Yummy Summer Berries!

We have a large wild berry patch on the edges of our woods. The last few years we had a very lame crop, it has been too dry for nice juicy berries. This year we have more than we can pick! Well we could pick them, but it is the mosquitos that drive us away! Even when we wear long sleeves, long pants, hats, and bug spray, we still get attacked! I love fresh berries, but it is NOT worth the multitudes of itchy bites!

South Shore Frolics pt 2

I had a nice breezy Sunday in South Shore Park. Here I am (right) with my "personal assistant"and fellow WIST member Julie! Actually this wonderful woman has helped me set up, tear down, and booth sit for me during my last 2 shows. What a friend!

The afternoon before, we spent time trying out some fun new techniques! An art play date! I need to do that more often.

South Shore Frolics

Well this weekend I'm off to the MIlwaukee area again! This Sunday I'll be in Bay View at South Shore park for what is supposed to be a beautiful weekend.

If you are in the area, stop by and say "Hi!"

I have to admit I have nothing new made to show you other than this doll I made for a Swap-bot swap. I had a lot of fun with this little thing. What fun. I really like to hand sew and these use up those little scraps of this and that. I got a few books from the library on embroidery so I can make better faces. I'm learningI finished one more and have three others in the works. I haven't photographed the other one yet. It's done, but not... I needs something else. I still haven't figured out what.

I've been working on a brilliant idea I got about 11pm the other night. of course, I couldn't sleep. I was up until 2 am working out some things. My idea is good (great even, if I do say so myself) but I need more practice. I'l unveil it when I'm ready ;-)

Happy 4th America!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. "

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and years later...

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"Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

Last Word on South Dakota*

Devil's Tower, WY

Wall Drug

NPS Minuteman Missile Historic Site

The badlands again!

Cedarburg Strawberry Festival Wrap-up

This grey blob I circles is a tablecloth from an artists booth that flew into the tree the day before! 

And below it are empty spaces where booths used to be. Look how high up it is!!!

I survived the weekend!!!

Too much adventure and drama for me though! The damage to the other artists booths became even more apparent on day two. The parking lot I was set up in was dotted with empty spaces and a few artists set up with no tents. It rained on and off all day, so the tentless artists spent the day covering and uncovering their artwork. It was quite sad.

I made this collage for Julie

I enjoyed spending the weekend with dear Julie and meeting her nice family was great. Despite scary weather and poor sales, I had fun. I met a lot of very nice people. Meeting people is one of the reason's I wanted to sell at art fairs and not just online. One of my collages is going to be in a newlyweds first home. My artwork is now part of their life together. I love that!

This now belongs to lovely Emily and her new husband :-)

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Julie just emailed this link to me about an art fair in Illinois

Wow the wind

Hello all! I was set up today at the Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg. The day was really nice and quite warm. It sure didn't stay that way. By midafternoon, hubby called to warn us of some bad weather headed our direction. My assistant for the weekend (aka Julie from Makeityourown) and I got the remaining walls attached in no time, but I left the front open until it started to rain. I guess I shouldn't have waited. Because, before I could get it all zippered up, the wind tore at us. I'm standing on a stool in the rain and lightening, trying to get the last zipper down. Then people started running and screaming! I couldn't believe it! Complete chaos! I have no idea how strong the gusts were, but it was strong. Julie said the poor man across from us had a look of terror on his face as he desperately tried to hold is tent down. He was lifted momentarily off his feet! His tent survived. 

 Not everyone was so lucky. A few poor people nearby had their tents fly out into the air and across the parking lot. Artwork went flying, it was scary! My artwork and my tent were just fine. I love my Trimline canopy!!!! I had quite a few weights holding it and I zipped up the wall facing the storm first. So, altogether I was OK. After my tent was fully zipped, I ran over to help a few other pick up what's left in the rain. It soon slowed to a drizzle and I packed up my artwork to leave for the day. The local Fire Dept arrived and were checking if people were hurt. They were also warning that hail maybe coming.  Julie and I just left for the day. Que sera sera!

