Summertime, and the Living is Easy?

Here we go - summer art fair season. I look to this time of year with equal parts excitement and dread. Three years ago, before I returned to a full-time day job, these were an exciting break from the day to day routine. And let's face it, the extra money was really nice. Now that I am employed full time - besides being fun and exciting - it is very tiring.

Shortly after returning to the full time working world, my hubby was laid off from a job he had performed for almost 20 years. That can really rock a persons world, to say the least. The job market in Oregon is still pretty sketchy, so we continue to "make do". Thank heavens for Laurie Miller Designs - it has made all the difference to our family. I am grateful for the opportunity to do my art and be able to allow it to help bring in an income. Recently, after finishing a wonderful online class with Kelly Rae, I have been consumed and overwhelmed with marketing ideas. As grateful as I am for my day job (health insurance is a very good thing) - I wish that I could spend all day, every day creating art. It is hard to balance. How do other people do it? I would love to hear ideas.

And as for my summer? Oh how I miss those lazy days of laying on the banks of one the many rivers in our area when the temperatures heat up. Or watching the kids play with their friends while their mom and I played art. Now I have to make sure and schedule time to slow down and enjoy the long summer days. Maybe that's a good thing - I sometimes forgot to enjoy them when they were the "norm". So let's all raise a tall glass of cold diet pepsi (my drink of choice) and salute summer. It'll be gone before we know it.


In the meantime - here are a few new pieces . . .I will have these at my upcoming shows. The first is the Sandy Mt. Festival in Sandy, Oregon this weekend. If you are in the area - be sure and come play for the day. This is a fun one!

And seriously - how do you balance work, art (or whatever your thing is) and life. . .? Suggestions are highly encouraged!