Taking Your Heart

I think I've mentioned before that I wear my heart on my sleeve.  Yep.  So I am thinking this composition must have come out of something going on in my little world.  Because I just caged it right up and took it along.  Less likely to get damaged?  Probably not, but it's got a ring of guards around it.  I like to think of those rings as my peeps.  And one special blog reading peep sent me an email today that really made me think.  What we put out into the world by way of body language, smiles, gestures, you name it, sometimes gets read more than what we physically say.  Am I right?   Sit on that thought for a spell.  I personally am working really hard on what I put out into the world.....trying to live an authentic life.  I'm diggin deep and opening up about my imperfections.  And man does that take some serious courage.  But you know what, it feels good.  Because finally some light is coming in through the cracks I've been patching for 39 years.

Dunwoody Art Festival 2011

Another weekend, another great festival.  Dunwoody didn't disappoint this year.....oh no.  Fabulous weather, perfect amount of goodies, adorable peeps around me, yummy food (fried pickle on a stick....omg...seriously?).  Yep.  One of those kind of weekends.  Sigh......  It was super great to see many blog reader friends, friends from Newnan (shout out to Ellie and family, Valerie and family, and of course my family), my art show peeps, and all my new buyers!  I just can't thank you enough for the love and support throughout the entire weekend.  And those of you reading my blog who are too far to attend, seriously I felt your good mojo being sent my way all weekend!!

You know I can never do the tent the same way twice, so here is a shot of this weekend's set-up.  I opted for one table since I had way more paintings to share this weekend than Sweetwater.  And the little green table had a "tasting" of what was inside the booth.   I sold way more jewelry than paintings this go around.  But hey, I think the jewelry is like mini paintings and love how well they were received this show!  In fact, I gotta get to working on some new pieces asap! 

I did have one really bad moment in the show which seriously could have put a funk in the weekend, but I somehow was able to let it go.  Someone came by the front table where I had a t-bar of all my bird cage necklaces and swiped 4.  YES....STOLE from me.  Geesh.  I felt like I'd been invaded in my own home.  You see, I put my heart into my work.  So when I realized it had happened I had the strangest feeling swoosh over me.  Like someone had taken a piece of my heart without even asking.  It was horrible I tell ya!!  So I moved the T-bar, taped down the ones on necks and moved on.  And I hope those jerks who stole the necklaces enjoy wearing them.  Because karma baby is coming your way!

Ok....don't want to end the blog on a bad note.  So here's some happy.  It was a long weekend, yes.   But you know, it felt like I blinked and it was over.  I suppose doing something you love that much with your life and being able to truly share it with so many people makes it feel like a stream of tiny happy moments instead of dreadful long moments.  If you are out there right now sitting in the middle of dreadful long moments, perhaps you should sit with yourself and think about how to make those moments tiny happy ones instead.  How can you at least inject some of the joy you deserve into your life daily?  Because you do.....we all do.  JOY is not for some, but for all.  And that includes you.  ;)


Hey....more pics from the weekend are here.

RIght Where I Planted It

It's Mother's Day today.  Of course you already knew that.  I'm at the show today, enjoying a day of happy sales........... unfortunately without my family.  :(  Anyhoo, I've been doing a lot of reading, thinking, and talking about happiness lately.   When I think about joy in regards to my family it can literally whoosh my body with excitement.  I am a very lucky gal when it comes to this department.  Kids are normal and pretty darn cute and sweet.  Husband seems to be going through a luv my wife so much phase= he's way lovey dovie and attentive.  My parents are just skippy and my sister is finally balancing new motherhood.  Whew.   I guess joy/happiness can be found right where you plant it.  Sometimes though, you've got to remember where you put it and may have to dig a little.  But you know, that's OK.  Because the digging is what makes the joy deeper and last a lot longer.

Why Are You There?

When you should be here....in Dunwoody....with ME!!

Seriously peeps, come on out and say hello.  It's going to be a fabulous show!!  I'm already here, setting up shop with so many goodies I am literally about to explode with joyousness!!  WOooHOooo!!  Come on now!!  See ya later!

Upcoming Show and BIG News!!

This weekend I'll be in tent city up in Dunwoody, Georgia. for the Dunwoody Arts Festival.  It's going to be a wonderful weekend for a show!  Lots of new paintings to share and of course jewelry, bird sculptures, framed tiles and more.  Here's a glimpse from the last show of what I'll have to offer:And then......for the BIG news.  Well, I have totally stepped out of my box and done something big.  Yep.  BIG.  Today I received word that my application for the COUNTRY LIVING FAIR was accepted!!!!  Wooohoooo!!!  I can hardly stand it.  hardly.  My head is already spinning for what to make new!! 

This picture above is of Valerie and I with the original Junk Market girls at the FIRST Country Living Fair in New York City's Central Park.  That year it was a tiny show, in fact it only took a few hours and then we were off flea market shopping.  This past year I attended the Atlanta show here and the entire time thought to myself I've got to try.  It was spectacular.  I am pinching myself that I'll be there this year.  The entrance fee is a bit steep, but in the end I know it'll be all good!!  So, if you need a girly weekend away, this just may be the weekend!  I am so excited!!!  Yeah!!!!!

"I am an Artist"

Last night Billy and I attended the Governor's Inaugural Ball.  Yes, it's a bit late for that but his 1st amazing event was canceled January 10th because of the wicked storm that came through Atlanta!  Everyone got their money back and all thought he'd never get his party.  Then whatdaya know?  The governor had the event last night after all!  And this time it was free.....pretty cool thing to do right?  There was a live band, lots of yummy food, cash bars and PEOPLE.  Geesh at the people.  It was super fun for me who loves to people watch and mingle.  Oh, and getting all gussied up, well that's just like icing on a cake for this southern belle!

