I know one thing you really shouldn’t do is start a blog post with, ‘it’s been a while since I blogged’ but really…it’s been a while!! Truth is I’m juggling with getting ready for the Summer art fairs, being with the family and as the weather is now perfect – gardening like a mad woman. The warm weather makes me, a) want to rush outside with my sketchbook and draw everything in sight, b) keep on top of the weeding and c), yes there’s a c, just keep the back door open to let the warm sunshine in as I cut a few more books to put on my stand. What a whirl!
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve done all of the above and more so I think I’m in a happy place right now. I think my stand at KUKI will look pretty good, not bursting at the seams but who wants that any how? I want it to look cohesive, bright and smart. I keep forgetting that the next one is only a week later so I need to keep creating books and cards whenever I can.
One of the things I’ve been working on recently was a bunch of scrapbooks. Honestly, when I rediscovered them I was prepared to pull them to pieces and start all over again. Actually I should rewind a bit here. I made these books a few years ago for one of the last art fairs I attended before ‘Rona’ and as they were the last few which hadn’t sold they sat on the shelf doing nothing. Fast forward a couple of years and the way I make these type of books has changed so they were bugging the heck out of me. I mentioned this to a friend who told me basically I was totally over thinking the whole thing (which I tend to do) and suggested a small but fairly obvious change which made all the difference. So much so that I added a couple more scrapbooks to the pile and now love them. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.
I think it’s easy to over think things and as I had been looking at these books so often and for so long I had become far too critical and would spot small niggling things which no one else would even notice. That’s why it’s good to step away occasionally, take some time out then come back with a fresh eye or better still get a good friend to give you some advice. They’ll see things you can’t!
It’s now the last week until KUKI and I’m getting down my to-do list so it’s all good. This week will be table mock-up, labels and packaging. At this point I’m not stressed but then maybe I should be? Oh now I’m stressed about not being stressed!! Just kidding, it’s all good.
I’ll post a picture of my table mock-up when I’ve done it and I’ll compare it with the actual table later on just for a laugh!
Have a good week
Jaine x
