December 18-24 Week 51

Monday: K started working today. I feel bad that these next few weeks are going to be so boring. This is the time of the year that I am just trying to catch up on paperwork and trying to get things organized. I really hope that she sticks with me and doesn’t get tired of the fact that nothing interesting happens at this point in time. But we got the van emptied and a bunch of stuff in the shop started to be organized.

Tuesday: The soaps for the sale were being counted and organized and the boxes for the other soaps have been straightened out and organized. K tallied the sales for the past year so I could figure out what was going to be discontinued: Plumeria & Gardenia and what the best sellers were: Rejuvenation, Oatmeal Milk & Honey, Black Cherry Oatmeal, Lavender, and Patchouli.

Wednesday: The morning started with picking up the rental van and then loading the sofa, armoire, and chair into it. We then drove to NY where we unloaded the stuff and loaded in the hot tub that we got from my Mom & Rad. They had bought it in May but they couldn’t put it where they wanted to without fixing up the porch, so they asked us to take it and use it until they can. Rad made a great dinner, he is just an awesome griller. T

Thursday: Up early and drive home. Unload the van and return it to the rental company. C started arranging the garage which became his task for almost the entire next week.

Friday: We went to Ikea and bought new shelving for my workshop and lost of boxes for my inventory and supplies. After we got home we started putting everything together and then ran out of hardware, so I have to stop back and pick up some more pegs in order to finish up the job.

Saturday: We finally got the chance to put up the Christmas decorations. We needed to go through and determine what could be stored in the attic- what could take the heat and what needed to stay in the garage. We set up and filled the hot tub as well.

Sunday: Christmas Eve. The hot tub finally got hot enough to be able to get into. It is awesomely relaxing and I think it is going to be great for us this winter to have a nice way to be warm and relax. Maybe it will turn me down a notch and my stomach will start giving me less problems. I got to finish wrapping presents and put them out by the tree. Dinner was apple chicken and garlic apple mashed potatoes. It was just a nice quite evening.

Chriskindkmarkt Week 4

Thursday: Sales wise it was my best Thursday yet. I sold almost every one of the samplers that I had made the previous few days. I thought about making more, but honestly it is the end of my year and I am just plain tired of making things. When I’m not making soap I am making lists and making plans. Even with the sales, since they were sporadic, I had the opportunity to almost completely finish doing research on 2007 shows, my January newsletter is almost complete (just needs some final tweaking), and made a HUGE list of the things that I need to do to have a successful and prosperous 2007. I also started making lists and thinking of things that I can have K do now that she has started to help me. Much of what she does is virtual and research oriented, but I have lots of stuff hanging around that she can do that will just help me out immensely. B sold quite a few of her new ornaments, and I am so happy for her. The feedback she is getting is just awesome as well.

Friday: I hate when they have the kids come for fieldtrips. The chaperones completely ignore them, they are loud and scare away the real customers, they have no money to spend and ask no questions to learn anything either. For me as an artisan it is a complete waste of time for them to be here. Sales were slow during the day but B did well with a few bigger sales. I can’t even put into words how excited I am for her. I’ve seen such a change as she has gotten more and more passionate and proud of her beading and I am so excited that it is paying in sales as well. I think she has always been creative but since I’ve met her I’ve only known her as a crafter, and artisan, I think I am getting the unique opportunity to watch her bloom into an artist.

Saturday & Sunday: Sales actually caught up and surpassed last year for the weekend. Load out was easy and afterwards we went to dinner with B & M at Perkins. The show was only down a little from the last year and that was with me missing many of my best sellers. Saturday K came by and helped me and I think that she did very well. She speaks softly so I think she’ll need to speak up some in the future, but she seems very confidant and can sure stand up for her self as well. Sunday C came to the show and hung with me until the show closed. But overall I am happy with the results and happy the end has ended the way it has ended.