Well we did it - moved out of Silicon Valley with its overcrowding and traffic nightmares, to the pastoral environs of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. A lovely old mining town called Placerville, just east of Sacramento and just west of Lake Tahoe. And I finally get the studio of my dreams. My new telephone number is (530) 344-9322, and the fax number is (530) 344-9324. E-mail and the web site addresses will not change.

The big problem of course is leaving all my friends and buddies - you know stamp buds, bead buds, and calligraphy buds. Not to mention my bud buds. The Hun told me to "suck it up - all good things come to an end." I told him that is essentially true, but not, it seems, his hackneyed aphorisms.

Mini Point Shapes
40-018C and 12-013C

And I was depressed about leaving web mistress Xina. She of the magic incantations that make my web site what it is and the one who gets you this newsletter. Lo and behold (and you thought you only see this kind of dialog in fairy tales) Xina announced that she has resigned from her coven and is moving on. Seems the tech types out here interfere with her tranquillity and she has developed numerous holes in her aura. She wants to move to where there are four seasons and cold winters - coming originally from Wisconsin.

She considered Kretz the fourth planet in the Bedar System, Beta quadrant. That was until she found out that they have nine seasons, and in the Real Winter (there is Almost Winter, Winter, Sub winter and then the Real Winter which lasts 26 standard years), it gets down to -265F below. Not that cold she said. Seems she has come to her senses and is looking in New Hampshire.

One of the glories of electronic commerce is that distance is irrelevant. Xina will stay on as web mistress (our long distance bill was almost huge - Do you have any idea how much it would have cost to phone the Beta Quadrant?)

5 Pointed Star Shape
11-015I

This turned out to be the move from hell. The movers started in San Jose at 8:00 am and left Placerville at 5:00 am. The Hun and I were propping our eyelids open with toothpicks. The Big Guy was real good though and put my studio and work space on high priority so I got back in business fast. But I was still down about two weeks and shipped slowly for another ten days after that.

We are just about settled in now and the last To-Do is my bead room. Why would I want two guest rooms? Way too many people at one time - one will do just fine. Big dilemma on what to do with the third room - it took me almost a millisecond to decide. Now I have my craft library ordered and accessible and all my beads out and in one place. Eat your heart out, girls!

The Hun swears that the only move we will ever make again will be to an assisted living environment.

Oh, and contrary to numerous reports, the phantom subscriber is not dead, just in hibernation in Argentina.

Large Sliver Shape
20-019D

stop grabbing

the big show!

I was fine right up until the moment of taping when my head and heart seized up just a bit. I was so concerned about trying to fit everything into the ten minute segment that I felt I rushed things. "Cool as a cucumber," said The Hun. "And you are a babe with that haircut," he added. "It was the makeup job," I told him. So much for perceptions.

So many of you have written so many nice things that it was going to my head and I was becoming unbearable. The Hun had to tell me to stop reading my press releases. Really, I appreciate all the kind words and a special thanks to all of you who took the time to write and call.

Carol and Roberta

road trips

Teesha and Tracy put on a super show. It was the ultimate stamp camp. And in a beautiful spot to boot - an old coastal artillery base dating back to 1910, now a state park. The accommodations were a bit primitive with sign-up sheets for showers and four to a room. Early on The Hun said he was a bit too old for a true camp experience again (he last attended one when he was 14,) and booked us a room in a lovely old Victorian hotel in town (about three minutes away from the site.) It worked out just fine and we ate all our meals with the group.

As we told you the fest sold out about 20 minutes after registration opened. Never have I seen such talented and dedicated crafters in one place before. All 270, or so, brought so much to each class that they were all at the pro level. In one of my classes eight of the 15 participants were top notch teachers in their own right. You would not believe the stuff they turned out (made my prototype look like amateur hour.) The Hun ran the ovens for the polymer clay class and became fondly know as "oven boy." Like in, "Hey, oven boy!" There were moments when he was not a truly happy camper.

Flower Shape
8-012G

Then two weeks after we moved, we went to the Artful Journey in Daytona Beach (talk about self abuse.) Thank the goddess no classes there - it was all that I could do just to drag this tired old body to the East coast. Donna Kazee put on a really terrific show and it rocked as Florida is fast becoming a hot bed of stamping.

