The weather outside is frightful

but a warm fireplace is so delightful.  So is shopping (indoors) for holiday gifts, treats and special treasures.

The first week of November is the biggest craft show week of the year.  There are dozens and dozens, all over the place.  I'm only going to be at two this week:  Red Ribbons and Reindeer at the Hollywood Schoolhouse in Woodinville, and the Bellevue Club on Saturday only.

I will NOT be at Pickering Barn, as listed on my earlier version of the calendar.  Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and confusion.  I just can't swing it all this week - a little short on time, a little short on inventory, a little short on help.  And the winter holiday newsletter is going out too this week.  A bit too much on my plate for this week.

Here are the details on where I'll be this week:

Oct 31 - Nov 3
Red Ribbons & Reindeer
Hollywood Schoolhouse
14810 NE 145th St, Woodinville
Wed 1 - 6 pm, Thurs & Fri 10am - 8pm, Sat 9:30am - 6pm

Nov 3 (Sat only)
Bellevue Club Holiday Bazaar
Bellevue Club, 11200 SE 6th St, Bellevue
Saturday only 9am - 6pm
Note:  This is open to the public and everyone is welcome!

I've got a bit of the new holiday stuff at both shows.  Red Ribbons is a boutique show with a central cashier and I will not be there personally.   However, I will be working my own little display (as will everyone else) at the Bellevue Clube show.  Hope you can make it out to one of them.  We're just getting started on the season!

Show Schedule Changes

 Quick note about upcoming shows:  I have to cancel a show that I had on my schedule for next week.  I will NOT be at Pickering Barn next week.

I think I've mentioned that sales are up this year.  Sometimes quite a lot.  More mail order, more shows, more soap.  I've been working as hard as I can to make more soap during the last few months.  But with the curing time, I'm just not getting ahead.

At this point, I'm hoping to just cover what I have on my plate already.  But with the way October has been, I don't have enough inventory to split it 3 ways for the shows I scheduled for next week.  I can only swing 2.  So I'll be at Red Ribbons and Reindeer at the the Hollywood Schoolhouse.  And I'll be at the Bellevue Club show on Saturday, where I'll be manning my own booth.   It's open to the public, and I'll post details on both of them in the next few days.

I'm so sorry for the interruption, disruption and inconvenience.  Hopefully if you are looking for me next week, you can make it over to one of the other two shows, where I will have a really nice full display.  It just didn't make sense to spread myself so thin everywhere (especially mentally :)   I'll make a note on the web site.  Just wanted to post here to make sure the word gets out.

October updates

I know it's been awhile since I've posted much, but it's been a little off-kilter over here.

My cat went missing a couple of weeks ago.  We were playing in the sunshine on the patio in the afternoon, and I had to head down to the studio to get a little work done.  An hour later when I came back, she wasn't around.  But a few hours later, and still no Dora?  We got worried.  When we called for hours and she didn't come home all night, we were in high panic, never slept a wink.  Days followed.  Searching and combing the neighborhood for miles every evening and morning.  We did the fliers, the neighborhood lists, the calling of vets and shelters.  Hired a pet psychic.  It was 11 days and our life was a mess.  We hadn't hardly slept, eaten, cleaned, done anything normal.  Suddenly she's home.

I have no earthly idea why the most loved, most pampered, little home-body, super bonded and attached kitty would just "poof" and take so long to find her way back.  But we are breathing again.  It is definitely the roughest, scariest time I've gone through that I can ever remember.

In the meantime, I had a colonoscopy.  Gross.  One of those "maintenance" things they make you do in the name of health or something.  I'm normal and healthy by the way.  But again, gross.

I also had Salmon Days during that time.  Trying to prepare for one of my bigger shows during all that crisis was a nightmare.  And then being out all day trying to smile and sell soap was not easy.  But with the perfect weather and ginormous crowds, it was a record breaker for sales.  I'm wiped out.  In just about every way.

So you might have noticed that the Pumpkin and Cranberry soaps are off the site.  I've got batches that just came out, so there's about a 2-week wait until they will be back up.  I'm pretty low in inventory in just about everything else, between Puyallup, the fall newsletter and now Salmon Days all in a month's time, it's been more than I can keep up with.  Which is nerve-wracking because I'm just heading into my 2 busiest months.  I'm cranking out the soap as fast as I can.  And we'll keep fingers crossed that I can hold it all together.

I did have to cancel being in the Starving Housewives show this week.  I would be setting up today, and I have got just about nothing left from the weekend, and no time to prepare.  I just need a week to get back up to speed and ready for Vasa Park next week.  So sorry if you are looking for me there.  I hate having to cancel, truly, but there is only so much I can do here.

I think that covers the latest news bits.   I'm back in the studio working full-time with great focus, so if you need anything, just holler.

Salmon Days 2012

These folks have the cutest slogans - this year it's "thrills and gills!"

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest's most-beloved, family-friendly, award-winning and fishiest festival around!  We've got lots of activities, arts and crafts, music, food, friends and excitement. 

This year they have a brand new Splash MOB game.  Visit 24 local participating business to be entered fro a grand prize of $1,000 in valuable gift cards from local merchants.  See the website for details.

This is a HUGE festival, with so much going on - plan a whole day there.  Food booths all over, plus the big Kiwanis Salmon Bake.  Music stages, all kinds of kids activities areas.  Plus a gazillion art and craft booths to explore.  It's going to be a blast!

Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, 2008
Place: Historic old downtown Issaquah
Times: 10am - 6pm both days
Booth Location: Same spot as last few years! Booth #318, located on W. Sunset Way, at the corner of the driveway entrance to the hatchery.

Link: Salmon Days