I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. A list will do!

1. turns out I love being a mama. YAY! (not that I doubted that I would, but I’m pretty glad that I do.)

2. a tree fell in our backyard 2 nights ago. crazy, right?

3. my aunt moved her shop to an amazing new space! It’s called Ikonium Studio and it’s at 69 Church Street in Lenox, MA — Go visit! There you will find contemporary and traditional Turkish and American fiber art and craft, amazing Turkish rugs, as well as some fantastic paintings and a few things made by other crafty folks and yours truly.

4. I’m doing a show in 2  weeks! I haven’t really gotten back to work yet (still resisting, enjoying “maternity leave”!) but I have to. Today. The show is sponsored by BerkshireMade; Handmade in the Park, downtown Lee, MA, Saturday August 7, 10am – 4pm.

5. tomatoes! summer! swimming!

6. I am told our miss Natalie is very “advanced” — large for her age (10 weeks!), but also strong, smiley from day one and super talkative for weeks now. Also sleeping a lot, but I wont get into that, for fear of being stoned by other sleep-deprived mamas.

7. did I mention summer? With that comes weddings (that we have missed, boo!) and visits from friends and family, barbecues, birthdays of some of my favorite people, craft fairs (I’m only doing one, but you better be visiting lots!), farmer’s markets, tag sales (no, haven’t been to any, but we will), vacations (maybe next year?), and the Berkshire Fringe (starts next week!)!

Yay, Summer!

We’re off for a whirlwind long weekend in Washington, DC tomorrow! yippee for vacation! I’m not bringing my computer, and I’m really going to try to only use my iPhone for directions and looking up yummy places to eat and such. I am looking forward to being a bit unplugged, and just enjoying being with John in a somewhat unfamiliar setting, exploring and enjoying. He doesn’t like getting his picture taken, but we’ll see if I can sneak a few shots in. The forecast calls for not-too-hot and chance of fully-sunny-day each day (ok, chance of thunderstorms, but I’m trying to be POSITIVE, ok?).

I’m also really looking forward to stops in the new National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Who know what we can cram into 3.5 days, but I’m hoping quite a bit?

See you next week!

p.s. the train photo above is because we’re taking the train! Yay for not driving! The image is from a project I did last year as part of my “Photography for Graphic Designers” class — check out the whole-shebang photo set from that class here.

p.p.s. We might not be in the Berkshires this weekend, but if you are, go ahead and visit the newest bestest restaurant on the block, our friend Bjorn’s Nudel in Lenox, MA. They just had their soft opening today; Congrats, yo!

This is my booth from my most recent trip to the South End Open Market on August 9th.  This past Thursday I had the pleasure of sharing a booth with my friend Stephanie from Atoms At Work at the Pittsfield 3rd Thursday, and my display was quite different for the most recent event.  Partially because I only had half a booth, and partially because I have been focusing much of my energy lately on SIMPLIFYING. In ever aspect of my life and work. It’s so hard to do for a visual thinker and pack-rat like myself. {Embarrassing admission: I still have boxes of birthday cards from, er, the past 28 years. I don’t save EVERYTHING. Just stuff I like or think I or my children would be interested to look at again someday. Yes, the children I don’t have. Or the historians that are studying my life after I’m gone. heh. hehehe. You know you think that way, don’t deny it!}

So… simplifying…. At the fair where I shared the booth, I chose to leave home a bit of my product, and focused instead on cards, bookmarks and prints, plus the newest addition to my product line: “BerkshireMade” baby onesies! They are too darn cute. Just sayin’. I will post a nice photo soon; I need to print more as I sold most of what I brought (which wasn’t a lot but good to know that people like ‘em!).  I really liked the way things looked so simple, though. I love my bird sculptures and original paintings and photo blocks and needle-felted things and clay things, but I think in a smaller space it’s really confusing to see all of those things together. I’ve been trying to keep it all in the same color family and it all seems to work together somehow, but I also found it much easier to focus on my customers and my simplified product display; I certainly knew all the prices of everything anyone asked about!

My mom found this old shoe-storage cabinet thingy for me at a yard sale recently, and John souped it up with the moulding to hold the cards in. I really like it and love how it adds some height to the display. Those are all cards inside and original paintings on top. This shot is from the Aug. 9th South End Open Market. Last week I didn’t have anything on top and just had more cards in front of it in small boxes and on the table.

