Thanks to all of you who came out to the Grandview Lazy Daze Festival last Saturday. It was a nice day, with the weather really agreeable for a change. I hope you enjoyed the festival. What I like best about the Grandview event are the people who run it. The Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Art League members who run the show are the nicest group of folks you can imagine. They really know how to treat the artists who participate in their event, and I really appreciate it--bottles of ice cold water brought to us all day long, snacks made available to us in an air-conditioned oasis, and---the best thing of all (I'm not kidding)--artist-only, air-conditioned, indoor bathrooms with running water. Hallelujah! Trust me, it matters. Today they sent me (and all the artists from last Saturday's event) an invitation to participate in The Grandview Hop on Aug. 25 with no booth fee. I haven't responded yet, but I'm leaning toward doing it, so pencil it in on your calendars from 5 pm to 9 pm on that date. It's the last Hop of the season, and it sounds like fun.

My neighbor Stefanie just sent me this photo of her dog, Baxter, stopping by our house this evening to see if anyone was interested in coming out to play. Unfortunately, we weren't home when he came by, because Teddy is always up for a game of chase, and Sophie enjoys knowing that there are smaller dogs than her in the neighborhood. Sorry Baxter! I hope we're home next time. 

Many, many thanks to all of you who stopped by my booth at the Westerville Arts Festival this past weekend. It was great right up until just before the official close on Sunday. The official close of the festival was supposed to be 5 PM, but around 4:30 PM, some serious storm clouds appeared, and we (meaning all the artists, not just me and Art) started speed-packing. I have jewelry stashed in places it was never meant to be, and I seriously hope I can find it all. It will make setting up for the next show interesting. Most of my portrait samples made it home safely, although three of them will require new matting or some new backing, as the water seeped in between the frame and the glass. 

I thought we might make it out before the rain started, but as soon as Art pulled up in our vehicle (realize that all 100+ artists are retrieving their vehicles and trying to park next to their displays all at the same time), it started to pour. We ran a couple of things to the car and stashed them, but the rest remained piled up under the canopy, which Art held on to, along with the help of 200 pounds worth of sand in buckets that we use to weigh down the canopy. Did I mention that I ran back to the car to wait out the storm? Yes, I left my husband standing under a metal-framed canopy during a thunderstom with all kinds of crazy-close lightning so that he could hold onto it and watch over the rest of the stuff piled up underneath. What a guy! (Love you.....XOXOXOXOX....) We were both soaked, and everything that I had that didn't get put in the car on the first trip was soaked. It dropped 1.25 inches of rain on us in about a half an hour.

As bad as it was, it could have been worse...we had a little advanced warning, and because it was at the end of the festival, we didn't wait for anyone official to tell us to pack up. While everything got wet, nothing was really ruined, and Art didn't get struck by lightning. So.....I hope you can make it to Grandview on July 28 for the next festival. I'm really hoping for a dry day!

Well, it's my front door. But it's more than that....it's the gateway to Two Dog Studio. That sounds silly. But it's true, and it has an amazing new feature, which is the fabulous new handrail on the right of my front steps. It's fabulous because it is a handmade wrought iron handrail from Fortin Ironworks, plus, it's a steady handhold for all visitors, especially my dad, who is awaiting knee surgery. It also provides a nifty hitch for Sophie when she wants to sit out front. I'm not sure I'll hitch Teddy to it. He gets pretty excited when other dogs pass by, so we may have to install a Sherman tank to hitch him to--I don't want my new railing to go flying down the street attached to a runaway golden retriever, so he's better off in the fenced back yard. That's not to say the railing's not secure....it is, but why tempt fate.

The other amazing aspect of this new railing is the fact that it looks like it was installed by a professional. BUT NO....it was installed by none other than my husband, Art. He is a professional, but his profession does not involve power tools in any way. Art is known for his striking good looks, sharp wit, intellectual prowess, uncanny legal reasoning, and superior driving skills, but he has not, until this breakthrough moment, been recognized as "handy" around the house.The idea of drilling eight permanent holes into concrete, with no opportunity for a "redo" was a little intimidating (and a little scary to watch), but he did it without flinching. So, the next time you see him helping me out at an arts festival or something, congratulate him on becoming "handy" around the house. And if you're considering a handrail of your own, check out Fortin Ironworks for the goods, and if you need someone to install it for you, give Art a call. He doesn't know it yet, but I'll hire him out for $100 for each railing. (You can make the check out to me.)