Merry & Happy

I realized today that I have not checked in all week! Well, there was so much going on with my open studio and the holidays that I just did not have the time. It has almost been like I have been on a little mini vacation and I have been really enjoying the down time. I have so much planned for the next few months that I need to take a little breather and hang with friends family who are in town...so I am. Have a Happy Holiday everyone!

One day until my first open studio!!!!

I am so nervous about tomorrow! I ended up not telling much of the public at large and trying to keep it to friends and customers, so I should know every one there, but then I keep freaking out that no one will show up. I have been prepping all week and last night I even made cookies...if you know me well, or have been reading this blog long, you will know that I rarely cook, so the fact that I baked all evening is just shocking! Well now I have to vacuum...another feat I rarely do...ok, I need to do stuff...if you're in the area, I hope to see you Saturday!

Naughty Blogger

I have not posted in almost a week!!!!! I would apologize profusely, but I think that thanks are more in order as I have been so busy filling orders and restocking stores that I have not had time to sit down and jot out a few notes! You would be very pleased to also find out that I have been trying to socialize and actually have a tiny bit of life...and oh yeah, I remembered last week that I had to buy presents for my own family. The last few days I have been trying to clean up my studio as the chaos of holiday shopping lifts and all I have left is my open studio/trunk show this week end to prep for. Fortunately, I had a few requests for studio visits recently, so a shopping table has been set up since last week. I am now just cleaning up and making a grocery list. I am looking forward to the next week of relaxing, before I start prepping for Valentines Day, Prom and the Wedding seasons. It feels good to stop and take a few deep breathes every once in a while.

Snowed In

I think I am going to be snowed in today...it seems I have a great deal more to do then I wanted to admit anyway...so here I stay. Although I do have to run to the PO and to get my hair cut...but I walk to those so they don't count.

I did update my blog roll today...woo hoo, more ways to procrastinate!

Don't forget...December 22...Manic Trout...10 - 5...candy...

A surprise of a day

Today was one of those days when you dread waking up...you think its going to be the most miserable day, right from the start. But, as luck would have it...today has been surprisingly good. It actually began improving before I went to bed when a couple of international orders came in, as I just made international shopping easy on Manic Trout, I have been pleasantly surprised at how well its gone! I woke up at a someone reasonable hour, a shock I know! I had a local magazine call and request images for an upcoming issue, a close friend stopped by, I went to lunch with my mom and was able to catch up on the phone with a few girlfriends. I managed to get out a pile or orders that came in this weekend and even get some office work done.

I do not have to work tonight as I thought I would and so the whole night is blissfully ahead of me to make jewelry...as this is more goodness...a new customer picked up her 4th, 5th and 6th necklaces she bought this month and asked to have more ready at the Studio Trunk Show. AND my necklaces have been flying out of a local boutique...and they want more! I have also booked appts for private shopping prior to the show...so basically I need to leave my computer and get to work...I leave you with two words that a good friend of mine says that perfectly sum up my how I feel right now...Yehaw, yehaw!

New Year...new ideas!

So Manic trout has some big things in the works for 2008...I have a list of upcoming magazine appearances that I will let you know as they come out, I have been slowly working on a higher end line, international shipping is now an easy option, studio trunk shows will be a regular occurrence and these are just the great things already happening!


To celebrate the big things, I have decided that I want to have more little things, well little quantities, meaning more one of kind things...I have tons of vintage treasures that I want to use, but there is only enough for one trinket...so I will be releasing a few a month for your enjoyment.


After this last show I had two requests for one of a kind necklaces that were different versions of current designs...I thought I would share these special pieces as I think they are so lovely. The top image is a different version of the O'Keefe Necklace that I had in turquoise with fuchsia yarn. The bottom image is a bottle cap necklace with luscious vintage red faceted glass beads.

International Shipping

Alright all of you international Manic Trout fans, I have made it easy peasy for you to order, yay! Although I caught on a little late, as you will have to order by the 12th to get any gifts by the 24th...but life does go on after December 25th, so feel free to enjoy the shipping year round.

So here is the break down...

Shipping costs for Canada are as follows:

$4.50 for up to $100 via First Class Mall
$9.00 over $100 via Global Priority Mail

International Orders:
$11.00 via Global Priority Mail

After I had to email back and forth with a few of you wonderful customers who love MT enough to go through all that for shipping charges, I realized that there had to be a better way...so an upgrade to my cart later and here we go! (see mom, my cgr degree comes in handy for some thing)

I must be crazy...

...well, I'm sure you figured that out by now. I have decided since in the three days after the show, I have been asked repeatedly if I was going to have another before Christmas or if people could come by my studio and see stuff...so I am having an open studio. Three days before Christmas. Thats what makes me think I'm crazy.


Now the main reason for this late date is that I will be done mailing off to the last minute on line shoppers and I have a hunch that there are a few locals who would find some of their dream gifts here...plus, its something fun to do in the midst of all of the holiday crazy and as I would be in my studio anyway, I thought it might be fun to entertain a bit...so we can even say its like an office party...except I'm the only one in the office and I have to rely on all of you to make the party!


I'm equally excited to have an excuse to buy lots off coffee, tea, cheese and candy to entertain with...because we know that I love those things.

If you're in the area please come and hang out for a bit, I promise to share the candy.

I can't help it...New Jewelry!

I know I said that I was done posting new jewelry until after the holidays, but well...I decided to do it any way! So I posted 5 necklaces: 2 new Heart + Soul Designs, the 2 Marie Antoniette inspired and a lovely necklace of cool tones with lots of green.

A wonderful week-end show

Its late Sunday night and as much as I enjoyed this week-end, I am so relieved its over! Here are photos from my "room" as I share the fun with you.


Randi and I had our Holiday show at 7 Friendly Lane and although todays weather was bad, we had a wonderful turn out this week-end!


There were a variety of us there: Randi Sue Forman and her Eclectic Vinatge Designs, Tara Wing Photography, Don Lewis and his stunning photographs of Clinton Corners and Cuba and his awesome baked goods for Wild Hive Farm, Lois Walsh with her beautiful paintings, Martha Belardo of Baskets At Home and her fantastic hand weaved baskets and of coarse Manic Trout.


Thank you to all of you who stopped by to visit, hang out, offer moral support and shop, I greatly appreciate it and was thrilled at the amount of familiar faces I saw and the new friends I made!


I was thrilled to have Tara's beautiful postcards and thankful to the Millbrook Roundtable for writing an article about the show and putting photos of my work on the front page this week, all of which helped to bring the crowds to our door!


I had a wonderful time and look forward to our next show, which Randi and I are hoping to do in February. Now, as I also worked all weekend at LPA...it's finally time to relax.