While this completely recycled vintage card may be blank inside so you can express yourself… yourself, to me it says “hey baby we got so much passion we better keep a fire extinguisher handy… or at least notify area wildlife to create an evacuation plan.”

This one sold for $5 at Craftin’ Outlaws, but, don’t worry, there’s more where that came from (in the brain behind Buzz Greetings?)

The less-than-delightful:

* two hundred dollar EZ-up canopy deciding it just didn’t want to go up so easy that whole 3rd use and expressing said desire by breaking in four places… because you know one break wouldn’t have made the point as well… sheesh how overdramatic can you get?

There he is. Looking like something that fell off a space station…

* ridiculous storms in the McCarren Park pool, resulting in the pool once again functioning as a pool (see definition of pool: “an excavation that is (usually) filled with water”)… this time with more booth wreckage:

Note that none of these are my tents. Perhaps my tent karma was finally paying up.

Okay, so those were the highlights. Unless you’d like more on the giant locusts that splattered the windshield driving to Georgia… or perhaps a riveting description of the big-box megastore in North Carolina where I picked up Canopy II.

I did, however, find a delicious stash of never worn vintage jewelry pieces with which to play… stay tuned for Summer 08.

The trip was an amazing experience… and exhausting and interesting…

Let’s start with the delightful:

* Meeting Melissa, the lovely proprietress of The Makery, a super-cute indie shop chock full of wonderful handmade goods (like Buzz Jewelry!). I think she’s making air quotes here, which as someone who talks with my hands I can totally appreciate.

* Making all kinds of new friends along the way, several of whom couldn’t wait to stock Buzz in their fabulous stores… you’ll have to check my website for more details.

* The awe-inspiring crowds of indie shoppers that is a Renegade craft fair… this would be before the crowds arrived obviously. See, there’s me. Talking with my hands.

* Sleeping in a wigwam. Who knew a wigwam could be so claustrophobia-inducing? The best part was the outside, complete with Charlie-Brown’s-shirt zigzag print:

Can you tell the Buzz better half is more keen on being the picture-taker than the picture subject?

Next up, the less-than-delightful…

You have met Buzz Buzz right?

First name Buzz, last name Buzz. Okay for those haven’t heard the story behind Buzz Buzz Designs… When I was a kid I called bees “buzz-buzz”. It’s just so fun to say. Go ahead, try it out. So when I went through the agonizing process of naming my business I knew bees would be involved (because I am enamored with them - bumblebees anyways, they’re lots nicer) and I was playing around with more serious (boring) names and then I thought hey Buzz Buzz would be fun. And it is. Just ask my customers who ask if they can make their check out to “Buzz Buzz” with a just a little twinkle in their eyes.

The Buzz wall (shrine) only took 3 hours at Jo-Ann’s + another ten at Music Saves and a whole lot of picture hanging whatnot and robin’s egg blue paint. (Note: Melanie is actually way more thrilled than she looks)

But it was totally worth it, don’t you think?