The October Book Report

October was a surprisingly good reading month for me. Or maybe not all that surprising. About a week of that was spent up north with a foot that prevented a lot of things I would have otherwise done, so there was more time for reading. That continued, even when I got home.

 

The results? Three very different memoirs, four mysteries and another holiday selection, this time essays.  

A Big Week

It has been a good, if busy week. A bit star-studded!

Monday we saw David Sedaris at our local bookstore. I should probably say we HEARD, rather the saw, him. The bookstore was jam packed and we were behind a very tall shelf. Now and then -- when the stool police weren't passing by -- we would stand on a little stool and could see him briefly.

Didn't matter. When Sedaris is involved, it's what he says, not what he looks like. He spoke for about an hour, reading from his newest book, then signed autographs.

We didn't stay for that, but I'm told he was extremely gracious and took time with everyone.

And yes, he was very funny. Now I really want to read his book -- it's a shame that one of the stories he read was omitted from it -- the editor said it was too much.

Then it was art sale time. I've been busy finishing so many projects. Here are a few... Small stars, collaged with pages from a French book (Thank you, Tara!) and glittered up (those are above)... And journals large and small.

Matchbox ornaments. My inspiration came from posts by Linda Jo, Patty and Nathalie.

Purses and scarves, of course...

...and cards. These are the collaged cards, but I also had note cards with photos from Paris and France.

...and these watercolor cards are new this year. There were several different designs.

I was very fond of the Christmas cards. The watercolors below are new and I also had fun with ribbon and holiday embellishments. I may do more of these for Christmas.

These didn't photograph so well as I'd like, but they are laminated counter samples, collaged and beribboned.

I also had some fairy forest trees -- bottle brush trees that were bleached, hand-painted and glittered, inspired by posts by Linda and Karla. And of course, you saw the peat pots and bird houses earlier.

I have to say, it was a wonderful show -- and while the traffic seemed slow (let's compete against a home football game and the annual tree-lighting/holiday parade) it was very good indeed and I did perhaps better than expected.

The house looked beautiful, and it's always fun to see your things in a "different light." This is some of Jane's jewelry -- but it gives you an idea of the setting.

Even more fun where there are spaces where your merchandise used to be!

I'll admit a universal hatred to pricing things -- People expect items to be inexpensive because they are made by a person, not sold in a store. I won't do that -- I work with good materials (especially yarn) and I'd rather keep it and share it than undersell.

But not to worry -- I still have good things left over for Christmas and to add to my November blog drawing!

(Don't forget, you are entering my November drawing when you comment!)