The Shop is Finally Open for Business

It took me forever, but I FINALLY listed items in my Etsy shop! Here's the link.

I opened the shop over a year ago, but that was the extent of it. I had also created the banner and the avatar, but just got caught up in the search for Lola, that the shop fell off my radar. It fell off my radar, yes, but was always in the back of my mind, haunting me.

Over this past weekend I added info about myself and my shop, the shop banner and avatar, policies and finally listed some items. That was a lot of work. I couldn't believe how much time it took. The hard part is over, and now to create more art to list.

I almost didn't achieve my goal here, as I wasn't happy with the pictures of the framed prints once I had viewed them on my computer. I decided that if I allowed that to stop me, then yet again, I'd have another failed goal and would wake up in the morning (and a Monday that I shall surely dread) feeling dissapointed. I couldn't allow that to happen again, so I used the pictures I had and listed items.

Trying to write a bio and shop policies was not easy to do. It probably seems easy enough, but it was tough. I had to check out other shops and take bits and pieces in order to develop my own, but it came together. Chances are, it will change, expand, whatever, as time goes on.

So, I have something I can actually cross off my 2010 goals - Etsy shop! I otherwise haven't done so well on those goals I set for this year.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Happy Thanksgiving! I do love this holiday as it is always a nice time to visit with family, friends and enjoy a good feast. I started prepping my food Wednesday night so that I wouldn't have much to but pop things in the oven on Thursday. With the exception of running out of maple syrup and running to the market on Thursday, the plan worked out pretty good.

I have my mom here for the holiday week. She is getting more forgetful and confused, even by her own admission. The other night she asked my younger sister if she was 58! My sis nearly shit bricks. The next morning, my mom did laugh about how she got so confused and thought my sister was 58.

After the big feast, my friend and I stepped outside to cut glass. She is quite good at it and I'm not, so I wanted a lesson. She will be back on Sunday and we will cut more glass and solder some charms!

I didn't have any overnight guests (besides my mom) and the dinner guests left rather early. That allowed me to crash at a decent hour in order to rise early for the Black Friday sales. I got up about 5:30 this morning, brushed my teeth and washed my face. Put on some foundation and concealer and threw on some clothes. Anyone that knows me, knows that that is for the most part, an impossible task. I never get ready for anything that fast, let alone go out in public without my make-up. I did apply some eyeliner and lip gloss in the car.

My sister and I made the trip to Staples, arriving there around 6:30. She was in need of a laptop and I wanted a Flip Video Camera. We lucked into great parking and walked right into the store. It wasn't too terribly crowded and my sister ran straight to a line she saw at the Easytech portion of the store. We read the sign and learned that you had to have vouchers if you were in that line. I walked to a sales associate and asked about that. She checked what was left and did have one for the Flip camera but not the laptop. I told my sis and she looked disappointed. Suddenly one of the Easytech guys came up and asked if we had any questions. We did and told him about the voucher issue. When my sister told him which laptop she wanted, he told her there was one voucher left and got it for her.

It was very well organized and the staff was extremely helpful and calm. We were in and out of Staples in under an hour! Once home, I had some much needed coffee and played around with the camera. Then I got busy taking pictures of some of my prints so that I can finally list items in my Etsy shop!



I opened the shop over a year ago and that was the extent of it. So today, I uploaded the shop banner and avatar and worked on the shop policies. I also did a few other things as well, like starting a new mixed media painting, but, I'd say that completely consumed my day and now as I type this, still no items have yet been listed. The goal is list some things THIS weekend.

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day! I, like so many people, have veterans in my life, my mom and my dad for example. Plus friends, cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, colleagues, and so on. These brave people put me to shame as I never had it in my to enlist. Of course, I'm too old now, but when I wasn't, the thought of that level of discipline was a huge turn off.

Back in my younger days, my mouth would have landed me in Guantanamo the minute an authority figure ripped the sheets and blankets off of my bed when the quarter didn't bounce off of it! Some people join because they need that level of discipline and some of us shy away because we don't know that we might benefit from that discipline. Others though, didn't have the luxury of NOT enlisting. I admire those that make such a commitment. I know many that did (whether voluntarily or not) that did benefit from their service. Many of my contemporaries didn't see war, luckily, but got much value out of their time enlisted - they saw the world, learned responsibility, and much more.

To all the men and women that have served, whether by choice or not, I salute you! Thank you for your service.

Just a Short Post About my Great Grandfather

I'm so excited! I heard back from my great grandfather, George's, granddaughter. It was really a wonderful message. I know these people existed, as I exist, and I have seen the legal documents. Yet, somehow, hearing from someone that knew one of my relatives makes it all the more "real". This makes it even more real than when someone recently answered my photo request for a picture of his headstone on Findagrave.com. When I first saw that photo, I just stared at it. George's existence suddenly seemed real to me. A very clean and simple headstone with his name and years of birth and death.

Prior to that, my proof of him was scanned documents via Ancestry.com and scanned articles I found on Newspaperarchive.com. Now, suddenly I hear how he would rock this woman in his rocking chair when she was a little girl. She told me that she would then rock her children in that same rocking chair, and to this day, still has it. That made me smile (and tear up a bit). I should add that she is going to find pictures to send me of George and her grandmother, Grace (Grace was George's second, and last wife)! I can't wait!

One other thing, there was another granddaughter and she is also interested in being in contact and possibly has even more information on George. She and her mother actually lived with George and Grace. This is all so exciting to me.

More to come on this as it develops. These past two days I've been battling the cold or flu bug, so this short post is taking much energy. Until then...