Go O's

For the last 10 or 15 years Camden Yards has just not been the same. Half the time the fans of the visiting team far outweigh those in orange. This lackluster attitude has been unfortunate, but it is finally turning around. We have our beloved Orioles back again and you can feel it all over Baltimore. I have been lucky enough to attend several home games and it is like being transported back to when I would go to games as a kid. There is something in the air, and it is exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. Hell I just spent $75 on new Orioles flare and I am not even sorry about it.

By the way, if you have not been to the yard lately, perhaps you have been as in the dark as I was about the new "IT" thing to eat. Stuggy's, which is right at the main gate sells hot dogs, topped with crab mac and cheese and sprinkled with old bay. You just read all of that correctly. It is amazing. Period.

 

Yeah, you want that.

 

For The Weekend!

This weekend is the last First Sunday Arts Festival in downtown Annapolis and I will be there! I have been working away like crazy in the studio and will have TONS of new hand stamped pieces as well as some other fun things.

If you have never been down to the First Sunday Arts Festival, you really should go down. It is a great show with fantastic vendors in 3 different area. Of course it being in downtown Annapolis is a fantastic plus!

The festival is this Sunday, and is the last one until next May. It opens at 12:00 and goes until 5pm. You can find all the information you need at  http://firstsundayarts.com/

                                                     Come down. Say hi. Have fun!

Ready for the Election?

You can get your own "Team Donkey" necklace at

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110626760/team-donkey-democratic-necklace 

 

~or your own "Team Elephant" necklace at

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110627913/team-elephant-republican-necklace

 

For Pet Parents

Custom work can be so much fun! I was contacted recently by a super fantastic lady, to create a necklace for her that incorporated both the paw and snout of her pup on a necklace. I have done paw prints for a bit now ( https://www.etsy.com/listing/67323716/paw-print-necklace-sterling-silver ) but I have never done a snout, and I so love doing things I have never done before.

Next thing you know the paw/snout necklace was created and shipped off to the other coast. My client was really happy with her necklace and to be honest, it was my favorite thing I had made in quite sometime.

The Snout necklace has found it's way into my shop now ( https://www.etsy.com/listing/110579386/custom-snout-charm-sterling-silver ) and can be hand stamped with a name or date. Take a look!

 

I'm Still Here!

It has been a way to long since I have sent my voice out into the great void that is cyber space. I have been in a bit of a funk for the entire summer. Sometimes life just doesn't go how you want or expect it to. They say roll with the punches but sometimes the punches are easier to deal with than the constant bitch slaps life delivers on a daily basis. But I have decided to hit back as long as I am still in the ring and since then things have been much more chipper!!!

Not only that but the weather has been in the low 80's during the day and the mid 60's at night! MY FAVORITE. I have slept with the windows open, worn boots and scarves. I am happiest in the fall! I just want to go buy pumpkins and drink apple cider.

I have had a ton of very exciting custom orders rolling that I will be sharing with you all soon! On top of that I have an upcoming show that you all should come visit. I will be participating in the very last First Sunday Arts Festival for the season in downtown Annapolis. This will be on Sunday Ocotober7th! You can get more info here http://firstsundayarts.com/ 

I will have some new fun things to write about soon but let me just leave you with a little Baltimore Pride. The Orioles are in 1st! This is the first time this city has really experienced O's magic since Cal Ripkin still wore a number 8.

GO O'S!!!!!

 

Goings on....

Hello everybody! I have a few events that you should jot in your calendars provided you are like me and still use pens, or for the super cool, google calendar the following!

On Saturday August 18th, I will be lending a helping hand to my oh so talented friend Melinda at Hot August Blues. This is an amazing music festival which you really should not miss out on. All the information can be found at the festival's website http://hotaugustblues.com/lineup/ If you can make it out, be sure you stop by the Byrdcall Studio tent which is where our post will be for the day! I have written about Melinda before and her amazing work, but if you missed that check out her website at http://www.byrdcallstudio.com/


On Saturday September 8th, Heavens to Bessie will be participating in the American Visionary Arts Museum annual Out-Sideshow http://www.sideshowbaltimore.com/outsideshow/ I can not tell you how excited I am to participate this year! Be sure you stop down and come say hey and check out my new work. There are tons of great vendors and this event will be held rain or shine so just plan on coming!!!


