O' Christmas Tree

I finally put up my Christmas tree! Yeah! My youngest helped me along with Luna (aka the luntic). We have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it's been through many, many Christmas's. The tree is older than I am. I suspect it may have been the very 1st artifical tree.
I also found Christmas will be at my mom's house this year. I would prefer it being here but my house is old. What's wrong with an old house, you may wonder. Nothing but my mother doesn't like old things. We were going to go to my brother's house but they won't be moved in by Christmas. His house is only 12 years old. Compared to our house which was built in 1840. It's 167 years old.
Which makes no sense to me but my mother rarely visits. Which surprises me because she has 2 grandchildren. Who live in this old house. They love this old huge, almost Queen Anne house. Even with our wood stove, keeping everyone toasty. It's not enough to have Christmas here. sigh
It's just how my mother is. She is a retailer's dream. I on the other hand, am the complete opposite. I don't mind my old Picasso house. With the East Lake hardware, pocket doors, and the windows that are painted white. Well I do mind the white windows. This house has freaking awesome dark stained woodwork! Some one ruined some of rooms by painting the wood white! That does bother me. Take a look at the picture of the Christmas tree. That dark wood is the framing for the pocket doors. Gorgeous color, isn't it? Other room right next to it, they painted it white! Looks terrible. Don't even mention the jungle wall paper. Not one of my favorite either. It can be taken down.
Until this house is remodel, Christmas will not happen here. One day it will be, remodeled and then it maybe new enough for Christmas.
Oh well, means I don't have to clean the clutter! haha The clutter has gotten worse. The foyer is now full of wood. Our wood was delayed because of the weather. It rained, it froze, it snowed. Our wood is covered in ice, plus some snow. So it has to come in to be thawed and dried before it gets put in the stove. It's a little extra work but it's worth it!

This That And 10 Cord Of Wood

So my days have been really off this week. I'm a day and a week ahead of time. I think it's because I really want to go to the handworks party. I think my gift came out better than I had hoped for. Even after all my missteps.
I've come to the realization that I need to go back to work. It would have been 2 years without having a job in February. Unfortunately it's been a very odd sales year. I don't if other artist's or business owners have the same thoughts. We've had barely any gallery sales this year. We've had very small sales all December. Which we are very grateful for. So I will be filling an application tomorrow. I keeping my fingers crossed. It's only part time but every little bit helps. Plus I still get to spend days with my youngest. She's not too keen on me leaving to go any where. Want to go downstairs, she thinks I'm leaving her alone forever!
Today we finally received our wood delivery. 10 cords of wood. Which is a lot of wood. I spent dinner time helping my husband stack wood on the porch. I love having a wood burning stove! It's magical. I love starting the fire, getting wood, stacking wood, etc... It makes me feel like I have a purpose and I get to enjoy the benefits of it. Plus it's a work out!

Just Finished!

The turtle came out looking great! I was worried that the batik fabric wouldn't go with the green felt but I think everything pulled together. Hopefully it will be well played with!

There are no small parts, so it's safe for young children. Hand washable too!
The butterfly is next!

What Part Of, I Will Never Do Business With You Again,

Did You Not Understand?  I don't like to say that often but today I had to tell someone that very thing.

Going back in time, (3 years) my husband decided to try to have employees.  He thought it would help his production and make his life easier!  

So he went to a company to help him.  He wanted to do it right and make sure he had all the insurance coverage he needed.  All he would have to do is give weekly updates of the hours they had worked.  Sounds simple right?

It's not!  So a schedule was set up by his employees but it never worked out that they were never on time.  Then he got a fine for not having worker's compensation insurance!  

He's was so upset because he had gone to this company to help him make sure he had everything! This company doesn't do worker's comp and he was supposed to look for yet another company to do that!  That was last year. 

He was furious because the guy who came over and showed him all the stuff he had to have never made it clear that they didn't cover that one insurance!  So he paid the fine and the employees kind of faded in the wind around that time.  So it worked out.

I had many phone conversations and so has my husband with this company.  Telling them we would never ever have employees and would never do business with them again.  (Sorry employees)  It wasn't worth all the work and money he had to spend. Nor did his production improve.

