I LIED!

After swearing I just wasn't going to do anymore outdoor art/craft markets, I caved-in and tried it again on Saturday.


I'll get all my moanin' and groanin' and whinin' and complainin' done first...and then we'll get onto the happy stuff.

First...

The night before, I was awake at....

1,

2,

3

and

4.

And the alarm went off at 5.

Ask me why the alarm was set for 5.

You will be waiting a very long time for an answer because there was no reason, at all, to do that! I must have had a temporary lapse into insanity when I made that particular decision. Well, I hope it was temporary.

Anyway.....draggin' my sorry self out of bed at 5 a.m. after the scant amount of sleep I'd had was NOT fun.

I admit that I totally and completely lost my attitude of gratitude. And it didn't come back for quite a while.

I was so well prepared that I had almost nothing to do to fill the two hours and forty-five minutes before it was time to go.

So, I drank lots of coffee and prayed that it wouldn't be too far to the bathroom I would surely be needing all morning....after all that coffee. (It turned out to be quite a trek!)

Finally, it was time to go and it was SO doggone cold!!! Only about 43. I do NOT like any number under 60 on the thermometer.

It took a long time to warm up, but when it did, it WARMED UP and I got sunburned and couldn't take off enough clothes to get comfortable.

See how I am?

OK...enough of that!

Usually, my set up is quite complicated, difficult and heavy and poor husband is called into service. In other words, there are two of us who are fussy, gripy, whine-y, etc. It isn't always fun.

This time, I determined to follow the K.I.S.S. principle so I could manage it all by myself.

Just like a big girl!

It was so easy! I was completely set up within probably 30 minutes! Usually, it takes a good hour and a half.

WOW!

I didn't get a good picture of my set up or you could see that simple though it was, it looked pretty good.

That blue canopy is to one side of me.  All I had was the 4 grids displaying my paintings and two tables which are hidden by the disply with the green cloths.

Eazy-Breezy!

I was set up way before show time. There was no reason at all for me to be there as early as I got there. Which meant there was no reason for me to leave as early as I did. Which meant there was, for sure, no earthly reason to get up at 5 dadgum o'clock in the cold, dark morning!

Oh well. Next time, I'll know.

Did I just say 'next time?'
I sure did.

Even though I didn't do well at all in the sales department, I believe I made a different kind of 'profit.'

After I re-located my attitude of gratitude, I had a ball!

I was out in the warm (eventually) sunshine all day.

I was out of my studio and into the great big world all day.

I was surrounded by fun, interesting, creative people all day.

I got to look at our still-snow topped mountains all day.

Remember last week when I wrote about rattlesnakes and was nice enough not to put a picture of one in that blog?

The very next day, I visited this market and guess what was there??

This guy has a harmless snake, in addition to a real, live rattlesnake (safely in a cage) which he uses to train dogs to avoid snakes. I did take a picture of the harmless snake and I might or I might not include it here. It depends on whether I'm feeling ornery or not when I actually post it.

Rattlesnake guy was there again yesterday, so there were lots and lots of canine critters in attendance. This one just stole my heart.

Isn't she gorgeous...and HUGE! She is half Husky, half wolf and whole beauty on four legs!

Another vendor is a husband/wife team who create these stunning and whimsical yard ornaments from re-cycled metals.

Check out these planters made from discarded hot water heaters! Mr. Vendor cuts them in half and does all the necessary welding, etc., and then Mrs. Vendor applies her very awesome painting talents and turns them into truly unique planters! Aren't they smart?

In the space next to mine, however, were two women who just made my day!

I want to be just like them.

They are NOT your typical little old ladies. They are Nan and Evelyn. They are, as they informed me when I rudely asked their ages....

"Over sixty-five and under one hundred."

And that was that!

They make these.

Aren't they scrumptious and delicious and don't you just want one for your very own garden?

Nan and Evelyn have been friends ever since they met when both had children in the same kindergarten class...over 50 years ago.

I love their silver hair.

I covet their silver hair.

Mine will never be that particularly beautiful shade of grey.

And I'm jealous!

I really love Nan's socks. They are multi-colored stripes...all my favorite colors...purple and fuchsia and orange and....I don't know what all.

She wore them with her bright red suede sneakers!

You go, Girl!

I swear, Nan and Evelyn made waking up at 5 dadgum o'clock in the cold, dark morning, totally worthwhile!

Finally........

Alas, I have not one picture for this part.....

Last week, when I visited this market, I met Kathy. Kathy makes the most unusual and unique and stunningly beautiful little boxes...among other things. I have no idea how to describe them, so I will just have to make sure I get pictures of them next weekend.

Kathy and I hit it off, from the get-go.

I had a drawer full of 'junk' that I know I'll never use and that she could probably do something very clever with. (dangling participle alert!)

So, I called her and she came to get it and we talked and yakked and yakked and talked.

We thinks we will be good artsy/craftsy buddies.

Thinks? Yes, I meant to write it just like that.

We thinks we have much in common.

We thinks we might try to do some shows together.

Me thinks being with other creative types is a desire I have and it needs to be fulfilled. I still haven't gotten together with the lady I met in Michael's because she got sick right afterwards. Hopefully, that will still happen.

So, you see, I really have so much to feel grateful about.

And I surely do!