I LOVE these kids!~

It's been a week since my last post, and I do have something almost finished to share...ALMOST...LOL...we know how my almost can be!!! I MIGHT be making pickles again tonight...we have perfect pickling cucumbers with NO home...I hate to see us throw them out...we are about ready to call that season OVER. I'm uber busy with chocolate right now, and feel that my priorities need to shift to my business...I won't miss the hard work of picking those nasty 4-1/2 LONG rows of cucumbers though!!! In the meantime, this picture was taken this time of year, 4 years ago...my how time flies. This is one of my ultimate favorite pictures of my 2 blessings....not only siblings, but the best of friends...I think I will put this picture on my desktop to remind them how much they mean to each other...WHEN THEY ARE FIGHTING OVER who has to do what or who gets what or who x'd the chair or whose turn it is to do what...WHAT being whatever you can imagine my kidlets can dream up. At the end of the day....I have to beam with pride, knowing how much these 2 mean to me and how much they love each other.

Hopefully...new crafty picture coming soon!

Trudi

Good Fortune

Ko Neechi Wa (I know, Japanese not Chinese)....I wanted to get this uploaded before now....I designed this card for a RAK group that I'm in...and *typically* I would wait for the group to receive their cards before I post...but...(gasp)...I see I have not uploaded ANYTHING NEW for so so long...and....recently I have my creative energy in overdrive (yippee!)...so, I thought I better get this up before I lose my momentum....(my momentum has been hibernating for about a year now...considering I've done the late night (papercrafting) thing for over 13 years or so...(before that, it was something else....I LUV to embroidery) I WAS PROBABLY DUE!!!!

I'm mailing my cards out TODAY, so today it is that I post it on my blog...I noticed a little funny today...for those of you who read my blog...you may have learned that I own a chocolate business...I'm getting ready to make a shipment to Maryland today...and it occurred to me...this order MATCHES my cards!!!! Since it's a fortune cookie order....I COULDN'T RESIST taking a picture together!

I have another card in the making...I put it off (the idea) because I wanted to do a "simple" card...and just the thought of it didn't seem simple....well, the other night...I decided just to "fiddle" with the idea...and guess what...my labor intensive card isn't as labor intense as I thought...either that...or it's so flippin fun to make that I'm not noticing it! LOL!!! I plan to mail IT out to my RAK group on Monday (you see, I have been a tad bit slow...this will catch me up!)...look forward to something NEW again!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!! I have lots of plans for October!!!!! (creatively, that is!)

Trudi

Turkey Trot

I'm not sure I've ever posted this picture...but this was the first Fun Run I have ever participated in...it was Thanksgiving 2008....I would luv to participate this year, but am recovering from a very painful condition called Plantars Fasciitis...I feel like my HEELS are broken...my podiatrist (yes, I have one!!!) told me that he didn't think my heels were fractured....I'm feeling a little sad over all of this, but I am putting things in perspective....I walked into his office and could have stood (not enough chairs in the waiting room)....I can't say that for the others...I'll count my blessings and keep quiet!

I'm off the streets for now, and unplugged my treadmill...in a couple of weeks...I hope to report differently!

I made this and framed it for a gift to my dear sister for Christmas. I made one for me too, but have yet to attach my leaves....hmmmmmmmm...perhaps a project I should buckle down and finish!

Trudi

Birthday Card

I'm back from Seattle....interesting....quirky....I guess you could say somewhat of a success...no complaints on the business we wrote/brought home for us....we are busy through Valentines Day now....just not like it once was....the times have changed, and along with that...we are too....I can say, I picked up quite a few new customers, which is good! The show was A LOT smaller than normal....what used to be 5 healthy rows of food vendors shrunk to TWO!!! Not sure how to digest all of that (no pun intended)....like I said...quirky, strange, interesting...and HARD....this was a hard show this year....

In the meantime, my Mom needed a card to send to my aunt for her birthday...so, I brought my stash from the past for her to pick from....this is the one she chose. It includes a packet of cocoa inside...I purchase cocoa packets from one of my friends who is the Mktg Director for a fun company that packages TONS of themed cocoas in packets and tins. I've gotten to know them quite well over the last 20+ years of doing the Giftshows....and am in the process of getting my order together right now! I managed to take a quick picture of my cocoa card before we shipped it away with a gift!

Trudi

Seattle Here I Come

I'm not even close to being ready for the show...it is what it is....as usual, I'm flying by the seat of my pant on this one...I'll catch up next week!

This is I think last years pic....I don't even like to think about my tomorrow...this is not fast, fun or easy to set up...BUT...Saturday morning, all spiffed up (me) and ready to go...it will be fun. I like doing the shows...just not the prep or afterstuff!

Trudi

Been A Little Teeny Sidetracked

I've had an interesting social life lately, it sort of put me out of whack...some heavy emotional stuff....but, I'm getting back on track. I have only one little task to do, and my cards will be finished...out in the mail, will post pictures then!

In the meantime, I've been faithfully working on my brochure for the Seattle Giftshow, which is next week...for me, my Christmas has started, I even am 95% certain of my first volume order today....(3000 units)....time flies....

I got a kick out of this...can you believe I have to start planning Valentines Day? I took this picture today...our "Cookie Poppers"...FUN STUFF!

Trudi

Tinsel Cord

I like having my inspiration back....my cards are progressing nicely :)

Yesterday, while working on my cards at my daughter's piano lesson....it occurred to me that I was using an awful lot of my retired commodity...gold (non stretchy) cord. I remember when this became retired a few years ago (SU) and at the time....it really didn't bother me....afterall, ribbon is a huge part of my chocolate business and I have suppliers all over that I probably could find it if I tried hard....

So, yesterday....I thought...wow...I see the cardboard...my never ending roll of nonstretchy metallic gold cord will be gone after I finish what I'm working on....This morning, I squeezed in 1/2 hour of time....big smile on face...I don't know why I'm "happy" when I use something up. My smile turned into a FROWN. You see, I like my project (sorry RAK group, I'm going turtle slow...) and plan on bringing my supplies to Seattle (I'm there on business for 5 days or so in the next few weeks...I want to have stuff to do at night!) and make even more of these for a Christmas gift for one of my sisters, who does not craft. (I won't elaborate...but will after I post a picture of the completed card)....I did NOT want to run out of my supply!!!!!!!!! So....I did a quick a roo-ie and found an alternative "look".

I'm sitting at my workdesk right now....and thought I'd browse through one of my supplier's catalogues (30 pages of nothing but ribbon!).....it took about 30 seconds to find what I was looking for.... WHEW .... (and we order from this company pretty much weekly....)

So, my craft world will not stop spinning for today, I can use up my roll of gold nonstretchy cord...now that I did the substitute on a few of my cards....I'm not sure what version I like better, I may like my alternative better than my original...I can say, it was a lot less work too....

A little teaser picture here....cord version vs fancy ribbon version on my card element ....(I really really LUV this ribbon...can't wait to get a chocolate project to use it on....this is really cool stuff...)

Toodles....Trudi