Sales!

I had two sales on Saturday.  One person bought the coconut soap and one of the tea tree oil soaps, and another person bought the patchouli bar.  I re-listed the coconut bar, but Mike made some new patchouli bars that are much harder and prettier.  We are super excited.  We both had a rough week and this cheered us up.  So thank you to our new customers!

Frankly, the anxiety is getting on my nerves.  I know I just have to work through it, but sometimes I miss the days when I had the energy to just push it down, push it down.  :0)  Oh, the human condition! 

My plan is to get all the work done that I can today, and then tomorrow when I get snowed in, I can clean, clean, clean!  A layer of ice covered by 6-10 inches of snow is heading our way.  Of course, it will probably melt on Wednesday.  Anyways, it's already ten in the morning, so I better get busy!  Lots of pictures to take if it doesn't get too cloudy.

I am woman, hear me roar!

 

Ahoy, Friday!

Well, I didn't get any comments the other day, and only got a few views, so my experiment in tipsiness failed miserably.  That's alright. I know that  I have a lot more work to do to improve.  I'm okay with that.

Frankly, I am ready to stop feeling morose.  I think.  It would seem that standing up for what you believe in is a lonely business, especially when you are standing up to people who previously trained you to be unable to make decisions.  But I know there is one person that is depending on me to show her how it's done.  It's up to her to decide someday if I did it right, I guess.  I know that NOT standing up for yourself is also a lonely business, probably more lonely.

Things just keep getting better here in Oklahoma.  If the leaders of our state are imbecilic in their gross insensitivity to women and their reproductive lives, what does that say about the rest of us?  You know what I like to do?  Make pregnant women cry in a professional setting!  It's loads of fun.  You should really try it sometime.  Useless pregnant women!  They're worse than regular women!


Okay, so I spent a lot of time this week playing Bejeweled Blitz on the Facebook.  I do this  sort of thing from time to time and it usually has something to do with my uterus and my five year old.  (Useless women and their useless uteri!) And today is grocery day, so I'll probably fritter away another whole day doing useful things for my family, but not really getting the work done that I want to get done. It's not like I didn't do the dishes all week or change the litter boxes or anything. It's like taking Molly to school and going to P/T Conferences or making up my own conference with the teacher so that I can explain to her that Molly needs to stop "trading" stuff with other kids, none of that stuff is work, right? Just because it takes time out of my day, that doesn't make it work.  Wait a minute!  I don't need to justify myself to you or anyone else!  (Did I just have a break through?)

I did work on a flower hair clip, but I'm not completely happy with the first version. If I can just clear my foggy head a little, maybe I can sit down with a little Murder She Wrote this afternoon and make some flowers.  Cross your fingers that no one "pops" by for a visit. ( I want to be the bigger person, I want to be the bigger person, I want to be the bigger person, I want to be the bigger person......)




Back on Monday!

Calling All Pets!

I just used that title because I thought it might get me some hits, and because I HATE thinking up new titles.  I can't stand the idea of using dates as titles.  I'm really not calling all pets, but I think I hear LONDON calling from the faraway towns.  Or is it TO the faraway towns.  Anyboobs,  I made this recipe for dinner(okay, Mike really made dinner) that called for a cup of red wine. So, of course, I had a glass, and now you ALL must pay the price for my irresponsible drinking. 

It's so weird how four rum and cokes have, like, no effect on me, but a small glass of wine and half a bottle of Heineken and I'm setting a very bad example for Molly.  London calling.   It does make for a more entertaining story time though.  At least for me.  Olivia is a rock star.


Anyhowzers, what I am calling for are comments.  On Sunday, I got like 19 hits, but NO comments. I just want to hear from a few of you.  Let me know what you think.  I promise I won't curl up in the fetal position on the couch if you have a little constructive criticism.   No trolls, though.  Of course, if you are a troll you think your opinion is important anyway, so whatever. 


Comments, comments, comments, please!  


I'm whoring myself on the internet here. 
 

Back to Work!

Did I mention I hate writing titles?  