I’m also thinking lower, too — I would like to find (or make!) some funky fabric to drape over the center and front of the table or some kind of great posters or imagery to draw the viewer’s eyes up onto the table tops. Right now I just have light-colored mismatched tablecloths and sheets, which do the trick of concealing the boxes under the tables and making things look all professional-like, but I would like to jazz them up a bit, of course with the “simple” idea in mind!

You can also see in that top photo that I have been playing with clothesline displays for my prints, which seems to work really well, better even than the bulletin boards in back that I think I’m done schlepping around. The clothesline is much more compact to transport and easier to change around if the mood strikes. And can be hung near the front of the booth, which is key in catching shopper’s eyes.

I’m also in the process of adding a curtain to the back of my display. We have had many opportunities to use the lovely rain curtains that came with the tent, but I’m thinking something lighter and more colorful! I tried out some nice bright blue fabric this Thursday, and now I’m going to add some rust orange and see how that looks. In that top photo you can see where I got the idea, from the curtain of the vendor behind me!  (who was lovely! thanks for the vicarious use of your curtain and the idea!).

Have you been through a process of simplifiying lately? Was it as darn hard as it seems to be? Why does it sometimes feel easier to just stay in old patterns of clutter and disorganization and complicated systems that don’t work? I mean… really, people. sheesh.

I’ve been doing a little playing with my camera and image editing settings. Whatdya think? (I like ‘em! Click on each one to see it bigger — ’specially the kitty!)

It’s hot here today. Jane is staying inside today, occasionally venturing into the cool basement. Happy has been in and out of the house and in and out of the sun all day; I think despite her black fur, she’s a sun-dog at heart. She loves the heat and hates to get wet or cold. She has taken to refusing to go for a walk in the rain, which has made things a bit difficult around here this summer, as we’ve had mostly rain all the time. But not this week! It’s nice and sunny and warm and SUMMER! I’m keeping the shades and curtains drawn to keep the house nice and cool. One advantage to living on the cold side of a mountain with limited sun each day is that we haven’t needed air conditioning. Sorry to rub it in, but it’s true. It gets pretty warm upstairs on days like this (90+ with humidity), but as long as I keep the shades down it usually stays comfortable enough, especially when we add a fan to the mix.

And that …. well… I thought it was a pretty amazing sight the other day, and I just had to share. I had seen it once before, without camera in hand, but this time I caught it! I think it has something to do with eating bugs off the goats’ backs? I really don’t know. Poor Pepper (the goat) doesn’t look too happy about it, but I really think if she wanted to get out of the situation she could just shake the chicken off, don’t you?

I couldn’t have said it better, so I’m here to point you to this post from Maya of Maya*Made about our journey “In the Fishbowl“; Marisa Haedike’s 6 week online course. I’m really missing it already and love love loved it so much. It’s been fun to see Marisa continuing with video posts on her blog, too. If you haven’t seen any yet, be sure to check them out. It’s part of a month-long project she’s been working on with the ever-inspiring Supercoach, Michael Neill. (Can’t I just have all these amazing souls over for dinner?)

I’ve been reminded these last few days (wherein we have not had perpetual rainstorms, as the rest of the summer), why we are so lucky to live here, why hordes of tourists visit our fair Berkshire Hills each and every summer, why we indeed chose to live here. It’s gorgeous. and amazing. and awe-inspiring. love. it. so. much.

I went kayaking in a little pond not too far from here at sunset with John and his dad yesterday, and then we stayed out on the lake under the full Sturgeon Moon until it got too cold to stay. It was so gorgeous. I can’t even really describe it, that’s how gorgeous it was. (er, “Sturgeon Moon” has something to do with the fish being very numerous around this time of year. Or something.)

And my garden is growing. Finally. We’ve even enjoyed some home-grown tomatoes. They are very small, but very tasty and even red, to boot!

This is the scene on my kitchen table today. The Meadow Rue (little purple flowers in big sprays) were tipping over in the garden, so I decided the flowers would be happier on the table and the plants would be happier without all that weight. The yellow is Rudbeckia and the other purple stem is a Hosta flower, along with its own huge lime green leaf. These are all transplants from my mom’s amazing garden. I am so in love with each and every one, and I’m planning to fill every space I find next year with more Rudbeckia, plus maybe more daisies and some bee-balm. {also, those are some of my favorite Ana candles}

(sometimes I really crack myself up. like with this post title. hehe)

Here it is, another chance for Berkshire locals to shop from their neighbors who make kick-a$$ handmade goodies! This festival is in my very own adopted-home town, Lee, MA.

