Turkey Butt

It's been a few days since I've poked in here. Feels a little stale, maybe I should open a window?

How was turkey day? I had a good one, sandwiched in between days at the precious little shop I'm manning this weekend. Wow, I stuffed myself. I think I got turkey butt. Or this stool is kinda small.

Friday was pretty busy over here. Yep, I'm blogging from the shop itself. Last time we were here, the Saturday was totally dead. So I expected today to be slow too, and decided to haul over my computer.

Probably everyone in the world has a laptop and wouldn't think twice about that last statment. But I don't have a laptop. I've got a Mac, and while it's all one piece and more portable than others, it's still a heavy beast to lug on a road trip and set up. I have so much paperwork and general computing stuff to catch up on, that I just felt like it was necessary to be productive today, and not just sitting around reading magazines waiting for the 2 or 3 customers to straggle in all day. I've got the fuzzy slippers on, the snacks and soda pop. A full ipod of Christmas carols. It's almost better than my office. Wait, no. It's not. It's a glass fish bowl and this rolling cart that I'm set up on hurts me. And the chair is really bad. I think I mentioned that.

Boy, I got a lot done. A lot. It feels great. Some of this stuff I don't even get to do until January a lot of years. I'm all caught up to right this very minute on accounting, bookkeeping and database stuff. Now if only I could be that caught up on the mail orders that are streaming in. Hopefully I'll get a break for a few hours on Monday to do some of them. And I've got all day Tuesday in the office, so that's next. This week's focus is getting a heap of soap done for Phinney.

I need to be super prepared for Phinney - it's my biggest winter show, and I need it to be like twice as good as it ever was. I'm a comedian, eh? Since almost everything is down this year, and some of it is really really really down. Now that I've got all the numbers in one place, it's not looking that great. Oh, it's not horrible bad. Just super tight and worrisome. But there's still a month of shopping to happen. And belt tightening - which I think is why this little chair hurts so much, perched on it all day.

It's the weekend to be thankful, and grateful - counting my lucky stars. And I am. I'm still here and I'm still in business. Nobody trampled me to get into the store for door buster deals yesterday, but I had happy folks in and out of here all day.

The shop is open another 4 days - Monday through Thursday. I've been closing at 4 - so don't wait til the last minute to run over. It's so incredibly slow after 2 or so, that I just can't sit still another minute. I'm awful at this shop sitting thing and I start to get so antsy to get home and work on other things that are just screaming at me from my desk in the studio.

Tomorrow the shop is closed, like anyone cares, and at home we've declared it tree trimming day. So I'll have to hunt out all the decorations and make a run to the store for more lights. Eggnog eye openers and mountains of mess ahead. Sounds grand. If I hadn't been listening to christmas music for 8 hours straight the last week, I wouldn't believe it's the holidays already either.

Hope you're all having a fabulous turkey weekend!

The shop is back

The shop is back for one last appearance before the holidays. I mean, of course, my little retail space at Group Health on Capitol Hill. I'm open this week (except Thanksgiving) and next week through Thursday.

Patricia (the Paige Lisbeth caramel lady) is joining me. We are "renting" their little retail space on Capitol Hill to set up our own gift shop for the next two weeks. A portion of all of our sales goes to the Patient Needs Fund - part of the Volunteer Services Dept, which buys supplies and necessities for patients there.

Hours:

Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov 25 and 26 - 9:30am to 4:30pm
Thursday, Nov 27 - closed for Thanksgiving
Friday and Saturday, Nov 28 and 29 - 9:30am to 4:30pm
Sunday, Nov 30 - closed
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Dec 1 thru 4 - 9:30am to 4:30pm

Location: Group Health central campus, Seattle
Address: 108 - 15th Ave E, Capitol Hill, half a block south and across the street from the big Safeway store at the corner of John St.

It's been a whoosh of setting it all up, with twinkie lights and snowflakes and decorations. And we're splitting up the hours a little bit, so Patricia is doing a couple of mornings, while I catch up at the office. And I've got a couple of afternoons while she makes more caramel. Hope you can get a chance to stop by and say hello - pick up a little something for the stockings and gift list.

Vasa Park Holiday Gift Show

This week is the new holiday themed show at Vasa Park Ballroom on Lake Sammamish in Bellevue.

