My Christmas Craft Fair Schedule

Hey everyone, it's been a long time since I have written on here. I apologize for vanishing off the face of the earth. Here is my Christmas show schedule for 2015. Hope to see you guys there!

First Summer Post of 2013

Well, I'm back.....again. 

I keep saying things are going to get organized enough for me to pop on here easily once a week to write something, but life doesn't always go along with your plans....

I've gotten it down to a pretty good system. Or at least I think it's a good system. I work Tuesday to Saturday downtown Halifax at an art supply store. I love my job, and wouldn't change a thing. There is something totally inspiring about helping others figure out their art challenges. I love talking about art and craft supplies almost as much as I love using them. Oh, and the discount doesn't hurt either!!

The fun part starts when I get home. 

I basically walk through the door after a 45 minute bus commute, eat supper (or go to the gym for an hour, then eat supper), then start the art. By this point it is probably around 8:30 or 9 pm. 

I usually work until about 11:30-12, then crash. 

This basically repeats itself all week long. 

Things are a little bit different on my two days off. I do all of my running around, squeezing in errands that just didn't happen throughout the week. There is usually a family supper on Sunday (the only time I see my parents and siblings) and sometimes in the mornings I get adventurous and Kanis and I go out hunting for some sweet yard sales (obviously a summer activity..although I'd be up for winter bargaining!!) On Mondays I do crafternoons with one of my closest friends, Crystal. We basically spend hours talking about life and making fun things. We used to do these organized craft meetings in the evenings, but schedules changed, and we finally found a way to reintroduce these much needed social gatherings (thank goodness!!). 

So.....things are a little bit hectic..... 

......and things get a tad worse when I enter.............HOLIDAY CRAFT SEASON...!!

This is the one time of year where all organization kind of gets thrown out the window..My house becomes a war zone. When friends visit they usually get the "Oh, careful, there's an Xacto blade on the couch. Let me move that for you. Wait, I'll just shift this pile of paper to the floor.....There, have a seat. Hey, do you guys want to stay for supper? I'll just need about an hour to clear off the kitchen table. Or would you prefer to sit on the floor?" speech. 

Sad and crazy times. A giant inspiration tornado comes knocking at my door, and my poor boyfriend always seems to answer. It rips past him, and wrecks complete artistic devastation (but kind of in a good way....I'm sure....). After years of this type of chaos, Kanis has come to expect it. He knows that I'll be locked away somewhere cutting out ornaments, or creating some kind of new bobble, or busy in the kitchen baking a million and one shrink plastic earrings. He gets it, and I'm so lucky he understands. 

What am I building up to? 

Well, I've started my Holiday warm up. I've tip toed into this phenomena a tad early this year (I thought I could get a head start you know....and potentially retain a bit of my human composure....). But doing this, I've quickly noticed that my usually systematic way of time organization has vanished. I'm eating supper at weird times, I'm running errands in the evenings after work (WHAT?) and somewhere I lost Kanis in a pile of scrapbooking papers (nah, I'm kidding. He's over there). 

And so, I pose this question to my fellow crafters and artists who work full time jobs: how do you do it??

I think I'm going to have to rethink my battle plan. I'd like to include more blogging time, more Etsy time (which, lets be honest, hasn't happened for two months now....), and maybe some time to see friends? As I've mentioned, I feel like I've successfully found a balance of work and work. The trick is just being able to introduce a few extras into the mix......

SO! Hopefully after I've written this, a little pea sized spot in my brain has been inspired enough to push the rest of my brain into remembering about this blog. 

More blogging. 

More time spent blogging. 

I can do this. 

Now, where did Kanis go? 

:)

Happy New Year!!!

 

Hard to believe 2013 has snuck up on me so quickly...I feel like it was only yesterday that Kanis and I were decorating our new house for our first New Years bash. Fast forward, and here we are, doing it a second time!

 

Well, at least I can say I'm starting off the new year on a good foot. I did a complete studio clean up, which was no small challenge, considering I did 6 shows this Fall/Winter (!!!). My room was past messy....it was to the point of having become a full on nightmare! And a frustrating one at that. I couldn't stand to be in my room for more than 5 minutes before that little wave of anger would start to creep in. Instead of cleaning, I'd leave and close the door (DO NOT DO THIS! I realize now it was a bad way to go about things....) So what was the first thing I did on my days off for Christmas vacation? I cleaned it all up. And there is still a little bit of work left to do. Kanis and I are planning on installing shelves in my closet, to give me more storage. Once that is done, it'll be putting up some art I've collected, and then VOILA!

 

I've decided to take January and make it an Isa art month. I know I know, I always make Isa art, but this time I mean to make art for me, and for my house. I've gathered all kinds of cool ideas for work to decorate these empty walls in our house, but have yet to have the time to make it all. But this month I am attacking these projects (and a few more....like painting my kitchen!), and I am super pumped!

 

But first up, making a few art pieces for my favorite art show of the year......PRESHRUNK!

 

I will post some works in progess of my creations for this amazing show. As always, I am past excited to get these little gems made! I always have so much fun making tiny art, and the challenge of working tiny in collage is sometimes mind boggling, but always welcome. Keep your eyes peeled for lots of updates!

