Organized!

Organize is not my word of the year, but I always like to start the year off a little less chaotically than I end it. Lucky for me, my life is often such a mess, it's not too hard to improve a lot.

Here's a big truth nugget:  I lovelovelove when people like the stuff I make enough to buy it. It makes my heart soar.  I sing and dance and am happyhappyhappy...for about five minutes. Then I realize I'm going to have to mail it to them.  In a box.  Using tape and bubble wrap and more tape (which I can never ever ever ever find no matter how many fancy dispensers or how many economy sized rolls I buy) and it needs to look cute and there needs to be a thank you note and I have to remember an invoice and I have to go the post office where I have to wait in line behind the woman who apparently has 876577 grandchildren who all live in remote villages on other continents. ::vigorouslybangsheadondesk::

I have been doing shipping in the most disorganized way possible, I'm sure, because I'm an over-achiever like that.  I basically dumped every possible shipping item into a brown paper bag (at least it had a handle) and dragged it all back and forth to work with me.  At about 4:45 each day I would finally remember there was something I was supposed to do, at which point I would tap the side of my head with my forefinger and think, "Hmmmm, what was that?"  My brain would eventually screech, "MAIL!!!!!!". I would jump out of my chair, grab my paper sack and furiously commence creating a nightmarish mess of tape, paper bits, torn cardboard, crumpled tissue paper, twine and who knows what all else might have ended up in those packages...except sweat. There was probably a lot of sweat. Sorry about that.

I decided to do something about it because, honestly, I can't afford any more brain cells.

I shopped around my own house for the sweet fake wall made of old screen doors (which my handy man brought upstairs for me and cut to fit), the record stand I got at a yard sale for $1, and some bins and baskets; got a couple things at Walmart and an official shipping scale from Sam's.

 Behold my new shipping station upstairs! (Do you hear the angels singing?)

I'm all set now.  I'm going to be a wrapping fool.  Y'all go order something.

<3 Lori

Handmade Holidays

I just realized yesterday that the main reason I already have almost all my Christmas shopping done is because, since my son graduated from high school, we are not spending the whole month of December running around to basketball tournaments all over the state.  The two tournaments my daughter was supposed to play in have both been local and have both been cancelled due to weather.  The other reason is that I have committed to purchasing mostly from artists and craftspeople rather than running around at shopping centers and the mall.

I can't show you the great things I've purchased because I think some of my friends and relatives might actually read my blog occasionally.  Suffice it to say, I'm getting a lot of happy mail, and others are too.  That's because when  you buy from Etsy sellers, they will ship your purchases right to the recipients just like the big box stores. Often they will lovingly wrap your package and even include a card for you. 

There is a team on Etsy for those who create handmade.  The All Handmade by ME team is having joint sale this week. It started today and will end Dec. 13.  This is a great way to find some new artisans and unique gifts that literally cannot be found anywhere else.

This blog post from one of the leaders Stephanie Ledezma of The Astral Charm wrote a blog post about the sale that includes a list of all the participating shops.  You can find that here. There some really great jewelry, fiber art, wall art...all kinds of stuff.

I made a new banner for my shop so that it's easy to see what my discount is. I'm slowing my progress on Photoshop.  I'm sure this banner will make someone who actually knows Photoshop guffaw. But, hey, at least this one is the right size.

If you haven't finished all your shopping, check out the list of shops and get to it!

It's cold here today.  We got a snow day.  This birdie is very happy about that.  If he needed to shop, he'd do it from the comfort of his nest too.

Enjoy your day, friends.  Until next time, may the good Lord bless you with warmth when it's cold, good coffee to help you get through the day, and a holiday season that fulfills you and not depletes you.

<3 Lori