As I mentioned last month when we did the first fall one, this is not the same show as the one that had been there for years under Sue Van Gerpen. But if you're feeling nostalgic, there are some of the old vendors, and it's still the same rickety old place. But there are new crafters too, so new cool stuff to check out, and this time around it will be holiday and Christmas items. It's a boutique style show, which means there is a central cashier and artists are not generally "working" their own booths, except for a few folks who are taste-testing their treats or personalizing something.

We will be setting up the displays today. And it gets into full swing tomorrow. The deets:

Country Creations Home and Gift Show
Vasa Park Ballroom
3549 W Lk Sammamish Pkwy
Bellevue, WA

Dates: November 20-22
Hours: Thursday and Friday 10am to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm

Link to directions: Vasa Park Resort

Might I also mention that I am having a love affair with Excel lately? I am. If you've been reading along, I'm totally not into math. But as a business person, owner, keeper of the bottom line, I have to have my finger on all those dreaded numbers. So I had a friend make me some Excel spreadsheets a few years back for the basic accounting stuff. And I've taught myself how to make new spreadsheets and work all the little shortcuts and stuff. Now I'm on fire. I've made little charts and graphs for so many things and it makes life so much easier. And my competitive streak loves to analyze all those little bottom lines. Mail orders versus shows. Sales at each show. Sales from month to month and year to year. Production of inventory.

It's pretty simple to set up really, and then when I get a free hour on a quiet evening, I can input my notes and see it all add itself up and report back. It usually makes me feel a lot better about all my hours slaving away in the studio lately. November is the toughest month of all as far as deadlines and intensity. So right about now I'm starting to feel sorry for myself and pooping out. Knowing exactly how I'm doing though makes it better.

I've been doing this for what? a dozen years now? And I'm finally figuring out what I'm doing. Or at least how much money I'm making doing what I'm doing. Slow learner :)

Just past Monday

I was trying to get a teeny tiny minute to post yesterday, but the whole day was such a blur. There's so much to do this month that I can barely think straight.

The Best of the Northwest show was 'just a'ight for me dog.' Nothing too spectacular, but not a total stinker either. It's weird because it's somewhat disappointing to not have the sales I want, and yet thrilling to still have any shoppers at all, given the expectations for this year. It seemed to be more shopping for themselves rather than gift buying - and others said the same. Maybe people aren't quite ready to think about their holiday gift lists yet? At least that group, that weekend?

Because there is plenty of holiday shopping going on over here at the studio with mail orders. In fact, I'm slammed and surprised by how many wonderful folks decided to get a whole list of things for gifts from me this year. It's fabulous and overwhelming. Today. Overwhelming today. And yesterday. I wasn't able to do orders during the weekend since I was caught up in the big extravaganza that is the Best NW show. So the orders piled up for four days and it became more than a mole hill.

Monday became a race to the post office finish line to get as many done as I could and out the door. Big orders, little orders, far away orders and nearby. Today will be a repeat. Except that I'm supposed to be packing up for the Vasa Park show which sets up tomorrow. It's going to be a long day. And it's all good. I'm so grateful for my faithful customers who are keeping me afloat this year, with their business and their kind words of encouragement. It will all work out. Because, as my friend Kim says, "it's what we do." And it IS what I do. So somehow it all gets done and it all works out. Proceed and continue, sometimes little baby steps, but still moving forward.

Oy this place is a wreck. So many revolving and rotating piles. Stuff coming in, stuff going out, rearranging the bins and boxes endlessly. I'll get the Vasa Park show details up either later today or tomorrow. Basically it's Thurs through Sat out on the beautiful shores of Lake Sammamish.

Phone ringing, gotta run for now.

I have a new toy

Help me. I can't stop.

Here's how it started. A customer called to place an order the other day. He had just moved and gave me his new address. But then a few hours later, he called back in a panic because he switched up the house numbers on his new place. So I processed the order, packed it up and was getting it ready to send. I use the Post Office web site and pay for postage online. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I just type in the address info, and it creates a super official postage label with tracking bar code and all, which I print on my own printer. So I just affix the label and can drop off the whole bunch of them at the post office at once. No waiting in line, it's already paid for. It's a breeze, and cheaper, and gives me free tracking. I swear, it's a miracle.

