Monday, November 5, 2012

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 

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