Sorting, sorting, sorting......

Now that I am done with the sales this year I am trying to sort out the new space in the studio.  In the past three days I have gone through ten bins of assorted fabric and two of doll making supplies.  I have a box of rug hooking supplies (a surprise find) to go to B.C. to a friend and two more of scraps for a charity quilt making group.  There is a bin of cotton fabric, a lot of it Laura Ashley, to go to the next Guild sale day and a box of gabage.  So far, only one empty bin left over, sigh....I am going to have to be a lot more ruthless.

I am headed into the storage closet this evening to sort some more....if you don't hear from me soon send a search party!

Righteously Tired

Just got home from my last sale of the year.  I am pooped!  Showing the horses was much easier...at least they loaded themselves into the trailer and all I had was one tack _o=  (only the c and the v on that row are working...computer gremlins were at work while I was away!  Tack container sounds silly it is a Tack _o=.)
Now I am schlepping around display racks, _lack cloth for draping them and _ins and _ags and a suitcase of my quilts and sculptures!   This kind of thing was a lot easier when I was in my 20's as I recall...and I could party all night too.....I'm e=hausted just thinking a_out it!

I did well, and sold some larger pieces.  The venue attracted some more well-heeled customers.  Unfortunately the money will not go for stash _uilding, it will end up on the rims of our van....._ald tires and the icy snowy streets were a tricky com_ination....my knuckles are still white!  lol

It is inspiring to see what other types of artists are doing.  There really was some lovely work there, other fi_re artists, glass artists, potters and jewellery with polymer clay, gemstones, and feathers (these were e=quisite).  It can really get the creative juices flowing.  I am looking forward to this winter in my studio.

I will say goodnight and get to _ed.  Tomorrow is a free day to play/work in my Happy Place.

One More Time

I am off to the last sale of the year for me.  It is at the brand new Manitoba Hydro building in downtown Winnipeg.  I am quite looking forward to seeing the place.  My dh's sister works there and she will help me unload and set up.  My first helper has contacted the Dreaded Largy and is unavailable.  AND it is snowing up a blizzard out there and I have a 50 mile drive at eight in the morning.....still rush hour!  We are expecting a total of 4 to 6 inches by morning.....sheesh!

Wish me luck......please!

All Tied Up

Or should that be all the ties are up??  I have finally finished sorting and hanging up my tie collection....sort of....some of the hangars are a tad varied still.  I need more hangars.....I need more racks!  The bottom row is actually a double row with the darker ties in the back, sort of.  I pulled most of the striped ties and all the plain ones, but will save them for bindings.  Some where in that closet among the 23 bins that I have to go through yet is another big bin of striped ties.....I am tie-erd of ties.   Here is the picture I promised:

< 2nd bin of striped ties

This is my stash of upholstery samples, yarns and buttons:

I had all the buttons sorted to size and colour (washed too!) and was at the Self Help store the next day and a huge jar of mixed buttons jumped right into my hands...it now reigns right in the middle of the first button shelf.  All this orderliness keeps me from being called a hoarder. If you look real close, I mean really close you can see my studio helper, Buddy.

This is my "Happy Place"  between my sewing machine and the three patio doors (north east light) is a 2' by 4' ironing table that doubles as a chair and a mini step ladder should I wish to unfold the thing.  All I have to do is just turn around to press something and look out at the tomatoes on our deck. Much nicer than gazing at the studio and realizing that I really do work in a midden!

I made a thread rack with four layers of foam core stuck together with thin double sided tape.  I finished the edges with masking tape, poked holes with an awl and used sandwich picks to hang the spools on.  The spacing could have been a bit further apart, but I'm and artist, not an engineer....what can I say?

 I my studio has come a long way from what I started with:

This picture is amusing now but at the time it was pretty scary, it was like one of those puzzles where you have to move the letters around and there is only one empty space!

I am getting some where here.  I have fallen heir to more space as DH is taking over the spare bedroom for his egg studio...he is an egg carver.  120 square feet plus 60 square feet in a closet. Big grin :).  Hence my present cleaning and sorting spree.  What I am actually doing is my usual procrastinating before starting a new piece.  I need a kick in the butt!

Please take a moment to think of the sacrifices some of our loved ones have made in the various wars our countries have been involved in.  Because of them we are free to work in our studios.

Great Show and Sale

It was a busy, inspiring, uplifting and exhausting four days.  I had a wonderful time.  Manitoba Art Expo at the Assiniboia Downs Race Track is considered to be the premier show of Fine Art in Manitoba featuring Manitoba artists.  Mind you that can be people from anywhere these days....Yisa Akinbolaji in the background here is originally from Nigeria!  His abstracts were just super, and is a really nice guy.

I did very well this year, one for sure large commission and possibly one even larger, and sold five works. As a fibre artist I am very honored to be included in this group. (Only 3% fibre art is allowed.)

We had 52 artists this year, more than we have ever had, a lot of new people.  Julie Harris won the People's Choice again with a stunning winter marsh scene.  Hubert Thereaux's centrepiece oil painting was stunning again this year, a foggy, misty view of the treetops from above, with a very subtle eagle flying among them.  Anthony Steffes was wonderful as always, with a lot of bigger mixed media pieces this year.

I sat across from Melany Robbins.  She had some superb watercolors of pelicans, by the end of the four days I was having a real relationship with them.  I was sad when they sold. lol  I get lucky every year and get to be across from some truly great art.  Two years ago it was Heather Bishop and a huge portrait of a cat licking a lady's chin...they were both blissed out!  Heather was back again this year with great portraits of Native Canadians.



Paverpol sculptures and bead work were featured on my table.  Lots of interest in taking classes, I am already taking bookings for November and December.

One more sale this year, at the new Manitoba Hydro building in downtown Winnipeg.  It is put on by the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library.  Just two days this time, not quite so tiring.  I am greatly disappointed in my 62 year old body......it does not perform the way it did when it was 22 and I showed horses and rode in rodeos every weekend from May to November.....maybe that is why!!!  Every horse I ever fell off of is speaking to me now!

I'm going to my studio to use up some inspiration.....after I finish up the paperwork that has piled up here in the office....sigh.