Fashioned By Jaye -- a little update

It's been about 4 months since I ended my occupation of 212 S Campbell, and while in some ways Fashioned By Jaye had a good run it's left me somewhat burned out (thus the lack of activity in 4 months). However, it's occurred to me (as I'm sitting here working on my tax return) that there are a lot of loose ends left to deal with and I haven't even posted an update on what's happening with the company.

In short, not a hell of a lot.

I'm not sure where I want to go with my little endeavor at this point, although I am sure I don't want to let it die. The absolute honest truth, though, is that FBJ turned into something that I didn't enjoy by the end of it. I made a lot of compromises to keep things running, and before long the person who ran the company and the person who created stuff under the FBJ label might have shared the same body but were two different people. The Jaye that many people met at the shop was a sanitized, artificial version of the real me, and it's not good when you don't feel able to be yourself in your own store.

It's not a huge leap from Business Owner Jaye to the regular version (sounds like I should be made into collectible dolls), it's just little things. Business Owner Jaye was so worried about paying bills that she was afraid to offend anyone. She didn't play the music that really inspires her in the shop because it wasn't radio friendly. She nodded and smiled when customers talked about controversial opinions with which she didn't agree because she didn't want them to feel uncomfortable about buying something from her. She referred to her girlfriend of almost six years as her roommate. She kept her personal life segregated from the business.

Bleh. Enough of that.

I started FBJ because I wanted to make a living making and selling my art. That's not what it became. At this point I'm not even all that concerned about the money part. I have a job I like, and my art doesn't need to be anything but a hobby. So if I'm going to keep FBJ alive as a means of creating and getting my creations the hell out of my studio where they're just going to collect dust, it needs to be an honest, enjoyable endeavor.

So...

What does that mean for FBJ? It will live on, but it won't necessarily be as warm and fuzzy. No promises about update frequency, amount of work produced, or content thereof. I will probably merge fashionedbyjaye.com, the long-neglected bits-of-paper.com, and my blog into one site. I might do more vlogs. I might do a lot of things. I'm just going to see what happens.

If you want to see what happens, too, stick around. Subscribe. I might send out newsletters. I might not.

I will be lending my magazine weaving abilities to the Black Owl Bread Company, which is the brainchild (ovenchild?) of a good friend of mine. She makes awesome bread, and you should order some. Seriously. It's fucking good.

Some new stuff

Tomorrow is the First Friday Art Walk, and Kourt and I are doing a joint show of digital work. So I've got some new stuff done:

I'm about to become a statistic

It was pretty much exactly three years ago that I started seriously thinking about opening my own business. Thinking back over those three years, I can see now a whole list of things that happened that probably should have shaken some sense into me, or at least made me pause and think things through just a little more thoroughly. Hindsight's a bitch.

That's not to say that every setback I've encountered since I started writing up the first draft of my business plan was something I caused or could control. Maybe without that devastating ice storm in January 2007, or the lengthy theater construction process that had our block closed to traffic for over a month, or the crappy economy in general the slips in judgment I've contributed to the bigger picture could have been overcome. But I couldn't control those things, and I've managed to screw myself over with all the decisions that I could control.

So I guess this is the beginning of the end.

I know everyone likes to say I'm being too hard on myself, but I'm not. Really.

When the deal with the mall fell through, I should have just shelved the project for a while and taken the time to consider options. But I didn't. I'd already borrowed money and purchased a little bit of inventory, so I just pushed ahead and took the first property I saw that I could afford. I knew my market research didn't really apply anymore, since I'd based all my numbers on mall traffic and such, but instead of figuring out how to really get accurate figures for the new location and spending some time reworking the plan, I pulled numbers from random data and hoped for the best.

After the first few delays in getting access to the property I should have known better than to jump the gun and quit my job. Those delays ate up a great deal of my startup capital, and had I continued working I could have maybe even added to the pot instead of having to dip into it early to cover the down time.

