Huzzah, Long Live the Queen

The Queen Arrives

On September 18th Sebastopol's first annual Renaissance Faire transformed Ives Park into the village of Fenford for a day of living history. Passports were issued to students to encourage exploration of the fair, to ask questions and learn about the ways of their forebears. Activities ranged from archery, rat-a-pult, rounders, the dunk tank and tug-o-war to wheat-weaving and storytelling. 

Guilds demonstrated period arts and how to make such things as head garlands, chain mail bracelets, herbal sachets, and wooden shields. There was a variety of fine food from grilled turkey legs to crepes and refreshing libations at the Pip and Vine Tavern. The weather was perfect and the predicted rain held off until Sunday. Simply put, it was absolutely magical.

It was great fun and a very successful fundraiser for Park Side, Pine Crest, Brook Haven and REACH schools. It could not have been accomplished without the dedicated army of volunteers and sponsors who were ready to do anything needed: sharing ideas, skills, financial support and time. There is talk of extending the celebration to two days next year.

Members of the Queen's Court strolling through the park

Our Sticks and Stones booth was opposite the Fenford stage under a stand of redwoods. A perfect location. We had music, dance, song, and Shakespeare to enjoy throughout the day. It's great fun to step outside the everyday to dress up and play a part. We're hoping there will be a class on conversational Olde English before the next faire so that we not only look part but can translate it.


Ye Olde Shopkeepers

Wonderous Wednesday

I was browsing Etsy this morning looking for something spectacular

to illustrate fall color and found this gorgeous print.

Shop link is http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lish3circles

Journal Entry September 8, 1976

Wednesday evening

The silhouettes on the skyline

Capture my thoughts

There is something about

This color of blue

Christo's fence has begun

To breathe

Photo by Wolfgang Volz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Running Fence was an art installation piece by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, completed on September 10, 1976. The builders removed it 14 days later, leaving no visible trace.

It consisted of a veiled fence 24.5 miles long extending across the hills of Sonoma and Marin counties in northern California. The 18-foot high fence was composed of 2,050 panels of recycled white nylon fabric hung from steel cables by means of 350,000 hooks. The cables were supported by 2,050 steel poles stuck into the ground and braced by steel guy wires anchored to the earth. The route of the fence began near Hwy 101 and crossed 14 roads and the private property of 59 ranchers to reach the Pacific near Bodega Bay. A majority of the work was done by volunteers.

I was working at the Bodega Marine Lab in Bodega Bay at the time. The fence actually bisected the small town of Valley Ford about 12 miles to the South. My boss allowed me to take the morning off so I could watch the fence panels being unfurled. It was truly an awe inspiring sight.

There is a wonderful online exhibition and story of how it all came about at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The link is:

http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2010/christo/

Did They Trade the Family Cow for Magic Seeds?

Our neighbors to the West took a long neglected property and turned it into an amazing showplace, a garden of eatin' not only for themselves but for the birds, bees and butterflies. We've been enjoying the color changes each season as different zones come into bloom. They do constant battle with the gopher nation and give new meaning to two words from the I Ching, perseverance furthers.  

This spring they planted a huge sunflower bed along the fence line that runs between our properties (I use the term fence loosely since it's barely standing and hard to find unless you're right next to it). We watched the sprouts come up, and then noticed one morning they had reached to top of the fence. A couple of weeks later we can no longer see the house and only the tops of the redwood trees. Whoa, these puppies are at least 12-15 feet tall. The sunflowers are the size of dinner plates.

Our precocious little volunteer sunflowers are about 7 feet tall. My husband thinks, like Jack and the Beanstalk, the family cow was traded for some sort of magic seeds. Whatever the case we are enjoying the spectacle and the birds are going to be too fat to fly after their fall dining extravaganzas.

Yikes, There's a Dragon in My Yard!

We've had a foggy, cold and windy summer, or as someone quipped the other day ~ a mild winter. Fall color is just starting to show around the neighborhood. Several days ago I walked down to our garden in the late afternoon. The sun was low in the sky and surprising warm on my back so I just stood there for a few minutes soaking up the heat. As I opened the gate and I looked up and to my right and was shocked to find a huge red dragon on the edge of the pasture. She was an impressive sight, at least 25 feet long from nose to tail.

I think she is a friendly sort. Though you can't see them here, our neighbor's black cat and two chickens were lounging in the shade of her long neck. I was actually able to get close enough to snap a picture of one of her fiery scales.

