Complaining from Kansas

Oh what a joy it is to spend time with the in-laws! {wink, wink} My sister/brother-in-law aren't too bad to hang around & they have so graciously opened their home to us so we don't all have to crowd into the MIL's (mother-in-law) house w/one bathroom for 8 people! And the older cousins are fabulous with Maggie!

But, when it comes to spending days with my MIL I could just shoot myself in the foot in order to get away from her constant negativity! She could find the downside to any situation or thing! Like today, she was glancing through the photos on a wall calendar. The image she stopped on was a sunset over the desert in Africa & a single elephant in the foreground. Instead of the typical, "wow, what a beautiful shot!" she said, "Now isn't that sad? That poor animal out there all alone!" HUH??!!! And there is absolutely no reasoning with her on things! She just gets more defensive & then accuses you of attacking her! She was grumbling over something that happened between her & her caregiver (Edie - who is a saint to put up with all the BS, but a little odd in her own right!) & when Nick tried to find out what was bothering her, she bit his head off & accused him of criticizing everything she (MIL) does! She's nuts!

I am hoping to get out for a little bit tomorrow & the next day to wander through some thrift shops & the local scrapbook store. I need to find some fun little trinket for my mom & sister to make me feel less guilty for what they are going through right now as I write all this!!

On the Home Front (Scrap-a-Teeny Girls)
They are busy pulling our merchandise out & moving the furniture we lugged in to close our little shop at The Barn by the 1st. We went in so excited to be there; to start a new community of paper-crafters in the area, teach & carry unusual items. But we just weren't getting the kind of traffic, support or interest we wanted. We found ourselves scrambling every week; working our tails off to get more stuff into the shop, that we weren't even enjoying it. We found that we were spending money on things that had nothing to do with scrapbooking - like furniture & decor nic-nacks just to make rent each month. We were promised by the manager that she would help promote us & our classes, but when I asked the advertising person to send out an email to the client list, it wouldn't get done. We know that if we could have afforded to stick it out longer, we would have gained a little more of a following through word of mouth & such, it was just too time consuming on the things we didn't want (furniture, working the front register, etc.) & too expensive to keep going in that venue. So, after the first we will re-group. We will take some photos; put together more kits & organize some classes (not sure where we will teach them yet!) & get our "store" filled up on Etsy.

I am looking forward to re-grouping at home too. I consider myself a pretty good multi-tasker, but with all the business stuff, I was really feeling overwhelmed! Now that we don't have to scramble to find the odd thing to fill the shop & can focus on kits, books & such, I should be able to get a better handle on things again! And because I have been so busy trying to make this business thing work, I have had to drop EVERYTHING else - including some friendships that have been pushed aside. (I know I've been just as guilty of not checking in with people over the last few months, but I believe that I am not the only one that has a phone or email address these days!! Huh, sometimes you learn the hard way who really supports you & who doesn't in your endeavors. Sorry to bitch, but I am tired of feeling guilty for being busy & working hard on a dream!!)

Whew! Sorry! Went off on a tangent there! I need to get off of here for a little bit or this entire post will turn into more of a bitch-fest!

Catch-ya later (probably still in Kansas)!

Red & White Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

There's about 6 inches of snow on the ground here & it's still snowing off & on! Yesterday we had near blizzard conditions here in Topeka, Kansas! Crazy rain/snow mix for the morning quickly turned to snow by mid-morning & didn't slow down until "sun-up"!

We drove out from Denver on Wednesday ahead of the storm hitting town there to visit with Nick's mom & brother for the holidays. The drive was a little intense in some areas until we reached Hays, Kansas with icy roads & strong winds. But despite
the conditions, we made it in 9 hours!

Yesterday I captured these beautiful cardinals pecking at the seed still visible in the snow. Cardinals just signify Christmas to me! Aren't they gorgeous against the snow! I hope to capture a few more shots today when the sun comes out!

We're getting a slow start this morning at my brother-in-laws & Maggie is anxiously awaiting us to get dressed & head to Grandma's to see what Santa has brought for her. We are still waiting for my other brother-in-law to arrive from Utah this evening to finish up the festivities.

Although I miss my parents & sister back in Denver terribly, it's nice to be with some form of family & loved ones during the holidays!

I wish every one a Very Merry Christmas with loved ones & I'll check in throughout the week from here!

On Vaca Next Week

Things have been so crazy this week that I thought I'd better get on here real quick to let everyone know that I will be on vacation next week.

We are taking our annual trip to Maui & although my hubby will have his Mac, I don't plan on getting on it too often.

So, if ya don't hear from me, "see ya" in a week!

In the House of Scrooge!

Every year it seems that Christmas time sneaks up on me! I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is this week & Christmas is only 1 month away already!





Since we go to Maui every year the first week of December & then trade off going to Nick's family's home in Kansas every other year, I always debate about putting all the decorations out to only enjoy them for 2-3 weeks. I love to have it all up & get my Holiday Mojo going, but I am the only one that does it in our house! My husband is a Scrooge! His family always celebrates the holidays, but they never had any traditions!

I have so many fond memories of decorating the tree with my family as a child & melancholy ones of taking it all down after the new year. Every year on Christmas Eve, my sister & I were allowed to open one special gift before we went to church. Then we'd be up so early that we'd have to wait for mom & dad to get up lest we get in trouble sneaking downstairs to see what Santa brought us! We always started the morning opening stockings, then have a traditional breakfast of Eggs ala Golden Rod (egg whites in a white gravy over toast w/the yolk sprinkled on top! The BEST!). We would spend the rest of the morning tearing through presents & laughing at the reactions. After that, it was hanging out in our pjs until about 3 when we would get ready for dinner - usually a big Smithfield Ham & all the trimmings. I loved those days & I want my daughter to have as many fond holiday memories as I do.

