Will It Ever Come?

So I continue to plug away at all the work I put on hold to prepare for Stitches West -- which was very successful for us, by the way. Unfortunately, all the "regular" work has continued on plus all the backed up work -- it seems like an endless loop. So much so, I haven't even had time to knit. What's worse, I actually have some designs in my head that I want to get on to needles (at least in minature) to see if they will really work, but I am betting that isn't going to happen until at least the end of next week if not the following week.

I have also gotten myself over whelmed with church stuff. Just a few extra short term commitments, but they are adding up and are all occuring about the same time. And I think I am just about through with being cold all the time. Like today, we didn't make a fire because we were out until 1:30 and then worked in the yard until 4:30 or so. Now, however, it is almost too cold in the house to stay up, but it is only 9:00. And it will be no better in the morning; if anything, it will be worse. We have to get the HVAC system replaced or I will be having the exact opposite feelings in August!!!

I just want to have some sense that I am making progress. That I am getting somewhere. Even a false sense of progress would be welcomed at this point. I want to be able to take a day off -- to have a weekend where I don't feel obligated to work to try and get caught up. Today there is no light at the end of the tunnel (and it is cold)! Will that feeling of a job well done, that sense of accomplishment ever come?

Read More

I Have Been Found

So I was just going to read my favorite blogs and then go to bed. This has NOT been a good day. Huge storms here in the west. My old farmhouse, actually out in the middle of a farm, has no protection from the gale force winds we were having today. So the power went up and down about 5 or 6 times throughout the day. Thank heaven for battery backup. Ah, but now the server is mysteriously down -- shouldn't be, it is on back-up too. And just when I thought it couldn't possibly get worse, I mistakenly open an e-mail virus.

Now the virus thing turned out okay in the end, but it ate up 3-4 hours of my afternoon. And I suppose the worst part of the whole story is that I used to be a Vice President incharge of Information Technology. (No, I didn't get fired for being stupid)! This one caught me off guard as it came from someone I was expecting something from. And then it even looked like what I was expecting -- no I wasn't expecting a virus. Luckily, my professional training took hold immediately, I knew I had an issue and was able to minimize the damage, but the time was going to be lost.

But the day ends on a good note. As I am crusing my favorite blogs, I find that one of my friends has discovered my blog. This, for some strange reason, brought me great joy and happiness. So, on a day that everything seemed to go wrong and I felt totally lost, I have been found -- by my friend Annie!

Read More

I Think I Can...I Think I Can!

It never ceases to amaze me how much time the paperwork side of the business takes once I get home from a show. I have been working on it pretty much continuously and I am finally seeing the end of the tunnel. The good news, is the show was very good for us and it looks like we are off to a good solid year!!!

I still have to get a number of non-knitting things done for this knitting business, but once they are done, I can start designing. Which I have been doing in my head every day for the last couple of days. In the morning, I come down to my desk, make a few sketches and notes so I can remember the important stuff and then get on to all the boring stuff required for the business. Anyone who thinks a knitting business is the way to go because they will get to knit all the time...think again! But at least I get to do it some of the time.

So for the next few days, I will just be the "Little Train Who Could", working my way through the piles of paperwork and administrative duties...I think I can, I think I can!!!

Read More

So Very Tired

For the first time, in well.....a year, all the pre-show work paid off. We had a great Stitches West show from a vendor point of view and the students I had in my classes were GREAT! It really clicked! But now it is time for the aftermath. I still have a tremendous amount of work to be done. Most of it stuff that was put off until the show was completed -- which is now -- needs to be done by the end of the week. But alas, I am tired -- very inspired and wanting to be creative -- but tired.

So today I took my first stab at getting caught up and did a decent job considering all things. And I will persevere, one day at a time. But soon, very, very soon, I am going to take a couple of days off and not do anything related to the business. I will play at my lampworking, I will think about decorating the house, I will work in the garden, I will (heaven forbid) exercise, but I will not work.

But for now I have resigned myself to trudging onward, plugging away at the ''to do" list. Knowing that I am going to be quite a bit less than energetic, because I am tired...so very tired.

Read More

Crabgasm

Tonight is the night I look most forward to when attending Stitches West -- the trip into SF, to Pier 39, to the Crab House. It is my very favorite spot to have dinner. There is a dish, aptly named, Killer Crab. And it is the very best, non-sweet thing, my mouth has ever tasted. I won't even ruin it by trying to describe it. Let's just say it is an orgasm for your taste buds -- a Crabgasm.

Oh Yea -- My class went very well and the market was good today!!!

Read More