Panic time

It is almost time for my annual panic, making enough beads and jewelry for the Kutztown Folk Festival.  This is a local festival celebrating the PA Dutch culture, and it runs 9 days over the 4th of July- this year it is June 29 to July 7.  That's right, 9 days!  It is a tough show to do but so much fun, with all the music, wonderful food and entertainment.  I set up a mini studio and two friends come and demo all week.  So many people don't understand that I actually make the beads. The photo is my work table, and I see at least 10 jewelry projects that have been started (or beads grouped to start).  The festival is like doing 3 or 4 shows back to back, so I need to have a lot of jewelry made.  A whole lot.

In May, I try to take care of all the little details of life so I can spend June just working in my studio, but somehow it never works out like that. 

Time for play

As busy as I usually am, I always leave time just for fun. This week I had lunch with a group of women (and the husband of one friend who has passed away.) We meet monthly for lunch at a new place each time. I also meet monthly with a group to zentangle for a few hours, and there are other lunches, dinners or best of all, desserts out with friends. A local guild, the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen gets me out to meetings and keeps me involved with the local arts scene. Being an artist can be a solitary profession, and I spend many hours working in my studio alone. There is nothing I would rather do. I am very protective of my studio time, but I also need time out in the world. Going to a movie, taking a walk, reading a book, taking a class (not necessarily in my craft) or having fun with friends and family is necessary for my sanity!