oh brother!

here's the deal, folks.

1. i am technically challenged.
2. i am money illiterate.

so when it comes to my business i let my mother (thanks mom) take care of the accounting computer money programs and i stick with my strengths... art and customers.

this, i know, makes me very spoiled as a business owner and many people, namely telemarketers and sales persons (and maybe my sister), don't understand when i say i'm an owner but don't deal with any of the money matters so thank you very much, but i'm not interested.

all this to say that i had a very interesting visit this morning at work. a lady happened into the shop with a binder under her arm... my first indication that she was not here to paint any pottery. boo!

she began to explain she was here to meet with me to talk about credit card transactions and how i'm probably overcharged and how she can fix that. so i (very sweetly) said,

"i'm sorry i don't deal with these kinds of things and the lady who does isn't in the shop on a regular basis, so i really just don't think we're interested."

to this she sighed defeatedly and said, "well i have to call and let them know that i made my appointment so i get credit and they will probably want to ask you a few questions. is that okay?"

"well sure" (oh so very sweetly)

soon she handed me her cell phone and this woman (and when i type woman i mean it to be said with some irritated umph... wo-man) on the other line started all over with a sales pitch. so i proceded to tell her exactly what i told the other lady, who was now awkwardly glancing around the room. then she asked me that question that i get so often by sales persons who are frustrated that i'm so totally ignorant about what they are trying to sell me.

"you're the owner, right?"

as if that one tiny detail automatically means i should know exactly what i'm spending on credit card transactions and gives me no right to turn down her amazing offer! well, maybe it should indicate the first part, but i am here to proclaim on behalf of all ignorant small business owners out there... I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING OUT MY BUSINESS! goodness, i hope you still respect me. please don't tell my employees.

so i simply said, "yes but i don't deal with that aspect of the business"

so she quickly changed her tone from indignant to super sweet and said, "how about our representative gives you just a 10 minute presentation to explain things to you and then there's no obligations and you can shake hands and part ways. how does that sound?"

"i'm sorry, ma'am, but i'm really not interested"

(no more sweet) "but it's only 10 minutes!"

(getting irritated) "i'm really not interested"

(raising her voice) "how can you say you're not interested when you don't even know what deals we're offering you?! it's only 10 minutes!"

(raising my voice) "look... i don't appreciate you speaking to me like this and...(sigh)...

now pay attention because this is where it gets good. i looked at the lady standing awkwardly by my side, handed her the phone and said "could you hang up on her for me?"

poor thing was taken a little off guard. but this is what happens when you bombard a young innocent female with too many sales persons who don't respect her or her time! she get's mad that's what. and makes one sales person hang up on her co-worker, or worse yet, superior. good grief.

there you have it. may your never be forced to have someone else hang up on someone for you...

(it takes all the fun out of it)

happy christmas eve!

today i got to spend the first part of Christmas eve at work.

as i looked out at my half lit up little christmas tree and an empty shop i started to feel well... bored... and sad that i couldn't just go home.

so...

i wasted a little time on the computer, and...

... pouted, and...

wasted more time on the computer... till i thought i would fall asleep! but then...

my dear dear friend, tami, came with all sorts of treasures just waiting to be wrapped! so...

we had a little gift wrapping party in the back... well, i wrapped while tami painted... she got a little distracted.

thanks, tam, for making this Christmas eve just a little more special and a lot more fun!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

a sure sign...

...fall is gone and winter has arrived

(i think i waited too long to carve my pumpkin this year)

"what porcelain lamps?" you say...

they're works in progress...

and for some happy finished porcelain product...

here are some vases that have been sitting unfinished on the shelf for months! so happy to have them done. and they actually turned out pretty nice!

*

more pictures will come when the lamps are finished. i just got a little excited and had to share.

rain is my friend

"oh let the rain fall down and wash this world away. oh let the sky be gray. cause if it's ever gonna get any better it's got to get worse in a day."

as i was at my little shop today (mmm... still there, just not being productive) this 'bishop allen' song came on over the ipod air waves and made me smile. it was one of those moments of pure bliss.

a customer was happily painting at her table, while i was creating porcelain lamps (no easy task let me assure you) and bopping my head to the happy tune. and yes, the rain was literally falling.

i told kara (one thing i LOVE about my job is being on a first name basis with my customers and creating real relationships with them)

*side note*: the other week one of my customers stopped in to pick up some things and when she saw me gave me a big ol' hug just because we hadn't seen each other in a while. it kind of made my week.

