Today was the pride celebration in my city. Everyone told me the items I sell would go like hotcakes. I had a decent day at the chalet, but hotcakes did not happen. I did meet a lot of fun people. Got asked a rather interesting question about my tails. Got to see some friends I haven’t seen in a while. Heard some interesting things from parents about their young children. Sold some stuff. All and all, it was a good day.
The interesting question was about my tails. The ones I make clip on. The one he was hoping I make get inserted in the tushy. I do not make those. I understand the concept to make one, but the fur I use is not the type I would use for something like that if I could avoid it. There is nothing wrong with the fur I use, I would just want a higher standard of fur for pet play to that extent. Personal preference, not that I have done that. Though I do see the draw to it.
The interesting thing a parent said about their young child… she bought a tail and ear set for their maybe 7 year old daughter. There is nothing interesting there. The interesting part is when the little girl said, look mom I am now a wolf. The mom looks at me and says she is already starting her furry journey. The little girl is 7. She is playing dress up. I tend to wonder if the mom actually understands what a furry really is. Because I find it hard to believe a 7 year old is doing anything more than playing dress up or make believe.
People are weird what can insay. I am tired, though, so I am getting ready for bed. Good night, everyone! Sweetest of dreams! Kitt ☺️
Today is my youngest son, Ant, birthday. He is 19 today. I am just amazed by my kids’ aging. I know logically that this is what they do. But the last couple weeks, I see the little baby and then kid he was. So stinking cute.
Tomorrow is opening day for our chalet at the Western Market in Muskegon, MI. We forgot a box here last night, so those will have to go out in the morning. It’s not a big deal, at least. Plus, we are going to move a couple of things around at least. Tomorrow I will take lots of pictures, hopefully.
But tonight, between regular work and getting up there set up,I am so tired. I am going to bed. Night night. Sweet dreams! Kitt ☺️
We were hoping to get the chalet finished today for opening on Saturday. Though most of the product is in there, there are a few things that need to be done. Tomorrow after work, I will be pu king up Ant, our son, doing some shopping for a couple of things to finish the chalet for Saturday.
I am so nervous. I am sure that’s why I am not sleeping well. But just a couple more days and opening will be done, and life will even out. Or that is what I am telling myself. Lol 😆
Here are some of our items. Decorations aren’t really a thing right now. But it will be soon, I hope. We did what we could with a week to set everything up.
We will be adding more to the second shelf with the (what I like to call) gruffle gnomes. Some of hubby’s wood working. Dragon eggs. Some with designs. Larger fabric gnomes. Some of the tails and a corner sheld with horns, pumpkins, and snowmen.
The bags won’t be on the tail bars when we open. But I forgot to take them down before the picture. Tonight, we also got a rolling counter that we will be filling as well. Tomorrow, I will hopefully have more pictures. I love picture time. 😃📷
On that note, good night all. I have work at 4:30am tomorrow. Hope everyone has the sweetest of dreams! Kitt ☺️
Today, we started setting up the chalet and moving in. Though it’s fun proving I M right to my husband and he us wrong, I would have been very happy to be wrong this time. He thought we could fit three 6 foot tables in the chalet, and we could only fit one and one 4 foot table. Plus, a couple of small shelves.
Oh well, it’s a start. We will make it work. Then we will slowly redo it and make it look better. Who knows, maybe by the time it closes in December, it will be perfect. Lol
Besides that, I worked on the money for royal stagg and niles ren faires. We did way better combined than I thought we did. Now I just need to update the inventory and make more fur ear and a few more smaller tails. What an odd statement. Aahhh, the life of a crafter. Lol, that is a tomorrow thing, along with starting the chalet product set up.
Have a great night all. Sweetest of dreams. My hubby has offered me a wonderful night. Yay!!! Night all! Kitt ☺️
We started out with a 90 square foot chalet shop. Today, we upgraded to 120 square feet. It is so much bigger.
We got it cleaned, and some products moved in. Sadly, there is no AC in this one. So we need to look for a small unit to help keep us cool during these up.comeing hot months.
