Done in December…

I’m going to try and cram as much in this post as possible since I’m at 99% capacity here on WP. Decision time as to whether I delete or pay. I’m not leaving though so don’t worry about that – LOL.

When last I posted I showed the prompts for December Reflection. I haven’t been keeping up with that very well. I had a pop-up craft show on the 7th of December and I’ve been working a lot in the studio on special orders and to get the inventory back up. My exploding boxes have been a hit and I’m now making them for Valentine’s Day and will be doing some for other occasions.

I’m getting ready to make my Vision Cards for the year. I think my main focus groups are going to be the same, our house, my health, travel/adventure, relationships, prosperity and my crafty life. We’ll see what I can come up with to help me keep on track. Tonight is the full moon and I’ll be making my dream board as well. Sounds like all I do is have my head in the clouds, huh?

Well, back to earth, this happened…

The San Francisco Giants are using a photo taken of my son and I at one of the games we saw from the #415 section, a new area they made last year that comes with some special perks and giveaways. The hat was the freebie at that game in tribute to Brandon Belt. How exciting is that? My hubby is disappointed because he was supposed to go to that game with me and at the last minute changed his mind. I like to spend time with the kids on a one-on-one sometimes and this was a fun night.

And today I took my daughter into the City to get a COVID test and saw this:

It’s one of the Hearts of San Francisco that I wrote about last year in my A to Z. This one is from the 2004 collection. It was so cool to see it pop up. Driving through the city made me miss the times I went exploring so I may have to work that into my travel/adventures goals for next year.

And with that I’m going to call it a year, folks. I may write one more post during the week between Christmas and New Years but my mom is coming to stay for a few days next week and I want to be able to focus on her so we’ll see. I wish all of you, dear readers, a wonderful Christmas and here’s to a more prosperous and peaceful New Year.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/done-in-december-2/

Done in December…

One of the things that gets done in December is the December Reflection series with Susannah Conway. Here are the prompts for this year if you want to play along:

My smile is the first prompt:

Just me in my messy kitchen. One thing that made me really smile was the Star Seller badge I got on my Etsy site for this month! Another smile maker was the increase in Social Security that the hubby and I are getting. If you are on Social Security you can check out your increase on the My Social Security site.

Gold is the second:

You can see some gold in the papers I’ve put together to make another one of the exploding boxes. I finished the first one I did and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

What are you getting done in December? I have a list of things I WANT to get done. We’ll see how far I get.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/12/02/done-in-december/

Now in November…

It is the last day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge for this round. There will be another one coming next year but it depends on whether or not I’ve figured out what to do with the A to Z if I participate. I enjoyed meeting some new bloggers and have gotten closer to some that I already followed.

Tamara is a blogger that I first met through the A to Z several years ago but through the Ultimate Blog Challenge we got to know a lot more about each other. She is in Switzerland and it is such an interesting country to learn about. Check her blogs out here.

One of the new ones I’ve started following is Francine at The Organised Crafterbrain. A lot of good information and tips about crafting, bullet journaling, being organized. Just a cornucopia of fun.

Jeanine has a great Hallmark Christmas Bingo game if you like watching those touching stories.

I know there are folks out there that I missed and I’m pretty sure I’ll do the challenge again sometime. Today happens to be Paul’s birthday so Happy Birthday and thanks for organizing the challenge.

I have been invited to participate in a pop-up craft show at one of our local painting establishments this weekend so I am off to the studio to make some stuff. I started a new project that you can see here.

No pictures today. Hope you don’t mind.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/30/now-in-november-15/

Now in November…

Just a quick update to say that the second boutique went well. I didn’t lose any rings (haven’t found any yet) and made enough to cover my table space and a little more. I sold 34 items and the set up and organization was much smoother. Even the banner came out a little better spaced.

I am spending today in the studio (well, except for right now) putting everything away and starting on some new projects. I got quite a few ideas from folks as they came by asking for things I either didn’t have or only had a limited selection. I didn’t have anyone tell me that the prices were too high and everyone said how much they admired my creativeness. What more can you ask for?

There are still some Christmas cards left on the Etsy site but one of the things I’m lacking is Hanukkah cards. I won’t be able to get them ready for this year but they will definitely be in the shop next year. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend. Pretty soon it will be December and I’ll be starting the December Reflections with Susannah Conway as I usually do. You should join us.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/28/now-in-november-14/

Now in November…

Just a quick note to say that Plan B worked and we had a wonderful day yesterday eating ham instead of turkey. The girls and I played card games while my mom watched, Bill had his football games and unfortunately our son had to work but made it home in time for dessert and the family photo.

