I LOVE CAPE FEAR STUDIOS!!!

Apparently I am not alone in my LOVE affair with Cape fear Studios.  As you can plainly see from the award above,http://www.capefearstudios.com/  was voted Best Art Gallery AND Best Place to Buy Local Art by the readers of Up & Coming Weekly.

I served my first four hour shift at the retail desk there yesterday as a new and PROUD exhibiting member.  Now that I have that accomplished, I can add my items to a display case just in time for the upcoming Fourth Friday Celebration there on September 27th from 6 pm to 9 pm.  I am feverishly designing and creating new pieces to offer exclusively at the Studios.  Here are some of the artists who were actually working in the studios as I was watching the retail end.

 Gail Harris was finishing off a spectacular work in oils.

 Kathy Moore was loving her expression in watercolor.

 Jill Dieffenbach was labeling her pottery for display and sale.

 A High School student was working on a fused glass piece for her school project with Lois White pictured below.

 Karen Moore truly enjoys her time at the easel and we can see why.  Another of her masterpieces is pictured below.

All of these amazing artists were working there plus others who are camera shy so see what an adventure can be had by stopping by
http://www.capefearstudios.com/  
148 Maxwell Street   in downtown  Fayetteville, NC
 any weekday  from   11 am to 5 pm  or
Saturday  from  10 am to 4 pm.....closed Sundays.
There are also the artist's receptions and contests on Fourth Fridays which really draw a crowd.
If you want to see why we were voted the BEST then come and see for yourself.  You will be glad you did.

Video

https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=316320035173234

Check out this awesome short video at my spot in the City Market Taken August 31, 2013

It's a Wonderful Life

Having been motivated by a customer/friend at the Downtown City Market for the past two weekends, I am here "blogging" at long last.  Thank you Valerie!

What a fabulous "RIDE" the past year has been for me and my family.

The photo up top is my new "footprint" at the City Market at the Museum in downtown Fayetteville, NC.

www.facebook.com/CityMarketAtTheMuseum

  It is my permanent vending location. I have been set up there since the onset of the venue last April 2012....over a year now.  On those rare occasions when I can't make it out there on a Saturday I feel like something is "missing" in my life.  I have made so many friends out there.  The vendors are awesome folks who are like family to me.  Alot of my consistent customers are now my friends.  I have so many wonderful experiences at the Transportation and Local History Museum every week.  Albeit has been rather warm some of these Summer days and rainy on a few others.  It still amazes me how loyal our customers are to all the vendors.

http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com/things-to-do/family-fun/6221/fayetteville-area-transportation-museum-and-local-history-museum

Here is my Latest and Greatest News so far on my journey here in NC.  As of  August 30, 2013 I have been accepted as a juried exhibiting ARTIST at Cape Fear Studios
 http://www.capefearstudios.com/
It is the primo source of Fine Art in the region with working Artist's studios right in the building.  My biggest joy is that there is a large classroom area where I can get back to teaching Beadwork at finally.  My sabbatical is over hopefully.

Also, even though the application fee is placing me in a grave financial bind and I am flying on blind FAITH the next couple months, I will possibly be returning to Ft Bragg for the Yule Mart again this year.  IF THEY JURY me in.  Application went out in today"s mail.  It will be at a NEW LOCATION with a new association running the show.  The new promoters is the newly created Association of Bragg Spouses...no longer Officer's Spouses.  New location will be :
Ritz-Epps Physical Fitness Center, Bldg C7215 Ft Bragg, NC
Dates of the venue this year are November 22, 23, and 24 2013
I so enjoyed doing the two day show last November I know this year will be even greater and more fulfilling!

The grandchildren are growing and maturing way too quickly for my taste, but I am still BLESSED to be able to spend time with them after school during the week.  Also, my wonderful grandson, Mylz still accompanies me downtown and helps me with my little shop on Saturdays.  His news is that he is on the soccer team for New Century International Middle School.  Ella is so intelligent for a second grader it is scary.  After First grade, she can read almost as well as I can....AMAZING!  She just turned 7 years old on August 2nd and Mylz will be 14 on January 6th, 2014.  He is in 8th grade.

My daughter has a new position and location for her employment.  She is now local, at Ray Price of Fayetteville and is the Finance and Insurance Manager.  They are the exclusive dealers for new Triumph and Ducati motorcycles in the area.  She is prospering and thriving in her new career.

I still struggle daily with my poor crops.  My mini garden is under siege as before by the pesky squirrels.  I have 19 tomato plants and have yet to get a mature tomato from any of them.  They even ate an eggplant but I managed to salvage a small one for myself (pictured above) before they demolished it.  they also confiscated all my pears and figs.  I purchased a sonar box that was supposed to remedy my plight....not so, MY squirrels are wise to everything meant to thwart them....I believe they must have master's degrees in veggie thievery.  I am keeping up with lawn mowing...saints be praised.  We have had a  very mild Summer with a whole lot of rain so we are truly blessed.

