Short day in the shop today — we opened at 11, but around 3, Kevin came and took over for me, so I could drive Kavi to the airport; my sister is taking her to see Taylor Swift in New Orleans. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly — we got a text from the airline saying travel was so bad that we should arrive three hours early! I’m not saying that’s all Taylor Swift…but it easily could be. Kind of cool that Kavi gets to be part of a phenomenon like that.
I came home, watched some TV with Kevin (Lower Decks is back, also Shrinking), then put on a gardening podcast (I know it’s not my zone, but I do love the BBC gardening podcasts…) and went down to the basement to do a resin pour. These take about 60-90 minutes.
Laying out the molds is one of my favorite parts — that’s all ideation, the creative part of thinking through what botanicals, inclusions, inks, etc. I’ll be using. That moment when I’ve filled the table (essential that it be level!) and am about to start to actually mix the resin is so full of possibility…
And then you mix, and then you start inserting things, and one stem is too fragile and snaps, and one flower sticks out of the coaster too much, and this gold leaf is more fragmented and clumpy than the last batch and is driving me a little nuts — there’s a lot of frustration in that stage, but it’s satisfying too, accepting that it won’t look exactly how you envisioned it, but odds are, it’ll still be beautiful.
I really love being in my store and having people walk in and say, “Everything here is so beautiful!” That’s the goal, folks.
I’ll be pouring another batch of autumnal keychains tomorrow, because those have been selling fast, and while I love changing things constantly (ADHD brain!), I’m willing to give the people at least a little of what they clearly want.
What you see below, clockwise from top left: a Halloween charcuterie board, coppery mica lotus candleholders, begonia and gold flake coasters, mock orange bottle toppers (these are only half poured, because if I pour them full, the flowers will float up to the top (the bottom) of the topper. I’ll do the second half of the pour tomorrow, after they’ve had several hours to set overnight. Ditto for the not quite visible bookends above.
And the little pepperberry gemstones? Those are a new set of molds, and if they work out well, they’re going to be napkin rings; I think I’ll be selling those as a set of six, assuming they come out well. Fingers crossed!
Back in the shop tomorrow, 11-6. And Sunday, we’re having Halloween events all through the Shops — I need to find out the details from the others, because I was out of town last week, but I think I’ve committed to reading kids spooky stories, so I may need to swing by the library tomorrow to find some.
Sprout is also having Halloween events Sunday, but I can’t be there at the same time, there is only one of me, alas! (One of my greatest regrets — I would love to split myself into a myriad of Mary Annes.) I WILL be providing a bowl of candy, and I think the other 32 vendors are as well, so if you’d like to bring kids to come trick-or-treat at Sprout on Sunday, they should be able to collect a pretty good haul.
I’ll also have the jewelry-making supplies in the shop this weekend, so as long as it’s not too busy, I’m happy to have people craft their own pendants, $10 each (or $15 for a pair of earrings). There was a nice group this morning who were visiting Chicago from four different states (I think two sisters and maybe their daughters?), and they had a lot of fun crafting together. Charming!
If I ever do open a bigger shop (not in 2025, when I hope to be at the Berwyn Shops and Sprout again, but maybe 2026? Not impossible..), you know I’m going to want to run a lot more workshops. That makerspace idea is still floating around in the back of my head. Teachers gotta teach.
Kavi just texted that she’s safely landed, so I think that’s my cue to head to my book, bath, and bed. She’s my sister Sharms’s problem now. 🙂
