I still get excited to see how these bits and pieces…

…come together to make the birdhouses that seem to make everyone smile.

After years of working with this material, I still get excited with the process of shaping and sculpting the wet clay.  I still appreciate every new mark of the carving tools I use to create the wood grain.  Oh, how I love working in metal clay!

…for Valentine’s Day shopping, Artique Gallery in Lexington Green is carrying handmade jewelry from Studio McManus.

The collection includes some beautiful leaf pendants and earrings, pieces from my coral collection, and of course, a sweet little hand-carved birdhouse.  Each of these pieces are fine silver with shimmering, iridescent patinas that highlight the intricate textures.

Artique is a lovely gallery in south Lexington, KY, with a beautiful collection of items that were handcrafted in America.  I was blown away by how friendly everyone was at the shop.  Please stop by and say “hello” to Mike, Jaime, Lori, Paige and all the other friendly folks at Artique Gallery.  Be sure to tell them Wendy sent you!

Not much time to blog right now.  The American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE) started this morning and runs through Monday afternoon.  This is my first wholesale show and the launching pad for my wholesale business.  Here’s a quick shot of my booth. Wish me luck.  I need all the positive energy and happy thoughts y’all can generate.

The gorgeous African Irisis are blooming in my front yard right now.  These spiky green grass-like clumps have been none too impressive since they were planted last July when we updated our landscaping.  Apparently, winter is the big payoff for these guys.  From a distance, they just look like white flowers, but closer inspection reveals the yellow stamens and lavender shading in intricate designs.

Throughout the year, the yard will burst with bits of color.  Right now we’ve got these beauties, some lovely pink azaleas and the deep burgandy foliage of the Joseph’s Coat.  I’m so looking forward to the riot of fuschia blooms that will cover the flowering nectarine tree I can see from my office/studio window.  It’s such fun to watch this progression from little perch.

I had postcards printed to promote my jewelry business.  I’m mailing some out to potential galleries in advance of the American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE) where I’m exhibiting next weekend.  I addressed a couple of them to myself, just to see how fast they would arrive and in what condition they would arrive.  I dropped them at the post office at 4:55 yesterday afternoon.  They landed in my mailbox in perfect condition at 10 am this morning.

Amazing!

Granted, the post office is just down the street from my house, but still.  I’m totally impressed that they can sort that mail overnight and get in my mailman’s truck for delivery the next day. Three cheers for the US Postal Service!!