Thank you for the gift of patience.

To my readers who are still here, "Thank you for your patience." I think I am finally ready to make a comeback here. (I know, I've said that several times in the last few weeks.)

It seems the busy holiday season, some quirky twists in my normal daily routine and an inability to go 'round the clock without sleep and still be productive (a recent development in my old age!), caused some things to simply drop by the wayside. Blogging was a good ways down on the priority list. Here's to hoping I'm now back on track and back in control of my time. I've really missed our daily chats!

We're lucky to have a full and loving circle of family and friends with whom we gather throughout the holiday season. At this point we're still in the midst of those get-togethers and I'm loving every minute of them. I'm sad to have missed a few due to scheduling conflicts but I haven't quite accomplished being in two places at once yet.

There's still a small pile of presents yet to be dispensed but we hope to see those folks within the next week or two. We used to have a big family party on Christmas Eve but it became harder and harder for those with young children to squeeze that one into their busy schedules so we moved it to the weekend after Christmas for several years. Gradually, it slid into January and has now settled into the mid-January time slot and the size of the event has also gotten smaller. It now seems to serve the purpose of a wrap-up party to the season and those last few gifts finally slide into the hands of their recipients. So, we'll still be Christmas-oriented for a little while longer.

Don't get me wrong. We do see most of the family multiple times throughout the season including our "Round Robin Trek" on Christmas Day! We generally make 5 stops, beginning at about 9:30 a.m. and we don't get home until at least 10 p.m., covering about 140 miles round-trip! We've talked about cutting back on this but who could we eliminate?

Ultimately, we, personally, would miss it. The rushed journey has become tradition and it just wouldn't be Christmas without it! After all, isn't it the traditions we all look forward to?

I hope your holiday was filled with fun, laughter, love and lots of hugs. I hope you spent time with those who matter most in your life and I hope you celebrated those time-worn traditions that make your family's celebration unique!!

A week closer to the big day!

Wow! Another week has slipped past between posts. I've been so busy it seems almost impossible a whole week has rolled on by. Then, in going over all I've done, it seems it must've taken more time than a week!Oh yeah, winter snuck in this week, too, although it's not official until tomorrow.

Since I last posted, I finished several orders, sadly turned down a few as there just wasn't time to produce and ship those items in time for the big day, cleaned my whole house, began decorating (Yes, "began"), made a ton of candy (O.K., maybe just about 7 pounds or so - but it seemed like a ton!), entertained house guests (who, incidentally, got snowed in here with us for an extra night), traveled 200 miles (one way) for a 90th birthday party for a special man in our lives,, made three large stuffed toys for three special kids in our lives, made more candy, worked on another gift - ripped that one out (several times), worked on it some more, still working on it, bought our tree, and so much more.
Our trip to the birthday party took us into the mountains of Western Pennsylvania. The roads were clear but it definitely looked like a winter wonderland. I'd love to say it looked very different than it did at home, but we actually went a day later than planned because of the weather on the home front.
These are three pillow-pal type critters I made this week. These won't appear in the shop as they are licensed characters but they were what these little ones wanted. In case you don't recognize them, we're looking at Thomas the Tank, Babar and Queen Celeste. Since I had to create my own patterns, work out all the kinks and paint on the details, they did take some time. They open out flat to use as large pillows to watch T.V. or such.
Now, I need to get back to that other project or there's going to be one unhappy little 5-year-old come Christmas morning. Hopefully, I'll have a pic or two to share of that one by tomorrow. (Or, maybe of the bonfire when I really get totally fed up with all the mistakes I keep making and ripping out!)

In between stitches, I hope to make more candy (we give lots of gifts of homemade candy) and decorate the tree.

Hope your holiday preps are going smoother than mine!

Two months !!!!

OH NO !!!! Do you realize CHRISTMAS is only TWO months away ????

I'M NOT READY !!!!!!!

I mean, I'm REALLY not ready - not for the holiday itself or for the prep necessary to have my shop ready. I'm waaaay behind. I swore this wouldn't happen this year but here I am, two months to go with all these holiday plans swimming around my head and not in the shop. Doesn't matter what excuses I can come up with, I have simply dropped the ball once again. It's time to scramble.

