ok! I am back from Surtex and The National Stationery Show and I have had one day to recoup before blogging. I actually needed the one day BECAUSE (and this is my ONLY complaint about the trip) I got "glutened" at the Javits Center. I don't mind throwing them under the bus because I KNOW Hebrew National hot dogs are gluten free AND I don't think they were actually serving what they advertised because I was totally sick within a couple hours after eating one. (just the dog, no bun) It was such a bummer, all my "connecting and contacting" was over for the most part but I wanted to enjoy the last night with girlfriends and I was down for the count. I am really tired of trying to eat out successfully on a gluten free diet. I do well locally, but I am headed to Paris for a couple days next week and I am a bit shaken on this front. I need some encouragement!
Anyway on with the shows...I was delighted with both. I didn't walk to entire Sationery Show I just hit key booths for me. I don't like loitering around. People at trade shows can be so protective so I try to be respectful of their time and efforts. I did find however that the artists at the Surtex Show were just super to talk to! I really feel like they were helpful when we told them were were scoping out the land since we were going to have a booth next year. I thought they were all funny and candid and it was really enjoyable to talk to other artists about their "art journeys". The time flew by and I did not get to see as much of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair as I would have liked but I was busy chatting it up with potential clients. I did want to mention that the Surtex Show had seminars and I picked a few to attend and I thought that they were very vaulable! I think it is great when you can take away even a few key tidbits of info from them and I really did, so yeah! money well spent.
I did manage to hit Purl Soho to purchase some cashmere yarn for my plane trip to Paris. I have bamboo yarn I am working with now but I simply could not resist this beautiful yarn. I am knitting up simple cowls trying to teach myself the continental style of knitting. I need a solution between illustrating all day and knitting in the evening my right should has gotten rather mad at me so I am looking for new ways we can both be happy.

My girlfriend Liz brought the camera, I was too lazy. I know you can't use it at the show so I didn't bring one AND I knew my faithful friends would have theirs...hopefully she will post pics soon...hint hint Liz!
Since I have no travel pics, oh I will have them from France, I promise! I will post this cupcake series that I had put together with some tiny had painted cupcakes I had done. As far as trends that I saw I would say-cupcakes. Yup. Maybe that was just me craving something soft and yummy instead of my gluten free quinoa muffins that I toted along!