New to the Baltimore craft scene and one of my favorite exhibitors this year was Tristyn Albright. My jaw literally dropped when I came across her booth, number 2006. The craftsmanship, color, and amazing detail of her series of Beaded Vessels drew me in to take a closer look. There wasn’t much of a crowd on Thursday, which is why I chose to go before the weekend chaos hit. However, her little corner sure did draw in an impressive amount of people. As I patiently waited my turn, everyone had nothing but positive things to say. Tristyn was there, standing off to the side, soaking in the scene of gawkers with slight apprehension and grace in her eyes. I was impressed by how young she was and how much she has accomplished already. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with in the future.

Another newcomer whose work caught my attention was Anne Barone. She had an award winning piece from the Smithsonians jewelry and craft show on display, which was quite impressive.

This year there are more items that are priced below $100. I’m not the only one who noticed, as The Baltimore Sun points it out as well. I bought a glass necklace designed by Caitlin Burch for $58. And to be even more accommodating, tickets are half price tonight if you arrive between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.

The American Craft Council Show will be at the Baltimore Convention Center this week from Thursday to Sunday. We get a whole extra day this year, and they have added a new category called “Lawn and Garden”, which will feature artists who have focused their craft specifically on outdoor decor. This show is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I don’t think of it as a craft fair, it’s more like an exhibit of exhibitors. I can honestly tell you that after going last year, it’s almost impossible to see everything in one day. This year I’m sure it will take me at least two days. After being so inspired last year, I’ve become a fan and have been following some of the artists blogs (Lauren Schlossberg)—so considering that some of these artists are like celebrities to me (Karen Gilbert), and that I will actually get a chance to meet them and speak with them (JacQueline Sanchez), who knows how long it will take me. But then again, I am quite shy, so I guess it depends on how cheeky I am feeling that day!

I’ve been embarrassed to admit that I have no wall art on my unpainted walls that have been screaming for color—“PAINT ME!” I guess I have a hard time deciding on something that I want to look at every day and, because I change my mind so often, I haven’t come up with anything that appeals to me. I know my plan was to stick to neutral tones so that I could add bright combinations of accessories, like pillows! So I finally broke down and hung a set of shelves. I chose a narrow wall surrounded by windows in my living room. They are the main focal point of the room and one of the first things that catches your eye when you walk in the front door.

I experimented with displaying different trinkets and picture frames on the shelves, but nothing seemed to work. There was no balance. No chi. Until one day an idea came to me as I was walking through the aisles of my favorite second-hand store. I noticed that there were an obscene amount of unappreciated glass containers of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. And at fifty cents to $2 a piece, they were a steal! They seemed to look a lot more fascinating to me in clusters. So I picked out a variety of clear glass pieces that worked well as a group and decided that my theme would be natural objects. I used a combination of things that I found outside along with a bag of potpourri. I added plants, candles, shells, rocks and voila! Wall art! Amount spent on glass containers, $23. Next challenge? Paint!

NOTE: Be sure to use a wall anchor that accommodates the amount of weight your shelves will hold. Read this online article about Choosing and Installing Wall Anchors to help you decide.

I don’t know what it is with me and paper, but I do love working with it when it comes to crafting. Another common trait that I lean toward is repetition. I find satisfaction in making hundreds of little things that are eventually put together to create one big thing. So there is no doubt that you will see more of that from me in 2010.

With that in mind I have incorporated both obsessions into this picture frame. The holidays are a time when a lot of families share photos, and I sure did get enough to cover my fridge this year. I thought I would make a special frame for my brother and sister-in-laws first official family photo! How cute is my nephew!

Quilling is a craft that takes no time at all to perfect. You basically just curl paper. I’ve seen it used to embellish scrapbooks and make snowflake ornaments. Some of the advanced creations are quite impressive.

Yulia Brodskaya, an artist of many forms, has been publicly exposed mainly for her pieces that involve quilling. She is one of my favorites on my list of artists who work with paper. You can check out her work on her website at http://www.artyulia.com/

Happy new year everyone! Yesterday, as I was cleaning up around the house and mentally preparing to commit to all of my new year resolutions, I was reminded of Nina Simones song, “Feeling Good”. It’s the perfect song to start out the new year.

Looking back on all the projects that I’ve completed, it makes me so proud. Before I started this blog I never finished anything. I would always stop in the middle of a craft and never finish it! I still do that at times, but this blog has helped me to be more disciplined in finishing what I’ve started and achieving that feeling of accomplishment. I am looking forward to this next year. I’m hoping to continue to challenge my creative abilities and as I am now a part of the blogging community, I look forward to being inspired by other crafters.