Only massively bad thing, there is a hole in the wall where the last tenets had a portable AC units hose going through. Sadly, they didn’t cap the hole. I am really hoping they got it covered before it started storming today.
Besides that, it wasn’t a bad day. Got stuff done in the chalet. We got some things prepped her for the chalet. I got a lot of the money figures out for the last two fairs. The only thing left is getting the receipts so I can figure out those profits.
Good productive day all around. Hope everyone had a good day, too. Night and sweet dreams, everyone! Kitt ☺️
This week starts my crazy May. This weekend, I have Royal Stagg Renaissance faire in Marshall, MI. I only have a couple of things I hope to make, but if i dont it isn’t a big deal.
Next weekend, I have Niles Renaissance faire in Niles MI.whatever I sell in Royal Stagg, I have to try and replenish. Oh, and did I mention I am also working during this time.
Then, on the 25th, my Chalet shop opens for the season. This means that whatever I sell between the two faires, I will have to try and replenish. You know… no pressure….
Okay, lots and lots of pressure. But I am up to it. Besides, I would rather sell my items than hold them back and hope they sell later. I would rather just try and replenish what I can.
Sadly, because of hurting my knee, I was not able to make more toes. So what I have is it. But I do have a few so happy thoughts.
I did finish up the tails I wanted to make and figured out the fur wrist cuffs to match some of the tails. Now I need to make ears and, if time, some tail ketchains.
Luckily, this week I only work 1 day, which is tomorrow. Sadly, I have a follow-up appointment for my knee 2 hours before I am scheduled off work. I rarely, if ever, work Mondays, so of course I am scheduled this Monday and till 10 am when it is normally 9 am. Oh well, I will just be leaving early.
Wish me luck that my follow-up appointment goes well and I can get everything done I need to this week. Night and sweet dreams! Kitt ☺️
The morning started strong with me being busy. Then I had to do something I hate. It had to be done, but I really hate doing it. Because of that, I tend to take forever to do it. Which is stupid, and I know it. Once it is done, I can make my fabric gnomes. We’ll I finished the cutting aspect of it and taped up 3 of them. I only have 25 more to tape up now… lol
Besides that, good day all around. My hubby made something new…
Idea of size with his hand on top. Same for the width of it.
I think it looks great. He has some ideas for candle holders, too. I am glad he is finding something he likes to make.
Besides that, not much else is going on. I am going to bed soon. With that in mind, I say, good night and the sweetest of dreams!!! Kitt ☺️
They are just waiting to hear all the secreteThese 2 wanted to say HiThey are a bit hungryJust chillinThey wanted to show you their heartsJust maxin outHis heart was easiest to show. Plus they do all have butts. Lol
These little dudes are just too cute. All have butts. And all gave hearts somewhere. They truly make me smile, I hope they make you smile too! Kitt ☺️
Some days are just harder than others. Today was a down day for me. I didn’t sleep well. I woke up sad and overwhelmed. I have felt off all day. I truly believe it’s because of all the issues we are having in getting this insurance for the chalet. Thought it was all taken care of, then yesterday find out it was not. The company said they would call back the same day, but they did not. It is just so much. I think today it just all hit me really hard. 😕
This is true, and I know it. But sometimes, it’s hard all the same. But I keep trying to fight through. 😤
Besides all that, I got a few things done, so that was good. I did post some pictures of the finished clay tombstones under picture time 4-13-2024 if you want to check them out.
I am going to try and sleep away the down feeling. Tomorrow, I start on the welbutrin. I hope it starts to help sooner rather than later. But I will take what I can get. Kitt ☺️
You read that right. Yesterday, I took the day off for the most part. I talked with hubby and tried to help with his freak out about the little shop we are trying to get. Thought we worked some stuff out. Sadly, it wasn’t as much as I thought. But it’s okay. One of his issues was settled today because though I took yesterday off, today I got us insurance!!!! And at a much better rate than we were being quoted. Yay!!!
Tomorrow, I will call the woman and set up a time to see her so we can pay her and do the rest of the paperwork and get our keys. Then we can go into the little shop and start cleaning and mapping out how we want to set it up. Yay!!!!