O.K., I need to take a few minutes (only a few minutes) to formulate a crisis plan with regard to preparation.

**Tops on the list must be finishing the orders I need to get out of here tomorrow. Whew, those are ready to go in the box and head for the Post Office!

**Second, I need to clean up the shop. You know, get my existing listings in order. Tweak the descriptions, photos, etc. and rearrange the order they appear in. (Halloween merchandise can drop to the bottom if I choose to even leave them in the shop.)

**I need to check the "inactive" section of my shop to be sure all holiday merchandise that is ready to move has been relisted. Something I recently learned was that by redoing the whole listing on these items and making it a "new" listing, Google bots like it more than simply "relisting." Apparently, getting a new URL pops it right up there for their attention. (When you simply relist, the item keeps it's old URL.)

Next, I need to paint, paint, paint and produce, produce, produce so that there will be plenty for that mob of customers to pick through.

I'm off to get those paint brushes moving!!!

Talk at you tomorrow!

Ahhh! Two days past...

Two days past the big day and not a creature was stirring. Their bellies were full, their bodies exhausted and their minds were drained. It was time for that long winter's nap.

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I stopped panicking on Wednesday. it was getting me no where. I took time refine the "To Do" list, adjusting the priority system to reflect the chores, first, in the order they'd be needed and, secondly, in the order of absolute necessity. All the while, I slowly repeated my mantra: FLEXIBILITY - FLEXIBILITY - FLEXIBILITY !!!!!

Ultimately, I looked at each item and asked several key questions: * Is it necessary? * Is there an easier/quicker substitution? * Can somebody else (i.e. The Big Guy) do it? * What happens if it doesn't get done? I managed to eliminate a few items from the list.

Life goes on. Even if there are no presentable-looking poinsettias left on the Christmas Eve afternoon when the party delegated to purchase one (as the main gift for a close family member) finally gets himself to the store -- life goes on. (The "make do" gift was just as warmly received - maybe more so.)

We set a record, I think - only one domestic dispute throughout this highly stressful, hectic week!!

All in all, it was a great holiday !

We spent time enjoying great food and drink with lots of family over several days. There was lots of chatter, laughter and hugs and kisses. After all, time spent together making memories is the best part of the holidays.

REMEMBER - These are the moments we'll talk and laugh about at future holiday get-togethers !

Christmas Countdown - Less than 3 days !!!

So much for counting in days - I can hear the clock ticking. I HAVE to be ready by 6 p.m. Thursday. That give me less than 50 hours !!!

I've spent the day frantically making candy. Those few days lost to illness last week certainly slowed the machinery down around here. I won't be dreaming of sugarplums, I'll probably be running from chocolate monsters in my dreams !!! The house has this very strong chocolate aroma. Who needs scented candles ?!?

I still have "one last store run" to make . (yeah, right, ONE !) Tried to make a quick trip to Target earlier today. That was a laugh. They have the worst cleaned lot in town. It appears they never attempted to take it down to blacktop so it is now simply hard-packed ice which means everybody is parked at haphazard angles hoping to get a few wheels on a clear spot for traction, etc. Walking across the lot is treacherous. I made the precarious trip in only to find they didn't have any of the items on my list. (We're talking basics like my hair conditioner, not the in-demand toys and such.)

I'm sure we're all in this boat, getting all those last minute needs taken care of. Who are those folks they always show on T.V. who are sitting back leisurely on the couch watching Christmas specials and having a cocktail with their families. The gifts are all neatly wrapped under the tree and there's a tray of perfectly decorated cookies on the coffee table. I've never met those folks, have you?

Good luck, y'all !

Another day, another missed blogpost. (9 more days on the countdown!)

Sorry about that folks! (I'm beginning to feel like Maxwell Smart saying that so often.)

What can I say? It's been so hectic around here - typical pre-Christmas. Today's the last day I am accepting online orders for Christmas delivery so, hopefully, I can breathe easier soon. (I'll still have some local deliveries but they are manageable at the moment.)

