Monday again

Happy Birthday to Yolanda!

Went to work at Fabricland in the snow. If you don't already know, I took back my job as a rep for the notion company, H.A. Kidd. I only do Fabricland on Mondays for a few hours. Ran into Yvonne, she's the rep for Nintendo. I'd like that job, she gets to sample the products. I don't get to sample any products for H.A. Kidd, no discount either. Bummer. Good thing I have my SU!

Worked for 2 hours or so and then had to leave to get my temporary crown. I would like to say it's gold with rubies and emeralds but it's just an A1 tooth coloured crown or something not so exciting like that. I get to eat soft foods, no gum, no toffee and I have to be careful flossing, I might pull the crown off like the dentist did when he was explaining the flossing to me. Even with all the freezing in my face, I don't think I have ever had so much gum pain in my life. Thank you to the Advil twins for making me feel better.

It's so cold that I am having a hard time typing. Yes, the furnace is on. I'm just having a hard time warming up.

It can stop snowing now and start again at about 10:30 Christmas Eve.

Wii!!! Let's do it again!

This week, Shaun bought the Nintendo Wii. He totally lucked out with some help from my aunt. Pays to know people! He's already got 2 games, Kerry has one. There aren't many choices available so Emily plays the sports pack that comes with it.

The game has a wireless controller and you actually have to move to play the game. Like in bowling, you have to swing your arm and let go of the ball. I tried bowling and baseball this afternoon with Emily and holy crap, my arm will be so sore tomorrow. I can't even lift a 10 pin ball in real life, but I managed a 154 point game with a couple spares and a strike and I won't have to see the chiropractor like in real life. And I hit a home run! Good thing my dad taught me how to hold a bat! I haven't tried boxing yet, but that's another thing dad taught me, so look out George Foreman, I can grill and box too!

I can see the appeal, and if it gets the kids jumping around and moving more, I'm all for it. The real thing would be better but I know it's not likely to happen. So if you see any Wii controllers when you are out doing your Christmas shopping, let me know because they are few and far between. I haven't tried Zelda yet, I played a million years ago when it first came out. Apparently it's really good and the game to get. Good thing Shaun got it early. I want some Super Mario stuff. I can see some whacking things with a big hammer in my future! And a buff left arm, I can feel it coming.

Wish me luck tonight. It's the Medieval Banquet at R.S.S. and I want to get some better pictures than last time. It's hard, because the forum is so dark. Shaun's not really into all the Medieval stuff, but he loves the idea of the Jester. What 17 year old boy has his own Jester costume? And irons it himself? All the grandparents are going with us too. There's belly dancing, skits, food, and other entertainment.

The winner is...

Heather! Even though she totally guessed!

Yay Heather!

Hump Day!

I am still in shock over the success of the sale, but do you know what really made my day?

I traded Cheryl some of the kids' Pokemon videos for scrapbook goodies. I had hundreds of people buying crafts at an event I planned and all I wanted to do was fondle the goodies in that bag!
Great for me! Not so great for the kids! BWHA HA HA HA HA
And the bag had my goodies from the challenges I won! Thanks M&M!

And not only did I win the challenges, but I found out that even though I couldn't go to Mylene's Mary Kay Open House, I still won the $100 gift basket! Whooo Hoooo! And as luck would have it, she won my Newsletter draw! Really!

My wonderful friend, Nancy called 2 times this week to wish me luck and to see how the sale went. She's been reading my blog and knew I was in the dumps about the whole thing! I sure do miss my Nancy Fancy Pants and her amazing purses!

Heather's on her way over to finish counting tags and reconcilling things. So far so good!

Kerry's job has awsome perks! Mostly Sony ones! I am finally using my MP3 player today. Now I have my own soundtrack that can go with me where ever I am. We have also started buying cds. I'm so undecisive when it comes to music I like that we decided to just bite the bullet and buy stuff on a regular basis, download it and put what we like on the MP3 players. Did I mention we got 3 free?

Name 2 songs/artists on my MP3 player and win a prize. This is not an easy one. So I'll give you a few hints...I was born in the 70's, so the 80's was big for me. No Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Tiffany, Vanilla Ice, Brittany or Celine!

Much renewed faith!

Well, it's almost done. I still have tags and till tapes to reconcile and cheques to deposit, which really is hardest part. Thank goodness for my little elf, Heather!

