Getting things done........

Firstly, I am finally getting some household help from my husband. We've had many discussions but finally came to an agreement that he will do the laundry and the vacuuming most of the time and I will do the rest...with options to renegotiate in the future. I felt I just can't do it all anymore. I'm having some health issues that are hindering my usual energy levels and it makes it more difficult and certainly more frustrating to deal with a lot of days when the fatigue is just overwhelming. I am grateful for the help. We could talk about how I do things vs. how he does things, but at this point in my life, I have to back off a bit from my Type A personality.... I'm just so happy he will begin helping out.
I have the venue locked in for the Christmas Tea and Gift Sale and just need to make the deposit in the next week.
I now have a mutual agreement with my hairstylist to do her wedding photography with times, price arranged. We will sit down together with her fiance some time in the spring to pick some of the shots she might like to get.
I'm starting to edit clothes closets and when my husband goes away for a week I intend to tackle many other obscure areas of the house. I hate, hate when stuff starts to pile up. With limited space, it drives me crazy to see space taken up by stuff we haven't used in at least two years or longer.....it will be gone. I am definitely NOT a pack rat.
I've made a new set up to take Etsy photos so will try it out tomorrow and then get my new plates posted on 'Maggiemags'. Unfortunately, one I made has had some sort of chemical reaction and have to destroy it and start again....weird things happen some time.
I want to mention two particular Etsy shops that went above and beyond helping me the other night until the wee hours of the morning. I wanted to started posting ads on certain blogs but one of the unfortunate results of my hard drive issue is I lost my Microsoft Digital Image software. When I went to resize my banner for ad space I quickly realized I couldn't...I asked in the Etsy forums if anyone could help me and these two individuals not only made suggestions agreed to try and do it for me and send it to me. I've ended up using one shops idea and am so grateful. Both of these deserving shops are worth taking a look at...wonderful work! PLEASE, PLEASE GO VISIT
www.vintagebuttonsplus.etsy.com AND www.soov.etsy.com........very special people! I picked a great piece of work from vintagebuttonsplus.....thank you, thank you and bless you!

A productive day..........

It seems every day lately I'm struggling for some energy and motivation. I just keep working my way through the day(s) and feel good when I get things on my 'To Do' list checked off. This has been one of those days.
My husband and I went to family breakfast this morning and then back home as he had a conference call to take part in.
I got busy making a lot of phone calls. My cousins and I are doing our 3rd Annual Christmas Tea and Gift Sale again this year so had calls to make for venues and prices etc to decide what and when this should and could take place. By mid afternoon, I had that part sorted out and just have to get a deposit to them Do you believe that in January, most venues were already reserved for all of November and a lot full for December as well! Amazing!
I booked to use my photography gift certificate my husband gave me for our wedding anniversary. It's one full hour one on one with a professional photographer and I'm so looking forward to that day! I am a much better 'hands-on" learner so this is great for me. I have a lot of very specific questions I want answered and have been assured they can answer most or all of my queries.
I then went online and booked to take a digital photography course at our local college at night for 7 weeks. They will go into a lot of detail, but again, I look forward to more learning. All of this can't help but improve my photography and I hope my sales at some point. At the very least, I come away more informed.
Next, I sat down to find a graphic designer on Etsy to help me design a business card for my event planning business. I'm going to use "FlashwithClass" who designed my banners and avatars for both my etsy shops....wonderful designer! For the past couple of hours I've been thinking and coming up with possible slogans for the event planning side and can now proceed with the content I want on my business card and then will send it to the designer to do their magic.
Tonight, I hope to photograph the two plates I have ready to post on my 'Maggiemags' shop and then get them posted. I have two other plates in the works which I hope to get on my shop site by the weekend.
SO, all in all a rather productive day! Yeah for me!

A test of patience.......

Since I now have my computer back I've been trying to sort out what was saved and what I've lost....no easy task!
I've lost pictures, emails, email addresses, software, and that's only what I've discovered so far! It is definitely a 'sick' feeling to realize some important stuff is gone forever. I'm now in the process of trying to rebuild my files, etc. and to figure out the best way to ensure this does not happen ever again. Of course, that means more time and money but I'm left with no choice.
It's so frustrating to be backtracking when I need to be doing things that move me forward. It's amazing how comfortable one gets with the way things were and then in an instant everything changes. I keep telling myself that it will all be OK and if I hold on to my belief that things happen for a reason I need to let it go and move on.
A lot is left to do but I'll get there........I hope!

Yeah!......I have my computer back!