I should have managed my personal finances better for the last three years. Every time the business itself was doing better, I let my own bank account crash and burn. I knew better. I know better. And yet I still keep doing it. And every time it happens it just gets worse and worse. The purpose of having a second job is so that I have money of my own to contribute to saving the business, yet I continually screw up and dig the hole deeper and deeper. If I could take back all the money I've wasted in my personal life, I could probably save the business. But I've been stressed, and I've let the stress cause me to spend money on stupid stuff to try and make myself feel better.

I shouldn't have procrastinated and let that opportunity for free advertising go to waste. I feel exceedingly stupid for that.

I should have tried my best to get help from others. Instead, I kept telling myself I could do it all. Clearly, I can't. By the time I knew I needed help, I was so busy with two jobs that I wasn't around enough to be available to network like I should have. I didn't ask for help or take advantage of the help that was offered because I kept waiting to get time to sit down and make a plan and figure out what to delegate and what kind of help I needed. The one time I should probably have jumped on opportunities instead of taking things slow, I opted to take things slow and the opportunities drifted away.

Ultimately, I could probably find some way to keep going. Hell, I've kept this little venture limping along for three years already. It's not like my sales aren't slowly growing. Very, very slowly growing. But I'm under far too much stress and it's affecting my health and my mood and my productivity. My brain is fried. I'm beyond broke at the moment, mostly because I've screwed the pooch yet again. I can't help but be aware that my parents are not a bank and the availability of their personal funds is not unlimited. They're in my life far too much now, too, and that brings an entire new level of stress with it. They're at an age where I can't continue to demand so much of their time and funds. Our house is in such a mess that I can't possibly get it under control while the store is still open. I can't continue to put my student loans on forbearance anymore, and I can't make the payments if all my money is going to the store.

So there it is. They say that the vast majority of small businesses don't survive to see five years. I really thought mine would.

It's not like it's going completely away. I can't stop making stuff. And on the plus side, I have made some contacts over the past three years that might open doors that weren't open back before all of this, back when I was trying to make a go of this on the internet.

Still, though, this is now the second time I've fucked up my life and had to start all over again. I can't keep doing this.

So if you're reading this and you're interested, I'll be desperately trying to sell off as much inventory as I can over the next six months. I haven't yet figured out how to start the process of shutting things down, but I'll get there. I'll keep everyone posted.

A windy Monday afternoon

I like to keep a little project going up at the counter at my shop. My workshop area is in the back, and it's visible and all, but when people are shopping I want to be sitting up at the register. That accomplishes two things: First, it avoids giving shoppers the impression that they have to interrupt my work to purchase something. Second, it puts me in a position to keep an eye on little grubby hands that might be itching to shoplift. But I don't really like to just sit there sipping coffee and staring into space, because then that gives the impression that I'm hoping they hurry so I can get away from the cash register and do something more fun. So the nice compromise is for me to always have some little simple jewelry project or whatnot to keep myself busy while still being attentive and conversational at my post.

Today's little project? Finding something useful to do with the end pieces of chain left over from the charm bracelets I made from the chain I salvaged from the handles some purses that I made three years ago but never sold. (Can't let stuff go to waste, now, can we?) The purse bodies became smaller pouches, and the handles are becoming bracelets and earrings:



(That's patent leather accenting on the pouches, and yes, those are pretty large earrings.)

So, I was sitting up at the register making earrings while some girls shopped, and one asked about consigning some things, and in the conversation she mentioned that I looked familiar. Turns out her dad was one of my old architecture professors and she spent quite a bit of time in her childhood running around the architecture building selling Girl Scout cookies and such. She's in college now, and does pottery and sews.

I kind of hope she drags her dad in to the shop at some point, because the last time I saw him it was right after I'd bailed out of architecture as a profession and had come back to Missouri and had just started waiting tables at the OG. Needless to say, I think he was a little disappointed.

The other thing I've been doing today, other than packaging and rearranging merch and hanging out at the cash register, is going on a search for some cool music. I don't know what prompted it, but I decided the other day to start building a playlist of artists who have something to do with NIN -- have opened for them, collaborated with Trent (even just once), involve current or former members of Trent's live band... Kind of a "Six Degrees of Nine Inch Nails" playlist. Yeah, it's a really long list. So I've been going through and giving these bands a listen, and I have to say some of them really super suck.