On Sunday October 7th, Heavens to Bessie will be at The Downtown Annapolis First Sunday Arts Festival. http://www.firstsundayarts.com/ By then hopefully I will be able to wear a scarf :-) I love fall, so I am really happy to participate in this outdoor event in October! And this is the last First Sunday Arts festival for the year, so be sure to come down for it!

There are plenty of other events in the works so check back often. If you are not already friends with Heavens to Bessie on Facebook....why not? Just search Heavens to Bessie Jewelry. I am also on twitter and instagram (@heavenstobessie) and as always you can check out my website at www.heavenstobessie.com

My Heart Really Likes You

A couple weeks ago, I had not left my house for 2 days choosing to watch movies that make me cry. It had been raining off and on and I looked like I had gotten punched in face a couple times so I figured I needed to find something to do with myself. I ended up joining a couple friends to go down to ArtScape, which if you are not from Baltimore, is a huge art festival with tons of music, food, music, art cars and of course local artists.

I hadn't been down to the festival in a couple years, choosing not to fight the crazy crowds and ridiculous heat. But that day was perfect. It was in the 60's and pouring down rain so I did not have to battle with either. I threw on some boots, grabbed my umbrella and set off with my friends.

We had a great day! So often rainy days can be depressing, hence the movies I was watching, but we turned it into a perfectly cheerful day!

I am on a savings spree currently, and I have a very strict no mug buying policy, as I simply have no place to put them. But sometimes you fall in love and something by Nelle Design spoke to me. This mug has anatomical renderings of hearts on the outside and one inside. Along the top it says "I hope you stay a while because my heart really likes you". This in particular, really spoke to me but all of her work is great! Be sure you check it all out at www.nelledesign.4ormat.com , www.etsy.com/shop/nelledesign and make friends on facebook www.facebook.com/nelledesign .

It is amazing how something so simple can make you so happy!

Persistence

Dear DSW,

I feel the need to write this letter to you regarding the post card I received from you today. The photo features a enviously sexy pair of legs in some very unfortunate snake skin stretchy pants, but that is neither here nor there. The real essence of this advertisement, obviously, is the shoes. Amazing, beautiful, high heeled sandals that perfectly combine brown white and black, ensuring that they would match anything in my closet.

You had me immediately. I am not an online shopper but I went directly to my computer to find these beauties, convinced that I would pay any price for the opportunity to slip my size 7 feet into them and strut as I have never strut before. So up to this point, well done DSW.

Then things went terribly wrong. You did not seem to have these shoes. There was no sign of them anywhere on your website. I then frantically searched the post card itself thinking perhaps you would have credited the designer for these magnificent shoes, but alas, you did not.

It was then that I felt the beginnings of what I can only describe as panic set it. I not only searched your entire online store but then went to searching other shoe websites for these heels. When that search came up empty, I spent time with google to see if perhaps there was a clue anywhere out there in cyber space to point me in the right direction.

I came up empty handed. My spirits had fallen. I had by this point made up my mind that I would of course continue to shop in your store, as I have a shoe problem that you so often seem to cure. However, I was feeling that distrust and harbored resentment would plague me for years to come. It was a cruel and dirty trick DSW. One that paid off for you as I put 4 (OK 5) pairs of shoes in my shopping bag during my search, but still, dirty trick.

In a last ditch effort to find my loves, I decided to go visit your store in person. Crazy notion in 2012 I know, but I had already put in a longer time than I care to admit in my search and then the subsequent time put into writing this long winded letter, so I figured it was worth it. I was pessimistically walking up and down each isle and then my eyes found them. brown peep toe, white stiletto, black strappy loveliness. My size sevens were in stock and they fit perfectly and as an added bonus were actually very comfortable, but they could have made me bleed and I would have found the will to buck up and strut on.

So in conclusion, the anticipation and near disappointment really made the actual moment all the more sweet. I am a very happy customer and wanted to tell you that your marketing director is really quite good (again, despite the unfortunate snake skin pants).

Sincerely,

Sara Robbins-Page

Obsessive and verbose shoe addict.

Persistence pays off!