In case you were not sure… lol
Besides that today…. son and I did a little shopping, and since then, my knee had been kind of sore. Tomorrow I have work so I will need to be careful. I am going to bring one of my crutches in case it becomes too much. I just think that’s a good idea.
Past that, my day has been good. Now I am getting ready for bed. Night all. Kitt ☺️
I get the 90 square foot chalet. I have everything except my insurance is not enough. I need to up my limits. I spent an hour and a half with one company. Got a quote. Then, 2 hours later, I was told that they actually couldn’t cover me. So I got to other quotes, 750 dollars and 950 dollars. I swear that’s just crazy. So now I have a call in with one other place and have to wait till Monday. I hate that.
We did go look at the unit we got today. That was exciting. We won’t have any issue filing it. Wish we could have gotten 120 square feet, but I am still happy. Especially now with how insurance is going.
Shockingly, that is not even the best news. Hubby has this friend in California, and they sent us a thousand dollars because they believed in our business that much. They are such a wonderful person. My hubby and I are luckily to have them in our life. We felt like this before the money.
That’s my day for the most part. I am about to go to bed. Night night and sweat dreams all!!!! Kitt ☺️
I wake up feeling like I gave so much to do. Which I do have a lot to do. But at a certain point in the day, my mind goes off line. But not in a quiet way…. No… That would be too nice for me. Instead, it starts randomly jumping from things I need to do that day to things that just need doing to things I gave done to things I have dismissed to needed to be done. It’s like a constant loop. It’s so annoying.
But I digress… lol
I have been getting more things done, though. Or it just feels that way, at least. There is a lot to make before May. But it is already almost done with March. That’s probably why my brain is being this way.
But for tonight, I say good night and hope for sweet dreams for me and you. Kitt ☺️
I learned an odd fact that I probably never needed to know. It was so shocking I made a post about it. Look up Sea Cucumber on my page. It’s just a little random shocking fact. 😲 😲
I got 7 of my babies clothed, I will be finishing them tomorrow, and I will take a few pictures.
I tried to print some pictures of my products at work. I never have printed anything in color. The one time I tried, the color printer wasn’t working. Now I need to go to the library and see how much to print the pictures twice. I hope it’s not a lot.
We have fajitas tonight. Chicken, peppers, onions lettice, sour cream, rice, and salsa. It was so yummy!!!!
I am, of course, falling asleep while writing this. Heck, I just had to erase a bunch of ‘u’ since that is where my finger was when my eyes closed. Which they did again. So on that note, good night, sweet dreams, and may your night be filled with smiles 😃. Kitt ☺️
Busy day today, but it was a good day. I got a lot done, and I’m very proud of myself! Got a toe made, painted some dragon scales, mode podged a dragon egg, and finally remembered to go through our crosses we sell. Plus, I took the hubby to ECG testing, and we made dinner.
Those too….
It is so much work but totally worth it in the end.
Now I am getting ready for bed. I woke up early, and now I am just tired. Tomorrow is a slightly more and less busy day so I think that is good too. Hope everyone else had a good day as well. Night and sweet dreams all! Kitt ☺️
I tried to make a toe today. Luckily, I noticed a rough ridge in my toe, so I had to file it down. There is no toe making for me today. I did get other things done, so that was good.
Hubby called the place that’s going to do the ultrasound of his neck, and somehow got an appointment for tomorrow. Yay!!!!
My hubby’s friend did the most amazingly shocking thing today for us. She bought a few things from us. A painting, Dragon Eggs, Thing Hand, and a couple of other things. He told her 40 all together. She paid almost 1000. I freaked out when I saw it. I had him message her and tell her. While he was doing that, I was trying to find out if she could cancel it or how I could return it. I just knew it was a mistake. He comes upstairs, hands me his phone, and tells me to read the screen. She didn’t make a mistake. She sent us that on purpose. She said she believes in us. She said she got an amazing raise, plus a bonus, plus taxes in, she wanted to help us realize our dream. I was in tears. How wonderful of a blessing is that!!
