That Time Again

Seems I don't get 'round these parts much lately.  It's that crazy busy life of mine, I tell ya.  It seems it's always something.  How I'll fit a job in the mix (a real live, hand me a paycheck, good work, pat onthe back, bonafide job) is beyond me, but I'm gonna try.  All I need is someone willing to hand me that paycheck every so often.  Too bad those people are hard to find these days.  Don't they know I have a college bound meanager to support?  Believe you, me, he NEEDS to go away to college  for both our sakes.

On to the good stuff......

It's that time of year again.  People are asking more and more each day if I'll be hosting my "Home Show" again this year.  The answer is YES!  Hip, hip, hoorah!  It's always a fun time.  I love showing my appreciation to my loyal customers.  Sharing a glass of wine and getting to know them just makes my day.  No hustle and bustle of crowded hallways and gyms.  No pressure searching for the perfect Christmas gift for Aunt Sally or feeling guilty about a personal purchase the week before Christmas.  This one is all for the fun of it.
I'll be cooking up some yummy snacks, chilling a bottle of wine (ha!  make that a case) and cleaning the house top to bottom in preparation for the big shin-dig.  All you have to do is stop on by, visit a bit, shop a little and share a laugh or two.  I'll take care of the rest.

One of those things keeping me plenty busy this year is my youngest son.  Graduating grade school and heading off to the High School is a big deal.  I am busy helping plan all the graduation activities and setting the stage for his success at the high school.  There's the end of the year dance with all it's regalia, a keepsake DVD of the past 9 years for all the kids and other assorted celebrations.  Truth is, this all costs money, and so, a portion of proceeds from this year's sale will benefit the fundraising efforts of the 8th grade parents.
Erik will be heading off to join his brother and the music program at Niles West High School in the fall.  I couldn't be happier.  The music programs and Fine Arts overall are top notch.  In addition to the graduation fund, I will be once again supporting the Niles West Music Parents also.  They do great things for the programs, the kids and the staff, be it band, orchestra or choir.  Scholarships, music lessons, trips, etc. are those out of the classroom experiences that make a program stand out.  So again, a portion of proceeds from the sale will again benefit the NWMPA.  Be sure to mention either of these great causes at the show.

Now let's get to it!

When:  Saturday, February 25th
             11am - 7pm
for more info, please contact me through comments or via email
and to whet your apetite, a little taste of what will be available for sale can be seen here.

I look forward to a great event.

The New Season

By the title, many of you may think I am referring to the mid season replacement shows on TV. If so, you don't know me very well. I am not much of a TV watcher. However, the Olympics do have me poaching the couch more than usual, and boy am I glad for the new laptop. Hoe did we watch tv and sports for so many years without the ability to tweet about them?



Well, enough of that. the New Season is, as usual, all about the creative. Once again, my "Studio Open House" is upon us. On Saturday, March 6th, I will be opening my home to all my customers, providing them with drinks and nosh, laughing, chatting and best of all, displaying my new treasures. It took several years and plenty of prodding from friends, but through the years has become a staple of my selling season. A chance for my loyal customers to get pampered and be the first to see my new creations before the show season begins. Though in my early years, this felt self serving, I was finally convinced to host this event and have come to love it. The ability to socialize and enjoy my customers in a relaxed setting where i can display my appreciation without the stress and chaos of a show is quite enjoyable.

So, if you're in the Chicago area, please stop by. I'll have a wine glass ready and trust me, the spinach dip can hold it's own. If that's not enough to entice you, there will be a great display of jewelry/trinket boxes (and a few other goodies) by my good friend Glassdiane and some great jewelry pouches, felted items and other handsewn goodies by my lovely and talented SIL, Ohsewhannah

Hot and Cold

I seem to be running that way this week. Good days, bad days, hot and cold flashes, sales and no sales, time to kill and crazy jam packed moments, then again, what else is new.

Well, this is new. SonniandBev are not to be missed. They have been in the jewelry making business for decades and I have had the pleasure of being their booth neighbor for about ten of them. Veterans of the Chicago area art and craft show circuit, they have sold their wares at the Merchadise Mart, Michigan Avenue and throughout the suburbs. I hear they will be traveling all the way to New York City this fall for the One of a Kind Show.

If you don't live near one of these areas, not to worry. They have made their on line selling debut this week on etsy. After much discussion (and prodding), they ahve tested the waters and are wading in more and more each day. We spent the day together recently in a cram session of etsy basics. Listing, descriptions, shop set up, etc. , not to mention lingo. Steampunk, upcycle, recycle, repurpose, destash and many other bits and goodies. Little do they know, it just scratch the surface of etsy's layers of fun and excitement. They'll be addicts like the rest of us in no time. Who knows, before long, even Bev will be a computer guru.

So check them out and even drop them a line. If you get a chance to see them in person, make a point of it. The truth is SonniandBev is just one of many layers of the onion that is, LeBouton. Vintage inspired pieces, antique buttons, brooches, buckles, watches, snaps, game pieces, even pool balls are known to have become phenomenal pieces of artistic jewelry in their hands and are a lovely complement to the unending array of Swarovski crystal pieces, as seen on etsy.

So, join me as I raise a toast; to Sonni and Bev, here's wishing you all the best on etsy and elsewhere

Snow, Snow, Snow!

Blech! Enough already. Today, January 11th, Chicago will surpass it's average snowfall for the winter. 39 inches. It's not even mid January yet. We have been known to get snow as late as Mother's Day (on rare ocassion, but it has happened). A foot yesterday and more on the way tomorrow and several days this week.

After clearly marking our territory, Chicago style
(see the chair that says, don't even think about parking here. I earned this spot!)

I was relishing the excuse to stay indoors and make jewelry. Of course there's always bitchwork to be done, but I can multitask. I'm a mom, I am wired for multitasking. We could eat out of the freezer (a good hot bowl of homemade Chili) and we had some wine. No vodka, but some good red wine.

It worked. I made some cool, new favorites.




Ran a sale that wasn't as productive but that's okay. We still have plenty of time to shop and ship for Valentine's.


Now, if I could just get the kids to stop bickering. Why are they not out snowboarding, sledding and snowball fighting? UGH! Kids today!