October 06, 2013 "News For Those Who Think With Their Hearts" Volume IX ~ Issue III __________________________________________________________________________________________ |
On the road again… we just returned home and what a wonderful time we had. Would you expect me to open a Journal in any other way? I know it might be a different lifestyle for you, but it is one we love. We connect with the nicest people. This past trip verified what I just said…we had a wonderful time! SEMINARS… Two and a half weeks on the road and the time zipped by. First stop was the Capitolers in the Albany, New York area for a three day seminar. Then on to the next seminar in Southport, North Carolina with the Azalea Chapter for two days. What a great trip. Great painters, lots of fun connecting with ladies that I know could become my best friends if we had more time together.
There was a bump in the road when I taught the first seminar in Albany. Long story short I went to the doctor and I had pneumonia!!! A day later I had developed a really bad case of the hives… went to the emergency room. I was allergic to the antibiotic. Saw my doctor when we returned home and my lungs are still not clear and he said it would take three to four weeks for that to happen. The trip was a memorable one. We arrived a couple of days early for the first seminar and had time to do a couple of fun things. Bill wanted to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame and that was a treat… I enjoyed it too. Cooperstown is the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. You really should make that a destination if you are in the area. Cooperstown is a lovely, lovely small town. It is a perfect Norman Rockwell "hometown". They have a Farm Museum and a wonderful Art Gallery - Museum. We did not have time to do either, but I plan to return.
The drive to Southport was a "Junker's" dream. I antiqued at some remarkable locations. My body was not up to it, but "a girl has to do what she was born to do, paint and look for all things old that speak to you… especially antique tin." Bill finally told me he thought I had all the tin for new samples that I would need for a long, long time. Even Bill is entitled to his opinion… but I don't have to agree! You will find photos from both seminars on our Chapter Photo Page and more photo of our trip in the Travelogue Photo Pages. NEWS… Lots of painting is going on in the small room I call my studio. So fun to once again to be painting. I am loving it! Why all the painting? I am working on a book. Yes, a book. It is coming together well and I love my designs. It will be the first one that I have published in a very long time… more than a dozen years, maybe longer. I will give you a heads up when it goes to the printer. MORE NEWS... As I write this Journal changes in the way we do our business are being made. No, we are definitely not retiring; unless the Good Lord has plans we do not know yet. We will no longer do "all of the shows". Last year we did six. We will replace the "show" income by linking chapter seminars on consecutive weekends. This is easier for us to do and certainly not as labor intensive as a show. We love the shows and you will still see us at our two largest shows in 2014, Vegas and HOOT.
My "Old World Santa" is painted on a divided bucket that will be a great container for snacks or to hold napkins, cutlery and desert plates. Chapters, Heads Up!!! If you are interested in saving money on a seminar contact me for the details. We will set up a mini trade show for your chapter members and painters in the area. It will reduce the cost per member to attend the seminar. When I link seminars together it is less expensive if you share the travel expense. The result is a large savings in expenses for all the chapters participating in the linked seminars. I am completing my schedule for 2014 and 2015, so now is the time to contact me. AND the best for last…MORE GOOD NEWS… In April 2014 I will sponsor the first TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FOLK ART SEMINAR. This has been on the drawing board for several years and finally it is a reality! Is there anything more fitting than a Texan as our first teacher? Rosemary West is undeniably the best folk artist and teacher in Texas. She is designing new patterns for a mantle clock and for an reproduction of an Antique English Maids Basket. I am thrilled to be able to send this info out at long, long last. It has been my intention to do this for such a long time, but life kept getting in the way. The seminars will be twice a year. We will have guest teachers from all over the US. Some have already committed verbally to come. Now I have to work out dates that work with their schedules. (click here to see the information about my new venture) AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE IS STILL MORE NEWS... Bill and I are at the crossroads in all areas of our business. Sometimes opportunity knocks and you don't realize it is "opportunity knocking". This past year we learned that one of our suppliers was closing their factory. Fortunately we were able to stockpile most of the inventory that we ordered regularly from them. Now much of what we ordered is slowly being depleted. They made the trains, cars, buses, arks, and most of our ornaments. If any of these are on your "wish list" and "you can't live without them" and "will order them someday", now really is "someday". We have stock on some items, some items are very low, and some items are already sold out. There is another plan afoot in the Wetterman household. I have decided to eliminate some of our current tin pieces and replace them with a whole new line. This will take a while. The new stock can only be replaced when we have depleted the current stock. This will include the large primed tin line as well. I will replace about half of the old stock. This will give us a whole new look. New ornaments, small items, and our large primed tin as well. So if you have anything on our web site that you are planning to purchase, you should do it now. All of this happened because "opportunity came knocking" and when I answered the door the opportunity to make a big change arrived. So again, we are not going out of business. I am discontinuing some of the old tin to make room for new tinware shapes and designs. This will not happen overnight, but your favorite pieces of tin could disappear overnight. I am especially pleased to start the Texas Hill Country Folk Art Seminars where all of our treasures will be painted on vintage tin. What could be better? Not much. I am so blessed to have a business I love and a husband that helps me make it happen. Hmmm, or does he do it because it supports us and he makes me work??? Guess I need to think about that a bit more. I will miss going to all of the shows, but the body is saying I am too old to keep up with the pace of setting up a 36 ft. "boutique for painters" and stand on a cement floor for 5 or 6 days. So we will start to work smarter. Seminars are easier for both Bill and I and we will pull a small trailer, not a 16 ft. one. We will see many of you in your home town when I come to teach your chapter. Sending a warm hug to each of you, Della Please share this Journal with your chapter and all of your painting friends. By clicking here it will take them to our web site, scroll to the bottom of the page and they can sign up to receive each issue of our "Folk Art Journal". DellaAndCompany.com |
On the way in we passed an antique shop with three buildings. I planned to stop when we headed out... we stopped and it was closed. It was Wednesday. What antique shop closes on Wednesdays??? Three great buildings and no one was home. Rats!!!
CREATIVE PAINTING VEGAS 2014
It will be in Fredericksburg, Texas. This small town is known nationally as articles have appeared in so many, many magazines featuring the unique shops, the beautiful area and wonderful things that are nearby that are "must see" locations.