There is a reunion of my eighth grade graduating class coming up in October that I will unfortunately not be able to attend.  It has reunited me with several "old" friends who were absent but never forgotten from my life.  Sure wish I could be there "kids" but finances just won't permit.  I never got to the "Rich and Famous" status I had always dreamed of.  I will be there in spirit though, you can count on that!

Once again, I promise to try to BLOG more often....I know I know.  Happy Trails to all of you.  Autumn and the cooler COLORFUL weather is nearly here along with all the fun holidays and joys of the season.

So Much for Keeping Up! PFFFFFT!!!

YUP!  This is my Life now.  I be either making pieces to sell at City Market at the Museum in Fayetteville, NC or I be selling there every Saturday and Fourth Fridays too.  That's me, from a fabulous "up" shot taken by my loyal partner, grandson Mylz....we have sweated through many a hot morning this summer peddling my wares.  The fabulous Harley Davidson shirt is courtesy my loving daughter, April as my Mother's Day gift...I LOVE IT!!

We put up and take down that canopy from Harbor Freight Tools mostly by ourselves...the wonderful vendors we sell with are so super at assisting us when we are in need.  I just figured out it has been 5 months since we first set up at the Transportation Museum....wish I could say we were rolling in the wealth....but I cannot.  It is sure a wonderful way to make new friends though!

We have been invited to a couple of Juried Events before Christmas...one in particular looks highly appealing but it is $175 up front and will mean two days totalling 21 hours of selling....that's pretty darned demanding.  You can tell I am new to this whole vendor life...then too, I am only one person and I am realizing very late in life that I can only do so much on my own.  So my inventory can only be what I can produce....is that enough for a huge show???  Points to ponder.  I had given serious consideration to doing the International Folk Festival but backed out of that one.

So now you know where I have been keeping myself all these months.  No moss growing on me from lack of activity even though it be of the more sedentary variety.  The yard has been kept up albeit rather poorly.  At least the neighbors aren't leaving threatening notes on my door or calling the Health Dept.  I mow the grass and trim the edgings as much as my feeble body will allow.  Now that the weather is finally cooling. it is easier to get out and do the yard work.  I sure have progressed immensely from that depressed, sickly, crippled old lady living alone and deserted in the desert a year ago....I am soooooo grateful for my grandchildren and daughter's family for that improvement in my lifestyle!

Have I unpacked all those zillions of boxes in my storage room and garage?  NOT EVEN!!!  I watch that show Hoarders & picture all the junk from those boxes packed into my poor little house & it freaks me out...plus, let's be honest, I HATE UNPACKING even more than I hated PACKING all that garbage.  Procrastination is a fine art of mine!

So that's my latest scoop on what's new in my world TODAY....no more promises on how loyal I am gonna be to posting more blog entries.  When it happens, it happens....take care ya'll.

I AM BAAAAAAAACK!!

Here's my little Squeakers, taking in the cards & flowers from the best Mother's Day ever!!
I have been so remiss in posting on here...shame on me!!  Squeakers is now 4 years old....I have been in my new home over 8 months....most everything is still in boxes.....I have been selling at the City Market in downtown Fayetteville every Saturday for about 6 weeks now....I mow my own lawn, work in the garden pulling weeds, planting, watering, raking leaves.  WOW!!  I  AM  ALIVE ! ! !  At Last!
I realize I will have to be doing a whole lotta De-Stashing of my yarn & Beads on Etsy  REAL SOON!!
But here's the kicker of all kickers...I am applying for a part time J O B to be able to supplement my disability income so I can SURVIVE!!!
YUP!  I can do it!!!!  I KNOW  I  CAN!

That's me at the set up downtown on the very first day we were out there in March!  We have since added a 10x10 canopy that has to be put up & torn down at each setup.  Mylz is my loyal companion for all these outings.  If we only could make some money at it things would be MUCH  BETTER!!!

Well, thanks for sticking with me.   I will really try harder to post more on here!!

Mother's Day 2012

My daughter, April and I in a Huge HUG for the first Mother's Day we have been able to share in ten long and miserable years apart!

What Fun we all had at Dairy Queen after our heavy workout at the bowling alley!

I could not believe how my health and body has healed since moving back to be with my family in NC...I actually bowled(well, I threw the ball down the alley without pain or falling!!  BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!

I still know how to really celebrate a holiday with a good old Dairy Queen Chocolate dipped cone too!

