Where has the time gone?

Wow!  How can it be February already?  The holidays are a blur.  Between having lots and lots of girl scout classes, making mice, and working 50+ hours a week at the store, I'm not sure how I made it through.  I had lots of fun, lots of treats from customers and lots of support from my helpers.  Thanks to all those who brought me treats - some days they were the only things that kept me going.  Thanks also for the gifts everyone brought me.  I loved them all, but was especially fond of the flamingo santa lights.  They looked really cute under my palm tree decorated with hot pink ornaments in my breakfast nook.

The mice were a real hit this year.  Those of you that came in the store know what I am talking about.  I can always tell when a project is going to be a hit - the item starts selling from the back before they even hit the sales floor.  Just a few left and they have made their home in the Christmas room.

I have a couple of special events coming up this month.  This coming Saturday, February 11, we will be holding our third annual Passionately Pink for the Cure fundraiser for Susan G. Komen.  The cost is $15.
            With your $15.00 fee you:
                      * Make a $10 donation to Susan G. Komen
                      * Earn a door prize ticket for a chance to win prizes - drawings are every 15 minutes
                      * Receive a welcome bag
                      * Earn extra door prize tickets for wearing pink, an added donation, a store purchase, or
                                   bringing a friend
                      * Make and take three different crafts
                      * Play Valentine BINGO for a chance to win every hour
                      * Enjoy refreshments

In addition we have tickets for sale for some super raffle prizes.  You do not have to pay $15.00 to buy these tickets and you do not have to be present to win.

Also coming up later this month I will be handing out eggs for the egg decorating contest.

I can't make any promises about doing a better job with this blog - I still have lots of girl scouts coming - but will try.  Keep being creative and have fun!

The Elves They Are a Working

Boy have we been busy.  I've had new siding put on the outside of my storefront, worked on getting the new siding painted, made 50-60 necklaces, completed about a dozen special orders, set up a bead and clearance sale, rearranged all the trees and rooms, and.... created a new item for Christmas.  We made Christmas mice this year.  They are unbelievably cute and have taken over the back room.  I already know I need to make more, because they have already begun to sell even though they are not "out" yet.  I know when I have created a "hit" when the item sells from the back room.

I also have reordered the hand made brush ornaments and have quite a few new animals this year.  They are one of the few items that I have ordered that have actually sold like hotcakes.  If you are not familiar with them, they are hand made in the Phillipines from burri palm fibers.  The industry used to make brushes, but with the advent of plastic brushes, their brushes no long sold.  To keep the industry alive, they began creating nativity sets and animals out of the fibers.  Some of the first animals they made were not very realistic, but they have really improved through the years.  The eyes and ears, etc are all made out of seeds or leaves or other natural materials.  The are very unique and very cute.  I have lots of collectors now and since they are very sturdy and light they are easy to mail.

My Holiday Open House is Saturday, November 11, so mark your calenders now.  All the mice will be out front by then as will all the other decorations and holiday items.  I have a lot of new one of a kind items that will be put out this year.

I hope you all have as much fun creating as I do.  I truly love making beautiful and fun items that bring joy to others.  Hope to see you all soon.

PROGRESS!!!!!

I have my whole back room cleaned up (almost).  I am down to the nitty gritty of sorting all the bead piles in pans, boxes, bags, trays and whatever that I have been piling up waiting to price them, bead them or file them.  I am so unbelievably proud of myself I have shown everyone that has set foot in my store in the last month who had ever seen my backroom!  I am also so ashamed for letting it get so bad.  One pile on the floor had been there for five years !!  Five Years!!!  It is such a relief to have it clean and put away.  I am a very organized person and that mess has haunted me for a very long time.  When I came back to work on July 6 after vacation, I set the timer for 1 hour each day and cleaned.  Items were either thrown out or recycled, put in their proper place or they went into sale boxes or grab bags.  Nothing was just moved to another spot.  I had lots and lots of cute wood items to be painted that all went into grab bags.  If I hadn't done something in five years out it went!  I realize I have no time to do little time consuming projects that don't sell well anyway.  I'll save my energy for jewelry making and other creative things that actually sell.  I also have so many more special orders all the time that it is hard to do as many creative things just to play around.

