Welcome to the Bates Motel...

No, not really, but I think the last time they did any updating was when Psycho came out in theaters...all of these photos are starting to make me think that I should be using my Flickr account again, its been awhile. I love the idea of taking many photos and uploading them often on flickr, but honestly I doubt that will happen...always worth a shot however.


Any way, these are some of Tylers photos from our mini break...lovely aren't they?

Waiting...once again...

I forgot to order some much needed brass eye pins, so I am pouting today. They will be awhile in the mail too, ugh. I did however make some new bling rings, yay! I will have posted next Monday both bling and button rings in exciting new colors! I am also hoping to put up a few one of a kind necklaces and some new earrings. Very exciting.

I did some great organizing in my studio today, I took advantage of garbage day. I even hauled the two boxes of books I have had by the door for over a year to the library...mind you, I live next door to the library, I can see it from my studio, its that close. And it took me a year to drop off the donation books there.

Today we have learned that I tend to procrastinate!

All dressed up...

I finally got Tylers photos from the weekend...he not only takes better photos, but has a much nicer camera...so you get to see a few better shots of our travels...well start with shots of the two of us all dressed up.


When we first arrived at the beach where the wedding was it was freezing! I fortunatly had a somewhat dressy jacket in the car...which never came off. I also have taken to traveling with my old favorite pink pashmina, which is huge and acts more like a light blanket...while we walked around before the wedding I actually had that wrapped around my whole outfit...I am such a wimp about being cold these days.


I wish we had thought to have a photo taken of the two of us together...well this will have to do for now...

The inspiration has been a flowin'!

I have been collecting from all over the place...from these great cones I collected from what I think is a tulip tree in my yard...


to the antique stores on the North Fork of Long Island where I scoured for awesome buttons and shells I collected with Tyler on the beach...


to the sea stones I collected while prancing barefoot in the sand, a la " Something's Gotta Give” I too was attracted to the white ones, and Tyler kept bringing me touches of color...


With all this inspiration going on, I came home and finished the painting I had begun...I think I'm letting it reside on my easel for a few days to see how I like it.


Last but not least...I tested out the first of my "Couture" line while I was away and I was very pleased...so here is a peek at what I will be working on this month...


A beautiful bounty of Czech Glass, Vintage Brass and Blackstone...

Home again

I am back from vacation, which did not go as planned, but went in fact better...



We started off on Sat morning in the pouring rain, and it was cold out...lovely weather to go to the beach. We arrived in Greenport at about 3 and walked around the town, which was basically Millbrook, had lunch and set out to find the hotel. Well, we soon discovered why the "motel" we were staying at was the last to have rooms available. Lets just say it looked like it was built in the 50's, renovated in the 70's and then never touched again. Tyler took some great b&w shots, but I have not gotten his photos yet, I'll post them when I do. We couldn't find anyone to check us in so we drove around calling every other hotel in the area and as it seemed to be a wedding weekend, there were no rooms available.

Eventually we decided to start driving back off the North Fork and head to the Hamptons, we were thinking it would just be easier to get room there and drive back in the morning for the wedding. Well right after we were all happy about that decision, the motel lady called me back and apologized that no one was there, that she had to take her daughter to the hospital and that the room was open and ready whenever we wanted to arrive, and she was the sweetest woman I had ever spoken to on the phone, so I said thanks and our fate was sealed.

We continued on and drove though the Hamptons, which was like the Lakeville, Salisbury, Great Barrington strip....just with an ocean feel. We decided to have dinner in Southampton and walk around before heading back...I was dying for some coffee, but in stead of coffee shops there were fudge and ice cream shops everywhere...so when in Rome...eventually we wandered into a little French bistro and had a wonderful dinner and a charming waiter who kept calling Tyler a beefcake and holding up the jewelry I was wearing to show everyone, we loved him.

Side note...I have been working on creating two avenues of Manic Trout...the reasonable, fun for all ages pieces you know and love...and a high end line that pushes the envelope on all levels. Well the necklace I was wearing was the first of the envelope pushing line, although I realized some aspects that needed tweaking, so I won't show you yet.

