Introducing....The Blue Studio!

There's nothing like plunging into the world of entrepreneurship - it's scary, exciting, time consuming, and satisfying simultaneously. I've been painting since I was a little girl, selling my work here and there, a few commissions, many paintings gifted to friends and family, but nothing constant. This year I finally decided to take the plunge and with the end of summer came a new beginning: I opened my "store" on Etsy.com (a hub for artisans, craftsman, collectors and vintage vendors) with gusto.

My online shop is called "The Blue Studio" - inspired by this very blog - and I sell hand-painted illustrations of recipes, watercolor postcards, bookmarks, children's alphabets and more. The most interesting development since opening "The Blue Studio" has been the opportunity to participate in a local arts and crafts fair that takes place every autumn/winter called La Fierucola. I've always been an avid supporter of this event ever since I first lived in Florence five autumns ago, so now it's especially exciting to be one of the vendors. Below is a picture at September's Fierucola del Pane...

The Blue Studio, photo credit J. Garcia (thanks buddy!)

It had such a good time, being part of this community of craftsmen, artists, farmers, cheesemongers, etc. that I can't wait to return on the first weekend of November for the Fierucola di S. Martino (patron saint of wool weavers). The theme is all things wool (weaving, crocheting, knitting, felting) but there will also be the regular fruit and veggie guys selling their enormous pumpkins, the honey lady smoking her hand-rolled Pueblos and the very kind lavender oil lady, who was set up next to me in September (great smells were drifting my way all afternoon)! So if you're in Florence, and actually reading this, come over for a visit!

Apart from the constant sketching, painting and brain storming (which is the BEST part of taking on this new, second job) is the constant shameless self-promotion...this part is a little more difficult. The branding, promoting, updating the website, promoting, updating the facebook page...did I mention the promoting...is enough to make your head spin, but hey, someone has got to do it and up until now Winnie still doesn't have opposable thumbs.

So thank you all - family, friends, faithful readers (whoever you may be) - for all your support. It's only the beginning and "Rome wasn't built in a day", so I really appreciate all your kind words that you've sent my way over the past few months. Now, go be like Mr. Fox and have an autumn adventure (while the weather is still nice).

Mr. Fox, watercolor on paper, Lauren MacLaughlin 2013