dare i say it? 1st thursday was close to awful. oh dear, not quite the report i was hoping to give you this morning! booths had been rearranged, so instead of a lovely old brick building as backdrop, behind my booth you saw the messy back of another vendor's booth.

the crowds were massive, it's true. the swell due to a holiday weekend was not a boon, sad to say. it seemed the bulk of folks were speeding by, round and round, seeking entertainment. a real "mall mentality" was felt. not so pleasant for hardworking artisans and their carefully crafted wares. our regular crowd of folks that appreciate art and come to see interesting things, meet the makers and perhaps buy a new treasure were there, to be sure. however their lovely voices were drowned out by a startling number who saw fit to haggle prices and talk on their cell phones while coolly perusing my booth. sigh. to top it off, a band of truly unskilled roving drummers took up residence on the street corner near me and played so loudly that we could hardly hear ourselves think, let alone converse with customers.

ah, well. i knew i didn't love street fairs, i should not be surprised in the least. further proof as why i am a maker, not a retailer.

yet as dusk fell, nature gave her gifts and the sky grew ever more beautiful.

the construction cranes that i love so much stood watch...and breathtaking ripples spread across the clouds.

how about tonight? let's say 6pm in the pearl district? yes, it is 1st thursday art stroll tonight! i will be set up with my fabulous street boutique from 5-10 pm on nw 13th, between irving & johnson streets, almost to the corner of johnson and 13th, i believe. i would love to see some familiar faces and meet some new friends. if you are local and have been lurking, reading this blog and secretly wishing you could just try on some of the jewelry...this is a perfect opportunity. please do introduce yourself.

i have been busy as a bee, making many earrings this week (along with rings and other pretties) including the pair pictured above. perhaps you live far away from portland and want to snatch this pair up before anyone tonight gets a chance? right here, baby.

happy friday, dear readers! it's been an intense couple of weeks over here, working on writing my business plan for honey & milk. what an undertaking. it's kicked my butt, that is certain. through it all, i plugged away and am happy to report that the thing is done! well, it was done on tuesday, but now the program that is coaching me at mercy corps northwest has made their suggestions and sent it back to me for revision. so i'm feeling a bit deflated at the moment.

starting your own business and building something vibrant, something successful that sustains you, is challenging to say the least. yet, i've never wanted to do anything else as much as this. for me, the challenge is largely within my own mind. when i went to the count me in conference a couple of weeks ago, nell merino the founder spoke to us about what gets in our way as women. she said something that has stuck with me - that "women need to bring their confidence level up to their skill level." 

when i look at my project from that perspective, it's much less daunting. most of my skill sets are in place, fully developed. above is a draft of my new business card. i've been tossing around taglines for weeks and finally think i've hit on one that really does it for me: sustainable loveliness.

are you starting a business or do you have one? leave me a comment and tell me about it. 

is there something that you use to remind you of what is important? a little string of words that prompts a deep breath, a quiet moment, a re-grounding? please do leave me a comment, i love to hear what others find meaningful! i've been making these little silver rings for years just for my own purpose. now they are available with dozens of different affirmations for you to have and hold. for their size, these rings are powerful tools. and for just one more short month, i'll also be offering these with custom affirmation phrases right here in my bread & butter boutique. 

don't wait. the last day for custom phrase orders is july 24... 

it's been a while since any new belt buckles emerged from my studio. this one above struggled into being and almost, almost, found himself in the scrap bin. but because i am stubborn and nearly everything is redeemable, the "yes" belt buckle is now waiting patiently for just the right person to pick him out and wear him. there are a few new beauties awaiting your command right here at honey & milk.