stress relief...

So, yesterday I went and rented a storage unit! This has been a great stress relief for me, at least now I have someplace to put things. My little bungalow is bursting at the seams, so I need to get organized! I have bought myself a little time to figure out what to get rid of, what I want to keep, and how I can get things (my house) in order. I think I am one of those people that needs a deadline to get my butt in gear!
I will not be a the Market this weekend- I'm taking a wee break...

Winding down

My days at the Gallerage are numbered. I have to be out by the end of the month. I am starting to feel VERY anxious about my move and closing. I would really appreciate it if all my fabulous artists could get in touch with me and let me know when you will be picking up your work- sometime in the next couple of weeks would be good. I have so much to do, it is starting to FREAK ME OUT a little!
On top of that, Wilson is almost finished with third grade, and Don has a business trip coming up-
Where am I going to put all this stuff? This morning everything is hitting me! I have a very busy couple of weeks ahead of me!

A Day in NYC!

We took a day excursion to NYC this past Saturday- WOW, what a great time we had! It was so fabulous to feel that energy again- I can't wait to go back!

The Busy Baker!

Wils LOVES my Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins!
I have had a great time this morning, putting it all aside and baking! Wilson's class is having a bake sale tomorrow (Saturday) morning at the Groton Bank. The class is trying to raise cash for a field trip they want to take. I hope my offerings will help. I made Lemon Wafers, Chocolate Cashew Chunk Cookies, and my award winning Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins.

The Countdown begins!

I have started to plan for my final days... The Gallerage's final days that is! Anybody need a huge, heavy, glass case? I look around and think: It took me a year to make this mess, now I have to clean it up in a month! Actually it is not a mess, just full- it does not look like I'm closing down at all. I still have lots of wonderful items for sale, and I plan on selling until I lock the doors at the end of June. So, stop by and check things out, I LOVE talking to people. Who knows, maybe something will catch your fancy!

The Last Picture Show!

Read about it in the paper!(page 2)

Get your Groton Green Bags!

The Groton "Green Bags" are in! These are great large canvas tote bags- fabulous Mothers' Day Gift! they cost $12.00, and all the proceeds go to Making Olde Home Days a GREAT EVENT! They will be available at local retail shops in Groton, you can get them right NOW at Bun Appetit and Thou art Gallery- everywhere else, next week.

The Big announcement...

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about my future with the gallery. I have decided with a heavy heart to close up shop. I am at a place where I want to concentrate on my own artwork, and not be bogged down with all the other activities of running a store front. This decision is not an easy one- I love my shop. I will be running things as usual until the end of June. After that, you can find me, and a lot of the local artists I represent at the Ithaca Farmers' Market. I want to say THANKS to all my fabulous artisans that have stuck by me even when sales were less than great! I also want to say THANKS to Jodi who gave me a location and freedom to do "my thing" with the space. I have enjoyed working next to you. So, there it is, in writing. Now on with future plans...

Let the Sunshine in!

Yesterday was warm enough to open the the Garage door and let in the sun and fresh air! It was wonderful to be able to take in the energy from Main St. again! I feel like I have been living in a cave all winter. Wilson was drawing on the pavement with chalk, people were having coffee on the porch, and it really felt like SPRING!

Workshop!

Spring Cleaning with Balance

Presented by Kash Iraggi-Wiggins
Sunday March 28, 1-4, at Thou Art Gallery 215 Main St. Groton, NY
Reserve a space by calling 280-9699

This one day class is all about bringing pure essential oils into your life at a time of the year that we are all emerging from winter and looking towards spring and new days.

We will focus on the adrenal glands and what pure essential oils help them gear us up for spring thaw. Along with the adrenals we will also discuss the effect of certain essential oils on other parts of the body and how and why they should be a part of our daily use at this time of year.

The class is three hours long and is broken up into 60 minute intervals with the beginning hour being about pure essential oils and the need for them in our life. We will also go over essential oil purity, safety and usage.

The second hour will be spent blending oils for a specific use. You will have the choice of making a spritzers, massage & body oils or hand/body wash which you will take with you for use at home.

The third hour will focus on how, why and where you should use this product and other products to ensure your health and well being in the coming months. There will also be time for questions and discussions during the last hour.

There will be 10 minute breaks through out the day.

Kash Iraggi-Wiggins. Certified Aromatherapist; Licensed Massage Therapist & Herbalist
Kash owns and operates Balance Aromatherapy which creates all natural body care products for your mind, body and spirit. She focuses on incorporating pure therapeutic essential oils into our lives and our body through daily use. She has been working with therapeutic essential oils for over 25 years and is also an herbalist, massage therapist and reiki practitioner.

She teaches classes on how to make and use body care products that help support the body’s ability to heal.


“Breathe it in!”

Inventory is Growing!

I have been painting like a fool trying to get ready for the market season! These are a few new items, but there are many more! Today I will be doing switch plates- and more switch plates!

Party Time!

