Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

I just finished a two day show at The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO. It was a first time event so, needless to say, it was not financially successful. I did get to meet some [Best of Missouri Hands](http://www.bestofmissourihands.org/) artists and see some of the wonderful work they do. Things moved a little slow at this show, so Suzanne and I entertained ourselves with some observations. Here’s some of the weird things we saw:

* The Honeymooners – This couple could not keep their hands off each other. They slow danced, took pictures, cuddled and giggled all throughout the show. The man was one of the artists and Suz and I had the perfect view from my booth. We were disappointed when she didn’t show the second night. Guess she had other obligations.

* The Aura Chick – People passed by my booth, looking at my jewelry but sometimes not really stopping. I greeted everyone with a cheery “hello” and wished them a nice day. On Thursday, an older woman and her daughter strolled by and I greeted them. The mom stated that she really didn’t wear jewelry anymore since she’d read that metal was harmful to the body. “Oh,” I said, “I’d not heard that.” She replied that metals, especially silver, interfere with one’s aura. Good God. My aura must have left me by now if that’s the case.

* The Untrusting Shopper – Later in the afternoon a rather large woman came by my booth. She was having trouble walking and needed the assistance of her cane. No biggie except she kept propping herself up with my booth which was not excessively stable. She chose a pair of earrings and I told her I’d get them bagged while she paid (there was one checkout point for all artists). She told me she wanted to watch me bag them since she’d been ripped off by an artist before who switched the work. She didn’t discover it until she’d gotten home and the item was damaged. She was very insistent about the whole thing so I made a production about putting the earrings on the card and putting them in the bag. Weird.

* The Martini Gals – Two wonderful “mature” women visited my booth on Thursday afternoon. They oohed and ahhed over my work and made me feel good. One stated that she didn’t have any kind of artistic talent. I said I was sure she had some sort of talent to which she replied that she could make a great martini. Bingo! That’s a talent. We chatted about vodka vs gin and they went on their way. What a fun duo.

All in all, not a good show, but I think I’m glad I went. Ask me in a few days when I’ve caught up on my sleep!

Those of you who read this blog regularly are probably wondering if I’ve fallen into a snowdrift. Nope, I’m knee deep in holiday art shows. Today is the last day of Springfield’s WinterFest celebration held the first weekend of December at Hammon’s Hall For The Performing Arts. Last year, this was an amazing show for me. This year…well, it’s been a bit different.

First, on Wednesday night, we received freezing rain and sleet which turned into snow by Thursday morning. Schools and businesses were closed and rumors started flying that WinterFest would be cancelled. We were planning to set up Friday at 7 am, but were a bit slow going and didn’t get there until after 7:30. Several artists had cancelled due to the weather and very few showed up early for set-up. We got everything up quickly and got home around 11 am. There were still many vacant spots, including two next to me. The show started at 5 pm and Friday night was pretty slow. Still, I did almost as well as I had the previous year. I was starting to feel hopeful about Saturday since I figured people would be itching to get out of their houses. Well, Saturday was pretty slow too. Sales were ok (I really didn’t expect to do as well since it was my second year) but people still weren’t getting out. Hopefully, today will be great.

Tuesday I’m on the road to St. Louis where I’ll be doing a show on Wednesday and Thursday. Then it’s all over and I can finally concentrate on buying and wrapping Christmas gifts! Hope everyone is having a good weekend. If you’re in the Springfield area, stop by WinterFest today and say “hello.” I’m on the top floor.

[Outblush](http://www.outblush.com), one of my fave sites has just launched [The Bargainist](http://www.bargainist.com). This cool site keeps you up to date on all the latest bargains available. Check it out!

You may still be stuffed from yesterday’s feast, but it’s time to start thinking of what you’ll serve for your Christmas dinner. Tired of the same old ham or turkey as your centerpiece? May I suggest “Shrimp de Jonghe.” I’m not even sure how to pronounce this, but we can just refer to it as “Crap a la Chafing Dish.” Here we take 5-6 cups of cooked shrimp, add some seasoned breadcrumbs swimming in melted butter, place in an oven-safe dish, cook and serve. What is this? While the absence of tomato sauce makes it look less like a massacre than previous dishes, it’s still just another casserole of crap. Enjoy!

Well, another holiday has passed and now it’s time for Christmas. We had a nice Thanksgiving with few incidents, however I can’t resist sharing a story that is still making me smile today.

My sister insists on chilling her cans of Diet Coke in the freezer. She’s done this so many times that she normally stays aware of the soda and doesn’t let it freeze. During the bustle of fixing dinner yesterday, she placed her soda in the freezer compartment of mom’s fridge. At one point, I volunteered to fill the water glasses for the table, so I started to get ice out of the door section of the freezer. After a few seconds, the ice started coming out brownish colored so I opened the door to peer into the compartment. I could tell a soda had exploded, but couldn’t find the can. For some reason I found this really funny. Mom didn’t. She’d been running around (Ralph asked her if she needed her running shoes) and expressed major irritation (don’t deny it, mom) about the situation. Since I knew we’d be running low on ice if I trashed all of it, I just rinsed the Diet Coke off the cubes and filled the glasses. Later, when the kitchen was clean, we decided to remove the tray and clean it out. There, stuck in the metal rotator, was the crushed can of soda. For some reason, it just struck me as really funny. I mean, if that’s the worst thing that happens at a family gathering, then we’re getting off really easy.