We hooked up with my friend Cheryl in Savannah again and stayed with her and her husband Alan on Skidaway Island for a few days of much needed R&R. Cheryl is turning into a major polymer clay artist (something for her to do when she retires from the world of high tech) and we played our hearts out.

In addition, two old high school buds flew up from Florida and we did non-stop talking from one end of Savannah to the other.

My next (and the last) show for the year is The Art Continuum in Cleveland in mid October. I hope to have some more amulet bags with me as every one I took to Daytona Beach (all ten) sold out in about 30 minutes. They were lined up at the door when the show opened on Friday morning and made a bee line for my booth to get the best selection. I also went home with five orders, which is something I promised never to do but they were insistent. One gal drove down from North Carolina on Saturday just for a bag and was devastated to see that the cupboard was bare. She was a touch miffed and wanted to know why I had not reserved some bags for those who could only come on Saturday. She had trouble accepting my first come policy. I gave here a few stamps to help ease the pain.

Oh, and I will be teaching at Stamp It Rich for Linda Johnson, right here in Placerville. I will demo the shape stamps and will be teaching the Spirit Vessel project on August 25th and the Intuitive Collage class in September. I have been invited to teach in Phoenix and San Diego but have not as yet finalized plans. I will let you know when we do.

Large Wedge Shape
29-005F

one more last last word

Some people just don't get it - or maybe they do and just don't care. The only way to deal with people like this is not to buy from them. A pox on their houses.

new images

keeping your powder dry

Vicki is looking into some ways to semi-automate her production process. We will keep you posted.

Equilateral Triangle Shape
20-005J

new vulcanizers

collage comes right after high school

bits and pieces

* We actually got an e-mail accusing us of writing a literate newsletter. Well, we try hard to mess it up, but it keeps coming out this way. BTW I love your feedback. Keep the e-mails coming.

* In answer to my primal scream in the last newsletter about time passing faster and faster, Lin has written a very scholarly paper on her theory. I quote from the abstract: "It's a matter of percentages. When a person is ten years of age, a year is 1/10th of their experience. When they are 50 it is only 1/50th." So she concludes, "Life IS indeed shorter the older we get." Heavosity, huh?

6 Sided Star Shape
6-008G

bistro hun

New puzzler (hey, just like the car guys): What is a Flummery?

Of all the tools in my kitchen, and I now realize how many there really are since I just packed them all up, there are two that I would not willingly cook without.

* First, are the brand new Messermeister Meridian Elite knives. I have always had great knives, some of which I bought 30 years ago. And in 1998, when in Germany I purchased a whole mess of Eberhard Schaff hand made knives. But I have to say, the Meridian Elite are much better. They are so sharp I sometimes stop cutting and wonder at how well they work. And they cost no more than other top German knives, which is to say expensive, but not prohibitive. You can get them from many sources but two terrific on-line and telephone sources (which are very price competitive) are: Knife Merchant, (800) 714-8226, http://www.knifemerchant.com, and PCD (Professional Cutlery Direct) (800) 859-6994, http://www.cutlery.com. Tell them The Hun sent you.

* I got badly injured just after purchasing my Silpat's (silicon baking mats.) I insisted on sleeping with them (I was so much in love) and rolled over, slid right out of bed and sprained my wrist.

These flexible, silicon-coated fiberglass mats are the best thing since sliced bread. Nothing, but nothing, sticks to them. I use them for everything from roasting vegetables to catching pie drippings. Then just rinse them off. The thought of cooking without them makes my blood run cold. Everybody now sells them (and two competitors have sprung up) but the best place to get them is from J. B. Prince, who until recently sold only to the professional chef and has prices to prove it. Judy Prince is a good 20% to 25% less than Wm. Sonoma, The Home Chef, or your friendly neighborhood kitchen store, (800) 473-0577.

our sous calligrapher

Check out her mini travel stamps sheets, which she actually did when visiting each city. We also will be presenting the best of Rubberstilzkin, Nan's former stamp company.

That's all for now!
Roberta