The year is just flying by! I'm currently in Akron at the Ohio Mart at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardents. What a beautiful venue for a show and the volunteers running it are all very helpful. Tomorrow looks like rain. Fortunately, the show is all under huge white party tents, so the guests stay dry while in the tents. But what a bummer; if it's raining at 4:00, it won't be any fun packing out in the rain. Such is the life of a festival exhibitor! Looking forward to seeing the family - I've been gone since Wednesday - it's been a long trip.

Next Sunday, October 10th, is the Fall Calico at the Worthington Square Mall, then the Guild will be working towards setting up the Worthington Craft Guild Holiday Shoppe. We'll be located in the old Caribou Coffee space and we'll be opening the first weekend in November. Quite an exciting venture for the Guild. Stop in and see all of the handmade crafts from the members of the Worthington Craft Guild.

After that it's off to Michigan for my last out of state show of the season - the Great Lakes Art Fair in the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan. I'm hoping they select a piece of my jewelry for a fashion show that will take place during the Art Fair - we'll see!

See the Shows and Events page for more information regarding these shows, and the remainder of my 2010 schedule.

Hard to believe I haven't posted since APRIL! It's now two days after the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival. One of my favorite shows of the year. We had perfect weather and a lot of wonderful people! I was featured in the Upper Arlington News and so had a lot of people indicate that they'd read about me. It was very flattering. Thank you to everyone who came by my booth. I'm busy again getting ready for the Penrod Arts Festival on Saturday in Indianapolis, and getting out re-sizes, special orders, etc.

Great Lakes Art Fair - Novi, MI

Well, yesterday I received a wake up call! The Great Lakes Art Fair, where I was on the Wait List since January, called to say they had a space for me. So, I get the call on Monday and the show is Friday through Sunday in Novi, Michigan. About a 3 to 3.5 hour drive; not too bad, but I think I'll have to leave on Thursday? Friday set up would be a lot more difficult. Anyway, so much for writing every day...Although, I think I'm enjoying it! The bad part is I love hockey and the Stanley Cup playoffs have started and are enticing me to the TV in the evenings...If you see me at the show this weekend, tell my you read my Studio Blog!

Starting Again

Well, when I started the blog, I was sure I'd do it every day...or at least once a week. That was November. Well, I took some time off after the first of the year, then have been a hermit in the basement studio ever since. I'm going to have a crazy busy summer and fall this year, and I'm trying to get a head start, even before my first multi-day show - which is in the middle of May.

I've had financials to do, taxes like everyone due by 4/15, sales taxes, mailing lists, and email lists to update, brochures to create and order, then postcards to create and have printed, address labels printed and adhered, and stamps, stamps, and more stamps! 1300! That's why I'm switching to an email mailing list. Does that make sense? I'll be sending out my usual spring postcard mailing with a few of my confirmed shows listed. However, I'm requesting those who wish to receive email updates of my shows, go to my website, click on the Mailing List link at the left of the Home Page and fill in their email address.

My shows this year (and last year, as well) began in May and went full bore into December. This year will be the same and usually the exhibitor doesn't even receive an acceptance to say, an October show, until July or August. Therefore it's difficult to send a single postcard in the spring with ALL of my shows on it - just can't be done. So that's why an email 'update' each month will become my preferred method of communication.

So whether you've just stumbled on this site/blog, or are a past customer who may not be on my mailing list, go ahead and get signed up! www.chgstudios.com/MailingList.htm

So, getting ready to send out the mailing, and preparing the email for early May. Also, making beads, beads, and more beads! Having a great time in the studio. My husband, Dan, made another large bench for me down there. This one is not 'installed' as in 'attached' to the walls like the first two. These are two rough tables; I call them benches. Made of plywood, routed edges so no splinters, but otherwise very rough. The studio smells like sawdust right now, which is kinda nice. The new tables are 6 foot and 4 foot long and as you can imagine, create a ton more space - which was quickly filled with tools and equipment which had been hiding because of lack of space!

Off to work on the website, in the hopes of being a bit more consistent on the blog, and perhaps not so long winded!

Well, I'm home now and it's back to work for my next show in two weeks. Incredibly, I still have a couple of orders from my last couple of shows that I wasn't able to get out before my trip to Florida that I've got to get right on...

I also want to say that if anyone tried to contact me during early October and I haven't gotten back to them, it's likely that I never got the either the telephone message or the email message, so please, try me again!

Entries from Wednesday and Thursday (11/28 and (11/29)

November 29, 2008

Well, what a hot, exhausting, tiring and wonderful day! Eight hours of watching demonstrations, torching, lunching, torching, and watching demonstrations! Melanie is a wonderful teacher and I already am pleased with the knowledge that she has shared with the class. Her beads are wonderful and her stringer control is incredible. I'm looking forward to another great day, albeit hot, of learning and practicing more great techniques.

November 28, 2008

I've thought about starting a blog before, but it seemed silly. But so often, I've wanted to update my customers about my current or future plans, or to mention a specific show that was on the horizon and there just is not a better way to do it.

For instance, as I've mentioned to some of you over the last few weeks, I had a technological breakdown - losing the use of my telephone and then losing the use of my laptop computer, which has/had all of my files on it, including my website. Now that's not to say that I didn't backup my information, because I did, it's just that I haven't been able to update my website, emails, or anything until I installed the data onto a new computer...not to mention, purchasing a new computer and new programs first! I've been able to get back up to speed, and now I need to get back down into the studio and do some work! Some fun work!

Entry from Wednesday (11/28) Leaving for Melanie Moertel Class in Orlando, FL

I'll be leaving later today for Orlando, FL for a 2-day, 16-hour class with Melanie Moertel, a lampworker from Germany who is in the United States teaching classes in October and November. Click here to check out her work!