Alexis Grace Consignments - Worcester, MA

I discovered a great consignment shop today, called Alexis Grace Consignment. I never would have found this place because it's located in a convenient but out-of-the-way location. What do I mean by that? Well, it's conveniently located right in Worcester in what I think is the Green Island neighborhood. But it's a street I would never go down otherwise. (7 Harrison Street, not far from Kelley Square) Today I was searching for some products by Worcester soap and candle-maker Melanie Paradise of "A Fragrant Paradise" - I had heard that Alexis Grace carries her line of products.

The minute I walked into Alexis Grace I knew I'd like it. It was attractively designed and, unlike so many other consignment shops, the tables and displays were not smooshed together. The spacious and lovely store made looking at the clothing, jewelry and other products a real pleasure. And the low prices were an even greater pleasure!

The co-owner, Mary, had a mug on her counter from which a wonderful hazelnut coffee smell emanated. When I approached, I did a double-take. "Your coffee's on fire!" I joked. Sure enough, it was a candle made by A Fragrant Paradise. If you can get past the idea of flames in your coffee cup, you will LOVE these candles. They smell so good; the entire room fills with the wonderful gourmet-coffee scents! I picked one up for my mother-in-law for Christmas. It's an attractive mug with a candle that looks like coffee with a pouf of whipped cream on top, and it's only $12.95.

If you like consigment shops you will love this one. There's even a back room where out-of-season bargains can be found. Parking can be found on the street OR in a little parking lot directly across the street from the shop.

The Country Pantry - a Central Mass. cafe

The other day my son and I were coming home on Rte. 122 from Petersham, passing through Barre as we always do. We were on the lookout for a place to get apple pie, of course. After all, it's fall and that is one of our favorite weekend rituals for this time of year.

Things didn't look too promising because it was Sunday afternoon. Few things in the country seem to be open. Even the Petersham General Store, which had a new sign touting its new hours (open Sunday) wasn't open. The sign boasting of the convenient new hours stood ironically in front of the locked door.

Suddenly, a tiny restaurant loomed into view. Cheerfully decorated in a country style, the Open flag and the "Breakfast All Day" sign caught my eye. We pulled into the parking lot.

What a cute little place! Cheerful and clean, I could tell that it was new. It turns out that they had only opened four days earlier. The shop was decorated in posters of old movies, with a life-sized cutout of the characters from the Wizard of Oz being the most prominent. "Oldies" music played in the background. The restaurant was comprised of tables, with the cashier counter in the center. It had shelves on it with necessities that a person might have to buy in a pinch: things like cat food, crackers, and dish soap.

We ordered slices of homemade pie. I had apple (heated) and my son had pumpkin. Each one was only $2.50, and was made "a la mode" for only an additional fifty cents. The pie was delicious and so was the huge cup of coffee I had.

The owner, Karen Varney, may well be a familiar person to many, as she is owner of Waterwheel Realty. In fact, the Country Cupboard and the adjacent Waterwheel Village are also hers. She was so friendly, spending quite a bit of time listening to my son's many stories, and talking to us about home schooling. She has done some substitute teaching herself and seemed to enjoy children very much.

Karen also explained to us some of the philosophy that guides her little restaurant's hours. They are open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. (I have lost the flyer/menu that I brought home, which tells the hours. I think it was 10 to 5 pm). Her thoughts were that since so many restaurants are closed on weekend afternoons and on Mondays, she would be open to meet that need.

After eating our delicious dessert, we went over to the adjacent lot where there were two statues of horses placed realistically in a green, grassy yard. A large old-fashioned grader (i.e. construction vehicle) was placed in a landscaped garden as part of the decoration. A large tent was next to the grader, where one could sit and eat at picnic tables. (It was like a wedding tent, so in all honesty I don't expect it to be there beyond the good weather.) My son enjoyed climbing on the grader and playing imaginatively in the yard. We were there for about an hour altogether, having turned a stop for pie into a time for play and closeness. And we enjoyed meeting and talking to a new business owner, the friendly Karen Varney.

