Bye, bye Gilda

Sigh.  My 2000 Ford Explorer I had named Gilda has gone on to Explorer heaven.  I got her in 2002 to be my ride across my sales rep territory of Kentucky and Tennessee.  Then when I moved on from that job after two years, she helped shlep all of my craft show necessities across the entire Eastern half of this country.  We went to New York City, Austin TX, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Chicago, Indianapolis, and so many more.  She had been stolen once, lost her stereo twice, broken into more times than I can count, and been in a few fender benders but she held her head high.  Never once did she break down on me... until I got a tune up last week.  Although technically she still hadn't broken down, she was gettin' shaky and it was only a matter of time before she gave out.  10 years and 168,000 miles later, she became a retiree.  

Greg fills her up with my craft show display

I'll miss her, that loud and clunky Explorer; my first car purchase, my interstate friend. 

Swirls and Swirls

It's a miracle - the Christmas rush is over and I can finally sit back and relax a little... bah ha ha ha!

There is no rest in my world. :(

After a record Cyber Monday (but I really only have last year to compare it to), and an insane amount of orders after that, I have been doing nothing but making jewelry, sleeping, and eating. I've neglected many other administrative duties yet luckily have not seemed to have missed any major deadlines. I've decided it's time to bring on some help. For reals. And most likely move this circus out of our house and on to greener pastures... or perhaps just a small studio. Just gotta decide what I can afford in this town where I won't get mugged after dark.

Here's what else that's been going on:

* Bought a new car! Bye bye, hubs '98 truck. Hello, sexy Sonata.

* Got baby girl baptized! It was a great family weekend, full of warm fuzzies and friends.

* My 2000 Explorer seems to be breaking down in a major way... do we have to buy another car? Bye, bye income earned during 2010.

* We're going to Orlando for the very first ACRE wholesale show in January! Being a guinea pig is always scary and I have very low expectations but at least we'll be in Florida if it totally blows. Harry Potter World, here I come.

* In light of trying to save money, I'm tossing the idea around of not printing a catalog for the next round of shows. Is a printed catalog really necessary? Should I just print a catalog teaser then direct people to the website for the full line? Decisions, decisions.

* Got Zero a "Thundershirt" to help with his separation anxiety. He hates it and now shakes whenever he sees it. Thundershirt fail. I'd return it but I lost my receipt. :(

* Going to Atlanta tomorrow to deliver most of our fabulous new wholesale display to the warehouse for Atlanta Gift. I have all the pieces to the puzzle of my new display but have no idea how it's really going to turn out. Hmm.... We're also going to Ikea while we're there. This may be a really bad idea, being only three days before Christmas and all.

* Christmas is coming! Baby's first - can't wait to see her reaction to her new toys. Not that we got her many and not that she has any idea what's going on but it's still fun. That reminds me, I need to watch Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas special this year!

So that's my brain - swirls and swirls and swirls. I have so much to tackle and so little time. I tell everyone "I'm pretty much busy from November to after Valentine's Day". And I can't WAIT for February 15th!