Here there be dragons came to mind, something I once saw printed on an old map. I decided to see if it was an authentic quote. I found that one of the more recent sources of the quote is that it's the first in a series of books about an "extraordinary journey of myth, magic, and mystery" from the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen. You know what's really cool, the second book is called "The Search for the Red Dragon".

Add an Etsy Treasury to your Blog or Website

I was bummed when byhand.me could no longer provide artists with the capability to do spotlights. I used spotlights frequently to go along with my blog themes. Enter Etsy Treasuries and a whole new venue to get some incredible work seen and build networks with other artisans. 

I always email the artists I've featured with the link to the treasury. This enables them to find it without going through thousands of pages. They can then post the link to their blog or website and leave comments for you.

If you're featured in a treasury, I encourage you to click and comment. It gives feedback to the curator, increases visibility for artists, keeps the treasury active and someone may click on your shop after reading your comments. You know, it's a pay it forward kind of thing.

Here's a short tutorial on importing an Etsy treasury to your blog:

1) Open your photo processing program, I work with Picassa but they all have similar functions.
2) Open your treasury.
3) Go to "view" on your toolbar and reduce percentage to a point where you can see the title and all 16 thumbnails on the screen, 65%-68% works for me.
4) Use your print screen function (Control/PrintScreen) and Picassa will capture the page.
5) Go into Picassa and crop the treasury.
6) I then "Save As" and give it the treasury name (I save photos that will go on my blog or Etsy shop in desk top folders, then I don't have to go hunting for them).
7) There won't be an active link to artist's shops like an Etsy mini or a byhand.me spotlight, but you can add a link to your post to take visitors to the actual treasury, which does have links directly to artist's shops.

Thanks to Molly at http://www.etsy.com/shop/mjalexander386
for getting me on the right path. It certainly does take a village.

Link for "Fire and Ice" treasury is

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c77eb0b74068eef34403cb4/fire-and-ice?index=0

So off you go: Create a great Etsy treasury, share it with the world and share it with the artists. If you're featured in someone else's treasury or want to promote one you've done you now have the tools to do it. Happy Trails.

The Saturday Afternoon Bear Hunt

We live on a hill at the end of a road with neighbors on either side who have small children from 3-5. You can often find one or more of the crew down in the pasture by our garden. On Saturday afternoon we discovered that we could sit out there and be out of the cold wind that has been plaguing us for a couple of months. We set our backs to the setting sun and transformed into lizards on warm rocks while we chatted. The kids soon tired of sitting around and requested that my husband Rod take them on a bear hunt. He is a former preschool chef and teacher, a kid magnet and has the fertile imagination of a 6 year old.

"Story Telling"

Thanks to Philippe Fernandez for letting me use his amazing illustration

http://www.etsy.com/shop/philippesarts

There are no fences between properties up here and areas around our property and one of our neighbors have a great variety of trees and flowering shrubs that form thickets and great hidey places.

The kids decided that Rod would be the “tall things” lookout and they would be his protector and lookout for “short things” ahead and behind. They all carried small sticks from the brush pile to defend themselves if they ran into the bear. They circled down around the old Victorian next door and Rod asked if they should knock on the door and see if the bears were home. The 5 year old said “No, we shouldn’t disturb them” and they continued on the hunt.

Suddenly the old stump down along the winter creek became a bear. They fought a hard battle and were victorious in the end. It was decided that they would have bear and fresh berries for dinner. The children gathered leaves and twigs in a pile for a pretend cooking fire and told Rod he should light the fire because he was the adult. Once that was done he was sent to gather blackberries.

They had a fine meal and decided since they had already be gone two weeks they should hike out of the woods and head home so their parents wouldn’t worry. They were about half way up the hill and the 3 year old stops the crew and said “we forgot to put out our campfire”. He was going to go back and take care of it, but the kids decided it was everyone’s responsibility so they all went back to put out the pretend campfire before emerging from the woods.

There are so many stories to tell from fanciful to family history, share them with your children and grandchildren. Rekindle your imagination and you will enrich their lives and your own.

Marketing Close to Home - A Primer for the Craft Fair Season

Before I jumped into the online marketplace our venues were local craft fairs. My husband and I have been doing 3-5 fairs annually for 20 years. They can be great marketing tools and learning experiences. I love the fact that people from all over the world are reading my blog and purchasing my work on line, but craft fairs are where we make a majority of our sales. The big plus is that we get to meet our customers face to face and have developed a following that comes back each season to shop with us. 