SANTA came to Daughter's House EARLY

Some House Photos

Here's a few photos of my new DIGS taken right after the move September 1st

HELLO FROM NORTH CAROLINA

I am posting this from a PC that I had shipped with all my MESS from Tucson. I had not "used" this PC in over 2 years and it sure is much slower and "different" than the laptop I have gotten "spoiled" with. The darned thing WORKS though which is INCREDIBLE since I bought it in 2003 from a wonderful friend who built it for me. He knows who he is!!! Thanks BOB!

I cannot believe how time has just FLOWN BY since my big move in July! There was the ten day trip by auto with Kitty and Grandson Mylz then the hectic pace of getting a new residence while bumming off my daughter, her man and my grandkids for a month. Now it is these piles and piles of boxes still blessing my garage and storage room not to mention their contents which must find a home either inside the house or in the stash for Garage Sale.

The house I bought, me and Fannie Mae, is 1000 sq ft SMALLER than my Mother's home. Now it's kinda like trying to fit a whale in a sardine can. BUT it's MY SARDINE CAN and I am a mere 3 miles from my daughter & family & see the grandchildren nearly every day!!! YAY!!!!!

I am trying to get all my BEADS and YARN located and organized which might takes years if not DECADES! I found "some" of my Christmas decorations and found a place to erect my 3 foot prelit artificial tree (on my former kitchen table in the Craft room). The most splendid part is I finally get to SHARE my Holidays with the little Family I have here....not what I have but WHO I am with!!!

Must admit I splurged on a couple of purchases for which I will be in hock for a long while...new 46" SMART TV, new 'he' washer and dryer and the house came with a marvelous side by side Samsung computerized refrigerator & high end Kenmore range/oven/microwave that are only 2 years old. So I am very "comfortable" in my new digs.

Been keeping busy knitting now that the cold weather is nearly here. Joined this fabulous group of knitters/crocheters that meet at the local Yarn Shop where I teach an occasional Bead Crochet class. A Row of Purls is the shop's name and our "group knit ins" are twice a week, Monday and Friday evenings. I usually get to just the Monday gatherings as Fridays are reserved for grandchild sleep overs at MY house.

The climate is not messing with my osteoarthritis nearly as much as I thought it would. I am staying pretty active compared the "life of a slug" that I used to lead in Tucson, AZ. Yes, it is more humid, which means my skin is soooooo much happier! People here think LOW Humidity is in the 30% range....HA HA HA...Tucson's average is about 10% I believe!

The people here in Fayetteville, NC are SUPER!! I have the Sweetest Next Door Neighbor Lady who has been a Godsend on Gardening Help!! I acquired a HUGE yard and Lots 'O Plants and Trees that this Desert Rat is gonna need a huge amount of assistance in what to do about it all!!! Especially come early Spring planting time!

The Travel Cat, Squeakers is VERY HAPPY in her new "nest" especially since familiar furniture came in. She is not too "pleased" that we have two "outdoor" cats from next door that like to hang around our front porch and yard. She is especially "miffed" when she sees them rubbing up against me when I am outside doing yardwork or whatever. She trys to tear them apart through our insulated, double paned windows to no avail. HA HA poor Squeakers! She was an AMAZING Travel companion on the LOOOOOONG drive here. She gave us NO GRIEF!!!

So that's about all for this Post. Will get some photos up from the Laptop shortly. Sorry this has been so BORING a BLOG for such a long while...maybe it will improve in time...I HOPE! HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!!

TRIP UPDATE

So, here it is day FIVE of THE BIG ADVENTURE!!! We are just about to pack it in and leave our LUXURY accomodations at the WESTIN St Louis. We are directly across from the St Louis Cardinals Ball Park...four floors above the a above the metro station with a view of the ARCH!

I just couldn't do another day of lugging belongings in & out in triple digit temperatures....not to mention re-arranging everything in the car for every trip. So I splurged!!!! Concierge took care of it all & will again this morning!

It has been such a WONDERFUL experience so far....GOOD FRIENDS....great company....sweet travel all the way around!!! Off for a new & exciting DAY!!! It's AKRON OR BUST Today!!!!

An ARTIST EMERGES !!!

 

I always knew it would be "NO Problem" when it came to my grandson, Mylz, picking up anything I know how to do. He AMAZED even me with his ability to grasp the concept of crocheting in a couple hours...then adding beads and finally making a bead crochet rope from scratch in just two days of lessons. This is a photo of the proud young man and his accomplishment. It is his second practice piece with absolutely NO ERRORS!!!

This child is a genius!! I wish the world was filled with more amazing young people like him.

OOPS, does that sound like a BRAGGING GRANDMA??? So be it! AMEN

MY TRAVELS!!

This AWESOME Guy is my grandson, Mylz! He is the older brother (eleven) to the Little Doll in the previous post!! He is also now here in Tucson, AZ and all set to pursue the Adventure of the Open Road with his grandma and Squeakers the kitty....we are having a BLAST of a time getting prepared for this SOJOURN on the highways of America.