Evidently, the number one way to make a song completely unlistenable to me is get a singer with an obnoxious voice. Granted, the definition of obnoxious is open for debate.

But I am finding some stuff I really like. Like El-P. Lovin' it.

But Ilan? Thank god you got away from the godawful Lostprophets. You're so much better off with NIN.

Yet more new stuff for sale

Leather jewelry!! Prices range from $4 to $8. As always, the newest additions to the web catalog can be found here.

More new items on the website!!!1!!!!!!!eleventyone!!1

Copper tie chains by Dad's Designs






New items can be found on fashionedbyjaye.com here.

More new merch!

Reversible tote purse made out of old upholstery samples. Find it here.







Tealight holders decorated with poly clay and fun wire, found here.
















Several designs of placemats here, here, here, and here.

More evening bags!

More clutches added to fashionedbyjaye.com!

This time they're gold brocade and gold lame, perfect for special occasions. And they're $10 each. One of a kind and handmade with love!







Find the listings here and here.

New items added to fashionedbyjaye.com!

Evening clutch bags with wrist straps

Find them here and here.

$6.00 each, plus shipping if applicable.

A note from a gallery owner who would like to save you artists out there some trouble...

Hello all. Yes, it's me, the shopowner who almost never updates her blog.

Today, though, I wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with those of you out there who are local artists/artisans/crafters who would like to ever have a gallery or boutique consider selling whatever it is you create. And in the interest of brevity, I'll do it in the form of a list of DOs and DON'Ts.

Pay attention, please. Seriously.

DO...
...call ahead or drop by ahead of time to find out who you need to talk to, what to bring, and when they're available to meet with you. This also saves you from wasting a lot of time in the event that you don't meet the basic requirements for inclusion. And in terms of artists exhibiting for the Art Walk, it helps to make contact ahead of time so that you can find out important things like the fact that we're currently booked up until January.
DO...
...know how to talk about what you do. Be ready to answer questions about technique or your inspiration or how you got started, even if you think those answers might be lame. They're not. Just be honest. It's fine.
DO...
...have an idea in your mind about what your work is worth. If you're not sure, look around at the work of others around you who do similar things, check out the internet sites like eBay or Etsy for similar items, or just figure out how much you spend in materials and time and put a number to it.
DO...
...be professional, polite, organized, prepared, and friendly. This isn't about how you look -- hell, I've been known to dye my hair blue from time to time -- although cleanliness and not smelling bad are a good thing. But you should still be able to come in, introduce yourself, shake my hand, show that you're organized and have a professional mindset about what you do, and speak the most proper English you're capable of. And smile.
DO...
...look around and see what else is in the gallery/boutique. Be interested. Don't fake interest in the stuff you don't like, but it does pay to show that you're curious about how your work will fit in with what's already here.

DON'T...
...drop into a store unannounced with a box full of your work, hoping the shop will just fork over some money for it to help you pay some bills.
DON'T...
...be an arrogant bastard. It doesn't matter to me if you trained at some obscure knitting commune in the Himalayas or if your granny taught you when you were three, I just want to see what you make. If you're good, it'll be obvious. And frankly, some of the best artists and crafters I know were self-taught. So spouting off about how you got your degree in New York and how that is supposed to set you apart from all the ignorant locals around here isn't going to win you favor points.
DON'T...
...badmouth the work of other artists already in the gallery/boutique. One of the worst things you can do as an artist hoping to have your work in my shop is to look at one of my artists' or consigners' work and tell me their technique/eye for color/choice of materials/etc sucks. After all, I liked their work enough to put it in my shop. So keep your opinions to yourself, because they don't matter to me, or anyone else, and they make you look like an ass.
DON'T...
...treat me unprofessionally. Yes, I'm a short female who doesn't look her age (or so I'm told.) I can't grow taller, I'm not interested in a sex change operation, and I haven't yet found a way to make myself look like I'm 45 (nor do I want to). Deal with it. And by "deal with it" I mean leave the sexist comments and condescending attitudes at home. I own the place. I don't have to deal with you if I don't want to. And if you talk to me like a child, I won't want to.

