Last night I finished up doing the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, SC. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a show, and made me realize I’ve been doing things a little bit wrong.

Most shows I go to are filled with artists who have been doing shows for many years. They are old pros, they have making the same things for a long time. They are making things that they know will sell. I love getting to know these seasoned artists, and hearing their stories of crazy storms, and crazy people.  But there is definitely a sense of weariness for a lot of these events. I feel like we are all just trying to get to the end of the event with our booths still up, and money in our pockets.

I felt very different this past weekend. Rather than just being a marketplace, Indie Craft Parade was truly a celebration of making things. Artists were experimenting, trying new designs, new materials. Here is one of my favorite items:

Collage by Emily Jeffords

It was also a  celebration of living joyfully in everything you do. On Sunday morning, before the show began, they had an impromptu dance party in the lobby. When I bought a coffee, it was delivered in delightful fluted glass mugs.

It was a lesson for me in taking time to be creative, even in my non-jewelry life. I put so much  energy into my business that I forget that sometimes. Today, I am taking the day off, and making gluten-free bacon brownies, as a way to say hello to a bit of creativity for the sake of creativity!