I would definitely stop there again, only this time in addition to dessert I would like to try lunch or breakfast. The prices were very reasonable. Like I said, I can't find the menu, so if you want to know more about this restaurant (such as whether they take credit cards) you can call them at (978) 355-6715. The address of The Country Pantry is: 2291 West St, Barre, MA.

stART on the Street - Worcester, MA art fair

Yesterday I took part in another stART on the Street event. Time is short, so I'll just post my comments here that I said on Facebook earlier today:

"What a perfect day! Every year that I participate in stART on the Street, I get so many friendly people stopping in my booth to talk about the piece that they bought from me the year before, or the time they saw my art at the Bean Counter, or just to chat with me about their cats (one of the major themes of my work). Money is not the only 'payoff' that I get from stART...I get so much feedback, encouragement, friendly conversation and lots of smiles. It's very uplifting. I also appreciate the great local food vendors at stART. It's a great way to try a new place that soon becomes a favorite (like Buddha Hut did for me).

I am grateful that there are so many people who are consistent supporters of local artists like me, who recognize the value of handmade, original work. I see so many of the same faces at stART year after year! (And I am also grateful for the local businesses who support us, too!)

Thanks to all of you who attended stART this year; and don't forget about stART at the Station, a festive art and craft event put on by these very same (awesome) organizers that brought you yesterday's event."

Teeny tiny farmers market - The Flower Cart

In Worcester, not far from what I call "the airport mountain" is a little flower store called The Flower Cart. Now, I never buy flowers, so I have been driving by this little shop for years. But last night we pulled into the parking lot and went in. Why?? I saw a sign in their window saying "farmers market."

I was very intrigued, as The Flower Cart is a cute little storefront squished in between an insurance company and something else. How can it be a farmers market, I wondered.

When I went inside my question was answered. A flower shop like many others, but made different by the bins of fresh produce at the front. Just like a mini farmers market indeed! It turns out that the owners have their own gardens, and they added some other stuff (corn, I think) from another nearby farm.

What makes this noteworthy for me is that we recently lost our second car, and my husband often needs our car for work. That means getting to farmers' markets is even harder for me now, as they usually take place during the day. Some have later hours, but are too far away given our schedule. But now that I know about The Flower Cart, I know that when my husband brings home the car, I can zip over there (they're open till 5:30 pm) and get nice fresh local veggies! I am thrilled.

Here's the info you will need:
They are located at 1405 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01603. Do you know where the Friendly's is on Route 9 as you're headed out toward Leicester? Well it's kiddy-corner from that. Their phone number is (508) 421-6631. You can even give them a call to see what they're selling ...something you can't do with a regular farmers' market. They are open 10 am to 5:30 pm on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They'll also be open Sundays later in the year.

According to their business card they also offer "Seasonal Flowers & Gifts - Gift Baskets & More" More, indeed! :-)

Veg Worcester Benefit by Buddha Hut - August 15

Here's some news I pulled directly from Veg Worcester's web site:

Buddha Hut Hosting Another All-you-can-eat Buffet Fundraiser: Saturday, August 15

Earlier this month, Buddha Hut held the first-ever buffet-fundraiser for VegWorcester. It was such a huge success that they are going to do it again in August. Sweet!

Mark your calendars: the next buffet will take place on Saturday, August 15 from noon – 7pm. It’s only $10 for the all-you-can-eat buffet and 10% of sales benefit VegWorcester programs. Awesome!

Sweet Worcester - decadent desserts and designer cakes

Last night was date night for my husband & me. After a great casual outdoor meal at Junior's Pizza Grille on Shrewsbury Street, we set out on foot to find a nice shop for coffee and dessert. I had been hoping for a place with some "atmosphere" but my less-than-comfortable footwear ensured that we could not wander far. The only place within our walking range was called Sweet, and to be honest the exterior did not impress. I could see right through the large window into a brightly-lit shop that seemed devoid of decoration. But the sign said coffee and desserts / open late, so we went closer to peer in the window, and I'm glad we did.

The first thing that beckoned to us was a case full of cupcakes and small desserts. Coffee and coffee-machines were at the back. My favorite dessert is tiramisu, and I could see some there in the case, which clinched the deal for us. We went inside.

The walls are white, decorated only with one poster and a few polka dots. The lights were, in my opinion, a bit too bright. A rack held some free local magazines. My eyes scanned the room and stopped on a doorway leading to something in back. It didn't have a door, but instead had elegant-looking, top-to-bottom curtains pulled back with ties. I wondered--what could this be? I stuck my head through the curtain and could not believe my eyes. A room with atmosphere, dark and dreamy, with a bar and comfortable seating all around. It looked like a secret world in there. Very mysterious--but in a good way.

