Some Quick Pics from the Pool Tradeshow in Las Vegas ... or what happens there doesn't stay there this time

This pup is back!

I got home from the Pool Tradeshow in Las Vegas this weekend and can say for certain that it was an adventure and I am glad I did it.

Some things went better than I expected and others not so well - more on this later in the week while the suspense builds -

(I will say that I had a bit of a breakdown at the break-down and the Miss Universe pageant was going on during our stay, so my sister and I were really pissed that we had forgotten our sashes, tiaras and 6 inch spikes)

for now I have some catching up to do in the studio.

As far as the city itself goes, let's just say hubby is one step closer to getting me to move into that barn in the woods he's been dreaming on ...







this pup is outta here ....

off to Vegas for Pool- back in 1 week folks - enjoy the last days of summer and rub your lucky pennies for me!

xo- Cat

Whining Wednesday - without the actual ... well, whining

I can't really whine because I am way too much a glass half full

(with vodka)

kind of girl these days, so let's just call this a Wednesday fireside chat

(because it's Wednesday and hot enough to start a fire)


Chat 1 - My bud Sherry Truitt's excellent research into what does and does not work with our banner ad advertising "campaigns" has me realizing that I have not done any extensive research in a long time.

(maybe since I was a child when I put a wet washcloth on a piece of bread and lay it in the back of the broom closet to see if I could grow mold - I could - I also once took the telephone apart)

Remember when we did research instead of googling things? Now, we suspect that someone else has already done the research and it would be a waste of our time to re-search, so we search google for five minutes and either get our answer or give up.

But, Sherry has inspired me and I am going to research something .... not sure what yet, but the idea of little graphs and charts

(with maybe some action figures thrown in from my happy meal collection)

really gets my juices flowing ... it has to be something I can do in pencil, too ... I really need a reason to use my graphite.

Chat 2 - OK, so was anyone else stunned to see Nicole get voted off Work of Art?! I was speechless. I had to do a couple laps around my studio to make sure I was still on planet Earth.

Granted that nature piece was not her best work ... but still ...

Chat 3 - On Friday I will have my first acupuncture treatment - I am curious if anyone has done this.

My bud Kristen Tercek recommended a local healer she and her hubby have seen a couple times named Shelby Sickles. I am thinking with a name like that she has to be good.

<---- (kind of like these guys)

I will let everyone know how that goes. Have been having the tingling in arm and fingers and shoulder pain for a while again, so hoping this "energy reset" will help.

(editor's note- so after I wrote this I was warned about acupuncture bruising and have been thinking that bruises all over my neck before a show is probably not a good idea - maybe I will have to do a little research about this - better grab my Speed Racer action figure and a sharpened number 2 for this one ... )

Chat 4 - I am off to Vegas in a few days. My sister is meeting me there to help me at Pool and we have already decided that if we are going to lose money, it is going to be through shopping - hoping some of those cash and carry tables will have a minimum purchase of ... well ... one item ... - and not through a poorly played hand of blackjack.

(neither of us are gamblers, unless you count our willingness to use public restrooms and eat street food)

Also hoping that what happens in Vegas, doesn't stay in Vegas and I come home with a few new wholesale accounts.

Well, got nothing else. Busy making jewelry and packing things up and trying to stay cool through this hottest summer on record!

Take 10 Tuesday - the lazy-girl summer version where we get to 7 this week

1. Are you all in? over at Illuminated Mind

2. It's not time to scale back the gulf oil clean up - is it? over at TreeHugger

3. How much of yourself do you have to reveal to succeed? over at thinktraffic


4. An assistant orders a sandwich at D.A. Wagner

5. Carmen Torbus announces a scholarship contest

6. Brenda shares some tips for selling handknits on Etsy at Phydeaux Designs

7. Rachel's new blog is filled with total gorgeous inspiration!

8. 55 quotes to inspire creativity, innovation and action over at awake at the wheel

authenticity print by emilyleypaper