Ack!! Where has the time gone!

Wow...I have sitting around all complacent and this weekend it suddenly dawned on me, that I have 3 shows in October!  Ruh-roh!  If you have read my blog for a while, you probably know that I am a total procrastinator, and sometimes do my best and most creative work under tight deadlines, but I'm thinking I am so behind on increasing my inventory, it just isn't funny!

The 1st one is October 2 - The East Street Jewelry Show, located at Everedy Square & Shab Row in Frederick.  All handcrafted jewelry by 24 local artists...no pressure there!

One of the things I am most nervous about is the fact that this is an outdoor show, and I'm biting the bullet and getting a tent. 

Another is coming up with more professional looking business cards, etc...I have been making my own, but am about to take the Moo plunge...here are a few templates I came up with for Mini-Moo cards. These are 1st drafts, bound to change, but I kind of like them.  I really like how you can get several different images with one order of cards.

The mini's are half the size of regular business cards, and double-sided, so all the business info is on the back...what do you think?  Are these too simplistic?

I am committed...

1st and foremost...to my family.

To him...we just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on the 20th.

To him...he'll be 9 in August...

and to him...sadly, we are having to prepare ourselves for his passing in the very near future (more on that later)

This is my 1st Art Bead Scene Blog Carnival post. This month's theme? Commitment! A deep subject...if you ask someone what they are truly committed to, they may have a hard time putting it in words...I know I am :) 

Besides the usual family, friends, and financial commitments most people have, artists can often make commitments to themselves....learn a new technique, sell a specific number of pieces, get published, etc.  These are all commitments/pacts that I have made with myself this year as a jewelry artist.  The sales and publicity hasn't happened yet, but I am working on venues.  Learning a new technique, well, that is a whole other animal.  I am anxiously awaiting the ArtBliss classes I signed up for!  Other commitments I have made have been accepting custom work that maybe a bit daunting, and participating in the Bead Soup Party Swaps.  Another commitment I made this year was to blog more consistently...in looking for ways to motivate this, I committed myself to the ABS Blog Carnival. Blogging more consistently also means commenting on other blogs more consistently...who knows what great, cool things that can get you!  Just by commenting on other artist blogs lately I have been the lucky recipient of some very cool giveaways!

1st I won a bead from Jelveh Designs!  I used it in my May ABS Challenge piece. 

Next, I won some lovely lucite pieces from the sweet Andrew Thornton...be on the lookout for some cool stuff I am making with them.  Then, I won a cute bird house pendant from Jennifer Jangles...haven't decided what to do with that one yet. 

Most recently, I won a beautiful etched copper and beaded necklace from Sharon at Livewire Jewelry.  Check out the pretty card and wrapping it came in!

Where am I going with this?  I am getting ready to make more comittments!  Within the first few weeks of July, I will be hosting my own giveaway to pass on my tremendous good luck to my readers. Stay tuned! 

So, what is commitment to you?