Day 40: Make A Difference In Somebody's Life

365 Days of My Life As A Studio Artist: Day 40

Day 39 Donations:

Donation Running Total:

Today's Growth Idea: Make a difference in somebodies life! I was driving to the Cottage Show yesterday morning after 2 days of practically no visitors to the show, feeling a little depressed about how it was turning out after so much effort. I was thinking to myself, if I could just make a difference in somebodies life that day, it would be a good day and I wouldn't need to worry about how the show was going. As soon as I walked in, I talked to an older vendor at the show who paid me a very nice compliment... I made a difference in his life. I also talked to the grandfather of a little girl who is trying to raise money to send three terminally ill children to camp. She has been doing this for three years. She is only 13 now. I told him I would donate some stained glass to her cause for her fundraising purposes.

My History: During this time, I also made sure whenever I did custom work, I would get 50% down prior to starting the job. I got caught earlier on in my business working with customers I thought I could trust. So, I ordered glass and started the project prior to getting a down payment. Unfortunately, there was a lack of communication on their part and I found out through their contractor that they changed their mind about the project... after I already paid for the glass. Experience changes how you do business.

Today's Business: I am going back to the Cottage and Lakefront Show. Yesterday proved to be a much better day than the day before. The weather cooperated, I96 was not closed twice due to accidents like the day before, a lot of people stopped and talked to us and were very complimentary about our products. Today is the last day of the show if you were planning on coming out!

Today's Photo: A section of my booth including 1 wall of stained glass and my log furniture display.

Pat Deere

LINKS: The Cottage and Lakefront Living Show

Day 35: Detach

365 Days Of My Life As A Studio Artist: Day 35

Day 34 Donations: $

Donations Running Total: $29.59957

Today's Growth Idea: Detach. This could be kind of lengthy. I was working out today and reading more of, "tuesdays with Morrie", by Mitch Albom. It always surprised me that I liked his books because I wasn't really a follower of his. In today's reading, Mitch was talking to Morrie about detachment. The way I understand their discussion, Morrie feels detaching comes after you have thrown yourself fully in to an emotional situation, becoming totally aware of the feelings, and then when you have that feeling again you are not afraid of where it might take you. He says you need to "pull it on like a comfortable shirt". I could totally relate to this and it helped me to understand why I am where I am today. You will see over the course of this 365 day blog, I have been through a lot both personally and in my business. Through deaths of my family members, my studio fire, and personal struggles, I have learned to get past situations and move on. But, I didn't get past them easily and many of them caused me to dig deep into searching for meaning in my life. It caused me to dig deeper into my faith. And, it made me more determined to make my business succeed. This year, I feel like I have done the groundwork already. Now, I am able to put all of these experiences to work for me. Experiences I have learned from that only make me stronger.

My History: During my time at this studio, I was fortunate enough to get the job of making slumped glass panel lamps for a very unusual restaurant in Adrian, MI called The Seasons. What I remember most about this project was the number of people involved in this lamp making process. It finally got

Today's Business: Spent all day loading a trailer and taking it to the Rock Financial Showplace, unloading it, setting up a booth, and getting home at 9:30pm.

Today's Photo: My aspen table lamp that matches my 4' log table. The table and lamp are made with stained glass, stones, and agate. They will be on my Pictures In Glass and The Log Furniture Division website soon!

Pat Deere

Day 29: "Are you at peace with yourself?"

365 Days of My Life As A Studio Artist: Day 29

Day 28 Donations: .739719

Donations Running Total: 29.59957

Today's Growth Idea: "Have you found someone to share your heart with?" he asked.
"Are you giving to your community?
"Are you at peace with yourself?
"Are you trying to be as human as you can be?"
These are questions Morrie Schwartz asked Mitch Album in his book, Tuesdays With Morrie. Staying focused on what is important during busy times is as important to myself and my business as anything else. Getting ready for shows is always hectic. Trying to make sure I have enough to sell, the right things to sell, that everything looks just right. Even when I am busy, taking the time to read inspirational books like this one helps me to focus on what is important in my life... not just the physical and monetary things.

