I took the ferry over to Vancouver Island to visit my folks a few days ago & since I still had a pile of prep work to do to get ready for my market on Sunday, I brought it all with me. It’s so beautiful out there. If you have to do really repetitive work, (like, say organizing postcards into sets of 10 and then counting out 10 matching envelopes!), I can’t think of a nicer place to do it. My mom is an excellent helper too, so that made it go all the better!

Here’s a peek at the new postcard designs:

I have to get a bunch more ready for the Got Craft market this Sunday and then I’ll be adding them to the shop, along with my new magnet sets. Yay!

One of the side benefits of doing local markets is the way it forces me to adhere to deadlines. I know if I were left to my own devices, I would dream up cute new products, but they would linger in my sketchbook for ages while I spent my time painting instead of making *stuff*. I seem to work better under pressure, so knowing that I have a show coming up is a perfect motivator. Ideally I’d like to always have something new at my table, so people always have a reason to stop by. And because it’s fun, of course!

OK…back to work. So many things I want to make before Sunday! eep!

The new goodies I’ve been working on over the last couple of weeks are starting to roll in & I couldn’t be more excited for the big reveal at Sunday’s market – Portobello West. Starting with…new 1 inch buttons! Yay!

I can’t decide which one is my favorite, but the Royal Tenenbaums are definite front runners.

Also making an appearance, a bunch of new magnets with actual packaging (that I haven’t photographed yet, but am really loving), new postcards and new prints from some of the paintings I just completed for my solo show. The Amelie (with gnome) print turned out great!

I know, I know…saying this stuff without snapping pics = fail. I’m unfortunately running out of time again. (go figure!) The plan is to drive down to the border to pick up the last couple of packages I need from my US mailbox, then race back home, pack up the work I need to do before Portobello, then haul my cookies (& postcards & magnets & buttons) to the island to see my folks for a couple of days. I’ll be coming home on Saturday, so hopefully I’ll be able to enlist my mom to help me sort and package the postcards (& magnets & buttons) so that I don’t have to stay up all night when I get back. Thanks, Mom!

Also on my working holiday TO DO list? Put together 30 little treats for the Got Craft swag bags. People line up for HOURS before the doors open hoping to get a swag bag, so I don’t want to disappoint. Last year I tucked a bookmark into each bag & this year I think I’m going to do magnets. I had been thinking I’d go button, but I saw the super cute buttons another vendor is donating to the bags & don’t want it to be overkill, so. Magnets is the plan.

And now it’s just about 1 a.m. and I have to get up at 7 a.m. to drive to the USA. And I’m clearly babbling. Goodnight!

PS – my Etsy shop will also be getting a BIG update very soon! Starting Monday I’ll be adding new prints and assorted loveliness. Finally!

My new Vans are not faring too well. I managed to sink into some very muddy grass while walking the pooches the other day, but only 1 of my new kicks got dirty.

As soon as I got home I scrubbed the mud off & was breathing a sigh of relief as I laid it out to dry in the sun. Wet? It looked fine. I had no idea that once it dried the colors would be so faded!

For future reference – if you have to wash one of your shoes, wash the other one too. And maybe buy that protective spray stuff the sales folks are always trying to upsell you.

I’ve been so up and down over the last few days that I’m sure my mister thinks I’m on crack. Why’s that, Miss Kris? Well, I’m going through what I’m sure a lot of small business owners lose sleep over – investing in inventory. Here’s how it goes…

I’m starting to plan new goodies for the summer markets (and my shop, of course), which is always lots of fun. I’m not sure which part of my job is the most fun actually – sketching and crafting up new ideas, pushing the paint around or coming up with new ways to send my characters off into the world (think pendants, magnets, stickers etc.). They all allow me to flex my creative muscles in different ways and they all remind me how much I love making art for living. Yay! (<<< that would be the crackhead high)

This week I’ve ordered:

• new postcards from the print shop (plus envelopes and plastic sleeves to package them all up in)
• pretty new twine for tying up packages
• new pendant styles (plus necklace chain and clasps and beads and the thingies that allow me to attach the beads etc.)
• 600 one inch buttons

This is on top of all of the frames I just bought for my solo show (plus some extra ones, just cuz they were awesome).

Typing that list out? Made my stomach do flips.

While I’m super excited about new products for the shop and for the summer markets, holy mother of god is it scary to spend that much money!!! Especially without having any clue how long it will take me to sell enough of those things to make it back. This would be the part where I come down from the excited high of NEW SHINY STUFF and start to panic. This is the crash.

Fortunately (unfortunately?) there is no rehab for this particular issue. I don’t have buyer’s remorse, exactly. I run a business. I need to sell things to make a living. All I’m doing is investing in my business, investing in myself, really, by purchasing new things to sell.

The nervous part is not knowing *which* things are the ones that will sell. And nobody know this.

When it comes to painting, I try to shut off the business part of my brain & paint what makes me happy, what inspires me. I do have a vague idea of which paintings are more popular than other ones based on print sales and comments from customers, but I mostly design new products based on which paintings *I* like the best. If I’m going to be the one sitting behind a table on a hot Sunday afternoon, I want to be 100% in love with everything on my table. I know I can (& probably should) try to imagine what other market demographic borgs would want, but really? As long as I would buy it myself, I think I’m good.

So, what to do?

Breathe.

Trust that I’m on the right path. I love what I’m doing, I love the work I’m creating and other people will too.

Yes, it may take time to turn a profit on the new purchases, but that’s OK. All businesses go through this part – investing in supplies, new equipment, new products, packaging. I’m growing & not all growth feels good. It feels scary to step out of your comfort zone & try something new, but what’s the worst case scenario? I’m stuck with 600 AWESOME buttons! If they’re a complete dud this summer, I can always give them away as little “thank yous” with new orders.

One more idea? Pour a big glass of wine before I open my next credit card bill.

photo: Arlo Bates

I’m happy to report that all of my paintings have been hung by the theater with care. And yes, it did feel like Christmas for me to see 21 of my paintings displayed together. I’ve been looking at them for months now, but never all together like that and mostly unframed. It makes such a difference, especially with the bigger pieces.

Opening night of my show was on Friday, but if you missed it, the work will be displayed until the end of June. It’s kind of a strange space – the Plaskett Gallery is inside Massey Theatre, which puts on plays and performances and is in the same complex as a large high school. The night of my opening was a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. So the gallery was very busy, then the show started – and everyone left! Well, except for me and my lovely supporters. A huge thank you to everyone who came out for my show. An even bigger thank you to the folks who bought me wine! hehe

Highlight of the evening – I was literally *just* remarking how stylish this older woman was in her peppy swing coat and high heels when I overheard her say (complete with dramatic hand gesture), “Well! I can tell you right now I wouldn’t want ANY of these!”

Bahahahaha! My jaw dropped & then I burst out laughing. She had no idea I was the artist & admittedly, she only looked at my Alice in Wonderland series, which are definitely more surreal & not everyone’s cup of tea. Still. So freaking funny.

Now that the show has opened, I figured I’d take the rest of the weekend off and finally get a chance to sleep in. Unfortunately, 9 a.m. instead found me hauling my butt to North Van so I could jury for a summer market. The good news is – I got in! The bad news is – the summer markets are coming up so quickly that I don’t see a day off coming anytime soon. Oh well! At least I can start working outside in the sunshine soon.

For a price list or information on purchasing one of my paintings, feel free to email me directly: acageybee@gmail.com

If you want to see more photos from the show, I uploaded a bunch to Flickr > here.