Hello!

Hi!  I know I've been busy, but I'm hoping that things will be getting back to quasi-normal here soon.  Just wanted to give a brief update, so here goes:
We had our final craft show yesterday.  It went well, but doing these shows is a lot of work, and I think I'm done for now.  I have found that it hasn't really had any effect on my website traffic, and I didn't make enough cash to fund my shop long-term.  I'm not giving up, which is why I am renting space in a real brick-and-mortar store, but I don't think that I will have time or energy to do more craft shows with the holidays fast approaching.  Thanks to everyone who has offered words of encouragement and support thus far; I do appreciate it!  I mentioned on Facebook that I'm working on a new line of products, and here are some more photos of what I'm doing:

Mr. Beagledore, although he looks more like the mutt we had when I was younger

Lloyd the llama--I love his face

Lloyd the llama

I mentioned before that I am learning how to needle felt, which is basically sculpting wool into objects using a very sharp, barbed needle.  You poke the wool into the shape you want.  I'm planning to order more wool and try my hand at more animals to sell online and in the shop in Bowling Green.  I'm also planning to experiment with polymer clay and creating a family-friendly Christmas fun kit--but more on that later.

We've been busy with all sorts of things lately, including fixing problems with our house.  I would still rather have a house than live in an apartment, but it can really try my patience.  Such is life.  I'll be having a birthday soon, so I'm going to have fun with that.  Plus, it won't be long before Thanksgiving is here, and I'm just itching to decorate for Christmas already.  I don't know why I want to rush the end of the year, because there really is no reason to do so.  It will just mean that when the holidays are over, the crash will be harder, and the snow will be deeper, and everyone will start to look forward to spring.  Life seems to go by so quickly...

There are a few people I know who have just recently gotten engaged.  Congratulations!!

I have to constantly remind myself that if the business doesn't get better, it's not the end of the world.  God just might have another plan for me.  Psalm 119:36-37 says, "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."  It's always easy to lose sight of what's important, so this is a great reminder of what is really important. 

My Ode to The Office

I have to admit, one of my favorite shows on television is The Office (NBC, 9 pm Thursdays).  NBC has not had a great sitcom since Friends, except for this. This show has been a favorite for several years now, and despite the changes in cast (Michael Scott, you are missed), the show seems to have the same feel and sense of humor as it has always had.  A television show will always go through times of transition, and this usually indicates that the show's ratings have dropped to a level of possible cancellation, but I don't see this as the case with The Office.  I hope not!

One of my favorite aspects of the show is the wide spectrum of people contained in the office.  This makes it something that any viewer can relate to, especially if they've worked in offices (and oh, I have).  You know the guy who likes to play jokes, or you know the creepy old man that has a funny smell.  You have worked with the one girl who is so obsessed with boys, Hollywood and fad diets that you can't help but wonder if she's still in high school.  You can think back to the guy who doesn't care about those long, boring staff meetings and therefore brings his crossword (or newspaper, or magazine, or if he's younger, his cell phone).  Remember the young guy who climbed the ladder waaaay too fast?  If you took a moment, you could probably remember the person who went to a well-known college and liked to boast at every opportunity.  If I thought back through all of my jobs, I could probably find a real-life person who parallels every single character on this show.  In fact, right now I feel like I can closely relate to Pam when she was a receptionist, just without the looks.

Because of all of this, it's easy to watch the show and be able to laugh.  I can't help but wonder if there had been a camera filming my workplaces, would it be as crazy and ridiculous as this?  Granted, there has never been a bat flying around, there has never been an attempted attack on a coworker, and I have never been on a booze cruise.  I've never had a job that offers field trips based on Survivor to determine who might be the next office manager.  I've never been in an employee-cast movie or commercial, but it would be fun!  While Michael Scott was, at times, a bit trying on the nerves, you could never doubt his devotion to his employees or the company.  Wouldn't it be great to have a boss like that?

I'm glad that in the wasteland that is television today, there are still a few gems that make me want to stop what I'm doing and lose myself in the fictional lives of others.  The Office has always had that effect on me (if you know me, you will know that I don't like to sit still while watching a show--just ask my husband).  It has started its 8th season, and I hope to see it around for at least a few more years.  I would also like to see more office supplies encased in Jello, Mr. Halpert, because that was just cool.