OUT OF THE LOOP

Just a few words to let anyone interested know that I am still alive, though barely.  "Tis the time of year to get sick and stay sick.  I started with a dreaded sinus infection, due to the cold winds that blew through Georgia a few weeks back.  Then it trickled down into my chest, where that little green guy from the Mucinex commercial lives.  I caught it early though, and he didn't get much of a chance to set up house. 

I have worked through the sickness, other than over Thanksgiving.  I slept most of the day on Thanksgiving, trying to gather up strength to work on Friday and Saturday.  At my store, if you do not come in to work on the two or three days after Thanksgiving, you are immediately fired.........unless you have a death certificate for yourself or a loved one, or a doctor's note excusing you due to near death.  So, of course, I crawled in on Friday and Saturday to work. 

The really funny thing is this...........all of the new folks (mostly teens and young adults) that are seasonal help showed up for the days after Thanksgiving, but almost everyone called in on Monday..........sick.  Sure............

I am thankful I have a job, even though it often tries to drag my health down.  So many wonderful things have happened to me this past year, so when the bad things come along, I shouldn't dwell on them, but remember the good things in my life. 

I have a beautiful daughter, who, though often doesn't show it, loves me with her whole heart, as I do her.  I work with several girls around my daughter's age who don't have near the character that my daughter does.  They don't have the "stick-to-itiveness" that it takes to make it in this world. 

I am thankful I have someone to share my life with. 

I am thankful for a 110 year old roof over my head.......cracks and all.

I am thankful for my "cat from hell", Coatie. 

I am thankful for the very few but close friends I have.

I am thankful I live in a country that still believes in freedom, and is willing to fight and die for it.

I am thankful for the Christian agencies that have not only helped ME get through tough times, but countless others as well.

I am most thankful for Jesus Christ, my Savior. 

A few months ago, before I moved out of the "hell hole" where I was renting a room, I stopped at a local Chinese restaurant to eat.  I always like to read the fortune cookies, even though I don't put any "faith" into the fortunes.  Most of them, like this one, are fairly generic, and could mean anything.  But this one I remember.........I even still have it tucked inside my wallet...........

"THE COMING YEAR WILL BRING GOOD CHANGES TO YOUR LIFE"

Yep, it did.  I had lost my faith along the way, and needed something as small as a piece of paper tucked inside a cookie to remind me of it. 

 

 

 

LATEST CRAFT FAIR

well, i have finished another craft fair, and am glad i didn't start with this one or i would have never done another one.  i made $71 after all expenditures, but that wasn't enough to make up for the sleep i have lost lately making stuff to sell at the fair.  the big difference today was that there were nothing but vendors in the gym of the church.  before there were numerous other things going on since it was a fall festival and there were only four vendors besides me.

i am not complaining though.........it is more than i had before i got there.  plus i was commissioned to do several other items. 

the best part of the day was seeing so many of my friends from the church i used to attend, as well as numerous customers from my work.  i am currently running on empty, both energy wise as well as nutrition wise, so am going to make this brief.  i have to eat and nap.............really soon..............zzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.  huh?!  what?! did someone say something?????

i have been asked to do another craft fair on december 9th.............i don't know what my schedule is for that far in advance, but i am praying i have to work, lol.

ok, off to bed i go..........................with a quick trip past the refrigerator first..............

NEXT CRAFT FAIR

it is a done deal...........i met with linda today, and i am signed up for another craft fair.  what was i thinking??!!  she is excited about it, but then she is the one who is collecting my money..........why wouldn't she be excited???  lol.

i have made quite a few more coil bracelets, as well as some "cheap" bracelets.  cheap bracelets sell for a dollar each and are usually made out of plastic or wood.  one of these i like especially, and hope to find swarovski crystals to match the plastic so that i can make me one that i could wear without my arm turning green, lol.  i only make the cheaper bracelets so that small children who want to purchase things for their female relatives can afford to do so. 

i also keep on hand hemp key chains for that reason. 

i don't need to make any more scarves, as i have a huge rubbermaid container full of those already, but thought if i did have the time, i would make some "red hat society" scarves.  i have been commissioned to make 5 already in the purple and red, so i won't duplicate those.  but to have something else that is different would be great.  the red hat women are truly dedicated to their purple and red.  i just found out there is a younger version of the red hats.............called the pink ladies..............they are younger.  there is some sort of bridging ceremony when they hit 50 and become candidates for the red hats.  sigh................sounds too complicated to me, lol.

my next fair is on saturday, november 11.  so i am going to get out of here and get busy. 

SOMETHING IMPORTANT I FORGOT TO MENTION

                    

with all the craft fair stuff going on, i forgot something very important...........the 22nd was michael's birthday..............so my dear, forgive me..............and.....................

     HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SMALL RECOGNITION

i have worked at my current job for about 3.2 years.  i have only been late once, only called in sick twice and have called in due to emergency four times (when my car was repo'd and when i was evicted from my house).  i have done my job well, even been a team player, but not once have i have been recognized for anything.  one time i volunteered to work overnight with two other employees, setting new planograms and though we all worked all night till 7 am, they got recognized, i didn't.  ok, i am not in this for recognition, but when people who slack and goof off and are late constantly get recognized for being "ever constant and on time" and i don't get recognized, you get a little riled......................

recently i made the mistake of allowing my general manager to know i had the talent of bow making.  since i raised a daughter, i could do it single handed, eyes closed.  of course that same daughter is almost 21 and wouldn't let me get near her with a bow today.  i love that little redneck darlin', lol.  it is fall and christmas time, and so there are alot of bows that have to be made for both selling and holiday wreaths.  so.........when the floral designer couldn't keep up with the demand, the general manager asked around to get people to do bows.  the floral designer liked mine best, so i became the "bow captain".  now every spare minute i have while waiting on customers, i have to be making bows.....................and i GOT RECOGNIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!  of course, the recognition was only on the board for two days....................sigh....................

ok, i have tooted my horn long enough.

its almost all hallow's eve..............boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

AFTERMATH OF THE CRAFT FAIR

doin' the happy dance over here...........woohooooooo!!!!!!!!

the craft fair was great.........i was a little worried when i got there on friday evening and saw that it was in a massive gym and there were only five vendor tables, but about 20 flea market tables.  usually when there are flea market items available at the same place where new items are sold, the flea market items win out.  but not this time........

when i arrived on friday i put out only my crocheted items.  then on saturday morning i took my jewelry and handmade cards.  i created a really nice display (i had a digicam in the car, but didn't even think about taking pictures).  i was a little afraid that with children coming in and out as well, they would put their adorable grimy hands on everything and leave fingerprints all over.  but my fears were soon abolished.  every child's hand was held by an adult and they were very well behaved. 

the lady in the booth next to me on the left turned out to be a customer of mine from work.  she had another lady with her that had been her friend for 7 years.  now that woman was a hoot.......loud, aggressive, etc.  she even hawked my jewelry, which i think in the long run ran some folks off. 

the fair was supposed to last till 4 pm, but about 1 pm some fairly nice looking gentleman came up to the booth next to mine looking for "barb".  that was the loud lady.  it was her internet date..........they had never met before and immediately "barb" started loading up her crafts and she had the date take all of it to her car and they left!  my friend was shocked.............she and the other lady are both disabled, and she was hoping they would be able to work together to sell most of their items as well as help clean up afterwards.  but no, "barb" was off and running.................

my friend and i sat together till it was almost 3 pm and noticed all the other vendors were packing up and they were loading up the flea market stuff as well.  so we gathered our things.  a lady came by and asked if we would like to do another craft fair in november at the methodist church.  i told her i would consider it, but wasn't sure if i was off work or not.  i would have to check my schedule.  my friend told her she might be interested as well, and then she talked to me about us joining forces and getting a table together.  she and "barb" have another fair this weekend, so she has to really get busy making things.

ok, i have drawn it out long enough.  in the five hours that i sat at my booth, i cleared $101.00.  i sold handmade cards, crocheted scarves and handmade jewelry.  i also got commissioned to do 5 red and purple scarves for the red hat society.  so, greg....and others that might have been silently inquiring...........yes, it was worth my time.  i saw a lot of my customers from the craft store, and one of my customers bought $42 worth by herself. 

i think i have learned the difference between craft shows and craft fairs.  at a show, everyone there has pretty much the same thing.........at a fair, you get a wide variety of handmade items.  i may not do as well next time, but with my friend going in with me on it, it will not cost me as much.  i have been bitten by the craft fair bug.........someone help me, lol.

i went to the ups store and printed up some "business cards" and cut them and distributed them at the fair as well.  i haven't gotten any calls yet, but am sure i will.

i just left the bank cashing a check a customer gave me at the fair, and the teller who waited on me asked me how the fair went.  in the course of the conversation, she asked if i would make her a baby blanket.  i told her to pick out the yarn and i would give her a price.  so...........there is another deal in the making.  i have already started on the red had society scarves.  i have to make cards, jewelry and more crocheted items before the big event in november.  so, i better get off this here computer andget busy...............

have a blessed day............not sure when i will get back here to write...............

oh, speaking of writing, i just had another poem published.............woo hooo........

CRAFT FAIR

 

i am doing my first ever craft fair tomorrow and need your prayers and well wishes.  i am excited about it, but scared too.  i went by today and got my table picked out.  i chose the biggest table they had.  i just hope i break even........if i make a profit, that will be a plus.  i have put in some pictures of some of the items.  the camera didn't take very good pictures, but it gives you an idea.