It was explained to us this way by the wonderfully courteous front counter person, Jennifer: the front room is quick and casual desserts, but the back room is "a dessert experience." There is a Prix Fix menu of special desserts for $9, some of which had familiar names like Bananas Foster and Creme Brulee. I was briefly tempted VERY strongly by the special coffees which includes my all-time favorite, the Nutty Irishman. But we had to pass on the dessert experience. We had spent enough money on dinner and a smaller dessert was what we needed. We decided to have a coffee each, and share one of the ample-sized tiramisus. The tiramisu was good, but the coffee was outstanding! I haven't had such a nice, smooth cup of coffee in a long, long time. To paraphrase the old commercial, this coffee was good to the last drop.

It got more interesting as I began to talk to Jennifer, who was turning out to be a good spokesperson for this establishment. No wordless blank stares or attitude from THIS barista! Jennifer cheerfully explained that the owner buys ingredients from local establishments. For example, the milk and cream comes from Cooper's Hilltop Farm in Rochdale, Mass. But what really impressed the socks off me was that the owner (Alina Eisenhauer) grows herbs and spices on the roof of her restaurant! I love that.

So we will definitely be going back. And on our next date night, we may just skimp on dinner so we can take a trip through those velvet curtains and partake of the dessert experience.

Vegetarian Dining Guide - Worcester, Mass.

I went to a wonderful event at Elm Park (Worcester, Mass.) the other night. It was called Art in the Park and it was the official opening ceremony for the Art in the Park sculpture show, for lack of a better word. There was live music, food, booths from local organizations, a juggling magician, the whole bit. It was so well-attended it and there were so many smiles, it was a thrill to see!

But today's post is about something near and dear to my heart: healthy food and how hard it usually is to find at public events. But at the August 6 art event, I did something I have never been able to do at an outdoor festival: eat healthy. And by that I mean, no horrid high fructose corn syrup or trans fats or meat with carcinogens and hormones. For some reason most outdoor festivals and events present only this awful "food" and never an alternative. BUT last Thursday I was so happy to stop first at the Buddha Hut table and buy (for a mere $1 each) a few of their amazing "chicken drumsticks" which are not chicken but you would NEVER know it to taste it. Just delicious and golden, probably made with some kind of soy or protein that tastes for all the world like chicken, served with sweet & sour sauce for dipping. Yum!! I can't get enough of these things. Then a few tables later, I found myself face-to-face with a tray of espresso cupcakes made by Barely Legal Treats. It was a wonderful delicious cupcake, but there's more!

The table that had the cupcakes was actually the Veg Worcester table. I had never heard of Veg Worcester before, but I walked away from there with a flyer called the Vegetarian Dining Guide to Worcester, Mass. and it contains a listing of vegetarian restaurants, cafes & bakeries, grocery stores and community events which are either vegeterian, vegan or friendly to both. I suggest you get your hands on this extremely helpful and free guide right away, if you like vegetarian food! Not only that, VegWorcester's web site keeps you up to date on local vegetarian news and events, dining guide, helpful links, a blog and more. Why not bookmark it?

And thanks to both Buddha Hut and Barely Legal Treats (both of Worcester) for letting me eat healthy at this festive public event. Keep it coming!

Map of Farmers' Markets in Central Mass.

Did you know that the Telegram & Gazette online has a map of Central Massachusetts Farmers' Markets? Click HERE for the link. Also, if you should lose the link, they've got a link from the www.telegram.com home page too.

Also, earlier this summer they did an article about the popularity of farmers' markets, and a really helpful list of farmers markets accompanied it. I printed it out and it's become a valuable resource. Click HERE for that article and the list of markets.

Surfing Goat Soap - More from Hames & Axle Farm

The other day I blogged about Hames & Axle Farm, and how they make the most terrific natural bug repellent. So good that I spent half the afternoon today driving out there to Ashburnham to pick up a few more bottles.

Now that I've visited the farm, I am prepared to rave some more about them! First of all, thanks to Pat and Dave for showing my son & me around their wonderful, happy goat farm. The Nigerian Dwarf Goats were a sheer delight! It seemed that there were a million of them, and each one had its own creative, poetic-sounding name. And each one had a sweet little face and b-a-a-a-a-a-h call to go with it. Anyone who knows me, knows that I paint cats. But today I found a new source of animal inspiration: Nigerian Dwarf Goats! They came in so many different colors and patterns, just like cats. I even saw one that reminded me of my late calico cat, Nellie. And each one has that triangle-shaped head and little dime-slot eyes...I fell in love right away.