Enjoy your Black Friday!

I’d like to take this moment share what I’m thankful for in my life. I think we’re all thankful for family and friends but I’d like to take that a bit further. Please note, this is in no specific order.

* I’m thankful that I have friends I can call at any time, day or night, and they’ll listen to me.
* I’m thankful I have a sister who is among those people I think of as my special friends.
* I’m thankful I have a husband who lets me be myself and celebrates that person.
* I’m thankful I lost my job this year. It’s allowing me to become a better metalsmith (I hope).
* I’m thankful I have enough money to pay my bills despite the job loss. I haven’t missed the money even though I thought I had to have it.
* I’m thankful I have a sense of humor. Believe me, it’s sometimes more important than intelligence!
* I’m thankful Steve got a new job this year. He’s so much happier and feels more challenged.
* I’m thankful for my hands. They allow me to make jewelry which makes me happy.
* I’m thankful for my nieces. They are so cute and funny.
* I’m thankful for my neighbors. Eric, Julie and Eva are great to have next door, Mick and Carrie are a fun addition to the neighborhood, and Paul’s a great coffee buddy during the week.
* I’m thankful I have so many friends that I sometimes get overwhelmed with obligations and invitations.
* I’m thankful people actually read this blog and comment!

I’m sure I could list many more, but I have a cake to bake, a pie to check on and a shower to take. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Move over, Sean Connery. Take a back seat, Pierce Brosnan. There’s a new Bond in town and he’s quite the hottie. Last night I spent 2.5 mesmerizing hours drooling over the new Bond, Daniel Craig. At first, like many of you, I was not impressed. A blond Bond?! What was next, a villain with a heart? I don’t think so. Then, I saw several interviews and read a lot about the story line of Casino Royale and I was intrigued. My 007 didn’t let me down. This was, without a doubt, the best Bond movie since Goldfinger. Actually, it knocks Goldfinger out of my first place ranking and sets it at 1.5 on my list.

Casino Royale introduces the audience to Bond. We learn that he’s just received his 007 status and he’s getting used to filling out the role. Note: he fills out his custom-made tuxedo very well. In this movie, Bond makes mistakes, he gets mad, he’s not completely polished. It’s refreshing for a change. The other refreshing thing about this movie is that it doesn’t go over the top with crazy technology, villains who are going to blow up the earth from space, weird gadgets and unbelievable stunts. The most often used piece of equipment in this movie is the cell phone. It’s really fun, the stunts and scenarios are believable, and the sight of Daniel Craig completely nude (even if it is from the side) is breathtaking. I will be seeing this one again.

Rarely does a make-up trend escape me. I’ve tried almost all of them even if it was in the privacy of my own home. However, yesterday I ventured into uncharted make-up territory: false eyelashes. We were going to an event last night and my outfit hinted of the 1970s so false eyelashes just seemed natural. However, this wasn’t something I was going to attempt myself. No, this was up to the professionals at my local MAC counter.

Jennifer, artist extraordinaire, created my look. I explained I would be wearing cream satin tuxedo trousers, a black matte silk kimono-sleeve top, and lipstick-red patent pumps. I would be carrying a black vintage clutch purse and wearing my own jewelry. She loved the idea of softer eyes with red lips so I let her do what she does best and didn’t really question her. My eyes were a combination of soft ivory and two shades of taupe. She lined them in black, but it was very soft and smoky. Then came the eyelashes. They felt so weird! She explained that the key to a good look was very little glue, letting the glue set a few seconds before applying, and keeping eyes soft to let the lashes pop. And pop they did. By the time she finished my look and handed me the mirror, I was a bit startled by the transformation. I had HUGE eyelashes. Combined with my new spiky hairdo, I felt like Liza circa 1970. I admit, I wasn’t sure about the look at first because it was really different. However, once I put on my outfit, I felt really chic and cool. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos of the experience.

Once we got to the event, we met up with our friends who declared my look “fantastic.” I felt really great about myself, which is the key to enjoying oneself at a party. So, this holiday season when you’re invited to a special party, do yourself a favor and try some false eyelashes. Even with my glasses, the results were stunning.

A couple of years ago, I found this cool [website](http://www.bookjournals.com/) that makes journals out of old books. These are so cool and I use them for everything! One for school notes, one for writing, one for interviewing, one for metal designs and a blank one on hand just in case. I just finished placing an order for a couple of new ones and thought I’d share the idea with everyone.

Continuing our theme of meat and meat products, this week I give you the lovely “Deviled Bones.” Seriously, that’s the name. Allow me to share the description with you:

“These hearty beef bones are brushed with a tangy sauce and flavored with hickory.”

Are we feeding people or dogs here? Perhaps, as the picture tells us, men are dogs. Well, sometimes anyway. This recipe encourages the eater to “eat in Henry VIII style!” Delicious! Meaty bones covered in a lovely red-brown sauce to be picked up in the hands and eaten like a gluttonous member of the royal family. So, next week, as you’re enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner, be grateful you’re not eating “Deviled Bones.”