I also have come up with a new Christmas item that is really fun.  I finished 8 snowmen that were special orders two years ago that I finally created and finished.  The lady who ordered them loved them and bought 5 of the 8.  I know the other three will sell fast.  They are very cute, but took a lot of time and materials.  I don't think I could make 30 - 40 of them.  It's hard to be thinking about making Christmas items when I'm still trying to enjoy summer, but I have to get going.  And for right now I have made Progress!

Where has the time gone?

Man, I can't believe it is the first of June.  I haven't accomplished most of the stuff I set out to do in the new year.  The back room is still messy - as soon as I cleanup up something another thing piles up, I'm still working on orders constantly, and I haven't stockpiled anything for Christmas.  I haven't even come up with a wonderful idea for Christmas.  I need some inspiration.  All of the ideas I see right now seem kinda cheesy.  That's what happens when you are by yourself too much - no one to bounce ideas around with.  Doodle where are you?

Summer Classes

I'm back from vacation.  It was one of those stay at home vacations with my daughter-in-law and 2 yr old grandson visiting for 10 days.  Not much relaxing, but it was fun and different from my regular routine.  I did come back ready to get some work done.  For the 4 days I have been back I have been cleaning out the back rooms for an hour a day. I hauled 6 bags of old catalogs to the recycling center yesterday.  I have made a dent in ONE room.  In a very small area, I have found things I have not looked at in years.  Lots of fodder for grab bags!

I have also put together a class schedule.  Meant to get it on the blog last week, but life seems to interfere.  Here it is:  Call 624-7193 for a class description or to sign up.

Jewelry Making - Earrings $10.00
     Wed July 13 6-8pm, Fri July 15 1-3pm, Sat July 18 10:30-12:30

Card Making $10.00
     Wed July 20 6-8pm, Fri July 22 1-3pm, Sat July 23 10:30-12:30

Jewelry Making - Necklaces $15.00
     Tues July 26 6-8pm, Thurs July 28 2-4pm, Fri July 29 12:30-2:30pm

Silk Scarf Painting $10.00
     Wed Aug 3 6-8pm, Fri Aug 5 1-3pm, Sat Aug 6 10:30-12:30

Jewelry Making - Bracelets $10.00
     Wed Aug 10 6-8pm, Thurs Aug 11 2-4pm, Fri Aug 12 12:30-2:30pm

Paper Quilling $10.00
     Wed Aug 17 6-8pm, Fri Aug 19 12:30-2:30pm, Sat Aug 20 10:30-12:30

Hope to see some of you this summer.  Come take a class or just come in and say Hi.  As I'm cleaning out lots of bargains are going on the sale rack!  If I haven't used it in years it's out!

 

Easter Pictures

FINALLY!!!  Here are the pictures of the decorated Easter eggs.  They were wonderful!!!

Little Red Riding Hood egg was the winner of the 6-11 age group, Humpty Dumpty was the winner of the 12-16 age group and the Sexy lady egg was the adult winner.  The cracked egg trying to stay out of the frying pan won Honorable Mention as the most Hilarious.  The bacon waas crocheted!

This contest is just to fun.  There is so much creativity out there.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  Hopefully next year will have more entries.

Sorry some of the pictures are sideways.  I'm off to work and don't have time to figure out how to rotate them.

Have fun and be creative.

 

Mostly Random Thoughts

Handed out tons of eggs, but very few were returned.  The ones that were are MAGNIFICENT!!!  I will take pictures and post them.  If you can, come see them in person, as they are all just wonderful!

I am just about done with Brownie and Daisy classes for this year.  I still have 2 more in May.  I have loved having the girls, but am worn down.  I have had close to 400 girls through for class since the end of October.

All my goals for this year have slipped into oblivion.  Just keeping up with day to day operations has been my order of business.  I just got the rough draft of my taxes done 15 minutes ago and filed an extension.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute.  That is the way everything has been since the first of the year.  I did uncover one desk in the workroom this past week and was able to sit at it to write.  Now all I have to do is uncover most of the floor!

For those of you that have been asking I will have some regular classes in May.  I will have some jewelry classes and some other fun things like quilling.  I will put the schedule on the blog, but you can also call 618-624-7193 to schedule your own group for class if you like.

