Day 87-88

Despite my best intentions, I just can't seem to get this silly post done every day...and to add insult to injury (whatever that means) I didn't take a picture on Day 2 of my 365 pictures project. But I took these lovely harbingers of spring today...the first sign of color...whoopee!

Day 86

A watershed day in Colorado...I opened my windows and doors for the first time since....hmmm...sometime in October. Wonderful...breezes wandering aimlessly through the rooms, bringing freshness to every corner.

My pictures today are two of the cards I've made for the next Card Shoppe.

Day 83-85

Well, so much for posting daily!!! If you read this blog for very long, you'll see I'm always coming up with "new" ideas. Never mind that I started this blog with five or six goals and I'm just barely doing any of them...always on to something new. Now I've decided to try the 365 picture project...you know, one picture every day for a year.

So this is the first one and what a day today was. I bought $72.92 worth of stuff for $20.06. Such a deal!!! First I went to REI. As a member I get a rebate once a year. I bought a small nonstick frying pan for my camper and with my $20 rebate and a 20% discount it only cost $1.92.

Then off to Kohl's. This $45 purse was on sale for $27 and I had a coupon for $10 off so it was, with tax, $18.14. How I'd love to do that all the time. The purse is quite a bit bigger than I usually buy but I like it and the striped interior is bright and cheery.

Day 41-82

Yup...it's been awhile. After the card show it just didn't seem like I had much to say. Then I went to California for a couple of weeks. Spent a week with old friends and a week with my sister, Karen. Karen and I were really busy...sailing on a tall-masted ship, going to a kite festival, wandering around the Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert and taking a Segway tour at the San Diego Wild Animal Park...what a hoot! Do it if the opportunity every arises!!

Springtime in the Rockies!

Today there's a bright blue sky...gorgeous!!!...and the snow is melting off the trees and roofs almost as fast as it came down yesterday. Walking under trees you need your hood up or it's snow down your neck for sure. And if you happen to be under a tree when a squirrel is scampering overhead...no doubt about it...you're going to get very wet.

I've been working on Father's Day cards for the next show and fulfilling some card orders I got while in California. Now that I've broken the posting drought, I'm hoping to stick with it.

Day 38-40

Boy, time is really flying by...haven't written for three days??? Well, I've decided to try the Card Shoppe at least one more time. Have spent the last three days re-arranging my workroom...getting more organized, putting things where I can see them easier. I find I use the same stuff all the time and forget I have other stuff I could be using.

Time for a Visual Thesaurus Word of the Day...tergiversate...means to beat around the bush. Yep, I've done that when there's something to be said but I don't really want to say it.

I'm going to have to get out and take some pictures...this blog is really boring with no pictures!
Just heard today that this is the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese calendar. That's my sign so I'm going to check it out.

Day 36 and 37

Second day of the Card Shoppe was VERY quiet. There was still no notice in the paper...three people came by...they saw the signs. And an old friend I used to work with stopped in...great to see her and chat about what's happening. Final total...$271! I'm excited about that and encouraged that almost everyone who came bought something.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, no pictures to post of new cards I've made. What shall I talk about? It's snowing here today...all day...but very little accumulation. Put my house back together after the 2-day event.

I'm having second thoughts about whether I want to continue this idea. I know I said I'd do it for a year but the thought of starting all over again and making another 120-150 cards is rather daunting...don't have much enthusiasm for it right this moment.

But what in the heck will I do. I'm going to be a little busy with the teddy bear recycling program I'm starting. Nevertheless, I'll still have LOTS of time on my hands. Maybe I'll do a little job-hunting...see what kind of part-time jobs might be out there. Decisions, decisions.

Day 35

Well, this was the BIG day...Grand Opening of the Four Season Card Shoppe. Some good, some bad. The bad...the newspaper did not publish my ad. Their explanation was, "We've been having some problems in that area recently." So, almost no one knew about the event.

I did put up some signs on influential corners and my first customer came by having seen one. The second customer was a neighbor...I passed out flyers on my street. But the BIG hip-hip-hooray was when Michele and 8 of her co-workers came...all together...and bought a big bunch of stuff. Very exciting!!

I'm supposed to be open again tomorrow, so I will, but don't have much hope for customers. The paper said "we'll try" to get the ad in, and I put a notice on Craigslist but not holding out much hope. But it was very encouraging that everyone who looked, bought and there were lots of encouraging comments.

As it happens, today is also my 72nd birthday...so the first three pictures are flowers I received from my wonderful family.

These are milk cartons. Cut them down, put in the floral foam that holds water and add fresh flowers. Pretty neat idea...can't remember where I saw it. People like them but no one bought one...yet.

Here's the table with the Valentines and Easter cards...and I sold twice as many Valentines as Easter.

Day 34

If I had a video camera, you'd be looking at pictures of me somersaulting across the room...well, not really but it's what I feel like. I'm done, done, done. Tomorrow morning I'm taking myself out to breakfast, then cleaning my house and I'll be ready for Friday. I have made 180 items...114 of that is cards. I'm pretty surprised there's that many...no wonder I'm pooped!

Now, it's just wait and see if anyone shows up to buy. These are the things I made today.

Day 32 and 33

If you're planning on looking at all the pictures in today's blog, better grab a cup of coffee...you'll be here awhile...two day's worth of stuff. Yesterday I finished the masculine cards and started on some for ladies. Today I made notebooks. Tomorrow will be the last day for production because Thursday I need to clean house and get everything set up.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm. some of this photography is a little iffy...

Day 31

I can hardly tell what day of the week it is...Tuesday, Friday Sunday??? Every day is just like the one before it...cards, cards, cards. But I am seeing an end in sight...4 more days. I'm not sure whether to be excited because I've almost reached the goal, or to be terrified because it's almost time to welcome my first customer. I will have customers, won't I???

Finished the Easter cards, made one more for a new baby boy and started on the "whatever" cards. Most of them won't have words or they'll have sayings that fit lots of occasions.

This Valentine bookmark was copied from Michelle Wooderson...what a talented lady. You just cut strips of pink and red paper and glue them on...pretty cute!

I started with the masculine "whatever" cards first...they're sooooooooooo much easier to make because they require almost no "extras"...ribbon, buttons, sparkles.