Arts Advocacy Links

Get involved! The National Art Education Association has a compiled a list of great websites and organizations. Find research, ideas on how to support the arts and
other advocacy tools.

http://www.artsusa.org/get_involved/advocate.asp

http://www.aep-arts.org/resources/advocacy.htm

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/connect/aes.cfm

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3576/

http://www.naea-reston.org/advocacy/links-resources

busy, busy beeee

This week is so exhausting! It has been really demanding. I don't know if it is because we were on vacation last week or what?! I want some coffee hooked up to an IV at this point.  We are trying to learn how to juggle day jobs, apply to jobs, focus on our growing business, and create artwork. Somewhere in there try to have a social life so we don't just see each other working all the time.

Once I am done labeling soaps for tomorrow we are going to an opening at our friends gallery. Check them out at: http://www.collarworks.org

I hope to see everyone tomorrow! Come and support handmade and local!

Come on out Sat, April 30, 2011- 9AM-3PM to the
Mother's Day Spring Craft Fair
Sunshine DCC
14 Hays Road
East Greenbush, NY
...
I will have some limited soap samples available. Also come see some new soaps! Basil Lime (super pretty).... and  ALMOND with bentonite clay (new fav!). New gift sets available too! Perfect mother's day gifts- only $14! WOW!

Upcoming craft shows!!

Sat, April 30, 2011- 9AM-3PM
Mother's Day Spring Craft Fair
Sunshine DCC
14 Hays Road
East Greenbush, NY
...
Sat, June 11, 2011 10AM-PM
15th Annual Art on Lark 2011
Presented by the Lark Street BID

http://www.larkstreet.org/events/art-on-lark.cfm

The Lark Street  Business Improvement District is proud to present the 15th Annual Art on Lark 2011 on Saturday,  June 11th from 10 am to 5 pm. Art on Lark is Albany’s Premier Arts  Festival drawing over 25,000 attendees in 2009 and named “Best Arts Event” in  the  Times Union Readers Poll in 2009 and 2010. It is the 2nd largest street  festival in upstate New York,  second only to LarkFEST! This event will host hundreds of artists, musicians, dance and theatre  performances, one-day installations, and many more special events that will  showcase Lark Street  as Albany's  Arts District.

Sat, June 18, 2011
Troy's River Street Art Festival
10 AM to 6PM
River St Troy, NY

The River Street merchants formed the River Street Festival to help showcase all the great things going on in the downtown area, in particular the special places located up and down River Street. Unlike the commercially established festivals you see today, the River Street festival has a grassroots arts and antiques theme. The festival is a family oriented event that also offers food and entertainment. This year the River Street Festival will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2010 from 10 AM until 6 PM (or later!).

Cost: Free

Location: Monument Sqaure at River St.

Oct 22, 2011, 10AM-4PM
Albany Shaker Road Fire Department
Ladies Auxiliary 2011 Craft Fair
550 Albany-Shaker Road
Loudonville, NY

Troy Record Art Blog

I am so excited!!!

TandJsoaps was featured in the new Troy Record Arts Blog today. You can check it out here :

http://artolution.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/spring-is-here/

The new blog Artolution (Art | Revolution) is your place to learn about community arts opportunities and events, art exhibits & workshops, and the indie art scene of the Capital District. Written by Jennet Mae Jones, a freelance graphic designer.

Thank you Jennet!

Jennet has her own fun etsy shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/featheredneststudio. Check her out!

http://www.troyrecord.com/blogs/entertainment/

We are home!

Beach in Ocho Rios

 

Our Caribbean vacation is just what we needed to regroup ourselves. Jim and I have never really went on a real vacation together so it was nice to get away with friends that we haven't seen in awhile.

I DID  two things I was afraid of. I went parasailing and I climbed a 600 foot waterfall without a guide group. We also got to go snorkeling twice, see some dolphins and iguanas and lots of chickens!!!

I will post more pictures and tell some stories as soon we recoup! I had a great time and am looking forward to the next adventure with Jim, Mike and Crystal. Thank you for pulling me out of my rut!!!

All glory comes from daring to begin...



My "karma" vegan friendly soap!

Need some grounding today. Decided to revisit my list of  "to do" items for the year.

Get etsy up and running...check X

shameless plug: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TandJsoaps

Name my shop!!!!! TandJSoaps is kinda sticking with me but that wasn't the initial intent. I can draw, paint, sculpt, photograph, make a DAMN good soap, but I can't for the life of me come up with a catchy name. Any thoughts??? I came up with a cheesy one that I liked...but then found out it was used. SoulSoap or Soap for the Soul. ArtisanSoulSoap. ARRGGGG!!!!! It needs to be perfect.

New thing to add to the list:
Do something I am afraid of....maybe I will do that next week. 

Basil Lime Soap!

I made a new soap today. It was made with Basil and Lime essential oils. I used parsley powder (again-it's one of my new favorites for colorant along with turmeric and clays. I made the whole soap a light green and worked in a darker green swirl. I just peaked at it and it's in gel phase so it's hard to see. I will upload a picture from my phone.

Basil essential oil has an herbal, sweet and slightly spicy aroma. It has a slight scent of licorice, but it is kind of subtle. Historically, basil has been used for respiratory problems, insect bites, fevers, blood circulation, and some skin conditions. A lot of gardeners like to use basil in their soaps and gardens because it repels insects. Basil is also said to aid with fatigue, depression, alertness, wasp and mosquito bites, concentration, headaches, head congestion and migraines. Is also used to help repel insects.

Basil also has anti-depressant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-spasmodic properties. Bring on the basil!!!!

Lime essential oil. Hey limey!!! No scurvy here. Lime is a very refreshing, uplifting smell. It is also anti-septic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial.
Since lime has  astringent-like properties, lime essential oil can help skin conditions such as an oily complexion, acne, boils, and warts.... but there is a flip side to this. Lime and other citrus-based essential oils increase your photo-sensitivity to sunlight.  This means that some superficial damage could occur if you were to use this on your skin and go outside right away, especially if you have fair skin. 

Mentally, lime has a restorative and tonic effect on the whole person.  As well, it is noted for having anti-rheumatic properties and increase metal alertness and assertiveness. 

Basil Lime Cold Process Soap. The right is in gel phase still. It will be a light green soap with a darker green swirl. All green colorant is made with parsley powder.

Pema Chödrön



Thomas Cole, The Voyage of Life: Childhood 1842 Oil on canvas 52 1/4 x 77 7/8 inches (133 x
198 cm) Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute Museum of Art, Utica, New York, USA

"Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both. Appreciating the gloriousness inspires us, encourages us, cheers us up, gives us a bigger perspective, energizes us. We feel connected. But if that's all that's happening, we get arrogant and start to look down on others, and there is a sense of making ourselves a big deal and being really serious about it, wanting it to be like that forever. The gloriousness becomes tinged by craving and addiction. On the other hand, wretchedness--life's painful aspect--softens us up considerably. Knowing pain is a very important ingredient of being there for another person. When you are feeling a lot of grief, you can look right into somebody's eyes because you feel you haven't got anything to lose--you're just there. The wretchedness humbles us and softens us, but if we were only wretched, we would all just go down the tubes. We'd be so depressed, discouraged, and hopeless that we wouldn't have enough energy to eat an apple. Gloriousness and wretchedness need each other. One inspires us, the other softens us. They go together."
— Pema Chödrön

I have been reading a lot of Pema Chödrön lately. I think I will share some of her writings with you.

Some Recent Etsy Treasuries featuring TandJsoaps