As 2020 Winds down…

It has been a year….with more to come for sure… but as 2020 winds down I find myself thankful for so much even as I shake my head and utter the words: really??? over and over again.

Somewhere on that gratitude list lie the people of Erie County, the city of Buffalo, and the surrounding areas of Western New York. Faced with the very real possibility of a Red Zone lockdown in the week before Thanksgiving, WNYer’s came out in socially distanced droves to support small retail businesses. The outpouring of support and concern came from many of the same people who have had their lives turned on end by a pandemic that appears to have no interest in letting up. In addition to in-person shoppers coming into ShopCraft I’ve noticed that so many of my online sales are shipping to local addresses. Thank you, thank you, thank you for choosing local small business over big box stores and behemoth online retailers.

As of this writing Erie County is still in an Orange Zone. While retail remains open, and restaurants are at least able to offer take out and outside dining for those willing to brave the cold, many other businesses have been forced to shut down. I understand the need for restrictions but my heart goes out to gym owners, hair stylists, other personal care service providers and all who have lost their jobs or are temporary shut down or unemployed due to covid.

My heart also goes out to medical care providers, grocery store workers, parents who are juggling home schooling with work-from-home jobs…. and the list goes on and on…

This pandemic will eventually pass, but it will leave behind empty chairs at dinner tables, a changed Main Street and a very different way of conducting business for a large portion of small, medium and even large organizations.

For the remainder of 2020 and going forward I wish you good health, peace of mind and good fortune. As always, you can find my work at ShopCraft at 773 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo and online in my Etsy Store.

Stay safe! Stay Well! And please wear a mask!

What?!? It’s time for Thanksgiving?!?

Wow it’s been a crazy year! But time doesn’t stand still and we are, indeed, barreling straight into the Holidays. I wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving. And whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus, I wish you warmth, peace and love in the coming month and beyond.

My only show of the season will be Women’s Gifts. Saturday, November 30th, Ashbury Hall, 341 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202. 11am till 5pm.

You can also find my prints and ornaments online HERE along with a very good selection of my work ranging from cards and magnets to large originals at ShopCraft at 773 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222. We will be open 7 days a week through Monday, December 23rd with limited hours on Christmas Eve.

ShopCraft Holiday Hours:

  • November 29th, Black Friday 9-8
  • November 30th, Small Biz Saturday 9-8
  • Sundays 10-7 thru December 23rd
  • Monday-Saturdays 10-8 thru December 20th
  • Sunday December 22nd 10-8pm
  • Christmas Eve 10-4

773 Elmwood Avenue,Buffalo, New York 14222

Everything is Going to the Dogs!

 

“… Late arrivals at the Gala included Herbert Boston, Director of Canine Affairs, and his lovely companion Eva “Chi Chi” Tink. Boston basked in the afterglow of his successful Terrier Empowerment Initiative; but it was Tink who drew the most praise for her immigration and humanitarian work at in southern border states…”

 

“Going to the Dogs” is a bit extreme. And, as Herbert and Chi Chi can tell you, being with the dogs can be a very cool thing. That said, 2018 was a year of personal challenges for me. And, like unwanted house guests,some of those challenges followed me into 2019. But all is not gloom and doom! Some exciting things have happened too! My home base, ShopCraft, moved to a fantastic new location! We are still in the Elmwood Village at 773 Elmwood Avenue. Please come and visit!

Another positive development is that I’m drawing again. I started early in 2018 and then abandoned it. But, October being Inktober, I picked up my pens, brushes and gouache and started creating new images. You will still find my one-of-a-kind sculpted and painted originals at shows and festivals, as well as ShopCraft, but the new images are fresh and fun! They are perfectly suited to the dye sublimation coffee mugs, ornaments and gifts I started making in November 2018. You can find them HERE and at ShopCraft too.

My Instagram feed will give you a behind the scenes look at both lines of work.

So Woof Woof 2019! If you’re not nice to me I’ll bite you 🙂 Here’s wishing everyone a warm, sunny Spring.