 

Well, back to the grind I guess!

 

Once again, happy 2013 to everyone! This year is going to be a doozy! Lots of art, fun, and challenges.

 

But it's always worth it right? :)

It's been almost a year, but I'm still here!!

Wow. I'm sure most of you must think I've crawled under a rock and vanished from all of mankind. Rest assured, I am still kicking, although life has been a little bit hectic, to say the least.

First off, I bought a house.

Well, technically Kanis and I bought a house. Yeah!! We signed on the dotted line in November, and got the keys on December 14th.

DECEMBER 14?!

Yup, right before Christmas. Actually, right smack dab between three craft shows....I wish I could say I handled it like a pro and managed everything perfectly and that the shows went on without a hitch and that the packing was a breeze and that the move went as smooth as silk.....

But come on. It wouldn't be an adventure if everything went as planned. Right?

IT

WAS

MADNESS

Trying to make art for three shows, while organizing and packing up your studio is a complete nightmare. I would not recommend this to anyone. Actually, I wouldn't recommend moving 10 days before Christmas to anyone.

I survived, thanks to the help of my family (Mom and Michelle, thank you thank you thank you!!), some amazing friends (Alana and Nicole for helping with the kitchen, at both places, and to the boys who lifted all thousand boxes of my art supplies). I don't know how it happened, but the holidays came and went and there I was, standing in a house, looking at my empty studio.

It took a little while, and some clever solutions, but Kanis and I managed to put up all the shelves, and find room for everything. That on its own is a miracle!!

Since the move, I've managed to organize myself enough to book a few tables at some shows later this year. I did the Halifax Crafters Spring Sale in May, which went beautifully. Always a pleasure to sell my art amongst such amazing talent!

Next up?

Montreal Comic Con......!!!!!!

This is going to be amazing! I'm so excited! It's happening September 14th-16th. This is probably my biggest show to date. I've pretty much been tied down cutting ornaments since February. My goals are extreme (hand cut about 2100 ornaments by the time all the ornaments are designed, make 50 zombie egg cups, 25 zombie salt and pepper shakers, Mario themed earrings and brooches, magnets etc) The challenge has been huge (and a tad overwhelming at times I must admit..) but I'm getting there. I keep telling myself I've got til September to get everything complete, but the months just seem to whiz by so fast...I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll be the end of August. Eek!

After Montreal? I'm doing Hal-Con again this year. Really looking forward to this. Had such a blast last year with my brother and sister.

After that it's the Halifax Crafters Winter Sale (fingers crossed!!!!!) and the Have Yourself A Gothic Little Christmas.This will be the third year for this show, and it is probably one of my favorites. It's such a fun and unique group of vendors. Definitely worth a stop over if you've never attended.  (I will post more information as we get closer to the shows).

Well, that has pretty much been my life in a nutshell. I've been terrible with this blog thing, but I keep telling myself I need to get back into it.

I will post some pictures of my studio once I finish cleaning it (yeah..it's a mess again....I tell you! I seem to be haunted by this tiny tornado..it follows me everything I go and just makes such a mess of things........)

Well, back to ornaments. I've got about 35 Ewoks calling out my name. Cheerio!

Madness in a month

Well, just when I thought things could only go back to normal.....

*laugh* Ah, but such is my life. :)

Well, remember how I was supposed to start arting again after July ended? 'I'm taking a break!' I said. 'I'll pick it back up in August' I said. Well, little did I know that August was going to be a complete rollercoaster!

Kanis and I for the last three weeks have been on the craziest ride of our lives (so far I'm sure). We were this <---> close to buying a house. Yup, a cute and unique little chalet inspired house with a massive garage for him, and a tall and 'Isa' type room for my studio. It screamed both of us (which is amazing considering Kanis and I were looking for what seemed to be an impossible house...). After showing the house to both his family, and my parents, we decided to jump in head first, and man, did we ever end up getting a headache!

I guess it's important to mention that we're first time home buyers, and are currently renting an apartment in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Nothing wrong with our current living conditions. Just feeling like things are getting a little bit tight (thanks to me and my art/supplies no doubt!) *laugh*

We were both in love with this house, and were excited and nervous to get the ball rolling. Unsure of what was to come, we went in with a slightly hesitant air of determination. To make a long story short, for the next three weeks our lives would center around this home. We fought for it, argued for it, paid to have it inspected, almost walked away from it a few times. In the end, though, our battle was lost. The house wasn't meant to be ours and we have had to return to the normal hussle and bustle of our lives.

The only downside to the last three weeks? Apart from spending large amounts of money, we have completely let the apartment fall into sad dissaray.....Poor thing. Everthing is a complete mess...And art making? I haven't touched a piece of paper since the whole house ordeal began...And I know that is really really bad...I've got a lot of stuff to work on for the next three months, and it is going to take every free moment in these next months to get everything made...

So why am I on here?

