Finally Blogging Again

It's been a long blogging break, but now it's back to business.  After I got back from my trip, it seemed to take a while to get back into the old routine. 

We've had many rainy days, as attested to by the accompanying wet dog photo.  And those days were quite condusive to staying inside the cozy studio and making more and more and more polymer clay bears.  My excuses (reasons?) were two-fold: preparation for the Bear Page on my website, and preparation for the Holiday Market.

The Bear Page will be an addition to my website, devoted entirely to bears.  Sally at Idaho Black Bear Rehab has kindly agreed to link to this page once I have it up and running.  I am hoping that bear lovers will find their way to my page and purchase bear art.  All the proceeds will go to Idaho Black Bear Rehab and I'm hoping it will be a successful fund raiser for them.  I've made bear theme necklaces and several pretty nice little bear totems.

The Holiday Market was yesterday and Friday.  I had cards from my paintings, jewelry, totems, a gourd, a dimensional painting of three bear cubs in a tree, and two hand-painted silk scarves.  I was anticipating a good sale as the location was right on Main Street in Placerville at a great time of year for shopping.  But I was disappointed with the outcome.  I only sold $225.  But it's $225 I didn't have before, and the bears and kitties can certainly use it.

Here's a little anecdote from the Holiday Market.  One of the necklaces (with earrings) I sold was my favorite and I had a sinking feeling when I realized that the woman looking over my pieces was going to buy my favorite necklace.  I had put a price of $95 on it, thinking that if I had to let it go, at least I wouldn't be giving it away at a ridiculously low price.  It was a little bear on a large beautiful piece of amber, and the necklace was finished with so many beautiful stone beads - turquoise, chryophase, amber, carnelian, prehnite, and jade.  The woman said "I won't wear this, but I want it because it's such a beautiful piece of art!"  Her kind words of appreciation, coupled with the promise of helping the bears and kitties, ended up making me happy about a sale I had felt quite reluctant to make.

By the way, I bought the amber piece I used in the necklace on my trip, along with one other piece.  I had never seen such big beatiful "nugget" style amber beads before, and I wish I had bought more.  I think I'll call them this week and see if they're willing to ship me more.