I am still stunned, to be honest. She has always been just the sweetest person. My hubby is truly lucky to have found her as a friend. But I have always thought that we are truly blessed to have her in our lives!
On that ubber happy note, I am going to bed now. Night all. May the dreams of happiness find you and bless up. Night all!!! Kitt ☺️
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I answered this the first time I saw it a while back. I have a new answer today, though…
My outlook in some areas of life has held me back. I tend to get excited about something, then burn out on it. Seeing the trend, though, has helped me do better with the side business.
I am looking for the signs of burnout. I am looking for things that I can and can not control. I think both are important to know and not only deal with but also accept.
Without the acceptance of my past, I am not going to get strong enough to make this business work. I need to keep my eyes, ears, and mind open. Kitt ☺️
Wow it is already March. This year is dragging at times and flying by at other times.
Hubby hasn’t quit smoking completely, but he did only smoke 4 cigarettes today. Which is a huge improvement then a normal day. I think for how long he has been smoking, to quit cold turkey is setting himself up to fail. So I am good with him only smoking the 4. Plus he said he didn’t want me buying any, so that will limit him too.
Got through all the dragon eggs finally. I am sorry, I didn’t get a picture of the one my son made with the fire emblem for genshin impact. I will tomorrow. We went through and separated out the eggs that have blemishes in them so I can touch them up. There would probably have been less to touch up if my mom would have packed them right. Oh well, touch ups will happen soon.
Otherwise, today was good. Got a lot done and had a yummy dinner, tacos for my son and nachos for the hubby and I.
It’s been a good day. I fixed a problem from work that was there a week ago when I left. Mind you, I left instructions on how to fix it, too. But they didn’t. It’s so weird to me how they can let something show there is money somewhere when there isn’t and sign off on it… okay, tangent starting will stop it now. Sorry, I’m back to my good day.
Got more of my inventory sorted and taken pictures of. This time, it was also my hubby’s paintings.
This one is Phenix RisingThis one is Collision of Light and DarkThis one is Comic Awaking
I love his work. He tells me, “At least with the pour painting and spin art, my shocking working in my favor.” At least he sees the positive. Lol 😆
I wanted to get 5 sales this month on our Etsy store, and today we got the 5th one. Yay!!!
Plus, just to make today even better, I got 500 followers today! I did a post, but I will say it again. Thanks, everyone!!!! You all rock.
See good day all around. Tomorrow will be busy, but I am hoping good too! Night, everyone! Kitt ☺️
When I was maybe 20 or 21, I worked at a restaurant I actually liked. Sadly, the entire management got replaced with new people and the place changed. I was not fat, but I was not a skinny minnie either. I had dislocated my knee during the change over, and instead of wearing my shorts to mid thigh, due to the brace, the one side was higher. The old management understood, and all was fine. The other side was where it belonged.
By the time the complete change over was done, I was only using the brace and no crutches. The new management said I had to pull down my shirt leg. Again, I can’t get it over the brace. I tell them that. And I still have a doctors note about needing the brace still. They tell me that I need to wear pants, I would have had to buy pants too big for me to even hope to fit over the long inmobling brace I was wearing. (This was in Florida during the summer.) I told them no and that my paperwork clearly states I am required to wear this, and the one side is still lower than other people’s shorts. (The others were very thin, and they wore sorts that barely covered their butts and nothing was ever said to them. I was a size 12 they were a size 0 and 2)
We go round and round, and finally, they take me off the schedule for the 3 weeks that I am still required to wear the brace. I didn’t care. My husband at the time, now my ex, made great money driving trucks, and I worked because I was bored. By the time I came back to work, my shorts were the correct length, and I was in a smaller brace. Still, the other two girls were still on the shorty shorts. I said something to them about it, I was technically their supervisor, and they said, “No, we are allowed to wear these, management said any length is fine as long as we don’t show our butts.” I basically said okay because the handbook said this.
