Gyros, complements, and craft representation.

Last week I made myself get out of the house and wasn't allowed back in until I had to pick up the little man from school. The time was spent walking around because I also had to do something physical so I walked from my house to downtown. Shopping, breathing, and eating were on the agenda. For lunch I tried a new Mediterranean restaurant. The owner was a very gregarious man, asked if it was my first time eating there. I said it was and that I was hungry and he told me what I was gong to get. He took care of me and threw in a complementary side of sweety, nutty, flaky things. He commented on my dress and asked if I was a musician. I said no. Then he asked if I was an artist because I looked like one and he really liked how I put myself together. And to be honest I had worn an eclectic, crafty me kind of outfit with appliqued-by-me geek tank. The man, his name was Alec, said he was interested in having locally made art for display or sale or something along those lines. I was a little flustered because I don't deal with compliments--they make me awkward and fidgetty. I just don't know how to respond in an appropriate, grateful way. But I did all right and told him I made things, showed him my slouch hat because it was the only thing handmade by me that I had with me. So he told me to bring in some of my things next time I came in. I probably said okay.

The beef and lamb gyro I ate outside, with a side of rice, was delicious and so was the foreign soft drink I had on Alec's recommendation. I was impressed with the way I was welcomed and taken care of in my hungry state and the general open friendliness the owner exuded. As I ate I thought about how it wasn't like the pushy, salesman-y way some people mistake as good marketing. This guy was genuinely friendly. He listened to my words!

So, now that it's been a week and I'm sitting here at yet another restaurant and wondering what, if anything would I bring to represent my work? I'm not confident enough in my mixed media art nor have enough to sell. I have some more practice and work ahead of me until I'll be ready. And I really really really don't want to do the knitted things because they won't sell especially in the summer months. Mixed media is more along the "fine art" lines while I've got the skillz with knitting. So what could I do? All the other things are just whatever, random one-offs that I have no interest in making more to meet potential demands.

Although, as I write this, one thing does come to mind, something I have a moderate product base of, and something that is a little "fine art-ish". Handmade and bound journals. They can be as simple or complex, plain or ornate as I feel like making them. Maybe this is the solution. Anyone else out there have ideas or opinions?