P.S. I will close early on Friday April 22, and closed all day Saturday, April 23.  My grandson will be in town!!

Creative Easter Eggs

I have a really fun project going on right now in the store.  I give you a paper mache egg and ask you to decorate it for Easter.  You can use any material you want.  It is amazing to see other folks' creativity.  I have had some really fabulous eggs over the years.  I have a variety of age groups, so anyone can take part.  Lots of moms do it with their kids and they all bring their eggs in.  The eggs are displayed in the store the week before Easter so everyone gets to see them.  The best egg in each age group wins a prize!  Come get your egg and unleash that creatity!  The most important guideline - HAVE FUN!

Note to Doodle:  How about one covered in friendly plastic?

The Iron Chef - Bead Edition

The weekend of President's Day, my husband and I took a road trip up to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to see my 2 year old grandson.  Since we were actually leaving in the daylight and it is a 5 1/2 hour trip, I took along beads to string in the car.  I had about 20 necklaces I needed to work on, but didn't have the time to gather all the specific beads and findings I needed for those, so I just started grabbing beads I had had in the back for a very long time.  I grabbed a couple of assortments, some lava rock beads, small beads to use on the ends, all the tools and findings I might need, my bead mat and a bead tray.  There were also some loose beads on the tray I grabbed.  When we got on the road, I discovered I had mainly grabbed green beads, which was okay because St. Patricks Day is coming up, but I had not grabbed any beads that truly excited me.  Not wanting to waste the time riding in the car, I started making jewelry with what I had.  I was quite amazed at the things I came up with, all with beads that weren't ones I truly loved.  I was very happy with the things I made.  It reminded me of the Iron Chef competition where the contestants are given only three food items and they have to make a meal with them. That's what I challenged myself to do.

I did not grab enough wire to string all the necklaces and bracelets I had planned.  I ran out on the trip up.  To be ready for the trip home, my daughter-in-law and I had to go to JoAnn's and Michaels looking for wire.  Since I always buy mine from my wholesaler in 100 ft spools, I was not aware of how wire was sold in these stores.  I carry 30 ft spools for my customers, because it is the most economical way to buy it, or I will sell it by the yard off my big spool if they are just making one necklace.  All these other stores only carry 10 ft spools which is the most expensive way to buy it, but also you have to constantly return for wire and will then buy more beads, etc. I know this is sound marketing strategy, but it irritates me that I could not buy a 30 ft spool anywhere.  I try to be a little more customer friendly than the big box stores and I hope that counts for something in the long run.

Oh, by the way.... I made 7 necklaces, two of them multi-strand, 6 bracelets, and 7 pairs of earrings.  I would have made more, but I ran out of wire.....

New year, new resolutions

Here it is already the end of January.  I guess I will have to use Febuary 1 as the date to start my New Year's Resolutions.  I got completely bogged down with the holidays.  I had over 200 brownies and daisies through the store for classes in  November, December and January.  They were all great but I am worn out.  I STILL do not have my back room cleaned up, but have made a little progress.  I have decided I am going to take a "studio day" on Thursdays and just work on something new and completely creative.  I'm not going to work on orders or cleaning or rearranging.  I am going to play.  Today I am pulling out the unfriendly plastic and see if I can become friends with it.  My friend doodle has inspired me.  If I come up with anything great, I'll post some pictures.

I do want to let you know about a fun and wonderful upcoming event.  On Saturday, February 12, we are having a Passionately Pink for the Cure fundraiser at the store.  It will be all day 10am - 5pm.  The cost is $15.00, ten of which goes directly to Susan G. Komen.  Our goal is $1000.  We have door prizes, BINGO games, a raffle,  make it and take its, and refreshments.  If you wear pink, you receive an extra door prize ticket.  If you bring a friend, you both get an extra door prize ticket.  It will be a really fun day and is a cause especially close to my heart, since I lost my best friend to breast cancer five years ago.  Come support the cause!

