Cottage Street Studios Holiday Open Studios

It's almost 2010. I've been waiting all year for it. I know it's not a good thing to wish time away, but I'll be very happy to see 2009 gone. There have been some good things, don't get me wrong, but this year has been exceptionally trying. I feel like I'm ending it off rightly though, and with as much positive energy as I can muster. I've just bought a new home and it's wonderful, and I'm managing to get myself back to work on my painting and quilting.

So please visit my Etsy shops to see what's new and also, if you are in the area this coming weekend (December 4, 5, & 6) stop by Cottage Street Studios. We are having our annual Holiday Open Studios weekend. I cannot say that I'll be completely ready to go after moving this week, but I'll have something on the walls

Moonset and Sunrise

Sometimes you just have to get up at 5 a.m. to enjoy stuff. This morning's hike up to the Observation Tower on Mt. Tom to watch a simultaneous moonset and sunrise was so worth it. How cool are these photos, just minutes apart. It actually got colder as the sun rose and I had to put my parka back on, but it might have had something to do with the sweat drying from the long climb in the dark.

Quote of the Day

"If you trust yourself, any choice you make will be correct. If you do not trust yourself, anything you do will be wrong." ~ Kwai Chang Caine

Support Hospice!

I'm signed up to walk the annual Step Out for Hospice Walk on Saturday, May 30th along with my family. Please support the fine services that Hospice provides.

My fundraising efforts are in memory of my Mother, BettyAnn Taylor, who passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2009.

You can make a secure, on-line donation at: http://www.firstgiving.com/brianataylor

Crafting with zero time

I've got no time. I don't know about anyone else, but seriously....time....zip....nadda.....no way......nothing....

And yet ......I'm still compelled to scratch out little bits of time to make things.

One Year Anniversary Sale on Etsy!!

December 12 is my one year anniversary on Etsy! It's been a great year, Etsy couldn't be a better site for artists and craftspeople to sell their creations!

I'm marking my quilts down by 20% in the shop until December 22! Yay!

Open Studio & Holiday Sale at Cottage Street Studios

It's the best time of year! It's the busiest time of year. Not only was the Annual Celebration of the Arts Party & Open House on December 4th, but December 5, 6 & 7th mark the 21st anniversary Cottage Street Studios Open Studio & Holiday Sale! It's a busy weekend for me and I'm camped out in the studio for its entirety! Please come by and visit if you are in the area. It's completely worth it if you are into art and handmade fine crafts, etc. Check out the Cottage Street Studios website for directions and a list of the over 30 artisans who have their doors open this weekend.

My studio is #418 on the fourth floor just outside of the passenger elevator. Today was great (Friday, December 5), and I really wanted to count visitors to my studio but just couldn't keep count after a while. I'd say at least 80 people came through in the five hours that we were open today. Tomorrow should be even better given a lot of people were at their jobs today. I ended up selling a lot of my Etsy inventory, and now that I have internet access right in my studio, I was able to inactivate the sold things as they went out the door. Fantastic. I'll be sewing like a mad woman next week to make up for the slack!

See you soon!