Since I was only working because I was bored and wanted extra money of my own, I didn’t mostly care. I understood our management staff were now old men and rude. So the next day, I came in in shorter shorts. Not as short as theirs, but maybe half an inch shorter than they should have been. Nothing was said. About a month later, I won a free weekend at a resort and asked for the time off. Mind you, I went from 38 hours to 10 in that month, and the other two girls were getting 40 or more. I said I needed the time off, and I had my shifts covered. The management said no, I couldn’t take the time off because there was no one to cover the time. I said sure, so and so are working Friday, and the other is working Saturday. I had Sunday off. They said no, that put them in over time. I said, “Well, here’s the thing, I am going. I have my shifts covered. The only 2 you scheduled me. Either you accept that they or working and it is covered, or you say no and you have no one. But I am going.” They said I would lose my job if I went. I said, okay. And walked out.
Mind you, during this, I was getting fewer hours, and I was told I was no longer the supervisor and that the management now ran my department. So basically, they were trying to get rid of me. The problem was, I didn’t care. Even at 20, 21, I didn’t put up with their BS. They were used to the little girls who cower and begged to work. I don’t do that.
I go on my little trip. They have to scramble to cover my shift because they didn’t believe I would really go. The other two girls, who I do not blame on the slightest for any of this, were told that they couldn’t cover my shifts. I told them what happened, and they didn’t answer their phones when called. I worked right off Dusney World Property. That restaurant was always popping.
When I came back, the next Monday, to pick my mom up from work, because yes she worked there too, but they loved her and was afraid she would quit, they asked to talk to me. I said sure. They said I could keep my job if I started following the dress code and stopped just taking days off and came in when they called. I literally laughed at them. I said, “You know what, I didn’t realize how toxic and sick you make me till I thought I was never working here again. Knowing I had to come here every day, I was scheduled to make me just short of physically ill, I hate working here so much.” Then I walked out and sat to wait for my mom. The look on their faces was great. When I brought my mom home, she told me they pulled her aside and begged her not to quit because I did. She told them that they should have treated me better and that they wouldn’t have screwed themselves. But that has nothing to do with her. I am an adult, and she isn’t my keeper. She quit about 3 months later when she went to a different place.
Why do I tell you that story, I realized the last couple of days, they is how much I do not want to work anymore. I want to quit so badly. I feel sick just knowing I have to work tomorrow. I completely don’t want to go. I know I have to, though. I am really hoping the whole side hustle can turn into a full-time job. I will know at the end if this season if it is even possible. Wish me luck! Kitt ☺️
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
So, I answered this question last year, so I figured I would answer it again this year. Last year, I said myself. Honestly, I am still a work in progress.
This year, I am choosing to take my business to the next level. I want it to be more th. Just a side hustle. Every day, I want to quit my job. I can’t, though. Some say, “Just go for it.”
I can’t just go for it. I have bills to pay. I wish I could be like this kitty instead…
I am mostly confident. But reality is, I have to pay the bills. I can’t risk losing everything quite yet.
Instead, I have a plan-ish… I will explain. Another time, since it is an ish plan, not a full one yet. Lol Kitt 😆
I am a great hugger. So my business would just be giving people hugs to feel better. Just hugs, nothing unsorted. Clean, sweet, comforting hugs. Kitt ☺️
A few people have said something about the toes I speak of. You see, i am a crafter. I love making things. A lot I’d it is very cutesy. But my hubby likes the more macob. What can I say, we are very opposite in just about everything.
Well, the toes I have talked about, he has a hard time doing the base of them. We do not use a mold for most things we make, we use our own bodies. It makes them look more real.
So for the toes I have to fold up for a bit if time while I make them. I don’t mind, gives me time to read. Lol but here is the result of 1.5 hours of my life making the base and up to 5 days of his life bring it to look like a dead toe…. enjoy…
Darn, I just realized I didn’t have any mistletoe toe on Mathis phone.
Okay, we sell them at fairs and craft shows but mostly etsy. If you want to see the fingers, hands and mistletoe toe, look on our etsy page just go to etsy.com and in a search bar type in Huntedcrafts all on word, and our shop will pop up. I am still adding more to it. So you can look whenever. Just saying. Lol
That’s me at work lately. I really like my team, but they tend to forget that I would like a heads up when nothing is working, too.
