Where's that Confounded Maid?

Today I got "lost" walking to a girlfriends house. Seriously. Embarrasing. In a I'm-giggling-with-you sort of way. I've only ever been the passenger dropped of at her place, and having a horrible sense of direction, I walked the wrong cresent trying to find her. (To be fair, her road and the wrong road I walked before accidentally spotting her yard start with the same dang name, so, I MUST get some credit for that!) Still, it was a typical Lori-moment. Damn good thing I have a good sense of humour.

This week for Farmers Market: Maple Cookie Biscotti, Fudge Cookie Biscotti, Almond Biscotti, and hopefully Oreo Biscotti. As well as making banana bread this week, I'm doing a carrot cake, too. all in the name of selling Watkins , which is going pretty well!

Needless to say, Fridays are frantic in my kitchen. Breads and cakes need to be done at the last minute. Because they have no preservatives, they're won't keep forever.

I've got a tonne of Scrabble tile pendants finished the last few days, and gifted my girlfriends with some pendants (personalized by choosing just the right image, and the scrabble tile for their first initial.) Giving gifties is fun :) I'm going to need more displays now, though. Then again, they are such fast and easy sellers at the market, I might not need all THAT much more display!

I've been keeping too busy for myself, which has always been my way. There seems to be no time to list anything on Vintage Witch , despite having a bag or two of vintage goodies. Shoes, slips, earrings... gah! Oh well, come September, there will be no more baking to be done, and more time for taking pics and listing stuff. Maybe there'll even be time to fold all that dang laundry in my room.

Besides, the maid never shows up, so I guess I'll eventually HAVE to do it myself.

I'm Free.... Free Fallin'

oh la la. The bust got the first layer of paper mache on it, and I can SEE it already. I'm excited! Do you ever get like that with your creations? As you see it coming together, you can already see it completely finished? I'm just so excited for the final product.

I've been all over etsy lately - just browsing and drooling and thinking I really should get my ass in gear and take some pics of the vintage goodies I've got hanging around here for www.VintageWitch.com . I should put it on my task list! (The hold up with that little task is that I HATE my camera. We should really make peace soon.)

On today's list of things to do:

• Stop by Inner Bliss to drop off a single necklace for her to resell. Rhonda gave me some things to incorporate into some necklaces, and she requested I make some for guys. I'm sure I'll get a few more done in time.
• Grab some ingredients for what I need to bake some more cookies for the Farmers Market
• Put another layer on mabustmabustmabust, if it's dry enough.
  
• Hang with the Pixies, have some fun with them
• Hopefully grab my sweetheart for lunch
  
• Have some adventure!
• Oh yeah, and perhaps wash the sheets.

I think I should pop into the consignment shops downtown and see how my stuff is doing, and get them some more goodies. (I have like 6 bags of clothing that MUST get gone. All super fun stuff.)

I'm eager to get out and enjoy this day!

In order to do that, I must wrestle the Pixies out of the tub and get my turn in there!

Then, ADVENTURE!

Ma Bust, MaBustMaBustMaBust!

It's is not-quite-Seven-A.M.

I have been up for an hour. The crows were singing on my lawn this morning, and I was ok with that. I've been working from home again for 4 weeks, but maintaining my "up-at-Six-A.M." habit.

It is Wednesday, and the big plans today are to hit the library with the pixies and one of their friends. Sometime before that, I need to start my paper mache display head. I'm going for something like this bust, but with the attitude of a more art-deco, flapper style.

And knowing my style, it will probably end up a little more cartoony than realistic. I have high hopes that it will be ready for Market this weekend -but I dont' think it will be ready. There's alot of drying involved in these babies.

Her function will be to help me display neclaces. I have to incorporate the ability to weigh it down very very well, as Penetang market is always gusty and blowy.

* * * * *

Watkins is going very well. It's so much easier when people already know the product! What I'm finding though, is that all the people who remember the product don't have any one to order from anymore! So, I'm filling that need. But, I have to wonder about all the people that AREN'T getting service for the products they love and can count on. (Salve is just an amazing healer.)

I don't think my bathroom has ever been as clean as it is lately. I can actually use Watkins cleaning items, as they are natural plant based. They don't send my asthma into a two-day-spiral like regular chemical cleaning products. It's awesome.

There's an elmvale market opening up, and I was really hoping to train someone to do what I'm doing with Midland and Penetang, and sign them up to start their own business out there. The money is great, and all I keep thinking is "This could really be helping out a family who needs the income!"

Anywho, the pixies need to eat, and I'm dying to get into the paper mache.

I love working from home :)

Oh, has it been a month?

So, ch-ch-ch-ch-chaynges.

I quit my job. For those of you who hadn't heard the gossip yet.
Basically, I was working at head office for a direct marketing company, and had to re-assess. I had worked from home for 5 years before that, and although I was earning a whole $200 more a month at the job I was keeping less.

And my house just fell apart.

So, I've set up shop at the Penetanguishene and Midland Farmers markets, I've got www.littlescotia.ca and www.VintageWitch.com on the go, plus,

I'm a Watkins Independent Associate again!

I love the products, but quit when my youngest was little. I felt like something had to give. However, now with all the experience learned working from the INSIDE of a direct marketing company, I"m working my business full time. And it's fabulous.

www.WatkinsOnline.com/lori.petroff . check-check-check it out.

I finally got down to gettin' to know my new sewing machine. She is SAWEEEET. Fast, though. Zero-to-HOLY-MOLY in .5 seconds. I can't wait to get down to some new dollies. Oh la la.

I've also been baking like a mad woman. With Watkins products, ofcourse. Peddling my wares at the farmers markets. Biscotti, little gingerbread cookies, petite banana breads. Cinnamon spice cookies.

I need a bigger kitchen. And a sewing room.

It's on my wish list.

L.

A Deal is a DEAL!

I've been on a craft frenzy. I got a NEW sewing machine, and purchased probably $150 worth of craft supplies and second hand books. I"ve moved my craft desk up to a sunny spot, and getting it all organized.

I've got some pieces at a few different places locally (Inner Bliss and Karma Marketplace) and I have just a tonne of little things to put online... If only the rain would stop! I take all of my pics on the front step, and Sunday is "picture taking" day, and the last few Sundays have been RAINY.

This is all about the "Trusting in the Universe" thing, I'm SURE. So, I'm carrying on with making new items until "picture day" presents itself.

I'm having ALOT of fun with it. Vintage Witch is almost ready to go (again, waiting for picture day) And from there... who knows! All I know is that when I think of my crafty businesses, I feel SUCH excitement and joy.

I have SO much material to work with, I shouldn't have to go shopping for a very long long time.

However, a deal is a deal......

Changing The Store Up???

I was thinking about my little online store, and how I want to do so much more with it.
I was also thinking about how one would descibe my little store. Little Scotia is a little bit of everything, but I think the binding theme is toys. I like the itty bitty toys and I love the stuffed dollies and all the things that go with the dollies. I do have some vintage items there, and I'm not quite sure they fit.

So I think that I might open up a different shop to house the vintage goodies (that aren't vintage doll goodies)

I'm wondering if any other shop owners have found a better sales success rate with dividing product lines that maybe don't go together so well? And, as a shopper, would that be an easier shopping experience for you?

And then the question is, what do I do with all the little art I have going on? I need some brainstorming help!

It's a beautiful day outside, and in a few minutes I'm going to get out into it!!!