Smack Dab in the Middle of Production

Things are going rather smoothly. I'm in a tradeshow tomorrow, and do not plan on getting any of it ready until tomorrow...beyond that...I'm happy with progress....haven't had a chance to get into my craft room though...another couple of weeks and that will change. November is our busy month as the stores need holiday delivery NOW...by December...we are somewhat back to normal...for now...I'm getting pallets of product ready to go and UPS shipments out the door, all shipped to retailers scattered throughout the country....

Today...this was my fun...about 450 pounds of this....700 bags total...that, plus much more! The ones I am working on now differ slightly, as they have a corporate logo on the bow....it's hard for me to keep my hands out of the taffy...it's so good...and when under stress...I tend to "eat" the profits, so to speak! Sorry about the black "mat"...you see little bits of white chocolate on it...my picture taking is literally spur of the moment...usually for me to have as a graphic to refer to when I receive custom orders....I often photograph chocolate unwrapped AND wrapped...to avoid glare...anyhow...not that savvy with the process, but, I've improved tremendously since my first attempts, 10 years ago...when we got our first digital camera!

How about the recent Gypsy download for those of you who own a Gypsy!!!! That's pretty exciting!!!!! I struggled through the sync...but, well worth the wait!

Trudi

I'm Still Here!

Just been up to the sky in chocolate. Had a little bit of stress today....I'm sure a few people think of me as this! Won't go into details...oh well...it is what it is....Trudi

Cancer Awareness

I have been in huge production mode this week...started a craft project last night, but will finish it off in the next few days. This picture is something we recently did for an event held for cancer awareness.

Trudi

Friends -- Fun!

My card. For some reason, no matter what I did to this card...it was fun. It might be that I'm the only person on this earth that likes the result...but no matter what, no matter how...I had fun. My sewing machine was "catching"...so I have imperfect stitches (gasp)...and I rocked my stamp on one of my cards...so a little brown spot appears in the tree branches on one of my cards(shudder)...my sun has funky strange stitching on it....I couldn't manipulate my circle very easily...(I'm shocked!)...and...I'm sure there are other blunders...but...I still had fun....I grabbed this and went for that...and didn't overthink my card. I didn't agonize over which was the best designer paper for my hills...or background stamp for my sun...or colors for the sun for that matter. I realize my quail have little blue sky bodies because the stamp shows this...and I wasn't about to color them in! At the end of the day....I REALLY ENJOYED making this card...AND THE MULTIPLES I made of it!

I can't wait to mail these out to my friends....this is my first go around with this set...and I knew from the getgo...I was going to luv it! It puts a smile on my face...and hope too, that the recipients can sense that when they receive theirs (sometime next week!) Sorry ladies for the little blurb here and there...all is good...I found my style again while making this card (it was gone for awhile)...so, I thought I better run with it while I could!

Now, I can start my next project...the one I've been wanting to start for a long long time!

FYI: Those little "suns" in the picture are chocolate suns...well, technically not chocolate...I guess orange and lemon flavored fake chocolate....real chocolate has to have cocoa in it...even white chocolate isn't real chocolate. Anyhow...these were an overrun of an order that we shipped out a month ago...I thought I'd add them to my picture for FUN!

Trudi

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