Wow! This break has FLOWN by!! We've been SO busy that now I'm looking back thinking...'did 7 months really just go by?'. Apparently they have. I can't believe were almost to the holiday season again. Whew! Not sure I'm ready for that!!
Is Christmas really only 149 days away?? Eeeek!!!!
I'm certainly not one who counts down days to Christmas. I stopped doing that when i was in my late teens. But i do count nowadays since my shop does holiday business and i have to figure out when my last day to take orders are, and when the last day to ship out is...all that jazz. Wow! It's almost August!! I'm trying not to panic! My shop is still on vacation mode. Guess i need to fix that.
But it's all good! I'm getting ready to start crafting again and I'm SO excited!! I've been doing a few things here and there and as the months have gone on, I've been doing more and more!
About a month ago, i decided i wanted to try some new things for my shop this year. I'm starting to get a bit burnt out on felt, and quite honestly they've become too much for me. They are SO detailed and SO time consuming!! The prices i have to charge for time and supplies makes them very expensive and for the most part, while i think a lot of people understand the time it takes to make a lot of these little guys, i don't like charging so much for them. But since each one is hand sewn by me, one at a time, there's really no other way around it.
So this year I'm focusing more on painted glass ornaments. I had made a bunch last year as personal gifts for family and friends and the response was so great, that i have really wanted to put them in the shop! So that's what I'll be doing!
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I don't know about you, and I'm hoping my crafting friends get this, but i LOVE going to craft stores!! For real! It's one of my happy places. All the potential in one building is amazing to me! I mean think about it. You walk through the doors, and all of a sudden you're inundated with MOUNTAINS of stuff!! And it's stuff to make other stuff! The possibilities are endless!! Granted, i do get to the point in the season, usually about 2 weeks before Christmas where i'm SO tired of going to the craft store everyday to get supplies so I can ship out the last orders that i could scream if i have to drive into the parking lot of my local craft store one more time. But then, the "On Vacation" gets put up on my Etsy shop and i'm good for another few months.
I had wholeheartedly intended to open my shop back up near April, in time for Mother's Day, but the stress of the holiday season hadn't let up yet, and i honestly didn't have anything good for the spring season. Because my shop is primarily holiday ornaments, it can be really difficult to come up with new things that float over to the spring and summer. I see other craft shops do it, but i just haven't gotten there yet. I'm hoping that with this new found creativity for new items that use new supplies, I'll be doing something fun all year long! Or at least...some of the spring and summer.
I've been doing more painting over the last few months. It's been a nice change of pace. I made a few banners for some friends' camp sites this year. I also painted a couple of mailboxes that turned out really fun!! I may add those to my shop as well. Customizable mailboxes, banners and flags. They were really a lot of fun to do and really got my creative juices flowing! Despite the blue carpet in my craft room. Oops.
Well i just wanted to update y'all. It's been a while since i posted a blog for Ladybug Blvd. I hope everyone is doing well and has had an enjoyable year so far.
~Craft on!
