Well – I can’t seem to upload a picture right now – I’ll come back later and try.  That’s about right.  (ok – it worked this time – that’s about right, too!)

The picture is of this kiln load – 3 items broke prior to going in – so I knew they were broken, but it’s been so long since this has been a problem I keep looking around for the pixies (who, by the way, have never given up my key ring).

I am tracking really well along getting myself into the studio every day for something:  clean, pack up, arrange in an orderly fashion, make new work, glaze, stain….something every day.  I have two load ins next week:  Deja Vu Salon and Spa and a private children’s practice.  There is a lot of space that needs filling, more work that needs making because:  here comes November and the best show of the year, Unique Boutique.  (Well, actually, ArtOMatic was pretty spectacular. Unique Boutique should be close and hopefully a winner).

Yesterday I went to Hoopla Trader’s opening of their new gallery in their new space in the Adams Morgan section of D.C. with artist friend and featured artist, Julia Musengo.  The place was packed.  Julia sold a painting ($1,000), an altar (I didn’t look at those prices), several of her Goddess Game and a $200 goddess necklace.  Most excellent night for her.  And then we all went across the street for dinner (I wasn’t hungry – the gnoshes were most awesome at Hoopla, so I just sat and talked).  One of the owners of Hoopla, Denise, shared with me that channel 4 had come in earlier in the day to film the gallery (woohoo for Julia!  her work on channel 4!!!!), left and then anchor Wendy Rieger, who did the interview, came back specifically to buy one of my tiles!  Channel 4 just happens to be practically the only channel we watch (except Husband also watches the history channel and I watch Sci-Fi channel), and Channel 4 news the only news we watch.  So this is pretty exciting for me!  Now I have a famous author/owner (Melissa Marr, Wicked Lovely) and a famous news anchor, Wendy Rieger.

Because I was riding with Julia and Husband, I didn’t get home until 1 a.m.  I wasn’t even a pumpkin by then, I was just a puddle.  Then the dogs had to be greeted and walked (including little dog who somehow got my IPOD and chewed up my earplugs – those pixies again).  And even though I slept in until 8 am I’m definitely feeling tired.  So I guess I’m going to have to take it easy on myself today, and not expect so much.

Husband has been grinding away long hours this week too and said this morning (as he prepares to go back and grind some more):  Let’s go somewhere tomorrow – out to the mountains (the leaves should be changing) or just toward the mountains and into Virginia and see what we can see.  Works for me!

I’ve been holding a very focused pattern for about 2 weeks.  I’m aware I can do that and then I start backing off.  I want to give myself breathing space here so that next Tuesday I can start all over again, focused and refreshed and continuing on my journey.  Which is at the moment doing my ideal client profile and my USP, which is shorter than the elevator speech and which, should  be done prior to the elevator speech and after the ideal client profile (which is supposed to make your USP jump off the page at you).  It is based in "feelings" rather than descriptions.  I am playing with:  One-of-a-kind art for your one-of-a-kind life; Art for your hearth and soul; Art that helps you remember the real you, and there was another good one that I thought of last night but didn’t write down and you know how that goes.  And here I thought the elevator speech would do it. 

Back when Husband and I were doing sound with our own equipment, we ended all our ads with "No Fuss, Call Gus."   Which said:  you can count on us to be there, to hold your hand, and to take care of all your worries over this highly technical stuff you don’t understand.  So apparently we had a USP without my ever having heard of USPs.  Now I want something that says:  I make art that will remind you of who you are, that you will love to see each and every day of your life in your home/office/garden space.

I am promised (by my one-coach tapes) that once these things, done well, are taken care of, things like distribution channels, ads, niches, just naturally fall into place.  And that most small businesses do not take the time to figure out their ideal client (which drives everything), and that doing just that alone (never mind the USP, elevator speech (which was Alyson at ArtBizCoach.com), marketing plan) will make a significant difference.  So, folks, I’m going along here doing the work, and trusting that the work will then do itself.  And at the moment I feel tired.

It’s going to be gorgeous outside today – cool enough for open windows, no humidity (finally!), and we got a smattering of rain that sort of perked everything up.  Hope your weekend is grand!

thought for the day:  I’m going to copy here what I received in my inbox yesterday morning from The Universe….note the 2nd paragraph.  How did they do that about the corvette??!!!!

The essential difference between you and I, Tammy, apart from your unique saunter and savoir-faire, is that I know, to the core of my being, that the only difference between "have" and "have-not," is imagination.

So, Tammy, how are you enjoying your 1966 soft and hard top corvette??

Tallyho,
    The Universe  (TUT…A Note from the Universe, october 19, 2007)