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March has been a busy month for us both on a personal and business level and April is looking to be much the same.

All our Facebook Fans  already know about the giveaway that I'm having over on my personal craft blog . I'm giving one of my fans/followers the oppurtunity to have a custom pencil portrait drawn from their photograph as a thankyou for supporting myself, my blog and business. I really do feel blessed every time I log into our  Business Page or my blog and see all the lovely comments and suggestions that have been left. The giveaway finishes on March 27 so make sure you get yourself into the draw. If you don't succeed this time, make sure you subscribe as I'm planning to make this a bi-monthly event and am already looking around the studio for the next little gifty for one lucky fan or follower. Head over to MeaghanMakes to join in.

I recently spent two weeks working on Todos Arte, a annual community arts project run by the City of Wodonga in the lead-up to their Carnivale  celebrations. I must send a huge thankyou to Natalie, Maureen, Mary and Dawn who kept the shop-front gallery working like clockwork while I was away. This was not my first time as an artist on this project, but as always it was a fabulous experience and I learnt a lot about both myself as a visual artist and how to organise and pull off a huge community project.

Visual Artist Michelle Oxlee Working on "Stomp" Paper Cast Feet for Todos Arte and Carnivale

 Fellow artist Michelle Oxlee and I were working on Visual Decor for the High Street of Wodonga where Carnivale takes place each year. We had a few setbacks with the weather (Todos Arte is an outdoor event) but all-in-all I think we pulled it off nicely. We are both exhausted and I think still in recovery mode, but it was a very positive experience and I'd gladly do it again.

While I was away I recieved a phone call from Indigo Shire letting me know that MeaghanArt had been nominated for a small business award. I was a little taken aback at first, as while I knew that the awards were running, I had not actually looked into them as I new that I would be away. I'm still unsure of who entered us, but am very grateful to whomever thought us worthy of nomination. I had a lovely visit with the judges this past Friday and will find out if we have been awarded a prize in early April. I had planned to bribe the two gorgeous ladies who came to chat with me about the Shop-Front Gallery and Studio with tea and bickies, but we were so busy chatting about the business, our plans for the future, how wonderful  our staff and artists are and the real value of handmade that the tea was never made and the bickies remained on the plate. i'm not sure if this was a good thing or if it just means that I talk too much.

April  is the beginning of market season for Mary and I. We attend Country Craft and Community markets with our soaps and handmade goodness. This year we will also be adding a new line of clothing courtesy of the lovely Clover Jones . I have been busily working with Clover over the past few months to help design and produce her range of  vintage style clothing and accessories for  what the calls the "everyday UN- Superhero".

One of Clover Jones' 40's/50's Vintage Inspired Designs

 The official launch is set at this stage for Saturday April 23rd. Mary and I will be presenting selected designs at the Beechworth Golden Horseshoes Festival Market in Victoria Park, whilst Clover will be up-loading her designs for sale on her website and MadeIt.com.au. Selected items will aslo be available through the Shop-Front Gallery here at MeaghanArt.