New Year

I don't have any lofty new goals for the new year, lose the extra pudge, get organized, learn more about the computer (most of the time it's luck not knowledge that gets photos loaded) just the regular stuff. My main goal is to make my artsy/crafty business more successful. Try more shows, promote etsy more, add more variety to the things I sell.

I have one show for sure in March, it is an unusual show, its a Middle School Teacher Convention. They usually only have big store vendors at these things, book stores and the like, but they wanted to try a few local artists, and I was one of them. It's a 2 day show at our Middle School, I don't know since it isn't a art/craft show how I'll do, but the price to get in was too good to be true and I was flattered to be one of six asked, and who knows, it may turn out great!

So I am making more lunch bags (I hope teachers will be interested) as well as totes.

I just mailed out a craft show application for another show in March, if I make it into that one I had really better get sewing. I have 2 more applications to fill out for November and December. I also have 2 for sure shows for August and September. These are all good shows I have done in the past and have been successful. So I have 3 guaranteed shows, and 3 pretty good chance of getting into shows (I hope). I try to avoid shows during soccer season so I need to find a couple of more for the summer. The kids can help then, I pay them, and my shy daughter becomes not so shy when she is manning the tent for me. It is amazing how confident and outgoing she becomes. The kids even help other vendors set their tents up and have gotten paid in ice cream.

Snow on the clothesline.

We had a white Christmas and even had below 0 temps last week and now it is balmy, in the 60's and our snow is melting away. I like winter so I'm not sure how I feel about this. Mosquito's are out! My daughter and I split and hauled more wood yesterday, without coats and I was sweaty. I had been wanting to have my very own log splitter for years, I had to borrow my dad's because I didn't want to spend the $1,000 for a new one. So my hubbie and I scored on a great shape used one for $100! Now I can get my "gym" workout whenever the mood strikes.

Ready for the next cold snap.

I love bluebirds. This male has been hanging out and beating up his reflection in our window all week.

Photo with snow.

Photo today with much less snow.

Working on a "new" rug using old ugly sheets for the den.

I am giddy as a school girl over the new paint colors.