Message from Stone Soup - Shop the Frontier

From Betty Buckley, Executive Director of Stone Soup:

Last spring Stone Soup celebrated its tenth anniversary. This spring, sadly, we have to shut our doors.

After a wonderful decade of working on rural economic and arts development programs, Stone Soup is closing our doors as of March 31. We managed to stay open despite recessions and vanishing grants, but this is no longer possible. In years past we have been extremely fortunate to receive funding from a number of major foundations including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USDA Rural Development, Verizon, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and others. But these organizations have either shifted priorities, or we have reached the maximum number of grants allowed. Over these years we\'ve aided thousands of rural families by serving as an incubator for rural arts; teaching art, business and technology classes, and providing a professional venue for rural artists. Our microloans have helped people start small businesses. Though it\'s sad to see things end, we know that the skills training we provided along with the skills of the artists and entrepreneurs themselves have combined to create a pathway to success for many.


Our website will continue for the time being with members shipping product from their homes. We hope to find a buyer for the website and, as a way of thanking our most loyal members, we are working with another organization to arrange a new sales venue for their products.

We want to thank the many people in Republic and the surrounding area that supported our efforts by buying the beautiful products made by dozens of talented artists and artisans.

On a personal note, I want to thank the Stone Soup staff who gave so much of themselves to the program, and who worked hard to make rural arts a viable income stream for so many families. Their dedication and innovation made it possible to stay viable for as long as we did. It has been my pleasure to work with these dedicated women and I wish them every possible success in the future.

More Valentine cards and art sales

Have all my collage materials out to produce some more Valentine blank note cards tomorrow.  Will drop some off at Traditions in Olympia on Monday or Tuesday.  I shipped a batch to The Gallery, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts and I will bring some up to The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council Gallery on Thursday Jan 14th... 

I have one sale pending and one sale completed to start the New Year off in a positive state of mind!
I am excited about a query for a piece from my website - an enso with Kanji character.

I learned of a sale through www.shopthefrontier.com and will ship that watercolor pencil piece out tomorrow.

Shop the Frontier 3rd Annual Open House

Sample of a Sumi-e oringinal art note card.

As part of Enterprise for Equity program/graduate, I am able to show my work on the Shop the Frontier website and store in Republic, WA. I just sent a new batch of my Sumi-e note cards to the shop...

Shop the Frontier is a non-profit rural marketplace offering original works of art, homemade gifts, jewelry, furniture, clothes and more.

This website, http://www.shopthefrontier.org/ , created by Stone Soup nonprofit, is our collective display window for you to explore-to kick back and shop our nonprofit rural marketplace!
All of our profit supports business training and micro-lending programs for women and small business and, as we grow, we'll fund local youth technology and area business start-ups. In these ways, we serve rural women and their communities by being a catalyst for entrepreneurial success.

You Are Invited to Shop the Frontier's 3rd Annual Holiday Open House and Holiday Fest Saturday, November 21

Join us for our annual Holiday Open House at Shop the Frontier!

We're serving tasty refreshments throughout the day, with a special holiday celebration from 6 pm- 8 pm.

RSVP for the evening please, by calling 775-3217!! It's a wonderful time to meet fellow artists and supporters.

Open House: 10 am-6 pm

Holiday Fest: 6 pm-8 pm Please

RSVP to attend the evening Holiday Fest Shop the Frontier, 509- 775-3217

Visit our Republic, Washington Gift Shop:
Shop the Frontier, 600 S Clark Ave #3, PO Box 1019, Republic, WA 99166

phone: (877) 807-7278 or (509) 775-3217 for local calls

email: info@shopthefrontier.com

Sumi-e blank note cards and retail venues

Today I'm finishing up my blank note cards. I use demo original Sumi-e that I don't plane to mount and frame. Since these are orignal a person could frame them - note card size is generally 5"X7". I purchase the better quality pre-cut card stock with envelopes at Michaels or Paper Zone in Tacoma. Hint: never go into Michaels with out a coupon. Sign up online for their email sales notices and they come with coupons.

Here is my process:
1. I cut them to fit the note card by using a wet brush. Mark out size with a pencil... Since Sumi paper is so soft that just using a brush line of water and then gently pulling causes the paper to tear with a beautiful soft edge.






Gently tear/pull along water mark on paper.












Final adjustment to fit the Sumi-e painting to the blank card face



2. I adhere the Sumi-e to the face of the blank note card. Brushing water downed Yes Paste onto the face, I carefully place the image onto the surface trying to avoid wrinkles..






Rub or pat gently from the center of image to the edges with a clean paper towel to push out any air bubble and smooth wrinkles.









Store the cards flat and let them dry overnight

3. I add a touch of color if the original piece was black and white - I've found that color images sell a little better than the subtle black and white.

4. I place the clear plastic label with contact and info onto the back remembering to place it horizontally or vertically depending on the image. Yes - I have goofed when distracted! My printer is fussy and I don't try to run the blank cards through it prior to adhereing the Sumi-e onto the face. Plus I don't want the card put through the roller...



5. Stamp with my soapstone seal and sign with archival permanent ink pen. Seal ink has to dry...







7. Fold the note card using a bone tool that book makers use to get precise folds.








8. Match the note card with an envelop and slid into plastic sleeve, seal... TaDa!

My note cards can be purchased at the following retail venues:
Hansen's Georgetown Florist - 5963 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
Hansen's Fremont Florist [4252 Fremont Ave N, Seattle WA, 98103

Rhapsody in Bloom Florist & Cafe Latte [Sumi-e, mini collages & note cards]
3709 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98406 (253) 761-7673
www.rhapsodyinbloomflorist.com

Shop the Frontier - A non-profit rural marketplace [online store - art]
www.shopthefrontier.com

The Gallery – Bainbridge Arts & Crafts [Sumi-e note cards, mini collages]
151 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Phone: 206-842-3132
www.bainbridgeartsandcrafts.org

Traditions Café and World Folk Art 300 5th Avenue SW, Olympia, WA 9850 Phone: 360-705-2819
www.traditionsfairtrade.com

White Dove Gallery
5934 88th Street SW, Lakewood, WA 98499-2905 Phone: 253-582-7859
www.whitedovegallery.com

Small Town Living - Online Magazine

Shop the Frontier folks sent me an article about a this listing as a small business in Small Town Living. This is the link: http://www.stliving.net/index.html
my contact listing is on page 61 of the Oct./Nov. 09 issue of Small Town Living, an online magazine. www.stliving.net