Yesterday played just as planned. I tatted consistently and swiftly nearly finishing one of the custom orders by the time my supply order arrived.  Once that was here I switched gears to finished the back drop necklace that had simply been waiting for a purple crystal. I was tatting so quickly yesterday that my shoulder started to give me a bit of grief. I took that as a cue to slow down a tad, but I couldn't stop, there are things that must be made, I'm on a clock.

I did get the back drop necklace finished and as I was packing it up with the other pieces from the order, I realized that given the distance this has to travel before it reaches its owner, it would be wise to snap a few pictures, send them to the customer and confirm that everything is good before I send it away. Honestly I have yet to have a customer get something and say it was nothing like what they wanted, but I'm a firm believer in 'there's a first time for everything'. So to that end, I'm waiting on confirmation before I ship. The other custom order is just about finished, days ahead of schedule and then it's time to start remaking the sold  pieces from that and the bulk order that will also be shipped soon. I feel a famine coming on just as soon as all this is done, the shop will turn into a ghost town. I'm not sure if that's a prediction or a wish at this point.

That's really it for me as nothing much has changed from yesterday save for what I've already shared. At least you got pictures today because I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a little light on substance and photos.

More Coffee Please

So remember yesterday I said that I was discussing a custom rushed order with a customer and was waiting for it to finalize. Yeah, well it did and it got a bit bigger than anticipated and the result is I am now a bit on the ridiculously busy side, at least for the time being. I am of course not complaining about being busy. You know how much I prefer that to the alternative, but I have been running on a bit of a feast or famine cycle lately. First nothing, then something big, then nothing, etc. and I have to tell you that it is exhausting for me, not to mention makes a boring blog for you to read in the morning. I mean, seriously, how often do you just want to slap me for going on about the same things? Oh, don't lie...I know you think that on occasion. I would almost trade the big orders in for a nice even consistency...almost.


You've likely already guessed what my day is destined to look like. I have this new custom order to work on, a mask, necklace and bracelet all need to be made. I should also get my supplies in today which means I will have the back drop necklace to finished and assemble. Then once all these custom orders are done, it's back to remaking all the pieces that have flown out recently. I had a brief design idea a couple of days ago, but I was already so busy that I literally forgot what I was thinking about. Yes, I know I should have just wrote it down when I thought of it. I will remember to do so next time it happens. I am already tired this morning thinking about the day and week ahead. I guess it's an extra cup of coffee day. I hope your days are all wonderful!

That's Better

The sickness is finally starting to leave me. I woke up this morning feeling almost normal, so yay! I also got really busy over the weekend as a former customer who bought things to sell in a store in Australia returned and picked up quite a handful of things again. It was unexpected as I've never had a shop come back for more pieces, but I digress. I just wanted to point out that I have my hands happily full.

That was what I have been working on all weekend save for a few hours spent working on the last custom order I got. I can't do the front panel of the piece until I get my supply order in though. It appears to be due on Tuesday and then I can add the all important center crystal to my thread and get that made up. Then I'll just need to attach it to the already constructed chain and get it in the post.

I still have several pieces left to remake including all the embellished versions of my scrolling necklaces. Yep, they're all headed to Australia and since they were all made with bits from my grab bag purchases the next versions will be at least slightly different. I've got another grab bag coming in this order too, so hopefully I'll get some good bits that inspire the new ones.

I'm also in the process of discussing another custom order that would be a bit of a rush...also to Australia which is a bit odd, but I'll take it. So if that order pulls together today, I'll be busy with that for much of the week and the remaking will have to go on the back burner. Man, it's a good thing I'm feeling better today. A damn good thing.

Uhhh

I almost didn't write today because I have that little to share. You knew I couldn't just not write though, so I'll ramble on for a bit making it up as I go. The cold I've been rocking finally took away my ability to think very clearly, you know the dreaded brain fog. Of course regardless I had schooling to do, a custom order to finish as well as blogs to schedule. No rest for the wicked and all that, but between brief bouts of productivity all I did was play games on my iphone. Well that and take care of various cold related issues.

What I did manage to complete was one of my custom orders and I started to work getting the chains ready for the custom color version of the back drop necklace that was ordered. I have to wait on some of the tatting for it until I get my supply order in, which I'm a bit worried about since I haven't even gotten a ship confirmation yet. I can't control their shipping department, but I can get everything ready for when it arrives so I can whip it all together quickly and efficiently for my customer.

One last bit of information before I leave you this morning. I got just the tiniest bit of information regarding my fashion magazine shoot. I was contacted by their fact check department to confirm on page credit information. Sounds all official huh? Anyway, I was told that this shoot will appear in the their May issue. So, I guess we've got quite some time before it sees the light of day. If I remember correctly from my retail days, magazine typically get released just a couple of weeks before the issue month, so the middle of April will be the big reveal I guess. Though I do feel like I need to burst one bubble now...it's not Vogue. Though I will now admit to having sent pieces to Russian Vogue in the past, though they were not used there...that I'm aware of and it was a horrible experience with my contact person disappearing off the face of the internet and only getting my pieces back months later. So much drama.

Well, I think I've babbled enough. I'm off to hope I feel better today.

Aargh

Man, do I feel like something died in my head and started to rot this morning. I know, pleasant image there, but seriously I feel awful this morning. Luckily for everyone I didn't start feeling this bad until halfway through the train ride home, so yesterday's outing was lovely.

The children were very excited by their first train ride and the school group was large enough that we had a whole car for the lot of us making it entirely comfortable. It was also nice since the train went all the way to Sacramento, we were initially afraid there was going to be some bus time. We then spent some time in Old Town which meant shopping and candy and then it was time to head to the train museum.

The scale of the place is much like going to an Air museum with huge trains everywhere, but with the added bonus of a large selection of toy trains as well. I'd been there as a child because that's what we all do in the four grade around these parts, but I literally remembered nothing. Not so surprising that things would change in nearly thirty years, but I digress. We had a good time. Oh, and just so you don't think the youngest here was playing video games in the museum, was was using the camera in her DS to take pictures...of everything.

On the train ride home, I tatted and was chatted up by some of the other parents curious about what I was doing. I think it's funny how people assume the small scale of the work makes it harder to do. I always end up slowing down to show them that it's just one simple knot, not magic, but I don't think they ever believe me. It was about this point that the cold started to really bother me and despite having just taken something I was miserable the rest of the way home. This of course continued this morning and I'm crossing my fingers that it was train air and I'll be fine after my workout this morning because I have more tatting to do today, much more.