The tree is actually decorated ! It looked like it was the same size as last year but must be skinnier. It took a whole box less of ornaments this time around. (I'll have to share some better shots of it later but the lighting is bad here at the moment.)

I actually got some candy made last night and this morning. Our guests arrived and, yes, we were ready.

The Big Guy planned a quick, impromptu get-together for friends at a local restaurant tonight and we've got 19 people planning to show. Not bad for last-minute plans! Maybe we can get him a gig as a party planner after retirement.

Well, we've got company so I've got to run.

Oh yeah, only 9 more days to go, folks. Kick it into high gear NOW !!!!!

Still driving that paint brush at warp speed!

It's been a busy weekend. I've spent many hours painting (and sewing) to complete the orders I have. Surprisingly, I've had more off-line sales than online. (I had anticipated the opposite!) I'm pleased so many of my old customers have returned with customized orders.

Here's a peek at some of my recent work.

Duckie finally got his wheels on and his finishing touches.

I'm eager to get to my Christmas delivery deadline this week so I can get busy and complete the items on our own gift list. Otherwise, I'll be one of those folks shopping at the last minute at Walgreen's!!!

I was also motivated as we have houseguests arriving on Monday for several days. I'd like to spend some quality time with them instead of holed up painting or staying up all night to get the orders done. (Been there, done that before!)

We did get our tree and it is in the house but not yet decorated. It has a nice, somewhat sporadic, array of lights on it. We tested them all before stringing them onto the tree but once up, half the first string stopped working. The Big Guy played with it a bit and it started working. he went ahead and hung the second string. These were all good but that string won't blink. About half way through the third string, half of that one stopped working!

The Big Guy was getting a bit tired and grumpy at this point. He had done a really good job of tucking the lights in and really integrating them into the tree branches. He managed to rearrange the working half od the third string so the tree had lights at the top and we agreed to have a dark bottom foot or two of tree.

At this point, he has done his job. He gets it in, stands it up and puts the lights on. The rest of the job is mine although I do ask for some help for the highest ornaments and the angel. (He's tall and doesn't need a step stool. I'm klutzy and have visions of falling into the fully decorated tree while using a stool to reach!)

Maybe after I get these shipments out in the morning, I'll get a chance to sit down and write one of the many posts I've had rambling around in my head these last few days. I know it will get hectic once our compnay gets here.

Hope y'all are getting all your preps done.

Thursday ?!?! Are you sure ?

How did it get to be Thursday already? What happened to Wednesday? I know I was around for Wednesday. I accomplished some of those things on Wednesday's "To Do" list. I DIDN'T get my Working the Shows Wednesday post up, though. So sorry. (I promise to run that story next Wednesday.)

To be honest, after a busy day of painting in the early morning, shopping with a friend most of the day, rushing home and preparing a meal for dinner guests, spending time with those guests before and after the meal, then, taking care of a little business - I made the mistake of sitting down for a second. It only took that long to fall asleep in the chair! When The Big Guy woke me up around midnight, I did the "zombie walk", literally bouncing off walls on my way to the bedroom where I quickly fell back into a deep sleep.

As most of you know, exhaustion is pretty much inherent in the pre-holiday rush. Those of us attempting to run a business, especially one whose business is centered on the season, run at a sleep deficit for weeks at a time. The older I get, the harder it is to maintain that kind of schedule. In the old days, I could go two days without hitting the sack when necessary and then rebound after just one 6-7 hour sleep session. Oh, to be young again!

It is important at this point, to PRIORITIZE. While we have orders to complete, gifts to buy, homes to maintain, family to take care of, etc., we also need to take care of ourselves. Sure, we can all handle a short night here and there but we need to realize we can't do it over and over without end. As we get tired, we take longer to create our product and make more mistakes in the process. Ultimately, we gain nothing in the process. A tired person is also more susceptible to whatever germs are floating around and with the flu season in full swing, you really don't want to let your guard down. A sick person accomplishes very little quality work and stays sick longer if they are forcing themselves to keep going at an unreasonable pace.

