Note to Self:

Maybe if I write it down this time it'll sink in!  I'm sure I did this last year, too.  Trying to squeeze just one more order into the last Christmas firing.  Can you spell "Stress"?  'Cause I don't have enough I need to give myself a big, fat dose of more.  Really?  When will I learn?  What was Nancy Reagan's motto?  "Just say NO!".  But they really, really want this birdhouse: "It'll be perfect for Dad!".  And an owl bank inscribed for a granddaughter...   "NO!"  Well, I'm sure I won't be that harsh.  Middle-child diplomacy won't let me.

So, I'm getting it out there now:

Dear Universe,
I hereby declare the cutoff date for custom pottery orders for Christmas of 2013 IS December 1, 2013.  This is not to be changed, challenged or forgotten (hopefully) or pain of intense pre-holiday headaches, hair-pulling and hand-wringing will ensue with no sympathy of any kind to be given to the offender.

If I had a stone and chisel I'd etch it in.

I feel better now getting it out there so I can be held accountable when I'm wondering why big clumps of my suddenly grayer hair are missing next Christmas.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday enjoying family and friends.  I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

Coming off the High

What makes you "high"?

Hopefully, not drugs of any kind (insert disapproving Mom-Stink-Eye here)!  I mean a natural high.  Something that makes you feel stupid-happy.

I'm still riding an unexpected high from the craft show we did yesterday. 

Not from packing up the car the night before and feeling I'm forgetting something. 
Not from waking up late and missing breakfast. 
Not from rushing to set up before the show starts with no caffeinated beverage to fuel me. 
Not from realizing what I forgot was one of my main display shelves and having Craig run it out to me (he's the BEST!). 
Not from realizing some of my banks didn't have stoppers in them (lucky for me Craig hadn't left the house with the shelves yet). 
And definitely not from sitting for the first 2 hours of the show seeing plenty of customers with shopping bags that weren't mine.

There's always  trepidation for me at the start of a show.  What if we don't sell anything?  Worry and self doubt are familiar companions.

My mood change started with the first sale.  Not a big purchase but it got the ball rolling.  A couple of returning customers, which is still new for me, a Christmas order for a hippo bank (been there, done that!), more sales than I expected and lots of smiles and complements made for an intoxicating combination, apparently.  I was exhausted but high as a kite at the end of the day.

I guess I'm still humbled that anyone buys our pottery. Maybe it's because I haven't done a show in over 6 months that I'd forgotten the rewarding validation I get from seeing people admire and purchase our pots.  That one-on-one interaction is very energizing and inspiring for me.

Unfortunately, we're not doing anymore shows until next year.  So before it wears off I better get to making some hippo banks!