It’s that time of year when the days start getting shorter, the air is cooler and all I want to do is snuggle under my blankies while drawing and snacking on alllllll the calories! The other day, Gary said something to the effect of “forget pumpkin spice season — it’s chili and cornbread season,” I wholeheartedly agree, though I’ll be baking us some pumpkin pies from scratch using sugar pumpkins and Penzey’s Pumpkin Pie Spice (if you haven’t tried either one of those, they’ll change your life and your outlook on pumpkin pie for REAL!)…
These cooler, darker nights between the equinox and the solstice are a time to reflect on all we’re provided with in life and how much we have to be thankful for, It’s a time to acknowledge those who have sacrificed everything, and those whose ancestors had their land and lives stolen so others’ ancestors could make new lives for themselves on this continent… And it’s a time to be present with ourselves, our loved ones and humankind, and choosing a state of gratitude so we can do better and be better humans. The last few years have given me plenty of time to reflect on all the things I have to be grateful for. For those of you who don’t know me as well, almost exactly 3 years ago, I learned that I had poorly differentiated grade 3 neuroendocrine cancer of the colon and rectum. As you might imagine, it shook my whole world. Extensive surgery with pelvic reconstruction and a permanent ileostomy were the first step. Then I had 4 months of chemo. Then came 5 weeks of radiation. Then came physical therapy as me body recovered from all of the trauma. Then, my sweet elderly dog, Kermit crossed the rainbow bridge. It was a rough year, followed by another challenging year with family illnesses, the death of a dear friend and a broken arm (and more surgery) as a result of a poor decision involving roller skates. This year started with the death of Gary’s grandmother, we moved houses and I was hospitalized during our vacation for an intestinal blockage, covid hit our house in early October, and several close friends and family members have experienced frightening, life-changing events… All of that said, my point is not to elicit a pity party… Quite the opposite, in fact. All of those painful experiences pushed our lives in new directions. We don’t sweat the small stuff so much anymore (it’s not cancer, after all). We got to spend more time with some of our family members because we were traveling so much. We got inspired to move to the desert to not only pay off the heaping bills resulting from my illness and inability to work, but to be in a community overflowing with creatives, nature lovers and mystics. It’s a place where every sunrise and sunset is over mountains, full of pinks, oranges and purples, and where I have already been able to connect with more people in a short amount of time than anywhere I’ve lived since college. It’s truly a magical place. For that, I am beyond thankful, and I hope all of you are able find your own silver linings to be grateful for too.
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I’ve finally moved into the 21st Century and instead of a “Studio Happenings” page, I now have a blog!
Soooooooo… If you want to read all the Studio Happenings from the first 11 months of 2022, here they are from newest to oldest, but without specific dates. Enjoy! Side Note: If you would like to see past Studio Happenings with all the cool photos, you can still do so here. Holiday Market Season Continues! Akcara Studio had a crazy fun weekend of selling and meeting other makers and handmade gift enthusiasts at the Temescal Valley Community Faire on Nov. 5th and the The Patchwork Show in Old Town Tustin on November 6th! If you missed out on the action this weekend, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow @AkcaraStudio on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter to see where I’ll be next. We promise not to spam you (well, unless you count an occasional joke about the mid-century Hormel luncheon meat from a can)! Bonus: Just for reading to the end of this highlight, use the promo code FESTIVAL5 in the Akcara Studio Boutique for 5% off any order through December 31, 2022, and get my in-person festival pricing! It’s Holiday Market Season! Shorter days and cooler temps (well, sort of — this is SoCal, afterall) mean every single weekend is jam-packed with festivals and markets of every kind! Akcara Studio is so excited to be filling our calendar with event dates, including The Patchwork Show in Old Town Tustin on Sunday, November 6th, from 11am-5pm! We’ll be offering a playful and quirky variety of art pieces, and handmade and vintage curios, perfect for gift-giving and for brightening your own space as well! Additionally, I’ll be hosting a super fun make-and-take booth, where visitors can create their own quirky collage greeting cards, so you definitely want to mark this on your calendar! On November 5th, Saturday of that same weekend, I’ll have a booth set up at Deleo Regional Sports Park in Temescal Valley for the Temescal Valley Heritage Foundation Kids & Krafts Faire from 10am-5pm. The event benefits our community’s mission to preserve our local history and celebrations keeping TV a unique and pleasant place to live as the community’s population grows and evolves. There will be tons of local vendors including handmade goods and food items, and activity booths galore for the whole family to enjoy! More events are currently in the works, so stay tuned! First Annual Funny Cars & Handlebars Event October 1st! Almost everyone knows I’m a dog lover, but here’s another fun fact: I love classic cars too! I’ll have a booth set up at the Lake Elsinore Outlets from 11am-4pm on Saturday, October 1st. The event is $10 per adult, benefits Mission K-9 Rescue and the Warrior Built Foundation, and will feature lots of great entertainment and some famous classic cars, including one of First Lady of Drag Racing Shirley Muldowney’s funny cars (and hopefully some super cute K-9 veterans as well)! I’ll be featuring mainly prints of dogs and cars, but with throw in a few of my usuals for a little variety as well. I’ll also be customizing prints by hand watercoloring or adding text for that extra personal touch, as well as taking custom orders. These are going to be the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for someone in your life, but also a great way to treat yo’self to some new art! Come on out and see us! Fundraising for Cures Through Labor Day, a portion of every sale in the Akcara Studio Boutique will be donated to Team Challenge, supporting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation as they raise money for research and awareness with the goal of curing IBD once and for all. As one of over 3 million Americans living with these diseases, this organization is very close to my heart. I have participated in Team Challenge events in the past, and they have been truly life changing for me. I overcame challenges I never imagined, I have made countless friends I refer to as my #TCfamily, and throughout the years, the money raised has brought numerous groundbreaking discoveries in the field of IBD research and treatment. Until September 5th, 2022, Akcara Studio will donate ALL net profits from items purchased from our Team Challenge Collection, as well as $5 per order when purchasing pieces from any of our other collections. We have tons of new items and artworks right now, as well as all the “classics”, so why not look good while doing good? Happy Pride! Love is love every single day, but June is a great time to celebrate in honor of Pride!! Throughout June, almost every product in the boutique is being discounted 6.28% in recognition of Stonewall — the original Pride — on June 28th, 1969! All artworks are included in the discounts, but be sure to check out the “Pride” collection for an extra boost of color! New Active Wear Collection! These awesome pieces are made from eco-friendly high-performance cooling fabrics containing recycled polyester and spandex, and will make you look and stay cool, whether you’re working up a sweat or just plain working it! Akcara Studio had a great day at the 2022 Riverside Art Market on April 9th! Benefiting the Riverside Art Museum and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, the event included live music and dancing, food vendors and visual artists of nearly every medium. Cara was joined by fellow painter, Jeff Lee, drawing visitors in with his enchanting metallic acrylic-on-black paintings, velvet portraits and Bob Ross-inspired landscapes featuring familiar pop culture and sci-fi cameos! Akcara Studio & LeGaleriste have partnered up with a new clothing line featuring original artworks by Cara. These fashion and home decor pieces are artisan-made to order in Montreal and come in a large variety of designs and sizes. Be sure to visit the online boutique often, as Cara regularly releases new designs and pieces! |
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