Anyhoozits, it's true.  I've been slacking off the past couple of days.  Lost my focus, I guess.  I blame the uterus.  And really, the old uterus hasn't been the same since the baby.  I guess in the end, it's really Molly's fault.  Because, frankly, what good are children, if you can't blame them for everything?  Just ask my--whoa, wait a minute--certain people aren't here to defend themselves and sarcasm is really not becoming.  Haha-lala-haha!


(I'm writing this at midnight, by the way, and frankly, I'm tired.)


So, I guess you all know by now that Obama's Address was a little less inspired than some of his other speeches, or maybe less inspiring.  That's fine.  I'm just glad he believes in SCIENCE.  It struck me afterward, as he signed all those autographs, that he must get effing tired.  I know I'm tired, and I don't have to watch every frickin thing I say and do 24-7, as well as, you know meet with foreign dignitaries, argue with weirdo Senators from Oklahoma, etc.  Somehow I got on Inhoffe's email list and just seeing that I received an email from him makes me feel tired. ( I don't read them anymore.  There's no point. If I email him back he'll just send me another email that someone else wrote for him explaining that we will never agree.  And then I get more tired.)


Anyboots, here's to you President Obama!  I thank you for your service.  I want America to stay great too!  I hope you get a good night's sleep! 

State of the Union!

I  admit it.  I am an Obama fan, and I can't wait to see him on television tonight.  This is not always an easy thing to admit to here in Oklahoma, as my right to make decisions about my own reproductive health care slowly dwindles away.   

I don't know what the president is going to talk about tonight.  I haven't been paying as much attention to what's been going on politically since they passed the HCR bill. I know despite the continued unemployment that the economy is picking up a little, which I am glad for.  I know the House passed the repeal of HCR in a waste of time and money because the Senate probably won't even look at it. I know the top 2% of the wealthiest nation on earth have managed to keep their taxes from being raised again.  I know my husband's paycheck has increased by fifteen dollars a month, which I am grateful for, although I'm concerned it's coming out of the social security benefits. If we had more disposable income, we would put it away for retirement ourselves.  However, we're hoping it will help us juggle our bills so that we might afford health insurance. I know my Senators still don't believe in global warming.  I know that Sargent Shriver's death has reminded of the documentary that I saw about his life and work, and how he believed that we could eradicate poverty in the United States.


So, things look hopeful, but I think it would be nice if we could follow the president's vision for the future, instead of wishing things could stay the same as they were in the past.  My husband told me once that the past doesn't have to be maintained.  I have to say that I agree.  Let the fifties rest in peace. And frankly, I remember the eighties as a mean, mean time.  Those ways of life just weren't and aren't sustainable.  We've come too far to go back to that now.  Let's continue building a United States where every one has the opportunity to better themselves.  It doesn't ignore personal responsibility or hard work to increase opportunities to those fellow citizens who are struggling and who might otherwise fall through the tears in the social fabric.

Sheez!

I slept late again.  It's almost ten now and I have so much to do.  The house is a mess, I have laundry to do, and I'm never going to get the stuff done for etsy that I want to get done. And the cats won't stop fighting. They both have scabs all over them.  Gross!  Okay, enough complaining.  I can do this.  I know I can!  

I did get some coconut soap up on Friday, made with olive oil. It's lovely!

No more excuses!  Plowing forward.  

Almost Time to Watch Murder She Wrote Before Picking Up Molly From School

I made another treasury last night if you are interested.  I also posted up a new item.  There will be one more to come soon, and hopefully next week will just be full of getting stuff listed.  (Crossing fingers.)  I am still working towards my goal of having 100 items, and building enough inventory to do a craft show. 

And so, I leave you for the week with much left to do and the knowledge that the Little Engine that Could was wrong.  It's not "I think I can."  It's "I know I can."   And as I used to tell my friends that I often crossed the street with in London (Scary business!), "Hesitation is for the weak."  Of course, I did almost get hit that one time...

School Is Canceled

I got an automated phone call at god knows what time this morning telling me that OKC schools are closed today due to the weather.  I know it was before seven.  Since I still don't like to drive on the ice when Molly is in the car, it looks like we are ICED IN!  (Sarcastic) YAY!  :0)

I didn't get a whole lot done in the business area yesterday, as I babysat for a friend and I worked on a shower gift.  But, since we are ICED IN,  today, I should be able to get lots of work done.  I do still have to finish the shower gift though.  And there is cat puke to clean up and what not.  I may have to make a No Watching Beavis and Butthead rule.  We'll see how the day progresses. 