We then drove back to our motel, which was basically a camp cabin, including a cricket which I moved a refrigerator out of its space in our 1 1/2 room to find and squish so it would shut up. Now keep in mind that this would have been a more fun adventure if the room did not cost $175 a night and we didn't even have tissues, an alarm clock or a phone.

It was decided then and there that in the morning I would talk us out of our next night reservation and that we had enough of the Long Island North and South Forks, which basically is a replica of where we live but with better shopping.



The wedding was lovely on Sunday, it was at a park in Orient, at the very tip of the North Fork, and we were able to walk on the beach and collect stones and shells and stare pensively out into the vast blue ahead of us.



At about 4, we changed our clothes, hopped back in the car and headed for Manhattan...now I know what you're thinking, because I thought the same thing...we only live a bit more then an hour away and we were going to vacation there? Well we decided we never go in as tourists, so why not try it that way? We booked a room in Times Square and met Gillian for dinner at Carmines and then wandered around late into the night.

Monday we woke up early...this whole weekend was early rising for me, its funny that I actually get up early on vacation...anyway we set out to wander. Our mission was the Museum of Natural History...which was wonderfully fun and quite nostalgic...we even caught a show at the planetarium.



After our morning of learning, and a quick street pretzel...how could we not...it was time for my mission of the day...since buying my beloved blackberry I no longer have been using my planner and since I was using the planner as my wallet as well, it was becoming a very heavy way to carry ny cash and cards. I have been scoping out continental wallets with very specific attributes...it had to open flat, be only two sided, no flap and an interior coin area and be made of black leather. I had found what I thought would be the perfect one online, but I wanted to check it out in person before I spent as much as I was going to on a wallet, and to see what else was out there.

I checked Barneys on Madison, found nothing and knew I had to do some leg work...so I deposited Tyler at the Apple store on fifth made my way down, stopping at Bergdorf’s, Bendels, Prada and Gucci, avoiding Vuitton, Fendi and Bottega Veneta as I wanted very simple...and heading to 5th and 53rd where I knew my dream wallet was waiting for me. I walked in to Ferragamo and within 5 minutes was holding my new favorite accessory, it was perfect.





After the shopping elation wore off I was tired and hungry and ready to head home, so I gathered Tyler and we went and found great nyc pizza, collected the car and headed home...happy from our whirlwind weekend.

Va-cay!

I am taking a vacation! Well it’s more of a mini break/long weekend and the one full day I am gone I will be at a wedding. But still, I am getting away! I am headed to Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island for three days of not working. I am actually really freaked out about leaving, as I have so much to do both with Manic Trout and the restaurant, and I hate missing week ends at the restaurant, because if anything goes wrong while I'm gone, I will get screamed at upon my return. I over ordered this week however; so we shouldn't run out of anything...crap did I order olives? Well, as its Friday afternoon its too late now anyway, if they run out they can go to the store.

So back to the vacation...we (I am going with Tyler, its our first trip in the two years we've been together) are dropping Faye off at my mom's in the morning and then will set out from there. It has become very cool here in the Hudson Valley, not sure if its any better a bit South, but I am prepared for it not be, its easy to over pack when you go away for three days and are driving your own car. The wedding is Sunday during the day and then Monday I want to ferry to shelter island and then into Sag Harbor for hopefully some painless (to my wallet that is) window shopping/store scouting) and then home again.

Very excited to relax for a few days and leave it all behind...well almost, this trip is the reason I bought the BlackBerry...three days without email!?!

I'll let you all know how it goes...

Exciting new blog!

I am shamlessly plugging my beloved IndieFinds today...there is a new blog and you have to check it out! Its pretty rad, right now there is a fabulous list being compiled of all of the upcoming shows that the members are participating in. While you're there you can sign up for the mailing list too...woo hoo!

Farmers Market

The Millbrook Farmers Market Artisan Day went well on Saturday, I went with the bare basics, I borrowed a table and umbrella and just took whatever jewelry I had in my studio. It was hot, and also community day, so there were many things pulling the wanderers away. I had a great time though, sold some pieces and passed out oodles of cards, so I was thrilled. I also found two awesome uses for the Black Berry; I received an order while there and knew if it was one of a kind in order to update what I had on the table. I also was able to process credit cards right there online, woo hoo!