Finally, after almost a week, I got my computer back today!
I now have the daunting task of figuring out what's there and what I've lost. I know where I'll be spending a lot of time over the next few days.
My husband is going for a colonoscopy tomorrow to see if he's still clear of cancer. He has already had two colon surgeries for previous colon cancer, so we take no chances....so that's where most of my day will be spent tomorrow. We've been on such a roller coaster ride health wise and emotionally with him for the past three and a half years, we both hope and pray that 2009 will be different....keep fingers and toes crossed!
I'm making some new plates for my Maggiemags shop and hope to list them some time next week....watch for them!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, got the really lousy news today that my hard drive is not only shot, but the technician can't even retrieve a single bit of data........I'm SO upset!
I've had to use my husband's computer and go in and temporarily shut my Maggies Studio shop down. Why? Because, I've lost everything I had...my photos, my word documents, etc, etc. I did have some of my stuff on a jump drive but like an idiot hadn't done a back up for about one and half months....so up to that point, we should be able to salvage some stuff. I had so many programs and all I'll get after the new hard drive is installed is Microsoft Office and my AVG free anti-virus. I now have to pray I can locate all the other software discs and will have to re-install but won't have my previous info. I can't tell you how upset I am at the moment!!
It goes back to what I've always said which is computers are a necessary evil. I guess I know what I'll be doing for the next few days.
After this ugly episode, I've asked my nephew to find me a software that I can purchase to automatically do back ups and will also look into purchasing an external hard drive as well.
I could rant on and on, but it's not going to change a thing....Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

NOT A HAPPY CAMPER !!!..........

This will be short as I'm using my husband's computer...yesterday my hard drive went AGAIN! I just replaced it four months ago. I will have to try getting my money back from the manufacturer as the service person who sold me the defective one has disappeared and that leaves me one option to see if the manufacturer will honour the warranty....I am not happy on many levels. I'm really unhappy with myself as I hadn't done any backup in weeks and now I have to pray all the new photos, etc I've put on can be retrieved....oh, please, please! I'll only have my own stupidity to blame if they are lost.... I won't have my own computer again until at least Tuesday or Wednesday....:(.

Maggie's Studio.......

Well, went to family breakfast this morning and then did a couple of errands and home.
My husband was having a meeting here at our house for the executive of the Kawartha Woodturner's Club he has been a member of since a short time after we moved here.
Their meetings run about four or five hours. We made up platters of cheese, crackers, polish sausage and grapes for 10 people and then did a 'dessert' platter of homemade fruitcake, squares of different kinds, and cookies.
While they were having the meeting I got a chance to add a number of photos to my 'Maggie's Studio' Etsy shop. I finally feel like I'm beginning to dig myself out so to speak.
I got caught up on a number of phone calls I needed to make, did some informational research on google........gotta love google!
I've decided I need some inspiration so if anyone has something 'inspirational' to add to my comments.......please, feel free!
I got a phone call today that made me both excited and really, really touched. My hairstylist (who I adore) has asked me to do the photography for her wedding this summer...how exciting and yet a really big responsibility. I asked if I could think about it and get back to her in the next week or two and she said that was fine. She said she'd really like me to do it. Wow!Definitely the highlight of the day for me.

Bitter cold........go away winter!!!!

It is SO cold and getting colder over the next few days..Brrrrrrr!We also had kind of a sleet type snow today and I walked to the post office and it was NOT pleasant.
My girlfriend and her husband are going back to San Miguel, Mexico the end of this month. I must admit I'm just a tiny bit envious! We actually took the same trip with them in 2005 and aside from being an absolutely wonderful time, we spent 31 days in warmth and in February 'warmth' is good!
I'm wishing I felt better as I have so many things I'd like to get done. I start with great intent, but the feeling leaves quickly. I usually spend most of January doing basic clean up and editing but may not get it done this year....we'll see.
I will continue to post 3 -6 photos on my Maggies Studio Etsy store each day but I really need to get making some new plates. I also want to start working on canvas. I have some ideas and really want to try it out.
One thing about not feeling 100%, it's amazing how laid back you become. It's either that or drive yourself crazy .... I'm beginning to support Erma Bombeck's words when she said dust isn't the end of the world.

Creative Ladies Blog............

I'm so touched by a blog I've recently come across. They are collecting from all over miscellaneous items to put baskets together for families and children who are terminally ill and also for a hospice. If everyone that reads my blog and wants to help, I'd suggest you read their blog and then help where and when you can.
The blog site is: www.creativeladies.blogspot.com
What selfless people to do this wonderful act of kindness. I know there are probably many more sites doing similar things, but for me, I'm so touched by this effort. I will definitely try to help in some way.
Gosh, the world hardly ever hears of the good people out there, and there are many!
This is one example of how far reaching a blog can be used to help...blessings to the Creative Ladies!

Housecleaning..............yuk!

I am and have always been a fanatic about my house and making sure it's clean and tidy! Having said that, I must say that since I've been sick with this cold since just after Christmas, my poor house has taken a back seat to being a bit of a slug and just wanting to lay down and/or sleep. I have absolutely no energy.
I love how my house looks and smells after I've done the cleaning, but it never stays that way for very long.
It used to be that ironing was on the top of my list of things I hated most to do...NOT anymore! I guess since I'm almost 62 years old, lugging around a canister vacuum is now my most hated chore! It is so exhausting! I wish I had central vac but even then people say moving the hose to the various outlets is tiring as well. It's just the whole process I hate anymore and for the first time in my life, I actually procrastinate when it comes time to do this particular chore.
It's such an unappreciated part of life....housecleaning. People never notice when it's clean, only when it's disorganized and messy...why is that?
I know one thing for sure! If and when I ever win a lottery, one of the first things I'd do is hire a cleaning service....that is ultimate luxury to me!
I MUST get at it this week though! We have company coming and my husband's woodturning group are here for a meeting this week. Oh, well!