The secret to keeping it all together? SIMPLIFY where you can. You can make the daily meal times a lot simpler with a little planning and preparation. I'm a great believer in making planned leftovers. Basically, I cook at least double amounts where possible. This can usually be accomplished in the same amount of time but makes two dinners instead of one. Once cooked, freeze one of those meals. When you want to use it, simply thaw it out and pop it in the oven or microwave. This not only saves prep time but also clean-up time. I actually do this year-round, not just at the busy times. I also take an entire day every few weeks and stock pile food like stuffed shells, enchiladas, jambalaya, pulled pork, etc. These all freeze well and can be cooked up with very little effort. The wasted day really does pay off.

ACCEPT HELP. We all know we usually can't farm out our craft but we can allow our family members to assist with other need like KP duty in the kitchen, laundry, running to the grocery, even making the Post Office runs. If they offer to cook or clean, let them do it. Maybe they won't do it just the way you do, but it will most likely be perfectly acceptable. Most of all, don't criticize the help! Quietly accept however it comes out and be sure to say "Thanks."

We each have to determine where we can accept a little less perfection in our everyday life and what events we must take part in, whether it is attending the children's school pageant, having dinner with friends or even having house guests during the made pre-holiday days.

Just remember, you really can't do it all, something has to give. Don't let destiny determine what gives. Let it be your choice and plan to let somethings fall by the wayside. That way, the really important parts do happen and they happen in the way you want them to. You'll be in control of what really matters.

So, go ahead and turn in and get some creativity rest. (I've given up on the concept of beauty rest!)

OMG!! Christmas is in 23 Days!!!

Well, Santa may actually be in town already (just check your local mall) but he'll be at my house (and yours!) in just 23 days and a couple of hours!! So how ready are you?

I've scheduled PANIC to begin on Saturday of this week. I don't have time for it until then. I need to post a holiday shipping deadline in my shop tomorrow, right after I post some more holiday merchandise. I'm definitely behind schedule on getting some things into the shop. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for last-minute shoppers.

If you're an online seller, have you gotten all your merchandise listed yet? Don't forget to note a shipping deadline for holiday arrivals.

Last year, I received an order five days before Christmas! (Well after my cut-off date as posted.) I emailed the buyer and told her I would do my best but could not guarantee on-time arrival at that point. (I did not offer any over-night shipping last year and have not decided to do it this year either. In most cases, overnight costs more than my products.) I then found I had trouble obtaining the appropriate garment to paint in the requested size. With no time to dye the garment, I ended up making a last-minute color substitution and was unable to take the time to get customer approval first. I sent a note along, stating I tried to find an acceptable substitution but wanted them to have something for their child to open on Christmas Day. If they did not want the alternative color, please return it - unused - and I would replace it with the originally requested color and refund any return shipping costs. Turns out they loved it anyway!

I've still got quite a few items to photograph and get listed. Most still need a finishing touch or two. The good news is, I'm behind schedule due to working on existing orders. After all, a sale's a sale! My offline sales (mostly repeat buyers) have been satisfying this season but my online business has been disappointing.

Beginning Saturday, I also need to kick it in gear as far as my own shopping list goes. We have to ship a fair number of our own outgoing gifts and, since I make most, I need to get busy, get them done, packed and mailed.

Did I mention I haven't started decorating or baking yet? The good news is, I have a reindeer collection, currently numbering a little over 500 deer. Many stay on display year-round in curio cabinets and shelves around the house. So I'm always a little decorated for the holiday! I have actually scheduled candy making day. To be precise, that's the day I have a little help. Other families gather to bake cookies together, I have the girls help with the general and easier candies for an afternoon. I then spend a number of days working on all the rest myself! Candy comes first. If I have time, then I make cookies.

These tree ornaments are some of my newest listings. They measure 5" tall and look so cute piled on my table in a mound. I was tempted to use a photo of the pile for the listings but didn't want to waste a detail shot.

I also made some that can be personalized. My mom began a tradition of giving each of the children a special ornament each year that was their very own. Although she made many beautiful ones herself, she usually bought fancy, unique glass ornaments. I still have some of those despite the tree falling over several times in the last decade or so. I've lost many beloved ornaments that way!