I certainly will not be doing many shows, but this is a great one to do one day a summer and it’s only a block from my house and 4 hours of my day, yay!

On another note, my littlest sister started at my alma mater this week, she's the fourth sister to go. Tyler and I went to see her tonight, I brought her some jewelry and saw her room...she's growing up and it made me feel so old to see the dorm I too lived in when I was fourteen.

My new addiction...

Ooooooh, I bought myself the most awesome new toy today! Ironically it was my dad's birthday and I got the big gift...Happy Birthday Dad! SO anyway, for the years I have been all anti phone plan...and weellllll, I broke. My pay as you go phone was getting really old and didn't really work well anymore, so I cracked. I had to admit that I really did not need a fancy new phone as I hardly use my cell phone, but to buy as pay as you go it costs a small fortune for a mediocre phone...so if I had to shell out a bunch of cash it should be for something I really needed....like a way to check email all the time, and so...I bought my first BlackBerry!

I really wanted to hold out for the iphone, but even though I am the most loyal mac user in the world, I know that the first gen is always iffy and I do not get cingular service very well around here. So BlackBerry it is...in silver, and I love it! Addiction, here I come! I already have won some great beads on ebay during diner with my sister! Woo Hoo!

Great news, my very good friend Tara (the fabulous taker of photographs) has moved back to NY from Hawaii and that makes me sooo happy! Although she did remind me that we made a pact that if she did, we would motivate each other to move to Manhattan, and I forget all about that plan with the abundant sunshine we had this summer.

I had a tad too much coffee at dinner tonight, I think I’ll use the excessive energy to cut my stack of TotallyIndie Coupons for the Farmers Market on Sat.

A little earlier rising this week

I think as I grow older I whine more when I don't get enough sleep. I get cranky, my movements slow down and lets not even get started on the eye circles. Well last week I had one very early morning and it through me off for three days. So I have started to prepare for the next one...what on earth is she talking about you ask? Well this Saturday I have agreed to participate in the Millbrook Farmers Market for Artisan day. Its only one day, but I have to be there by 8 and honestly, I usually go to sleep at 3:30, so 8 (with all of my wares and ready to set up and smile all day) is tough. So I decided to prep myself this whole week and have been getting up about two hours earlier every day, at about 9:30. Realize that I do bartend nights, so I am not even home from work until late and then I have to wind down, do some light work in my studio and finish the day.

On the other hand, I should be home by 2 on Sat, and can then take a nap before I am off to work...that’s my back up plan. I am excited to have a day at the farmers market, I like to have one day a summer somewhere local so they don't all forget about me. Although this year I no longer do shows and I send samples off as fast as I can make them now, so I do not have much time to build up stock, but I usually have 50-75 pieces lying around the and I can bring some smaller paintings too...ok now I have to start prepping so I don't freak out...

Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils...

Yeah, so I have an embarrassing weakness for romantic comedies, my all time favorite has to be "You've got Mail", and I LOVE the part where they are talking about New York in the fall...well when Tom Hanks says he would send Meg Ryan a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if he only knew her name, every time I watch it I spend a solid ten minutes wishing I had a bouquet for myself. In my studio I have jars of pencils that are rather bouquet-esque...but it’s not the same. So anyway, I was driving in to Manhattan on the west side highway the other day and was compelled to yell "hello, NJ!" when I saw all the little boats tethered and bobbing in the water, so I think its time to watch the movie again, as its imagery is taking over my life...

Moving on...it is that time of year though, this week especially, the energy of a new school year starting is in the air, and even though I am long out of school, I still feel as though I can get back on track with my organizing and goals of staying on top of things. I almost want to go school supply shopping, but I honestly have too many school supplies as it is...

New earrings are now up!

Finally I have the new line of earrings up, Yay! The Sweetest Thing Earrings have debuted on Manic Trout, there are currently 8 styles to choose from and they range from $10-$15.