In a mere 6 days, the Bekins men will arrive at my door to pack it all up..then on July 19th, 2011 the big moving van pulls up, Loads up and drives away with almost ALL of my belongings.

My Navigator, Mylz and I then follow by heading North to the Wonderland that is PHOENIX, AZ to stay the night in Sun City, AZ with my girlfriend of 40+ years before embarking on the REST of the journey.

Next, we stop just outside of Alburqueque, NM to spend the night with my mentor and friend, Theresa...perchance to do some beading if time and weariness permits but definitely to do some non-stop chatting and photo taking!!!

We are taking a Northern route so as to make our way up to Akron, OHIO where all MY remaining ROOTS are still flourishing. Most of my father's family is located in or around Akron. I have not seen them in over 40 years!!! I guess this is a reunion of sorts....at least it is for ME!!

My other girlfriend...we attended elementary school together, has also relocated to Ohio, but near Toledo...a visit with Sharon is also on the agenda. She may even be able to come meet my long lost extended family just 3 hours away in Akron.

The trusty laptop will be travelling with us as well as a few other necessary electronic devices so I really intend to keep ya posted from the road on here as well. Happy Trails Indeed!!!

MY TRAVELS!!

 

This is the adorable little gal who is about to turn FIVE YEARS OLD in Fayetteville NC...she is a HUGE PART of my BIG MOVE across country in just SEVEN more days!!!

The BIG PUPPY JUST ARRIVED Day

 

This is a photo of my grandson MYLZ! He sent it to me a little while ago....it has a story all it's own.

Tell me if this sounds familiar??

You are eleven years old...it's summer break from school. You just graduated from elementary school to MIDDLE SCHOOL. You really really want a puppy!!! So....Mom and Dad CAVE and let you have this adorable little ball of fur that has just been taken from it's nest. NOW YOU MUST POTTY TRAIN HER.....oh yay.... fun fun fun.

Your sister, age 4 has your cousin over for an overnight stay. She's younger than you also. She has NO IDEA what to do with puppies that are only 8 weeks old but she wants to play with the little fur ball....so she wakes up TORI (fur ball's new name) and takes her outside to play....and, oh yea, perchance to relieve herself but who's really watching. She's let back into the house and bounds up the stairs to YOUR room, all excited to see her MASTER again and suddenly realizes it's time to squat...OOPS!

Now YOUR whole GREAT DAY is ruined because Mom and Dad blame YOU for the whole botched potty training deal...

HOLY COW WHO KNEW THIS WHOLE DOG OWNERSHIP THING COULD BE SO TOUGH....and on the FIRST DAY even!!!!

June Challenge...EBW

It's that time folks...Ya Gotta Vote for your favorite piece on the Etsy Beadweaver's Blog at

http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/


I do NOT have an entry of my own this time...sure are some gorgeous items listed though...please take a moment to VOTE!!! It really means alot to us members of this fabulous Etsy Team...thanks!

On Top of Things

I LOVE this photo...such a fitting depiction of life in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. This poor bobcat was "saguaro-ed" (can't call it treed) by a mountain lion at the base of the Superstition Mountains outside of Phoenix. The reason I chose this today is my air conditioning went out yesterday...it was 102 degrees by the way and I was in the middle of an OPEN HOUSE! I have that American Home Shield Insurance protection program provided by my Caldwell Banker Real Estate agent...because I am SELLING my home and I am BROKE!!! So at 5am today I got online...should have done it yesterday, I realize now ... hindsight being 20/20 and all...and put in a request for service. I was contacted at 9:13 am by the company assigned to do the work. GREAT NEWS! They are booked solid until Wednesday, June 8th!!!! A repairman will not be dispatched until 8 am-10am that date....the temperature today was 98 degrees and tomorrow we are scheduled for a 99 degree day...humidity in the single digits though...praise the Lord!!! I refused to leave my little soul mate in the HOT HOUSE whilst I meandered the cool cool malls or some such so we toughed it out together.

I got to try something new...Fan air blowing over ice cubes...it works by the way! Actually the whole experience was rather invigorating TODAY...hope we survive tomorrow. Little Squeakers and her fur coat were stuck to me like glue through this whole nightmare....she sure doesn't like extraordinary circumstances or CHANGE!

I worked on some beadwork in front of the HD watching DVR offerings I have saved up....talked to my daughter in NC....texted my grandson in NC...visited with the potential buyers of my home from yesterday's Open House...quite a social day for a place that was well over 90 degrees inside.

Life in the Sonoran Desert...there was a reason the Native Americans from down here migrated North after May rather than "weather" the searing sun and blast furnace heat!

Happy Trails Folks.....till we meet again