Bellevue Art Festival - July 2011

Somehow, the way the month of July worked out on the calendar, we must have had an extra weekend in there because I had last weekend off. No shows, beautiful weather and a break from all the usual summer madness. It was so nice. Almost like a real summer.

But this week has been back to work in a big way. Tomorrow is the start of the Bellevue art show trifecta. The museum show is at Bellevue Square, in the parking garage. Then there's the other show across the street in the Cost Plus parking lot. And then there's us - the Sixth Street Fair - which sets up on 106th, a block over. I'll be in my same wonderful space in front of the California Pizza Kitchen, under the trees and next to Andrew the glass guy, who I neighbor with every year - he's a blast. This is a really huge event with hundreds and hundred of artists all over the place, drawing massive crowds.

Tee hee. I just checked back on what I wrote for this show last year and just to prove that nothing changes and it's groundhog day, year after year, I'm going to paste in the whole weather paragraph from exactly this same week last year. It's 100% true right now too:

"And so many years it's been hotter than Hades - we're all wilting in the heat and everyone is running for the indoor air conditioning. But not this time. Because this year we are having the summer that never showed up. I'm sure that if you are reading this from the East Coast or other parts of the country you probably don't want to hear us complain about our chilly summer. The heat waves everywhere else are insane. But we are not having any of it. Overnight it gets cloudy and cool, dropping into the low 50's. We wake up to early spring weather. And if we are really, really lucky (maybe a dozen days now) we can get into the 70's in the afternoon if the sun breaks through. It's stupid. Which proves to everyone that I'm not a true Northwesterner. Because a lot of people around here love that. Me? I'd be happier with more sun, warmer temperatures, and an actual summer-like day or two."

Isn't that crazy!?! Actually the past week has been a little better. And we're going to have a dry weekend in the mid-70s with a bit of sun. So it should be perfect and a great time to get out and do the summer stuff we've been waiting for.

Show deets:

Friday, July 29: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 30: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday, July 31: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Here is the map which lists all the other vendors and their locations. There is food and music too. Hope you get a chance to come over.

Gig Harbor Art Festival

Just a quick note with details about this weekend's show. I'll be in Gig Harbor for their annual summer art festival, hosted by Peninsula Art League.

It's July 16 & 17. Hours are 10am-6pm on Sat and 10am-5pm on Sun. Location is Judson Street, in front of the QFC mall, downtown Gig Harbor. I'm smack dab in the middle of it all on the QFC side of the street.

I usually hope for shade because this July weekend can be one of the hottest. But it doesn't look like that's going to happen this year. Seems weird to have such cool, cloudy weather in July. But all the weather people keep telling us that we've got it so much better than any other parts of the country, so I guess we shouldn't gripe about it too much.

Anyway, this is a good show with a great turnout of local folks and a lot of fun. Looking forward to seeing you there!

West Seattle Summer Festival

West Seattle Summer Fest is happening this weekend, July 8 - 10, and I'm looking forward to being there with my little 'ol soap booth again this year!

West Seattle Summer Fest is a FREE 3-day street fair, hosted by an organization of local area merchants, the West Seattle Junction Association. Now in it’s 29th year, West Seattle Summer Fest is host to dozens of bands, hundreds of merchants and artists, and over 30,000 attendees.

FESTIVAL HOURS:

Friday: 10am – 10pm (Vendor sales until 6pm and food vendors until 8pm)

Saturday: 10am – Midnight (Vendor and food sales until 8pm)

Sunday 11am – 5pm (Vendor and sales until 5pm)

This year they are planning a GREENLIFE Garden and Sustainability Expo too. There will be vendors and non-profits to share their knowledge of Living in the Green Lane! A full roster of classes and demonstrations includes solar energy, back yard chickens, canning and preserving, and beer making at home. Yes – home brewing is considered a GREEN activity:) For a full list of classes and demonstrations, please visit the GreenLife Page. The Greenlife area is at the south end of the festival, near the corner of Edmunds St.

Check the website for maps. The list of vendors is HERE. There's a zoomable map on that page that will give you close-up directions to specific booths.