It’s no secret that Lee has had a bad wrap for the last few years (decades?) as an aging mill town (much like Lowell), but it’s really becoming a fun place to hang and I’m happy to say I live here. (Of course I live in “South Lee”, which is apparently it’s own town based upon the fact that we have our own post office. But, we are otherwise governed, taxed and serviced by Lee, proper, but South Lee, that’s my home. That no one knows exists.)

Heck, here in Lee we have our own adorable library, some cute shops, a tasty bakery, an amazing micro-brew bar, and some lovely outlet shops.

So come visit and see what Lee has to offer. Plus some of the proceeds go to this little church with a biiiig steeple. A landmark of the Berkshires, this steeple has been in disrepair for a while now and we’d all like to see it restored to it’s former glory. If you know me (or maybe you can guess), I’m no churchy kind of girl, with a small chip on her shoulder for organized religion, but I really like the architecture of churches, and this one in particular holds a soft spot in so many peoples’ hearts. So come buy handmade and help a steeple out, eh?

And if you’re not in the Berkshires this weekend but you’d like to learn more about Lee, the town even has a spiffy little website. Sweet.

To top it all off, I’m heading out to another hometown event tonight! Ok, it’s technically in Becket, the next town over, but I’m heading with a friend to a performance at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival! I’ll be sure to let you know how it is, but I’m guessing it’ll be brilliant and gorgeous, as everything there usually is.

This weekend, rock out handmade-style!
Here’s your opportunity to act on that “buy local” resolution you made to yourself, or to start one!

There’ll be all kinds of local art and craft, including jewelry, woodworking, handbags, fiber arts, ceramics, stationery, fine art and more! It’s also a great time to learn more about BerkshireMade! (and I’ll be there!)

It’s all at the BerkshireMade Artisan Market and Open House

Artisan Market: Saturday and Sunday July 18th & 19th, 10:00am-4:00pm

Open House: Saturday, July 18th,  4:00pm-6:00pm; For artisans interested in becoming a member and businesses interested in partnering with BerkshireMade. Free Snacks!

Both events are free and open to the public will be held at the Howard Building at the corner of First and Fenn Streets in Pittsfield, MA.

BerkshireMade is a cooperative effort by a select group of Berkshire artisans to promote their high quality, locally made creative work.  BerkshireMade’s goal is to promote a shift in the shopping paradigm, so Berkshire consumers seek to purchase local goods created by local artisans, in the Berkshires or on the Internet; Buy Local, Buy Handmade!

Click here to read The Advocate’s coverage of BerkshireMade or Click here to visit BerkshireMade online (thanks to BerkshireCreative for the shoutout to BerkshireMade, too!)

This weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Lowell, MA and The Lowell Summer Music Seriesl. What a sweet town! I had never been there before and heard lots of horror stories about an aging mill town, but to my surprise it’s really coming back to life nicely. There are lots and lots of historic mill buildings, but many of them (all?) are now turned into live/work spaces, art spaces, galleries and even a museum or two! And of course it didn’t hurt that we were there to see the little folksinger (no, really, she’s tiny!) Ani Difranco.

The Summer Music series is held at Boarding House Park in downtown, and it’s really lovely. A terraced grass and granite seating area and a big stage flanked with archways covered with lush vines. Really nice. We dined alfresco on Heidi’s three bean salad, roasted garlic scapes, fresh peas, and some other snacky stuff. A lovely night. aaannnd her second encore ended just as the rain started to drizzle down on us! perfect timing!

Then we were off to The SoWa Open Market in the morning. I sold some cards and prints and enjoyed the sunshine. It actually got a little hot and felt like summer for most of the day!

That’s me! Manning my booth all professional-like. (sporting my Liz Elayne “Begin” necklace)

And here’s my intrepid helper, Heidi, peeking out from behind the crafty goodness! What would I do without my amazing friends who continually step up and help a girl out? You are all so wonderful! I think she had fun, too, so that helps.

We had the pleasure of being back-to-back with Heather Toupin of heatherjeany, too! One of the most fun neighbors, and also a super talented artist and Gocco-er! Check out her fantastic stationery, custom invites and prints, as well as baby onesies in her Etsy Shop and in her Flickr. You can also follow her on Twitter! How could I resist bringing home one of these prints? (thanks, Heather! True dat.)