Thursday, January 27, 2011

Yeah, I know....

Well, I decided to go back to the GMA blog. SInce most of you are already familiar with that you know it's been around for awhile and honestly, I kinda missed it. Besides, it's hard to do like six blogs at the same time.

SO,anyway, it's been reopened. Here's the link if you don't already have it goatmountainarts.blogspot.com

I guess part of this whole discovery process is finding there are things you are quite fine with, actually.

This blog won't be updated any more after today (although I do love my banner).

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

AmI having fun yet?

You know, the base reality of this whole, make stuff and sell it, seems to not be all about making stuff. I have sent the last three days joining a team (go Norfolk and Chance!) learning with tumblr is and resigning myself to the fact that nothing is properly spelled out anymore.

And now here I am, in my car (not driving) typing all of this onto my iPad from my Apple keyboard (so freaking awesome) on an app that will send it out to my what, three, four blogs? Never mind the apps I’ve browsed, bought, tried and been driven into a homicidal rage by.

The spreadsheet I had to learn to use and the passwords i've made and then promptly forgotten. Never mind the deep resentment I've built up over the machinations of GMail. Oh, not to mention its not very techy to have an aol.com address. I think aol.com addresses are viewed much in the way COmic Sans and Papyrus is. I don’t care.

I know all this is important just as I know I need a friggin lap desk if I’m gonna be typing in my damn car. I also know that I better get some major camping in this Spring and Falls. Sans iPad. Ok, maybe jus like an iTouch with Scrabble on it.

There are a lot of things in life I've already learned that I didn't want to. Things that frustrated the hell out of me. I'm assuming there is some kind of positive in these sorts of lessons though. Not the life lessons, those just flat out sucked, the tech stuff.

Thing is if I don't start making things all of this be will for naught. And naught is no good. Naught has had enough, thankyouverymuch. So I get it, really, but damn it all, give me a donkey and a cart and I'm good. Not a virtual cart either.

Barring that, I guess i have to suck it up and make out with HAL or whatever a girl has to do in this market these days. If you'll excuse me I am going to go read a book, but you know, not like an actual PAPER one.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Where it's at.

So, Kinley started anti seizure meds Saturday. This required a trip to Costco on a Saturday morning on a holiday weekend. Yes, there is nothing I won’t do for my dogs.

I was going to pick it up at CVS but hey, they wanted $240 and Costco? $37. Yep.

It’s a newer med and it’s specifically for partial (focal) seizures. Reading the possible side effects was scary but i did tell Kinley that if he developed suicidal thoughts he should let me know. It can also give you a life threatening rash and make you stop sweating.

Kinley officially has Idiopathic Epilepsy. That basically means “We have never seen this type before, WTF?” It is more fortunately named, I think, then my Essential Tremor. Although I d appreciate just how NON essential it is.

The meds take a week to work and lets hope they do. I have actually set alarms twice a day since it has to be at the same time twice a day. I got stuff beeping all over the damn house come 8:00.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Aren't they awesome?

Lida to the left, Kinley in the middle and Baxter on your right.

This was a couple years ago, Kinley is about 15 pounds heavier and taller now. Lida is a Leonberger (in case you wondered). Baxter is a Akita/GSD/Something mix and Kinley is a GSD/Rottie/Something else.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Well that was fun...

Lots to talk about. We had a big scare with our young dog, or rather youngest dog, Kinley. Long story short it ended up with an MRI and Cervical Tap and we still don't really know what is what. the good news being that it's not a tumor.Or meningitis (who knew dogs got that?) and it might not be epilepsy but thats still in the running. Because of course,being my dog me ands he presents atypically. Kinley wouldn't make us look bad by being the first member of the household to have some sort of straightforward dysfunction.

So the BIG SCARY stuff is over and now we work with the neurologist to puzzle the whole thing out. I can't say enough good things about South Paws or Animal Scan where he had his MRI. Of course Dr. Schrader at Suburban remains one of my favorite people ever. What really impressed me was how well all three offices worked together and how down to earth everyone is. If your animals brain ever gets broken I recommend Dr, Knokel without any hesitation. Plus he's only the third man I’ve met that can wear cowboy boots without looking like he's trying too hard.

So back to work for me, this whole getting organized and 'real' after four years of not being sucks. Its expensive to get organized and seems to involve more math then id originally thought. I have a price gun and a retail tagger even, it's all very business like. Of course it's the picture taking that remains the budgets pain in my ass. But the spreadsheets and SKUs and stuff while not enjoyable in process aren't overwhelming.

Blue Dot Shops will be rolling out a new and improved site Febuary 1st thanks to the incomparable Kaelin. It's not often you get to work with someone who is driven, reasonable and talented. I expect she'll snap eventually... more then likely as a result of my deep seated WordPress format phobia.

I will sell soap until it's gone but at this point don't plan on restocking anytime soon, maybe a few special batches down the line. Now I'm concentrating on my Grumpies which can be found at Artspring in Silver Spring, MD and online, you know, when i MAKE them. *sigh*

I also started a Stalwart Satchel line and I LOVE them. I'll try and get some pics loaded up here to give a general idea, but they are very cool. I think they will sell well at the Ballston show. That takes up again April which leads me back to the making stuff *sigh*.

It's not the making that makes me *sigh* it's the stuff that doesn't get done while I'm making that does. I'd love to be able to hire a cleaning lady or a dog walker, Id get so much more stuff made. But then I'd be broke again, it's all a big what not, you know?

Anyhow, this is a bit of what has been going on here. Now that (hopefully) the worst is over I can get back to blogging as well. Let's not even go into how long its been since I hit the gym. That's on my list. It's a really long list. Some of which I'm doing now in my car while waiting for the boy, give me an iPad and a wireless keyboard and I'm if not unstoppable, at least catching up.

Hope this New Year finds all of you better then the last one. I know for us that's a pretty low bar. God willing there will be work this year and lots of it. I know for me, being off Etsy has been incredibly beneficial. finically, not so much, but lets face it was anyone making sales the last four months of 2010?

But being away from that dysfunction has made it possible to look at other options. Etsy is kinda like pyramid scheme built on a tar pit and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Or ever.

As for me I'm off to eat dried green mangoes. They taste better then they sound.No really.

Monday, January 3, 2011

OMG! OMG! OMG!

"Hi everyone,

Remember when you filled out those surveys awhile back and one of the questions asked you to share with us your favorite artist from 2010? Well, we have a winner! It was a very close count, but ...  

CONGRATULATIONS GRUMPY HATERS!  

Your fellow artists and crafters voted you as their favorite Ballston Arts & Crafts vendor for 2010! As promised, you will receive a free day at the Market! Thanks to all who participate in the survey. Your answers and suggestions were very helpful are being implemented into the 2011 season wherever possible. "



This was in my email today. HOW AWESOME is that?! Its REALLY awesome. That's how awesome that is. Dude, that's like other people who make stuff saying your stuff is cool. It's a big deal.

Yay me!