Soapworks Studio booth is space #133 - which is located on the north block, between Alaska and Oregon Streets. I'm on the west side of the street, with a beautiful corner, same spot as last year. I forgot which business I was in front of, but it's closer to Oregon, the Art Dive and the Beer Garden than it is to Alaska and the food booths.

This is a really fun neighborhood event, with all kinds of stuff to do for kids to adults. All the businesses roll stuff out into the street, the dozens of restaurants have outdoor seating. From the kiddie bouncie/jumpie blow up thingies to the evening music, it's all a good time. See you there.

It's not really gardening -

it's more like hacking through a jungle with a machete. In fact, I'm using an axe, my wood saw and only rarely, the clippers.

I got pretty inspired by the garden show in Gig Harbor last weekend. Everyone's garden was so very lovely. And tamed. And weed-free. Oh, I know - they've worked on them like crazy people for weeks. With probably a team of helpers too. It's not like they look like that all the time. It's just for a weekend, to show off for the garden tour.

But in my fantasy world I should have a garden that looks like all those magazine spreads of fabulous cottage gardens, kitchen gardens, beach view decks with fire pit, and a huge patio with the built in kitchen, pizza oven and fireplace all spread out. Maybe a tiki bar in the corner too. In my dream house I have all of it. It's a beach-front farm with gourmet kitchen patio. Oh, I almost forgot the pool. There's one of those too. With a cabana, outdoor shower and guest house. Why limit your dreams?

Instead I have a tiny little postage stamp patio. And a teeny weeny little patch of grass with a few plants in the borders. A crunch of too many tomato plants in a corner near the back door. And then everything else at the moment is weeds higher than the fence. Or ivy slowly creeping in and covering what I thought was the front yard.

My next door neighbor is an empty lot of green things that will continue to live and take over the earth, even if we have a nuclear or global warming disaster that takes us all out. Ivy. Blackberries. Creeping morning glory or chokeweed junk. Holly trees. You can't kill them. I've tried - repeatedly. Nothing works. But the hacking is necessary, because if I don't make a tiny little dent over here on my side by the fence, then by next summer, you won't even know my house is here. The jungle will grow right over the fence, over the house and continue on.

The back yard neighbor is a rental house with kids who only stay there for 6 months or a year at a time, and nobody owns a lawn mower or any other garden type tool. They don't even go outside. So it might as well be a jungle too. In between renters, somebody comes by and hacks down the chin-tall weed-grass. But at this time of year, it's so contrained by one single yard, that it's bursting through all the little fence cracks trying to break free.

So I'm out there the last day or so trying to tame the jungle. I can't really call it "gardening." The cat's don't care.

And if you're curious about what my little casa/home studio actually looks like - here's a picture of the front today. It's a work in progress and clearly I need to do a little hacking in the front yard too.

Gig Harbor Garden Tour

It's been so long since I've blogged over here, that I almost don't even know how to do it anymore. Rather than make excuses or long explanations, let's just say I've been off doing regular life stuff - taking my focus off business for few minutes just for brain space.

But this weekend I'll be at the Gig Harbor Garden Tour. I had the lovely opportunity to participate in this show last year for the first time and it was so enjoyable, that I'm doing it again. It's a garden tour of private houses all over the Gig Harbor area, and they change each year so this year will be all new ones.

You need to buy tickets either in advance (online) or at the first house. You get a little badge or bracelet or whatnot, and then you get a map and more information. I don't have many details, so I'll just post the link to their website for all the latest scoop - http://www.gigharborgardentour.org/.

It's Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4. I'll be at Dick & Sara Bowe's house (garden #3) with Dianne Kimball (pottery, garden art) and Randy's Nursery (hardy plants).

Note - I just checked the website myself to see if there were directions, and you can buy tickets through tomorrow (Sat) online. I guess you have to actually do that part first. And when you do, you are given a will-call location as to where to pick them up. Otherwise the addresses are not published and there is no map available until you've got a ticket. So go buy a ticket and head out to see us. The gardens were really special and something to see last year, so I expect these will be spectacular too - so much work goes into getting them ready.

Latest Logo

This is my latest logo-type thingie. I had to mess around with making a little square digital image for a few things in the last month, and this is what I came up with.

