There is much news to share since my last post. I had hoped to get this out sooner, but life seems to get in the way more frequently these days. Family continues to consume most of my time and that leaves very little time for taking care of Della and Company. Finally, there is time to share a lot of news with you. News of past events, a chance to win gift certificates, new patterns, new tin, a sale exclusively for my Folk Art Friends and much, much more.

So let’s get started …

We exhibited at the Creative Painting Conference in Vegas a few weeks ago and it was a terrific show. We look forward to it each year. Unfortunately, we missed the reunions with friends I see once a year from this area. Both of us were under the weather at the show. Bill had a sinus infection and I caught a flu bug while there (as did many others) and I was confined to my room for four days.

Our drive home was through a winter wonderland with miles of snow covered mountains, forests, desert and fields for two days. The snow in Arizona was deep and so beautiful. As we approached New Mexico the snow was less dense and only a light covering remained when we crossed the border into Texas. Cold, cold, 5° one morning, but what a memorable trip!

WIN A $50.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE
In the month of March when you place an order through our web site your name will be entered in a drawing for a $50.00 Gift Certificate. The certificate may be used to purchase any of the Folk Art Tin that is in stock. The certificate should be used in the month of April.

ANOTHER CHANCE TO WIN A $50.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE
If you have painting friends that would like to receive the Folk Art Journal send in their email address; with their permission. We will place your name in the drawing for each three names that you submit. Someone will win, it could be you.
Email the names to Della@DellaAndCompany.com .

A SALE JUST FOR YOU!!! (For the month of March only)
A sale just for the Folk Art Friends on our mailing list on the following pieces of New Tin shown below! Use the code word folkart when you check out and you will receive a 25% discount off these BRAND NEW PIECES!. How good is that? These are reproductions of antique pieces that were recently added to our shopping cart. This offer good while supply lasts or until the end of March, no rain checks, so don’t hesitate, place your order now. Tell your painting friends there will be a “perk” just for those on our mailing list each time our newsletter arrives this year.

FOLK ART EXPRESS TRAIN
Well, what can I say? We are out of the trains again. We have another order due in May. Hopefully the next shipment we receive will be sufficient and we will not run out again. We will send out a heads up note when they arrive. We should have them available for the Tampa Show.

NEW TIN
New tin pieces were introduced at the Vegas Show and they all sold well. We also displayed samples for five vintage cars that are not yet for sale. They are perfect gifts for the men in your life. The cars are on the web for you to see. They will be available for sale in late May. See photos on home page. The other new pieces are in the shopping cart and may be ordered now. New Folk Art Tin.

The most popular piece of new tin was the reproduction of a double French flower bucket below that Shara Reiner painted.

Both the pattern and tin are now available.

Pattern Packet SH-001

Double French Flower Bucket FT-2157

It seems that each time you receive the Folk Art Journal I am excited about new products that we have received or will be receiving soon. The drawing board has something on it all the time and new samples are arriving monthly.

A new series of Christmas ornament shapes will debut at the Tampa Show. They are flat, not puffed, their shapes and design are different and very unique. They, too, will be offered for sale online in May. Photos will be added later in the spring. We will give you a heads up when they are in.

So, lucky you, 2008 will be a banner year for new products!

 2008 TRADE SHOWS (Dates will be posted on the web soon)
APRIL – Middle Atlantic Decorative Paint Show (MAD)
Our product will be at the MAD Show in Pennsylvania. All our ornaments with their painted samples will be on display. Jane Allen designs on our tin and will have a booth at the show. She will have our patterns, her patterns and unpainted tin (mostly ornaments) for sale.

We offered Jane’s first patterns for sale at the SDP Anaheim Show in 2007. She will be teaching a class at MAD for the first time. If you live in the area “be nice to yourself” and attend the conference. If you can’t take classes do plan to drive in for the show. You will be pleased with the many new samples Jane will have displayed.

Sonja Richardson will also have a booth at MAD with designs on our tin. Her creative style never fails to amaze me. She is a unique talent and will have some wonderful surprises for you. Her Hansel and Gretel Train is a wonderful treasure and it will be on display at the show.

MAY – SDP Painting Conference, Tampa, FL
We are sponsoring a Special Event in Tampa with both Rosemary West and I teaching.

