Trying Out the Art Festival Scene

Years ago I set up tables at several local arts and crafts shows. The first couple of shows I did very well. But the more often I paid for a space and set up a table the less interest people had in my work. I think the biggest drawback was that my artwork was all custom made--house portraits and personalized signs and plaques. I honestly don't believe the disinterest came from lack of talent or that it wasn't good enough. My impression is that when people go to craft shows they tend to buy on impulse and they also tend to buy things that are less expensive. Believe me, I know my artwork isn't cheap but I refuse to compromise that area of my business. I work too hard to short sell myself. I feel that the issue for me was a result of trying to sell my high priced art work in a small town where the economy has been depressed for years. It's hard to get people to spend their hard earned money. So my participation in art shows went on the back burner and I concentrated all my energy on selling my products online. Thankfully that focus paid off well for my little home business.

Lately, though, I've been getting the bug to sell at art festivals. We had a beautiful event in the neighboring town last weekend and I decided to take a shot at setting up a table with my artwork. The financial results were 'fair' when you talk about the revenue generated from that day. However, I had a sample house portrait displayed along with my custom made note cards and the people were overwhelmingly interested in that product. I only took a handful of house portrait brochures with me because I didn't think that item would generate much interest. But boy was I wrong! All but two of my brochures were taken along with many, many of my business cards. I'm looking forward with hope that more money will be generated from that festival down the road.

Meanwhile, here are a few photos of my booth display along with a photos of some of my favorite items that were sold or at least generated the most interest that day...

This as the only original painting that sold that day...I love this painting and I plan to paint another one very soon!

My 'Orange Rose painting' generated loads of interest but, as I said, I don't think people go to these shows planning to spend a lot of money and, of course, my original paintings cost much more.

Here's another painting that people went crazy over. I love it, too, and a tiny part of me is glad I still have ownership of it! Sometimes my paintings feel like a child to me and I don't want to let them go! I know! Crazy, right??

My sweet little paper flowers were much adored, but I didn't sell any. I had only just made them a few days before the event and I didn't get a chance to price them. My plan was to only use them as part of my display. But people really took to them. So I'm in the process of making more for the next show. (My husband would say I'm a bit neurotic over these flowers, but I just can't help myself! They are so fun to make!)

Here's a photo of a seaside themed step stool top that I wood burned and painted and had for sale. The step stool was my highest priced item and while it generated load and loads of interest I again believe the price was too high for an art festival in our area of the country.

And last, but certainly not least, my sweet watermelons! We had cut down a tree in our yard that I blogged about it recently. My husband unintentionally cut a few pieces of wood into a wedge shape. As soon as I picked them up to move to the huge wood pile I saw a piece of watermelon! So I went out one day after we got done cutting down the tree, grabbed these two wedges and went to my little imaginary world of Jane Loedding Art and...voila! They are so doggone cute! These two little wedges got more attention and love than almost any other item on display. I love them and ended up selling one of them. Yahoo!

So all in all, I'm glad I decided to take this leap. I will be going to another local art festival in a few weeks and I plan to take a large variety of art prints to that show since they can be sold for much less that my original paintings. I'll be sure to let you know how that one goes.

Okay...it's time for me to get moving to today's work schedule! I'll be sharing more fun soon! Until then,

Proper Maintenance for Hardwood Floors

Wholesale wood flooring, like those from ProSource wholesale floorcoverings, can be a great way to redo your floors without having to spend a lot of money. Hardwood floors are known for their beauty and durability, but not many people know that they can add value to your home as well if you maintain them correctly!

Hardwood floors are one of the easiest flooring options to keep clean. Basic maintenance of hardwood floors includes sweeping, vacuuming, and going over with a dust mop.

Be on the lookout for these common hardwood floor damagers!

Sun – Can fade your floors quickly! Be sure to keep curtains closed during peak sun hours.

Dirt – Dirt if left on the floors can scratch and stain your beautiful hardwood floors. Adding a welcome mat or any type of mat at your front door for people to wipe their shoes on can cut down on the amount of dirt on your floors.