I'm working on getting new business cards printed with it too. A little different version because it's a smaller rectangle size. If you've seen my business card from the last year or so, they've been chocolate brown with bright flowers all over it. But I'm running out of those soon and needed new ones. I thought I'd go with something a little fresher and lighter this year.

I spent a whole morning working on it, but it's so hard to see the little tiny image on your computer screen. It's not until they arrive in the mail, all printed up, that you finally get a sense of whether it worked out or not. When I hit "submit order" I was kind of happy with it. Now that I'm looking at it more, I'm thinking it's a little boring. It will be at least another week before they get here. I suppose I'll fret about it some more until then - because you just can't get enough fretting into a regular day.

First Thursday - Pioneer Square

It's so funny how the universe works. Always on the day I'm packing for a show, the phone starts ringing with orders. It's like the powers that be out there somehow know that I'm ready to sell stuff and the message goes out. My lovely customers respond - calling in their orders for soaps, sprays or whatnot. They all have kind words and happy things to say about the products. What a joyful way to take the stress out of an otherwise anxiety or stress-filled day. Not a one of them needs anything immediately right now ("no worries, no hurry, just send it when you can").

Ok, if I'm being totally honest, sometimes it feels like a little extra stress to know that I've got a pile of orders waiting for me on the day I unpack and try to recover from a long weekend. But that's not too often. Usually the orders are pretty easy and I'm just grateful to have them. And even more thankful to have such nice, sweet customers too.

Today I'm packing up for First Thursday/ArtWalk in Pioneer Square tomorrow. It's my first time at this, so I don't know much. Hours are 11am - 8pm, or thereabouts. The real artwalk hours are around 4-8, dragging on a little later if the weather is nice and people are out. So we're hoping for a few lunchtime folks to stop by too. We are lined up on Occidental, along the park. And it's at least 27 artists who are signed up as of this minute, but it's open to last minute folks too. A few will arrive later in the day due to work schedules.

I just hope the weather is better than the last couple of days. I'm really tired of all the drizzle and chilly. More honesty here. I'm just really tired of it all at the moment. It feels like it's been a long month. And if I have to spend another day outside for 12 hours in the damp and cold, I'm going to be really sad. At least there are hot soup and sandwich places right there. And I'll be close to my car if I need to jump in and heat up. I guess summer is going to show up for the weekend and I have a couple days off then. Huzzah!

Folklife - my spot

Just got back from the big load-in over at Seattle Center and I'm thinking it's going to be pretty hard to find me if you don't know where to look.

So here's the scoop. We are over at the Center Square Stage area, between the Center House and EMP - the far other side of the Center House, headed towards EMP. There's a big stage there, and a bunch of outdoor craft vendor tents, which are part of our group. And the rest of our group is inside the 'Center Maintenance Building'. That's what they call it. It's a long, skinny metal building directly behind the Children's Garden set-up. It's got giant garage doors that will be open all weekend, so it will be visible and open. But we're still covered from the elements, which might come in handy.

If you're headed over there for the festival - stop by to say HI! BTW - I'll be out of the studio an awful lot the next few days, so if you're trying to get me, it may take an extra day or so. Have a great holiday people!

Thursday is garbage day at my house

which means nothing, except that I loathe to run around collecting trash and recycling and rushing it out to the curb in my pajamas on Thursday mornings. Especially when it's cold or raining. Which it wasn't today. But it certainly isn't summer either. It's another full week of cloudy, showery, chilly and waiting for the sun to show up.

Just a quick quote from a mini-guide to success that I read somewhere (and if I can find it again, I'll post the link):

"Don't make the dull thing that everyone will yawn and settle for. Make it sharp and glittering and irreplaceable."

I'm off to set up Folklife today. I can't quite tell from my map where I'll be but it looks a little hard to find. I'm inside, not outside on the walkways. So I don't have to worry about our cold, rainy forecast for the weekend. I'll post better directions here when I get back so that anybody looking for me at the show can find me.

New Banner ad on KOMO

So many big announcements this week!

I've signed on to be a community sponsor with KOMO News, which is just a fancy-pants name for paid advertising, but in a specific geographic area of the Seattle area.