What I Have Been Working On

A few times a year I go on supply buying trips. I always manage to purchase something a bit quirky. Sometimes these things get used in work immediately and sometimes they sit, waiting for the perfect moment to inspire me. It was over a year ago that I purchased a few strands of bright colored skulls. I had NO idea what I was going to do with them. So they sat. Just a few weeks ago I went on a buying trip and picked up more skulls. These were tiny and as I love things in miniature, naturally I had to have them too.

When I got home, I pulled the ones out that I had bought the year prior and I laid them all on my desk and then went about my business. My thought was if I stared at them long enough, eventually I would figure out what to do with them. And then one day I did.

Though out college, little lithe bodies had found their way into my art work. I used them in a few paintings but by the time graduation rolled around I had sketch books full of them. I could just never seem to leave dance behind entirely.

My idea was always to use them in jewelry and somehow I only made that happen once. I decided to change that! I have been adding my old sketches to these funky skulls and have been having a blast in the studio ever since. I name each one because they really have their own personalities...well that and I am a freak.




https://www.etsy.com/listing/104158893/the-trapeze-artist-sterling-silver

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104158893/the-trapeze-artist-sterling-silver

https://www.etsy.com/listing/104312245/tiny-turquoise-skull-necklace-jewelry

All of these pieces are now available in my shop. At this rate, there will be plenty more, and soon!

Steve Martin, I Love You

I have varied interests when it comes to reading, that is for sure. I read books on history, classic British literature as well as modern fiction, and yes I love a good romance novel here and there. I have a few writers that I have come to love over the years and one of them is Steve Martin. It began with a crush and then quickly lead to be really me in awe of his talent and the variety of it.

LA Story had been one of my favorite movies for a couple years before I realized that he wrote the screen play. I could quote the whole damn movie as everything said seems to be my favorite line. But here are a couple of my favorites...

" Harris: Ordinarily, I don't like to be around interesting people because it means I have to be interesting too.
Sara: Are you saying I'm interesting?
Harris: All I'm saying is that, when I'm around you, I find myself showing off, which is the idiot's version of being interesting."

and of course this one...

"Harris: I could never be a woman, 'cause I'd just stay home and play with my breasts all day."


I read Martin's Shopgirl soon after it came out and loved it so much a read it again as soon as I finished. Soon after that I read his play Picasso at the Lapin Agile where in Picasso and Einstein find themselves together in a bar in Montmartre, Paris. Both of them on the brink of something amazing.
Oh God, Read it!

It has been a few years since I had read anything by Martin until the other day I picked up The Pleasure Of My Company. This book had me laughing out loud as the main character, who is a man plagued by brilliance and severe obsessive compulsive disorder, describes his bizarre thought process in very factual ways leaving no room for other peoples' idea of reality. For instance if he does not get to Kinko's and touch every corner of the copy machines panic will ensue. It is not his panic he is speaking of but panic in general.

Again this is one of those moments where to list everything I loved I'd be quoting the entire book. So do yourself a favor, read this book. And if you have not seen LA Story watch it!!!

Time In A Bottle

I have just come home from a couple days in NYC. Despite the fact that it was 200 degrees outside I had an amazing time. I had a serious Jim Croce moment with my photographs on the ride home. "I'd save everyday like a treasure..."

Follow me on Instagram @heavenstobessie

"Awake My Soul"

The past couple weeks I have been walking around in a bit of a fog. There has just been so much going on, I just can not seem to get anything right. I have managed to ignore my calendar and the pile on my desk and the fact that I have no food in the house for too long now. I am feeling restless and it is time for me to channel that feeling.

I went to bed last night thinking "tomorrow I will get my shit together". Naturally I got a phone call at 9:30 this morning to ask where I was. Yes. I had a 9:00am meeting with some fellow artists that I completely spaced on. This is very unlike me. So not exactly a great start to my "get my shit together" week, but I am on high alert now.

I am here at my computer, catching up on e-mails, ordering, bookkeeping etc. My go to band,  Mumford and Sons, are softly serenading me "Awake My Soul". Yes please! So I am carrying that with me today, along with all the amazing things I have experienced in the last few weeks, family, friendships, honesty along with a few self discoveries.

She is a gorgeous mess of chaos, and you can see it in her eyes.

I Got Mail

I am usually the one doing the shipping but today I got a present in the mail from my dear friend and one time college roommate, Amber. It is an infinity scarf with bits from Pride and Prejudice printed on it. I LOVE it! I put it on immediately and am not really sure when I will take it off.

