what to wear no. 090310

Ah, routine fills me up with happiness. Here I am, back at another what to wear Friday post for the first time in oh so very long. Who knew I could find so much comfort and peace with a routine? Aside from my mom who assures me I've been like this since a very young girl. The other day she explained to me how she'd have to bring me picnic dinners during intense play rehearsal times when I was a youngin'...she'd have to do something just to make life seem normal and peaceful or I'd sort of melt. Seriously, she's the best, right? So, yeah, I guess I've always been a little bit of a petal. Part of my charm, I say.

So, okay, this weekend! Yay! I've been looking forward to this one for a long time. It's going to be all about the soon-to-be newest member of the Smith Clan. My sister-in-law...can I just scrap that "-in-law" thing?...okay, so, my sister and I are going to pamper our soon-to-be with goodness this weekend. Cooking, pedicures, shopping, cupcakes, treats from coffee joints, snacks, gal chat time...pretty much anything her amazing and full heart desires.

white khakis | gray tank (duh) | arlyn cardigan (so much cuter on - check out the model online) | ballerina shoes | laurel denise fairytale bracelet | laurel denise sister bracelet

studio tour no. 090210

So, wow, remember when I used to have studio tour Thursday? Back when I was actually in my studio and not setting up booths and selling merchandise to fabulous store buyers? Yeah...I kind of remember that, too. In a far off in the distance sort of way. So, really, this week brings me lots and lots of production prep and order prep. Spreadsheets like woah, y'all. I think sometimes I'm cheating on art with spreadsheets and excel. The organization makes me so happy, I just can't help it. I feel like I have a small army of jewelry pieces just waiting for the main honcho to show up (the elements pendants) and then they are all going to fight a big "get shipped by september 15th" battle. It's going to be fierce, friends. In happy news, I will have a fellow officer here in the studio to help me sand and drill and string and prep and ship starting next week! I'm not the world's best interviewer, but I'm excited (and totally humbled) that so many amazing people were interested in helping me and I do believe I found a great gal.

Also - friends and lovely calendar fans of mine - I will have word by the end of this week on an official yay or nay on a 2011 calendar production. Doing everything I can to help make that happen for you all!

oh maine

Maine. Maine. Maine. How everyone in the world doesn't just strive to move there and live happily ever after forever and ever amen is now beyond me. It was heaven in a small little ocean town. Heaven with really, really good lobster. The biggest decisions of my days in Maine were where to read - on the couch in the screened in porch or on the stairs outside - and how many lobsters to eat - two or three? Yes, I wrote three. They were that good. It was just what I needed after my whirlwind wholesale show and wedding weekend tour this July and August. You would have to work at not relaxing in this little slice of heaven.

maine-bound

I'm leaving you again, dear blog readers of mine. But this time I'm heading to rest, relaxation, peace, quiet and bliss in Maine. We'll see how this workaholic responds to no internet access - maybe there are cameras set up in the house and this is all just a fun experiment to see how I react. I've got two new books packed, more comfy clothes than I knew I had available and my Cute Husband is coming with me, so I do believe I will be just fine. I'll see you all back here on Monday when I will begin, after oh so many weeks away, my normally scheduled posting.

booth: nyigf august 2010

Y'all...these walls...this booth. Man oh man. I think sometimes I might be running for control freak of the year. To think that I, a person who doesn't really believe in measurements (more of a "oh, sure, yeah, that looks about right..." kind of gal), thought that I could manage to get these booth walls to look perfectly seamless and assembled in a matter of hours all by myself (with no emotional breakdowns) is kind of hilarious. No, wait, really hilarious. Now. Not so much hilarious on Thursday night. Or Friday during the second day of set up. But now - now that I've been living in this 8x10 for a few days and have gotten so much great feedback, now I can manage a smile or two when looking back on set up and I'm rethinking my firm proclamation to Cute Husband (and all of those people around me in NYC that had the unfortunate circumstance to be within earshot) that "these booth walls are going to be burned when I get home." I'm really happy with the display as it turned out. Yes, it was a lot of work, but I guess that makes the end result a little sweeter...I mean, I guess. It would have been just as sweet with an easy set up, too, I'm almost positive.

To answer to the questions I keep getting -- three books were injured for these walls and I made sure they were sad little neglected books on the discount shelf who I've now given glory to (mostly because I just couldn't fathom tearing apart one of my favorites even though I'd love to be surrounding my those comforting and treasured pages during trade shows) and, secondly, no, I did not read them. I was in a panic and mess of wallpaper paste. There was no reading.

nyigf - handmade, booth 9554

Welp, I'm leaving today for the big NYC. Set up for the NY Gift show begins tomorrow and the show begins on Saturday. I'm so excited to have another five days in a row with my loves from Figs & Ginger - sweet, sweet Rhonda and Elijah make this show my favorite, that's for sure. Once again, posting will be spotty while I'm away, but I'll try to update as much as I can.

NYIGF | HANDMADE SECTION | BOOTH 9554 (the white/organic/cream-ish/gold-ish one filled with tiny jewelry...)

new laurel denise

Here's a peek into some of the new designs I'll be showing at the NY Gift Show next week (sat-wed, javits center, handmade section, booth 9554). Cute Husband really loves the illustration pieces and I'm pretty sure I do, too. Feels oh so good to come out of that crazy-panic-if-I-don't-get-this-out-of-my-brain-and-into-an-actual-piece creative place that I was in and then see a finished product that I can be happy with. Really excited to get these shown and out there into boutique-land. Some of you loves will remember the images from my very first Laurel Denise glass collection. The top illustration is a very loose interpretation of a piece called "join hands." It had a Shakespeare quote on it and many brides purchased that piece. The middle picture (on the far left) shows a piece that is similar to my old "swept away" piece...no quote on that one, but the piece was the second one that I ever made (I mean ever) and so the image makes my heart happy.