If you live/work or access a computer in the Beacon Hill or Georgetown neighborhoods of Seattle, you will automatically see my little banner ad flashed across the front page of the KOMO news website. It's just above the "Top Video" bar and directly below the "Sports" section. If you click on the button, it takes you to my profile page in the Communities areas for both Beacon and Georgetown. It's like another whole web site there, with all my info, photos, my show schedule etc.

If you do not live in those areas, you can still see it by clicking the handy link I have pasted over there to the left - the image that says "proud supporter of KOMO communities" thingie. The other method (a lot more clicking) is go to the KOMO home page, click on "Communities" across the top menu bar, choose Beacon Hill (or Georgetown), and then click "Businesses" in that top menu bar. All the categories are listed in the left hand box. I'm of course under "Bath & Body Products." You can also see me if you click the "All Community Sponsors" button in the right hand box of a few select Community Sponsor ads.

Sort of roundabout to find me that way. But if you're in my neighborhood, you'll be seeing my nice banner every time you open the home page, which is really cool.

Yep, that's what it looks like, for those of you outside of my neighborhood. The profile page is there all the time for anybody, but the banner ad is specific to my own location. I'm giving it a try for a few months to see what happens. KOMO News has the largest news website west of the Mississippi, so it can't be a bad thing.

It's all about the marketing, people. Marketing, marketing, marketing. It can start to make you fruitloops if think about it all day. This has been a roller coaster week.

Folklife! I'm There!

Whoop, whoop! I'm going to be at Folklife this year!

A friend of mine, Chuck at Down to the Wire Designs, needed to share a booth space this year and invited me to help him out. I wasn't planning on it and it's not on my schedule anywhere. But I'm going to do it because it's too great an opportunity to pass up. It's a last minute add on.

We're part of the Indie Roots area at Center Square, organized by Urban Craft Uprising

"Voted Best Place for Urban Crafts in the Seattle Weekly’s 2010 “Best Of” Awards, this year we warmly welcome Urban Craft Uprising to the Northwest Folklife Festival, Memorial Day Weekend!

Making their debut at our new venue, Indie Roots at Center Square, we’ve partnered with UCU to bring you a unique and awesome array of crafts. The Urban Craft Marketplace in Center Square will be open the entire weekend from 11:00AM-8:00PM."

So it's Memorial Day weekend - Friday, May 27 through Monday May 30th. We're open from 11am-8pm each day. I've got just a half a booth, so I'm not going to have everything, just a selection. If you are hoping to pick up something specific, please call or email and I'll make sure to have it there for you.

For more info on the festival - Folklife

U District Street Fair 5/22

Hey, just a reminder, this weekend is the U District Street Fair. I know, it feels early. It's the first big street fair of the summer, and sort of the whole announcement that summer is here. But it feels like we've barely squeeked into spring around here, it's been so chilly.

This week is the first bit of sunshine and truly warm weather we've had. But of course it's not supposed last into the weekend. We'll be back to the clouds and rain showers for Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully it will be sporadic and mild and the crowds will get a chance to come out and parade up and down the Ave.

The details for the show:

University District Street Fair
University Avenue, Seattle
May 21 - 22, Sat 10-7, Sun 10-6
My booth location: #315, between 42nd & 43rd, west side of street

I'm in the same block as always, a little further north than last year, same side of the street. I'll have a few of the spring soaps left - there isn't much. And all the new summer stuff. Plus the rest of the kit & caboodle. Hope to see you there!

Summer Newsletter 2011

The summer newsletter went out in the post a week ago, and I guess I forgot to put this up on the blog too.

I'm posting the text here too, so those of you who are not on the mail list or email list can get the scoop also. Here it is, with one big giant LINKIE POO to the summer seasonal product page where everything mentioned in the letter is listed.

Dear Friends,

I remember back when we were school kids and we just couldn’t wait another minute for summer to arrive. Crossing off the days on the calendar with big black X marks, the anticipation for the first day of vacation was sweet agony.

Summer meant freedom and seemed to last forever. No matter how old we get or how far away from classrooms and long vacations, we never really forget that yearning feeling when the sun finally comes out. We just want to get out there.

