his show at the boxcar stage, it went VERY well! The State Fair has been lots of fun, but very exhausting! This Sunday is the last day! Next week we will take it easy, in fact, Monday we plan to do nothing but sleep in and watch movies! I can hardly wait.

I've sold a couple more of the framed daily journal paintings!(Fire and Bold as Love) So, if you are interested in buying one, I suggest you do so soon! Of course I plan to make more.

I don't usually like to write much about my personal life here, but my two younger boys are giving me fits! Teenagers! They seem to think at 17 and 14 that they are ready to move out on their own! They don't even have jobs! So, along with spending 12 hour days at the fair, we've been coming home to arguments and hassles with the boys. We even had to call the police the other night and didn't get to bed until way past midnight! Aaron is about ready to kick the 17 year old out on his butt! It wouldn't be the first time! Actually, we did kick him out, but he came back a couple days later and "says" he'll follow the rules. We'll see!

Funny thing is, everything else in our lives is going wonderfully! I hate to wish away their childhood, but I am looking forward to having an empty nest! Why is it that teenagers think we are doing things to try to hurt them? I'm just trying to help them have an easier life, you know, graduate from high school, get a job, etc!! I've decided that they act this way so I WON'T miss them so much when they finally do grow up and move away. Anyway, sorry, but I had to vent about that!

New Daily Paintings and Painted Instrument

Just listed four new Daily Journal Paintings in my Etsy shop. Also, I've been keeping busy at the State Fair by painting one of my recycled instruments. This time it's a Russian Balalaika, another stringed instrument. My husband has had this one for some time, it is totally unplayable as it doesn't have a soundboard. So, now it has been recycled into a wall hanging. I'm not completely sure I'm done with it, please let me know your opinions!

Handpainted Balalaika

Business at the Fair has been pretty slow, which is why this instrument is taking me MUCH less time than the guitar. Also, I finally finished the guitar, stringing it with beads. I will try to get a photo posted soon.

Spiraling, 8 x 8" Daily journal painting

Let it Rain, 8 x 8" Daily journal painting

Hypnotized, 8 x 8" Daily journal painting

What the World Needs. . . ., 8 x 8" Daily journal painting

Getting closer!

Went out to the Fairgrounds today to see my booth location. How exciting! We have a great spot right out on Main Street! The past couple of years we were back behind the petting zoo. This year is going to be great!

Still not completely ready with all my art, but getting there. I will have lots of my new framed daily journal paintings ready to go, plus I will have my paints out there with me to work on more in my booth. I plan to spend some time everyday demonstrating my work.

Plus, I will have a clearance bin of the last of my black and white prints that came out of my booth at the 4th Street market. Just cleaned out our booth this morning.

Also,Aaron (my dh) signed his contract for his guitar performance on the 17th at the Boxcar stage. (7-9pm)

The State Fair goes for 17 days, Sept. 7-24. It's a long show but so much fun! The festive atmosphere makes it fly by! Cotton candy, turkey legs, carnival rides, rodeos, concerts, etc etc! How can you not have fun for days!

Last year we had intermitant wireless internet, we shall see if it's better this year. Hopefully, so I can post daily and keep everyone up to date on how it's going.

Hope to see some of you locals out there!

Where's my head?

I've been running around like a chicken with her head cut off recently. Way too much stuff to do and little time to do it all. Sound familiar? I think I am always in this state of mind. Until after December though, there is no chance to slow down and clear my mind! Oh well, that's ok, because I love what I do!!

The State Fair is less than 2 weeks away and I have more than 2 weeks worth of work to do. Aaron and I have decided that we will work long days until then to get ready. What choice do we have?! We are planning a day off the day before the Fair starts, IF we get everything done in time. We will need the day off before the 17 straight days at the Fair!!

This weekend, or should I say Saturday only, I will be back out at the Tijeras Art Market. Hope to see you there! Aaron(dh) will be playing his guitar from 10:30 to 1:30 so you shouldn't miss it!

Today is my middle son's 17th birthday! Where did all the time go? Seems like just yesterday......well, you know! So, on top of everything else, I have to go home early today and get the kitchen clean for the family dinner with grandparents etc. tonight.

I have some new paintings done, just need to take photos and post them. Also working on more frames for the daily journal paintings. I will have them done by next week, hopefully, in time for the Fair!!

I guess that's all the news that's new for now! Have a wonderful day!! :)

201 posts!

Logging in today, I realized that my last post was number 200!! So, to celebrate, this week I'm having a drawing for a free print! To enter, leave a comment with the name of your favorite print. If you are unsure of the title, you can find them in my shop listings. Oh, and make sure you leave me your email or some way to contact you. I will put all the names in a hat and pick a winner to be announced on Friday. You will have until Friday morning to leave your comments. The winner will have their choice of a print from my shop.

Also, wanted to thank everyone for their get well wishes! I'm feeling much, much better today. Starting to get my voice back after losing it over the weekend out at the Tijeras Art Market. I will be out at the market again on Labor Day weekend.

The next four weeks will be busy with preparations for the New Mexico State Fair. I have a booth again this year and the best part is we will be out on Main Street this year instead of being behind the petting zoo and McDonald's farm!

Hope to see lots of locals out there! I will have lots of new work!

Summertime and the living's busy!

Seems I can't get caught up these days. Lots going on!

Painting everyday to get ready for a gallery show in August at the House of Lyndon, Gallup, NM.

Getting stocked for the New Mexico State Fair in September. I have a booth again this year in the Enchantment Arts and Crafts section. This year, instead of being tucked behind a building and across from the petting zoo, we will be out on the main street of the fairgrounds! I will also have a booth to myself this year as last year I shared a booth with an artist friend. So I have more space to fill! The fun part about this year is that my husband will be out there with me everyday since he is now a full time performer. He's working on getting some bookings for the Fair, but otherwise will be with me at the booth, playing his guitar and selling cds.

This weekend(July 14,15th) and two weekends a month I will be out at the Tijeras Art Market. I will post the dates as soon as I know them for sure. This week I will be sharing the booth with my artist friend, Josephine Brionez de Flores

Saturday, July 21st I will be back out at the Neighborhood Market in downtown Albuquerque. At the corner of Gold and 8th, hours are 10am to 4pm.

I've designed and started to build frames for my small daily paintings. They are made from raw lumber into 3 inch wide painted wood frames. I'm planning to paint each frame to go with the painting it is intended for. The painting will extend out into the frame and turn an 8 inch painting into a 14 inch framed painting.

I am preparing my next instrument for painting. Not sure when I will start the actual painting, still have to gesso it. This one isn't a guitar, it's a Russian instrument called a Balalika(spelled wrong I'm sure!). I love the shape and I can hardly wait to paint it! I have had an awesome response on the guitar and want to have a whole row of painted instruments to show eventually.

On a personal note, I've been getting stuff moved around at the house and moved into my studio still. My middle son returned this morning from 6 months at his dad's in Arkansas. I am so happy to have him back! I now have all my sons living at home again!