ARTFULLY YOURS WILLIAMSBURG

Artfully Yours is a beautiful shop in the Art District of Williamsburg, Virginia. They opened a little bit earlier this year, and I was so excited when the asked me if I would be interested in selling anykind there. They have all kinds of accessories, jewelry, art, prints, kids stuff and more - all created and handmade in Virginia. The shop is in a gorgeous old house with so much space and light - they also have a big upstairs where they have craft classes and events.

I took these photos when I visited earlier in May. I just went back to take some more things this past weekend, and they had already gotten so much more neat stuff and rearranged a few things. I'm really happy to be included in the awesome variety of handmade things this shop has. I also love how my things look with how the old house and how they've decorated. So that's an added bonus.

WHAT'S HAPPENED

When I said "hope to see you around next year" in my last post, I didn't really think it would take me half of the year to show up again. I knew things were winding down here for a little bit though. Douglas left for deployment at the beginning of the year, and it's just been an odd time. It's weird when something you've been dreading for years happens, and it's completely different than you thought it would be. Also, it's kind of relieving. It's better to be getting through something than it is to be sitting around waiting for it.

It's really just good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks. I miss Douglas every day, but some days it hangs over me more than others, and it feels endless. Other days I'm just really proud of him and of us, that we're getting through this. It will be so amazing to be together again. I try to think about that most days.

I've kept busy, and for the most part, it's been kind of a cool year. I got anykind into three new stores around Virginia. I've done some fun shows so far and have been working on a website to get everything in one place (still working). I've made some new friends and have become closer with some really awesome people here. I took a terrarium class. I went to Amsterdam and Paris with my dad and spent a week at home in Georgia, and it was all amazing. I road tripped back to Norfolk with my best friend and got to have her in Norfolk for a week. I've gotten to know where I live a little bit better. I've had some really good days where nothing really happened. I got a new sewing machine that's really old, but that deserves its own post.

That's what's been going on with me. In the past couple of weeks I've felt the urge to pick up posting again because I miss sharing stuff, and I really miss taking so many photos. I started with a small redesign of some things on the page, and I changed the name to anykind so things are more cohesive with everything else. I haven't changed the web address yet, so Well It's Okay will still be around for a while. If you're still here reading, thanks. See you soon.

THE LAST BIT OF 2013

This is what a few of our last days in 2013 looked like. We had cloudy, rainy weather. We went to the top floor (the 25th) of the tallest building in Hampton Roads. I went to a yard sale at a huge, old house up the street. I left this fawn behind but filled my passenger seat with armfuls of old fabric. We listened to the new Britney Spears song "Perfume" about fifty times. We had some much needed normal days at home together. Douglas's holiday break started today and we're getting ready to go home to Athens, Georgia. I'm excited but it's a little surreal because he hasn't been home in about two years. I just want it to be a really good trip. 

This is a weird time. Usually I get really excited at the end of the year because you can make plans for next year and think about how much better everything will be. But right now we're looking towards Douglas's deployment early in 2014. He will be gone most of the year. And it's hard to make plans or think about any of it too much, really. I hope next year is a good year. I hope Douglas's experience is safe and that he learns a lot and gets to see a little bit of the world. I hope I can keep it together and do somethings I have been wanting to do. I know we'll make it, but I hope we do more than that. 

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope to see you around next year. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

This is what our Christmas looks like this year. I spent the past few weeks getting these things together while Douglas was away on the ship. So this little display is special to me - it was comforting to prepare and look at everything while waiting for him to get back. He got home a few days ago, and I'm so happy we're having a quiet, cozy, probably Chinese food for dinner Christmas. We are making breakfast though.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and happy new year.

HOLIDAY CRAFT MARKETS

MOCA Holiday Craft Sale in Virginia Beach // Handmade Holiday in Richmond

It has been really busy around here for the past few weeks and most of that was getting ready for holiday shows. This year I had two holiday shows lined up, six days apart. I know a lot of people do shows only a week apart, but this was my first time. So I really wanted to be prepared. I also had some new designs and display plans I wanted to use.

Overall they were both really great shows. The first show, at the Virginia Beach Museum of Contemporary Art, took place on a really rainy, gross day, so it didn't go as well as we hoped for. But it was still a fun day. Then the show this past Saturday in Richmond, pictured above, (see my first Richmond show here) was one of the best shows I've ever done. It was such a fun day - so many cool vendors, a really good variety, the venue was interesting (a dance theater), it was busy all day. 

These shows were also exciting because I got to debut my new logo and banner! I am in love with it. My friend Stephanie Kunau designed the logo, and I couldn't be happier with it. She was a pleasure to work with! I also worked on some new business cards and tags with the logo, pictured below a couple photos down. 

I did a little shopping, too. I couldn't not. I picked up a cute pair of circle studs from Eastern Trend Collective, a bar of grapefruit soap from The Daily Scrub, and a 3D printed mechanical heart for Douglas from Carry The What. 

For these shows I also mixed up my display a little from how it's been the past few shows. I had the idea to use the white record shelf I use for my printer stand/shipping supplies, and I love how it looked holding bags. It really opened up the table a lot. Working on my display will always be one of my favorite things. 

It was a very fun and successful holiday season. I couldn't have done these shows without my friend Alena though. She came with me to both shows and was the hugest help. Douglas has been gone for a little over a month (he gets back later this week!), so it was amazing to have her there both during the shows and before.

How has your holiday season been so far? I hope it's been a good one.

HAMPTON ROADS MINI MAKER FAIRE

Last Saturday was the Hampton Roads Mini Maker Faire. You can read more about the idea behind Maker Faires on the website, but basically it's a big show and tell for people who make all sorts of things. People bring their equipment and spend all day making and talking to people about what it is they do and how they do it. 

To sum it up lightly from the Faire page, there were "rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, bicycles, unique hand-made crafts, and educational workshops and installations." Really. There was all of that and more. 

I set up with a creative community that started on online called Handmade Hampton Roads. I was really excited to be a part of this event with the group because it was a huge help to me when I first moved here. People post information about upcoming events, what they're working on, anything relevant going on around here. It's a great way to learn about the area and meet people. The photos below are from my friend Michelle's section of our space - she has a cute shop called GymboHannah.

The crazy looking things above are 3D printed contraptions that have working gears (made by Carry The What). They're probably the most perfect objects I've ever seen for fidgeting. Below is Angelia Armstrong painting silk scarves. 

It was overall a really exciting and interesting day. I was really surprised by the number of people who were interested in watching us sew and asking questions about our work. It was really fun to sit and sew with other people, too. Something I had never really done before.

I'd say my favorite parts of the day were seeing 3D printing actually happening, watching the woodworking guys carve tops on their lathes, and the fact I finally had a show that had things Douglas really wanted to see. There are Maker Faires popping up all over. If you have the chance to go to one, I'd say don't miss it.