 I just wanted to let you guys know why it appears I have dropped off the face of the earth...Nope, I haven't been eaten by giants, or hidden myself into the deepest darkest cave (although the studio sometimes looks like one!!) I have just been dabbling in adult business and getting my first taste of 'grown up' life. Kind of a scary but exciting at the same time.

So what have I learned?

That life can't be necessarily put on hold when dealing with larger, more important issues, and that I just have to squeeze art making into every little free break that surfaces. I've learned to not count my chicks before they hatch, and most importantly, that there are always more fish in the sea, and that we will one day find the perfect house. And with this in mind, we go forward with positive attitudes, and me, I am going to go clean up my studio.

Again.

:)

Mini vacation coming to an end..

Eeek! It has been a long long long time since I've written on here...Actually one day short of a month. That is really really bad.

It's been a hectic month though, and it has just started to settle down enough for the dust to clear and for me to get my head screwed on straight again.

I took a little vacation to visit my sis in Montreal at the end of June, which was lovely and busy. I decided to bring her back to Nova Scotia with me, so we packed all of her stuff up, stuffed it into a cargo van which was driven by Kanis and my brother Alex (who magically appeared in Montreal one day to help) and voila, in a series of unscheduled snags, we came out victorious! Once again the Pineau family is complete and I'm loving it. You never really realize how much you miss someone until you see them again and spend time with them. This is especially true about family.

While I was in Montreal, apart from packing, I spent most of my evenings working on earrings and brooches. I employed Michelle to give me a hand coloring (which she loved, thank goodness.....If you could only have seen the number of things we worked on....Most people would have run away screaming with their hands in the air!!) I think I must have finished and baked about 100 pieces..and that wasn't even all of it.

The reason for the rush?

The week after I returned to Nova Scotia I had the Lunenburg Festival of Crafts to attend. I thought I'd prepared myself before leaving for Montreal, but upon returning to my studio, realized I had a list ten feet long of things I still wanted to make to bring with me.....And so began the burning of the candle at both ends...

Yup, late nights (or I guess, early mornings...), millions of piles of half completed art (poor Kanis...he's given up trying to organize them...) and no time for housework (again, Kanis was amazing). I was working a full week to boot..Through all the hard work, and with much help from Kanis and Michelle (*hugs*) I managed to finish everything, pack everything, and breathe!!

It was my first time attending the Festival of Crafts, and it was lovely. Lots of amazing work and food (I ate so much food!!) It was a long weekend, but totally worth it. I got to visit with Kanis's sister (hello Brenda!) and some new friends. I met some amazing people at the sale, and had a chance to catch up with some fellow crafters. All the hard work paid off in the end.

Once everything was packed up and stuffed back safely into our apartment, I decided, with a giant sigh, that I was going to take the rest of July off from arting.

And so here we are. That is the madness that has happened up to this point.

Don't worry though. August is almost here, and my brain is bursting with a million new ideas for some great art! I'm going to begin working on new stuff for HalCon, which I will be vending at this year. More details to follow :) I've also got to start making my Christmas inventory. I've only got 4 months to make 3 different shows worth of art.....But don't worry, the panic button is safe and sound, at least until the end of October :)

I've included some pictures of my booth at Lunenburg to show off some of the goodies I was selling. Hope you enjoy!!

Et voila!! My mini mobile shop (and Kanis)

Some of my original art that I had for sale.

A sampling of some of the Christmas ornaments I had available. Christmas in July anyone?

See the Zombie pincushions? Yup, those bad boys will be available for sale at HalCon this November!!

Some earrings and brooches. Also, can you spot Lucky, the window gnome??

Ah, my buoys. Some of these guys will be available to buy at a great new shop opening up in Lunenburg. It's called Dots & Loops Handmade and it's going to be beautiful. I'll have more information soon, along with some pictures of the shop.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!! Keep an eye on my blog in August, because as I finish making things, I'll post pictures on here and on my Facebook group. Lots of oddities to come! :)



Fredericton and Mobiles

Well, I thought I would upload the pictures from Fredericton right quick before tackling my final project for class tonight.

So here they are:

This is Kanis and I on our way to Fredericton Friday evening. Notice all the stuff in the backseat?

A view of the Fredericton Crafters Spring Sale.

Another shot of the sale.

Right across from my booth.

Packing up for the trip home.

Loaded to the point of bursting. Aw, I love you civic!!

On another note, I finished a new mobile the other weekend to give to my best friend Kristin on her baby shower. One of the themes for the baby's room is frogs and mushrooms in lovely blues and greens and brights. The first thing that popped into my head when I was looking at her fabric samples was gnomes! And so I set about making her the most fantastic gnome mobile I could possibly come up with!

Here's what the final result looked like:

Yeah for gnomes!! I completely fell in love with making this mobile. Once it was done I knew right away I had to make another one, and so I am in the process of doing just that. My second gnome mobile will be available to buy at the Lunenburg Festival of Crafts on July8-10. I will be in booth 55, so if you'd like to add a little bit of gnomie magic to your space, come see me :)

I am on my way to Montreal tomorrow for a week to visit my little sis, and will take lots of pictures to upload when I get back!! Have a great week everyone!!