Dickens of a Crafts Faire ~ Santa Rosa, CA

I wanted to share what we've learned over the years, here are some things to think about:

1. Visit craft fairs in your area

2. Look at the venue, would you want to be there?

3. Has it been well advertised?

4. Is there too much of one thing ~ like jewelry?

5. How is the quality of the work?

6. How have vendors set up their tables? You can get great ideas about what to do and what not to do.

7. Talk to artisans, ask their opinions and how they're doing.

8. Enter only juried shows ~ this insures quality work and a variety of wares for shoppers.

9. Most of the fairs we do are fundraisers for community organizations. It's a way to pay it forward and something you might want to consider.

Displays ~ Do test set ups ~ Most venues have room for 6-8 foot tables. Get a couple of tables out at home and play with potential set ups to showcase your work. I have a black table cloth that covers tables and drapes down on all sides to hide my travel boxes. Displays don't have to cost you a lot of money. I found most of my display items at the flea market, second hand stores and Ross.

Test set up for my new display 

Photograph your work ~ Learn how to photograph your work. It's really important to have good photos not only for a website or online shop, but when applying to juried shows. Besides it's nice to have a "portfolio" of your work. Photoshop and Picasa have tutorials, bloggers and artisans on Etsy have writen detailed primers on how to get great photos.

Deco Bluebird Salad Servers ~ Chocolate Sundae Desk Set

Make a list and check it twice ~ Every fair is a little different. Some are indoors and some are outdoors, some provide tables and chairs and some don’t, some have power available and some don’t.  I have a list of everything that goes to each fair and I do mean everything: from displays to a $100 in change, receipt books to products, pens to gift boxes, table cloths to lighting, food and water.

We pack everything into a series of tote boxes for ease of storing and moving and check items off as they’re packed in the car. There is nothing worse than getting to your venue and finding you have left something behind. A simple Word document can be updated easily. Trust me, a little time spent up front will serve you well over the years. I also photograph my display and take an 8 x 10 with me so when I am unpacking I don't have to think about what goes where.

Business cards are a must ~ We do our local fairs as Sticks and Stones and my online shops and blog are Shelley Macdonald Designs. We keep business cards for both on the fair tables at all times to let shoppers know I have an online shop. I wear my jewelry a lot and we never go on a hike without taking a couple of my husband's walking sticks. Don't leave home without business cards in your purse or wallet. You never know when someone might ask how to get a hold of you. We were invited to do a craft show in the next county and I asked the organizer how he found us. He had purchased a cane from my husband at a fair three years prior and kept the business card. It's really easy to make your own, Word has templates and office supply stores carry packages of the blanks. You can also find great deals online for designing and printing cards.

Credit Cards ~ This is the first year we'll be taking credit cards. A number of vendors have told us that the ability to take credit cards increased their sales so we figured it was worth a try since we are now doing up to 10 shows a year. Do your homework, talk to fair vendors and then make an informed decision. We found a really good deal with Propay. If we're in an area with no wifi (as we often are at small town fairs) we can scan the cards on a hand held reader and enter information once we're home. Find out where the nearest ATM to your venue is located so you can let a customer know if they prefer not to use a credit card but are low on cash.

The dreaded inventory ~ No matter how much you hate the idea it's important to keep track of the cost of your materials and labor to come up with a fair price for your creations. A simple Excel spreadsheet can do the calculations for you. Check the forums on Etsy and other online venues, artisans have posted great templates. Never be afraid to ask questions.

So there it is ~ Hope you find some useful elements here. The fair circuit is hard work but a lot of fun. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

The Bee's Knees

"The grass is always greener over the septic tank"

Erma Bombeck

We live in the country and like many folks in the area we have a septic system. The tank was replaced several years ago and we put in a rock surround to mark the perimeter and back-filled the area with wood chips and a couple of pieces of yard art.

A small succulent volunteered along the edge and we've let it spread over the years. It now fills almost the entire area, about 80 square feet. Every August the patch bursts into bloom and becomes carpet of little white flowers. It's a honey bee diner for weeks and you can see hundreds of bees working the area at any one time. It's a pretty cool sight.

Plant flowers and fruit trees for your butterflies, birds and bees. You'll be rewarded by your visitors' beauty and knowing you're helping their survival.

Not Your Average Pancakes

So I'll bet you never considered pancakes as an artform.

 Tyrannosaurus Rex

My husband was the chef at a children's school for 8 years and every Friday he made designer pancakes for the pre-schoolers. Their job was to try and stump him with their requests and they came close a couple of times, but he always managed to create something that delighted each and every one of them.  