But I digress. I typed in this man's new address and got an error message. If it's not a valid address, it won't let me do the label. Another super cool bonus. I'll never have to worry about a returned package because I wrote the numbers wrong, or the customer made a mistake when typing in the online order . . . it's all good. So I google mapped the two different house numbers that he gave me to see which one was an actual address. Just to see if I could make sense of it, before having to bother him again.

Well, you all probably know this, but it was new to me. Google maps now has street views of addresses. I guess it's been in the works for awhile, and it's very controversial, and there is litigation pending, blah, blah. But they currently have pictures, from the curb, of addresses from all over the US. It appears to be only cities, nothing in smaller or more rural areas. I saw his house, and then typed in my own and got a sweet picture of my own house from the summer when it was sunny and gorgeous. And then typed in my sister, and my mom and . . . here's where it gets dicey.

It makes me a little skeevy even admitting it. But I typed in friend's addresses to see their houses, and a customer or two, and more friends in New York, because I love NY street scenes. It's totally wrong and voyeuristic. But I know these people and have seen their houses before. But of course the privacy issue is huge. I mean nobody wants the whole world to see where they live. Um, but it's kinda cool too.

It makes perfect sense for businesses, way more than personal homes. If you're looking for a new restaurant, or need to find a business or office, it's really helpful to see a picture of the outside of the place as well as get directions from Google maps. And people's homes crosses the line. Yes. So make me stop. Besides, I don't have time. I need to head out to set up the giant Best of the Northwest extravaganza today. So I am putting down the mouse and leaving my computer screen. Now. I swear.

The next few days will be a blur of super long days selling soap at Seattle Center. My free passes are gone, but I have about a dozen postcards which give you 50% off the ticket for you and a friend. That's a buy one, get one free, type deal. Call me.

Best of the Northwest

This year's Best of the Northwest fall show has moved to Seattle Center. It's such a big show that we are using both the Exhibition Hall plus all of the Northwest Rooms - it's spread out a bit but all connected.

The food and entertainment is in the Northwest Rooms area, and I'm in the middle of the rooms. My booth will be in the center room (the Olympic Room) up against the far wall. I don't know if that's good, bad, or what, but that's where you can find me. It's all new - although many years ago this show started at Seattle Center. So we'll see how it turns out. Hopefully much better than the spring show experiment at Qwest Field.

There is an admission fee to get into this show - but tons of postcards with discount coupons, and I've still got a few free passes, and you also get $2 back if you get your ticket stamped at both the hall and the rooms - meaning if you visit the entire show and don't skip half of it, you get a small refund. It's an incentive to see it all. Which I would think you'd want to do anyway, since you are there to see the show and paid to get in. But that's the inside scoop. If you are interested in going, and want a pass or coupon, please CALL ME this week, and I'll get it to you. I know it's already getting late, but there is still time to arrange something.

Details and ad blurb: Celebrate our 20th Anniversary with over 200 artists. Friday evening will be hosted by the Preston Kuppe Guild to raise funds for Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center. The Artisans of Northwest Art Alliance are committed to fostering a network of artists, art supporters, art organizations and collectors. Founded in 1989 by thirty artists, we now represent over five hundred artisans annually, who are young and old, emerging and established, and working in all mediums.

Dates: Friday through Sunday, November 14-16
Hours: 10am-8pm Friday and Saturday, 10am-6pm Sunday
Link: NW Art Alliance (you can also print a coupon right from this site too!)

Tightrope

Balancing on the high wire.

Last week's marathon is over. And the new week's marathon has already begun.

Yesterday was long. Up at 5, loading the car at 6, setting up the show at 7. Working the Eastlake show from 9-4. Rushing home to throw everything out of the car, grab a sandwich and rush up to Maltby to tear down the Echo Falls show by 6. Rushing from there to the Hollywood Schoolhouse by 7 to tear down the 3rd show. I could barely squeeze a path through the house this morning, with all the piles of props and inventory. Special thanks to my parents who helped me at the end. I couldn't squeeze another bin into the car and was seriously pooping out.