It is from a talented etsy seller Storiarts by Tori Iannarino. She has a few different books to choose from. Check her store out! www.etsy.com/shop/storiarts I am a happy girl! Thanks Amber!

Today's Motivation

Today my coffee does not taste quite right, my hair is frizzy because it is raining outside. I look to my right and there are piles of laundry I need to do and to my left hairballs, evidence from my dog that summer is pretty much here. These are how crummy days usually start.

In my lazy state I hop on Facebook to see whats a doin' and I find this photo posted by my lovely friend in Northern Ireland. The caption read "Last day of chemo tomorrow". What better fitting image for the moment then her beautiful head scarves dancing in the breeze.

Suddenly, I no longer need the coffee to wake up, I could care less what I look like. As for the weather, the morning rain has brought the birds out to play. The laundry and dog hair will get taken care of eventually, but right now I feel like being in the studio, because what I do makes me happy. It makes others happy too. I just wanted to share this moment that was so beautifully captured with any of you who are not having a great day. There is always something to celebrate, if not for yourself then for others.

Hey There Sailor

On Wednesday, tall ships from all over the world began arriving to Baltimore's Inner Harbor for this weekends Star-Spangled Sailabration. The Blue Angels have been flying around downtown for days now in preparation for their shows this weekend along with tents being constructed all over that are bound to be filled with delicious and unhealthy foods. Fireworks are planned, because after all this is America. And to top it all off there are nearly 40 tall ships and navy vessels filling the Inner Harbor.

I got the best view of it all last night as I was lucky enough to take Ryleigh's Oyster Cruise aboard "Sigsbee", an Historic Skipjack built in 1906 and run by Living Classrooms (http://www.livingclassrooms.org/). The weather was perfect, time of day was beautiful and that night I seriously fell in love with Baltimore all over again. Not because of its quirks, which is usually what gets me enamored with this crazy place, but because of its beauty. Plain and Simple. This city was stunning.

When our harbor cruise ended and we docked, a girlfriend and I drove around to the other side of the city and were simply in awe of how lively it all was. The tall ships were lit up and people were out and about. Have I gone this far and not mentioned the sailors? Throngs of sailors everywhere! I personally am not a girl that goes slack jawed for sailors but I have to say it is quite a fun sight. It so reminds me of the old black and white homecoming photos of the 1950's. I do however know many a girl who cant seem to get a grip when men in those white uniforms are about. It was these ladies I had in mind when I made this necklace which is now available in my shop!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/102217188/hey-there-sailor-hand-stamped-sterling

I am sure no cities are celebrating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner the way we are here if at all, but if you are around Baltimore this weekend, it really is something to see.


If you need more information on the Star-Spangled Sailabration go to http://www.starspangled200.com/index.php

To catch word of Ryleigh's next Oyster Cruise like them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RyleighsOyster

To learn more about Living Classrooms or to donate to this fantastic organization visit http://www.livingclassrooms.org/
 As always my website is www.heavenstobessie.com but you can also see what I am up to on Facebook (Heavens to Bessie Jewelry) and on both Twitter and Instagram (@heavenstobessie)

It's So Much Fun To Be A Hon

Hon: 1) a term of endearment derived from the word honey.

2) your friendly Baltimore woman from the late 1950's to early 1960's who is devoted to Elvis, loves leopard print, and has a pink flamingo or two in her front yard. She lives with one simple motto : "The Higher the Hair the Closer to God"

She is our Grandmother, our Mother, our neighbor, the friend you run into at Giant. She is our heritage. She is Bawlmer Hon!  

Every Year in June, for one weekend, one little street in downtown Baltimore erupts into a plume of pink feather boas, leopard print spandex and cat eye glasses. Hon Fest. The 2 day celebration that pays homage to the HON and everything Baltimore. A few years ago my cousins and I started getting dressed up to go to Hon Fest just for something fun. It has now become a holiday for us and every year more and more ladies join our hon pack.

The hours leading up to the group of us caravan down to Hampden is just a haze of hairspray, jewelry, and red lipstick (no wonder the husband has never accompanied me). Nothing is "too much" no hair can be "too big" and one can of aquanet will just not do.

