Kalaya Steede

Helloooo 2014! Happy New Year everyone. Yesterday was Freret Market and also my first market of the year.  It was not as big as it usually is but still nice nonetheless.  There is my booth to the left.  Do you see it? Well...here is a close up. The sun poured its rays over me and kept me warm for most of the day.  Good thing because it was cold out there.  I do not know if you can see but my inventory is pretty slim.  I have had a hard time with the creative process these days. I am officially lost! It is the beginning of the new year and a lot of people are making new years resolutions or goals.  I to have a goal, to try to be a little less stressed, eat healthier, and be in the moment.  However, I do feel a little lost, in direction, as far as my art goes.  Where do I go from here?  The studio is cold... she is empty... she is lost... So what does one do you might ask to get that creativity to sp...

Something is just not right when you have to wear shorts in December.  It is currently 80 degrees and I had to turn on the A/C yesterday.  Where in the world are you Jack Frost?!  No one is nipping at my nose!!! Okay, enough of me ranting. So what is up with me?  Well I have been caught off guard.  I did not think I would be this busy but here I am... BUSY!!! I have been participating in all of the holiday markets here in NOLA and it has been wonderful!  Seeing everyone out there shopping local and being able to talk to a lot of you.  What can I say?  It has just been ROCKING! Arts Market of New Orleans Photo by Zach B. I have been in my studio as much as all possible starting in October.  It is funny because I have been telling myself since last February that there was plenty of time. I have designed and made some new earrings... Then I made some pendants... Made gift tags.  Cause it is great fun! ...

They are coming and they are going and you see them passing by. They are walking over here, they are walking over there...these are the dead.   How happy they are! Hola everyone!   It has been so long since my last post and I have been busy like a little bee.  I have been pounding in the studio, showing at art markets, reading some books, learning Spanish, and hanging out with friends and family. Did I mention that it is my favorite time of year so I just HAD to make these pretties... Both were at Coq Rouge Gallery here on Magazine and both SOLD!   Yay!  Muchas Gracias!!! I posted most of my new stuff on my Facebook page so I am not going to be a photo whore and repost them here.  Well...I did post that above picture already on FB.  hahahaha!!! Last week was my first Palmer Park Holiday Arts Market and it was a blast! This week I have been busy trying to catch up on making some metal stuff and teaching a friend...

at Freret Market !!! Oh what a day it was... Music, cool weather, old friends, new friends, and just enjoying that journey. Getting ready for the market. Inventory    ✓  Tables  ✓  Tent   ✓ Display cases...somewhat checked Table cloths...not checked at ALL! I headed out Thursday morning to make my "chocolate table cloth". $60 to make it myself...NO!  Strike #1 Walmart...NADA!  Strike #2 Was I panicking?  Believe it or not I was not. Target...Oh YEAH! I wanted to try to keep my booth display costs as low as possible and that I did.  The cloths were on sale for $4!  Can you believe it?  Total cost for table cloths...$12!  Friday I spent a good bit of time ironing out those creases.  Who does that anyway? Now it was time for the market... 10 am...claim your spot and set up! That EZtent was not so easy but my friends managed to put it up with some help from some seasoned ...

Happy Hump, Hump Day! So far my morning has been pretty calm.  It is the calm before the storm.   I am currently getting ready for my first Art Market this Saturday...EEEEEeeee!!! Yesterday I finished up making some torch fired enamel earrings.  First you must frost zee cake. Then you must torch zee cake. Now...listen closely...next you MUST play a bit! hahaha!!!  I kill myself sometimes! Okay now lets get serious...NO NEVER! I also worked on my booth display. I decided to bring in the tables (after freaking out the night before) and play with my display.  Monday night I was trying to visualize my booth and how I would display everything and it just did not flow!  Maybe it was because I was trying to force things and that does not often work for me.  So I dragged the two tables out into the studio and went to work. You must imagine it with a chocolate cloth draping over the tables with a cream colored runn...

Does everything I make have to be great? NO!!! But sometimes it sure feels like it.  Every now and then this creature that is locked up inside of me comes out and starts whispering in my ear... pss...Kalaya, that is not good enough... no one is going to like that... look, that artist work is better than yours... you really should be making things that are going to sell... maybe you should just quit... AaaaHhhhhh!   So then I become paralyzed.  I question every step I make and end up not making anything at all.   And this is where I have been for an entire week. Full of FEAR!!! How does one get out of it?  I have not a clue but after a week here is what worked for me.  First I had to talk to myself in letting go of the outcome.  To just roll with it and realize that it was going to be okay no matter what.  That is when I went to the bench and made a piece.  It sort of helped that it was Valentine's ...