What I’m Reading

I was skeptical when I ordered this book.

I’ve read many ‘How to’ books….. ‘Making it in the Art World’……. ‘Crafting for $$$’s’……….. ‘Make Money Selling Your Art’……. yadda yadda yadda.

I am pleasantly surprised by this simple looking volume.

First I was taken by the title. Because this is the answer I usually give when people ask me what I ‘do’.

Unlike many of the other books that are either too simplistic or too vague this gives actual advice.

How to evaluate your strengths and weakness, assessing what market is right for your type of artwork and then how to go about getting it there.

Some of the suggestions you’re going to know already. 

Some maybe not.

But what struck me most is she has me questioning what I REALLY want out of what I’m producing.

Getting me past the pie in the sky dreams of notoriety (wink wink, nudge nudge) and making me take a realistic look at what is the right fit for ME.

I guess to many of you this is basic stuff.

But there have been one or two sentences that have practically reached out from the page and slapped me upside my head.

DUH!

I give it  ★★★★★

Throwback Thursday/Happy Thanksgiving

To all who celebrate (and to those who don't) Happy Thanksgiving! 

I am thankful for each of you who take the time out of your busy days to come visit me here! 

WOYWW

Neatening up for Turkey day.... ;) Bunches of WIP's

Bring Back Holidays

Is it just me or do you long for the good ‘ole days when the stores waited until AFTER Halloween to put out their Christmas decorations…..the radio didn’t play ‘ALL CHRISTMAS, ALL THE TIME’ for six weeks before the holiday! And the stores didn’t try to outdo one another by opening on Thanksgiving Day and staying open for forty two hours straight???? 

I guess I’m just old fashioned but I think people should be home with their friends and family on Thanksgiving.

So YAY to these stores for honoring their employees, going against the tide, and staying closed on turkey day!

  A.C. Moore

 AAFES Exchange 

ABT

Academy Sports

American Girl 

Barnes and Noble

Bass Pro Shops

Bed Bath and Beyond

Big 5 Sporting Goods

BJs

Blains Farm & Fleet 

Burlington

Cabelas

Crate and Barrel

Christmas Tree Shops

Costco

Dillard's

DSW

Freds

Fort Western

GameStop

Gordmans

Guitar Center

Half Price Books

Harbor Freight

HomeGoods

Jo-Ann

Jos. A. Bank

Lowes

Marshalls

Menards

Mills Fleet Farm 

Navy Exchange

Neiman Marcus

Nordstrom

Northern Tool

REI

Patagonia

Pier 1 Imports

Saks

Sierra Trading Post

TJMaxx

True Value

Tractor Supply

World Market

{Although, truth be told, I'm really gonna miss going to Tractor Supply...... ;) }

Puny Monday

It's not that the man did not know how to juggle, he just didn't have the balls to do it.

                                                           

Oscar’s Bookstore

It wasn’t the dark and musty place you imagine an independent bookstore to be. It was actually quite well lit. With rows of shelves and tables piled high with colorful volumes in a manner that can only be described as organized chaos. But there was a kind of intuitive logic to it. You could usually find what you needed, and if you couldn’t, Oscar could put his hands on just what you were looking for in a matter of seconds.

I first met Oscar when I went looking for a particular poem. I had gone to the big name bookstore at the mall but no one had ever heard of what I was looking for.

Blank stares.

It really wasn’t their fault. To be honest, even I didn’t know the title of the poem or who had written it.

I heard it on the radio.

I was listening to my favorite radio station one night when the sultry voice of the female DJ began reading what I can only describe as the most beautiful poem I had ever heard. At least I thought it was a poem. Free verse. About a boy and a tree. And how much the tree loved the boy.

It brought me to tears.

Of course I had to find it.

Then someone told me about Oscar’s.

As I stepped through the door I knew I was somewhere special.

This little unassuming storefront on New York Avenue turned out to be heaven.

