ups and downs

Ok, so you may have noticed my increasingly sporadic posting the last week.  And I know that you already know when this happens I'm in all-work-no-blog mode, which means that it's time for a recap of the past week.

I spent part of last week in NYC at the International Gift Fair helping my friend Amber in her jewelry booth.  Amber's booth looked beautiful and was the perfect showcase for her incredible botanical jewelry.  Actually working a booth was a lot more intense than I thought it would be.  Mainly, there is a lot of standing and greeting and set up and take down and sore legs! It was really great to see how the show works from the inside and it was amazing that I could gain this experience while I contemplate attending the Stationery Show or a Gift Show.  The de-installation of the booths was crazy!

We stayed in a very sweet and very small hotel with the best wallpaper ever. We went to some of my favorite restaurants and checked out the New Museum of Contemporary Art.  I also got to meet Jackie Bos for coffee and French baked goods.  I knew before I even met her that we would hit it off and I was right!

Unfortunately, while I was gone I found out that an entire suite of wedding invitations was being held in customs in the wrong country.  I will tell you now, for your future reference, that the USPS International office only has an automated number and that it's close to impossible to talk to a responsive human being. By the time you do speak to someone there is steam coming out of your ears and it's hard to be nice as they tell you that there is no way for them to do anything even though they delivered said package to the wrong country. After a few hours on the phone and no easy resolution in sight and I have been reprinting the entire suite to mail via FedEx on Monday.  I'm so lucky to have such an understanding couple on the receiving end!

This afternoon I took a break from my own printing to help a friend get back into the swing of screen printing.  It's been a long time since I have been in a really well-equipped printmaking studio.  I miss it. A lot.  On many different levels.

My mom and step dad are coming to visit tomorrow and take me out to a post-birthday lunch.  And then Jake and I will head to our yearly superbowl party at Luke's.  I'll be wearing my "Ladies Superbowl Sunday" shirt that I got with my roommates in college.  It's a little small, but it's yellow and awesome and we each have one.

I'm also so excited to come in third place for the jury selection in the Poppies Favorite Papergoods category.  I am shocked and incredibly humbled to be on a short list with Rifle Paper Co and Yee Haw Industries.  Many many thanks to the jurors!