Once we arrive, we manage to make a stir, that thing about strength in numbers proves true. We smack our gum and blow kisses and shout some "Hey Hons" for videographers and pose for photographers, both professional and not. People have even handed us their kids wanting to take pictures of us all adoring their clearly terrified children. And of course we do it. I mean why wouldn't we?

One of my cousins and myself ready to Hon.

My annual photo with Elvis

Between the craziness, we get the opportunity to really take in the festival. Sampling the food, grabbing a beer, and visiting the awesome stores along the Avenue. For me, the best part is perusing the super fun vendors that come out for Hon Fest year after year. I always find Baltimore crafters that I recognise and adore and each year I manage to discover new ones!

Some of the beautiful hair clips by one of my favorite
Baltimore Crafters, Kolleen Kilduff of
Design By Night
Check out her shop at www.designbynight.etsy.com

After admiring their work online for so long, I finally got
to meet the lovely ladies of Charms City Company
I am obsessed with these initial necklaces. Check
them out at
www.CharmCityCompany.com  

The bright, colorful baltimore inspired works of
Ramon Matheu. See his super fun work at
www.ramonmatheu.com

Be sure you check out Hon Fest's website at http://www.honfest.net/index.html and be sure you watch the adorable movie they have posted on their pagehttp://www.honfest.net/whatis.html . If you need your reminder for Hon Fest for next year, give the facebook page a like 

               http://www.facebook.com/pages/HONFEST/127828540567469                                        

To say that going down to Hon Fest is fun is an understatement to be sure. It is truly a celebration of Baltimore. All that it was and all that it is. Get it on your calendar for next year and come down and get your Hon on!

Road Trip Shenanigans

Last week hubby and I hit the road before the sun, and begun our trek out to Indiana. I spent 7 years living between Evansville Indiana and Newburgh Indiana, all the while planning to return to my beloved Baltimore. It wasn't until year 7 that Indiana really became my home and honestly it was hard to leave. To say we have friends out there is not quite fitting. We have people out there that we love like family, as well as actual family, and it is always so great when we get to see them all. It does however make for one busy week!

This was not just an ordinary visit either. We went out there for our dear friend's wedding, as well as to finally meet our other dear friends baby that was born in February. We made our rounds and visited as many people as we could squeeze into 6 days, ate a lot of Sonic, and just had an over all awesome time. It was, as always too short, but coming home felt great too. It is hard to feel so at home in two different places because you always miss one or the other.

11 Hours as a passenger makes me crazy.



Baby love.

Our old stomping grounds. The building shown was where
my storefront, Moon River Art Gallery was. It is now
a FABULOUS boutique called Flutter
 (www.flutternewburgh.com)

At our friends' carnival themed wedding where I made
great use of the photo prop table.

Making our way back East.

Today's Motivation

I've been having a tough time making my way to my work bench lately so I thought I would pull my paints out today and change things up a bit. It has been 7 years since I graduated with a BFA in painting and I have not touched my paints since, except for the occasional child's bedroom piece. I had many fears about trying to paint again. Mainly "Did I loose what mediocre skills I once had?". The last thing I expected my biggest challenge to be was to simply open my paints after all this time. I thought I would be giving my abused hands a break but this was not to be so. I found myself making some interesting color choices based on which tubes I could open.

Physical challenges aside, that amazing feeling of paint brush on canvas was still there. There is something so soothing about it for me. I had forgotten how amazing that is. I love cutting filing and melting metal, don't get me wrong, but it can be rough work. Rough on my hands, my eyes and sometimes my whole body. The languid feeling of oils moving from brush to surface feels to me what yoga must feel to some people. I feel relaxed, centered and energised.    

Though I am not ready (and may never be) to show what I attempted, I decided to show you all my favorite painting that I ever did. Sort of a think of me at my best type deal. All in all, a good day.

  

A Day At The Races

This past weekend was a whirlwind of, horse racing, out of town visitors, too much food and new strappy Kate Spade heels. The Yettie came home on Wednesday and managed to de-yettie before his family all came in from Indiana the following day. I happily slipped into tour guide mode and by Saturday we were off to Pimlico Race track for Preakness Day. A joyous day for the drunken idiots from all over baltimore as well as the facy folk in fantastic hats.

It started raining very early this morning drawing and end to a beautiful and fun filled weekend. Now it is time for all the seriousness Monday's require. I am listening to Fun. in the studio trying desperately to keep frivolity alive!