On the way to the car we saw a tent that was blown across the street into another parking lot. What a day! I needed to sit down, dry off, and have a drink! Julie and her sweet hubby took me out for dinner and a drink. I'm so lucky!

I'll be back tomorrow in the Cedarburg Cultural Center parking lot. I hope my luck holds out!

nite

Strawberry Festival 2008

Ok I'll try it again this year! I'm off to Cedarburg.....

Weekends

I'm not even done with South Dakota posts, but I wanted to mention the flea market I set up at the other weekend. I live in the boondocks, so having a garage sale is a waste of time. I instead paid a couple of bucks and set up a local flea market for the weekend. The weather was nice, we got rid of some extra stuff and ate great homemade pie, YUM!

The kids made more money than I did! I realized I didn't have too much of mine for sale. I have a hard time getting rid of anything. 

I had to wear the apron after I realized how nice it looked with my Wall Drug t-shirt!

I did buy a few things though.....What am I going to do with these?  A coffee can and a bucket full of old shut off knobs. No Idea, but they are VERY cool!

South Dakota Part 3

Day three started with a hearty camp breakfast. The only time I cook bacon is when we camp. I hate the greasy mess at home, but outside is different. 

Our first adventure of the day was the drive to Hot Springs and the Mammoth Site.

On the way we passed through part of Wind Cave National Park and look what crossed the road! Our only upclose encounter with a bison. A few cars pulled over to check this guy out and he (she??) ignored everything. It just wandered anywhere it wanted. Who's going to argue! *grins*

The Mammoth site was fun and educational. I couldn't get very good photos, but if you visit the Black Hills it is worth the stop.
After spending money in the gift shop on important items such as goo with a plastic mammoth fossil inside, we had a picnic lunch. We really didn't eat out much on the whole trip. On to Jewel Cave.  We stopped first at the visitors center and the gift shop. The kids got the Junior Ranger info and booklet and I bought a really cute kids book. It is called "One Small Square; Cave" It has terrific illustrations and covers caves really well. I looked for it on Amazon and found a bunch in the series. I want them all! Backyard, Arctic Tundra, Swamp etc...

I highly recommend the Jewel Cave Lantern Tour. It was so much fun! No, this isn't your normal cave tour. No amazing formations that glitter in the glow of electric bulbs. This is the only way you can explore the first passages found and enter through the natural entrance. Each tour member over 10 yrs old hold their own oil lantern and no other light! We duck walked under low spots,climbed up and down very steep stairs, all carrying the lantern. The cave is cold and windy, so dress warm. Don't worry if your lantern goes out from a gust of wind, which happened to two of ours, the Ranger has a lighter   ;-)

 

A Midsummer Nights Dream ATC swap

I've only finished a few swaps so far on Swap-bot and so far so good. Fun idea. I haven't read any Shakespeare since college.  I dug out my copy and got about half way thru before life intervened. I'll have to get back to it. It was fun to have the challenge, to work on something different than the artwork I sell. I've had a few other related ideas.....maybe this will lead off into something new hmmmmm maybe ;-)

Whaddaya think?

South Dakota Part 2

Our second day in South Dakota started with some shopping. We spent a while in a local rock and gem shop. We all found something we wanted! Then on to Custer State Park. Man this place is huge! We drove up to the top of Mount Coolidge. A gravel road goes around and around, up and up! I admit to being nervous a few times! What a view! Totally worth it. Funny thing was that everyone else up there was from Wisconsin! 

On to the "Wild life loop" We really didn't see too much other than lots more prairie dogs and pronghorns. Then we ran into these two. Aren't they cute? Now I want a burro! 

We had a picnic lunch on a chunk of granite and then on to the Needles Highway. Just Beautiful!!! The kids loved climbing around on the rocks around Sylvan Lake. I was nervous the whole time, I really didn't want any broken bones!
We were in the park for hours and hours. Next on to the Forest Service cabin we rented for 2 nights. A brief storm came through, but nothing too bad.
Cute cabin huh! 

We were on the summit but the view was trees and more trees! Very nice, not much wind and no bugs. The area was covered with beautiful flowers. But more on those later :-)
And so ends day two!