The goats weren't the only ones to steal my heart. Happy, free-roaming chickens scratched the rich dark soil looking for goodies or whatever it is that chickens like. Being a child of supermarket-shopping parents (don't eggs come from a carton??), I had never seen this, but apparently it's the way they get exercise and stay happy and healthy--unlike their ill-fated cousins at factory farms everywhere. They were beautiful, clean chickens on this lovely, clean farm.

But lest I forget....I came back here today to say that I neglected to tell you about the Surfing Goat Soaps web site. It was explained to me today that the name comes from the way the little goats like to "surf" atop anything that they can find--tree stumps, rocks, people who kneel down and let them (I speak from experience.) And this web site has more than soap. It has lotions, household stuff and information! Did you know that Pat, breeder of the aforementioned goats, has written a book on Nigerian Dwarf Goats and edits Ruminations; The Nigerian Dwarf and Mini-Dairy Goat magazine? Check out the web site by clicking HERE. I think you'll enjoy it. I can't wait to order some of their goat milk laundry soap.

Local Harvest web site -a great resource

I just found the Local Harvest web site which is a great resource for finding out about find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and more. I even signed up by clicking on the "Keep Me Posted" link, which will provide me with a weekly email notifying me of new LocalHarvest members, local farm events, seasonal foods, new farmers' markets and other local food-related events.

Sterling, Mass. Farmers Market

We just got back from the Sterling, Mass. farmers' market. Very nice! There was a young man there with guitar, performing for the crowd. He did mellow, relaxing James Taylor-type tunes; it complemented the farmers' market very well. My son had ice cream from one vendor and a cookie from another. I sampled some marinated goat cheese from Crystal Brook Farm (of Sterling) and wonderful baguettes at another booth. I seriously wanted to buy both of them, but I found out the hard way that there are no ATMs from my bank between my home and this market. (Note to self for next time!) There were wonderfully woolly alpacas in a pen, several booths with vegetables and blueberries, one with fresh coffee, and a face painter too! The atmosphere was warm, busy and friendly. A very enjoyable experience.

I had visited there to help out with the table of the ALOHA homeschoolers' co-op. Located in Central Mass., ALOHA is a secular homeschooling co-op that we belong to, and we were helping to just get the word out about the group in the hopes of getting new families to join.

Sterling Farmers' Market takes place every Friday from June to September, from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm., right in the center of town.

A useful new product....made by me!

It seems like all my spare time lately is spent trying new ways to create my newest items....journals! Specifically, wire-bound books. The variety of covers and styles and art I can put on them is vast. Noa Gifts has some of my kitty journals, and I'm working hard to get a larger selection together, not only for Noa and my other stores, but for my local art event that's happening in Worcester on September 20: it's called stART on the Street. I'm so happy to have bought the binding system to begin making journals. I've been selling my cards and magnets and other art-y items for years, but this product has got that high "usefulness factor" that makes me excited to be able to provide it. Maybe it's because I ALWAYS have a big journal in my backpack, a tiny journal in my fanny pack, one for my child (till he's old enough to write his own journal) and one for me. Oh, and one for my gardening notes, and one for my business notes....and so on....and so on..... Come see me and all the other enterprising artists & performers at stART!

Seeking the Good

I will likely be starting a new blog soon, inspired by some truly angry and bitter rantings by a close family member. My desire in starting the blog is to be able to share (and learn from others) regarding my choice to move TOWARD "The Good." That is to leave behind the petty, the angry, the dysfunctional, the short-sighted, the selfish, and move toward living a life that respects the truth, seeks wisdom and beauty, embraces the positive, and so on.

Obviously I am too busy to have the two blogs that I already have, and one might question the wisdom of starting yet another one. However, these things are important to say and discuss. And today on my Facebook page I saw a perfect example of seeking "The Good." Read this passage by Barbara Scofidio, owner of Noa Gifts (Groton & W. Concord, MA). Here's her quote:

"So, when we were building the addition, we had to cut some trees, including black walnuts. We knew they could be used for furniture so we advertised them on craigslist and the nicest man, Buzz, bought them. Yesterday, two years later, he brought us this amazing bowl he made from our trees as a gift. It has 600 pieces of wood (black walnut, cedar and cherry) from our yard and measures over 16"!

I love it. Thanks, Barbara!

Blushing Bee Naturals - Holden, Mass.

