Pork n' Stein

Pork n' Stein, a photo by Moe's Ache on Flickr.

This little piggy's going to market....
Pork n' Stein will make his debut at the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts Labor Day weekend.

• A recent article in Eco-Artwear Notes featuring our recycled pieces  reminded me that I need to start making mailboxes again.  

With the advent of  email and texting in addition to postal rate hikes and less "snail mail", I was questioning if we even need mailboxes anymore. 

But after some thought on the matter, I realize we do.  Ever since I was a kid the sound of the postman coming up to the door meant the possibility of something just "for me".

As a resident of a neighborhood with older homes, we have the luxury of a mailbox mounted on our porch.  I know the sound of the lid being closed, signaling that the postman "cometh" and among the (albeit fewer) pieces of junk mail, bills and pizza coupons there may be some correspondence of the old fashioned personal kind.  

So, I am going to re-visit my stash of "orphan mailboxes" I have acquired over the years and start tiling!  Maybe the "build it, they will come" idea will work.  A beautiful mosaic mailbox with a real handwritten letter tucked inside waiting for the recipient.  Nothing better! 

Swimming Up Stream

Here it is 4 days before the Krasl Art Fair. The studio looks like a disaster zone,  partially finished pieces cover the work tables, the floor is crunchy with glass and packing material sits in "stand by" mode.  What happened to June?  Why will I never be ready for the next show?
We always look forward to Krasl.  A beautiful show in Saint Joseph, MI, on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.  This year they celebrate their 50th anniversary.  What once started as a "clothesline" art fair in 1962 has now turned into one of the nicest, juried art fairs in the midwest.  I'm always excited when I get my "acceptance", but never seem to have enough time to finish all the work I want to share with the patrons.  Although, Bud (packer-boy) will disagree with me when it comes time to load all the new work in the van!

So, back to the studio to put the finishing touches on the new pieces.  'Hope you will stop by this weekend, July 9 10 a.m to 6 p.m. and July 10 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  We'll be in booth #181, just in front of the gardens across from the art center.