Water – Water is left on the floor for long periods of time, can cause your floors to warp. Water can also damage hardwood floors if used to clean the floors! You want to use a commercially available wood cleaning project to mop with.

Furniture – Don’t drag your furniture across the floors when moving it! You can purchase pads that go beneath the furniture or grab a few friends to lift the furniture! You also want to avoid rough housing that may jolt your furniture across the floors.

You can use an area rug to cut down on the space where dirt and sun can damage. Area rugs or runners can also be used in areas with high foot traffic to reduce grooves forming in the wood.

Using these tips, you can ensure your hardwood floors remain beautiful for years to come!

Crystal Nail Files

I don't spend much time keeping my finger nails painted simply because I have paint all over my hands almost everyday. I'm sure I'd chip off or mess up any manicure in about 2 hours after I had one done.

I do however try to keep my toenails in good shape. I keep them painted, clipped and filed down to a nice length. I love to wear flip flops all summer long so having my toenails look nice is important to me. But as luck would have it I recently took a spill in our driveway and the toenail on my left big toe ripped back! UGH!! It was a mess and weeks later it still looks ugly. I've been traipsing around all summer with a band aid covering my ugly big toenail. What else could I do??

Well, the universe conspired and gave me what I needed. A friend of mine asked me to paint something for her. As her payment she got me a gift certificate for a pedicure. How perfect! I am so looking forward to getting my toes cleaned up once again.

The girl who does my pedicures is new to the salon scene having only just graduated from high school a year ago. But she does a great job none the less. I can't wait to sit down and have my feet taken care of again! I love pedicures!

I recall a few years ago I was out of town and patronized a salon that used crystal nail files. It was a gorgeous nail file adorned with Swarovski crystals. Talk about classy! It was a very high end spa and salon that I went to with my girlfriends when we turned "the big 40". We definitely spoiled ourselves that year!

I won't be able to spoil myself to another high class salon just yet, but someday I will! That's my goal! Work hard and then spoil myself to pieces!

Okay, I'd better get to work...I have a busy day ahead of me!

More fun on the way...until then,

Howdy!

Wow! I've been out of the loop for a while now! So much has gone on during the past month and the time has comppletely gotten away from me. Needless to say my blogging habits have gone by the wayside. My oldest son graduated, then we had a handful of graduation parties to attend. Two weeks after his graduation we had his party which took lots of time and attention away from my so-called 'normal' life. Now it's almost the Fourth of July! Summer is flying by.

Meanwhile I thought I'd share a few photos of some of my recent work. I finally got around to setting up a Facebook page dedicated to my Creative Name Signs website. The first day of networking I got an order for a personalized plaque with this quote...

"Life is too short to wear department store jewelry."

My customer was very flexible with her color scheme choice and basically let me choose how to create the sign. I really enjoyed creating it...here's a photo:

Then I created this child room sign for another customer...this one--as you can guess--was for a little girl...

I love how the unicorn turned out. I thought using purple for the background added so much to the theme.

And my last sharing for today...I created this nursery room sign for an expectant mom of a baby boy...

I always love creating nautical theme plaques. I blame that on my love of the beach!

Okay...I've shared enough today. I have a book review to post and I hope to get to that in the next few days.

Until then...enjoy these wonderful days of summer! And Happy Fourth of July!

Computer Issues

A few days ago we had a major computer crash. I was working on my website when all of a sudden everything shut down. I couldn't get it back up and running for anything. Thankfully I have a laptop from which I can also work so I wasn't completely out of commision. But the main desktop computer that went down is the one I use for business and it has all of my artwork photos as well as my personal family pictures, videos, documents, etc.

I went into complete panic mode worrying that I lost so many precious memories along with a large number of important papers and work photos. Suddenly I gained a new appreciation for the term 'back up'...something I've only done on occasion! (Yes, I know that is such a sad statement to make considering I've been in business for so long. But apparently I had been in denial thinking that something like this wouldn't happen to me.)