(continuing on) that this was the perfect song for the day, and how it made me happy. she laughed and told me about how she grew up in seattle and "trust me" rain is not fun after you've gone more than a few months with no sunshine. point taken.

well... now the song is over, kara has gone to pick up her kiddos from school and head home, and i sit here with a table to clean and porcelain lamps to finish... but the rain is still here keeping me company.

anyone out there?

hellooooooooo!

it's been long time, folks, and i'm kind of curious to see if anyone will read this considering the time lapse since my last post. we shall see.

here is what i've been doing...

1. bought a house

2. worked tirelessly (amidst many food and dance (yes i said dance) breaks) on that house

3. moved into that house w/ my roomie and pal, miss jo

4. left for ukraine

5. 2 days later arrived in ukraine (thanks to a missed flight and detour to london...not a terrible thing)

6. 2 weeks later came home from ukraine

7. started a small group study on God's truth (big thanks to focus on the family and dr. del tackett

8. continued to work on my house

9. started a project at work where i make 32 ceramic pieces by nov 1st (this deadine has been moved back a week...and might get moved back further...boo)

10. tried desperately to catch up on this little goal i call read the bible in one year. something i am WAY behind on.

11. tried and failed to mow my lawn before it gets horrendously long...bother

12. finished 3 vases that i may or may not post a picture of later...how's that for commitment :)

13. tiled my kitchen backsplash...one wall at a time...from 11pm-1am...3 nights about a week apart from eachother...yeah i like to linger in my unfinished projects...i still have yet to grout

14. sewed halloween costumes for 1 neice and 2 nephews

15. planned out my own halloween costume (sarah i might give you a run for your money this year...nah probably not)

16. started reading a book this morning for a study tonight that's on chapter 6...

well there you have it...my life in 16 bullet points...is that sad? that last comment sounded sad.

you know i could have put more, but didn't for the sake of the you (whoever you are)...not because my life is only worth 16 bullet points...but because i thought it might be overwhelming to read my life in 2000 bullet points...smart, right?

yeah, smart...not sad at all.

two tales, one tail

and over a month later...goodness!  why does it get so stinkin hard for me to post on my blog...i just don't know.

anyway, i promised an ethiopia story and two ethiopia story i shall tell...i'm feeling very generous today.

story number 1.

third day in ethiopia, becca's (who i went to visit) landlady wanted to put henna in my hair...you know the stuff they draw with on your skin and it's like a rust color.  well, being the free spirit that i am, i said sure without a second thought.

exhibit a of why being a free spirit (aka. foolish...second thoughts can be very very wise) is not always a good idea: 

yeah i know, great pic, but what can you do.  look at the cute little coffee cup!  okay, so this totally does not do it justice, but let me point out one thing.  that lovely little purple scarf is very discretely covering the brightest of the bright, which in this picture would look more like the brighter of the not so bright, but oh well.  here let me try to give a more accurate depiction of what i actually looked like...

now we're talking...

okay, so when i got home i promptly scheduled a hair appointment to professionally color my hair...where i proceeded to throw up halfway through the dying process.  yeah, i'm pretty sure i had malaria...but i'm better now, just suffering from a little wounded pride is all, but now, my hair is on the mend, slowing working it's way back to my natural color (of course i found out that henna is about the most temperamental thing you can put in your hair...go too light and you'll be pink.  yey!)

story number 2.

one night becca and i were in a hotel (note, if your picturing something as nice as motel 8, take it down about 50 notches and you're there) and i suddenly heard scratching behind the headboard.  not a good sign.  the whole scene played out something like this...

me: becca!  there's something scratching!  what do i do! (consumed with mind numbing fear)

becca: go to sleep i'm sure it's fine (completely not caring)

later...

becca: now it's on my side! (surprised but not at all afraid)  oh well, just go to sleep.

me: are you sure? (still consumed with mind numbing fear)

becca: yes

later...

becca (quickly sitting up): it's in my hair!!!! (very surprised but not at all afraid)

me (seeing something dark fall out of her hair and scamper across the floor):  what was that!?! (paralyzed with mind numbing fear)

becca: i don't know...it's fine just go to sleep (flops back down and falls asleep)

me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (shaking and hyperventilating as i proceed to wrap my hoodie as tightly around my head as possible and cover the rest of my face with my hand so nothing, absolutely NOTHING can touch my head!)  

needless to say i didn't sleep that night, but here's a picture of the room with me blissfully unaware of what's too come...

by the way, we later decided that the perpetrator was probably a little mouse...let's hope