Tik Tok

Making melting clocks is a business full of waiting. Right now I'm waiting for wood filler to dry so I can sand and paint it then be finished with several molded clocks. I'm waiting for resin to cure enough so I can pour the final coat on three last minute wall clocks that I really want to take to the show. I'm waiting for lacquer to cure so I can move those six clocks and spray the final coat on six more. I'm waiting for paint to dry on the back of 12 wall clocks so I can put the movements in and hang them up. I'm waiting on my almond milk to finish heating in the microwave so I can have my instant coffee "mocha" to keep me awake for the next few hours. I'm waiting on sunlight so I can finish my display. And of course, as always I waited until the last second and am now running on caffeine fumes for the last two days (and the next one as well) to get everything finished up for my show.

No more I say! I will be prepared for all future shows ahead of time. No more last minute spraying, painting, pouring, or cutting. Except for July I have a show every month and three in a row at the end of September into October. I can't dilly dally like I did this time (and the last three before this time. oops.)

Hold on my almond milk is done.

I had a mini breakdown yesterday when I put together the shelves I built. They looked like crap. Really, I just keep thinking over and over, you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig. That's what I had. You can paint cheap wood, but it's still cheap wood. So my Dad offered to help me out with shelves. We figured out a great way to use the extra wall panel I had and attach shelves to that. Now I just have to figure out how to attach the fourth panel to the other three at a right angle. Hmm. My Dad helped me figure it out most of the way but then left the logistics and actual assembly up to me, like he thinks I can build stuff or something. My stats at constructing things that don't look like crap come in at about a 50% success rate.

So checklist for tomorrow. Build base for table and finish. Spray table top. Put table together. Finish display. Pack everything up and put in car. Oh, and drive to boo foo, or more accurately from boo foo and then across the city, to get lacquer and other last minute junk. I will be stopping at Starbucks.

As you can tell my self inflicted ban on caffeine is at a temporary stand still.

I decided to see if my wall panels will fit in my car today, you would think I would have planned for that, but they don't fit. So I will have to wrap all four panels together in a tarp and tie it to the roof of my car. Yep, that will be interesting and I foresee some tears and some swearing, but in the words of Tim Gunn, I will Make it Work!

I haven't had a drink in over a year and I was considering it earlier.

Okay, I need to go see if my lacquer, wood filler, or paint is dry. 

It's Been Awhile

I've been a blogging slacker. It's been three months since my last post. Geez.

So what's been going on in Hilary world? Not too much. Clock sales have not been nearly as good as last year, which is a bummer. I have my first show of the year in two weeks, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that goes. It's The Broad Ripple Art Fair in Indianapolis, IN. This particular show posts the judging scores on-line. I scored the second highest in my category. Pretty cool.

My second show of the year is in June at the Easton Art Affair in Columbus, Ohio. From what I understand Easton is a nice area of the city with a upscale shopping center so I'm curious to see how that one turns out. It's nice to actually have some shows lined up!

I'm on the wait list for The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in July. That would be wonderful if I get the call. I'm planning on being prepared just in case, even if they only give me a week or a few days notice.

I spent most of today working on new displays for my booth. My old walls were so heavy I couldn't really move them or assemble them myself. They were made up of 8 wall pieces and 6 boards plus a Tupperware container full of hardware. The new walls are only three wall panels that are very light and easy to move and 6 much lighter boards/legs plus just a small handful of hardware holds it all together. I set up my tent in the driveway to see how it fits and make sure it will work. What a difference! If I need to do a show by myself now (if Nick has to work) I know I will be able to set up and tear down myself.

Other than being turned down by almost every show I've applied to and clock sales being in the dump things are good! :) I have gotten into running and find it very enjoyable. The kiddos are doing well. Eli only has a few weeks of school left and then he is on summer vacation. He and Karina get along quite well so I think they will keep each other busy this summer.

We had a pair of red finches nest on or front porch and got to watch the babies grow up. We've also kept the bird feeder in the backyard stocked so the kids and I have enjoyed watching the steady stream of bird visitors in the back. 

I'll stop with that because the excitement might get too overwhelming for all of you! I'll post some pics from the Broad Ripple show in a couple of weeks.