Sleeping Beauty Likes to Chew on Boxes!

I've been sweeping up little pieces of cardboard since Christmas.

Happy MLK Day!

I would like to gently remind everyone to resist the hate and anger in a nonviolent way!  I know I need to remind myself of this everyday.  I had a minor setback in my confidence level on Friday, but after obsessing all weekend, I've decided not to spend anymore time trying to justify to myself the right I have to ask questions about what happened when my daughter gets injured at someone else's house.  I'm about ready to post up the whole story on my blog and advertise it lots of places so the whole world will know, but I don't want to do it out of vengeance, so I'm holding back at this time. I will say that it makes me sad to think that the two most important people in my life (until I met Mike and had Molly) didn't want better for me than what they were able to give.  It makes me EFFING pissed off that they don't want better for Molly.

I feel better this morning though and my confidence has returned.  I can't change the past, and I've come to terms with it (more than once).  The only thing to do now is make sure my future, Mike's future and Molly's future are as good as I am able to make it.  The two of them and whatever child or children I have are my very first priority.  And that's how it should be.  Let Martin Luther King, Jr.  inspire you to resist the hate in all parts of your life.  I personally believe that the hate is only there to cover up an empty, soulless void. And that is what is saddest of all. 

Knittingbyheather! Again

There are lots of changes afoot with the new year.  I'm doing away with the Priscaknits title.  I'm keeping it on the blog for now, but as for etsy, it is gone, gone, gone.  This also means that I had to make a new banner, which I did.  Well, I did a lot of it, and Mike did a lot of it.  You can always check it out at my etsy site as well.  :0)   I'm actually very proud of it.  I had a vision, and I managed to capture that vision.  Now I gotta do some business cards, and I'd like to come up with a tag to attach to the products.  Anywoozles, here it is:

Mike's sister owns a hair salon in Kansas and she wants to carry some of our soap, so we've got to get a box of stuff together by the twentieth.  I think I'll send some hair barrettes as well.  
So, of course, again to day...
Gotta get back to work!
I'm taking a break from blogging tomorrow, but I'll be back on Monday, hopefully with new product!

Innocence

Look at this crazy, innocent face.  What the hell?  This is what this face says to me: "What?  What did I do?"  And I bet everyone looking at his picture would say, "Oh, he's so cute."  But he hasn't tried to get under the covers with you and your husband just to see what you're doing under there.  (OMG! It was so cold, and we couldn't stop laughing!)  Then there's all the broken glass. And the dirty paw prints because he keeps digging in my plants.  My poor plants are lucky to be alive.

 Slept late again.  Got to get back to work!

New Item!

I could not get up this morning.  The poor heater could not keep up with the cold and I kept waking up feeling all cold, because I guess it got down to like 2 or something crazy like that.  As a result today has not been as productive as I hoped.  But I did get this listed.  Here's a picture.

 

Stay warm America!

Treasury!

I am so very excited that I made it into my first treasury on Friday!
I have to post more things!  Must post more items! I want to be in more treasuries!

I decided to do my own treasury as well. It really wasn't that hard or mysterious after all. :0) 

I didn't get Mike to help me with the stuff that I wanted him to help me with.  I guess I'll have to see if I can do them on my own.  I am woman hear me roar!  I did go thrift storing and I got a whole bunch of t-shirts, but it sure does take a long time to cut them into yarn.  Mike and Molly can only take so much Murder She Wrote while I sit in the middle of the living room floor  and yell at the cats to get away from me! 

Misc.

It's Friday and I'm done with my first week of blogging for the year.  This weekend looks busy.  I have a list of things to get Mike to help me with.  I have to get the Knittingbyheather Fanpage like button up on my blog.  And I need his guidance in designing a new business card and tags for my products.  Yay!  I still have so much to learn and do.  I was a bit sick Tuesday and got discouraged because I didn't get as much done as I wanted, but Wednesday I felt great again and Molly and I  walked to school.

