Thank You Cathy!

Dear Cathy,
Thank you for reading my blog and leaving your comment.  It meant so much to me to know that someone read what I had written months ago and then left a comment asking where I've been and would I blog again.  Well the truth of it is that I've been in a creative black hole, topped with worldly malaise.  Meaning we're flat out of currency and waiting for our farm house and business property to sell so that we can move along with life!  I wouldn't be blogging today if not for your comment Cathy.  So for those shy readers out there, don't forget to leave a comment even if it's just a "Hiya!".  It could make a big difference in someone's day.

The amazing booths on the left are from vendors at the HandMade Market at The Creative Connection Event  www.thecreativeconnectionevent.com  in Minneapolis during September.  We first read about the event just as we were winding up the closing of Yellow Bird Art, and thought it might be just the creative tonic we'd need after closing our quilt shop.  If the names of Amy Butler, Mary Jane Butters or Ree Drummond mean anything to you, then you should have been there since they were the keynote speakers.  We attended panels and classes about developing a business, building a website, the future of brick and mortar shops, and just about any other topic of interest to the creative crafter interested in developing a market for her products.   I can't tell you how inspiring this event was with creative classes by the likes of Kaari Meng of French General (just one of many!)

Amy took Kaari's class called Petite Couer - a darling velvet pincushion of a generous size stuffed with lavender which scents an entire room and just loaded with delicate jewelry.

I took Kaari's class for making a gypsy necklace, the exact name of which I immediately forgot when I saw Amy's pincushion out of nothing less than sheer envy.  This is very similar to the necklace we made in terms of the types of beads and charms, although our necklace had three strands of beads and chain, but no earrings or bracelet.  The really maddening thing is that I found an image of our project earlier today, but now for the life of me, I can't locate it again!

We learned a powerful lesson we should have already known, and I am ashamed to publicly confess this, but we had formed a rather negative opinion of  Kaari due to our business relationship with her when we first opened Yellow Bird Art.  We were purchasing her jewelry kits wholesale for our shop, and could only make small wholesale commitments.  She was in the initial process of closing down the wholesale portion of her jewelry business, and we just couldn't understand why someone with such spectacular items would raise the wholesale requirements.  Well..... it turns out she was packaging up all those adorable kits filled with teensy bits of this and that all by herself, while designing breath-taking fabric for Moda, building her business and living a successful family life.  Silly us.  We would have made the exact same decision if we'd been in her place.  How many times in life must we re-learn such an obvious lesson to not judge others harshly.  And I can tell you honestly that having taken a class from Kaari that she is generous, patient, incredibly kind and truly a humble soul who just loves doing what she does and sharing it with the rest of us.  Let's remind each other to be nice, ok?  BTW, visit her site at www.frenchgeneral.com

Speaking of generosity, this lovely little sterling necklace was a gift to those of us attending The Creative Connection Event.  Check it out for next year if you love the creative aspect of life and are looking to expand your vision and perhaps, maybe, find a market for your own creative brilliance!

XOXO by Angela