My eyes are open exceptionally wide because the kids just reminded me to open them since usually they end up being closed when the picture is snapped. The lighting is terrible but we are all there! It’s the only picture I took from the day, preferring to enjoy making the memories rather than photograph them.

The prompt today from the Ultimate Blog Challenge was to discuss something controversial. Have to say that right now voting rights are foremost on my list. In my opinion we need to pass those new voting acts so that we don’t end up being an autocracy. I cannot imagine a world where the likes of DT and his cronies are allowed to rule the United States. I cannot believe the “Republicans” are so spineless.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and now I’m going to get my stuff ready for the boutique tomorrow. Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll find my ring.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/26/now-in-november-13/

Now in November…

I haven’t been having much fun over here in Janetland lately. First the ring. Then the oven. Our oven is about 15 years old and about a month ago we noticed that it wouldn’t always get hot. It is gas and the burners still work so we know that gas is getting into it. My husband was a maintenance mechanic so he knows how to do repairs around the house but just when we would talk about taking the oven out so that he could check it, it would work with no problem.

Of course yesterday it decided not to work and my husband pulled it out of the island to see if he could find the issue.

We are hoping it is this igniter. Of course no shop in our neighborhood had this part so Amazon it is and it will be here Saturday. I was able to get to the grocery store and we’ll have ham cooked in the crock pot. Since the stove works we can still have the sides. My mom will be here and all 3 of the kids.

Then last night I looked out the front window and saw this…took a deep breath and decided that everything will be okay.

So grateful for you my blogging friends. Hope your Thanksgiving is a wonderful one.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/25/now-in-november-12/

Now in November…

I did okay at the boutique on Sunday, managing to sell enough to cover what I paid to rent the space and then about $55 more. I did not think I was going to have a good day when the first customer picked up one of my cards and asked how much they cost. When I told her the card she was holding was $4.50 she dropped it like a hot potato and said, “Well, okay.” and walked off in a huff. Now I know that my cards are a lot nicer than the ones you can get at the dollar store and I also know that they are a lot cheaper than the ones you get at Hallmark but it is still a little disconcerting to get that kind of reaction on the first encounter of the day. Later on I had a friend come by and she bought two cards but I gave her the friends and family discount so I broke even there. That was my first sale of the day. I sold some more here and there and finally had another friend buy 10 cards. I gave her a discount too but the volume helped.

The day ended about an hour early and the number of shoppers at any one time was sporadic. I think it was because it was at a church and so people would come in after mass. I don’t know how much it was actually promoted because several people I talked to said they hadn’t heard about it until I posted on Facebook and Instagram. As usual, I got some ideas for more things to make. I am seriously lacking items for animal lovers and not quite politically correct since I don’t have any Hanukkah items. I am going to try to rectify that in time for Saturday’s show but I’m not sure if I’ll make it as it is Thanksgiving week and I do have some typing to do.

The display (see my last post about challenges) took me a couple of hours to do. I was trying to make some new arrangements and I just didn’t seem to get it right at first. Finally I decided not to put out some items that I had brought but were out of season like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and some older mini-albums that were spring-themed. Then I had a little more room on the table. The next show the table is smaller I believe so I’m really going to need to be organized. You can see that even my banner is a little off because by that time people were coming in to shop and I was feeling crunched.

But the big news here is that I LOST MY WEDDING/ENGAGEMENT RING!!! It was soldered to an enhancer and it cracked off somewhere. I can’t believe that I lost it at the boutique because the hole on my finger is so big I’m sure that I’d have noticed it. I use/look at my hands a lot and always look at the ring because I love it so much.

I was hysterical when I noticed it and my husband put his arms around me and told me that it’s just a ring and that it didn’t mean that he was leaving me or that our marriage was over. Of course I knew that but still, when you’ve had something on your hand for almost 40 years! And I still remember the day we went to pick it out so clearly. Like I said, I love it. I put another ring in the center so I won’t have to look at that empty space. I did all the usual, contacted the church, went through all my stuff from the boutique, checked all over the house, retraced my steps from our morning walk because I noticed it when we got home. I mean, really, don’t you think I would have seen that big hole if it had happened on Sunday? For the number of times that I had to reach to show someone a card or explain how the mini-albums work, get a bag, make change, etc. I was using my hands to cut out little embellishments too as I waited for the next customer. Honestly though, I can’t say for sure when the last time I saw it intact. We haven’t talked about replacing it yet. I’m still hoping that St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things, will help me find it. Appreciate you sending a thought to him for me too!

