Setting Goals Are Important

We're expecting a foot of snow. Hubbins is out of town and I'm home all alone. Yeah I know sounds pathetic but I have stuff to keep me going. I found all of my tax stuff so I can file my Property Tax, State and Federal Income tax, Sales/Use tax for the two business' I am closing and the first quarterly tax for the new business in Wyoming. I feel like a total accountant. Well I hope that I am busy filing hefty quarterly use tax reports for the State of Wyoming this year.

As for my crafting goals I am going to photograph some new things for the Etsy store. I also am finally going to put together a few of my knitting accessory kits. They contain stitch markers, yarn needles, point protectors, a stitch counter and a stitch holder all in an attractive container.

On the wheel I am going to finish off the churro. I am thinking of felting up some bunnies as Easter is approaching rapidly. Mother's day is sneaking up on us too. It's not a holiday we celebrate anymore. We ran out of Mothers and Grandmas and I don't have any kids to claim so it's just another Sunday for us, but I will have some very special items for Mother's Day.

Beltane is also approaching. I will have some Goddess items that are a little different from my usual faire. I am definitely evolving. Speaking of revolving, I will be running an Earth Day special on Whirled Peas malas. The non-denominational prayer/meditation bead bracelet to help you focus on happy productive thoughts. You can help direct change by focusing with deliberate intent. If you don't believe me ask Hubbins about the four big horn sheep in Yellowstone last year. He'll tell you!

Maybe I'll get the hotpot out and fire up some PMC. I made a sea urchin texture stamp today. I want to try that out. I also have a neat sheep brooch idea. I could get out the Pysanky tools and do a few eggs as gifts. I don't want to go overboard with that like usual. What ever I do I'll take lots of pictures!!

Sale Sale Sale

Did I mention I am having a sale? Did I mention I'm on Twitter? Did I mention I am official in Wyoming now?

It's tax season. This weekend I have six sets of taxes to do. I feel like I'm an accountant. After taxes (and paying bills) I think I will work on jewelry. Maybe spin a little. I'll be snowed in anyway.

Perfect Weather for sitting and spinning

It's cold outside and snowing. We're supposed to get 5-6 inches tonight and another 9-15 inches tomorrow with more snow possible on Tuesday and Wednesday. I have a room full of fleece and three spinning wheels to spin on. Sounds like a party. Of course I don't know any spinners in my general vacinity. I need to infect some locals with the fiber addiction. I'd settle for a knitting circle or a stitch and bitch. There's a good chance that there won't be a lot of people in the office tomorrow. I need to send in my time sheet and monthly accounting. I need to be there to answer the phones to tell people we are snowed out.

Maybe I can compromise and bring a spinning wheel to work. Naw, that's not productive.

Gearing up for some Crafty Fun

Things to play with: I got my sheet of copper and copper tubing. I cut my rivets last week and hopefully I can get my etching solution. I received my glass tube to blow last week and I have my felting projects ready to go. Oh yes and the hotpot fuel for the PMC projects.

My sale in my Etsy store starts Wednesday. 30% off anything in the store. I am going to get everything packaged and ready to ship so that I can give my customers a speedy delivery. I always send an extra gift with each order. I need to get those done. Maybe I'll launch a new banner and homepage for the website too. Sounds ambitious and it is!

I need to focus.

Bearing the torch

Well I got my torches up and running today. I tried out my soldering torch and made a bezel. I tried out a new fire scale preventor. It worked great. I also got the glass torch set up. I made a few beads. That's progress in getting the shop up and running. I am anxiously awaiting my kiln to arrive from San Diego. It's looking like May or June. I'll have to stick PMC silver until then, using my torch or hot pot to fire my goodies.

I designed a few new pieces. They are still just demons in my head but I have put a few on paper. I'm thinking of a long weekend or two to get them out. They should be some pretty awesome pieces.

I am playing with cold connections. I spent part of my morning checking gauge of wire and size of hole and made a bunch of rivets. I'm pretty pleased with myself. I have to get some copper sheet to play with. There's a bracelet trying to bust it's way out of my creative box.

My sea urchins arrived. They will make really cool textures for PMC. I'm going to make a mold of them so that I can get a positive image. I am excited!!

My socks from the toe up is starting slow. I have the toe done, that's the hard part. I just needed to find the packing tape to fortify my pattern print out so that I can take it with me on the road. You know like if we get snowed in. Don't laugh. It might be spring everywhere else but we are expecting a blizzard tomorrow. They say we might get 8 to 18 inches depending on the weather report. I'm thinking of bringing the s'more maker to work to raise some spirits.

If you haven't heard, starting April first everything in my Etsy store is 30% off. April is my birthday and I wanted to share it with everybody. So If you have been ogling that special yarn or jewelry piece it's the time to buy. Don't forget Mother's Day is coming up. Get mom a special gift. I do custom work - "convo" me in Alchemy. I'll make you something special.

Spring is almost here

Spring is almost here and the weather is warming up. It's actually above freezing. For the few and the proud that follow my twitter I've been posting temperatures outside. Mostly in the single and negative digits.

I finished my latest pair of socks. I got the yarn on the way from San Diego to Wyoming. The first night we stopped in Las Vegas. They came out very lovely but had a few issues that I will find out if they were an isolated incident or a problem with the manufacturer. I have two more skeins to knit up

I am still thinking about craft faires and getting the word out that I teach classes. I made a sample piece of jewelry that shows three techniques I will be teaching. It felt good to be making jewelry again. I also ordered the supplies for witch balls (blown glass ornament style balls) I can't wait to start that project. Those will be up on my Etsy site.

Speaking of my Etsy site. I will be running a spring sale soon. It's time to move some merchandise. I have my list of classes I will be posting them soon.

New Projects

Well I spent a good part of Sunday putting my shop together. I am still missing a few key pieces but that will work itself out. I have found a huge chunk of my books and inspiration is hovering above me. I must rise and meet it face to face.

I am a lot like a raven or a magpie. I get distracted by shiney objects. Which makes being a crafter interesting, especially when you make jewelry. I have a few jewelry demons starting to bubble up from the depths. My major issue is that they are PMC demons. My kiln is 1200 miles away and I'm out of Hot Pot fuel. I hear you, why not just use generic gel fuel? I tried that several months ago and I didn't like the results. I might have to buck up and get my torch going. I have fuel. I have a brand spanking new charcoal block and even a rotating firing surface. I even have PMC. Sounds like a plan.

Speaking of plans, I have an opportunity to get my name out. The local Chamber of Commerce is having a Small Business Expo in two weeks. I need literature, examples and my DBA and resale. The DBA is proving to be the most difficult. I have support here though. The devine Ms. K is urging me to start teaching. She's eager to learn. I am so glad that I have found crafty people out here.

I've started a new knitting project. I've finished my last one this week, another pair of socks. They are the best fitting yet. I also signed myself up for a sock torture experiment. Not really, but I did buy into the Knit Picks 12 months of socks. All of the yarns ar beautiful and the patterns are gorgeous! My main issue is they are all knit from the toe up. I don't do those. I hate the cast on. I am though going to become an expert. I have 12 pair or 24 socks to get good. I will be very good and I am always up for a challenge.

Well it's time to cast on some zzzzzz and get to sleep.