The smell of old and new books and patchouli mingled with the sounds of psychedelic music playing quietly in the background.

Bearded men lazily leafed through existential leaflets.

Girls in ragged jeans and peasant blouses, babies on their hips, paged through picture books I had never seen before.

There was a feeling like no other bookstore or library I had ever visited.

Behind the counter sat Oscar. An elfin man with gray hair and wrinkled face that spoke of age and wisdom.

Perched on a high stool, knees drawn up, book in hand, reading glasses resting low on the tip on his nose.

He glanced up as I entered, and I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye that seemed to say, “Hello! I recognize a kindred spirit! Welcome!”

I didn’t waste any time, went up to the counter and described the poem I was looking for.

He smiled a slow, easy smile and said. “It’s not a poem but a children’s book.”

And like a magician wielding his wand, walked over to one of the book strewn tables, without even rummaging through them, pulled out a book and handed it to me!

Voilà!

I don’t know if it was the magic of Oscar and that wonderful day of finding his bookstore, but The Giving Tree is still my favorite book of all time.

Throwback Thursday

Were we ever really that young.....?

WOYWW

Meet 'Handsome Harry'

The Babysitting Years

Before I entered the official world of the working class I did the ubiquitous babysitting thing.

I worked mostly in a small neighborhood that was kind of a planned community.

The houses all looked the same, same porches, same front doors, same cedar shingles, same swing set in every backyard facing the same way.

And not a tree in sight.

Think Stepford wives.

But I digress.

One of my regular customers recommended me to her neighbor.

The neighbor called and wanted to ‘try me out’.

A test run, as it were, while she was there to watch over me and make sure I passed muster.

So off I went.

She informed me they ‘kept Kosher’. Did I know what that meant? Vaguely I said.

So she proceeded to show me around the kitchen with its double sets of everything.

I had no idea how vague my knowledge was until that moment.

Anyway, I guess I passed the first test and she booked me for that night.

She planned the meal so I wouldn’t be too confused.

Hotdogs.

I could do that.

She reminded me of the ‘meat’ serving utensils and dishes and off she went.

Dinnertime came; I meticulously got out all the proper dishes and accoutrement and made dinner.

I was feeling pretty proud of myself that I actually got it right.

The dinner went smoothly, they came home and off I went.

The next day she called.

I assumed it was to book me for another gig but instead she began to shout at me for being a dunce!

I couldn’t get a word in edgewise!

Finally, I managed to slow her down enough to ask what I had done wrong.

I had made a slight error she said ……..I served MILK with the hot dogs the previous night!

Oooops…….

Punny Monday

A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve You, but don't start anything."

                                                                   

The BEST Week!!!!

Well, this has been the BEST WEEK!

I was notified that I sold a print at one gallery and multiple journals at the other. 

AND they asked for more!

As I delivered some of the requested pieces I got to overhear people commenting on my art. 

I can no longer fit my head though the door it is so swelled!!

THEN I got to see mah baaabies!!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

We had a wonderful lunch with friends from ‘across the pond’.

AND they gave me prezzies!!!

LOOK!!!!!

PILLOWS!!!! 

 You can never have too many pillows! 

 This one is a ‘Scribble Pillow’. AND accompanying fabric pens for me to scribble with!

My friend Corinne is a very talented knitter/crocheter/quilter. And I get fruits of that talent! I am one lucky duck! 

I made a little money, got some validation, saw friends and got stuff. It was the BEST week! 

Throwback Thursday

Only picture I've ever liked........

WOYWW

A different desk.....pay no attention to the dust... :( 

I Promise I’ll Squeak Your Ball

When Sammy, our beloved golden retriever, died Husband kept his favorite squeaky soccer ball and ‘jewelry’ (collar and tags.)

They’re in his dresser drawer and occasionally I hear him ‘squeak’ the soccer ball or jingle the collar.

He did this the other day and I said, “You miss him more than you’re going to miss me!”