So today, we received a call from this company again!   This guy left his name, number, etc...  Before he hung up I had to ask him why he was calling.  The woman we dealt with before went on maternity leave.  He was just updating all her clients on the change until she came back.  (December of 06' was the last time we were billed for anything.)  So even after a year of telling them we won't ever do business with you again, they still had his account as active!  So I gave him the story and told this guy we will never have Employees again!  

I  hope he gets it and marks it in the file.  Don't ever, call again!

But who we kidding, he'll leave the account as is and I'll be receiving a call in 3 months or so!

Creativity

Why does creativity only strike, when the house is calm?
I had to do tags for the fairies that I put in the gallery. I should have done them first thing but everything in this gallery is usually hand made. Not this time. My beautiful Christmas Fairies were put next to ornaments made in China. Which are very, very cheap. So it looks like they are way overpriced when they aren't. People probably think they were made in China too.
I'm a little upset but hey what can you do. It kind of makes me snort because the place where they are... ahh prides themselves on having hand made artisan items. So I was very shocked and repulsed that they went with something so cheap and cheesy just to decorate a tree/sell.
I may ask if I can decorate the tree myself next year with all my different handmade items. If I know I can, I'll get started right away!
With all the lead scares, I wonder if the paint on those ornaments doesn't contain lead. I just read that PVC plastic has lead in it too! Yikes! I thought lead hadn't been used in anything since the 1970's. I guess it must have been house paint that I was thinking of. Very shocking!
So I hope those tags push those fairies to sell. I hate to think that the ornaments from China will be a big hit this winter!
I maybe posting pics of my first stuffed animal tomorrow. I hope, I'll have time to finish it up.

One More Gift

finished a knit scarf for my brother a few days ago. Decided I should wash it and then take a picture. Still came out of the dryer with cat hair and lint. So feel free to overlook that little distraction.
You can't even see the cat hair, this is not how it looks in Adobe. It's a nice cable knit pattern and I lined it with fleece. He lives in NYC and does a lot of walking. I wanted him to stay extra warm. It matches a hat I made but I'm sure it got stolen. Most of his stuff does. So next year I can make him the hat again.
The next set a gifts I'm making are for my best friend's children. I'm make the turtle, snail, and butterfly from Wee Wonderfuls! I've been itching to make these and haven't found time until now! The patterns are so cute and easy to follow! Also a great safe gift for the holiday season! Hopefully I'll be done in a day or two!

Silly Conversations

So last night it was almost midnight when my husband got around to apply patina.  Since I didn't want to lay in bed all alone and wonder when he was going to be up, I decided to help.  Even though all I wanted to do is go to bed.  

My part in the patination process is booorriiinggg.  I dry and to stay awake I verbally spar with my husband.  So I pace around the kitchen, while he's doing his part and we start our go around conversation.  Keep in mind he had mentioned earlier that we were invited to a secret party.

Me:  So who's invited to the secret party?

Him:  I don't know it's a secret party!

M:  Well are you sure you were invited to the party, if it's soooo secret?

H:  Yes, I talked to H.

M:  So... he cuts me off

H:   You can't mention this party to anyone.  Not person A,B, or C. 

M:  Well then who's going to this party if they aren't going?

H:  Everyone who was at the summer party.

M:  Well A,B, and C were at the summer party!

H:  Well, I don't know he didn't tell me!

M:  So do I get to ask the babysitter to babysit for this secret party?  Or am I not allowed to let her know either?

H:  Of course you can let the babysitter know!

M:  Well you  just jumped down my throat before and cut me off! 

H:  I didn't jump down your throat!

M:  Yes you did, why don't you jump down my throat again, I know you want to.  Jump down my throat, (I keep taunting him over and over, getting all giggly!)

H: Well, well, well, if you'd let me get a word in I would jump down your throat!  

Both of are laughing because we've lost our minds!  

Another conversation I had today was about Grey's Anatomy.  My friend was a die hard fan but because of life hasn't been able to keep up.  So I caught her up and started giving my opinions on everyone.

I don't like George and Izzy, they are so going to break up.  McDreamy and Merideth, I just don't like what is going on with them.  It's like they are friends with benefits but it's not like they have benefits.  One of them always wants more than the other one.  It's like sexefits.  Not as good as benefits because you know it's going to end sadly.  Someone will be disappointed or both of them will.  Sexefits.  My new word for what happens on Grey's.