As well as the laptop I use I have another older laptop that still runs, but the power adaptor needs replaced so that computer wasn't working either. Therefore we were down to only one computer and we had to take turns using the laptop. My whole family was sort of wondering around in circles all weekend! It was kind of sad to see how we are all so addicted to our computers.

But I tried to make lemonade out of my lemons! Here are some of the things I took care of while living somewhat computer-free for a few days:

• I cleaned out my pantry.
• I cleaned around our computer desk as well as under the desk where all the dust bunnies love to hide.
• I had all the laundry done way before Monday--which rarely happens around here.
• I learned how to use our external hard drive--which will be used on a regular basis now!
• We got all of our tax papers together and had them ready to drop off.
• And on Sunday morning as I wondered around the house trying to find something to do I kept telling myself, "Jane, it's okay if you lost all of those photos. What's more important is that your family is together. You have three beautiful and healthy children. Your husband loves you. You have a roof over your head..." and so on. So even though I was worried I knew everything was going to be okay.

Finally Monday morning arrived and we dropped off the computer for repair. We assumed the hard drive was fried. But thankfully it wasn't!! It was just a virus...which amazes me somewhat. We have Norton Internet Security and it has been installed on this computer since we bought it and it's been updated. However we suspect that a stinking virus or malware or whatever somehow got into our system and the Norton firewall was turned off. It's simply criminal how these things work!

But I'm completely thankful that it was easily repaired. I have all of my important files back in my hands and they have all been unharmed! Now I will be backing things up constantly!

So over the past few days I learned a huge lesson from many aspects. First of all...Back up your work! Secondly when you are forced into some down time you have to pick yourself up, get busy and get those things you've left on the back burner taken care of. And finally and most important, look around you and focus on and realize what really matters in your life!

Okay...now that I have my favorite computer back there will be more on the way soon...until then,

Sharing this simple thought...

I have a small board in my work space that I consider my 'inspiration board'.

I also have a small TV in my work room and I almost always have it on. Even though I don't really watch it because I'm painting and my eyes are elsewhere in the room I can certainly listen to it.

Every so often I hear someone say something that strikes a chord in me and I'll jot it down quickly and post it on my inspiration board.

Here's one I heard and saved a few months ago...I wrote it down but then also took a photo of it...

Pin It

This thought resonates within me because many days I am constantly on the go. I run here and I run there and then I run somewhere else. The next thing I know...I'm exhausted and it's time for bed.

But every so often I get one of those days where things aren't quite so hectic. Yet instead of enjoying the down time these feelings of guilt creep into my mind. Rather than relaxing that negative voice in my head tells me that I'm being lazy and irresponsible. What??? Are you serious??? Why would I ever let those thoughts bother me???

Well, I decided that I have to lay blame on the perfectionist part of my personality. I'm a Virgo and while you might not think I'm a perfectionist by looking at the dust on my furniture or the clutter on my dining room table, I am definitely a perfectionist when it relates to my work. I am highly critical of how each finished product looks and if I'm not satisfied with even the tiniest detail I HAVE to fix it or it will eat away at me.

Sometimes I tell myself that my perfectionism is a good thing. I have many return customers who praise my work and refer my websites to their friends and family. So perhaps it's the 'love in the details' that makes all the difference with my artwork. Or maybe it's the 'devil in the details'??? Hmmm...that's something to ponder for sure!

Meanwhile, as the guilt oozed from my pores last week when I had a slow day I looked up at my inspiration board and saw it and thought to myself, 'Jane, it's okay to take a day to rest! You don't have to constantly run, run, run. As the quote says we are human 'beings' not human 'doings'! So just 'BE' and enjoy it!

Okay more sharing on the way...until then,

'BALANCE'

   Here's a custom sign I painted this past week and I love how it turned out. I'm not one to brag about my work, but I really wanted to share it and I also wanted to tell the story behind the sign.

