Happy Holidays

Just in case anyone actually ever reads this blog, I just wanted to say Happy Holidays from everyone at the Nichols household, including our newest member, Pickles!

Crazy Meter

I always get really nervous before an event.  Almost kind of crazy in my nervousness to be honest.  Lucky for me my husband is cool as a cucumber in almost every scenario.  He takes over the checking in portion and finds my area and then we start to set up.  Once I am set up the crazy meter dials down about 50%.

Unfortunately thats when my painfully shy meter skyrockets!  I am terrified to talk to my booth neighbors, event coordinators, etc.  Customers- no big deal.  Other artists- that's a whole different story.

Today is especially scary for me.  I have a 2 day event in Buda, Tx where I have only been once.  I have no clue where I'm going and I have to go alone.  Did you hear me?!?!  ALONE!!!!!  I have to get there alone, check in alone, assemble the EZ-up alone (not EZ by the way)...  I have a couple people stopping by to help a little during the day and I have completely stolen my 16 yr old brother's Saturday so he can help me after lunchtime, but I am still terrified.

Please, if you find my booth at Budafest and it is empty, just look under the table.  I'm probably huddled up in a ball crying or something.  :-)

Yummers

Long story short, I ended up only having to work a 3 hour day today.  I finished by 9 and Hubs took the car to work.  Before he came home for lunch I got super motivated.  Dishes were unloaded and loaded, 2 loads of laundry were completed, and I made chicken noodle soup from scratch!  It wasn't bad which was nice since I had never attempted soup or even cooked real vegetables before.  I know-embarrassing.

Here's a photo and recipe for anyone curious.

Cook on stove top
-1/2 cup carrots
-1/4 cup celery

Boil in large pot
-6 cups chicken broth
-chicken- I used the leftover breast and a half from dinner last night
-1/2 tsp marjoram
-1/2 tsp thyme
-carrots and celery

Reduce heat and add
-1 1/4 egg noodles

Cook for 10 minutes and then garnish with a small amount of parsley.

Censorship

I think I have been a bad blogger simply because I worry what people will think of my posts.    That ends now.  I will blog what I want, when I want, however I want to say it.  No matter how badly written or thought out.

freedom is mine

Day of Inspiration

I love when I have a weekend of motivation and inspiration...

• Make homemade strawberry freezer jam
• Photograph some of my finished product
• Work on some new sketches for wallets/card cases
• Start on some demo treat bags

          

Missions all accomplished!!  Plus hubs even bought me some new shoes.  hehe

Craziness at the Cat Show

So this past weekend I worked the 41st Annual Championship and Household Pet Cat Show here in Austin, Tx.  I had so much fun visiting with all the beautiful cats and all their owners.  I had a great time visiting with all the other vendors and made some great business contacts.

Are you ready for some big news?

You can now buy lizziebees collars at Lofty Dog and my catfish at Gallery of Pets!!!

Post Show Organization

So yesterday we went to Dog Fest and actually had a really good time.  I may sounds surprised, but that is only because I avoid outdoor events from May-October because it's so darn hot out in Texas.  There was a great breeze all day and I met some wonderful people (BooBooZoo/Phenominoes/The Lovely Folks at Collie Cottage) and puppies as well.  Plus they had food!  That always makes me a happy girl.  There is nothing worse than forgetting snacks to an event and finding your only options to be chips or m&m's when you want some real food.  Anyway...  I forgot the camera so I didn't get to take any photos, but enjoy the before and after shots of my office area.  It always looks like a tornado blew through after a show.

Before

After

You love my cardboard organizers don't you?  :-)  Eventually I will find something to house that stuff.

What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

Don't laugh at me- but I have a vague memory of making myself a Starburst sandwich once.  Yes, the candy Starburst inside a piece of folded white bread.  I'm mildly ashamed of this but think it's funny all at the same time.

Anybody else want to share their answer?

Do you ever feel...

I have been horribly unmotivated the past 2 days.  I have a big list of projects and things I need to complete in a timely manner, but I just can't get the drive to work as hard as I expect myself to.  It all just seems too laid back.  Normally my to do lists are a mandatory thing.  They are very structured and I feel awful if I don't finish something on them.  Right now they are simply a thought.

In productive news, 50 catnip fish have been individually tagged and bagged as goodie bag donations for the Austin CraftRiot.  I have another 65 finished towards all my fall festivals.  Plenty of product is finished for this Saturday's event to benefit the Elgin Humane Society and then I will be sure to make lots of kitty stuff for the next show.  At least that's my plan.  hehe

going against the grain

OK, so I know that most blogs start off with an introductory post or something letting you know what they plan on doing with their blog but I just can't do it.  I'm not that kind of girl.  This is my blog, you are my readers.  Sound good?  Sounds good to me.  :-)


Now that we have that out of the way I want to talk about Cowtown Indie Bazaar.  I had a booth there this past Saturday and it was a blast!  Hubs and I drove up to Ft. Worth from Austin Friday afternoon.  We set up that evening and then worked from 8-6 that Saturday before we drove back home.  It was absolutely exhausting, but well worth it especially when I got an email at the end of the day.  It was from someone who had come to the event early and received one of the free goody bags.  She told me that when she got home, her cats dug the catnip fish I had donated out of the bag and spent the day playing with it and napping on it.  She even included pictures!  It made my whole day.


I'm still trying to come up with a booth design that makes me smile, but that costs money which I have to earn first.  I am very happy with how far I've come since April and I think it shows every time I go to a show.  Here's some pictures of what I've come up with so far.