I've unloaded it all, inventoried it all, re-packed what I could for this coming week's show (Best of the Northwest - which I'll blab about tomorrow). And did a million loads of laundry and food shopped and tried to squeeze in some time off my feet in a chair. It's all good. The orders have been piling up all weekend, and that's tomorrow's task. There's another mountain to do tomorrow, but it seems doable.

The final tally is ok. For the marathon of 3 shows last week I ended up right about the same spot as last year. Two shows were up (just a teeny) and one show was down (just a teeny), so it's all a wash. Which is a miracle and way better than I was expecting, given the state of the economy and all the rotten consumer spending and sales reports that have been coming out the last couple of weeks. I'm grateful for every penny, and met some of my lovely and loyal customers, which I so enjoy.

I've scheduled myself a little bit less than last year with the shows this month. It was a decision I made at the end of last year, to not run myself into the ground in November and early December. I realized that I just try to squeeze too much in, and don't do the job I'd like to at any of it because I'm spread too thin. And realized that I'd actually like to have a bit of a life - to remember what those two months are like instead of just being a blob of stressed out stupor that doesn't experience any of my own holidays any more.

So that was all good . . . until the economy went belly up in September, which I guess I didn't see coming, even if everybody else did. I've been thinking that my great plan was going to be really stupid, and that I would need to do twice as many shows this winter to make half the money I had before - and that maybe I had set myself up for total failure. Well, the good news is that I think I'll survive, and it might just have been a good idea after all.

Oh, the money will still be really tight. But I've been much less stressed out this week than usual. And I'm not dreading next week or the week after. I've got enough inventory to cover all the bases, and not run out of this or that and freak out about how to make it all work. It's a little early to know how it will all turn out. But I'm hopeful and optimistic. At least right now. Even if my poor feet still hurt and I'm bone tired. I'll go to bed early -- and tomorrow is another day. Oh, and that dratted cold is on it's way out - almost completely gone. Yahoo.

Winter Holiday Newsletter

I always post the most recent newsletter here on the blog when it goes out. It's just been mailed out to the mailing list, emailed out to the email list, and the website has been updated too. So just to complete the circle, I'm posting the Winter Holiday newsletter here also.

Just a note though - I usually post the letter with all the linkies. But it takes forever to get all those tags typed in, and now that the site server and email hosts have upgraded their templates, the coding doesn't talk to each other, and it doesn't cut and paste over here either. Each one of those linky-poo's has to edited by hand. It's a lot. A really really lot. And I'm already pressed this week. So I'm just posting one big link at the beginning, at the title, which takes you to the entire new web page of all the holiday products. From there, you can click on any single new product or wander around the rest of the site easily. I think that should work out ok?

Winter Holiday News

Brrrr, baby it’s cold outside. Puff of breath, mittens rubbed together, scarf scrunched a little tighter, it’s winter. A frigid nip in the air signals the next act in the play of ever-changing seasons. A curtain of quiet hush and cold stillness falls, darkness replaces light. One magical snowflake dances and twirls down from the grey sky, gently touching your nose, a teasing kiss from Jack Frost. Winter’s beauty is the contrast of stark silence outside, while inside the joyful celebrations toot and jingle, one after another, throughout the next couple of months. Cozy snuggles by the fire, long anticipated visits with family and friends, and nostalgic feasts are just some of the treasures of Winter.

The holidays are just around the corner, and with all the extra activity in your schedule, simplify your life by having Soapworks Studio help with the gift giving. This year make it easy on yourself and shop from home. Lounging in your jammies, we’re just a click away. We can ship the order to you, or directly to your family and friends with an enclosed holiday card - saving you time, money and hassle. We have a Santa’s Sack full of great ideas for special presents, stocking stuffers, teacher and co-worker gifts, or a special treat for a party hostess.

Holiday Seasonal Soaps

The upcoming holidays have sparked a bunch of new wintry wonderful soap scents for a little fun in the shower, or a special gift for someone (or everyone) on your list. ($4.00 each or 4 bars for $15.00)

First Snow - A soft blanket of freshly fallen snow, an icy breeze, and a wintry breath of peppermint, this soap is cool, fresh and tingly as a snowflake against your cheek.