Pirate Ship 

If you have little ones at home or if your kids are having a pajama party announce the Designer Pancake Challenge and see how you do. His first tool was a turkey baster filled with pancake batter. The kids called it his "pancake pencil", but he was soon "drawing" freehand with a large spoon. I won't tell if you decide to practice before facing the family food critics. 

Crab

 Good luck with your next mission.....

Thoughtful Tuesday

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration. 

Thomas Edison

The objective was to limb our redwoods up about 15 feet and remove secondary growth and brush for fire safety. Six hours of hacking and hewing has its rewards. The old hammock fits perfectly between to two trees!

July and Blackberries

When I was a kid our entire back fence in Mill Valley was covered with blackberries. My Dad and I would pick every summer and Mom would turn them into jams, jellies and pies.

Our Back Fence Bonanza

I haven't made jam for years, but the extended rains this spring have created a bumper crop of huge berries. I pick every couple of days, lay the berries out on trays in the freezer until they are hard and then slip them into gallon baggies until I have enough for an afternoon jamathon. This July has been really cold and foggy, what do you want to bet the day I decide to spend working over the stove it will be hot? No matter, the middle of this winter I'll have homemade jam for toast, waffles, presents and pancakes. It doesn't get much better than that!

Conversations

I picked up one of my old journals this afternoon and decided I'd share whatever was on the page it opened to. The entry was from October 31, 1975. This is a song I wrote during one of those stages in a relationship when you're questioning why you aren't moving on. A friend put it to music and it was amazing to hear my words brought to life. Because of his sweet gesture I've harbored a lifelong fantasy of hearing it sung by Bonnie Raitt. But, hey a girl can dream!

Conversation

Baby do you ever disagree with what I'm sayin'

Are your thoughts different than mine

Do you know me so well that you're not tryin'

Or can we share more than just the time

I sometimes wonder what you're thinkin'

Questions I have never asked

Are there things being left unspoken

Should I speak or let it pass

Just don't start feeling guilty

For what it is you're thinkin'

If love can't listen to what's inside

Then love's only a ship that's sinkin'

Man is but a mirror

To what it is he feels

He can live his life in fantasy

Or share the thoughts that keep it real

Tuesday's Discovery

I was exploring Etsy Forums this morning and stumbled upon a thumbnail that intrigued me. I clicked on the link and discovered the amazing work of Carole Andreen-Harris.

I found laughter

contemplation

and the HEART of the matter

This print is from an original painting of a horse rescued by HEART of Tucson, an equine rescue based in Tucson, Arizona (www.heartoftucson.org). HEART takes in and cares for horses at risk, the abandoned, abused, neglected and unwanted. With proper nutrition, medical care, shoeing and interaction these horses are true Cinderella stories! A portion of proceeds from sales of these prints goes to HEART. This is Bella, an older Arabian mare who was found abandoned in the desert very thin, without food, water or shelter. Check out Carole's work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/andreenharrisart

Down Time

Today is July 3rd. My husband, the chef, left for work at 5am and when his day was done he headed to Santa Rosa to watch his friend Michael’s grandsons play baseball this afternoon. I went to work out this morning, came home and tossed a load of laundry in the washer that could be hung out to dry. It's about 80 degrees and breezy. I’ve decided this is a no promises to keep day: time out, game over, no shouldas, just stop and smell the roses, or in our case honeysuckle.

The Cherry Plums are Ready

I’m out in the back yard flopped in a camp chair with my laptop, lunch, water, and a book of poetry and prose given to me this morning by a fellow gym mate. The breeze is whispering through the Redwoods and Monterey pines. The neighbors’ terrier, Ruby, is stalking gophers over the back fence. Two red squirrels are playing tag in our oak tree and I’m watching a hawk ride thermal currents looking for meal. Closing my eyes I can hear a dozen different songbirds commenting on the day.
 

How often do we let the petty of our every days overshadow the beauty in our lives? Stop what you are doing, back away from the computer, put down the dust rag and go outside for an hour or two; find a place in the shade and just observe and listen, I guarantee you’ll be glad you did. Have a safe and happy 4th of July. I am posting this and doing as ordered!

You Just Never Know

I was my checking my email a couple of mornings ago and noticed a communique from Etsy. The event chair for the Greater SW Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation in Arizona wanted to know if I'd be interested in donating my new salad serving set "Galaxy" to their annual silent auction and fundraiser for their juvenile arthritis programs. 

My grandmother Hazel Hobson Bagg and my mother-in-law Marjorie Helvey lived with arthritis for most of their lives and were brave beyond words to endure the constant pain. This seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to pay it forward in some small way. You're wondering why Arizona, when I live in California? Well my parents retired to Sedona in the early 1970's, my grandfather John Sherman Bagg discovered the Catherine gold mine (in western Arizona) in 1900 and his father, my great grandfather Stanley Chipman Bagg, lived in Arizona in the late 1880's. So you could say I have some Arizona connections.

