Early Christmas

Ian and I had fun this past weekend decorating at my parents house for Christmas. We did it a bit early this year to take advantage of the clear roads. We left Friday night to visit family, though the main point of the trip was for our branch youth temple trip. We arrived at the temple on Saturday afternoon to find out that our whole group canceled, due to a sudden blizzard in Lloyd that melted a few hours later. We still enjoyed our weekend however and I came home with an early Christmas present to me.... a new vinyl cutter. I have been having a great time and a crazy time figuring this thing out today and am very excited for the new possibilities with my business.

Craft fair pictures....

long weekend.... soooo tired.... must post pictures.... words later...

... have items left.... still selling!

Cutting, painting and more

My friend Chelsey and I are now full swing into our business making a large order for a local store as well as preparing for the November Christmas Craft Fair. We certainly have our hands full with only one month to finish a couple hundred items. Thankfully with help from my wonderful husband (who has become my free labourer) and the Gibb's who lent us their table saw, the process has sped up considerably. Here are a few pictures of the process...

Ahhhhh, We got in!!!!!

Just got the call this morning.... we have a spot in the big ol' craft fair in November! Chesley (my co-hort) and I are super pumped for our first big business debut! It hasn't yet sunk in of how much work we have to complete in the next month and a half (an 83 item order for Christal's store as well as probably the same amount for the fair). Yikes! We can do it though and are thilled about how everything has just come together with this new business. We have a 10x10 foot booth in a PRIME location on the busiest aisle of the route... not to mention a corner booth! I am going crazy with excitement and am really wishing I had a garage or basement to do all this work in. I will find a way though... and may take you up, Lara, on your garage use offer.

So keep your calendars open folks (if you can make it all the way to Lloydminster) for November 14-16th. We will also need help managing the booth as I am quite sure we won't both survive there the entire time by ourselves. I am still not sure what to do about the Sunday part of it all but if we sell out of everything before Sunday then we just close the booth down.

I am so thankful to my Father in heaven for providing a way for this all to be possible. For giving me something to keep me busy as I still wait to teach, especially something that is so fun!

These high and lows of life are crazy and I am thankful for the love and support of you all. Sometimes it is hard not to feel alone when you are surrounded by people.

Business Time......

I must tell about the exciting events that are happening for me here in Lloydminster!!!!

If you have not yet heard I have started a business! It is a vinyl sign making company (quite popular for you folks in southern AB and even Edmonton and Calgary. The fad that has come from where?!? Utah of course.

Starting my own business was never something I really wanted to do (except perhaps a preschool which may happen someday... or maybe not).... but having been here in Lloyd now for 3 full months (especially without being able to teach) I have been going bonkers with boredom. The suggestion came from a few different people (Ian was one of them) and I thought it through a bit and figured.... why not!!! It was something that was possible without too many start up costs and no one in my area seems to be doing the same thing. The real seller for me was when I learned a friend in our branch owns a store in the area and was looking to switch suppliers for the same type of products. It was a guarantee with a busy store to sell the products in so I was SOLD! I don't know how things will go as far as making any large amounts of money but for me it is about doing something I enjoy and keeping busy. So with our first large order in (75 items) I will be quite busy for the next little while... especially if I get into the huge craft fair here in November which I am still waiting to hear word on.

So I know there are many others who do the same thing (and probably closer to where you are) but please keep me in mind if you are looking for vinyl wall decor, custom wooden plaques and tiles. I included just a couple pictures of the first few samples made.... These are just the start as well... I have more designs coming and hopefully a website in the coming months.