Even if our “summer vacation” is just a few weekends from June to August, we want to pack in as much fun in the sun as we possibly can. And here in the Northwest we’ll wear shorts and sandals with goosebumps just to hang onto our favorite season a little bit longer.

I’m starting my list of summer activities so I don’t miss a thing – barbeques, outdoor concerts, picnic parties, beach afternoons, parades, and festivals. Oh yeah, summer’s going to be good.

SUMMER SEASONAL SOAPS

In a tribute to summer, I’ve created a couple of special soaps to celebrate the tastes of the season. These unique soaps are available only for the summer season and are made in limited production. ($4.25 ea or 4 for $16.00)

EUCALYPTUS: When it’s hot outside you want only one thing – to feel cool and fresh. A chilly shower with this bar is the ultimate in refreshing. Eucalyptus is grassy and green with a caress of icy cold fingers down your back. It’s a great morning zinger bar or a zesty after work-out soap too. (100% natural ingredients)

ORANGE GINGER MINT: This minty scrubby soap was introduced in the last newsletter for spring. It’s been a runaway hit and it seems to work perfectly for summer too, so we’re keeping it on the menu. Happy and energizing, it’s blend of sweet orange, a pinch of ginger, peppermint and spearmint, plus a sprinkle of poppy seeds for texture. A soft cantaloupe color, the poppy seeds help with gentle exfoliation or a wake-up massage in the shower. (100% natural ingredients)

OCEAN BREEZE – A soft blend of ocean and air, this scent is light as a breeze, fresh and clean. With a zen-like calm, its soothing marine fragrance and beautiful translucent sea glass color transports you directly to the spa.

COCONUT ALMOND – A delicious treat - it smells like dessert! Gorgeous coconut goodness paired with yummy nutty almond. It’s creamy and mild with no color added for a creamy white bar.

AROMATIC SPRAYS FOR SUMMER

Summer is the perfect season to indulge in one of the aromatic sprays. Keep one in the fridge for a little spritz of icy cool on your neck or décolletage. Spray a little bit of yummy on your summer sundresses, fresh sheets, steamy car seats or stinky dog. This superhero stuff goes anywhere and everywhere, making the world smell a little more pretty. (4 oz bottle, $6.00)

Two new scents to try, just for the summer season: COCONUT LEMON or EUCALYPTUS. Coconut lemon is tropical and bright – a bit of creamy coconut with a squeeze of tart lemon. Eucalyptus clears your head with a top note of camphor, but mellows into warm grasses and wood, for a clean, fresh fragrance.

I also have the ever-popular BUGGER OFF spray, an all-natural bug repellent that really works! Essential oils of cedar, bay, orange and eucalyptus mask your human scent and repel all kinds of irritating little critters – mosquitoes, fleas, and gnats. Safe for kids and pets, this spray works best when sprayed on clothing or bedding so the scent lingers longer. It’s clean, woodsy and pleasant to wear, with no strong citronella that keeps the people away too. Bugger Off Spray comes highly recommended and is amazingly effective. ($6.00 each)

SUMMER FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

The arrival of summer means another year of sidewalk fairs and festivals. I’ve got a full season planned and am looking forward to meeting and seeing you all. For more details on my summer schedule, including booth locations, check out the schedule section on the website, SoapworksStudio.com.

We’ve all waited through such a long, cold spring that this year’s summer is going to be the best ever!

More cowbell

Wow, it sure was cold out there in Mount Vernon all weekend. Frigid, freezing and drizzly. Except Sunday. Sunday was actually sunny. Only warm in the sunbeams, but at least it brought out all the kids and families to get a little fresh air. Sales were a mixed bag for most artists, but I did pretty well and am happy with the weekend. Even the part where some guy hit my car while I was parked there on Saturday. He was nice enough to leave me a note, and even took the time to call the police and report it too. It's basically a bumper dent and not that big a deal, but it's good to know that integrity still exists. Who knew?

For those of you that missed me there, or for those of you that bought something/didn't buy something but want to get more - my products are still at the Berry Barn there thru April 30th. You can save the shipping by heading over to Charlene's show (and pick up a delicious pie while you're there). The Berry Barn is just off Hwy 20 on the LaConner road.