It is always a party at the Gallerage! Come and join the fun! I have a Playtime for Grown-ups class on Tuesday March 16th! click here for more info: PMC CLASS, If anyone is interested this will be a lot of fun- let me know ASAP, I have room for 3 more grown-ups! Speaking of classes... I am going to be starting a series of Art After School classes for kids! I am very excited to be able to offer these again. Art After School will be starting April 12th. These classes will be Monday afternoons 3:30-5:30. We will be doing a wide variety of projects like silk painting, mosaics, ceramic painting, collage, and more. Please let me know if you would like to sign up for the Art After School, classes are designed for ages 7-12. Each class is $20.00 and includes all materials needed, a yummy snack, and lots of fun creating. Call 280-9699, space is limited, so sign up early.

Whole foods!

Ok, here I am mid week 2 of this whole foods, vegetarian eating regime. I have discovered a few things: there is A LOT of chewing, a Lot of prep time, and salt is a must! Also it can be a bit expensive, but all food is expensive these days. Anyway, I like to cook so it has been fun to experiment with with new flavors, grains, and ways of doing things. The best part of all is, I have lost 3 pounds- must be all those calories I am burning from the chewing!
Time to pack up for the gallerage, I am working on a fabulous lamp shade...

What day is it?

All this "hibernating" lately, I don't know what day it is! I feel like I have been on vacation! I am open today!!!! I hope I get a little traffic. I have some new goodies that are fabulous! I also have some sales going on- stop in, pick up a treat at the bakery and get out of the house!

SNOW DAY!

Here we go with another snow day- Mommy and Wilson "working" together at the Gallerage. I am open right now, but I don't plan on staying open until 6:00- it just doesn't make sense in this weather. so I will have an early day and go home watch Oprah.

Turning a new leaf?

I had my yearly Doctor's appointment this past Monday. As usual the topic of losing weight came up. My Doc, who is very "new age" and alternative when possible, prescribed a book! It is called The China Study, written by T. Colin Campbell- a former Cornell Prof. It is a fascinating read- I highly recommend it. After reading the intro I was all about a "whole food diet" with only 5% animal protein! In my head, this is a doable idea. In my kitchen it is a bit harder to fathom. My plan is to do 2 days a week vegan- that seems to be manageable. So I have the wheat berries simmering on the stove for my salad for lunch, and the whole wheat veggie lasagna ready for dinner- (made with soy cheese). I did really enjoy the Irish oatmeal for breakfast, although Wilson wanted a few mini chocolate chips sprinkled on it before he would eat it. I guess I can't expect him to be as excited about this new healthier way of eating over night. Time to go chop some vegetables, soy milk anyone?

What is going on???

It has been a slow week! I have had Wilson to keep me company- winter break is no break for a mommy! Keeping him occupied and still getting some work done is always a challenge. I tend to turn to the computer (my version of the "electronic babysitter") when things get rough! That, and he LIKES to shovel- it has been a good week for shoveling.

Playtime for Grown-ups!

I have a great class lined up for March 2nd! Please call and let me know if you are interested, the class size is limited- first call basis. You will be making items that are pure silver. All materials are included in the price of the class. There will also be coffee and snacks provided. Playtime for grown-ups is a great stress reducer, we all need a little fun now and then! Call 280-9699 to register for this class.

Thou Art Gallerage presents:
Playtime for Grown-ups (16 years and up)
Tuesday, March 2 6:00-8:00
Come and experiment with Precious Metal Clay. The clay that magically turns into a pure silver
creation after being fired in a kiln. You will have the opportunity to make a number of charms
and/or buttons. This is a fun class for anyone who likes to work in metal, clay or even fiber.
The charms and buttons will make great embellishments for jewelry, clothing, bags, etc.
$45.00 class fee includes one package of PMC (1 package can make 3 small charms).
More packages will be available for purchase.
Class will be taught by jewelry designer Sandy Yhaner.
Please call 280-9699 to register for this class- space is limited. You must register so
materials are available.

On a budget!

My husband has put me on a strict budget. Tough times call for creative thinking, and rolling lots of coinage! I have many little receptacles that I dump change in. Over the period of about 5 years a large tray on my dresser has been my favorite. This tray is big and piled high with "spare" change. The need for a dye job and hair cut has forced me to attack my tray! I rolled $158.00! My roots are getting done!
I also found some lost treasure under all that change! Earrings that had gone missing, rubber bands, sewing needles, movie tickets, hair clips, old smarties, chapstick, satin ribbon, receipts, beach glass, lucky stones, clothing tags, buttons, and a number of "important" names and phone numbers of people I don't remember- sorry I didn't call! Anyway- I can get my hair done, and I have some "mad money" left over.

My Wooden Heart!