That is all. For now.

Finally, it’s done!

After much trial and error, a bit of procrastination, and some frustration, the store's website at www.fashionedbyjaye.com now has fully functioning e-commerce capacity!! Yay!

It's been loaded up with some products, and many more are coming in the near future. Right now you can mostly go online and get some great deals on some of the older items in our inventory. Like an online clearance sale!

You can use credit cards or paypal, or even arrange to pick up your purchases at the store (if you're local).

So if you haven't yet been in to browse the store in person, you can now get a little taste of what we're all about without leaving your computer desk!

Have fun shopping, and let me know what you think of the new site. (Except the front page. It sucks. I'm coming up with something better as we speak.)

Jaye

p.s. Be sure to click the link on the left-hand side of the store homepage called "Street Teams"

The

As expected, the holiday season's been eventful (translated "scattered and hectic") and I don't even know where to begin blogging about it.

So I won't go into a bunch of boring stories.

The important stuff is as follows:

1. The store will be closed from Sunday, December 24-Thursday, December 28. Until then, we're open 11am - 9pm, and after that it'll be 11am - 7pm (and, of course, always closed on Sundays). Yeah, I'll be here on New Year's Day, and there are going to be sales. Secret sales. The kind you have to come in and check out for yourself 'cause I'm not spilling the beans to just anyone. Mwuah ha ha ha!!!!

2. My trusty sidekick Amy will be manning the store on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, as I'll be out of state. Be nice to her. She'll tell me if you're not.

3. I'm taking over management of the Downtown Art Scene MySpace which is here. I've got a bunch of cool ideas for it, and plan to start editing the page while I'm on my fabulous holiday vacation to New Jersey! So if you have any cool ideas for that page (or this one, for that matter), just drop me a line.

4. Christmas stuff goes bye-bye at 7pm on January 1st, so if you didn't pick up the ornaments or wreaths or stockings you wanted, you'd better do it quick! Seriously! I'm not kidding! That also means the holiday music goes away, so don't miss your chance to shop while enjoying the holiday stylings of Weird Al, John Denver and the Muppets, Run DMC, .38 Special, Blink 182, and of course the classic song "What Do You Get A Wookiee For Christmas (When He Already Owns A Comb)"

5. New product plans for 2007 include: abstract art posters, bead-embellished wine bottle oil lamps, some cool polymer clay items, ties, and those CD curtains people have been asking about. Plus lots of other things that I don't have time to list. PLUS, I'll be putting a little suggestion box survey up in the store starting on January 1st, and if you come in and fill out the survey you'll get 10% off your purchase!

6. Probably I'm forgetting something.

Enjoy whatever holiday you celebrate!

Jaye

p.s. I can't believe I almost forgot about January's art wall! Featured next month will be absolutely fabulous abstract and stencil graffiti artwork by John Worcester -- his MySpace is at http://www.myspace.com/j5kingofcrunk

Not Quite the Weekly Thing -- Black Friday

So, I've spent the last two weeks being super busy getting ready for Black Friday and the Christmas Season at large -- thus the lack of weekly updates -- and here we are at the big day...

... and I'm sitting here eating Thanksgiving leftovers, listening to Christmas music, and waiting for the people to start rolling in. Seriously, folks, leave the damn mall and come downtown! We're bored down here, sitting in our stores with all of our beautiful merchandise and decorations!!!

So, you know, I don't usually beg for things, but won't you come visit me, dawg? :) I'm bored...

Jaye

The weekly thing -- November 6

Two Art Walks down. I was happy to be able to be in the store for this one, and thanks to all who came in and shared some belated birthday cookies with us as they shopped. We're brainstorming some nifty festivities for next month's Art Walk, but for sure we're gonna have some hot beverages and some wonderful paintings by a terrific local artist.

Of course, holiday time is right around the corner now. I can stop complaining about how Christmas is starting to take over October and just get on with the festivities. Honestly, though, I really like Halloween. I really like my birthday. No matter what, I don't start doing Christmas until I've officially gotten a year older and had the opportunity to dress up as something stupid. But since that's all done with, we're rolling out the holiday cheer, little by little. Several kinds of ornaments are finished and available, and that's just the beginning.

