The show time has come and gone. It was a bust. We knew going in to this show it was a gamble. It was the show’s first year. The promoters wanted to offer a show that sold a higher end product. Not your typical “craft show”. There was some very nice work there; just no one came to see it.

You don’t know until you know; now we know. I would check it out in a few years to see how it is doing and maybe try it again. The concept is a good one.

The studio is just about run down for the year. We have two small orders to finish glazing tomorrow, one is to be shipped and the other picked up. Then we shut it down for the holidaze. (Bad spelling intentional). The order we have to ship has a story. We got an email last Friday from a lady in the States wanting to know if we could supply a bread dipping set for Christmas.

She could not pay the extra shipping but wondered if it was possible to get it delivered in time for Christmas. I laughed when I first read the email for we didn’t even have in stock what she wanted. Jim and I then talked and if we were to help her with the shipping costs, ship DHL and push it through with the last order it would work. It turns out that this lady is giving her daughter in law this set. Her son and his wife were in New Orleans when Katrina hit. They lost everything. He had to move to…. I forget where…. to finish his university. She has gone back to New Orleans to help restore the city, help her friends and rebuild their life. This girl loves to entertain and to feed people. Our dip set will be the first thing she will receive that is not a necessity, but a start to the life of food and friends they had before the hurricane. We are very happy to be able to help give this to them, all for a wee bit of shipping charges.

Next year should prove to be interesting. The lease on the studio runs out next August. We were going to let the studio go, since there is only me working there. It is a large space, 2300 square feet, three big rooms with a lot of overhead. Now I want to keep it and see if we can get a small gallery/gift shop going in the front room. That way if no one likes what I am doing or I can’t find a gallery to take what I make, I will make my own gallery as well. Since I know the lady who owns the joint, I am fairly confident my work will be accepted. Also I would like to offer a place for people who do some very kick ass schtuff but don’t have a name or a place to show it off. My experience has been the art world is who you know or what your name is. What you make, or the skill in which you make it, doesn’t always have a lot to do with it. We get some foot traffic with out any advertising at all. With a bit of work, I am sure we will create a wonderful ……ahh… looking for a word… shopping experience.

Safety Jim’s buyer for the video/DVD series had to have emergency surgery.

So the next in the series has been put on hold until the fellow from Calgary is out of the hospital. The first DVD was very good. They did many small changes and tweaks since the last post here. Now it is done, good, and ready for stage two.

I would like to wish anyone who reads this the best of the season. Take some time for yourself. Eat a bit too much, drink a few drinks, sleep in a time or two and be good to those who love you.

Until next time.

Cindy