Signing, Ordering, Selling, and Looking

While talking to Matt the other day I mentioned how busy I have been with Out & About Photography. "Yeah Mom, it's a full time job that doesn't pay very well." Haha--he didn't say the last part, but had he, it would have been the truth. It's a good thing I love doing it because if I got paid for my time.....well, let's not go there.

Thinking about it later, I realized he was right about the full time business. Either I'm signing prints, ordering prints, selling prints, or looking for new things to photograph, whether it be in still life form, or out in the great big beautiful world. It's my own fault for giving people expectations about my work early on. Because I so love to take photographs, I have always brought out lots of new prints, partly because I love to, and partly because showing at the same places all the time, people are always looking for the next big thing. Or so I hope. The good news is that soon I'll have a full time project manager on board who undoubtedly will streamline much of what takes me a long time to do! In just a few weeks Bruce will begin his extended vacation time before retiring and after that, there's no telling what will happen with Out & About Photography. Cannot wait!

So all of the above was on display at FAVO Friday night. Sadly, a cold snap arrived about the time we started the evening with chilly winds and plunging temperatures. The bunnies were a big hit with folks!

The third one in was voted the favorite, Steampunk bunny. The creator won a $100 prize! Here's the other room of them:

Each and every one of them was adorable in their own way. It was so neat seeing what people came up with. There was bidding on them as well which raised $500 for FAVO, and in other good news, a $500 painting from the donated gallery sold adding to the total! Dana came this month and bought two paintings from Will, thrilling him to no end. Bev brought a whole bevy of friends (couldn't resist that pun), Maureen's friend Shelly came with her husband, Eric came early, as did Sue and Phyllis, and my Winter Garden market friends, the Goldsmiths came. It made me very happy indeed. Here's the little snack table I had set up in my space:

The oatmeal cookies don't look all that attractive, however, they taste pretty good. Plus they weren't nearly as messy as last month's brownies. For chocolate lovers those gold wrapped things are peanut butter cups.

In other exciting news, Jeannie set up, showing her art work in public for the very first time! She styled her table so cleverly.

She and her Mom look so MUCH alike! Not only did she show, but she sold THREE paintings! What a way to start. Next month I'll be in Gainesville doing the art show, leaving my room empty, so who better to use it than Jeannie?

All in all, despite the chilliness, the night was a great success.

That chilliness continued yesterday, although with the sun shining, it wasn't half bad at Winter Garden. Plus I had some repeat customers which is always very exciting. I was in another new spot, this time between low sugar cakes, and some sort of oat snacks.

Although never as crowded as usual, folks came in a steady stream throughout the day. Just after 1, the wind picked up big time, and by 1:30 our managers decided we should call it a day. Because I was still a little tired from the previous night, I did not complain about getting home early.

Once I was home, standing at the kitchen sink, look who I saw--- the happy couple on the Nuttery:

Aren't they so pretty? It must be nest building time any day now.

The Goldsmiths are doing something quite bold, at least for them. They are ordering four of the Stik figures pretty large. While we were discussing it, they asked if I had any other ones from our trip. Looking back through my London photos I did find one to share with them, and I also found this one, completely unrelated, however, I am sharing it because those swan wings are mighty impressive!

Taken while we were visiting the Costwolds, I remember that the swan was coming in for a landing after harassing some ducks! Anyway, originally they were thinking something along the lines of a landscape, particularly something sage colored. I told TJ sage does not occur in nature, or at least in my photo library!

This morning the temperature stands at 39 degrees. Mr. Bruce is as I type doing the miserable part of setting up the tent in the coldest part of the day. Once the sun comes out in full force it should go up to 60 today which, with the heater I know he's setting up, along with my Uggs, I'll do just fine. Whether I'll sell anything or not is the question.