Alberta Bound!

I am grateful to be able to show up and do the work today.

Make It! Vancouver was...a blur. 

Hence, I only have one stinkin' picture from the whole event! I left my booth only to get caffeine and go to the lavatory. I was hoping to check out some of the other 140 artisans peddling their wares, alas there was work to be done! 

Again, mucho love to my friend Kevin (if we weren't such kick ass friends, I'd run off to Vegas and marry him!) who came to my apt Thursday morning to help me load everything into my car and his SUV. When we got to the Croatian Cultural Centre low and behold, the biggest baddest dolly was just sitting at the front door all alone...I swear I saw a GLOW around it (thanks universe!). I almost started vibrating I was SO excited...this meant the usual 10 or so trips in and out could be shortened down to 2 or 3 which meant more time to unpack and get set up! YAY! 

It still took me 4 hours...and I was still tweaking (putting final price tags on jewelry, bookmarks into gift boxes etc)..but I LOOKED set up when the clock struck 4...that's the important thing.

Nine thousand people (no joke) came through the doors and there were people lined up all 4 mornings to get in! Thursday and Friday were mildly busy but Saturday and Sunday were the cray cray days! At times there were so many people in my booth that none of us could move! 

As always, I had amazing booth neighbours, Ross and Suzanne from Two Monkeys Design on Salt Spring Island, who make toques, scarves and shawls with natural fibres. They saved my bladder a couple of times by watching my booth as did the lovely Joanne from Cocoa West Chocolatiers on Bowen Island and Carla from Carla's Victorian Heirlooms when they stopped by to say hello..they got put to work instead! Bless them.

Power siblings, Jenna and Chandler Herbut of Make It Productions, pulled off a wicked show yet again! My deepest gratitude to them for making it all happen. I would like to thank my awesome friends who came out to support and all the new peeps I had the pleasure of meeting in my booth. Always my favourite part of the show.

As per usual, I was the last one to leave the party. The show ended at 5 and I got everything packed up by 730. Kevin again helped me load it all up in the pouring rain (don't worry, I repaid him handsomely with wild salmon burgers, roasted potatoes followed by ginger candy, buttery popcorn and re-runs of Locked Up Abroad at my place)! 

I left most of my display stuff in the Subaru as it will be travelling with me on Tuesday to attend the Make It Show at The Enjoy Centre in St. Albert! Oy vey. 

So the next morning I was back at it...transferring images onto wood blocks, making more jewelry, matting prints etc etc etc. The tough thing about these shows is not knowing what is going to sell well and how much...so ya just gotta make a whack load of it and hope for the best! Again, I have barely seen another soul nor done anything leisurely as I've been deep in heavy prep mode yet again. Thank goodness I have amazing friends who understand how much time and effort goes into this kind of thing...and that it's my life's work. There are times I am nostalgic for the days of only 8-5 and weekends off and a steady pay check...oh and benefits! But I am doing what I love. Following my heart. My dreams. And that's da bomb:) Maybe I just need a vacay (or a lottery win?) to de-stress a little. Hawaii anyone?

I still have not figured how I will fit myself and everything I need to take in my car PLUS a suitcase?! Especially since I usually use 2 vehicles to haul everything. It will be an ADVENTURE!

Thanks to el iPhone-o, I will have 8tracks, Hayhouse Radio and audio books to entertain me on the drive. More than anything, the prospect of seeing my AB peeps is what is keeping me going and has made this all so exciting:)

Here's the deets for the show:

Make It! Edmonton
Enjoy Centre

101 Riel Drive  St. Albert

Admission: $5 (good for all 4 days)

Thursday 4-9
Friday 11-9
Saturday 11-7
Sunday 11-5

Click here to get $1 off admission. Print out or show on your phone at the door.

"Exert your talents, and distinguish yourself, and don't think of retiring from the world, until the world will be sorry that you retire."  

- Samuel Johnson, British writer.

 "Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." 

 
- Joseph Campbell, American mythologist, writer. 

"Life in itself is an empty canvas; it becomes whatsoever you paint on it. You can paint misery, you can paint bliss. This freedom is your glory."  

- Osho, Indian philosopher.  

In case you are wondering, I get most of my quotes from The Daily Love. It is the ONE newsletter I never delete and read every day. Check it yo!

Here I Go..Again!

First and foremost, I want to take a moment to acknowledge all of those affected by Hurricane Sandy from the Caribbean to Canada. Special shout-out to Rockaway Beach (hit very hard by the storm), where I have spent a lot of time photographing and getting to know the lovely people who live there. My heart is wrapped right around them. If you are able to, help the Red Cross provide shelter, food and assistance to those in need. 

Interior Design Show West has drawn to a close. If there has anything I have learned from being a market maniac these past several months it is this: stop being such a STRESS CASE and just enjoy it! 

My main concern was that I had not made enough jewelry but in the end, it worked out perfectly as people were much more interested in the wood blocks being in a 'home decor' frame of mind (pun intended). So that was kinda awesome considering this was their debut and I felt like the time dedicated to making over 50 of them in a very short time span was well worth the effort. 

Found room divider on craigslist that fits my hangy hooks just right. SCORE!

I made some great contacts with some Interior Designers which is certainly not something that happens at every show - another super positive! One of my most favourite things is the people you meet and the random conversations that happen with utter strangers...warms the heart and makes it all worthwhile. Humans are pretty cool sometimes;) 

Ghost + Light 

My booth neighbour, Heidi, is the owner and designer of H Art + Fashion. She has her paintings printed onto fabric to utilize in her clothing designs. Why didn't I think of that?! The fabric is beautiful and organic and super comfy and snug fitting but doesn't feel tight. Hello! She also sells fingerless gloves made with organic cotton and has the coolest colours..good luck just choosing one set! 

We laughed. We cried. Literally. Female bonding at its finest! 

Jean Cueta, talented travel + lifestyle photog, came to visit me at the show. So much heart and depth poured into her every click and composition (stemming from her kind and compassionate character). See for yourself on her blog here: Jean Cueta Photography.

Then came my absolute favourite part of the show: takedown. Because it was such a large scale show, one could not even think about getting into the loading docks for several hours with the never ending line-up of big trucks waiting to get in. I pride myself on doing what I do independently and find it hard to ask for help. The thought of making 2 car trips from there and then up and down my ridiculously vertical stairs late into the night had me changing that tune a little and calling for back up! I lugged all my gear to the front doors of the convention centre and my dear friend Kevin (who is now my HERO - God bless him) pulled his SUV up and helped me pack in all of the below. It BARELY all fit but we MADE it work by piling boxes on top of my lap and underneath my feet. I can be quite compact when I want to be. 

All Set Up!

All Taken Down!

FUN FUN FUN!

So now that that is all over, I have been taking pics of the wood blocks I've been making and uploading them to sell on Etsy! And I just added Gift Certificates! For when you can't quite decide what to buy for your loved one. They can be electronically sent as a PDF or sent old school snail mail style in any denomination. 

I have also been making woodblocks like a mofo and all kinds of new photo jewelry has been in the works: cuff links for men, bookmarks and sterling silver (925) rings and earrings! 

All of the above will be introduced at: Make It Vancouver (hope to see you Vangroovians there!) at the Croatian Cultural Centre starting this Thursday at 4 PM (runs til Sunday) and Make It Edmonton at the Enjoy Centre, November 22th-26th. Yes...it's due time that the little Subaru and I head back to the homeland. Looking forward to seeing all you prairie peeps! 

"He who binds to himself a joy does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity's sunrise." 

- William Blake, was an English poet, painter, and printmaker.  

Life is the dancer, and you are the dance." 

- Eckhart Tolle