Deiter

My 16 year old kitty is really sick. I took him to the vet this morning and his poor tummy is filled with fluid and we don't know where it's coming from. So I think this could be the end of big D. I'm very sad. I'm just going to post some more pictures of him. I'm going to miss him so much.

Christmas

I just received an email from one of my holiday customers who was inquiring about her portrait. I shipped out Thursday via US Mail and she's only in Abington MA so it should have taken a day - 2 at most. It's now Monday and she still hasn't received it . I go to the USPS website and they're telling me that they can't track it with the information that they have. I swear this is the last year that I'm using the post office. Next year, it's fedex or something else. I can't have this "not knowing where it is" over my head anymore. It causes more stress than deadlines. Not to mention all the presents that I ordered online and are coming via the post office and they're not here yet!! Or the gift I ordered for my father's birthday (Nov 13) and I haven't seen that yet. Granted it had the wrong zip code on it, but you'd think that the folks at the Cambridge post office would know where Mass Ave is and just send it along. Lord knows where that freakin' thing is. I remember working at a catalog company and we ran into lots of problems with UPS so I'm wondering is there any delivery service that works????

On that note, I'm still scrambling for Christmas .. although my party was last week and work party is this Tuesday and should be a lot of fun. I still have to finish some paintings and make desserts to bring to Christmas dinner.

I wish everyone reading this a happy Christmas and Merry new year!!!! Ho Ho Ho

Christmas Stress

Well, the 14th was the cut off day for orders and I'm all caught up on the commissions so I think that part of my holiday stress is over. Not bad season for a recession stressed economy. Lots of people opted for the smaller sizes out the sizes that I offer (Last year I had done 2 big ones). And lots of people took me up on my coupon offer. Which was fine, because with 20% off a small size you're pretty much only saving $10 or so. But as I do these portraits and a lot are of pets that had passed away over the year, all I can think about is how much these paintings mean to these people and that on Christmas morning that my art work will effect those people in such a meaningful way. THat's what it's all about!!

Now it's time to start stressing about the WedNight Christmas party and then after that I should be cool as a cucumber, right? I am doing a lot of made gifts for Christmas so I'll have those few days after Wednesday to take care of those.

I spoke to a friend of mine on Saturday night and that was a real buzz kill. He was scolding me for not making more money in this "art business" and that it "breaks his heart" so see that I'm actually loosing money on a yearly basis. I had to remind him that I'm also having a great time doing it and that it's not all money and we all have to start somewhere and all that. He wouldn't really listen to me and instead said that I should join forces with him and work for him selling plumbing parts. I may not be making money hand over fist, but I'm sure not going to be spending my time with plumbing parts. Needless to say, I ended the phone call fairly quickly.

Welcome Christmas!

It's been 2 weeks since I blogged (I was stuck in Dullus {Washington DC}) airport last Monday. Missed my connection by 5 minutes. Literally watched my plane pull away from the gate as I was running down the terminal. *sigh*. Was able to get on "standby" on EVERY flight headed back to Boston. When I was talking with customer service I had told her I was willing to fly to Manchester NH or Providence RI if she could get me on. I realize (after having working in customer service for many years myself) that you can't take it out on the person who is sitting behind the computer. Yeah, it sucked being in that airport. It sucked knowing being on the first plane I would miss my connection but I can't take it out on her. And you know, she gave me a $100 voucher for the next time I fly. Of course after this incident I'm thinking "I'm never doing this again." But you know I will. So be nice to the people who are trying to help you. You might get a sweet deal out of it.

Speaking of being nice .... the holidays are here!! I did the Jamaica Plain First Chuch art/craft fair on Saturday and made +$75. That may not seem a lot for standing around all day but sometimes I walk away from these fairs negative in the hole so any + sign is a good sign!! :) However - it was SUPER tight. I put my things up on the piano and only had some walking room around so people could check out my things. The woman next to me who mittens and hats and other sewed items was also a member of the church so she had a fan club in her booth that was overspilling into mine. Which was fine until one of her friends layed down her purse on all my stuff. She was just so unaware. I did mention something to her. And I had a small girl "playing" with my magnets. I don't like repremanding children but this was getting out of hand. I just asked her "What are you doing with my magnets?" and she said. "Playing with them" then I just said, "Hmmmm. Are they toys?" And she looked at me like, Huh? and then I said, "You know, I did put these in a certain order for a reason so I really don't like it when they get all messed up." She just took off after that.

I've also started getting some commissioned orders and redeemed orders. Just as I had predicted people are holding on to their gift certs for the holidays. That's okay. As long as I can get all the things I need to get done, then I'll be okay. It'll be interesting.

We got our tree yesterday so I'm finally feeling the spirit creep into me. LOL!!