Google Adsense........such frustration!!!!!!!!

My ads for Google Adsense are driving me crazy...they won't change. I get all this great email from Inside Adsense and it's no help to me as it gets SO technical. I don't know why one can't talk to a REAL person and walk through some of this stuff. I'm so frustrated as this seems to keep happening to me and I don't understand why. My daughter helped me fix it the last time, but even she admitted she didn't have a clue what she did to fix it. I'm not sure why I have it on my blog, as it certainly hasn't earned me anything to this point other than aggravation. They do not design this stuff for the basic person to understand and they SURE ARENT helpful! Have you ever tried to use the 'Help' options...if you weren't nuts before you started, you certainly are on your way afterward!!!!
Can you tell I'm just a tad upset...
Oh well, move on, suck it up and try again later when I'm not so ticked at technology.

Some new sites................

I learned from a friend today of a free site where one can register their business(s) in Canada. It's called HotFrog. Very unusual name, but I registered my Maggies Studio Photography business so we'll see what happens.
Once I have a name picked out and have a marketing plan put together for the event planning business I want to start, I'll add it to the network site as well.
I must admit that I get a little paranoid sometimes about who has access to what, but all these networking, business directory sites could potentially help me out. So on that basis, I guess I stick my neck out so to speak.
I have now registered with iStock photo and just need the time to pick the photos I'd like to post.
At the moment, I'm feeling pretty lousy so will do it when I feel better.
It seems half the people I've talked to in the new year are plagued with this same brutal sore throat and cold.....yuk!!

A new thing to learn...........

As I stated earlier, I was given a brand new HP all-in-one printer, scanner, etc. I wimped out and drove to town and picked up my nephew to uninstall stuff I had on my computer and to install this new one. I am ABSOLUTELY hopeless with this technology and especially if I have to read a ridiculous manual. I am a hands-on learner. Anyway, half the manuals are written in very poor English and make me crazy!
It's now installed and he did it lickety split. Me, it would have taken at least a day or maybe even two. Now, I have to learn to run this new piece of technology. My husband is away all day tomorrow so I'll tackle that part then.
The great thing is I can print all three sizes of photos that I offer on my 'Maggies Studio' Etsy site...yeah! Now will look for good archival photo paper for anything I sell.
My nephew is amazing at this stuff! My rationale? I'll use him to help until he gets sick of me...(chuckle)!
If my daughter's read this, they will probably shake their heads. I really am trying to get more 'with it' when it comes to this stuff but I always feel like I'm about 5 years behind. Just when I think I'm catching up the 'game' changes...not fair!

Do you believe it?

Since Christmas, I've spent a lot of time 'bargain' shopping for really elegant ornamental pieces to decorate my charity tree for November 2009. The things I purchased are awesome and will look so great. My problem was finding a black tree skirt. Finally, I was a our local fabric store today to see what they had on sale and came across the most beautiful black velvet quilted fabric. I've decided I'm going to make it myself. I'm going to trim the whole edge with maribu. It will be stunning. I found absolutely gorgeous black silk poinsettas that I'll use for the tree topper and have wired in black feather as well. I've decided to prewire all the ornaments and make the tree skirt before I store it all until November.
I got some really great deals on Christmas fabric to use to decoupage my glass plates for Christmas items as well. I only need 1/3 of a metre folded and cut in half for a large plate. Each piece of fabric I bought today will make two plates. Each selection only cost me $1.06 each...great deal!
I had such a fun day with two of my cousins. We went to the fabric stores, went and had a 'snack' at Tim Horton's coffee shop.
As I was leaving these guys, they gave me a gift of a new photo printer. Am I blessed or what? I will find a way to do something special for them, for sure. I think the one cousin, who does beautiful sewing and machine embroidery work, I'll get a fabric store membership card. As much as she sews, I found out she doesn't have a membership. It's only $15.00 per year for a Fabricland membership and that gives you exclusive invites to member sales and anything in the store at regular price, you always get %25 off...more than pays for itself!!!
Haven't had a fun day like that in a while...very enjoyable. These guys are a lot of fun to hang out with and we ALWAYS get some giggles in to our time together.

NEW YEARS DAY!

I will spend the day basically being somewhat of a slug. My goal will be to get both Christmas trees and ornaments and decorations all put away... but it's a goal and I'm SO flexible as to whether it gets done or not!
I've been fighting a sore throat and cold for three days now and depending on how I feel will dictate how motivated I get.
Anyway, I always have thought that New Years Day itself should be a wind down from all the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas...don't you think?
My husband will probably spend most of the day watching football games, etc.
At some point I'll try to add some new photography to my 'Maggies Studio' shop on Etsy.
The 'buzz' in the forums on Etsy is to check out some new sites to sell one's art so maybe I'll spend a bit of time just browsing on the computer..
Can you tell where this is actually going? The truth of the matter is I'll take the day in stride and whatever gets done, so be it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!