This week has raced by!

Last weekend I was out at the Poltimore Fair with Drakestail. The weather looked threatening as I drove out at 6 am on a misty Saturday morning, stopping for coffee at the local Tim Hortons’ before the first pot was finished brewing, but it did lighten up, and even got warm in the afternoon. We had a lot of fun, as we always do at Poltimore, and made some new friends.

The day went by quickly, with sales sporadic due to weather. We packed up our jewellery and display materials at around 5:30 or 6, left our tents and tables in place, and started the long drive home. And then the monsoon hit.

Ok, it wasn’t technically a monsoon, just a torrential downpour. While we were driving. On twisty mountain roads. With speed limits that vary from 35 Km/h to 90 Km/h. So that was fun. It let up shortly before we turned off to head back into Ontario (the turn we missed, of course, because the directions tell us to take a road called Rue du Pont, when in reality the road is called something else, but happens to be the road that goes to the bridge).

I was the first of us to arrive at the fair on Sunday. As I pulled in, I saw a pile of flapping beige fabric at the gate and a conspicuous absence of our beige fabric covered tents in our spot.

Yup, our tents blew away in that storm. Robyn`s went first, according to other vendors who were still at the fair when it happened, and mine followed. Hers blew over mine at some point, because when I pulled them apart, hers was under mine. All the legs were pointing in the wrong directions, and the support latices for the canopys were broken in a couple of places on each tent.

An injudicious amount of duct tape later, and the volunteer coordinator, two of her conscripts, and I had the tents in something like a tent shape again, and we tromped them over to our space, about in time for Robyn to arrive. Our new friend Tanya (owner and artist of I Bead) helped us tie the tents with guy ropes, flagged the guy ropes with hot pink flagging tape, and checked in on us a couple of times through the day.

Amazingly, the tents stayed up all day. The weather was nice, though a bit windy for our rickety tents, and we did have to apply more duct tape in creative ways to hold it all together. But we made it through the day, had some fun, and had a few laughs at our poor, mangled tents and our lack of judgement in leaving them up over night.

On Monday night, my husband and I went on a bit of a shopping spree – we ran out to Ikea for a desk and chair for his new ofice space in the basement, hit Canadian Tire for a new tent for me (yay!), and then grabbed some groceries on the way home. So now I have a brand new tent, slightly heavier (and hopefully a bit sturdier) than the old one.

I get to test out the new tent this weekend when I take it down to Kingston for the Women’s Art Festival. The weather is supposed to be nice – mostly sunny, 23 degrees, and only a 10% chance of rain. Hoping for great weather and a great turnout!

My eyes are tired, I’m in my office until 11 pm, and there’s a huge stack of brand new necklaces, earrings, and bracelets piling up behind me as I work. Oh, and half the DVDs in the house are in my office (shh, don’t tell my husband!).

This weekend is the Orleans Festival (or in French, Festival Orlèans). This event takes place in the Shenkman Art Centre and on Centrum Boulevard (which will be closed to traffic for the event). I will be participating for the first time this year, and am very excited! I will be setting up my booth on Friday, and will be open for business as of 3 pm!

The festival runs from 3 to 8 on Friday, 9 am to 8 pm on Saturday, and 9 am to 3 pm on Sunday. There will be artists, artisans, and chefs, so there really is something for everyone at this event. Artists and artisans will be demonstrating their work at their booths, and of course will be on hand to answer your questions about the work. Many will be available (myself included) to do custom work, as well.

I’m hoping the weather cooperates, so I can wear something fun and funky on Saturday (I love to dress up for my shows, but so rarely have the chance!).

Will I see you there?

December 3 and 4 will have the Ottawa Artisans Guild – and yours truly – at St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School for the second year in a row. This school is in a newer area in the south of Ottawa near Spratt and Limebank (see map below).

We are all looking forward to this event – a spacious, well-lit area full of great artworks, the anticipation of holiday gifts… what’s not to love?

This is my last show of 2011. Come on out, see what I have to offer, and let me know what you’d like to see next time! I love doing custom work, and trying new things.

I’ll be building my schedule for 2012 soon, so stay tuned!

View Larger Map