Ok, to the point of the post you say.  Well, in the sea of people we did run into many people we knew; friends, lobbyists, fellow house members, etc.....One fella in particular was very chatty asking about this and that of me.  The typical questions like how many kids, ages, do they play sports, yaddy, yaddy, yadda.  And then came the loaded question:

"So do you work outside the home?"

Yes, "I am an artist".  And that's when I really, really wish I had a hidden camera in my hair.  Because it's the looks I really wish I could capture and share.  It's almost like deer in headlights.  Yep.  That's a good way to describe it.  Always the response to my answer is classic.  His was, "How's that working out for you?"  Well, let me just tell you buddy it's amazing!  And I went on and on.  Describing my work and the genre I paint and this and that.  Yep.  Hey, he opened the can.  So I was asked the question at least 3 times last night.   His response was the best though.   I suppose most people he encounters in his line of work have wives who stay at home or do other "normal" jobs so to say.  I am not sure why it is that being an "artist" gets people almost nervous.  I've had someone tell me one time that I didn't look like an artist.  What?  What do artists look like?  And seriously, what would the world look like if there were NO artists?  Think about that.

Anyhoo, I got a kick out of it last night.  And thought you might too.  I guess in his little bubble artists look like van Gogh, missing an ear maybe?  If it hadn't been so dark in the room he'd have seen the paint all up and down my arms that seriously soap is not getting off.  And the fingernails, well I know you feel my pain on that!  

Well, I am off to run and cleanse my head.  I've got the punch list for the week before the Dunwoody Show!  Hope to see many of you there this weekend with all the other thriving ARTISTS!  Woohoo!!

Make New Friends

Do you remember the sweet little song, "Make new friends but keep the old...one is silver and the other gold"?  Well today, I got to see my dearest golden friend and made a silver one along the way!!  Mailey and I met my dear friend Carrie and her husband Todd at the Inman Park Art Festival up in Atlanta.  Mailey and I got there before Carrie and Todd so we started walking the show.  MAN, was this a HUGE show.  I've never done one with that many vendors.  It was a tad bit overwhelming.  But fun.  There were several booths I had to peek closer at, this one was being at the very top of the list!

In fact, I kind of got all giggly excited when I saw this booth.  I was smitten at first sight.  Dragging Mailey over saying, "Mailey Mommy HAS to stop here a second!!"  Truly I wanted to buy every painting hanging up.  Then after hearing their story, well it made me want to buy one from each of the 3 bees.  Let me introduce you to the one below, Christy of bee good design.   Together they filled their booth with the most joyous art.  Something about their style spoke to me.  Obviously because I bought 2 and immediately went home to check their site and think I may have to have one more!

I choose this sweet orange house painted by Christy.  Mailey chose one by Kate called Sunny Day (so perfect for my little sunshine).  I actually met Kate earlier in the day when she peeked her head through the tent and said howdy to me, and said she reads my blog!  Which made me smile from ear to ear the rest of the day!  We didn't have the opportunity to meet Becky, but her art was pretty sweet too!!  I love how the simplicity of their work speaks volumes to my heart.  Yes folks, it is a big puffy heart thing. 

Onto the golden friend part of the day.  Well, I really don't have enough blog space to talk about this chick below with Mailey and I.  But I can give you a glimpse.  Carrie and I met at age 18........21 years ago.  It was move in day at Randolph Macon Women's College.  Her Mom was helping her set her room up which happened to be right at the top of the steps on the second floor, mine room was on the 3rd.  So we passed her room about 50 times unloading my stuff into the dorm.  Let's just say it was a golden friendship at first sight.  Her roomie got homesick and went home, and mine didn't work out too well so we were able to talk the Dean into letting us finish the year off as roomies.  Boy what a year we had.  Simply put, it was magical.  The late nights, road trips, VMI military balls, trips to Dickinson college, learning to ski (me that is), and all the other amazing stuff that goes along with being away from home your first year of college, it happened with her by my side and me at hers.  We joke that she is a northern Jenni and I am a southern Carrie.  Cut from the same mold.  Yes, it can be dizzying being around us at the very same time.  We have the same over the top personality with the confidence in ourselves to be and do just about anything.  Certainly don't tell us we can't......because that just sets us into a frenzied oh yes we can mode!! 

She and her adorable family live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.  We've not seen each other in 6 years.....by far the longest stretch we've ever gone without seeing one another since 1991.  She transferred after her freshman year to Dickinson, and I to Auburn.  You'd think we'd had long since lost touch.  But on the contrary.  Seeing her today it was like we'd seen each other just yesterday.  Dang....now that's a golden friendship.  Oh and her name is Carrie Ann Mailey.......yep.  Mailey.  In case you ever wondered where that beautiful name came from.  Funny thing is, my Mailey has some of Carrie's amazing quirks.  I'd forgotten until today seeing them together.  I suppose we all came from the same mold. 

So, it was quite a weekend here in the Horne house.  William hit a fabulous home run Saturday, I got to see Carrie Sunday and I think I may have some new art peeps to have a yummy cup of coffee with soon and talk shop.  Man, I am so smiley my face is hurting.  Well, hope you guys had a wonderful weekend as well.  I'll be back soon to share upcoming show news!!