The new sash belts are a hit, so come in and snatch one up for yourself while they're here! They're perfect for accessorizing for holiday parties and the like.

I'm currently developing an interesting idea for getting local artists together, especially those of you who work in collage. Bits-Of-Paper Studio will at some point start hosting collaborative art nights every month. If you're wondering how on earth that would work, it's pretty simple: A group of artists gets together, everybody gets a canvas to start with, and we all add to each piece and pass it to the next artist until everybody has had a hand in the creation of each piece. Collage works fabulous for this kind of thing, but I'd love to see artists in other media participate as well, in any way you can figure out to do so. Interested in attending? Just drop me an email. No dates will be set until we've got some feedback on what days and times are best.

On a final note, for those who have asked what happens to the artwork from each month after I take it down, it's still available for sale. Check eBay under the user name bits-of-paper for the proper listings. Anything that doesn't sell in the store will appear there soon after. The Scapes are being listed as we speak, and the France mosaics and Faeries will follow shortly.

Happy November, everybody!

Weekly Update -- October 30

First of all, welcome to all of our new friends!

If you read the News Leader, I hope you saw the store's add in the special Progress section in the Sunday paper. I thought it came out pretty nice looking.

This week is actually going to be pretty eventful -- I just hope I can find enough time to do my end of the month bookkeeping! LOL

Halloween is Tuesday, for all of you who might not have been paying attention, and all of us at the store LOVE Halloween. We'll be keeping the shop open until 9pm for anyone who wants to bring their youngsters by for a little trick-or-treating. We've got the treats, and we'll be hanging out in costume all day.

Of course, Friday is the November Art Walk. I'll be switching the art on my "art wall" this week from the France mosaics, Scapes, and Faeries to a series of Decollages and a set of four mixed media pieces called Paper Dolls. If you're interested in snagging any of the pieces that were up in October, they'll be appearing on eBay throughout November under the user name bits-of-paper.

Those of you who have been in the store know that I definitely have extra space in which to expand my inventory, and that's one of my biggest goals. I'm constantly working to add items to the shelves (and planning to add more shelves for things to be added to), but I'd love help from all of you as well. Thinking of something you'd like to see in the store? Let me know. And if you're a crafter or artist who makes items that would fit with the store's vibe, drop by and we'll talk. I've been talking with a couple of crafters already -- one who makes adorable iPod cozies out of vintage fabrics, and one who makes hemp jewelry. I'm especially interested in crafters who work in media I'm not proficient in or don't have the equipment to do -- ceramics, stained glass, lampwork jewelry, wood items, metal jewelry... If it's modern, funky, or just plain cool I want to see it!

Plans for this week on the prodution front include:
-- Holiday cards --
These aren't your "20 cards for $3" variety. But if you're looking for some special Holiday cards for some special people in your life, these are the way to go. Handmade, one of a kind cards in sets of 5.
-- Scarves --
Not the "warm your neck" kind. These are the "tie them around your waist and look pretty" kind. And for those of you who, like me, can't exactly shop at 5-7-9, I've got you covered.
-- Christmas stockings --
If you're tired of having that same old tired red and white fake fur stocking hanging over the fireplace, then come on in and check out what WE'VE got. How does circuit board print sound? Maybe some leopard print or a nice plaid? Heck, I might even go crazy and break out the Asian prints or some camo... Sure, I'll make some pretty "grown up" ones, too.

So, to recap:
a) Trick-or-treat with us on Halloween.
b) Come by the store for Art Walk on Friday.... OR ELSE!!
c) If you're a crafter, WE WANT TO MEET YOU!
d) My birthday was yesterday and I love getting belated birthday stuff. :)
e) New stuff will be on the shelves this week.

Have a good one!

What's up around here -- October 24

Welcome to Fashioned By Jaye!

For everyone who's new to the place, I'm Jaye and this is my store. I make almost everything in it. Yep, you heard that right. Come on by the store; you'll most likely find me working on something new.

