Customers keep making me cry!

A gentleman I met at the last craft fair emailed me requesting a custom plush as his wife's Christmas present. Not only did he add little tidbits about his lovely wife & their relationship so that I'll have a stronger connection to what I'll sew, but he said: 'Keep up the good work... the world needs more artists with joy in their hearts for what they do.'

Gahhh... I totally started bawling with happiness!

It's a very strange sensation. For 90% of my life, I've been an artist for myself. It's only recently that I've opened up to welcome other people's ideas and collaborate with them. It's taken a while not due to arrogance but because I was scared of disappointing them or just not having a strong enough voice. I am still sometimes shaky about taking on new & challenging projects but the desire to grow & become a better artist always wins (against EVIL! teehee). Anyway, that's all. So much happy-crying! I might just be a pool of tears at Bazaar Bizarre if this keeps up!

Sweeeeet

one of my dinosaurs with his new companion

thanks for sending the picture, Thery! :)

A++++ for Productivity

I was suuuuper lazy this morning but I turned it all around this afternoon. Guess I just needed a hot boba milk tea in my system :)

brainstorming a commissioned family portrait involving a lemonade stand :)

warming up the hand before I start painting

another family portrait

with the first layer of watercolor down

the prettiest color combo EVER :)

on its way to my friend's baby niece

Amidst the productivity, I got suuuuuper emotional. A little awkward tearing up in a boba cafe but whatever. I read a new custom order request--he wanted me to add a name to the inside part of the earmuffs. I just started tearing up. I don't know... the requests for custom paintings & sewn goodies allow me to participate, recreate or capture a very intimate moment between friends & strangers. I'm just very overwhelmed. I'm sort of providing a way to make their love or gratitude tangible/huggable, and if that isn't the greatest honor then I don't know what is.

Word.

Earmuffs for the winter brrrr

They come in all colors & styles, and made upon request. Order one here!

Photos of the Craft Bazaar in Hercules

with their respective captions by Charles Gomez of the Hercules Patch :)

Genevieve Santos of Le Petit Elefant kept busy by sewing more products as she waited for customers

Ben and Alma Santos, residents of San Jose, traveled to Hercules for the tree lighting and to visit their daughter, Genevieve Santos, of Le Petit Elefant.

daaaaaawww... my parents look so cute!

Hercules's Craft Bazaar Day 2

You know you're doing something right when customers return the day after for more. It's also amazing when you realize you have a following, & not in the google buzz or twitter sense, or amongst your friends because that only partially counts. I don't know... It's all very encouraging and reaffirming that I'm gold pursuing this art thing.

I think the most heartwarming sale of the day was to a woman who purchased a print of Literary Fort. She told me it reminded her of her kids when they were little because they loved to read all the time. She said she'd frame it over her sewing machine to inspire her & remind her of her kids :) . I packaged the print & as she walked away, I asked her how old her kids are now. "21 & 26... one's graduating from UCLA this year..." There was a tinge of sadness & nostalgia in her voice, and I felt so... I don't know... privileged? appreciative? that something I painted in a way penetrated a very intimate memory for her.

Overall, the day was slow, which only meant I worked while I worked :)

Yep. That's Mr. & Mrs. Claus making the rounds, handing out candy canes. Yum! My first one of the season.

It was a great two days of vending, and a good way of quietly testing the waters before the big weekend in SF. I have a lot of Bazaar Bizarre preparation to do so.... BYE! :)

Hercules's Craft Bazaar Day 1

Wow. Just wow. A shockingly positive experience. I am SO pumped for tomorrow.

I was suffering from lack of enthusiasm in the days leading up to this fair. I felt calm, but a little too calm (yeah... a little too ralph). I was a little weary about the potential rain, setting up a tent for the first time, arranging the lights, a new space, etc. Even during the set up I felt moody. Then BAM! I started talking to the visitors & shoppers, the mayor of Hercules announced the arrival of Santa Claus (you could take pictures with him in the photobooth haha), my mom brought me a free cookie... all was well in the world. It never rained. When I didn't make a sale, I made a friend. I was interviewed by the city's newspaper. Even an old friend from USC visited! Hollerrrrrrr!

The only reason why I put eyes on some of my elephants is so kids can dig around and find the ones that do. It's amazing how much fun they have. One little girl immediately started searching, flipping the ears over and tossing aside the eyeless. When she found her first one, she jumped up and showed her mom. She was half giggling, half asking for it. She wouldn't let it go. Eeeeee! Her mom helped her put it in the paperbag & once it was inside, she hugged the bag and skipped away with it still pressed against her chest. That kind of stuff just makes me fuzzy & happy.

Drawing these sign up sheets are my favorite :)

I really can't get over how nice everyone was. Hooray for small town hospitality!

Okay, time to get to work. As pooped as I am, most of the little elephants are now in the arms of a small child. It would be wrong for le petit elefant to have no petit elefants tomorrow. It's definitely a good problem to have :)