 

Countdown to Christmas

The last two weeks have been a blur.  The Open House went great.  Lots of food, lots of fun customers and friends, lots of sales. The fairies were the biggest hit at the Open House.  I thought they were fun and so did everyone else!   I had more brownie and daisy groups this past Friday night and all day Saturday.  All nice girls who had lots of fun making jewelry.  This is the week I need to catch up on all my orders and try to finish some of the Christmas items I've been working on.  All those cute snowmen that were cut out months ago are still sitting in the back unfinished.  There are reindeer half painted, finished reindeer waiting for Santa to be painted, boxes to be painted, snowmen heads waiting to be painted and for their bodies, and lots of jewelry to be made.  I have been working on all these, but then have a class and have to throw them all in the back room at whatever stage they are in.  Hopefully I can get some of them completed before the next class next week.  My back room looks like a disaster area.  There is so much stuff piled up it is scary.  It looks like I should be on one of those Hoarder reality shows.  Even when it is messy I can usually put my hands on whatever I am looking for because it is usually fairly organized stacks. But right now it is total chaos and I can't find anything.  People have given me bags and boxes of "stuff" as they cleaned out for Christmas, and I really appreciate it - but haven't had time to go through it and it is piled everywhere!  That will be one of my projects for the new year - clean up the back room!

 

Welcome to My World

Nine Christmas trees and 60 brownies/daisies later, I'm still hanging in there.  The past Saturday was the marathon jewelry class with all the daisies and brownies.  It was like 101 Dalmations in the store with all the little girls running around.  The classes Saturday all went very well and the girls had a great time.  They made some great jewelry.  The class last night didn't go as well.  The classes set up through the girl scout council have evaluation forms of me that have to be turned in to the office.  Last night I was wishing I could turn in an evaluation form on the troop that was there.  Just a little wild when I'm already stressed.

This coming Saturday is my Holiday Open House.  I have nine decorated trees set up throughout the store.  The store has been dusted, rearranged and restocked.  All that is needed is the holiday music playing in the background.  We'll be making cards and ornaments in the back all day.  The other two sisters will actually be in the store all day.  I love once the day gets here and I have all the work done, because it is just like a big party all day and I get to see all my friends.  Hope those of you reading this are able to join the party.

Switching into High Gear

Well now is the time of year when I really have to get my act together to get everything done.  I always kid that I going on cookie crumbs and eggnog fumes.  My Holiday Open House is Saturday, November 13, and I aim to have the store totally redone for the Christmas season by that date.  That means taking down all the Halloween and putting up all the Christmas trees.  The Christmas room is always rearranged and freshened up.  All the new items we've made or purchased for Christmas come out at this time.  It's a great effort but is inspiring and really gets me in the mood for Christmas.  I always want to rush home and put up my trees.

For those of you that have not attended an Open House, it is a fun day with free Christmas crafts all day, refreshments, door prizes, and lots of other fun stuff.  It is the one day that you might meet the other two sisters as they come to help in the craft room.  It happens all day, 10am -5pm.

I'm off to work to begin the transformation.

 

The First Brownies

Today I had my first group of brownies come to do their jewelry class.  They were a wonderful group and I enjoyed my 90 minutes with them.  One little girl said it was the most fun she had ever had as a brownie.  They made some pretty cool necklaces and they all had a lot of pride in their work.  Everything went very smoothly.  Of course there were only nine of them and the two leaders were wonderful.  I'm hoping the rest of my brownie experiences go as well.  The next time there will be 21 girls, so that may be somewhat tougher.

It is so fun to see the creativity of such young girls.  They absolutely loved the beads.  They asked about the other two sisters and I told them they were both accountants and were not able to come into the store very often.  I said I had the best job because I get to come to work everyday and make jewelry or paint or do something else creative for someone.  And its true.... I do have the best job.  Sometimes I get so bogged down in the details I forget to just enjoy the ride.  I get to use my creativity every day that I come to work and I make other people happy by doing it. And I get to see beading or painting or crafts through the eyes of a young girl.  Now isn't that the best job in the world?

 

Girl Scouts and Brownies Galore

Many years ago my now good friend Cheryl saw an ad of mine and called to ask if I could do badge work for her girl scout troop.  I said yes and I started doing classes for her troop.  Soon other local troops started coming to work on badges at my shop.  I have worked with many troops and very many girls through the years.  The first girls are now in college or have started families.

