That Darned Global Warming!

Maryland is supposed to get 30 + inches of snow this weekend! They say Washington DC is staged to have the biggest snow fall year in recorded history.

Here in New Jersey, they "say" we "might" get 6 to 12+ inches. But!

If you look at the map of the Eastern Seaboard, with all the lovely shades of pink and purple, the deep purple of Maryland is also the deep purple of the New Jersey coastline.

Hmm...

The thing is, I've always been a sucker for weather. I mean, I love storms! I love blizzards! I love Nor' Easters and hurricanes! I love the feeling I get when I know the house is well stocked, so that, if we would should get cut off from the rest of hu

manity, we'll have enough to get us through until we can be dug out, reached by helicopter, rescued by boat.

The only kind of weather that I really can't stand is hot and humid.

My friends all think I'm crazy (But that's beside the point.) They all make awful faces whenever anyone mentions snow. And there I am, waving my fists in the air! Doin' my little happy dance!

So, I've got my knitting, and my paint projects, and my sketch pad and fancy ideas to get down on paper.

I'm set! How about you?

Have You Ever Started Over?

I've been an Etsy seller, now, for almost 2 years. I've had limited success selling handmade items. In the beginning I also sold knitting and crochet supplies in my shop. Last year, at just this time, I opened "finishthis.etsy" for sole purpose of selling supplies and vintage items.

The art that I am producing now is different and I had thought that I would change my banner to relfect these changes. But the more I think about it, the more I am inclined to close the old shop and open up under a new name that better relates to my current items.

I currently have only 39 itmes listed so it would be a minimal cost to move them all over.

So, the questions are:

1. Have you ever closed a shop and opened a new one?

2. How long had your first shop been up and running when you made the change?

3. Did it hurt sales when you first did it? If so, do you feel that you have recovered?

4. What did you do about your previous buyers? How did you inform them?

5. What did you do about all your hearts? Did you inform them that you were moving? Is it even permisable to do so?

6. Over all, do you think it was worth the hassle?

Please write your responses in the comment section and then, if you don't mind, go back to the etsy forum post and let me know you've left a comment.

And thanx for participating. I truly value the opinions and suggestions that come out of these blog posts.

Ceramic Tiles

I went to my very first networking meet and greet a couple of weeks ago. I signed in and got my name tag, with the red line around the outside. That told everyone that I was looking for work rather than looking for workers. Most of the people that were there were corporate types in clean white button down shirts and dress slacks. My job at this event was to go up to total strangers and announce myself, "Hi! I'm Judy Goddard and I'm an Artist and Musician. What do you do?" It's a good thing I don't mind calling attention to myself!

Two guys that were there had just started a kitchen and bathroom remodeling business. They asked me if I could paint on tiles, doing custom work for kitchen back splashes and decorative tiles for bathrooms. And of course, I said, "Yes! I can do that!" Then they

wanted to know if I could paint murals. And again my answer was, "Yes! I can do that too!"

And, although I had never painted on tiles or painted a mural, it was not a lie. Because I know that I can!

So I went to Home Depot and bought a few white glossy tiles.

I have glass and ceramic enamels that I had bought years ago, so I fished

them out and started painting.

These paints are designed specifically for painting on ceramics and glass. Once they have dried for 24 hours they are placed in an oven

and baked. That sets the paint on the surface of the tile or glass

and makes them hard and durable.

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com

www.finishthis.etsy.com

www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com

(Home Depot Photo courtesy of HomeDepot.com)

The Unbelievable Blessing;Painting for Cancer Patients

Three years ago I was recovering from a serious illness. I suffered from chronic fatigue and intractable pain. But I had been making progress in my recovery and I had reached a point when I wondered if I could push myself to do more and not make myself sicker.

I decided to volunteer at my local hospital. During an orientation program I heard the Oncology Clinical Social Worker talk about an art program that she needed artists for. I am so grateful I decided to check it out.

Now when I go to the hospital I carry a tote bag with my paints, brushes, and volunteer name tag. I ride the elevator up to the fourth floor and head to Tracie’s office. She is the oncology ward social worker. She has a small list for me of patients who may enjoy having a painting done. I get the “art cart” which holds the rest of the supplies I need and head to a patient’s room.

That patient decides what kind of painting they would like. Usually it will be a painting of a favorite place, either a childhood memory or a well remembered vacation spot. I set up my equipment and start to ask questions. What kind of flowers are in the garden you remember? What color was the sand on the beach! Were the mountains snow capped? I try to get my patient to be as specific as possible. And while they are answering my questions, they remember all kinds of things they may have forgotten.

And we talk. And I ask more questions, and before we know it, they are smiling and talking in an animated way. They are happy recalling the events that took place and the people they love and, for a little while, the chemo therapy drip fades away. Their mind’s eye no longer sees the bed with the sterile white covers and maybe they forget that they’re old and bald and sick.

After an hour or so, they seem more relaxed and so glad that we had our talk. And I present their painting to them and they are so happy! I tape it to the wall and they have something to bring home that is a happy memory.

I pack up my kit, and stow it on the art cart. I go back into the room and shake their hand, and smile, and tell them I will be praying for them. And sometimes I’ll give them a wee kiss.

I don’t think I could feel better than I do as walk out of that room, knowing that I have made a difference in that person’s life.

I am blessed because they are blessed.

www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com
www.Measureformeasuregrowthcharts.com
www.JudyGoddard.Homestead.com

Busy, busy,busy!

Yesterday I tried to find time to knit. I really did! But I had to go for a stupid, unnecessary, MRI. I've discovered that Lipitor is not the friend I thought and hoped it was. My liver enzimes shot up real high. So the doc said, "Stop t aking it!" after two weeks I had blood test that came back normal but he still wants the MRI. Grrrrrrr.
So I went and lay in that silly hot dog bun and that was that. (A regualr MRI reminds me of a hot dog bun. The open MRI reminds me of a hamburger bun.)

Then, in the afternoon I had to paint a picture of a Yorkshire Terrier, for a fund raiser on Sept. 7. Now I start the painting of the English bulldog puppy.

Last night I went to the Fair Haven Fireman's Fair for dinner with friends.

So, no knitting time.80(

Today I will knit. And today I start leafing through all the blogs I've bookmarked to teach myself how to make this blog super duper good.

So, happy knitting everyone!

Check out my Etsy shop!
www.JudyAGoddard.Etsy.com