Of note: the tulips are finally out. Some fields popped over the weekend, and some are just coming out right now. So this coming weekend should be spectacular. They only leave them out for 10 days before they get topped and dug up for bulbs. Don't wait around til it's too late.

New shows! Northwest Art Alliance (Best of the Northwest shows) has just taken on organizing the Art in Occidental Park show, which happens in Pioneer Square on the First Thursday artwalks. It starts next month - the first Thursday in May and runs through December. My summer and fall schedule is already pretty full so I can only head over there a couple of times. I'm scheduled for June 2 and September 1. Here's a link to what goes on over there. Looks like we're setting up our tents all around Occidental Park - and it's a long day of it too - 11am to 10pm. Sounds like it might be a lot of fun!

Tulipmania

Just a quick post about this weekend's events. Friday through Sunday (4/15-17) is the Mount Vernon street fair - the big hoopla show in the Skagit Valley and center of the tulip festival activities.

Hours are Fri and Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun 10am to 5pm. My booth is located in the same spot as last year, sort of catty corner from the front door of the food co-op. I'm in the furthest north block of the fair, at the corner of Washington, in booth #149. You can't miss us - they shut down almost the entire downtown area to set up our sea of white tents.

Oh it's going to shower a little bit and be cloudy a little bit and it's not going to be very warm either. But it's not expected to have snow or hurricane winds or monsoon rains either. All of which have happened in previous years. So this is a probably going to be considered a "good" year for weather - just have to wait and see. I'll need longjohns anyway.

And one other show announcement: the Country at Heart show up at the Berry Barn over there is going to say open longer than originally planned. The tulips are not out yet, even though the show's been on for a week. We just need a couple more days of sun and they should pop. But the gals are going to keep the show/shop open for an extra week and go through the whole month of April. The plan is to close up Sat evening, 4/30. Just to get a few more days of tulip tourists and lookie-loo shopping in. Tip: The gal who owns the place has PIES. Freshly made pies of all kinds. Including little individual ones that are cute as can be. Plus super good ice cream. So even if you aren't in the buying mood, it's a great place to stop for a treat. Just off Highway 20 on the LaConner road. It's on the tulip map -

Taxes

I'm beginning to think paying taxes is only for the little people. The little tiny people who have hardly any sheckels to begin with. There is something seriously wrong here:

"EXXON MOBIL: The oil giant that was the world’s most profitable corporation in 2008 has spent $5.7 million in campaign contributions over the last ten years and $138 million in lobbying expenditures. Its federal corporate income tax liabilities for 2009? Absolutely nothing. Not only did it pay nothing, but it also received a tax rebate the same year of $156 million.

CHEVRON: Chevron spent $4.4 million in campaign contributions and $91 million in lobbying expenditures over the last decade. It received a tax refund of $19 million in 2009 while making $10 billion in profits and $324 million in government contracts in 2008.

CONOCOPHILLIPS: The Texas-based gasoline giant spent $2.5 million in campaign contributions and $63 million in lobbying expenditures over the last decade. It received “$451 million through the oil and gas manufacturing deduction,” a special tax break, between 2007 and 2009, despite $16 billion in profits over the same period of time."

The list is much longer, and scarier. Of course it includes all the major banks, Boeing, GE, FedEx etc.

I'm waiting for my puny little refund over here. Which is a relief that I even got one, but that I desperately need right about this time of year. All the taxes and show fees for the year are due in the spring, even if they don't happen until November. Yet there hasn't been but one real show so far in 2011, and spring shows are notoriously small sales anyway. It's a hat trick game of cash when you do this kind of work. The big fall/winter show funds only last so long . . .

April Showers

It's been 41 days (and counting) since we've had a sunny day here in Seattle. Every day seems like the same groundhog day of chilly, showers, gray. Spring is stalled. The daylight hours are longer, and little bits of things are beginning to grow and flower. But I'm so darn impatient for some real sunshine and temperatures closer to 60 than 40.