Anyway, if you'd like more information about the fundraiser and programs here is the link:
http://www.arthritis.org/chapters/greater-southwest/salute.php

Just a Thought Series ~ June 1975 Update

Strolling through the pages of some of my old journals I found an entry from a June, 1975. I had recently traded my old VW bus in on a Datsun 240Z and was ready for a road trip. Off to Aspen to spend a week with my old roommate Patti. She lived in a small cottage with a very large boulder in the living room. We spent every day hiking and exploring and then would head out in the evening to hear live music.

Maroon Bells at Sunrise (unknown photographer)

On the trail around the lake someone carved these words on an aspen tree. One wonders if they are still there?  I just found the photo I took on that hike. Perhaps it's time for another road trip to Aspen to see if the tree is still there along the trail.

"If you can't find it here, you can't find it" 

I met musician and songwriter Chris Cox one evening and we talked about his love of music and some of his feelings on the subject. His words stuck with me.

What is true

Is that when you get down

To why you are doing something

~

Not for the money

Or the ego satisfaction

Not for the expectations

Or the promises

~

But for the shear love

Of what you are doing

There exist no droughts

No dried up wells

Thirty five years later I look at a creative life well spent and still growing and understand exactly what he meant. It never ceases to amaze me how random and serendipitous conversations can be so prophetic.

Thoughts for Fathers Day

 

 My Dad and Me Nov 1945

My dad was a quiet force in my life. He taught me how to observe and listen and to take responsibility for my actions. I have always been a tomboy and on annual summer camping trips we'd spend countless hours checking out woods, creeks and rivers. He taught me how to build things when I was a kid and helped me turn my VW bus into a camper when I was in college. He was my mom's true love and a total romantic. I was looking through an old cook book of my mom's (the kind that has an envelope in each section for the recipes you cut out) and found this note under the sandwiches section.

Sweetheart,

This is the best g.. da.. tuna I ever et

so help me, the celery was an inspiration.

I love you, love you, love you, Grif

We rarely think about our parents in their stages of life: as kids or teenagers, first loves, marriage, raising children, retiring and then gaining elder status. My husband and I were talking on the porch last night and realized there are many parallels between my parents and us. They were both artists and happiest outdoors in the garden or on the road. They were total romantics and free spirited soul mates. And like us, even in their 60's, were mischievous and still 27 on the inside.

A salute to Dads everywhere who work hard to get it right even without a guidebook or users manual.

The West Coast

Just a few more photos from our excellent adventure that took us from the Redwood Empire to Oregon's northwest corner.

The Dragon at Bullard's Beach, Bandon, OR

Spencer Creek at Beverly Beach State Park, OR

Yaquina River at Newport, OR

The trail to the beach at Fort Stevens, OR

Roadside picnic on the cliffs at Oswald West State Park

Honorary Oregonian

My husband is an Oregon boy and I'm a California girl. Truth be told I'm a bit of a weather wimp.  If I’m bundled up and water proof I’m good to go, but I often get chilled with the least drop in temperature. When the thermostat says 68 on a summer night it seems much warmer that when it says 68 on a winter's night. 

 Along the Oregon Coast in Oswald West State Park 

north of Cannon Beach

It’s been an extraordinarily wet winter and spring in the West.  It was raining when we left home and continued as we headed north on Hwy 101. On our 4th day in Marion County we had 2” in one afternoon. The weatherman said they expect a warm rain from the tropical environs in January (sometimes called the Pineapple Express), but not on the first week of June.  Even old time Oregonians were saying it was a little unusual.

 Spencer Creek at Beverly Beach Campground

Rod has always teased me that a light rain is only Oregon Sunshine and he has no qualms about being outside without rain gear. The past few days there’s been a lot of rain and light showers. When we first got to his Pop’s place I was in multiple layers. It's day four and I'm trotting around outside barefooted in shorts and a tank top. Think I’ve finally passed the moisture challenge and can now qualify as an honorary Oregonian. 

 One of several farms we passed with acres of white flowers.

Do you know what the crop might be?

We've traveled up Hwy 101 through Oregon every year, in all seasons, for 30 years and never get tired of views. This spring's trip was spectacular, with every shade of green you could imagine, wild rhododendrons in bloom along the corridor and wildflowers down to the road edge. Maybe it's time for you to take a road trip?