   A customer bought a sign from me a few years back and recently he called to see if I could create another sign for his family. He said the subject for the sign was 'Balance'. At first I got a bit nervous...how do you illustrate 'Balance'? I did a small watercolor painting last year but it had a more child-like feel to it:

   But that wasn't the style he wanted. He wanted the word 'Balance' painted on the sign but he wanted the design to be clean and uncluttered. He explained that his family was constantly busy and always running out the door feeling overwhelmed all day. He said that he and his wife are making it a priority to teach their kids about keeping everything in 'Balance'. He wanted to see if I could create something to hang over their doorway that would be a last minute reminder as they headed out to face their busy days.

   Oh, Lord! How I understood from where he was coming! With 3 teenagers, running my art business from home, my husband running his own business which is located in a nearby town, keeping ties close with my mother-in-law and my siblings, track meets, baseball games, basketball games, choir concerts, plays, musicals, dealing with a moody cat, an overly anxious dog, doctor appointments out the wazoo...oh geez! Plus my oldest son is getting ready for college! I definitely need some balance, too! I told to him that I really 'got' what he was trying to explain!

   So, we talked for a while about what he wanted and as we spoke I got the idea of the yin and yang symbol. This is the end result:

   I took several photos of it with the hopes of someday being able to create prints of it.

   Some days I get really frustrated creating custom art for my customers. A few customers can be especially controlling and opinionated which makes me crazy. I just want to scream at them and say 'You need to trust my talent!'

   But for the most part my customers are fabulous and this is one of my favorite examples of the positive side of creating custom art! We talked, he trusted me and I created. Just what I want everyday!

   Okay...gotta scoot and get my day moving...more fun on the way...until then,

Self Publishing a Book

  
   Self publishing a book is something I've looked into in the past. A friend of mine wrote a cute holiday story for children and about 10 years ago we collaborated our talents. Our plan was that she was in charge of the writing and I was going to do the illustrating. We spent months researching the idea of submitting her story to well known book publishers. Worried that the story would get overlooked or worse...rejected...we thought perhaps self publishing was the way to go. But through our research we learned that it was pretty costly and back then we had to order tons of books ahead of time. We didn't have the money to invest in a large number of books. And even if we did have the money we feared we might have hundreds of books left on our hands if they didn't sell.

   Those facets of self publishing a book were enough for us to make our decision. But another other issue with self publishing is that you have to do all the marketing yourself. As I said, this all took place more than 10 years ago and our children were all so much younger than they are now. There was no way I would have had the time or energy to go out and work at selling a book.

    The mother of another very close friend of mine self published a book and I know she spends quite a bit of time out of town. She travels to various book stores across the country and many times she leaves her book signings only having sold a few books. It's not an easy gig.

   However, time has marched on and my kids are older and much more independent. Every once in a while I think of that darling story...especially now that the holiday season is upon us. Maybe I'll have to get in touch with my author-friend and start talking again about this business idea. Who knows?? The new year is closing in on us...my business will slow down after the holidays have passed...I might just have some time to devote to a new business. That might be interesting!

   Okay...gotta put a stop to my day-dreaming and get moving. Our high school boys football team is making it's way to the state playoffs and I will be spending the evening with my family cheering them on!

   More fun to come...until then,

Prepaid Cards

   My oldest son is a senior in high school and lately we have had 'everything college' on the brain! We've visited 5 schools and my son is fairly sure which college he'll be attending. My husband and I are definitely the worrying type and our goal is to stay ahead of the game in every aspect. We've witnessed family members and friends end up with serious financial woes because they didn't research their college funding options or plan ahead. Our obsessive-compulsive worrying can be annoying, but in this case we hope it will help us avoid making similar mistakes.

   Meanwhile, we watch the news every day and hear about all of the credit problems people face because of the financial situation in our country. We've read articles relating to this issue as well as listened to news shows discussing the credit crunch. One topic that we leaned about and have considered an option for our son is reloadable prepaid cards.
  
   The thought of handing any of our children a credit card makes my husband and I super nervous. We trust our kids, but they are still too young to handle the responsibility of a credit card. But a reloadable prepaid card? Hmmm...this might be a good way to help our kids learn how to handle their money. And, at the same time, this would allow us to have debt control and prevent them from getting in over their heads by using a regular credit card.