This past spring my friend Cheryl asked if I would become a resource for the entire Girl Scout Council.  That way girls from other towns in the area would know about the store and could come to do badge work.  So the council called and we set up about ten classes for the council.  I tried to spread them out, but it is hard to pick out dates months in advance, but we did it.  As soon as the council guide was published, I started getting calls from leaders in O'Fallon to schedule their own classes.  Then the council office called and said the first class scheduled for Saturday, November 6 was already overbooked.  So instead of having a limit of 15 girls per class, I raised the limit to 20.  Twenty girls!!  Then she called and said there were still more girls that wanted to take the class, so I have scheduled a second Saturday to accomodate them.

I love seeing young people be creative and see the pride they have when they have made something that they really like and is all theirs.  But I may be in over my head.  Hopefully I won't become this really cranky lady that none of the girls want to come back to see.  I'll let you know how the first class goes....

 

Cockscombs, Cat's Heads and Conchos

Sounds like a witches spell.  Today I taught a fall wreath class.  One of the ladies brought her own dried flowers and had a large dry cockscomb to put on her wreath.  Then I came to work and painted cat's heads in hot pink, orange, and purple on a silk scarf (it was a special order).  At the end of the day someone came in looking for western conchos that I could not find for the life of me.  I still don't know where I stashed them.  In between I worked on pearl necklaces for a wedding and made earrings.  Quite a day!  Oh yes, the cute crows went to a new home leaving my shelf bare.

 

Hello to Fall

Well, I got behind again and had to skip the blog.  Almost got caught up, but then got a ton of new orders so am behind again.  I got the sign finished - I did it on heavy duty wood so it would last.  The only problem - the guy hasn't come and picked it up.  I do hate it when I work very hard on something and do it in a timely fashion and then the customer takes weeks or months to come pick it up. 

Fall has been selling really well.  Everyone but me is glad for the long hot summer to be over.  I love summer.  I love Christmas too, but hate the cold of winter.

Had lots of new customers in on Saturday.  It is nice to get the positive feedback on the store.  Even when it is looking its worst.  All the trees need to be redone and refreshed and things need to be dusted.  That will be this weeks project.  At least a start.

Classes will start soon.  I have some jewelry making classes and some holiday craft classes coming up.  I'll post the days and times on this blog.  Hope to have it later in the week.  Also, mark your calendars- Saturday, November 13 is my Holiday Open House this year.  For those who have not attended before, there is food, free crafts, door prizes, and lots of holiday ideas.  It's always a fun day and gets you started on the holidays.

One step forward, two steps back.....again....

I worked all day on one project.  Didn't quite get it finished.  But took in two more orders that have to be done ASAP.  Today's project was another quilled wedding invitation.  It took forever, but turned out really nice.   Sometimes things just come together, other times they take forever.  Hopefully the next couple of things won't take so long.  I have a dilemma with a sign I'm working on.  Do I do it on wood that is easy to work with and easy for me to cut or do I do it on the heavy wood that I'll have to take somewhere to be cut, but will hold up since the sign is going outside?  If you know me you know the answer, I do too, I just don't want to do it.

Love my Spiders

I got all the fall and Halloween items out in the store.  I'm not a fan of spiders but the ones I have in the window with their cheesy smiles are just too cute.   They go with the real cobwebs that are between my double windows. 

That is pretty much the theme of the Halloween stuff - cute.  I'm not real big on scary.  From now on until Christmas I spend so much time in the store it is fun to be surrounded by cute ghosts, witches and pumpkins.

I got the snowmen cut out and started.  They are going to be fun, too. If you can't have fun how can you get through life?   That pretty much is sums up my belief on the Meaning of Life - Have fun, but have a life that matters.

Return to the REAL World

Well, today is the last day of my laid back summer.  Tomorrow begins my big holiday rush.  Fall and Halloween  begin to show up in the store this week and I begin planning where all the Christmas trees will go.  From now on until after Christmas there's not much down time.  But it's also the most fun because there are so many fun Halloween and Christmas  items and it's fun to decorate the store with a theme. I'm still searching for the diamonds...