After all my complaining and advertising nightmares, the actual sale went off with out a hitch.
A huge round of applause to the crafters for the BEAUTIFUL crafts this year! I heard so many good reviews. I pride myself in taking only quality crafts. I'm a bit picky, but it paid off yet again. I was worried that with only 12 crafters, there might be a few problems. But it was just fine. I may be talked into doing it again. I really do enjoy the actual setting up and the sale.

It seems people really were waiting for the sale this year. So many people say that and with the hectic schedule of November, it's easy to forget, and Grey Cup, that doesn't always make for a busy craft sale day, but it was this year and for whatever reason, I am grateful.

If you missed it, you missed what many people said was the BEST sale ever. And I'm not just saying that. You missed the best selection at a craft sale, too. Although, by noon, we were sold out of so many items. It was sad to look up from the cash register and see empty trees, people did ask a few times if there was stock hidden under tables. I wish.

Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing how many people came through this year, the counter had a few technical difficulties. But I feel attendance was up from last year, even though AMC was down. The sales were phenomenal! Thank you Cheryl, Yolanda, Gina, Sue, Sharon, Fern, Holly, Greg and so many others for stopping in.

Just in case you were wondering, I sold more cards than I thought I would and even some old woodcrafts. I didn't buy a single thing for myself this year. Not because I didn't want anything but because I left it too long and the items sold!

Keep your eyes and ears open, there may be something else in the works.

AND the winner of my newletter draw is Mylene K!
Sorry Audrey!

Almost there

6 and 12 have not yet been done. The rest, I'm happy with the amount of effort I have put into them. They are done enough.


I figured 6 isn't going to get done, crafters are adults, therefore, I will not call them. If they forget which weekend this is, that's not really my problem. If they aren't organized, misplaced their info, or don't have a clue what they are supposed to be doing, they should have called me.

When I am done with the sale, done counting money, depositing cheques, writing cheques, counting and sorting tags, so like on Nov. 27th, the day before Yolanda's b-day, I am going to start Christmas baking. And I am so making sushi for Heather for all her help and because I haven't made it in ages. And no, not all sushi is made of raw fish. Sushi is the seasoned rice contrary to what everyone thinks. Raw fish is gross and might have germs. Did you like how I slipped that b-day info in there?

Right now, I am sleepy, grumpy, dopey, and maybe even happy, that's 5 out of 7 dwarfs. Not bad. I wonder what happened to hungry, gassy, sneaky, chatty, and lazy?





I have decided, and this is big, that CSI Miami just doesn't cut it any more and unless there is nothing on and I just have to watch TV at that time, I won't bother with it any more.


Besides that leaves me more time to be creative. 52 projects don't get done in front of the TV, or so I read.





While your hubbies are watching Grey Cup or preparing for it, make sure you stop in at the craft sale! 9 -5 at the cute little church on Benvoulin. You will be awed and amazed. Bring cash or cheques.

The question of the day! What is for dinner tonight? My favourite super easy dish, thank you Jill, is Salsa chicken. Ready for it...Chicken breasts, salsa, cheese. Put chicken in oven proof dish, cover with salsa, bake till done, you can guess when that is, remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese. Serve chopped up in burrittos, or with rice or pasta! Kids could do it, hubbies too.
If you are lucky I will share my super easy microwave caramel corn recipe. Makes that old bake-for-hours poppycock recipe look like a form of torture. Stay tuned.

Craft Sale Count Down

1. make signs

2. print stuff for sale, like Cheques Payable To: sign, Exit Only sign, etc.

3. make lists of stuff to bring...tape, paper, pens, signs, camera, crafts, water...

4. get float

5. get cash register

6. call crafters

7. make another list because first one is upstairs

8. email M. Dehart to say "Wrong day in Straight to the Hart".

9. take more flyers to Fabricland and anywhere else I go today.

10. get green plastic "can't get the sale done with out this" folder organized.

11. wonder where all the crafters have gone...

12. clean off shelves, get table clothes, crates and other display items organized.

13. go through containers of my crafts, all 3 of them, to see what is even in these things.

14. question why I am doing this?