This year has already been no exception for my scrooge of a hubby. But I had the wonderful help of my 3 1/2 year old this year to hang the ornaments on the tree instead of taking them all off like last year at this time! We didn't even get a "hey, that looks great guys!" (Albeit, he had other things on his mind when he got home at 7pm, but still! Bah Hum Bug indeed!!) I am determined to show Maggie all the magic of the season & maybe her joy will bring her silly father around to our side!

Happy decorating!

blah, blah, blah, BLOG!

Just checking in real quick.
No offense, but sometimes it's really a chore to hop on here & blog about things - especially when I am updating 2 blogs at once! The business blog is definitely getting all the attention these days!

Nothing new to report on the home front! just that I am domestically challenged lately! Between crafting new stuff for the shop & searching for deals at thrift stores to fill the shop & driving back & forth from Denver to Castle Rock on a daily basis, my home life has taken a turn for the worse!

I never see my husband anymore because I eat dinner & then retreat to the studio to work more! I am so far behind on laundry that I will probably be taking dirty clothes with me to Maui in a week (just kidding, but it sure feels like it!) And I think my daughter thinks I'm a stressed out nutcase all the time since I don't get to have much fun with her lately either! I just can't seem to find the balance! How do all these other crafters with families (especially small children) do it?? When do they find the time to re-group??? I know that my sister feels the same way as I do - that we are busting our butts in the business, & slacking in our "life" to ensure that the business that we feel so passionate about gets off the ground soon! We (mom included) really want it to succeed & we don't have a lot of time since the $$ can run out at anytime! Ugh!

Sorry, I didn't want to get into the work stuff, but that does seem to be my life lately! On the other hand, I am half-way looking forward to our annual trip to Maui. Why "halfway" you ask? Well, I've put on about 20lbs since Feb. & I am not looking forward to a swimsuit, let alone hanging out in one next to my ultra-skinny & fit new sister-in-law! Other than that, I think that Nick, Maggie & I could use the time away to re-connect as a family & not think about work for a week!

Well, I've written a lot more than I had even thought existed in my exhausted head today, so I think I had better stop now before true diarrhea of the mouth sets in! C'ya!

My New Fashion Accessory!

I haven't been blogging too much these days - between our little cruise, Maggie being really sick earlier in the month (couldn't tell by the bucket head pict!), Nick's mom having health issues & getting ready for The Scrap-a-Teeny Open House & filling the shop with goodies it's been hard enough to keep up with the business blog.

On top of all that, both Nick & I started getting a cold on the first day of our cruise (Oct 1st) & it is now 11/2 & he's all better & me, well I have been fighting it ever since! So, even though Maggie's head's in the pot above, I really feel like I'M in there!

Today, I finally called the doc! I am tired of sleeping with my mouth open because I can't breath through my nose, & my husband is tired of my snoring! The doc said that I have a stupid sinus infection prescribed some antibiotics & sent me on my way.

But these days when you go out sniffling & coughing everyone looks at you like you have
The Plague!
I actually saw a lady at the pharmacy cringe when I coughed (into my elbow I might add!) in the waiting area! Really?!!! Get a grip people! It's just a cold & the flu is just the FLU, albeit a highly contagious one, but still! It seems that everyone around me has some form of icky sickness this fall & they say it's going to continue for quite some time. If everyone would follow a little hygene these days, maybe so many of us wouldn't be hacking up a lung!

Ok, I'll stop complaining!
I really had just wanted to write to let everyone know that I was still alive,
but breathing through plugged nostrils,
& that I have added a new accessory to my wardrobe...

Really, it's the latest trend!
It goes with me everywhere!
You can get so many different boxes now that it even usurped my Burberry this fall!
And, I hear that the new must-have for your Holiday Party Look this season
is a HONKER as bright red as Rudolphs!
What a trend-setter I am!!!
Sneeze-at-ya-Later!!!
LOL

Ode to Trunk...

I had to say good-bye to a dear old friend the other day...I know it's silly, but I am going to miss my old steamer trunk!

I've had it since I first moved out of my parent's house into my own apartment! It has been lugged up & down countless stairs & into many elevators, cars, garages & basements over it's short life-time with me. I can't even imagine the stories it could tell of it's previous life & the mysterious C.J.P!

Perhaps many journey's across the oceans to far away & exotic lands? Or across the country by rail? Oh the bygone era of sophisticated travel! When it was frowned upon if you DIDN'T bring your entire wardrobe in one bag! If I could travel like that, I'd have no trouble figuring out what to pack - just bring it all because you CAN!!

But alass, I was lugging my beloved trunk one more time into our shop space at The Barn, when two kindly sisters spotted it! I hadn't even made up my mind to sell it yet! We made it about 100 yds inside the door & it was sold! So sad to see it go, but they saved us the trouble of one more set of stairs! (The porters on the trains & ships must have been super studly!!! My beloved trunk weighs a ton!!)

So, I bid farewell to you, my beloved trunk. I shall miss your squeaking wheels, rattly drawer handles, funky hangers & wonderful vintage smells! I hope the sisters restore you to your original glory & you find another loving home! Maybe we'll meet again, in another life, on board a beautiful ship, traveling the open seas together in all our glory!