Speaking of new, here's the latest additions to the shelves:

--Hand-knitted winter scarves. Yeah, it's not quite the dead of winter yet, but it'll be here soon. Come get a nice, soft, fluffy scarf to keep you warm and looking good!

--Cell phone pouches. Okay, they'll also work for a lot of other things, but I use mine for my cell phone. You could put your ID and some cash in it, attach your keys, and slip it in your pocket for a night out. Maybe you need a place to carry a stash of tater tots. You decide! It's a simple pouch with a velcro flap to keep the contents safely inside, with a handy heavy-duty keyring attached so you can hang it on your purse or keep your keys handy. They're also padded with foam so your phone won't get hurt in a fall. (And no more accidental cell phone pictures of the inside of your purse!) In about a week or so there'll also be a "delux" model featuring ID or cash pockets front and back.

--Earrings and pendants. Dangly, sparkly, beaded, wire wrapped.... If any of those words get you interested, come on by and check out the ever-expanding selection of jewelry. Of course there's necklaces, bracelets, and watches, too.

I'm working on a whole list of new items which will appear over the next few weeks, including some adorable little hats, a new art exhibit in time for November's Art Walk, more pillows and handbags, scrap craft supply grab bags for all you scrapbookers and crafters out there, and (of course) the first few Christmas decor items.

So come on by and check out the place. If you don't find anything you like, check back in another few weeks. I guarantee there will be something new almost every time you come in!

Jaye

Well, that was an interesting night

If plans had gone off without a hitch tonight, we'd be almost in Poplar Bluff right now. Blah.

Art Walk went pretty well, evidently. I missed most of it. I did get to witness the first sale made to somebody not related to me, which did actually reduce my stress quite a bit. I was a little worried that tonight might pass without any sales and then I'd be pretty upset. Luckily that wasn't the first of the crappy news for the night.

Probably we shouldn't have left the store, 'cause it kinda went downhill from there.

We stopped to get burgers, and the chick at Sonic put cheese on Kourt's burger. We were running a few minutes late, so we didn't turn around to get a new burger. We just swapped, which wasn't exactly a perfect solution.

Then, before I was even done with my burger, though, I noticed an odd noise from the car. Okay, yes, Kourtnie's bumper is held on mostly with various colors of duct tape. But this was a different noise, and it was accompanied by a scraping and some resistance on the front left tire. So we pulled over into the parking lot at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame to see what was going on.

Well, long story short, we couldn't easily fix the flap of plastic which had disconnected from the taped-on bumper and was rubbing and flapping against the tire, so we ended up sitting in that parking lot for an hour and a half waiting for my parents to drive downtown, get my car, and then drive it out to me.

Of course, by the time they did all that, we'd decided to drive to PB in the morning instead of arriving two hours late tonight.

All in all a really great night.

Blah.

Thank goodness Amy sold a bunch of stuff at the store. Otherwise I'd be in a royally crappy mood.

This festival had better the hell be fun.

My store, 2 weeks in...

Unbelievable how fast two weeks has gone by. The store opened without a hitch on the 25th, and everything's going pretty well. It's been a bit slow, of course, since it takes a while for word to get out. But it seems I get more people walking in every day, and the response has been good.

Speaking of people walking in, though, I'm gonna make a list of all the OG people who HAVEN'T come to see me yet. Yeah, you know who you are. I promise I won't force you to buy anything, but I probably will shove a bunch of pens and cards at you and force you to advertise for me. :)

Okay, maybe there is one minor hitch. Evidently people aren't sure I'm open, no matter how many signs I post on the windows. I'm hoping that changes tonight after Art Walk, but still. I guess the issue is that I don't have a big sign out front, but there's a reason for that. Stupid city won't let me have the big neon sign that was originally on the building because the store sat vacant too long and therefore the sign isn't grandfathered in. Damn sign ordinances. But the blank neon sign is still hanging out front waiting for my landlord to find somebody who might want to buy it. And until he takes that sign down I can't get a vinyl sign put up because it's in the way. Bah.

Anyway, we will be open until 10pm tonight because of the First Friday Art Walk. This would be a perfect opportunity to come see the place. (Hint, hint.) It's even all decked out for Halloween!

