Francisco Farm Art Fair

Well Mag and I went to the Art Fair at Midway College. It is rated in the top 10 in the nation. It is a great fair. Wonderful artists, but oh so hot. Last year we went and I have only been that hot a couple of times in my life. Guess what this year it was the same and we got there at 10:15am. Mag thought she was melting. It was really hard to enjoy the artists work. I keep thinking that at some point that I may want to exhibit at this one. All the artists say it is a great show for the artists also. Along with being hot you are at the mercy of storms also. It is that time of year. I do not know? I would love to go to the Art Fair at St James in Louisville in the fall. Maybe the weather would be better, it is also rated in the top 10 in the nation.

I have several necklaces in the works for the Sheltowee Gallery. I will post pictures when they are finished. Several have been in the works for awhile and could not decide how to finish them.
I seem to have to be in a certain frame of mind to make jewelry, that is not the case with making beads. I can sit at the torch anytime and make beads. Jewelry takes decisions; length, design, clasp, colors etc.

My business cards arrived today. Really fast service, I am really happy with how they turned out. We are going to another art fair tomorrow in Somerset and a open house for a jewelry designer here in London. I think I will take a business card to the open house. Boy does this sound like the big city or what? If you didn't know, you would think it was the other London.

Progress is slow

The process of getting a new artistic venture together is tedious. I wish I could just go make beads and jewelry but in order to continue to do that I need to do a lot of other things. Like order business cards. Mag designed them and they have been shipped. Yay, one down. Now I need tags for the jewelry that I am going to take to the gallery in Somerset. I found a latex glove mold at a local flea for $20.00 dollars. I think it will make an awesome display piece, can't decide if I want to keep it for home and art fairs or take it to Somerset. Wish I could find another one.


I have slowly been trying to buy items that will help display either beads or jewelry. I found a tutorial for a cigar box display of beads, found a source for the boxes and was really pleased how my first one turned out. I took it to the Library demo and it seemed to work great. What do you think?


Visited Hallock Stained Glass store in Lexington yesterday after the marathon visit to IKEA north of Cincinnati. Needed bead fix. She carries some 96 and some 104 glass. Her beads were great. She has some frit a few tools etc. Nice to know that in a pinch I might find what I need and not have to wait a week for a glass order. Very nice people and a dog that was wonderful. Mag and I would both have taken him home.

We also visited the Kroger Marketplace store in Lexington and I got the coolest dog treat jar. Mag thought I was crazy, but I love it.


Only the very best for the best dog ever. Oh, it was on sale too.

Finally finished at school

I have finally completed my contract with school. All the snow days bite you in the but at the end. I do enjoy them when we get them just not so much at the end. Spent today taking care of little things. Going to torch a while, and try to get some sets made for my space at the Gallery. Ordered business cards today that Maggie designed . Love them, ordered them from Vista Print. We are going to use that same design for my tags on the jewelry, trying to be consistent.

We are going to IKEA tomorrow. We have been trying to get there since the first of May. Every time we try it storms and I needed tires. It is not supposed to rain tomorrow just very hot. Oh well.

This week end we are going to try and go to one of the top Art Fairs in the country the Francisco Farm show at Midway, KY. I also want to try to go to the Art show in Somerset in order to try to get my mind set to prepare for my first Art Fair in November. Same venue different people put the show on, but some of the same participants. Also one of my students from the Library is having an open house on Sunday in London and I would like to stop by there to support her effort. Her husband told her she should find a local bead maker to buy from. Hope I am it. She is a very talented lady with a lot going on. Her name is Stacey Edwards Wilhite (S.E.W. Creations). She is new to town and seems to have a lot of energy.

I got the nicest Thank You card from Gwen Stivers at the Library for doing the demonstration/class on Saturday. People do not send enough thank you notes. I was thrilled to receive it. She is a very nice and professional lady and the Library is lucky to have her.

Headed to torch awhile. Mag is cooking. Better take advantage of that while I can.

I am Back

My daughter has been after me to continue to blog. I have to admit, I have missed it. I feel it is better with pictures and I really need to get a good camera. Today was a big day though. I taught a class on how lampwork beads are made and taught them to make a pair of earrings. I was asked to do this by our local public library. They offer lots of really unique classes and demonstrations. I had nine people that showed up. They taught me probably more than they learned from me. I sure could not have done this with out Maggie and Danny. It really was an honor to be asked to do this and hope I get to do this again.

Other than today, we have been really busy with Maggie's graduation and anticipated move to North Carolina. I hope to get back to making beads every day and trying to build up some inventory for upcoming events. I have rented space at the Sheltowee Gallery and have signed up to participate in my first art fair in November. So I better not procrastinate, which tends to be my nature.

I did make some more Cat paw beads today. Football is around the corner. Basketball season about killed me, I do not want to repeat that marathon session. I also sold a pair of earrings at the library to someone who was not in the class. It was a pair that I had considered keeping, so I made some beads similar to maybe make another pair. Also played around with some different shapes. Hopefully pictures tomorrow, Mag's camera is home for awhile.