That's Better

Yet another day with nothing new to show you, but at least the shop began to pick up a bit. Of course that didn't happen until the afternoon so I spent the morning after schooling staring into space waiting for a task to spill out of my laptop. It really is logical...I couldn't start working on something new and exciting because then I would just have to drop it should something actually require my attention. I was laying in wait, on standby...bored crapless.

Anyway, once an order came in, there was another following it and then another. The last though has me in a bit of a quandary as it was a custom listing and the customer didn't note what colors they wanted. I sent a message asking which hasn't yet been replied to. I suppose I'll make the piece up as pictured and hope that's what they wanted. It's just one of my boutonnieres so it won't take too long to make. If I'm wrong I'll at least have one in stock like the one in the picture.

So that's what's on tap for this morning. I have one other custom order to finish up and then the boutonniere. Then I suppose it's more finger crossing for another order to keep me busy. Though I think I'm finally in the mood to finish the large gift project. It just needs embroidery now, but it needs to be creative and I just haven't been feeling it lately. Oh and thanks to all of you who commented regarding my question. Seems that the single pattern for sale is good. If I can figure out how to best illustrate one I might cut my teeth on that idea after the holiday. On the same subject, just as a side note, all the patterns I have actually written up to share are over in the the right hand column. If it's not there either I don't want to share it, i.e. the Ankle Corsets(I know, selfish) or I simple haven't written up the pattern. I generally work off of prototypes or pictures so I don't usually write anything down. I'll have a few more free ones in the new year I'm sure, but for now, that's all I've got.

Another Dud

Well Cyber Monday did not provide any more sales than any other Monday might have. It brought one sale, is what I'm trying to say, but that one was a custom sized mask meaning at least it gave me something specific to do for the day. So that's pretty much all I did, but I did get the mask finished so I'm feeling pretty good about that.

I do have a question for tat land though. I have been receiving a lot more messages on etsy and through formspring asking for patterns and general tatting instruction lately.  I was curious if this is a trend that's anyone else is seeing. I imagine it's connected to the holidays and the desire to be able to make unique gifts, but I don't remember the same thing occurring in years past. I have gotten so many request lately that I'm actually contemplating a book again. Don't get excited though, it's so not happening anytime soon. I just don't have the skill set required to put that together, but I digress, my initial curiosity is well, are you seeing more curiosity lately?

Let's see, for today, I did wake up to a few more messages on etsy asking for custom lengths and colors so hopefully those customers will provide me with something to do for today. Otherwise I'm, making more snowflakes for 'just in case' gifts. I do have a meeting with the home school 'teacher' this morning for the quickly approaching end of the semester, but that's the whole of my days plans. Here's to something wonderful and unexpected happening.

Weekend Recap

Well, it sure was a long weekend. You already got the Thanksgiving updates but the rest of the weekend was putting up the tree, eventually decorating it and other random family events. We went to a movie, avoided shopping and the husband played a lot of Zelda which the girls watched like it was a movie. I do want to back up to the tree story for a second though.

We had one last year with the kittens and they were constantly scaling it, but they were light enough to not cause too much damage. I picked up some deterrent spray this year thinking their increased size would make said scaling an epic disaster. This meant we put up the tree and left it undecorated for a day to test the waters. As you can see by this increadibly dark photo, it didn't exactly work. I saw the tree swaying from downstairs and when I got up in the loft, this is the sight I was greeted with. We did end up decorating anyway, though we opted to keep all the keepsake ornaments off the tree in case this was a portend of things to come. So far they have been good merely sleeping beneath the tree, but there's a month to go so I'm not counting my chickens yet.

I did work on some more snowflakes over the weekend and I had hoped that the shop would get busy, but it was a virtual ghost town. It's likely my own fault though. I chose to just stick with the free shipping and gift deal and I refused to spend a lot of time promoting on the social networks. I just felt so bombarded with promos myself, I couldn't add to the onslaught. There is of course still a couple of good weeks of holiday shopping time left, so I will cross my fingers that things pick up and yes, you can expect to hear more whining if they don't. This week everything else should be back to normal. I've got schooling to do and I'll keep using any free time for making gifts so I apologize in advance for the lack of new creations. Well, off to it then and a happy Monday to you all.

Tired

What a day, what a day. There was cleaning followed by a house full of chaos, food and then more cleaning. I was exhausted by six. That was the point that the new Zelda game took over the television. I thought I'd tat for a spell, but I didn't, I stared at the screen and became a lump of nothing on the couch with a glass of wine...good times.

I did get a little tatting done in the morning. I'm still nowhere finished with any of the projects on my plate. The purple hair piece is currently just one round big and the ankle corsets I need to make are maybe halfway complete. I did get some snowflakes sparkled up, but I still want to make more of those so I have enough to give away should we find ourselves in such a gathering over the holiday season.

Should finishing all those projects not be enough tasks for me, today is the day designated to drag the holiday decorations out of the closet and decorate. See all the tables and chairs are out of the closet already making access easier, then after decorating all of those can go away for a month before I have to pull them out and repeat yesterday's chaos once again except with ham and presents.

If you are insane enough to go shopping on this blackest of days, I wish you to not get pepper sprayed...seriously it's already happened, and that you find what you seek. I'm going to personally stay the hell away from retail for the weekend, save for a quick grocery trip and enjoy that my shopping has already concluded. I shall also be crossing my fingers that the shopping picks up in my own little etsy store and I guess Monday it's back to normal.

Yeah...Thanks

Happy turkey and pie day to all my North American friends. Yeah, yeah, I know that's not what the day is all about, family, friends, giving thanks, forgetting about century's old oppression and destruction of indigenous people in favor of a pretty myth about people sharing. See, turkey and pie day is better isn't it?

I got most of the house cleaning done yesterday along with some tatting. I only managed to start the purple doily hair piece though so I have nothing new to show you. I worked on snowflake flurries while the husband played the new Legend of Zelda game and I have a pair of ankle corsets that needs remaking that I got started, but still have much work left on. Of course with all the cleaning, eating and cleaning I'll be doing today, I really don't think I'll accomplish much. Then tomorrow is the first official day of the Christmas season. The decorations and tree may go up and I will no longer curse when I hear holiday music, though the incessant toy commercials can cut it anytime. In fact I will sing, 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year', every time I enter a busy location...dripping with sarcasm of course. Years of working retail have tainted the holidays forever and honestly I hope this coming month flies by. If it wasn't for the time spent with family and friends and those rare moments of honest giving that are truly wonderful I'd forgo the whole thing.

I guess that's enough complaint for the morning. I'll be back tomorrow, likely in a better mood and I hope you all do truly enjoy any time off you're given this long holiday weekend. I am, as cheesy as it sounds, thankful for each and every one of you. That you read and comment and support me and my work is a great comfort and needed motivation for me. Thank You...really!