Besides that, it was a really good day. Hubby grilled hamburgers and steaks. We were able to go for another walk. Both those were awesome!!!
On a more personal note…
I realized today that though I do love my job, I shouldn’t care more than management about when there are problems. I shouldn’t let it get to me as much as I do. So I am going to try and let it go more at work.
I also realized that though I do live my job, it is not my end goal. I thought today’s writing prompt was taken straight from my mind in some ways.
I ultimately want my side hustle business to be my main money maker and my job to be a side hustle. As in, work one maybe two days a week. I figure by the end of next season, at the end of September, I should know if it is a viable thing. I won’t be able to actually start it next year, I think, but I should be able to tell if it is viable. I figure probably 3 years, and I can either only work one to two days or quit and not worry. I have a plan… okay, that’s not actually right, I have an idea of a plan. I am hoping to figure out more of it in the next couple days and then break it down into achievable goals. I am very excited about it, too. Yay 🤗
That was my (mostly) happiest for the day. Hope you had some too! Kitt ☺️
At work this week they have had Front End appreciation. I only worked 2 days of this. Today’s thing was a pot luck. I knew about it last Sunday. Me and one other person brought something by 11am when I left. I was told more people were bringing things but who knows. When I asked others why they didn’t bring anything, the answer was, I didn’t know about it. I completely believe them though, because the list of activities for the week did not include the pot luck. So that was sad. It would have been way nicer if more people knew.
Either way I still had a good day. My job went easy peasy and that’s always great. Plus i put on an ear and tail set I make and handed out candy to all the associates. The smiles on their faces when they see me when I do that is always great.
Besides that, the day in general was good. I sold a big toe keychain at work and got orders for 4 more pairs of Christmas earrings. So yay to that!!!
At home we got our storm windows put in. They help with keeping some of the cold out during winter. So that was awesome too.
So all in all a really good day with smiles to be had. Hope everyone had a smile today as well. Kitt 😊🩷
I have another Renaissance Faire coming up. I have been very excited and nervous about it since I signed up. I know it has the potential to make me a good bit of money. But here is the issue … I have a lot of other things on my mind now too. It has made it hard for me to focus on making things for this faire.
When this happens to you, do you have a way to snap out of the mind rabbit hole and get stuff done? Or do you just let it run its course?
I get everything I need to get done, done. It’s only anything extra that is getting hard to add to my already turbulent kind. It’s the extra that is the problem. But the extra is what gives me the opportunity to make more money, which I need for bills and holidays coming up.
I’m sorry for the ramble, but honestly, any ideas will help right now. I am still excited and nervous for the next renaissance faire, but my mind is like… Nope I got nothing for anything extra right now. So any help would be great.
Hey everyone, I forgot to tell you about this one afterwards. But I remembered, yay me and yay you. Lol
Here we go…. Niles was fine. At first I thought we were going to have a great spot, ended up not so great once Swords of Valor set up. They completely blocked our tent from sight. Which, don’t get me wrong, I love Swords of Valor. They are a great bunch of people who do a great show. I just don’t think a vendor should have been put behind their set up. Honestly, if you can go and see their performance, it’s amazing.
The people who came out were an interesting mix. From everyday wear to elaborate costumes to even a couple Doctor Who. Great verity.
Sorry no pictures of the Doctors though. Sad I know but I do my best!
The visitors who came out were nice and chatty and some were down right fun. Like the above picture. She put that together in a month I think she said. Wow!
Besides for bad placement it was a fun time. We are looking forward to next year to see what it will bring.
Do you like renaissance faires? If so let me know. I am always on the look out for new ones. Kitt 🧚♂️🐉🔮
That’s what I am doing this weekend. Crafting brings me lots of joy, but to be able to set up at these faires is so much fun. I will post an update about the faire when we are done and I will even have pictures. Yay love picture time!!!!
If you want to check it out for yourself, please do. Just follow the link… http://royalstagg.com/
It’s in Marshall, Michigan this weekend. Last minute I know but if you can, check it out!!! We will be in booth 34. We being my family and I. Have a great day all! Kitt ♥️☺️