My History: Moving glass is not easy. I have done it before and I am doing it again. The good thing is that I had my glass bins built , my tables built, and was starting to acquire a stock of finished glass pieces. The space I was moving into had glass walls along the whole side of the space the faced the hallway. The really hard part was moving all of that stuff down the stairs, out the door, into a truck and back out again into my new space. NOTE: Having my bins and tables built was not so good when considering they had to be disassembled before moving them and reassembling them.

Today's Business: Still getting ready for my show. I was able to borrow some walls from another business that will allow me to set up a separate space for a living room setting, a kitchen setting, and a bathroom setting. Yesterday we prepared the walls for painting and today they will get painted. I was able to finish a lot of glass yesterday and today we will polish them and pack them for the show. I started on the table inserts for my log tables and plan on finishing them today. I have one at Great Ideas Emporium in Tecumseh using my Iris Glass and glass bevels. The 4' table we are working on now incorporates beveled glass, clear textured glass, a beautiful brown agate, stones, and a border glass of brown that compliments the agate. It looks like things are starting to come together... and, it is getting exciting. It is at this point that I really need to remember to eat right, drink a lot of water, exercise, and keep my spiritual life in focus or I can get run down and sick. Getting up at 5am and working until 7pm is not always easy even though I love what I am doing.

Today's photo is my new piece called "Evergreen In The Fall". I'll be taking it to the show with me!

Pat Deere

LINKS:
Great Ideas Emporium
The Log Furniture Division

Day 18: Communication Is Key

365 Days Of My Life As A Studio Artist: Day 18

Day 17 Donations: $19.72584

Donations Running Total: $26.37563

Day 18 Growth Idea: Better Communication Yesterday a customer came in to pick up a repair that wasn't finished yet. I try not to call anybody and tell them to come in until I know for sure their project is done. We had trouble with the sandblasting equipment that I couldn't predict. It took us about half a day - buying a new gun, nozzles, connectors, running to Tractor Supply and Tecumseh Plywood. With a detour to McDonald's for a Mocha! I really think my customer misunderstood, but I have to let my employees know to tell customers we will call them before they come in to pick up their glass. I told her I would deliver it to her when it's done so she doesn't have to make an extra trip. It was my mistake.

My History: I can't remember all of the details, but it seemed each time I moved I was pregnant with another child. So, that made me anxious to find a final place! But this second story studio worked really well for a while. I hired somebody to help me solder since I couldn't do it while pregnant. That brought on extra expenses that I didn't expect to have this early in the game. But, all along I knew this stage of my business was going to include a lot of growth and education. The studio was large enough that I could bring my children with me. I had a large area for them to play. During classes, I always had a baby sitter so I could give my students devoted attention. There was a young girl who would come into my studio and loved taking the boys for walks. I still see her sometimes today.

Today's Business: Besides following up on this blog and going to the bank, not much is happening today. My son is in his hockey tournament in Lansing. They are still a priority. I am going to try to fit in some time on my log furniture web site. We have almost all products in the "back end" but need to get them where customers can see them.

Pat Deere

LINKS: The Log Furniture Division

Fall Newsletter 2009

My Fall Newsletter is published! To get it sent to you via email, send me an email and ask me to put you on my email list. It has active links to a lot of informative sites and pages. This will get you to a copy of my newsletter on my web site. Let me know what you think!

My quarterly Newsletter has finally arrived. Articles you should find helpful:
~Save 40% Off In Stock Glass
~Stained Glass Census - Window of the Month
~Lenawee Medical Facility Window Installation
~Protective Glass Information
~How It's Made
~Upcoming Events
~Great Gift Ideas
~Kitchen Cabinet Inserts
~The Log Furniture Division has finally arrived!

Newsletter link: http://www.picturesinglass.net/page/394502209

Pat Deere