Tis the Season

About this time each year I host an Open House for people to see what I've been working on the past year and to help them kick off their Christmas shopping.  (Or, shopping for themselves which most of them did.)

The very first year I held it at my house, but since I acquired the studio I've had the last two there.  This year I decided to take it back to my house for several reasons.  First, the elevator at the Transit Building is down and it's quite a little hike up to the second floor (which really seems like the third floor, especially if you have a bum knee like I do right now.)  And secondly I began to think that maybe it would be cozier and more comfortable for people to sit around and visit (which they did.)

Hauling everything home (especially since the elevator isn't working) was a lot of work but I really do like it better at the house.  People stayed longer, ate more of the snacks and visited with other guests.  I was also able to spread my jewelry out over a bigger area so people could see everything better.

Economically, this year was decent (measured by being able to pay my rent and other bills for the next month.)  Times are tough and compared to the first year sales things were definitely down.  (But, compared to the two Open Houses held at the studio, sales were up.)

So, for one day my family room became a jewelry showcase.  It's all down now, packed and ready to head back to the studio for the Christmas Season.  (Actually this worked out well, as I now will be able to decorate with everything off the tables.)

In a couple of weeks, I pack it all up again and head off to Erie for a show on Dec. 10 at the Montessori Regional Charter School at 2910 Sterrettania Road.  I'll be displaying my work on one table, so it will take some creative display work to keep it from looking cluttered.  If you are in the area that day, stop in and say hi.

Darn!

My computer is down!!!!! I won't survive!!!!!! When did I become so dependent on a computer?????? Darn!!!!

Panic is setting in..... my computer isn't working, Open House is this Saturday (I need more inventory), I can't post pictures of the latest enameled pieces (until the computer gets fixed...... I hope it can be fixed) and I need to get some copper pieces done. I advertised "the new copper clay" for my Open House and only have one pair of copper earrings.

Let's see.....three days until Saturday. How many hours is that? Is it possible to do all there needs to be done in 72 hours? Do I need sleep? Should I cancel my hair appointment? (No, too much gray is showing.) Will the copper firing go as desired (I do have a couple ready to fire.) What am I going to serve as snacks on Saturday? Will all my mailings pay off? Will people show up?

Why do we do this to ourselves before an event? Don't know and never will. Next year it will be the same. It was last year.

Am I rambling? Yes. Sorry! I'll try to keep posting some thoughts and hopefully some pictures soon. (But first I've got to figure out how to do it on my son's computer.)

Why did my computer have to go down at this time of year? Darn!

Open House

Here's some photos of my Open House.   I dragged almost everything out of my studio and tried to set up an inviting display.  The rings gave me a problem as I wanted to hide the ugly tags.  I set them on snowflakes and hid the tags underneath the snow flake.  It worked for a while, but as you can see it didn't last long.  I won't be going to this extent the next two events.  I'll set up displays but not as elaborate.  

Oh my God, I could be wearing Spencer Tracy!

   Had my Open House today.  Did it earlier this year, since I coincided it with an event at the studios.  It was strange in the sense that everyone who came, with the exception of one, did not come to my open house last year.  I'm basically going to be involved in two more events before Christmas so I know that lots of people who came last year will be coming to one of those events since they could not make it today.   But that really isn't what today's blog is about.

  What it is about, is an interesting thought.  My friend Donna Carlson was one of my visitors today and  I explained that metal clay was made from silver that was recycled from old movies.  Leave it to Donna to burst out with "Oh my God, I could be wearing Spencer Tracy".  She then proceeded to add a few more veteran actors to the list.  Philosophically, that is a pretty interesting thought.  Maybe a thought for a new series of jewelry.