   Just recently I learned about the Green Dot prepaid card. This company offers a prepaid card that is reloadable and you can choose between a debit MasterCard or a Visa debit card. You can use it where ever Visa and MasterCard debit cards are accepted. Plus your card will be personalized with your name. And while it's the same as having cash in hand it can be considered safer than cash. If your card is lost or stolen your money is protected. (Limitations and fees may apply so make sure to read the fine print.)

   Green Dot has a number of available products but the one that caught my attention was the prepaid student card. This could certainly be something my son will be able to use when he heads  off to college.

   And something else that I appreciated about the Green Dot prepaid card is that they have a service available on their site where you can reload a card online. This would be beneficial if my son calls at the last minute in panic mode saying that he needs some cash right away.

   A few other advantages of a prepaid card---there are no interest rates, credit checks are not necessary, and you don't have to disclose your income or bank account information.

   Now, I'm not being naive and I don't intend to give you a 'pie-in-the-sky' impression about these cards. There are some negative issues with prepaid cards that you absolutely need to consider. There are fees involved. There is a fee to purchase one, a fee to reload a card, more fees if you use a non-participating ATM, plus a few more that you need to be aware of. And one important point is this--if you want or need to build credit prepaid cards are not going to benefit you simply because the money is not being borrowed. There are a few other things to consider as well, so always make sure to read the fine print before you buy one.

   The bottom line...do your homework! Read and learn.There are many articles about prepaid cards all over the Internet. Just as my husband and I are spending lots of time planning to get our son prepared for college we also have to prepare him for the responsibility of handling his finances. I think and hope and pray he'll be okay. But we can't take anything for granted!  We must take responsiblitly and educate ourselves first! Then hopefully our child will follow suit.

   Okay...time to get moving on my day! More on the way...until then,

What does your studio look like?

First of all my 'Studio' is my sunroom/backporch! It's not really a studio but it's the best spot in our house for me to work because it has such great light most of the day. It's very small but it works perfectly for me so I can't complain.

I will admit that my work area is usually a mess! But lately I've been trying to keep it more organized and more cleaned up. I guess it all depends on what time of year it is. If it's the holiday shopping season this is how mine looks:

As you can see 99% of the things I am usually working on are items that I sell through Creative Name Signs. I sell custom house portraits in a pencil medium through my other website Images of Home but not nearly as many orders come from that site. That's okay though...I prefer painting to drawing anyways!

Okay...just thought it would be fun to share my work space. I'd love to hear from my followers and have a peek at your work areas, too.

More fun on the way...

Recent work...some paisley...and more...

Just sharin'...

I painted this design for a growth chart order for a customer. I never did a paisley pattern before so I just got a few images of some paisley fabrics and came up with my own little version.

I can't explain why but I was somewhat mesmerized by the creative energy that came out of me the day I painted this design. It was as if I was possessed and *HAD* to get it done. I just couldn't put down my paint brush and walk away. It was time consuming, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

I hope the customer liked it...I never heard from them either way. But I've learned over the years to hold onto this thought...

"No news is good news!"

So I'll just assume they were happy with it!

I'm having some fun tonight looking over the photos of the things I created over this past holiday season. I'm always so busy going from one order to the next from November through mid-December and I really don't get a chance to enjoy some of the things I create. Here's a photo of my work area...

orders piled high...
prepped wood pieces waiting their turn to be cast into something new...



...yes...this is my life! Every day I get paid to create, paint and draw. It's something I've always dreamed about. And I love it...most of the time!

More fun on the way...until then,

The Art of Aging

Wow! I cannot believe how busy I've been!


This is the first day I've had in quite a while where I don't have to be somewhere. Well, I take that back...I had to be at 11:00 mass this morning and then I have to go to a meeting at church later this evening. But at least I have the entire afternoon off!


Meanwhile, I just wanted to pop in quickly to share a quote I found the other day from a friend on Facebook. It's absolutely fitting for so many people in my life...


