What's Happening Wednesday

Today I was supposed to be am completing an inventory list and storing products, as yesterday I was supposed to have picked up my check and items that didn't sell at the Christmas at the Cabin. But I didn't make it because we got hit with a snow storm! It snowed all day yesterday and much of today! Everything is closed and it doesn't look as though anything will be melting anytime soon. You may think that a little snow shouldn't keep anyone inside, but you probably don't live in the boonies! LOL! The cabin sits back in a field, up an old country lane, off a windy, barely one lane, country road. Needless to say, I was warned not to attempt the drive.

The cabin is a very interesting venue, an unique consignment shop that opens during the Fall Festival of the Leaves (mid October, Bainbridge, Ohio) and continues until almost Christmas.

The really cool thing about its' story is that it was built by a man who turned 100 yrs. old while he was building the cabin. Since he had never learned to read or write, he used a notched stick to measure, and built the cabin just like they did in covered wagon days, as his Daddy had taught him. The current owner was a small child when the cabin was built (her Father had it built) and she actually lived there for some time when she grew up and got married.

For about thirty-five years now, the owner has been accepting various crafts from Artisans all across the country, opening the cabin for this prolonged craft show each holiday season. When I was first accepted (it is a one-woman jury, if the owner likes your products, you're in) tiki torches even lit the lane for Christmas eve shopping. Although they now close the week before Christmas, there is still plenty of time for people to make their annual shopping pilgrimage. And come they do, from all over the state, and many even come from neighboring states.

The thing that I like best about being a vendor there is that I simply drop off my products and then come the beginning of January, I return and pick up what's left, along with a check. It certainly beats the packing the car, hauling in totes, working all day, re-packing and hauling totes, driving home, and unpacking the totes routine of a regular craft show!

So here I am, looking out the window at the snow instead of unpacking and checking my inventory. Of course, delaying the inevitable does only that...delays it. In a day or two I will still have to unpack and check inventory. Then I will pack the distinctly Christmas items away for next season, and add to that box as the summer progresses. I generally make holiday things all year long. In fact, I always make my melting snowmen, in a production style manner, during July or August. It's about that time that I begin despising the hot, humid summer temperatures,and long for the cool of Fall and Winter. So What's Happening this Wednesday is not much of anything, except daydreaming about warm waters, sunshine and palm trees! Of course they say that the grass is always greener...., but that's my point, I wanna see GREEN grass! LOL!

Tripod Thursdays

I love to take photos, and take thousands, so I would love to share some with you...don't worry it wont be more than a few hundred, lol. Now that I think of it, I guess that I should have saved the pictures from yesterday for today, oh well, as I said, I have plenty! I thought it might be interesting to offer to include some of your photos at times, so feel free to let me know if you one or two that you would like to contribute (all copyrights remain the sole property of the contributor and by their submission, they represent that the work is their intellectual property).

I live in Ohio, referred to as the Buckeye state. We have four seasons and weather that changes frequently. Everyone says [that] "if you don't like the weather here, stick around it will change!" And change it does. To help you understand, we had snow on the ground for Christmas, and temperatures down in the single digits. By new years eve we had no snow and temperatures in the 50's! Of course, now it is back down in the 20's. It has snowed a tad, but did not stick, so it is just dreary and cold! The only time I like winter is for Christmas, then I hate the cold and the grey of it all. I can't wait until spring when it will be muddy but colorful again!

The pictures today are all Ohio scenery. I love nature and nature's palate is my favorite photo opportunity, which drives my Mother crazy. She is all for pictures with someone you know in them, so she says "wait, wait, til I get over there" and I am quickly shooting or saying, "move, I want to get that great flower or tree-line, or whatever", lol! As a matter of fact, several people have suggested that I sell some of my (scenery) photographs. That may turn out to be part of my new listing goals, I haven't quite decided. At any rate, I do have about two thousand pictures of my Grandson already, so I take my fair share of people shots too, I just truly love nature shots, they move me!

What You Up To Wednesday

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas all Across the Globe!

I am pausing from the LONG list of Essential oils to discuss Christmas! Lol, It may be a sunny 70 degrees where you are at today, as it is here in Ohio since we are enjoying one of the last days of Indian Summer, but it is nearly the end of the Christmas shopping season for overseas buyers. Yes, you may not be aware, but most foreign buyers will need to purchase their holiday gifts within the next eight to ten days to be assured that they will arrive in time, and that they will have the time to wrap and relax before the big day. The internet has made global marketing an easy reality, yet few us us really take the time to figure out what that really means! For instance, what did you do over Labor Day weekend? Labor Day is celebrated nationally on a Monday every year. I bet that you were at a social gathering of some type on that Monday, or cuddled up on the sofa watching television. No matter how you celebrated it, I would wager that your handmade business was far from your mind that day. That in itself is no problem, but did your overseas customers even KNOW that it was a holiday for you? For that matter, do YOU know what their holidays are? To avoid confusion and hard feelings about shipping dates or a lack of response from emails, you really should post any holiday interruptions in your shop announcements. Never assume that everyone knows that the USA celebrates July 4th as a holiday. While Christmas is an International holiday, you still have to remember that it takes time to ship to other countries. To further complicate issues, customs may hold packages for inspection which will delaying your shipment. Soooooooooooo, as I previously stated, it is almost time for the International shipping of Christmas items to be over! You were probably just getting ready for Thanksgiving, and in your shop you have probably just begun to add Christmas items, but really the season is almost over!\ If you were not aware of this, hurry and post your Christmas and gift set items now. Don't forget either that half the world has Christmas in the summer, while we are burried deep in the snow. Also, you may want to mention International shipping dates in your shop announcements. At the very least, be aware of the times frames needed. Most foreign buyers are more aware of shipping dealines than we are, so they likely already have their personal deadlines in mind. This does not, however, excuse our own ignorance. We need to know that most items shipped to Canada take 10 days, but when held by customs can be a month, if not more.