Daily photo: 4/30/08.Self-portrait.

Since October, I've been writing a monthly column on local art events for the Carbondale Times, but as N. and I will be moving in the not-to-distant future, I told them that May would be my last one. It has been a beneficial experience for both me, and I like to think, the community, but if you've ever done any freelance writing, it pays very little and takes alot of time, so I'm not sure I'll miss it.
So, I decided to post them both and ask you to vote for your favorite. It doesn't matter what you pick or how many times you vote--just that you vote by making a comment. One comment-maker will be chosen at random (the number has already been picked) to receive a small package of some of my favorite things--It will even come wrapped in brown paper, though I don't know that string is allowed in the mail anymore.
So, vote away!! The contest will end on Tuesday, April 29 at noon.
Currently, I am the exhibitions coordinator for the next Enamelist Society's National Conference, which will be in Oakland, CA August 7-9, 2009--a large job, which, frankly, intimidates me a little.
I found this video about Michael Reynold's Earthship project on the blog One Man Gathers What Another Man Spills, today.
Unless we're talking grapefruit, I generally avoid citrus because it is too messy. But these honey tangerines are delicious!! And organic.
Today I got a fall catalog from Shire Books, a British company that publishes very reasonably priced and short books on a variety of subjects, such as The Victorian Asylum, one of my personal favorites, Buttonhooks and Shoehorns, or Perambulators, "a complete illustrated history of the British wheeled baby carrier," 
Juliet from the Broken Plate sent me one the pendants she made from the broken Diana Fayt plate. Thanks, Juliet! I love it!!
Remember my sad, broken Diana Fayt plate? Well, Diana graciously sent me a new one, which you see here. A beautiful pear plate that I love. And as for the broken one, Juliet of The Broken Plate contacted me about it and, with Diana's permission, made these lovely new pendants. You can get one for yourself at her etsy shop.
So, a story with a happy ending all around. Isn't that nice?

Consensus at the craft show seemed to be that I need to make some larger pieces that are more 'attention grabbing.' Not a natural move for me, but here is my first attempt.
Doesn't look very different from the middle, does it? Well, that's probably because I hardly sold a thing. Oh well, I feel like I'm making progress with my display, and that's important.
Spent the day packing for the craft show at Queeny Park in Ballwin (St. Louis, MO suburb) this weekend. No packing can be done without the nervous supervision of a cat. Ever.
This tree outside our apartment is blooming. I don't know what it is, so if anyone does, please tell me, but it reminds me of another favorite memory I have from my oh-so-long-ago trip to France. We went to France in the late spring (May, or June, I can't remember--it was 11 years ago...) when the Linden trees were blooming in Paris. They had possibly the best smell I had ever smelled up to that point in my 16-year-old life.
Got the recipe for this delicious avocado and ruby grapefruit salad from The Three Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White.