Where did this month go?

Spanish Dancer earrings in "Stardate" by Yarnplayer

Tee hee, sorry I've been gone so long folks!

One commenter on my rather lackluster bloggerversary post got it partially right. The kids have been sick, and we've had a wonderful time discovering allergies to antibiotics. Now that it's over, we are preparing for the 4th birthday of my eldest. She has chosen a princess theme this year, and a quick trip to the dollar store got us all set up with fine princess decor. My dearest husband has even chipped in on the planning (there are few things I detest more than event planning, paperwork being one of them...) so I have actually enjoyed the process. I even got the invitations out two weeks in advance! That is a major accomplishment for me right there. I've been unfortunately neglectful of some of my ehem, responsibilities lately. My Drivers license is expired, and of course did I remember that before I got carded at a club? I'm not the barhopping type mind you. My dad and I follow a few musicians in the area, and he'll take me for a coke and potato skins while we enjoy some fine tunes. Anyway, imagine my joy when the 6 foot bouncer at the irish pub gave me the evil eye....apparently he's not supposed to let anyone in with an expired license. Who knew? Well, he let me in out of the kindness of his heart I guess, and we enjoyed the musical delights of Jerry Miller (Moby Grape anyone?) So, needless to say, I will be in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles promptly Tuesday morning. Really, I just forgot. Then I was sick. Then I forgot again, and then the kids were sick...you know the drill.

The other area I've neglected is taxes. GASP! HORROR! This being my first year as a business owner, I cannot tell you how confused I was.....there's the IRS, the DOR, and they both want different sets of information from me. Did they bother to mention any of this to me when I got my license? The "pamphlet" that was included with that license was less that usefull. Anyway, I am an annual filer with the state of Washington, so my DOR taxes were due January 31st. I had scheduled a class with a local accountant to help me understand the hot mess, but, of course that was on the calendar while I was sick..... after recovering and rescheduling, I managed to attend recently, but am still facing the process of actually extrapolating the information I'll need....as well as set up a correct and useable record keeping system. Sigh. Really, I just want to make some earrings people. I'd choose dental work over bookkeeping. Seriously lacking motivation but Jim is home tomorrow for President's day, so I'll have no excuse to not shut myself in the office and get 'er done. Pile on top of that my miserably low sales in the etsy shop so far this month, I'll need some serious chocolate to make it through the day tomorrow!

Back to the Bloggerversary. I had planned on a big to-do over it, I've been blogging for two years now. Many changes have happened in that time around here.....arrival of daughter #2, purchase of our home, transition into jewelry business, quitting my day job. Now that it is several weeks past, it no longer draws me with the same charm to celebrate. BUT. I did want to do something special to say thank-you for all of your support through these two years! SO. Leave me a comment on this post, and let me know you'd like to be placed in my drawing and I'll send something special (I haven't decided what yet) to one of you. International entries are welcomed! I am so happy to be connected to this wonderful community....and for those of you dedicated enough to make it to the end of this post, I'd love to send a little friendship your way! Just remember to make sure I have a way to contact you, either an email address or a link to your blog.

Thanks everyone!

Ahhh, whoopse! Bloggerversary time!

I MISSED MY BLOGGERVERSARY!


IT WAS YESTERDAY, the 28th!


Tune in soon for a proper celebratory post....

Sunshine on my doorstep

Have you yet met Ann with a plan?

She is a wonderful gal who makes such wonderful things as her own tatting press.....




and then wisks them off across the globe to surprise unsuspecting tatters like ME!

The little box arrived a few days ago, and when I opened it I was almost BLINDED by the amount of lovingly created sunshine that was contained within!

It is indeed the cheery yellow that was so needed to cheer me from the flu that has struck around here as of late..... we are on the mend, but nothing like a little surprise from a friend to bring some joy to the coughing and weary!

Now, mind you, I have no idea what i have done to be given such an honor of having my very own beautiful tatting press..... your kindness has brightened tatting corner for many days to come! Thank you from the bottom of my heart ANN!

Update

Greetings all, from the land of ick, misery, and the shoulda got my flu shot blues. Hubby came down with it on MLK day last week, and I fell prey on Friday. I can't remeber the last time I was sick enough to warrant Nyquil, but I've definitely needed help getting some Z's. Enough moaning and groaning for now, on to brighter things.

Sweet Pea earrings by Krystledawne on ETSY

These are a repeat of one of the very first pairs of earrings i listed on ETSY... almost two years ago. It is this design that I will be using to teach how to do stitches over a cabone ring at Shuttlebirds. I am offering the kit with earring findings, or a metal hook bookmark finding, so my students can choose to finish either one or two of the motifs.