Winter Forest – The most perfect, magical Christmas tree can only be hidden deep in the winter forest. This dark olive green bar is much more than simple pine needles – it is filled with the scents of lush forest, warm woods, rich earth and the clear night sky. A magnificent blend of fir, cedar, juniper and cypress, it’s the ultimate forest fragrance.

Turkish Coffee – There is nothing more irresistible than the fragrance of freshly ground coffee beans or a cup of perfectly brewed coffee steaming in a mug. Well, nothing except maybe a hint of delicious cinnamon and hazelnut added to your cuppa. Try a little exotic spice in your morning routine, and little coffee in your shower!

I’m also reprising a couple of favorites of year’s past, just to keep up with requests for special customers.

Flannel Jammies – The scent of clean, fresh, cotton warm from the dryer, and one of my favorite comforts of winter – snuggling up in a pair of cozy flannel pajamas. This soap is ivory white and silky smooth.

Hot Cocoa – Think steaming mugs of rich, dark, chocolate topped with fluffy mounds of whipped cream after a frosty afternoon of skiing, skating or hiking in the woods. Colored with cocoa powder, it’s a pure chocolate soap and a special treat for that choco-lover on your list.

Are any of those fabulous Autumn Seasonal soaps left you ask? Why, yes! Apple Jack, Pumpkin Spice, Moroccan Fig and Cinnabar Oatmeal are still available while supplies last in November.

Pacific Northwest Collection – It’s back!

This is a new take on an old favorite. Years ago when I first started the business, I had small boxes of four triangle shaped bars of soap in different “collections” or themes. The Pacific Northwest Collection was far and away the most popular version, and I’ve had endless requests to bring it back – so here ya go. The soap bars are a bit different this time around, handier little squares of 2.5 ounces or roughly half the weight and size of our regular bars. The four soaps are bundled in a Kraft cardboard box, appropriately scented in Rain, Forest, Mountain and Sea, with lovely soft colors of ivory, olive green, oatmeal brown, and pale blue. The Pacific Northwest Collection is the perfect little gift for anybody or everybody on your list. Who can resist the allure of teeny soap bars in captivating scents? Send a sample of the Pacific Northwest to your friends in faraway places or just away from home. (Box of 4 soaps - $10.00)

Winter Holiday Home Fragrance Sprays

Add a little festive spirit to your home with one of our winter holiday home fragrance sprays. Mist your house and holiday decorations just before guests arrive, or spritz your gift boxes, cards and stockings -- your family and friends will receive a whoosh of holiday scent when they open their presents! (4 oz bottle - $6.00)

Holiday Spice - this is our most requested seasonal spray, every year since the very beginning --oranges, cranberries, spices and greens all blended together for the perfect scent of magic and delight.

Winter Forest - the companion to the soap of the same name described above. Do you have one of those artificial trees? This spray can bring the forest indoors and give you that fresh tree ambience you’re looking for.

Festive Lip Balm

Just for the holiday season, I’ve added Hot Cocoa, Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Mint flavored lip balms to the menu. It’s the same nourishing, natural lip balm base that I carry in a dozen lip—smack ing flavors, just a few new flavors for Christmas stockings and holiday memories. See the enclosed brochure or the web site for the full list of flavors – Coconut Lemon, Vanilla Tangerine, Cupcake, Root Beer, Raspberry Soda . . .mmm. (1/2 ounce tin, $2.00 each)

Gifts Galore

Attention Holiday Shoppers! It’s the gift-giving season, and fun bath stuff is a great idea for everyone on your list because it’s a pampering treat which feels luxurious, doesn’t add clutter and stays within your budget. I’ve got an elfin mountain of new gift sets and packaging ideas:

New Gift Boxes: New, unique, and downright adorable origami style boxes to gift wrap a single bar of soap, or two bars of soap, or exactly sized to hold a bar of soap plus one of our cotton scrubbie accessories - like the cotton washcloth, soap sack or scrubbie mitt. These are the perfect small gifts for those special office folks, the patient teacher, the friendly neighbor, the dear who watches the pets while you're away, the lovey who does your nails or hair, that gaggle of book club gals, you know who I mean – check everyone off your list at once!