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/now-in-november-11/

Now In November…

Today’s prompt, not that I’ve been keeping up very well, is “challenge.” We are to write about a challenge. My current challenge is to figure out how to display all the cards and things I’ve been making for the upcoming boutiques! Here are some of the displays I’ve done in the past. I actually have quite a few shows under my belt now and I learn a little bit with every one.

The most recent

The snowman sweater!

One of the earliest

About 5 years ago

I have a lot of items to sell and they are not all Christmas related so one of the challenges is to organize them by either holiday or type, like all the decorations in one area, the Christmas things together, and then the general greeting cards in another. It amazes me that something I think is going to sell really fast I still have 5 years later!

The size of the table makes a difference too. Sometimes I have a 6 foot table to work with and sometimes it is 8 feet. I’ve learned that changing the heights of things is helpful. I went to the store yesterday and got some new risers (actually they are kitchen cabinet organizers) so I can put things at different levels. That increases the table space a lot and helps to make it look less cluttered.

And then there’s the whole what do I wear challenge? I think I’m going to retire that feathered hat. Maybe I’ll wear the cream colored fedora but add some fun flowers to it. I like to dress in holiday clothes as that can be a conversation starter. Since it is inside, we will probably be wearing masks, although I am vaccinated and boostered and there will be a table between me and everyone else. We’ll see.

One more challenge is to keep up with this blogging challenge without running out of space here on WP! I’ve been using pictures that I posted in the past so as to not use additional space. Fortunately it’s been working so far. What are your challenges?

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/20/now-in-november-10/

Now in November…

Yesterday in the challenge we were supposed to talk about how the last concert/play or movie relates to our business or real life and today’s prompt is to talk about something fun. To me those are the same things so this post is doing double duty.

If you have been following me a while you know that I LOVE concerts. We’ve been to over 100 since about 2006. The most recent was Chicago in September. I have been scrapbooking the shows and used them as my A to Z prompts in 2017 and in 2020. Here’s a few examples.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

You may wonder how that helps my in my business and I would say that it gives me the opportunity to learn and practice new techniques that I can then use in my cards and mini-albums. It is also fun for me to look back on all the shows and remember them as I put the pages together. And I can use the layouts in my books as examples in case someone has photos they would like me to put together in an album for them. It doesn’t have to be concert-related either. Any occasion is a good one for a scrapbook!

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/now-in-november-9/

Now in November…

Our prompt for day 12 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge is to talk about our favorite song lyric or quote. The first Sketchbook I did was full of quotes from people I admire. Here are a couple from that:

• 

• 

• 

Another one of my favorites is from Yoda: Do or do not. There is no try.

Have you ever “tried” to get up from a chair? You either get up or you don’t.

Do you have a favorite quote? Share! I collect them for my junk journal.

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/12/now-in-november-8/

Now in November…

The prompt today for Day 11 in the Ultimate Blog Challenge is to write about a superhero. Since today also happens to be Veterans Day, I’d say that all the folks who give their time/energy/lives in the service of our country are the superheroes. Deeply appreciate them.

Other than that, I don’t really have a favorite superhero. Mine is more of a muse. Stevie Nicks has been my favorite female artist for a long time. The words in her songs move and inspire me. I wrote about her a few years ago when I was doing the A to Z on the concerts we’ve seen.

• 

• 

I also did an art journaling project where I used her as my muse.

• 

• 

Speaking of the military, Stevie is a huge supporter of the Walter Reed hospital and donates iPods filled with music to the wounded soldiers. In 2015 she got an award for it. She even got to place the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier once. Pretty cool.

Who is your superhero or muse?

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/11/now-in-november-7/

Now in November…

Today’s prompt in the Ultimate Blog Challenge is to ask my dear readers if there is anything they want to know from/about me or my work/life. So, any questions?

That seems like such a short post so I’m going to fill a little bit more space with some other things I’ve been working on.

These are gift tags I’ve been making while we binge watch The Sopranos, which we didn’t see when it was on originally. We’re on the last season right now. We have to watch this before we watch the new movie that came out, The Many Saints of Newark. These gems will be in the Etsy shop soon! I’m using Creative Memories Christmas Lux Tag kit and the Under the Tree Holiday Tag Kit as my base and then adding my personal touches to them. I am a Creative Memories consultant so I’d be happy to assist you if you wanted to get some kits of your own to try your hand. They are pretty easy to make and have all the instructions included. I have a video on my YouTube channel showing some of the cards I made last year using the kits and the tags are similar. You could get a couple friends together and have a tag making party! I’ve been thinking of doing a Facebook or YouTube live program going where we would craft together. Does that sound interesting?

But wait, you were supposed to ask me questions…go for it!

from WordPress https://scr4pl80.wordpress.com/2021/11/10/now-in-november-6/