Good News!

I reached my 200 picure mark on flickr and got a notice to either pay up or delete some images. I was only able to delete 2 and then it didn't want to cooperate any longer. So I am posting these photos using the blogger picture option now since it works and it never worked before. With dial-up here at home it takes forever to upload. If that's all I have to work with, so be it.









So here is a picture of some of the assorted stuff I got at the Open Door Mission thrift store in Rutland on Monday. Lots of zippers, thread, beads, keychains, trim, buttons, and more of that boondoggle cord shit. Pretty cool. The best part is sorting it all out.

Anyway, while I wait 5 minutes for one picture I will fill you in what I have been up to lately. I have been doing a lot of the same for the past few weeks:
*I have been busy with my three farmers markets: Middlebury, Brandon, and Rutland. These few weeks have been a little slow since everyone went back to school and the leaves have only just started to change colors. Everyone is expecting it to pick up very soon. We did a fall festival in Proctor last Saturday. They had scenic train rides all day. I wish I could have gone on one. I didn't do very good because it rained just about all day and there just wern't a lot of people around. I have many fall festivals planned as well at the markets until the end of October. I am also planning holiday shows right now.
*I have very exciting news! I have been accepted as a member of The Brandon Artists Guild! I tried to get in last year but didn't make it. I was disappointed but was told to try again. This year was even more competitive than the last. There were over 100 qualified artists who were interested. I had to send in pictures two weeks ago and made the first cut. I participated in the hands-on jury on Saturday which included 17 artists. Out of all of those people only 5 or 6 were accepted. I got an official call tonight to inform me that I made it. I have improved my designs and technique so much over the past year. My work was as perfect as it could be this time around and I was very nervous about the whole process. I made it and I am so excited! I will be bringing my work on Friday which is great because Saturday is the big palette auction and a lot of people will be in town. Warren Kimble, the great American folk artist, is a founding member of the guild and everyone turns up to try to buy his work. Thank you to Coliene, the members of the jury, and all of my Brandon market friends for talking about me!
*I also have been working on getting my creations into some stores. On a tip from my awesome friend Trish, I now am selling zipper pins and a couple other things at Made Boutique in Burlington, Vermont. Sara, the owner, will eventually be selling the merchandise online as well. I also have a good variety of things at Sugar House crafts on Route 4 in Rutland. I have had stuff at Lowell Country Gifts in Benson, Vermont since last November.
*I have a cold. I sure hope it goes away soon.
*Eric and I are going to start working on a web page for Stacie Mincher Designs very soon. It have been a long time coming and I am very happy that Eric has volunteered to head it up. Thanks Eric!

Here is a picture of knitting. I got a deal on some yarn last weekend and needed a project to do while I was staying at Eric's apartment. I can't bring any big and messy projects as there isn't enough space or time to work on them. This knitting was perfect because I could work on it while we sat and talked.

Treats Galore!

It's time for show and tell! I had a little shopping spree at the Rutland Farmers' Market today and ended up with some delicious goodies! I have some french Bear Mountain Bread, raspberries, a brownie from the Burnham Hollow man who picks on my sister, some Macintosh apples, and a jar of caramel sauce from our friends, Sandy, Bruce, and Tom. Hi to Tom if you figured out how to type in this address correctly. Har har! We had a really good singer at the market today, Tim Caira. He is a second grade teacher from Mount Holly. His singing was so good I had to buy his CD. It is so pleasant and peaceful. It was $10 very well spent. I don't want to think about how much I spent on all the other treats, but they sure are good, damn it! I almost ended up with a hunk of chevre cheese from my friend Hannah's goat farm, but her brother left before I could get it. Dang.
I also would like to give a shout out to Sharon, a friend from the Middlebury Farmers' Market who makes Orange Cat Soap out of goat's milk from her farm.
Thank goodness for the Farmers' Markets for giving me a job this summer and allowing me to make an abundance of new friends! It has been a great summer. I am now planning my fall and winter shows. A list will follow sometime soon.
I'm having fun this weekend hanging out with Eric and Squeeky the cat.

Nice new craft space, glasses gripes and goodies, market magic, and the fatty food fair.

I have a new workspace! When I got home last Monday afternoon my Mom and I embarked on a serious house reorganization project. I relocated all of my craft stuff plus an extra table into the old family room of the house. It is super spacious and the most organized it has ever been. It didn't even take me very long. As soon as everything was in place I got right to work. Over the past two weeks I managed to produce about 50 new zipper pins and barrettes and close to 100 new magnets. I have been selling a ton of them and needed desperately to replenish my supply. I also have an old couch in the space so when I feel like I am going to pass out from crafting exhaustion I can flop on it and take a nap. We also did a little bit of cleaning and my mom rearranged the living room furniture. Here is a picture of my wonderful new space.

The past two weeks have been busy, productive, and extremely successful! Last week was my best week at the markets ever and then this week was the second best. I don't know what is going on, but I couldn't believe my luck. I will be sad when the markets end in October. I am also beginning to plan my craft fair schedule for the fall and winter.
I actually have a little bit of money saved up now and I am so proud of myself. I have been in need of a new pair of glasses since May and now I can finally afford them. I went to the local eye doctor's office in Middlebury that my mom and sister go to and picked out a beautiful new pair of frames with some really special lenses. They won't be done for 3 weeks and I am so excited, I just can't wait!
My current pair is only 3 years old and I really don't even wear them much because I wear contacts most of the time. I am now going to gripe about Lenscrafters. I got this pair there and just look at what a piece of shit they are now!

Lenscrafters is like the McDonalds of eye care. Fast, poor quality, and just not very good. First of all, there is a nasty guy that has worked at the one here forever. I don't appreciate his attitude. Then, they did a terrible job. The lenses were cut and shaped really shoddily. It really bothered me and I took them back to complain. After a good dose of bad attitude, they redid them but they still weren't much better. The lenses also have a bunch of tiny air bubbles inside them. Then two years later when I had eye allergies and had to wear them every day for a month straight they really got put to the test. The spring on one arm that enables it to bend back the other way broke right off. I have had to super glue it a bunch of times and then last week the same thing happened to the other side. Then that same day the glasses got caught in my sweater and one nose pad ripped off half way. In order to fix the broken springs, they have to take them off of another new pair of frames and would charge $30 per arm. I figured that I might as well just get a new pair at this point. Did you know that at Lenscrafters they put your lenses in the nasty model pair that everyone has tried on and that is what you get, and pay big bucks for, I might add! The local place that I went to in Middlebury this week orders a fresh pair for you. I was very pleased with the service I got there and with the selection of frames available.
The Vermont State Fair in Rutland began yesterday and of course we had to go to check it out and eat dinner. My favorite BBQ place was not there this year and I had a very hard time finding a decent chicken sandwich to eat. I already ate two hotdogs this week on two seperate occasions and I wasn't about to eat another one. By the time we left I was completely exhausted. I haven't gotten enough sleep in a few days and I think I better try to get ready for bed very soon or I will be in trouble.