I have felt very conflicted this month. I started the month with two animal sculpture orders, (Christmas shoppers that ordered for themselves.) One Polar Bear, and one Large Moose. I was pleased with this because it felt good to start the year with some business.
I also started working on painting the front hall and living room.
Shortly after the New Year, on of my Christmas customers was so pleased with the Large Elephant, he had ordered for his wife's Christmas gift, that he ordered four more sculptures. A Mandrill, a Hippo, an Armadillo, and a Polar Bear. Then he contacted me again and ordered a Large Horse as a gift for a friend.
The horse is on hold at the moment because he needs to get a better picture of her horse for me to use as a reference for the blaze marking.
Last week I got my first international order of the year. I'm making an Aardvark for someone in Denmark. (I don't ask "why?" I just make the animals the customer wants!)
Now then, all of this is very nice, and since the recession started, I've had months when I have had no orders at all. So I should be very happy. I do enjoy doing the sculptures. The days just fly by!
But, it is cutting into time I really want to be spending on painting the living room!
My goal was to have that room done by the end of the month.
I've shipped the moose and first polar bear, and have the next four almost finished. I'm quite sure I will get the aardvark done next week, and that leaves me with about a week left in the month to paint. Not really a big deal. It will get done eventually.
I really don't see how those of you with real jobs get anything done!
On another subject:
I have been doing OK with finding things to put in the "flea market" boxes each day.
I'm looking at everything with a very critical eye these days. Some days I wonder why I have this stuff in the first place. I find I really have very little sentimental attachment to things. The question I keep asking myself is "will I need this again?" and most of the time the answer is "probably not!"
As my Mother always said: "Tomorrow is another day."Mandrill
Craig and Merikay at Avenue of the Giants, California
ou are doing grea Merika! When we moved ou of our old house, we were boh working, and le me ell ou, hose were some LAE NIGHS!
ReplyDeleteHang in there, it will all get done. And you'll have the extra money to save for future fun!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that bothered me the most was how much stuff we had accumulated. I really regret having wasted money on so much stuff we either sold at a huge discount or just donated.
But, as they say, hindsight is always 20/20. At least now, I have learned that buying stuff is not important and living with less is actually a liberating feeling.
You're so on the right track doing it now.
one of the neatest things about getting rid of stuff at least a year out is that as you get rid of stuff that is easy to get rid of it unveils a new layer of stuff that is easy to get rid of a month later... keep at it!
ReplyDeleteOh I sure know how you are feeling! By the time we both get home from work, pack some boxes, eat quickly, and pack some more, we're both exhausted!
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you've gotten so many orders. The painting will still be there when the animals are finished.
ReplyDeleteOne thing we're finding on our snowbird trip this winter is that we need to get rid of more stuff..a lot more stuff.
I agree with Kevin and Evelyn. I'm thinking of how much money we've wasted over the years on all that junk that we never really needed!
Hang in there, you'll get it all done.
Make the money while you can - orders may stop again. You will find the time to get the house painting done. I have to agree with the other commenters - why, oh why, did I buy so much stuff over the years that I didn't really need. It is definitely liberating to get rid of it and not buy anymore.
ReplyDeleteIf you get swamped with business, you could always hire some one to do the painting. After all, you'd be rolling in dough, right?? :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on all your orders!! Shows what a great talent you possess. :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the moment...all things will get done in due time!
First of all, we all have to put pressure on Nellie to stop writing that way! Merikay, so glad you have the new business! Good job. The economy must be on an upswing! I say do what you enjoy most and fit the rest in around it. See you soon...
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