Shows and Fairs

In the past month I had my first intro into the word of art fairs and craft shows. I will elaborate on this later with pictures, etc. But I am just musing tonight on how different each can be. My first two were as I now see in retrospect very good.My last two were total bummers.

I have no idea what makes a good one. Perhaps the last two were to close too Christmas. Perhaps my products are too fancy for this area. The one show had perhaps done too little advertising.

With my first failed attempt at a show I was really, really down. I had really had my hopes on making some money before Christmas- money we needed to get by until we get back home. It took me a long time to get my attitude straightened out.

The second show I did which also didn't produce any sales was fun. I really enjoyed visiting with the other vendors. I even got a nice pitcher in a trade from the Tupperware table. So even though I again made no money- thus going further in the "hole" it was still a fun way to spend a Monday evening.

I have learned a lot through these 4 shows. I still don't know what people like best in my shop. That seems to just be determined by the crowd.

Anyhow- in honor of my first  4 shows, I am offering a special coupon code good for 40 % off one item in my shop. Offer expires Dec. 20th at NOON.

Use the code 4SHOWS at checkout for this discount.

Thanks for being a faithful reader on my blog and a friend!

My shop Silkiness

Coping with Life

As the whole world reels at the murders of innocent children I find myself in a black hole of emptiness, sadness and hopelessness. 

Every event I attend, ever gift I spend looking for in a public place is accompanied by a wariness- and an expectation of dread. 

As would be joyful songs blast around me I find myself spirit anywhere but full of joy this season. 

As I put my children to bed, and caress the face of my baby tears stream down my face. I ache with every mother who lost a child and the nightmares that haunt her every breath as she sees her child'd last day in her mind. 

I fight disgust in the pit of my stomach over the evil in our world and the depravity that allows people to do acts of terror. 

I fear for the future of myself and my family- never knowing what may face our next day. But my fear is not of death, for I fear not to meet my life Giver face to face. 

What do I fear then, I ask myself? The fear of the unknown? The fear of not knowing who would raise my children? The fear of not knowing who they will become?

And somewhere in all my whirling emotions I have this strange feeling that perhaps it is better to escape this life while young and still innocent. At least if my children died young I would know they ended up in heaven and I would see them there. Perhaps that sounds morbid, and I don't mean it that way. It is just sometimes I so fear the evils of this world and how I can possibly raise godly children in it. I am sometimes so dragged down by the darkness that I fail to see that I have the Light walking with me and all I need to do is let Him again shine brightly into this dark hole call I life in and give me peace in all this mess. 

I don't need to know where I am going in this dark life I cannot understand. I only need to trust that He is leading and trust that He will carry me through every nightmare I might face. 

Oh Lord, 

help us this day to find our hope in you! 

Be with every family in sorrow this day!

 Amen

Fremont Newspaper

So excited for this write up in the Fremont Tribune. Thanks Tammy for the great write up, you did a lovely job! 

Holiday Thieves Market

I am super excited to be a part of this art fair tomorrow in Iowa City. The silk artist she mentions is me and I feel so honored to be featured in their ad. Looking forward to a great day tomorrow. Come out and enjoy the fun! 

Winter Tour

During these next two months my etsy shop may be quieter than before because my focus will be on the winter travel and schedule I am doing.

I am doing silk painting classes here in the Midwest during a holiday trip to see my parents.

I will also be doing a number of shows and art fairs. These are all new to me and I am looking forward to meeting new people and gaining new experience.

My class schedule is as follows:

Nov. 10- Harlan, Iowa
Nov 20- Omaha, NE
Nov 26 - Menomonie, WI
Dec 3- Omaha, NE (tentatively)
Dec 8- Fremont, NE

What a Husband Wants

Today I listed to a broadcast on Focus on the Family and it had some great ideas how to make our men happy.  I know we know most of these things, but they were good reminders. Take a listen here

1. He wants to be followed. 
2. He wants someone to help him: Help him be what he was made to be. 
3. He wants to be desired.
4. He wants someone to love him: To love him as he is, without wanting to change him. 
5. He needs someone to encourage him: Write notes, or encourage him through deeds. 
6. He needs to someone to believe in him. 
7. He needs someone to admire him: Like we used to do when our eyes sparkled, and we fawned over him. 

What do you say, do you agree?

Morgan Silks: A Featured Artist Interview

Today I have the honor of introducing you to one of the newest members of the Silk Artists Team on Etsy. I have been enjoying getting to know this lovely lady at Morgan Silks.She is no stranger to the world of silk painting and has so much to teach those like me just entering this wonderful world of silk painting.

About you: I am a retired teacher, who has been experimenting with dyes and fabric since all the way back to the 1970's. I was taking an undergraduate course in fabric design from Nancy Belfer, who was working on a book about tie dye and was very secretive. We because friends and I did get supply information from her-- but nothing else, as she was working on her book. I just took it from there and experimented on my own. (I was pretending to be studying weaving). Here is some info about her:
books.google.com/books/about/Batik_and_Tie_Dye_Techniques.html?id=7599e8...
artvoice.com/issues/v8n22/artshort

Why silk painting? I was a painter, but felt ambivalent about producing works that would just sit on the wall. I wanted to create pieces that would be useful. Scarves were the practical thing, and I just took it from there.

Her current favorite.

What inspires your paintings? Nature. color juxtaposition, and negative / positive space.

What is your favorite silk painting you have done?
My favorite is usually the last piece I design. My favorites are all sold, but this one is my current squeeze: www.etsy.com/listing/110999725/silk-scarf-large-crepe-tiger-swallowtail
Probably because I agonized over it so long.

Your favorite type of silk, dyes, resist, etc.
I started buying from dharmatrading when their catalog was a piece of construction paper. I am loyal to them, and have discussed product with the CEO. The hemming has been an issue because of the imports. Powdered fiber reactive dyes are the best, and I have tried lots of others but it comes out on top.

Please tell us about your method:
I use whatever method I can come up with that will give me the effects I need. The powdered dyed is mixed with a solution of sodium alginate, which gives it a paint-like quality. The more the water, the thinner. I use the thickened dye just like I would watercolor paint. Sometimes I monoprint right from the plant, but most of the time I decide what I want to depict and then figure out a way to do it.
I have never taken a silk painting lesson and am glad I haven't. People who do come out looking formulaic. Because I taught academics to adolescents with learning problems for decades, I am used to analyzing the problem and figuring a way to deal with it. I have used as many techniques as there are scarves, and am always on the lookout for more.

Please share a tip for other silk artists or those interested in silk art:
Experiment. Taking lessons from other silk painters can ruin your creativity.

You can read more about Morgan Silks here:

Etsy Featured Artist
US News and World Report
MSN.com

To find more of her and her beautiful art:

Website: www.morgansilkscarf.com
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/morgansilk
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/morgansilk