South Dakota Part 1

We just got back from our family vacation to the Black Hills in South Dakota. What a blast! We had so many adventures. It was, in my opinion, our best vacation! Can you tell I had fun? *grins* 

We left Wisconsin in the midst of a series of storms and tornados, but once we got into Minnesota the weather was fine for us. Though more than once I worried about what was going on at home. We drove straight thru the night and got to the "World Famous" Wall Drug just in time to have breakfast.

Pretty good way to start the day...good coffee and 5 cents!

Wall Drug is huge and we didn't really look around much. I was anxious to get going to the Badlands. I've wanted to go for a long time. It was better than I thought. We first followed a gravel road instead of the main scenic route. We gawked at the cute prairie dogs and even saw burrowing owls! We decided to climb down a gentle slope and hike around. I never realized just how many cacti grow there. We saw "evidence" of bison, but none of the big guys.  

After hiking around for a while, we got back in the van and followed the Badlands loop to all the lookouts. Wow hours and hours of beautiful vistas. But is also seems a bit sad and desolate to me. I'm facinated by the geology of the area. I'm inspired to find out more.

We then continued on to Mount Rushmore. The kids have been wanting to go since they saw "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" last year. Very cool. We followed the trail around, but we didn't see any mountain goats. :-(

It was an exhausting day after getting very little sleep the night before. We drove on to Custer, ordered pizza from Pizza Hut, and stayed in the Super 8. It was reasonably priced, quiet, clean, and had a good breakfast. Now I'm a travel agent :-)

More later.....BTW no flooding problems byt my house Whew! but my poor home state has been beat up enough already!

Birdie birdie

I was doing some much needed weeding out fron of my house the other week and I stumbled upon this nest on the ground. The nest belongs to a Brown Thrasher. This year we have had many new birds at our feeders, including these Thrashers. I had to get out a bird book because I'd never seen them before. We have two nesting pairs in our yard.
This is the best photo I could get of one of the parents.

A bit fuzzy, but I didn't want to stick around the nest too long. So sweet!

A Bit of News

Before the Iowa Presidential Primary, I was commissioned to make a scrabble and bead necklace that said "OBAMA" for a campaign worker in Iowa. Initially she asked for one, but she ended up wanting 10! Well I guess they were a hit.....I found out there is a close-up photo of her wearing one in the June 2008 Esquire magazine. Look on page 114! Unfortunately I wasn't named, in fact the caption makes it sound as if she made the necklace. Oh well. 

Recent work

"Found" 16x 20 inch collage on wood

"Leaf" 8x8 inch collage on wood box

"Plant" 8x 10 inch collage on wood box

My new booth

I'm finally blogging about my weekend in Door County. Believe it or not, we fit all my artwork, tent, display, and the family in my van. Wow! 

Saturday was beautiful. My new tent and booth display worked very well. I thought it looked really nice. My next sale I will add one more row of artwork below what is shown. Or maybe not, too cluttered looking????

The weather cooperated but I think the economy has really affected my sales! At least I hope it is the economy and not my art *wry grins* Lots of people were walking around, but not many were buying...from anyone. I think a few artists, who were selling smaller dollar items, did well. I sold a bunch of little things, but not much else. So financially the weekend was a bust. Though I met lots of nice people and I will go back next year. I highly recommend the Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair for other artists. It is advertised very well, well organized, and they take good care of us artists. 

This time Mike and the kids came with me. They had a lot of fun! There are tons of things to do up there. They went to The Farm and held and fed baby animals. Then on to Cave Point County park and climbed around on the rocks. They fished, but didn't catch anything. They spent most of their time Sunday at Sunset Park, where I was set up. They climbed on the rocks, played with drift wood, hunted for sea glass, shells, and crab claws. 

Sunday morning it started raining. I was so glad I bought the universal wall for my tent. I can roll up the center 4 feet. 
This photo was taken just before I rolled the wall back up. When it was raining, my door worked perfect! The day stayed cool and very windy but still not too bad. All in all a nice weekend I just wish I sold more :-(