His reply……. “I promise, when you die, I’ll squeak your ball!”

Somehow..........that just doesn’t sound right…….. 

Punny Monday

I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn’t find any.
                                    ♪♫♪♫♪ Ba Dum Tish ♪♫♪♫

Still Job Hunting

After losing the chance to work in ‘high fashion’ I did get a job offer.

As I walked in the mall two men approached me and struck up a conversation.

They said they had overheard me saying I needed a job and they just happened to have a job opening for a lovely and pretty young lady.

Bells and whistles went off in my head.

After all, my mother didn’t raise no fool!

But I was also in need of a job and really quite curious as to what these guys were offering.

So I took their business card and agreed to an appointment that evening.

More bells and whistles and red flashing lights.

That evening at the appointed meeting time, with two male companions in tow, I showed up for my ‘interview’.

Turns out the job was legit.

In its own way.

They wanted me to be the ‘girl that stands next to the new cars at the auto show in a bikini gesticulating at said vehicles’.

PASS

To this day I still wonder what they REALLY wanted me for.

If my two friends hadn’t been with me what would they have offered? 

I could have been the next Linda Lovelace!!!!!

Throwback Thursday

PS 15, my first public school....(and doesn't this make me seem even more ancient than I am!!!! LOL)

BigBrother and the Awesome, Satisfying, Superb, Very Excellent Cake

Growing up this was BigBrother’s SPECIAL spice cake recipe.

Only he made it.

I still remember the wonderful aroma that emanated from the kitchen when he was baking.

It still makes my mouth water just remembering……
Feel free to make one for yourself; you won’t be disappointed, I promise!

(PS I think you're right, BigBro, it is your handwriting.)

Sales Is Not My Strong Suit

There comes a point in every person’s life when living off an allowance from Mummy and Daddy just doesn’t cut it. 

Unless your parents are Rockefellers.

Mine weren’t.

So off I went in search of a job.

I had worked for several years as a cashier in a grocery store…but that’s another story.

This time I wanted something with a bit more ‘class’.

To me, this meant The Mall.

I worked my way up one side and down the other, going into every store determined to get a job.

I got turned down by every single one.

Until I entered a small independent dress shop.

At first the owner thought I was a customer and was annoyed that I was asking for work.

But I guess I wore her down and she finally said, “Okay. You can work here this afternoon and if I like you, you can have a job.”

I was thrilled!

I was to assist the customers in choosing items and help them to try them on.

Okay, I can do that. 

Easy peasy!

It turns out there is a knack to that.

A knack that I woefully don’t possess.

You see, I tell the truth.

Over the years I’ve learned to temper the truth with kindness, but back then I was still, let’s just say, a little in need of learning the art of tact.

So when a rather portly woman entered the shop I was ill prepared to do what the owner wanted.

To begin with the shop was called ‘7-9-11’.

An indication of the sizes it offered.

This woman was most definitely in the wrong store.

But that didn’t stop the owner from fawning all over her in an attempt to sell something.

She deftly got the woman interested in a rather clingy lounging outfit of ecru satin, shoved her into the tiny dressing room and called out encouragement as the woman changed.

When the customer came out of the dressing room it was…….horrible.

But the shop owner kept complimenting her on how lovely she looked, how her husband was going to go gaga over her.….blah, blah, blah….

You could see the customer was not quite sure whether to believe what she saw in the mirror or what the shop owner was telling her.

So she asked me.

I was torn between really needing this job or sending this poor overweight woman out into the world looking like someone had tried to stuff her ample proportions into a too small sausage casing.

I guess you know how it ended.

I didn’t get the job.

What I did get was an unmitigated tongue lashing from the store owner who admonished me NEVER to darken her doorstep again.

But I did get a quiet thank you from the customer.

I wouldn’t have liked working there anyway.

Punny Monday

"Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.'" "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" Well, "It's Not Unusual."