Book Page Banner and Some Words of Wisdom...

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. I am spending the day in my shop, even though I am not open today. I have already found it nearly impossible to set up displays, let alone spend time in my studio, during normal open hours. Not that I am saying there has been a flood of sales yet, just that I am a new thing in town and everyone wants to stop by for a chat. This is a wonderful thing, it is just the type of vibe I want here!

I have been working on a few displays for the holiday season, but I haven't set up my little tree just yet. I need to shake off fall, before I can face winter! But I was able to play on the sewing machine a bit, and came up with this little pretty;

I am not sure I will sell these here, but I love how they look and plan to make more. I used old book pages and was tickled to finally find a use for my many packets of vintage seam binding. Seems nobody uses it anymore, so I find it at thrift shops all the time. This book page banner is so light, all I used to hang it was a couple sticky backed hooks from the dollar store.

I also repurposed this sign into a black board, and added a few words of wisdom I am fond of;

"Art is not a destination, it is a journey."

I was somewhat cautious when I put in my first order, and only picked out a few of each item. Now I find I already need to put in another small order, the journals are selling quickly. 

So I have already found the biggest downfall and irony of opening an art supply store. I have no time to actually DO art! I have to admit, I am getting pretty twitchy, and have a need to get my artist paint on my hands, as opposed to house paint. I am sure after all the initial set up is done, more of my time will be art related. But for now, the ins and outs of small business management are all consuming, and I am a babe in the woods when it comes to the details. 

I have had some amazing advice from my Flytribe, as well as all their encouragement and support. Let this be my official thank you to all you lovely creative souls! 

Well, I am off to paint another sign, and get that next order in!

Have a great week, and until next time...enjoy!

Lonely Little Shop...

Good Morning!

I am posting a few pictures of the shop, though I still haven't received my shipments, so the cupboards are bare, so to speak. The extra time has given me the chance to organize and arrange things, maybe a bit more than absolutely necessary...

The classroom is set up...

 The beads that I already had are priced...

and the few vintage items I couldn't resist setting out are ready in their special place!

Though Monday is a day I don't normally plan to be open, I still needed to come in and wait for deliveries. Even in this modern world, there doesn't seem to be a good way to determine when they might arrive. The main shipment from the warehouse, that one I can track, but the drop shipments from the manufacturers, they are a mystery, and I can only pray they find their way to our little remote town in a timely manner.

So here I sit, price gun in hand, a wallflower waiting to be asked to dance...

No worries, though, there is still plenty to do, including plan and create the prototype for my first class, and make the flyers announcing it. I think I will start with something for the holidays, that can be scanned and turned into Christmas cards. Who knows, I might actually get to paint today, something other than displays, that is.

In case the shipments do start arriving today, and I don't get a chance to post later in the week, 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time...enjoy!

It's Coming Along...

Just a quick post this morning, so sorry to be out of the loop for such a long stretch! The shop is only five days away from opening, the inventory is on it's way and most of the displays are ready to go.

I am still dealing with tiny details, like finding out the brand new strand of Christmas lights I just draped all over the ceiling, encased in tulle, are none functioning! Arrrgh! Note to self, always plug lights in before stringing them, even if they are straight out of the box, it will save HOURS of work!

I am still scrubbing floors and table tops, and keep finding interesting things around my house to drag down to the shop. I am at the point where it would make more sense to just bring a bed down there and move in. Most nights I am only going home to feed the cats and sleep. If  I could find a way to have three cranky kitties in my shop at the same time, I would certainly give it a try.
I am taking the camera  today, so I can take pictures to share here and on the shop's Facebook Page, http://www.facebook.com/hiddentalentsart, and will post as soon as I get a chance to breathe!

 We had our first snowfall last night, and it took me by surprise. I mean, of course I knew it was coming, but I still had snapdragons blooming in my flower pots!

The leaves had just finished falling, the ground was solid gold with them, and then gone. I never even touched a rake.

 I used to like the first snow, I would start baking, planning snow days with the kids, start singing Christmas carols...But now, not so much. I am just anxious about driving in it, worried about my grown children being safe in it, and generally just thinking that Arizona might not be such a bad idea after all. But the sunny states are not in our future, I have a shop to run!
 I haven't had a lot of time to create art, but I am still hanging on to the monthly ATC swap I participate in with my clever FlyTribe. So here is my contribution for November. The sketch is done in colored pencil, and the text in her dress is a poem about Thanksgiving by Ralph Waldo Emerson;

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I used a bit of digital manipulation to add the text as her apron, and behind her, and I am pretty pleased with the results. Just one this time around, it was all I could wrap my mind around, and even that was only because I got hit with a terrible cold and had to stay home for a day! Thanks for sticking with me, and for stopping by!

Until next time...enjoy!