Favorites from CDC

As I'm sure many of you guessed, I did go to the Carolina Designer Craftsmen show on Saturday and I had a great time, as always. I spent too much money, but it's something for which I mentally have an annual budget. Actually, as far as earrings go, I only bought four pairs, which may be an all-time low. New work by Nell Chandler, Janet Harriman and Sandra McEwen was amazing, though.


I didn't take too many pictures, but here are a few displays that I thought looked particularly nice from a distance. Marti Mocahbee, from Staunton, VA, throws gorgeous and vibrantly colored pottery that looks almost as if it is made of glass.

Larry Favorite's work has literally been a favorite of mine for many years. He inlays ironwood with turquoise, which results in a striking combination. His workshop is in Mebane, NC and I've been meaning to go see it for ages. As part of the guild's new Masterworks program, he's recently started working in a large-scale, more two-dimensional form, which is very impressive.

Thanksgiving Weekend: CDC

Every Thanksgiving weekend, the Carolina Designer Craftsmen guild has a show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. It's not to be missed. In fact, the only time I've missed it in the last fifteen years or so was when I had a bad case of the flu.

If you are looking for gifts or just love jewelry, turned wood, quilts, pottery, dyed silk and other fine crafts, then you need to go. The artwork is lovely and I always enjoy talking to the artists and artisans that sell their work there. In fact, I always plan to spend at least four hours there every year.

Carolina Designer Craftsmen
38th Fine Craft and Design Show
EXPOSITION CENTER
North Carolina State Fairgrounds
1025 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, North Carolina

Friday, Nov. 23, 6pm-9pm
Saturday, Nov. 24, 10am-6pm
Sunday, Nov. 25, 11am-5pm

$6 Daily Admission
$8 Weekend Pass
Children under 12 Free

Only Six and No Falafels

Today I went with my dad and AE to the Carolina Designer Craftsmen show, which is held every Thanksgiving weekend at the Raleigh fairgrounds. I bought myself six more pairs of earrings, a small vase and a gift. At least my priorities are consistent. At least earrings don't take up much space. I just really like earrings. It can't be any worse than collecting stamps or coins. This year I added to my Nell Chandler, Janet Harriman and Tim Garvin collections. Plus, I got a pair by Dory Brown, who also makes wonderful pulley necklaces. Fortunately, I don't like wearing necklaces, so it's easier to limit myself to earrings. It was also fun just chatting with other artists, such as Larry Favorite and Richard Marshall.

The one major disappointment about this year's show is that they did not have food from Neomonde. I'd been envisioning my falafel sandwich for months now. Instead I had to eat mediocre chicken salad. It was ok and it eliminated my hunger, but it just wasn't a falafel sandwich with tahini dressing. It may mean that I will at some point in the near future need to venture off to the Morrisville Neomonde location and get a sandwich.

I believe I have tried all the flavors of Izze soda now. Here are the flavors in order of preference: grapefruit, blueberry, pear, pomegranate, blackberry, lemon, clementine. Oops. No, I haven't tried apple yet. I need to find some apple.

If you like to complain or if you have a lot about which to complain, then you should really be singing your complaints, rather than merely talking about them. In fact, if you can get a whole choir together, similar to the Helsinki Complaints Choir, that's even better.