goodbye hello

My brother came up from New Mexico to visit his sisters and newborn nephews here in Portland last week. Since right around that time life has just swept me away (from the computer). I have a couple new sketches in rough, rough, very early stages of drawing-hood, though mostly they're still tucked warmly away in my camera. (Ditto for any new photos I have of the boys, though I'm working on it).

Mostly, if I can swing it, I'm trying to cull together some helpful tips from my online shop days to pitch to the business I work for here in Portland. People make an effort to shop at independent, local, family-owned businesses here more than some of the other cities I've lived in, but it still takes some savvy to encourage folks toward these businesses. I'm hoping I can help them expand their online marketplace a little. What do you think, do any of you read/ follow blogs from artisan shops in your areas? Find them helpful for following local artists' works or products?

Anyway, that accounts for a couple of my marbles along the way.