I was given a bag of these plywood cut-out hearts. They were screaming "Paint Me"! I love them. This one is almost finished and I have 2 more in the works. They are HAPPY HEARTS!
I will be at the Gallerage today hanging some new artwork, and getting a delivery of the most FABULOUS body products! I have been using a sugar scrub by Kash Iraggi for a week now, and I my skin feels incredible- I also smell pretty good! The Balance Aromatherapy products are highly recommended!

going to the post office

I finished this order for champaign flutes- I think the look great. Now the worry begins. I need to pack them up and ship them to Florida. I always worry about glassware getting there in one piece. Almost everything I do is "breakable", but stemware just seems to be a bit more fragile. Lots od bubble wrap and peanuts!

Crazy January Weather!

Salvador was out for about 3 minutes, and he was totally covered in snow! It has been really cold in the Gallerage, and I have been getting a bit grumpy! I worked on the insulation around the big door, but because of the strong winds it has been hard to get in place. I think I have it now. Hopefully it will be warmer today- although it said -7 this morning! I haven't had much traffic this week either, and that doesn't help my mood.
I am looking for artists that would like to participate in a group show- the theme is LOVE (for February) please let me Know (ASAP) if you would like to be a part of this. I need to work fast- it is almost February!

a new week begins...

Another new week at the Gallerage. The snow in front of my garage door is gone, so I can finally get out the ladder and take down my holiday lights, and pack them away for next year.

I had lunch with with my husband's group from Cornell on Monday- I was invited to celebrate Don's 20 years at Cornell. It was so funny because as we were walking into the Statler I mentioned how I used to know quite a few people who had worked there, but I didn't think anyone was still there. As soon as I sat down our waiter walked in- It was Marty, who I had worked with at Simeon's back in the 80's! Then as I went into the buffet room, I ran into Kandi, I worked with her in the 90's! I had so much fun running into old friends that I hadn't seen in ages.
Don made the comment, "once a waitress always a waitress"!

I hope I have some people to wait on today at the gallery.

New work arriving!

I have had a lot of new artisans stopping by the Gallerage! Yesterday I stocked up my "natural apothecary cabinet" with fabulous potions by Kash Iraggi. Kash is a licensed aroma therapist who creates wonderful products for the body and soul. We have all natural glycerin soaps, salt and sugar scrubs, body butter, lip balm, spritz, bath salts and oils. I have used Kash's products and they are great for "winter skin"-not to mention they smell incredible.
I also have hand crocheted baby & toddler sweaters, ponchos, and blankets by Norma Hahne. these are colorful, washable, comfortable, and very reasonably priced.
Stop in at Thou Art Gallerage and see what's new!

Going to the Doctor!

I DREAD today! I have to take my dog, Savador to the vet. This is a total "stress out" for both of us. Salvador is a fabulous dog with one exception- he HATES the vet! I have prepared the special meatballs with doggy relax pills, this does help a little, as long as they kick-in in time. The last visit my timing was off and he was a BEAST at the vet and knocked out about an hour after we got home. Pull out the muzzle we are coming! I hope they can get his nails clipped this time...
I'm off to drug the dog!

Getting it together...

I have started to put together classes for kids again. I will be offering a class on making your own floor mat. This class will be done in 3 two hour sessions, incorporating printing, painting and collage techniques. Children ages 6-12 will complete a finished 2'x3' fully functional floor mat.
I think I am going to try something new and offer this class (taught by me) as an after school activity. So I will be doing it on either a Monday or Tuesday, dates to be determined. If anyone has thoughts on this, please let me know, I am still in the planning stages- more to come! Input is always helpful!

Back to work!

After the holidays, I always take a couple of weeks off from painting. I tend to paint all the time when I am at home, so it is nice to take a bit of a break to kind of re-group. I am always so excited to get back to it. I have been working on a couple of 2-D pieces on canvas (still a work in progress), and I have been busy with small pieces: knobs, magnets, salt and peps- just to get me warmed up. Then, on to the big stuff!

Call out to local artists...

I am looking for new merch! Any local artists interested in selling at the Gallerage give me a call.
The number is 607-280-9699. Please keep in mind my space is "cozy" so super large 3D pieces are a bit hard to display. Business has been great, and I'm looking forward to meeting new local artists.

Hot chocolate for a cold day- or maybe a mocha...

I found this recipe for hot chocolate mix- it is really good! I have changed one thing: I added 1/2 a bag of mini chocolate chips to the mix, and I like to add instant espresso powder to my cup for a yummy mocha. WOW is this good on a cold day.

* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
* 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
* 1 cup HOT water
Mix all ingredients together. Use 1/4 cup of mix to 1 cup hot water.

This hot chocolate (or mocha) is really good in a Gary Rith mug, I just happen to have them on SALE- 50% off! Stop into Thou Art Gallerage for a mug and a sample!

snow, snow, and more snow!

In case you don't know it- we got snow! The Gallerage has been closed for one week and a half. With the heat turned off in there it got really cold! I bought a new heater, and it was warming up in there nicely yesterday. I am back to work today- so stop by if you are around. Time to clean up the Christmas and get on with the new year. Lets have a happy one!