New Gift Bags: Soapworks Studio is now carrying adorable cotton print tote bags to stuff full of goodies for any gift-giving occasion. 10x10 inches with a wide-gusset bottom and handy handles, these are made from recycled fabric scraps in the most charming patchwork designs, 100% cotton. Add some of the bath salts, sprays, soaps, and bath accessories for a gift guaranteed to please. When the pampering is finished, the bag can be used for shopping trips or light handbags.

Gift Certificates: You know they love Soapworks Studio products but you’re not quite sure which scents they like the most? Or you have a choosy someone on your list who likes to select their own signature scents? Or you’re just plain out of time in all the holiday rush? I’ve got the perfect idea! Give a gift certificate from Soapworks Studio so they can choose their own favorites from any of our products on the list. You may purchase a gift certificate in any denomination of your choosing. we’ll pretty it up and send it off in a lovely decorated envelope. The perfect gift for that particular friend , the choosy family member or any number of special someone’s on your list with a flair for pampering themselves.

My Own Holiday Shop

I’ll be repeating my little temporary storefront at Group Health in November. I will have my own retail shop for two weeks at the end of November. Group Health Central Campus on Capital Hill in Seattle has a tiny storefront that I am “renting” to have my own shop space. They loan it out to artists and a percentage of sales funds their TLC Guild. It’s designed to be a gift boutique, especially focused on winter holiday gifts. It’s located at 108 – 15th Ave E, kitty-corner from the Safeway on John St. November 25 thru December 4. I’ll be closed on Thanksgiving, but open on the weekend. Hours are 9:30am to 4:30pm each day. It’s a great way to see my entire product line in one place, pick up all your gifts and save on shpping!

Internet & Mail Ordering
Holiday shopping online or by mail saves you time, expense, and the headache of traffic jams and crowded malls. We ship within two business days, and can send your items directly to family and friends - with gift enclosure cards too! Send in the enclosed order form, call during business hours, or for late night brainstorms, order from our web site SoapworksStudio.com. Spend more time celebrating and less time fretting. One final note, my office will be closed from Saturday, December 20 until the last holiday party is over on Wednesday, January 5.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and magical moments with those you hold close.

A new day

On January, 20, 1993, Maya Angelou spoke these words at the Bill Clinton inauguration and they ring truer this morning than ever before:

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

This week's shows

I have so many antique postcards for Halloween and I didn't get to post any of them. And I was so buried in work and a hacking cold that I didn't even get around to posting a picture or a simple holiday greeting. Boooo. Sorry I'm late. Hope you all had a fun time celebrating. I pretty much missed it.

I'm still down with a bad cold and it's been a tough weekend to work. Much to my dismay (because I really can't afford to lose the money) I had to cancel one of the 4 shows I was planning on doing this week.

I will NOT be at Meridian Valley Country Club's show on Monday and Tuesday. I'm at half capacity the last few days, and couldn't pull enough together to do all four shows I had scheduled for this week, I couldn't possibly be ready to set up two shows tomorrow. So I needed to pull out of one at the last minute. I'M disappointed, I know THEY are disappointed, and I hope I'm not disappointing too many folks in Kent . . . but I know there will be some. I'm truly sorry.

Here's where I WILL be this week:

Starving Housewives at Echo Falls Country Club
20414 - 121st Ave SE
Snohomish, WA (Maltby)

Dates: Tuesday through Saturday, November 4 - 8
Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm

This is a boutique style show with a central cashier. Wonderful handcrafts and charming antiques. Look for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts!

Link: Starving Housewives

Red Ribbons & Reindeer at
The Hollywood Schoolhouse
14810 NE 145th St
Woodinville, WA

Dates: Wednesday through Saturday, November 5 - 8, 2008
Hours: Wed 3pm - 8pm, Thur-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm

This is a boutique style show with a central cashier - a long standing tradition for Christmas shoppers. This is the 20th anniversary of this show!

Eastlake High School PTSA Holiday Bazaar

Eastlake High School, cafeteria
400 - 228th Ave NE
Sammamish, WA

Date: Saturday, Nov 8, 2008
Time: 9am-4:00pm

Artists are present at their own displays. Moms and kids are all volunteers and they put on a great holiday gift show each year! All of the participating artists donates a gift basket of their creative talents and a raffle is held all day long, with several winners every hour. Your chances of winning are pretty darn good, and an excellent way to pick up a freebie holiday treat!