March 25, 2013

A Sweet Saturday

This past weekend was full of pleasant surprises. I received a couple of orders on Saturday morning which is always nice. One was particularly touching: an order from someone in Europe to be sent to Manitoba, my birth province, for her mother's birthday. It feels special when customers share the reasons behind their purchases. It makes things feel personal. She asked me to write in a card for her. I actually had the shivers when I read the order. Maybe that sounds strange, but it feels like a privilege to have my art chosen as a gift for a family member, especially someone who lives so far away.

I also had a customer contact me about the possibility of doing her wedding invitations. Her favourite flower is the iris. I was able to tell her that I had a couple of completed iris paintings in my painting drawer. We're just in the initial stages of talking but the fact that she contacted me saying that she loved my work and thought of me for her invitations is really lovely. It made my day.

I've always loved irises and can't wait to see mine bloom in my garden again. Well actually, I can't wait to see anything bloom in my garden at this point! Yes, that iris photo at the top was taken against a backdrop of  snow. I think the snow might melt this week, but I really don't want to hope too much.

On Saturday morning, I opened a parcel that had arrived the day before. I purchased two fabric pouches from Sonia. She mailed them from France on Tuesday. I received them here in Canada on Friday. The postal elves were working extra fast last week! The pouches are so beautiful. I am going to use them in my studio. I've put a jar in the base of one of them and am using it to store paintbrushes.

On Saturday afternoon, I worked on some exercises for a watercolour lettering course I'm taking. It was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. The course lasts for ten weeks and I'm sure that I am going to benefit in all sorts of ways. I incorporate text in my paintings sometimes and I just want to feel more confident about it. One of the exercises was to choose one letter of the alphabet and to do as many variations as you could think of within pebble shapes. When Emma saw the photo of my 't' exercise, she said "You did that? I thought it was Geninne's work." (She hadn't seen me working on it.) Do you think she could have given me a nicer compliment? :) Without a doubt, this course is going to be good for me.

This morning, I took some time to write a 'to do' list. I had so many things swirling in my head that I thought it would reduce some brain congestion to have them down on paper. It kind of worked. I can't quite believe that we are at the end of March. Both this week and next week are short because of the holiday weekend. March felt short already because of the girls' school breaks. I have so many new prints that I want to introduce to my shop; I have new paintings to paint, I'm thinking of creating my own website...do you see what I mean? So many thoughts swirling.

17 comments:

  1. What a delightful post about beautiful random things. I adore when that happens:)

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  2. That's great that you are having success with your art sales, AND meeting nice people too!
    I have swirling thoughts congestion too~ I can't think properly until I put them on a list! It allows me to move on, and use my mind for other things, once I know they are safely stowed, and I don't have to remember. :)))

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    1. Lists do work. As you say, then you get to move on and be productive. I've been really lucky with my customers so far. All nice.

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  3. Hi, I´ve changed to a domain now and hence will abandon this Google Account. I can´t leave a comment here when I do since you don´t have the option "Name and url" here in the comment section, would you mind adding it so I can keep "talking" with you? :-)

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    1. Looked after it. Don't want to lose you. :)

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  4. Oh, and this is the new add: http://tinajoathome.com/ :-)

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  5. Those Iris are lovely, they have a glow about them, it looks wonderful, and what a nice project or two you have going on, with the invites and the painting. It's so nice they are personal and unique too. I keep meaning to organise a website, I need to get projects in order first, and so, never quite seem to get there? Have fun with yours. I've got a Facebook page now with 2 pieces of work on! (Son's help :)

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    1. The last couple of weeks have been busier for me. Maybe those spring breezes are stirring up business. :)

      I'm following your FB page now as Trowel and Paintbrush. I love the artwork in your banner.

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  6. What a nice post & what a nice week indeed ! I would have never thought it could be possible for a parcel to be so fast between our two countries, I'm still under the (good) shock !
    I'm not surprised someone asked for your painting for wedding invites, it totally sounds right & logical to me. I hope everything will go smoothly & that you'll get the deal ;-)
    Thank you so much for your mentions here, on FB & T, I am really touched & do appreciate a lot. It's always SO good to hear from happy customers, and it's even better when they are friends !
    xoxo

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    1. Seriously Sonia. That parcel came faster than parcels I send to not far off places in Canada. Here things go by moose. :)

      My pleasure spreading the good word about your beautiful products.

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  7. What a nice weekend you had! Love your T's and it's so cool that you're taking a lettering course. I love those floral pouches as well!

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    1. The course is great so far. Lots of information, well organized. My first e-course. I'm impressed and know it will be good for me.

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  8. What a delightful list of 'news' Kathleen! Congrats!!
    I share your mood. I have a few pages of lists, because I keep rewriting them until it all starts looking possible!Have a lovely week;-)

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    1. I should start each day with a list. Sometimes I let things swirl too long before putting them on paper. When I was cleaning up my studio table, I found an old list that was several months old. That's the best kind. I realized I'd done everything on it! :)

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  9. Kathleen - congratulations on selling your lovely art work. Your irises are beautiful. So glad for all the wonderful news. God Bless you. That lettering class sounds very interesting. Take care and have a good week.

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    1. Thanks, Debbie. You always say the nicest things.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog and to leave me a comment. I love reading them. -- Kathleen

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