Super special surprises will be available for those of you attending our Special Event. It will be the best one yet! Be sure to register while there is still space in the class. The class has sold out the past two years.

JULY – Artist Expo, Houston, TX
This is the third year for this show and I will be teaching there. The conference is housed in a great hotel. Their catalogue is now available. It is really worth your while to come to the show. There are so many painters in Texas and Louisiana that can help this show grow and be a permanent source for supplies and inspiration. So order a catalogue and help to make this an annual “treat” for you and your painting friends. We will be placing a catalogue in each order that we ship. We do that for all of the shows that send us literature to share with you.

AUGUST – HOOT – Heart of Ohio Tole, Columbus OH
Always a super show you won’t want to miss. These ladies have worked on this show for so many years they know how to do it right! Make your plans to come this year. I will be teaching two classes.

OCTOBER – NET – New England Traditions, Providence, RI
We will return to our favorite part of the country, New England, and be a part of their 10th Anniversary celebration. The chapters are planning a wonderful celebration and we hope you will plan to join us for the fun. I will also teach a class at NET.

SALE
Have you checked our web site lately? If you have not there are bargains to be found. We have a large number of Della’s patterns on sale for half price only while they last. No rain checks, no backorders. If you hurry you can take advantage of the bargains. Some of the patterns are on sale because they will be discontinued or we have too many in our inventory. At any rate they won’t last long at these prices.

NEW PATTERNS
Rosemary West

   

Two new patterns are on our web site for Rosemary West. One is brand new, a tin basket with a beautiful design, and the other is a set of two Christmas ornaments that we sold all last year, but failed to add it to the web site. Patterns RW-225 and RW-224

In the next post I will give you a heads up on more of Rosemary’s patterns that we will be adding to our site.

Shara Reiner
As mentioned earlier in this post Shara Reiner’s pattern painted on our new Double French Flower Bucket is now on the web. We will be adding more as she produces other patterns for our product. She has a new lamp sample that she picked up at Vegas and will be painting something wonderful on it soon.

OUT of PRINT BOOKS
So many of you were interested in the Joyce Howard books that I offered for sale in the last newsletter; all were sold. I searched my many boxes of out of print books and found a few more copies of the hard back and soft back books of her very first book.

If you were not successful in purchasing one of her books and would like one send an email to Della@DellaAndCompany.com and I will send you the ordering information.

I have several different German Folk Art books. Some are written in English and a few in German; all have great photos.

We will not be listing them on the web. It is too labor intensive to keep it updated.

JOYCE HOWARD
Mentioning Joyce’s books in the last letter brought in a stream of correspondence from many of you that knew her, painted with her or love her style and wanted to know more about her. It was heart warming and I loved hearing from you. I promised several that I would respond when time permitted. I am sad to say that due to family illness I have not had the time to respond. I apologize, but I have an alternate plan!

And in closing ...
Today is a beautiful day, so spring like and as I wish I had time to take a long walk with Beau (our Bichon) and let the fresh air renew my soul. It is not meant to be. Our web site should have been freshened long ago, the newsletter is past due so there is still work to do. As I proof this letter before sending it to the web I once again I am reminded of how blessed I am to have the opportunities that this industry affords me.

I received an email recently in response to the letter that I sent asking for your old worn out brushes for my friend, Susan Mynyk. It was from Nora of Argentina.

Here is the note:

I am Argentia.
Speak you Spanish?
I have brushes falt and angle for donations.
Comp debo hacer?
Thanks, Nora

I sent the note to Susan; she and Nora corresponded. Susan found a site online that will translate so they could communicate. Susan is a very resourceful person.

Not all, but most folk artists are dreamers; however, it is where the dream leads us that is important. Nora made the first step; Susan followed through and two painters from different countries shared a common dream, the love of painting.

It was heartwarming to hear from someone who crossed the language barrier to be a part of our circle of friends that “dream” and “think with their hearts”. Indeed, are all blessed.

All my life family and friends have called me a dreamer. Some would think it is a curse; I feel it as a blessing. Keep painting; keep dreaming and most of all take action and see where the dream might lead. Without action it remains only a dream.

If you have any old scruffy brushes Susan still needs them and would be grateful to receive them.

Until our next visit I will be “dreaming” and “thinking with my heart” and I know some of you will be as well, Della