Oh, and if you need an excuse to come shop, we've got special day-of-the-week sales running from now through October 28:
Mondays, all handmade beads and beaded bracelets are buy 2, get 1 free
Tuesdays, all glassware and ceramic coaster sets are 10% off
Wednesdays, all picture frames and throw pillows 10% off
Thursdays, 10% off t-shirts, necklaces, and watches
Fridays, all fine art prints, postcards, and greeting cards 10% off
And Saturdays are 10% all handbags!

So... you know... COME IN AND SHOP, DAMN IT!

Thanks.

All systems go!!

After months of waiting and, I'll admit, worrying it wouldn't happen, I finally have my store!! The lease is signed, I've got the keys, and I've started moving my crap out of the too-small house and into the store.

So, for anyone keeping track:

Fashioned By Jaye
212 South Campbell
Springfield, Missouri
GRAND OPENING WEEK: September 25-30 with special discounts all week long
Store hours will be Monday through Saturday, 11am - 7pm

Oh, and right now I'm not hiring, so don't ask. :)

Before I open, however, you can catch me at the two festivals mentioned in my last blog: Cider Days on Walnut Street in Springfield on the 16th and 17th and then Autumn Daze in Branson from the 21st to 24th of this month.

I know I'd mentioned that I might do a special event prior to the actual opening day for my friends and family, but it doesn't look like the schedule is going to allow it, considering the festivals. However, I will be open until 10pm on October 6th because that's the First Friday Art Walk, which is not exactly the same but it's the best I can come up with.

There's a butt-load of stuff to get done before the store opens, so please send good vibes my way. So far there have only been a couple of surprising snags (City Utilities can kiss my ass) but nothing too serious, and I'm hoping that's the way it will stay for a while.

I've got some promotional postcards good for an additional discount on top of the sale prices during the opening week, so if any of my dear friends want one (or a few to share with people you know) just drop me an email and I'll figure out how to get some to you.

Thanks to everyone who has been asking about the store's progress! I'm excited to finally see this thing moving forward.

Another A-ha! moment

No, not the 80s group.

I discovered today, in trying to define some of my recent work for an artist's statement, that a lot of what I do artistically has definite roots in Surrealism. That came as a bit of a surprise to me, though I don't suppose it really should. It's a recent development, I think -- my early works were so very PLANNED. In the last few years, though, I've gotten into the "let's just start putting stuff on paper and see what happens" approach, and I like it. Not that I'm abandonning the planned stuff, mind you -- I just spent the last half of August finishing the series I started based on pictures I took on my college trip to France, and there's nothing at all about those that taps into the subconsicous. I guess only time will tell if I eventually decide to ditch one process in lieu of the other, but it seems that for now my subconscious mind has more interesting things to say than my conscious mind.

Okay, enough art geeking.

The store plans, though still on hold waiting for permits and such, are coming closer and closer to completion. I talked to Bob the other day and found out that occupancy permits will be forthcoming, the lease is nearly ready to sign, and the neighboring store will be a vintage clothing store. I'm especially excited about the clothing store, since we'll definitely be sharing a customer base. Hopefully the couple who owns the store are nice and like the idea of collaborations -- to me it seems a natural idea to combine our promotional efforts.

Opening dates, however, are still in question. If I can get the keys to the store next week, I'll schedule Grand Opening Week for the 26th through the 30th. I'd open that Monday, but I'll be in Branson for the Autumn Daze craft festival from the 21st to the 24th, and I really want to have a down day inbetween. However, if I can't get the keys until the week after next, my GOW will be October 2nd through 7th.

Speaking of festivals, anyone in the Springfield area is invited to drop by Cider Days on Walnut Street, which is September 16th and 17th. I'll be there in a tent with my artwork. Then there's the Autumn Daze in Branson, where I'll be peddling my crafty wares like purses and jewelry and such. It's behind Dick's 5 and 10, from what I understand. If you're from the OTHER side of Southern MO, I'll also be at the festival in Poplar Bluff on October 7th, out there on Main Street, where I'll be peddling all sorts of arty and crafty things. Please come by if you can. I need to see some income. Seriously. I'm not too proud to beg.