Redeemed

I delivered work to River Market Books and Gifts yesterday. Margo took quite of few of my hairy Christmas cards, so they look pretty to me again today. She also took a bunch of new collages (which explains why they disappeared off my site). I love watching her look at my stuff. I feel kind of awkward and self-conscious, but at the same time it's exciting and validating. Margo wants my stuff, and the struggle to reconcile her collage lust with her budget scrolls across her face. Watching her process is at least as satisfying as getting a check. I feel like an artist again today.

Margo's also great with feedback. She tells me what she likes about my pieces. And if she doesn't take a piece, she tells me why. She said she liked my mini collages, but several of them have lint stuck inside the frames, and if that could be cleaned out, she'd consider them again next time. "Lint?" I said. Lint? Huh? I picked up one that she indicated and, sure enough, there are little particles of lint stuck to the inside surface of the frame. What the hell? I don't know if this is a remnant of cleaning the glass before I assembled the piece--like the lint was damp and didn't show up until it dried. Or if, because these little frames aren't sealed, garage crap crept inside them. Knowing the problem is a big help, though. I can take the little guys apart, brush out the lint somehow, reassemble them, and then put a paper seal over the back to keep it from happening again. Very helpful info.

In the meantime, I'm making strange felt and embroidery bookmarks for the next round of greeting cards. Gotta love a project that can be done entirely on the couch in front of the TV.