Next week is the Mount Vernon street fair, which means the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival should be well under way. But with the weather we've had, the tulips are not blooming yet. And it looks like more cool, showery weather for another week. One hour of sunbreak and me and the cats get delirious. Clearly we are Vitamin D-deprived.

I've tried to jump start the garden. I've got sugar snap peas in, a new horseradish plant, more rhubarb, some red onions and a couple of strawberries. But they are also in a holding pattern of inactivity, like the rest of us. Straining to reach the few little rays of sun that peek out for a minute here and there, before the clouds race in and we go back to shivering and huddling.

New Show for April

I'm adding a new show to my schedule for April - Country at Heart in the Berry Barn near Mt Vernon.

Here are the details . . .

Show: Country at Heart
Dates: April 1 - 24, closed Mondays
Hours: 10am - 5pm
Location: The Berry Barn, 14285 La Conner Whitney Rd, Mt Vernon

It's a smaller, boutique craft show, meaning that I am not working my own booth up there. I will have a display with all my spring products there - and some cute little gift sets for Easter and spring in tin watering cans and colorful organza bags. This is the 8th year for this show, and Charlene and her Mom have so graciously invited me to participate.

This is Tulip Festival month, and there are all kinds of display gardens, shops, and special events going on all month. It's a great time to head up and see what's new.

And just a reminder, I'll be at the Mt Vernon street fair, manning my own little tent on the weekend of Apr 15-17. Keep your fingers crossed that the weather will hold out.

Best of the Northwest news

Just a quick update - the Best of the Northwest show was a huge success this past weekend. Everyone had such a good show, and the customers showed up in droves, even though it was a rainy, grey weekend.

We even got a write up in the Seattle Times on Monday. And I was quoted too! The lovely reporter (Melissa Allison) stopped by my booth on Sunday, and was delighted to find a few things for gifts that needed. We chatted a bit about the show and she mentioned that the story would run the next day. It's focus seems to be more about the economy and money - what people spend, how much artists make, etc. That's not what I discussed with her though, so I had hoped to read a little more about the show.

The bad economy is old news and I think people are really tired of hearing about it, frankly. In fact, I think that's partly why spring shows are up. We're just so darn tired of all the bad news and bad weather that we want to get out and treat ourselves with something fun to do or something fun to buy for ourselves. Just to get out of the rut and get on with spring, move forward.

Anyway, what I had hoped to see in the story was all my raving about how great the quality of the show is too. It's so much improved from the last few years. Lots of new artists, cool new stuff, really interesting people from all over - especially the Portland area. It's refreshing to see a whole space filled with art that is truly inspirational - made with passion, rather than made simply to sell, which so many of the shows have now. It's not "commercial" art in the technical sense, but just art made to be sold as quickly and cheaply as possible, rather than for the pure enjoyment and effort.

So the jurying this year was great - even with the new Zapplication system. And the advertising and hard work of everyone to get the word out was phenomenal. I just think this is such a wonderful group of people - artists and staff - that's it's a great thing to see it work out successfully, even in the usually doldroms springtime.

March Shows

The shows are starting up again for spring. I've got a small craft show this week, and the larger Best of the Northwest next week. It's a good time to shop for small gifts with Easter coming up, Mother's Day on the horizon too.


Vasa Park Spring Gift Show
March 17 - 19, Thurs and Fri 10am - 7pm, Sat 10am-5pm
Vasa Park Ballroom, 3560 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy SE
Bellevue

This show is free admission, free parking and has all kinds of spring crafts, home decor plus antiques and collectibles too. It's a boutique style show, with a single cashier at the door.


Best of the Northwest
March 26 -27, Sat and Sun 10am-6pm
Hangar 30, Warren G Magnuson Park
Seattle

This one has free parking, but admission to get in ($5 online, $7 at door). It's 110 regional artists in every medium, displaying their work in their own booths. Tons of artist demonstrations, food booths, entertainment - the works. Click the link for ticket info, artist info, directions on how to get there (Sand Point). My booth location is the very last row against the farthest wall from the front entrance.

Oh, I also have a handful of free passes to this show too, so if you know that you are planning on coming, give me a holler. I've sent out a few this week, but got a little bunch left for whoever needs one.