"The Art of Aging"


"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You don't blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the President. You realize that you control your own destiny."  ~Albert Ellis


Wow! I loved that one as soon as I read it.


I'm going to be busy the next few days, too, but hopefully things will settle a bit and I'll be able to get back to blogging again...I miss it!

More to come...until then,

Why is it...

...that every time I get busy cleaning the house at least one of my kids asks me, "Is someone coming over?"

They obviously have learned that when I clean it's because I'm getting the 'fake house' ready for company!

Oh geez!!! I need to go work on getting a life!

More later...

I need to resign...I need to resign...

A quote from my Daily Guru email this evening...

“For peace of mind, we need to resign as general manager of the universe.”
-- Larry Eisenberg

This applies to me in so-o-o-o many ways it's not even funny!! I am a micro-manager with my business, with my family, with my mom...it goes on and on and on.

I need to simply let go...I just wish it was easy to do so!

More on the way...

It's a Jungle Out There!

In looking over photos of my recent work I noticed a variety of 'In the Jungle' themes. Painting animals used to make me nervous...and at times I still get anxious. But for the most part I have my own little design for each animal.

Here's a personalized plaque that I had fun designing. I love the color combination and the wording with the little sleeping lion was something I've never done before.



Then a customer ordered this 'jungle animal' themed wall plaque...



...and also requested a hand painted knob to match...here's a close-up image:




I'll admit when I first saw their order and they wanted animals on the knob I thought 'No way!'...there won't be any room! But I managed to fit a couple on it anyways.

This is one of my all time favorite jungle or safari themed plaques...



This plaque was painted for an adult and the customer requested that it be designed in a more mature style. Again...I was a bit nervous to create it, but once I got started it just flowed.

Although my work can be overwhelming and it's challenging to work from home I still love what I do. I wouldn't change a thing if I had a choice! I'm thankful everyday for the way things have worked out for me!

I'll be sharing more soon...until then,

Incredible...please, please, please watch...

I get emails a couple times a week from the The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. He has very interesting and outside-of-the-box ideas about starting and growing a business. He uses lots of humor to relay his messages...as you probably could guess from his name!

Today's email included a link to this video featuring Will Smith sharing his wisdom. Although I think most people like Will Smith you certainly don't have to be a fan to appreciate what he's saying! Please, please, please take 10 minutes to watch it. Anyone who has any kind of dream at all will find this video incredibly inspiring!




More to share soon...until then,

Lynwood Jewellery

Time to share the inspiration of another fellow artist and blogger from the Handmade Artist's Forum.

This week's featured bloggers/artists from the Handmade Artist's Forum Blog Ring is:

Lynwood Jewellery

On her blog Susan shares a mix of hints and tips and problems and resolutions that she and Bev experience on their journey through the Bejewelled and Beguiled world of jewellery making.

Then over in their Etsy shop - Lynwood Jewellery - Susie and Bev handcraft necklaces, bracelets and earrings in sterling silver, PMC, semi-precious stones and beads. Their jewellery is eye catching and unique and perfect for women who appreciate individuality.

Here are photos of a few of their gorgeous pieces:

Bright Blue Pearl Shell Beads on Sterling Silver Bracelet



Arabian Style Bracelet Made From Sterling Silver with Swarovski Beads



Chunky Green Bracelet with Fresh Water Pearls and Green Beads



Oh my goodness! Aren't they so, so pretty!! As you can tell from my choices I love color and I love bracelets!!

Please make a point to visit the Lynwood Jewellery blog and join in the conversation by commenting on the posts. And don't forget to click on over to their Etsy shop, too! You won't be disappointed!

I'll be sharing more good stuff soon...until then,

Decluttering and Cleaning

I haven't taken time yet to read about The Happiness Project but I hope to have a chance sometime soon.

