From todays' AP Buzz

"Recession-stung stores plan old-fashioned holidays
..
Buzz up!50 votes Send
By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, AP Retail Writer Anne D'innocenzio, Ap Retail Writer – Sun Oct 4, 7:02 am ET
NEW YORK – Stores are turning back the clock, conjuring images of hearth and home as they stock their holiday merchandise.

Retailers hope embracing holiday traditions from cozier times will tempt recession-weary consumers to open their wallets in a season expected to show flat sales at best.
..
"It's old-fashioned and traditional, and therefore much more in vogue," said Jim McCann, 1-800 Flowers president.

_Saks Fifth Avenue developed a store-brand line of traditional ornaments costing $8 to $32. That compares with the $50 average price for well-known designer brand and key Saks supplier Christopher Radko.

Ostentatious outdoor displays are also getting the boot.

HSN is moving away from holiday lawn decor to interior decorations, including adding nativity scenes. That means fewer of the big inflatable lawn decorations that have dominated suburban yards in recent years.

"People are spending more time inside. They are doing less of the showoff" on the lawn, Nicola said.

...."
Friends,
this is great news for Artists like me...I make Nativity Sets, or better said, Artistic Nativity Dioramas!

Italian Style Exhibition 25 to 27 September '09

This event was our best ever!
Attendance for the 3 days is estimated at 40,000 people.
At times we were not even able to assist customers, they took items off the shelves themselves!

His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo at exhibit

Saturday September 12th. we were graced with the visit of Cardinal DiNardo who was kind enough to Bless us and our works.
Here he is admiring one of my most eloquent 'Roman School' pieces, La Torre.

Sacred Art Exhibit

A Call to Holiness - 11 & 12 September '09
George R. Brown Convention Center,
BOOTH 118

This event is sponsored by the Arcdiocese of Galveston Houston, and it is a great honor for me to have been called as a member of the Sacred Art Directory of Austin to exhibit my Roman School Dioramas.

For more information and to register please review:
www.cth2009.org

La Teca Diorama bound for Austin

This week I will be consigning my smallest Diorama, the Neapolitan scene called 'La Teca', to the Pastoral center, Diocesan Fine Arts Council of Austin.
Contact Information:
Contact: Mark Landers
Location: Landers Studio
500 West St. Elmo Road
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 472-9663

This second exhibit in the Sacred Art Gallery will last from August 21, 2009 until February 19, 2010 and will consist of 56 pieces of artwork by 30 different artists.
We hope to see you there!

July 10 & 11
Come and see the latest Dioramas, (one is 18th. Century Neapolitan in Glass casing), and do your early Christmas shopping at the Clear Lake Park on Nasa Parkway!

We are in:
BAY AREA COMMUNITY CENTER
5002 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook, TX
(inside Clear Lake Park)

Hours are Friday 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday 9 am to 3 pm.

See ya!

ITALYEXPO

This September 25 to 27 we will be present at this first time ever show at the George R. Brown Convention center on Italian Style.
It is organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas (IACC), and showcases the excellence of Italian products to the general public and businesses (including distributors, importers, business operators, and buyers). Featured at Italian Style are: luxury automobiles, fashion shows, fine jewelry displays, restaurants and cafes, food and wine tastings, travel agents and tourism information, educational seminars and workshops, fencing matches, flea market, ceramics, art, musical entertainment, and more!
For more information see the Houston page on: www.italianexpo.us

Take a look at the booth pics of yesterday

The event was a huge success, despite the rain late afternoon.

Market Street Fine Arts Festival in The Woodlands

April 25th.from 10 am to 7 pm.

I will have the honor of bringing my Dioramas, at least 5 of them, as well as the latest ceramics and landmark sketches.
My booth number is 35, and I will be on South Market Street near the corner with Pavilion Way, (near Tommy Bahama).

It is thanks to the encouragement of so many of you over this last year that I can make this show and I sincerely thank you.

I look forward to seeing you!

Grogan's Mill Spring Arts & Crafts Fair

Where:
Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center
2230 Buckthorne
The Woodlands, TX 77380
When:
Saturday, April 18th. 2009
9am - 5pm
Rain or Shine!!

This weekend!

17th Annual Panther Creek
SPRING ARTS & CRAFTS
FESTIVAL
PANTHER CREEK SHOPPING CENTER
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009
9:00 ~ 5:00 RAIN OR SHINE
I look forward to seeing you there!!!!

Friendship

I found this quote yesterday, I share it with all:
"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. “ Kahlil Gibran

Time for an update!

Well friends, its that time of year again.....Market Fairs and Art Shows.
We will be opening the series at the SpringFest, an Art & Wine Festival in Old Town Spring from March 6th to 8th from 10 to 5. Saturday 7th. we will be open till midnight, so be sure to mark your calendars for a fun filled weekend.
For more information please see the press release in the following link: http://www.oldtownspring.com/SpringFest.htm

The next show we have scheduled is for March 28th at Panther Creek from 9 AM to 5 PM. The address is:
Panther Creek Merchants Association,
40 Night Hawk Place,
(the Woodlands) Spring TX, 77380.
For more information please see the following link: http://www.panthercreekmerchants.com/

We look forward to seeing many.