It's Showtime!

These little guys have been in Bellevue, Washington with us over the weekend for the Bellevue Arts Fair. The Artist started driving up last Tuesday and I flew up after work to meet him Friday night. These little guys are on the tuning pegs on a rote, a type of lyre. The Artist is on his way back, coming down the Oregon Coast, enjoying a well-deserved vacation, I hope. (But I do miss him.)

It was a good show, but it's a tough 3-days, from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Lots of dogs, large and small, which I'm just not used to, and lots of kids. Some kids were extremely well-behaved and smart, a few were rude and undisciplined. I though I did quite well with the dogs. I usually run away, but I actually tolerated them.

Bellevue is a lovely place, and I wish I could have enjoyed it longer. I love to do excellent craft shows with my husband, despite all the work. I get so excited by all the work and love discussing the craft business with all the artists and artist assistants.

But I'm tired. Goodnight.

I'm in love

Another view of Cecile

I counted 17 Cecile Brunners on my way home through the West Side this evening, and that didn't include the one at our old house or the one in our backyard. This is the week for these wonderful, little roses!

The Artist and I went out gallery-hopping tonight on this, the first Friday of the month. Lots of many different kinds of artwork. (But none like his. None that even came close.) The exhibit we each liked best was the clay show. Maybe it's because we're used to seeing craft. It was also very well presented. Funny, the different people at each of the shows. Some we knew, many we didn't.

I had a very good time, but very few goodies were left to eat at the galleries. For something very unusual, I drove. (I think because we're trying to save on gas and took my little car. Too late to ride our bikes.) We counted Cecile Brunners in the dark on the way back home, the same route that I took this afternoon. The bushes are so distinguished - big and so full of roses - that the huge mounds glitter, giving themselves away under the street lights. We counted about eleven, so we must have missed a few small bushes. I didn't drive onto the curb.

Easter Sunday

Beautiful day. This is the earliest Easter in over 100 years. Our house is a mess, since we are redoing the guest bath. So, no Easter dinner. I just can't handle it. But, like my husband the artist said, "This is what you wanted." I know, I know. Only about two more weeks. Then, full Spring housecleaning.

Ranunculus in the Garden

In the meantime, we have cases of musical instruments all over the house, chairs in the wrong places, guitars in the bedroom. The office is 1/3 blocked with plastic tarp, the gallery is full of contractor's tools, my office/art studio has piles of junk. I know that this, too, will pass, but I feel like the only sane place is sitting on the couch knitting or reading, facing out the front window. It's still a little chilly to sit outside.

A month ago, my husband the artist/luthier/craftman and I went to NYC for vacation and to see friends and then on to Baltimore to participate in The American Craft Show, the annual fine craft show sponsored by the American Craft Council. Such a great show. Wearables, glass, ceramics, metal, wood, fiber. Incredible artists. Wonderful experience, probably our best ever at a show. We try to make that feeling last. I wish we had started doing this years ago. We took a class on blogging at the show, which is the impetus for creating this journal.

I'm working on a fiber art entry for a local show with my fiber art group. Each of us is doing an individual piece and then we'll put them together to show as one. I had such a hard time getting going, but I think I've started now.