To Life! A Street Festival of Jewish Art in Palo Alto

 Just a brief post today. I'm hurrying to get ready for this annual show- one of my very favorites!

  There are last minute details to be attended to- finish up some earrings and necklaces, making a couple of more mezuzot. I have a new credit card  gadget, and I want to practice using it,  and I have to charge up my generator.

Here in Los Angeles, where it hardly ever rains, it's been pouring today and yesterday. Ordinarily this would be no problem, but since I taught an etching class on Sunday, I had my pop-up tent set up in the back yard, for shade. I didn't take it down, so now it's soaking wet and filthy. I hope it is warm and sunny tomorrow, as promised, so I can clean and dry it, and get it packed up for my drive to the Bay Area.  Another problem with the weather is that lacquer does not dry and cure well when the air is damp. All of my mezuzot are lacquered, so therein lies the problem!

Sterling silver necklace and earrings-Wandering Links!

                                                                             

Anyway, things will work out, and I'll be all ready for the festival on Sunday, October 10th.  It runs from 11-5 and is free!

If you're in the area, please come to booth #134 and say hello and take a look!  You'll see wonderful Jewish art, jewelry, crafts, etc. There will be yummy food, joyful music, and activities for the entire family!

For more information, check out the Festival's website:

http://www.paloaltojcc.org/index.php?submenu=To_Life&src=events&srctype=detail&refno=9&category=Special%20Events

Musings on Social Marketing

Today 's seminar by Robyn Hawk from A Fly on the Wall has come to a close, leaving me with a few questions to ponder. Yes, I learned how to start a blog and put up a few gadgets or widgets, what ever!! I learned how to make a "like" button and a "subscribe to" box. (Please don't forget to click on these!!

I learned how to tweet, I think, and how to invite friends from my facebook personal page to my facebook fan page and to my blog. (Maybe you're one of them!)

But what I really learned is that I really enjoyed working things out, in person, with the friends who joined me today- Rona, Jette, Brad, Nancy, and Sonya, in addition, of course to Robyn, our teacher, who gave so generously. It's the friends who give of their time and skills, in person, who enrich my spirit. I think one can forget that although a few sentences online from a friend is wonderful,  a living, breathing person whose facial expressions add meaning to the uttered words is quite another!

That brings me to another thought to ponder. I've given up trekking to many of the "shows" where I used to display, in favor of an online presence. The airlines are difficult, the shows are expensive, and yes, I'm getting older. Yes, it took awhile to build a customer following at those shows. It took a lot of time and hard work to drag (schlep) my stuff around the country. It will also take  a lot of time to build up an online business. Maybe I won't have to schlep as much, but my reach might be further. It won't happen overnight. However, I must tell you that this will not be as satisfying. It won't have that face-to-face contact that is the bread and butter of a working artist. Gone will be much of the give and take between an artist and the patron. Feedback, that is part of the artist's field of inspiration will be lacking. So my friends, please take a moment, and write a comment that might very well enrich my creations. Be part of the process! Share your thoughts.

Be well,
Ruth