Driving down Main Street in Holden, Massachusetts, I used to see a tiny storefront shop called Blushing Bee Naturals. I kept meaning to go in there, but there didn't appear to be any parking so I usually kept going.

Good news! They've relocated to 787B Main Street, next door to the Sheep Shack, Pet Barn and The Bagel Inn. Plenty of parking made it easy for me to stop in there the other day, and I'm glad I did. I got to chat with the extremely cheerful and positive owner, Kathy Leal, who helped me pick out an exfoliating facial cleanser that I am thoroughly enjoying. It has natural ingredients, it smells good, it works...who could ask for more?

The store is bright and cheerful and just packed with natural soaps, cleansers, accessories and other gifts. One in particular stuck out in my mind--a very reasonably-priced little group of square scented candles, stacked one above the other, all connected by a single wick. I wish I could remember the price, but with their little square dish I am pretty sure it was around $11 or so (don't quote me!). They had funny greeting cards and jewelry there, too.

My 6-year old son was with me, and after he finished organizing the beeswax soap display and looking all around at the colorful, wonderful-smelling merchandise, he became bored and prevailed upon me to leave. But I will definitely go back again (without him) so I can take my time and really look around.

Kathy says she does not have a web site and that they get their business by word-of-mouth, and since I'm sitting here blogging about the cheerful & helpful customer service and their wide range of yummy products--I can see her point. :-)

Leominster, MA - Main Street still quite alive

I saw a great story today in the Telegram & Gazette, about the city of Leominster having five new businesses open up this week--three of them right on Main Street! Click here to read the story.

Very encouraging!

I've actually gone to Leominster to shop before. It's not a quick drive for me, but there's a store downtown called Allen's which, the last time I went, carried a pretty decent collection of "Fresh Produce" clothing, which I love. Worth the trip if I can come home with one or two of those amazing, colorful, wearable garments.

Carrick McCullough - 9 year old environmental educator

Hooray for 9-year old Carrick McCullough and his family! They're fellow homeschoolers who we met through some local homeschooling classes we signed up for. And now they're preparing to hit the road in their veggie-oil powered VW beetle, in an effort to educate folks across the country about more sustainable living. He was in the local paper just yesterday, and the day before that he appeared on ABC's "Bonnie Hunt Show."

To read all about the trip, find links to Carrick's YouTube videos & to donate and support their trip, see their web site called www.ourrenewablenation.org

Chinese drywall poses potential risks

Here is the story that goes with the above headline:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090411/ap_on_bi_ge/chinese_drywall

I am SO sick of reading headlines about Chinese things being harmful to us. When are people going to realize that CHEAP is not the be-all and end-all of everything! And what must it be like to live in China where so many hazardous ingredients seem to be put into so many products? Are there no health and safety standards?

I used to wonder what it would be like to live in such a place, but then again....here in this country you can also find people who oppose health and safety regulations, and the money that such precautions cost.

As consumers, we can't afford to let our guard down. Not for a minute.

Keeping "Main Street" alive

I took the pledge over at "10percentshift.org" the other day. It's an organization designed to encourage us to shift 10% of our spending over to businesses in our town or area, to revitalize the local economy. So instead of buying beads at Michaels Crafts, I can get them at Tatnuck Bead. And instead of running to Stop & Shop or Price Chopper for my coffee last night, I went to little Santy's Superette on Chandler Street. (Have you ever tried Goya espresso coffee? Whee!) And for bulk spices, there is no place I'd rather go than Ed Hyder's Meditarranean Market. And why go to Petco for cat food when I can get terrific, healthy cat food at Pet Barn (of Worcester & Holden) !

Thanks to Worcester City Councilor Kate Toomey for bringing this organization to my attention. I know there are other local business groups, like Worcester Local First, which my friend Cliff at Framed in Tatnuck belongs to.

Woo hoo! Buy local!

Stop Recycling....huh?

You are going to love this! My fellow artist McKenna Hallett (that's her jewelry right there in the photo) has a new blog all about how she makes her very interesting art! But not only that she has a fantastic site all about STOPPING RECYCLING. Yes, she wants us to stop recycling. Heresy, you say? Well, think again. Just a couple of seconds worth of thought will lead you to the very obvious reason for not recycling, but if you've given it a few seconds or minutes and it's still not clear, check out this web page to find out more. http://www.stoprecycling.com/

To see more of McKenna's work and learn about how it is made, check out her blog:
http://4currents.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/aloha-from-maui/

I was listening to the news the other day and the announcer was reporting on "retail sales" and whether they were up or down. I don't recall exactly what he said, but it's a safe bet he was saying that they were down. And in the same breath he said something about "fewer people going to the malls" as if that were related to the lower retail numbers. Well this got me thinking, and it gets me thinking every time I hear it. When these numbers are cited, it seems like it's always based on the shopping malls or the big chain stores. I always wonder how accurate those numbers are, since I almost never shop at the stores they talk about. I try, whenever possible, to buy local. Is it possible that things are going better here in our own little universe?

