CHA and Tucson Shows with a little Whine

(Click on image to view close-up)

I'm hoping to snap some pics of the pieces I've made to wear to CHA and Tucson and share them with you before I go. These are all totally over the top, cartoonish, Haute Couture Madge designs. Yay!

CHA is the Craft and Hobby Association Show. It's the world's largest trade show for the craft industry. The biggest vendors and the biggest companies come together to see the latest innovations and product lines that will hit store shelves later this year. Tucson Gem Show is actually a series of smaller shows that spans several weeks in January and February each year. This is the biggest gem show in the world, it's huge, overwhelming, mind boggling to see so many stones, beads, rocks...your head starts to spin after a while!

Above is the flyer from my publisher that includes my book signings and a wickedly fun Jewelry Making Event co-hosted with my friend, author and designer Fernando DaSilva. Contestants will use products donated by Beadalon, SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, Blue Moon Beads and JTV's Jewel School to create a jewelry design on the fly. Fernando and I will select a winner who will get a big swag bag filled with goodies! I also have two book signings with Bead Chic, so if you're there and you'd like a signed copy come and get one while supplies last!

I'm really, really worn out. Some of you know I've been on a long term course of antibiotics to kill a long standing bacterial infection in my lungs. Apparently when the bacteria start to die off, you get very drained physically. It's called a Herximer Reaction and is a result of the toxins that build up when large numbers of bacteria die off in your body during antibiotic therapy. The good news is that it means the medications are working, the bad news is that I am completely exhausted. I'm hoping I can rally for the events and the shows I have to walk next week. Even my video shoot yesterday was lacking zing.

I'm also feeling the strain of having to fight for recognition and respect in my new work environment. For the most part, no one at my new job really understands who I am or what I do. To be fair, it's so antithetical to corporate reality to do what I've done I can kind of understand why it's hard to understand. Still, I think I've earned the right to feel proud of what I've achieved. I keep visualizing the day when people finally get it and get me and I don't have to fight for every little scrap of success any more.

Is there ever a day like that?

I guess even Martha has to fight every day.

Le sigh.

"I just want to be loved...is that so wrong?"

On a lighter note, I have the cutest outfits to wear to the shows, so even if I'm slap wore out and feeling a little unappreciated, I'll look purdy.

xoxo
Madge