Going to Blog... Going to Blog....

                                                                            
           That is what I have been saying for a month....

I was excited this year, to dazzle you with my Christmas decor... My Dept. 56 village.. I have lots of houses & they are lovely. They just never got put up this year.... (:      

   My Christmas tree... we own a Christmas tree farm, so I get the pick.... got put up, but never got many decorations....

        I have been so terribly busy, I can't see straight...

  I have a mitten business..... & this year it was ridiculous.... I thought I would quit. You see, everybody & thier aunt makes mittens out of wool sweaters.... there are enough out there....

  BUT.... this year I had so many orders, I could not keep up. Just between Thanksgiving & Christmas I had 2, yes 2 orders for around $1000....

 I could not say no... I worked until 2 in the morning, got back up at 6 & did some more.... ( besides working in the beauty shop : )
   I turned down so many calls, that it makes me sick to think about it....
Why was I not sewing all year long???  Again, thought that I would quit.

      
                                       A bag ready to go

                                                    


  I have been making them for more than 15 years. I used to make them for all the high school girls in my small group from Church, for Christmas, then I had a few ask me to make them for gifts. I went on an Alaskan cruise, gave them to my friends on the cruise, a store in Sitka saw them & asked me to make some for them. I gave them to some friends in New York as a gift, had a store there ask for some.... & it goes on.... so my business was born.
    I have never done an art show... never wanted to, this fall a friend asked me to join her in a booth.... orders, orders, orders....
   

            
   
              I delivered an order Christmas Eve.... I was so sick of it....
  My facebook status said..... "Done, Done, Done..... Don't even ask" : )
      Our kids came home for Christmas & I was not ready.......
                  But I am not finished.... folks are still calling

    

        

                                                                        

            I get some special orders for  both in the pair to match exactly, but most want them to be whimisical & some-what match...

  I had one order, for 4 pair, from a mom for her kids from the sweater that thier dad wore, before he died...

      

                                                

                                  

             

          A pair for a Hope College soccer mom....   Orange & Navy..

   I want to quit.... I want to do something else fun for a while.... but no one wants mittens in July.... I have a big upholstery job, 2 chairs & an ottoman that I said would be done by Christmas.... not done yet.... My house is a mess... husband is going to Arizona next week & I am not going....too far behind.... ( I have the ticket...agh!!! )

           

            So for now I am sewing, sewing, sewing......

                                               
       Linking up this week with Pam over at Becolorful
                       for Motivated Mondays

Collection of Christmas trees

     
                           I have a collection of  Vintage
                Ceramic Christmas trees.
                             

                                            I have them all over the house.
            I really never meant to collect them, it just happened. 
 I happened to get my Grandmother's when she passed. Then I bought one at a thrift store for $2. Then a client told me they were pretty valuable & collectible. So if I saw one cheap, at a thrift store, I would buy it. I think I have 40 + of them in all shapes, colors & sizes. I have never paid more than $5. for one.

                 The very large in one in the middle was a gift from a friend, from Church. She had it in her barn, didn't want it any longer & gave it to me. The one on on the left, back... Last week, I was home with the flu, a friend calls, says that she saw one at GW for $4. but it did not have any lights, so she didn't think I would want it. I got dressed, not feeling well, drove down there, bought it for the $4. & the lights were all taped to the inside.... told her she could have gotten $100 for it on Ebay..... : )

                                   Playing around with them on the kitchen counter
                       I  am just getting out the decorations..... 
                      & they will all get moved around as I add : )

                                                  
                                      Back entry table.                            
                                              

              One of the few I have in the Beauty shop.... this one I bought just a few weeks ago at a thrift store, no base, no lights, I hesitated, as they wanted $5. But I bought it. Went back this week & there was the base.... they gave it to me for free.                     
                             

                                     Ceramic wreath, goes with the collection.
                         Back entry.... Goodwill $2. a few yrs. ago
                                           

                    
                  Mantle tree, not lit,  with mantle to be decorated
                      with greenery in the next day or 2.

          I am late getting at my decorating this year.
     I have been down with flu & busy with my wool business....
       I knew back in July I should have been sewing mittens & scarves : ) 
                          

                                            
               More on that later.... I still have to decorate my 2 trees, put up the Dickens village.... & an upholstery job to finish by the weekend....
            Better get to it......