What a Blur!

On the golf course!

 So it has been a while since my last post and boy has a lot gone on!  When I last left off.....way back in mid October the Santa making season was in full swing.  With my annual deadline of Thanksgiving week fast approaching, things were bad.....very bad!  In the midst of mad shaping, painting, and detail finishing, a life situation was brewing and we needed to take a quick and hasty trip to Myrtle Beach.  Bills brother has been very sick for far too long and we really wanted to see him, and our son needed a little help with a vehicle situation.   So with a return flight booked we headed out on Wednesday afternoon, drove as far as Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, arrived in Virginia Thursday morning to see my brother in law and his wife, then continued on to Myrtle Beach on Friday.  My in-laws also live near Myrtle Beach so we got to see them as well.   We had alot of fun, got to see where our son is living and working and spend some time with family.  The guys did manage to sneek in 18 holes of golf as well!  We flew out Sunday morning.  It was a quick trip but a good trip.

So good to see the kids!

A little practice

Special Delivery for Mitch!

So, upon our return it was all out, holy crap I have a lot to do, how am I ever going to get it all done!  Long story short, I did accomplish most of what I had set out to, but boy there were some loooong days of doing nothing but.  When I say nothing but, I mean nothing but!  We had several nights of take out, no housecleaning to speak of going on and if you needed it laundered you better be laundering!  We had Santas and snowmen in different states of completeness everywhere.  Just when I was thinking I was not going to make it....everything came together!

Crafter hands - note the glue gun burns, paint smears, and desperate need for a manicure!

 

  I put the last touch up on the last Santa the day before my open house preview was scheduled (the Tuesday before Thanksgiving).  The Open House is something I look forward to every year just as much as my shows.  I have a special group of ladies that come.  Their support and enthusiasm has given me such confidence to pursue my craft and happiness throughout the years and I can never thank them enough!

Open House 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of this years favorites

  Given that the "big" show, The Greater Barre Craft Guild show is scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving every year, we keep our Thanksgiving fairly simple.  I still cook the bird and all the fixings but we keep it just us and it has become a wonderful tradition.  The Friday after Thanksgiving, Billy and Troy help me load up and transport everything to the civic center and they leave me to putter and futz with my setup till I am happy.  It is really quite challenging fitting everything into the allotted 10x10 space!  This year I think I had around 250 pieces displayed at the show. The few remaining after the Open House and craft show were then taken to Woodsville, New Hampshire.  Thank you so much Ruth and Karen!  After all was said and done the 2013 seasons was very successful, I have only a handful of pieces left.  I can never thank all of my customers enough.  I just love to create, but creating for people who have made me a part of their holiday traditions is well.....the icing on the cake!

Booth Shots at the big show!

  

Booth at The Antique Rose & Country Chique Antiques Shop in Woodsville, NH

 After the show, it was then all about getting ready for Christmas!  We also had a really great impromptu visit from my Mom and brother Joe.  Joe lives in Florida and had not made his way back to Vermont since 1995!  Mitch was able to make it home, coming in on December 19th and staying until the 27th.  We saw alot of movies, some of Troys basketball games, ate way too much holiday food and had a wonderful Christmas.  Katelyn said it best when she said, all she needed for a good Christmas was for us to be all together.  True that!  The day after Christmas we had the extended family over for a party, trivia fun and more sinful holiday food. It was a very good Christmas indeed. 

Kids Then

Kids Now

Holiday Decorations

                                                                          

Brotherly Love?

After the holiday was all about getting everything back together and getting organized, oh and dealing with the unpredictable weather.  No snow was left for Christmas after some torrential rainfall a few days prior.  Since, we have had everything from bone chilling below zero, snow squalls, rains again and even a day with about a 60 degree swing in twenty four hours.  Go figure!

Main road?  Really?

All that being said, I am more inspired than ever! Cannot wait to get started on this years batch of Halloween and Christmas creations.  I have so many ideas cooking and have already come across some great items for embellishments.  Have also already submitted applications to a few more shows so stay tuned!  Last but not least, my last posts were promising to show how to make a Santa from start to finish......well, needless to say, that did not happen!  Sorry!  Maybe next year, but thought you might like to see how he turned out.

Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday seasons!  Until next time...............