What are you doing this weekend? October 3-5, 2014?

Big weekend in Louisville - St. James Court Art Show - anyone heading to all the fun at St. James? They've made a bunch of changes that should be good for patrons and artists. Story, photos and a video here: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/arts/visual/2014/09/28/new-st-james-court-art-show/16397209/

Cottonwood Festival in Richardson, TX: http://www.wfaa.com/story/entertainment/events/family-first/2014/09/25/family-first-day-at-the-cottonwood-art-festival/16220723/

Cool story about the legendary Rhinebeck Arts Festival, reappearing at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/entertainment/arts/2014/09/25/rhinebeck-arts-festival-enjoy/16177427/

Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque takes a hit from a micro storm. And you thought your Trimline was good enough? Take a look at this: http://krqe.com/2014/09/30/crews-work-to-clean-up-mess-for-art-festival/

There's a new show in Jacksonville Beach, FL, The Beaches Art Fest. Is anyone going to be there?

The Summit Art Festival in Lee's Summit, MO?

I am pleased to report that unlike last weekend that I spent at the hospital with my husband while he had a major back operation I'll be recuperating along with him at home this weekend. Phew.

What is happening with everyone else?

I am still working on special orders from summer art shows. Gun leathers and handbags went out this week. Now it is billfolds and belts, and I found an order for a custom iPad case buried in the belt orders. I use times like these to redesign billfold interiors so they are more efficient to make, and I cut a lot of parts for next year’s inventory. New products come out of the special orders too. I found that I could easily build a conceal carry holster for a S&W 38 special into my English Sandwich Bag (aka English saddlebag) purses. Two weeks ago I was designing the interior for a passport case and needed my Colorado drivers’ license to size a pocket. Yikes, it was expiring that day so I renewed online. I got it back this week saying I could not renew a 10-year license on line. So it was off to DMV early this morning. Times have changed. A kiosk kicks out a number and you can make appointments online too. They opened at 8:00am and by 8:15 they told anyone new they would not be processed today (by 5:00 pm) and to go someplace else. I was out of there by 8:30 with a 5-year license, and feel I dodged a bullet.

I’m leading a church group to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado this afternoon, and we will be gleaning potatoes out in the fields Saturday for their food bank and the one here. This 8,000 square mile area is the poorest part of the Colorado and one of the poorest in the nation. It will take us four hours to get there. There is fresh snow on the mountains down to about 9,000’ and the aspen are at their peak of colors. It will be a pretty trip.

Replies

Deidre Nabors October 4, 2014 at 7:42am

St. James. I'm on Fourth Street booth 794. Hoping for better weather than last year!!!
- Connie Mettler > Deidre Nabors October 4, 2014 at 12:15pm
  
  Looks like you're getting it, Deidre, although a little cool. Your work is so lovely, hope your audience shows up.
Richard L. Sherer October 3, 2014 at 12:08pm

I am still working on special orders from summer art shows. Gun leathers and handbags went out this week. Now it is billfolds and belts, and I found an order for a custom iPad case buried in the belt orders. I use times like these to redesign billfold interiors so they are more efficient to make, and I cut a lot of parts for next year’s inventory. New products come out of the special orders too. I found that I could easily build a conceal carry holster for a S&W 38 special into my English Sandwich Bag (aka English saddlebag) purses. Two weeks ago I was designing the interior for a passport case and needed my Colorado drivers’ license to size a pocket. Yikes, it was expiring that day so I renewed online. I got it back this week saying I could not renew a 10-year license on line. So it was off to DMV early this morning. Times have changed. A kiosk kicks out a number and you can make appointments online too. They opened at 8:00am and by 8:15 they told anyone new they would not be processed today (by 5:00 pm) and to go someplace else. I was out of there by 8:30 with a 5-year license, and feel I dodged a bullet.

I’m leading a church group to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado this afternoon, and we will be gleaning potatoes out in the fields Saturday for their food bank and the one here. This 8,000 square mile area is the poorest part of the Colorado and one of the poorest in the nation. It will take us four hours to get there. There is fresh snow on the mountains down to about 9,000’ and the aspen are at their peak of colors. It will be a pretty trip.
- Connie Mettler > Richard L. Sherer October 3, 2014 at 2:49pm
  
  You never run out of projects, do you Richard? I'm kind of getting a hankering for a leather MacBook case ...
  
  You might be interested in this link that came to me yesterday about poverty in the U.S., Where are the Hardest Places to live in the U.S.?
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/26/upshot/where-are-the-hardest-plac...
  
  Interestingly, most of Colorado does pretty well, but there are a few counties that don't look so good. Must be where you are heading.
  - Richard L. Sherer > Connie Mettler October 3, 2014 at 3:10pm
    
    I'm a map nut too. Douglas County where we live ranks #13 on easiest places to live where as Costilla County down south ranks #2,305th. A state with extremes! Vaja El Valle. Trivia: The movie The Milagros Bean Field War was based upon the water/land access dispute between residents of San Luis (oldest town in Colorado dating back to 1500's Spanish settlers) and Forbe's etc. land development in the Sangre de Cristo Range.
Barrie Lynn Bryant October 2, 2014 at 6:50pm

Connie, I'm sending you all well wishes for a speedy recovery.

We're doing Maitland Rotary Art Festival, now called Art Under the Stars, in Maitland, Florida. This is north Orlando. WOOHOO!
- Connie Mettler > Barrie Lynn Bryant October 3, 2014 at 2:39pm
  
  Thank you, Barrie. Hope you're glad to be back out on the road.
Scott Pakulski October 2, 2014 at 4:56pm

Hyde Park Square Art Show in Cincinatti on Sunday

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