Spring Has Sprung

This is the gorgeous explosion of blossom, that is making at least one corner of my back yard, look gorgeous.  

Spring in Canberra is something special.  We do complain about our weather, with good reason, but at least we DO have clearly defined seasons.  Autumn is glorious, winter is shocking, spring is beautiful, then summer - well  - unbearable.

It has been worse over the last ten years of course, with the drought that seems never-ending, but most of us here are not trying to make our living from our land, unlike those hardworking farming folk, who have also been suffering this for so long!

Some parts of the country seem to be getting far more than their fair share of rain!  I have a brother in Newcastle - they have had so much rain for the past couple of years!  It is heartbreakingly lush and green up there, every time I go!  I saw people hosing off their drive-ways - I wanted to get out of the car and PUNCH them!!  Not fair, I know, but we have been on rigid water restrictions for so long, as is a lot of the country, that it just seemed soooooo wasteful, and hence my desire to punch them silly!!

And I am a very peaceful person, under normal circumstances!  :)

Oh I am so happy to report that my big shawl has already sold at the exhibition!  I was a bit concerned when I did not see it there today on sale, but was left with a MUCH better feeling when I was told that it sold on opening night!

The weekend is coming up, and saturday and sunday will hopefully be busy days - I am really hoping that some of those little baby blankets are also sold!

Selling your work is very tricky - there is no way that you would ever be able to recoup your costs AND a decent hourly pay rate, but I know that some people are able to do that, and I applaud them!  I know that through my work at the craft shop, when people come to us, asking for something to be made or mended or fixed in some way, I have no trouble asking them for a decent rate, for the artisan who does the work for them!  But I also have the advantage of KNOWING that they can't do it themselves - or why would they be looking for someone to do it for them??  Presumably they value whatever it is that they require work to be done on, so that makes it easier.

The question is of HOW to persuade people that YOUR OWN work is valuable.  If anyone has any insight into this tricksy question, I would be glad to hear your opinion!

Okay that is it for the day.  I am so far behind in my art commitments, and have a busy weekend with the exhibition, so leave with big hugs to all who have posted encouragement to me, and hope to post on Sunday night, with a cheery nod to a successful weekend of sales!

cheers!