I always said when I stopped enjoying the planning of the sale, I would stop planning it. You are reading it here first...this will be my last year as organizer for the Benvoulin Heritage Church Craft Sale. I'm not a babysitter, I shouldn't have to do this for free, I don't even do wood crafts anymore, I could go on and on, but that's it. I have gone this long because I know that at least 8 other people depend on this sale and the income it brings them. But with that being said, I also feel there is no appreciation for what I have kept going and the work I have done, at least not from the other crafters. Customers always tell me how much they love the sale, how it's the only one worth going to, and how it has the best quality crafts. The sale almost didn't make it past about 3 years because the organizer moved out of town. I took it over, revamped it and kept it going. If H. wants to do it, I would give her all the help that wasn't available to me.

It's like the end of an era!

On another note...I painted today. Nothing fancy, just the signs for the sale.

Because I can...

A conversation with E.'s friend's mom...slightly shortened version

Her: You pissed me off the other day and you didn't even know you did it.
Me: What?!?
Her: Your daughter told my daughter that she has never gone home to an empty house, that you are always home after school. She then said "how come you can't do that?" I was thinking thank you very much, Kelli. I'm so envious of that.
Me: ......I'm very fortunate to be able to be home for the kids. We decided when we had kids that if we could do it, I would stay home for them. With what I do, I can. (even when I picked apples I made sure I was home before the kids but I left that out)
Her: I'm just jealous!

This is the first time this has ever happened.
Usually it's "why don't you get a job?" or "so-and-so is hiring" or "is that all you are going to do with your life, stay home with the kids?" Or when I make something for someone it's "Someone has too much time on their hands".
I know that some families aren't as fortunate as we are and have to have both parents working away from home. I can work from home, not making millions but making an income, and doing something I enjoy. I don't have to travel, pay for daycare, or leave my children home alone. Mind you if I went to work outside the house...maybe a newer vehicle would be in our driveway or the house would get fixed up faster but at what price...I'm content with what we have. Although if it weren't for someone's generous bonus, things might be different. I might not have a room full of stamps! But don't tell him that!

Don't forget that this Sunday is the bestest craft sale ever! If you aren't at the Benvoulin Heritage Church on Sunday, you don't know what you are missing. And you won't know, because you weren't there.

Also, my son's fundraising for his band trip to San Francisco. The band is selling Charity Shopping night tickets for $5. This fundraiser is all profit for the kids. You buy the ticket, go to Orchard Park on Saturday, Nov. 25 with your ticket and enter the draw. Every 2 minutes from 6 pm on, they will make draws for great things. With your portion of the ticket, you will be given a flyer with a list of participating stores, deals and discounts. You can shop all day or go whenever you want. Usually, we get deals on New York Fries, eat and wander. They are good deals, it's just that the kids want to go too so it's really hard to do our Christmas shopping, but this year with the whole day to shop, I can probably ditch the kids and Kerry!
So if you want tickets, let me know, they are going fast!

I'm in LOVE!!!

I got my Winter Mini stuff today! I mounted about 1/2 the sets and played a little this afternoon. I don't think that in the last 2 1/2 years as a demo I have ever bought so much out of one mini. I'm loving the Carte Postale set, the French Flair bg stamp is beautiful! Check out the size, it's almost too big for the wooden block. The ribbon, I could eat it, it's so yummy! The little tin of accents, it's stickers, cardstock stickers, I guess I didn't read the descriptions, I thought it was just die cut cardstock. Super CUTE! Did I mention the Enchante double-sided patterned paper! LOVE IT! I still have 2 more sets to mount, and little cards and envies to play with. Don't bug me this weekend.

That time of year again

I have decided, at the very last minute, to skip the Anne McClymont craft sale this year, which is tomorrow, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th. I have also decided not to join Heather in Kamloops, which is Sunday, Nov. 5th.
This is the first time in about 10 years that I won't be a vendor at AMC. I can't say I miss it as of right now. I did notice that on Halloween, I didn't have to stop painting to answer the door, and that was probably a first in many years.
I've decided that my little SU business makes money all year where as my woodcrafts make money in November. I work all year at cutting, painting, sanding, etc. and then have to store all the goods until the sales. So now I can work all year, cutting, scoring, stamping, etc. and not need tonnes of space, no wood cluttering my carport, no sawdust all over the place, and gone is the stress of November!
I am still doing the Benvoulin Sale on November 19th. I won't have much for wood, just leftovers, but I will have a small assortment of cards.
Sadly, I have also noticed that less people are crafting, hence the low number of crafters I have for my sale.