But one thing I picked up on as I skimmed the website was dealing with decluttering and cleaning. This is a big issue with me. I've never been the neatest or tidiest person, but the past year or so I've really tried making it a point to get rid of clutter. Now that my kids are getting older and into their teen years I have to admit that it's a bit easier to keep up with. Long gone are the tiny little Lego pieces scattered about the house. And the tiny little Barbie brushes and shoes are now sitting in a toy box unnoticed for a few years. Now we deal with big toys...XBox controllers, Ipods, Cd's and their cases, etc. These things are bigger and don't kill your feet if you happen to accidentally step on one.

But getting back to the subject at hand...getting rid of clutter is very freeing. And cleaning gives me a similar feeling. After I finish cleaning a room I sit there and look around and wonder why I don't do it more often. I feel very accomplished and good about myself.

Here's an excerpt from my favorite book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho that deals with cleaning:

"You didn't have to do any cleaning," he [the crystal merchant] said. "The Koran requires me to feed a hungry person."

"Well then, why did you let me do it?" the boy asked.

"Because the crystal was dirty. And you and I both needed to cleanse our minds of negative thoughts."

When I read that it made so much sense. Very often I'll procrastinate and let the cleaning or decluttering go for a while. I notice that when I sit around looking at all that needs to be done, I get very down on myself. I feel like a loser and wonder why I can't keep up with it.

When I read that excerpt from 'The Alchemist' a few months ago I appreciated the message and haven't forgotten it. I hope I can take this thought and carry it into this new year and make it a regular habit to declutter and do my best to keep our house neater and cleaner. I know, in turn, I'll feel better about myself. Although it's definitely going to be a struggle with 'my new normal'...taking care of my mom...I'll do the best I can.

Okay...I have to be on my way, but I'm sure I'll have more to share soon...until then,

A Sweet Bunch of "Thank You's"

I've been so completely stressed out lately trying to balance everything in my life. My mom's health is declining so on top of having 3 kids, a husband, a home business, a house with a list of chores to take care of, an overly anxious dog, a cat...and all the other chaos that comes with these things...now I have to run over to my mom's house a couple times a day to make sure she sticks to her daily routine and schedule. Most of the time I feel like a complete stressed mess. Yes, I have siblings to share the load for which I'm so grateful. But being that I live the closest to Mom and work from home I'm the one who has the time...what??? I have extra time??? Huh??? Did I really say that???...I'm the one who goes over to help her most days. I've come to realize that I have to accept that this way of life is 'My New Normal'.

But I won't complain...my husband and kids are fantastic. They love my mom and understand that she needs me. Without their support I'd have an ulcer and I'd probably break down and cry everyday. They are the strong solid core in my life and they keep me sane. I thank God several times a day that I have them. They are my safe haven or to repeat a 'Dr. Philism', "They are my soft place to fall."

With that being said I have a sweet story to share...

My sister is a speech therapist who works with autistic children at a local school. Early in the school year she asked me to make some personalized name signs for each of her students. She explained that in the hallway outside the classroom there is a large shared bulletin board where the students display their daily work. My sister thought the signs would be a fun way for each child to mark his or her space.

Well, it took me a while to get the signs done. The fall is always my busiest season and then once the holiday season starts you can petty much write me off. I get too overloaded for any extra work. But over the holiday break I made a point to get these signs done.

Here are photos of a few of them:



Once the signs were delivered my sister immediately sent me photos of how they looked displayed on the bulletin board. (She sent them in a text and I don't know how to get them off my phone so, as much as I'd like to, I can't share those.) But I was so happy to hear that all of the students loved their signs!

Then this morning, to my complete surprise, I went out to get the mail and found a manila envelope addressed to me with the return address of the school where my sister works. Wondering what it was I opened it and enclosed was a bunch of handmade thank you cards and handwritten notes from the students!!




How wonderfully sweet!

Believe me...after the nutty and stressful week I had this was a delightful way to start my day!

I'm at my mom's now getting her day started so I have to get moving. But I just wanted to share that sweet tidbit. Hopefully it will remind all of the overstressed moms and dads out there that every so often wonderful things really do come in small packages!

More to come soon...until then,