The frame shop down the street is doing better than he did last year. And there are other local shops that are doing just fine, too. I don't know exactly where I'm going with this, except to say that maybe we should not listen to those gloomy news stories all the time. They might not be right. We still have to buy things, and when times are tight, very many of us take our precious dollars to the guy we know down the street rather than to a horrid chain store managed by people from very far away, selling things from other people very far away.

As for those of us who are trying to keep our neighborhoods alive by buying local....are they counting us?

Donut Cafe II - Worcester, Mass. - "the real thing"

I had driven by this place a hundred times--no, maybe a thousand times--before ever stopping in. To me, it looked brown and dingy, like maybe they were out of business or seriously thinking about it. But one day I went inside and discovered how wrong I was. This place is great!! Imagine a long lunch counter, with "regulars" sitting around it, insulting each other good-naturedly and sharing the day's news with the waitstaff. Coats slumped onto tall coat stands in the corner. Newspapers that have been read and re-read, lying around on the counter, waiting for the next customer to pick them up. This is the kind of place where the line between customer and employee is so blurred that the other day when I needed a refill on my coffee, the customer next to me got up and retrieved it for me. (It was clear she was a good friend of the waitress.) The signs are old fashioned; the place hasn't been decorated in decades....and I love it! It reminds me of donut shops of my childhood, smelling of hash browns with onion and cheesy omelets. And donuts to die for.

I had a glazed donut the other day which was quite the experience. I had been having a bad day up until that point, but when the waitress brought a little saucer bearing the fluffy donut, glistening with sugar, and a thick brown ceramic mug of coffee, with cream in a little glass, I could not bring myself to eat it at first. I just looked at it as the little work of art that it was. So simple, so basic. Nothing disposable, no styrofoam, no logos on anything. My donut was on a PLATE for heaven's sakes! Being an artist, I did the only reasonable thing. I drew my breakfast. Thank goodness that did not take long, as the donut and coffee were so good, I felt transported to heaven.

I like Dunkin Donuts for the iced coffee and the drive-thru, but if you want a REAL donut and some real people to go with it, try Donut Cafe II.

414 Chandler St
Worcester, MA 01602
(508) 752-0653

Judy Tonelli-Brown, Worcester, Mass.

I just wanted to mention a local shop run by a fellow artist, Judy Tonelli Brown. Judy's a talented and versatile artist, who does beautiful watercolors including commissioned house (and people) portraits. Not only that she's a graphic designer. She's one of the many brave souls who's stuck their neck out to have a brick and mortar shop, so let's support her. You will love the beautiful beaded gift items she makes! Here is the web site:

http://www.tonellibrownart.com

Judy Tonelli-Brown
1062 Pleasant Street
Worcester, MA 01602
ph 508-304-1887
jutb@charter.net

No shows for me this year

Those of you who visit my web site will see that it's not a "commerce site." No buttons to click and buy things. That is because this year, I am focusing on wholesale. I've joined www.wholesalecrafts.com, and am getting my art (mainly my cards) into stores across the country.

I do have an Etsy site which is very small, and I am careful NOT to duplicate what I sell to my stores. What you see on Etsy is, for the time being, not available in stores, and vice versa. I don't want to compete with my retailers on the same items. In this economy, I want as many customers to buy my art through stores as possible, as it would be a terrible loss to Main Streets everywhere if the shops and galleries were to go away. So support your local store! And while you're there, why not ask them to visit WholesaleCrafts.com so they can start to carry my cards.

Etsy's a good spot for me to try out new products and see if people like them. If they become insanely popular, I will offer them wholesale.

So, for 2009, I don't plan on doing any retail art fairs. Maybe just one or two if the mood strikes me, because some shows are too fun to resist. But by & large, I will be focusing on wholesale this year. So if you have a local art shop that you absolutely LOVE and you think would do well with my cards, do let me know! I need eyes & ears all around the country on this one.