Shuttlebirds is bound to be exciting this year, (even though I am scheduled to teach during the same time as ALL of the classes I was hoping to take myself!!) If you will be near Eastern Washington this coming April, I hope you will check out the Shuttlebirds website and take a look at all the fun we plan on having this year. You surely don't want to miss it!

Now I am off to wallow in my sorrows and drown them in cough syrup..... with a good helping of Mary Poppins on the side. After all, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!

Calling all Celtic tatters......

I've been asked to help in location the owner of the picture of this beautiful cross, in the hopes that we can find the pattern. If this is yours, or you recognize it, could you point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

Even more of the same!

I'm not tired of makng these yet, which is good I suppose in light of the upcoming farmers market season :-) I like making these earrings so much that I went and got some nicer swarovski hotfix crystals in several colors. Big grin.

In other news, I've started working to lose the last few lbs. of "baby weight". Truth being told, I lost all the weight while nursing the baby, but after she quit I gained back a few..... so really it's just a turn to swing the scale back in the other direction before it gets out of control. That being said, the first few days are the hardest while I've been a tad cranky from depriving myself from my usual indulgences. Poor hubby, he's handling me with grace and kindness. bless him.

The big news in tatting around here is that the registration for the Shuttlebirds Workshop is open! I am teaching two different projects, and I will do a proper update soon with pictures and such, until then you can visit http://www.shuttlebirds.com.
just click on Workshop.

Something else new

I've been a little more motivated than usual today, getting the housework done early. I actually ended up with a little extra tatting time this afternoon, enough to create and list the following -

Pink flower earrings - on ETSY

They are dangly, and I've made them double sided. They are "reversible", so that when the dangle and swing from your ears, there is never a wrong side in view.

Rhythm

Life takes rhythm. And no, I'm not talking just about musicality --- getting things done takes pace and cadence sometimes... and I totally let go of my "work at home making jewelry" rhythm over the holiday. Alas, I have been productive as I had promised myself, slowly working myself back into the rhythm that I know will be necessary to maintain my stay at home mom status.

Spanish dancer earrings in black and bronze

(made with Lizeth 20 black and the mostest beeeeautiful delica beads!)

Sanity takes rhythm I think. My natural habitat would cosist of artistic chaos if I would allow it, but in this season I am a mother, and children need lots of love and care by golly! So I work my rhythm to include crayons and cuddling baby dolls. And those most precious of children create an inordinate amout of laundry.....it borders on the obscene what little girls can muster and mash into their cotton apparel. So, my rhythm calls me to the laundry room to stir the home again with the soft rhytmic rumble of the washer and dryer.

Happy Birthday to me :-)

I am a whole 'nother year older today. For some reason 27 feels a whole lot older than 26..... but I can still make fun of my hubby, for he will soon be 32. Bwahahah!

Our wonderful little celebration consisted of the morning with the family, Hubbs took the baby to get me a cake. He also surprised me, he had a gift for me (usually I don't expect much for my birthday, we tend to have spent all the money on christmas and our anniversary in december) but he got me a standing jewelry armiore that I had been wantin.....in fact he bought it more than a month ago. I don't think he's ever done that lol! He's a sweet boy, prince charming when he wants to be. I should tell you all how he proposed someday.

Anyway, I failed my newyears goal already! I tat any jewelry yesterday, but rather than beat myself up I'll just make some time this evening. And I'll make something I WANT to make lol!

So, no pictures today sorry! I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon playing with my girlies and avoiding housework (it's my birthday after all!) and I'll check in tomorrow with proud pictures of my tatting accomplishments.

Back in action

Well, the new year is here! I am excited to return to the world with renewed purpose and excitement after a hiatus. (hiatus meaning throwing my hands up in the air, screaming a little) Lol! Let's just say I have learned some lessons on how to quickly and frightfully stress myself out, and I plan on avoiding those situations. Priority one around here is to build my business in a way that I can sustain it.... joyfully and successfully. That means getting the shop stocked up again. There are quite a few things that need to be made (I've relisted some of the items that are easy to pull of and get sent out quickly) and after the holiday shows I'm rather short on stock. So I a purposing to make one item each weekday. I've taken the past few weeks to rest my brain and refocus, and now I am setting a reasonable pace to reach some goals this year - one of which is to sell at the farmers market this summer, one weekend a month.

Much to come friends, I'll check in tomorrow with that one item I've promised to make today (my making time is after the children go to bed of course :-)

See you tomorrow, with pictures of my progress!