It's payday and I'm so excited!  But we have to get a new garage door.  :(  That damn hail storm! When will it all end?  Anyway,  I look forward to a little browsing at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, among others. 

 I leave you with one of the greatest joys of my life:

Thrift Storing

This is one of my plans for the new year.  I want to join in the reuse and recycle thing with my crafting.  I have discovered how to make yarn from old t-shirts and you can do it with any tube of fabric.  I love going to thrift stores, and on occasion, besides finding pieces of fabric, I have found giant bags of CRAP!  I have increased my knitting needle collection immensely in this way.  I've also gotten bits of yarn and fabric and crayons and pens and markers.  You never know what you are going to get.  I like garage sales too, but that involves driving around neighborhoods at seven o'clock in the morning, and it's seasonal.  We'll see what happens with that.  Anyway, I have so many ideas about stuff to make with t-shirts, socks, etc.  (I accept donations as well!)

Does anyone else have any ideas? 

Hump Day!

With my new found confidence in myself comes a passion like none I ever felt before. The self doubt, the inner critic---silenced!  I won't miss it. Not one bit.  I am me.  Yay!  Laugh if you want.  I can't hear you over the internet anyway.  ;0)

Mike sold some soap on ebay.  We are a bit excited.  Also if anyone is interested in season 2 of Northern Exposure, it's on auction.  His user name is aspirinkid66.

I am not much of a fashion person, but I was inspired by the middle picture at the top on this blog. Well, not the shoes, of course.  Can't do the shoes.


One set back in my life is that the yarn store near my house closed up shop.  I think I always knew this would happen, but it still came too soon.  I have had to start looking for fancy non Lion Brand yarn online.  I did find some lovely cotton, and I'm checking out the websites for stores in the surrounding states.  I have also found some lovely, lovely stuff on etsy.  Here's a good example.


I read some advice from a much more successful etsy seller.  The advice is to have at least 100 items for sale at all times and to have an etsy bill of 200 dollars every month.  So I'm enlisting all of my friends and family to help me achieve the goal of being able to afford the 200 dollar a month bill!   I don't think I'll be able to get there right away anyway, so you know do what you can.  I will be looking into giving out a coupon code soon, as well.  Thank you in advance!  And thanks for all of the emotional support!  

Patchouli Soap














OH! yeah!  I also take special requests.  It may take more time, especially if it's something I haven't done before, but email me or if you are on etsy, you can convo me.  I like to learn new things.


I'm out!

Knittingbyheather!

Molly thinks it's funny to sing along to Spongebob Squarepants,  but she calls him Pungebob Uglypants.  This has been going on for months now.   She also got sick in the middle of the night last night, and having never had to clean up vomit (except when people used to puke in the bathroom trash at Conoco when I worked there) before, I'm not happy this morning.  She seems to be fine now which makes it all that much more annoying. 

Anyhoozit, I've got a few new things up on etsy.

Raspberry soap

Still have a long list of this things to do and I got up later than I wanted to.  I hope everyone has an enjoyable day. I will do my best to have one as well. 

Bath matt with matching washcloth and hand towel. 
 

First Blog Entry of the 2011

So, I begin my new year of blogging with my new found sense of confidence and resilience.  I am still open to constructive criticism, of course, and I welcome all comments.  Just no bully boy bull crap!  Yay! Not that I've ever gotten any. 

My etsy sale didn't go as I hoped, but I did sell two bars of Mike's tea tree oil soap.  I'm super excited about possibly developing a follower.  =0)  Let's cross our fingers.  The cat broke my printer though, I'm afraid, so I can't print off an invoice.  (It was the old, much calmer cat, Charlie that did it this time!)  

Mike has been working on his soap formulas and we are excited about the 8 oz. blue raspberry bars that are currently curing above the oven.  I'm going to put up a couple of patchouli, melon, and pink raspberry bars on etsy this week if anyone is interested.  Molly starts back to school tomorrow and I am not going to waste my time alone anymore.  I'm so much more grateful for it now, but that's a whole other post that I probably won't ever write.  =0) 


Lots of work to do! I shall plug away with a cheerful disposition!