OMG has it really been that long, since February..I'm embarrassed, but please know that I have been extremely busy.

Have I mentioned that we are preparing for a move from California to Arizona in about 2 weeks?? So it's been crazy around here. It's just me and my husband because all of our children already reside there, so we are packing and packing some more. It seems it's never going to end. Not to mention that we are moving from a 2670 sft home down to an appx 1500 sft home!! So that's a big downsize. I'll tell you if you ever need to purge that's the way to do it! It works everytime. In 1999 we moved from California to Pennsylvania in a same type of situation from an 2000 appx sft home to a 3 bedroom apartment!! YIKES That was major!! and each time I tell myself I will never accumulate (collect or hoard) this much stuff again, but how soon we forget those words!!!!

Anyways we have been giving good stuff away..do you know how hard it is to donate stuff, and I mean good stuff, not junk, to Salvation Army??? I swear every week we have them here to give our good things away and the guy is so lazy to take it he knocks on my door to tell me what they can't take and what I didn't have on my list when I read it to the lady!!!What's up with this???

After 3 times of donating within 6 months, I have decided to donate to another charity that might appreciate my stuff!geesch!! and worse yet, try complaining..the person who's in charge is just as lazy as the one that picks the stuff up!!!

I have alot of people asking if I'm retiring from designing as I have been listing loads of fabric on ebay lately and selling my dolls for alot lower than normal..Well the answer is yes, I'm sort of retiring from my business in a sense..There's a slight chance I might be seeking a job..part time or full time, if I can handle it with my medical problems. There's alot of job opportunities where we are moving (now everyone don't move to Arizona cuz I said that!!! hehe).

With the economy the way it is, dolls of course are not selling like they did a few years ago, so with that in mind, I am thinking about perhaps altering my designs to some other mediums..kinda getting tired of the primitive sort of things..please comment and let me know what you think. When I see prim decor it doesn't excite me the way it did years ago. I mean my bears/dolls will always have an old fashioned air about them. Oh well I guess I'm rambling..

On another note, I love having the opportunity to just pick up and go if hubby is available on a whim. But then again he will be looking for some sort of job over there. He is retiring from this job he has here in California but doesn't intend to really retire..he would go nuts and as much as I thoroughly enjoy his company and love it when he's off on every one 3 day weekend, I wonder if he would drive me crazy like alot of women say. I don't think he would. I'm hoping he takes up some hobby or something. He loves to golf but golfing is expensive. We'll see, but our son lives in AZ and they enjoy going camping, hiking etc which will be nice.

I'll have my 4 daughters there and we have alot of catching up to do and then there's the 12 almost 13 grands..my youngest daughter is pregnant and she'll find out which sex it is next week. I'm hoping for a little boy! Please Lord I beg you!!! I love boys and only had one.

Okay..back to my business..while I was restricted to my recliner for my broken leg, which btw is doing much better..not perfect but better every week. I still wear my boot when I'm going to have to walk alot or an ankle brace, anyhow I designed several needlepunch patterns to be released soon. I actually really enjoy needlepunch. Have you ever delved into this medium? It actually goes very fast, just be careful of the pointy needle.Have a great Memorial Day holiday weekend. I have to shout out to all the troops now and ones that preceeded these...Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your bravery and for serving your country and protecting even the least deserving of us. Lord protect them.

I promise to not be so long in posting next time...it will be from Arizona!!!

Heading to a New Year

As this year comes to an end, it's time for me to sit down and map out the direction I want my business to take. I also take this time to access my advertising funds.

My business has several exciting things happening in 2011. Looking forward to a new year.

I'd like to try my designing in other forms of art. Quilting is one and painting is another. We'll see. What does the new year offer you? Of all things, health is my wish for all.

Not quite sure how our country or world is going to go. I'm hoping the economy makes somewhat of a comeback. California will be one of the last to recover, if we ever do. I'm sure our taxes will go up.

One decision I made midmonth December, was to start selling on Ebay again. One reason is I want to find some new customers, fresh faces. Also that will keep me designing on a full time basis too. Let's hope it's successful.

I love selling on Etsy too but it's not an auction type site. I think there's alot of people that like the idea of bidding. I recall as a young child my parents going to auctions and coming home with big boxes of stuff. I guess you can bid on a box. Us kids loved it because we'd find ice skates and all sorts of toys inside. And with there being 6 kids in our family, we didn't get much toys except on Christmas.

On another note, the east coast is getting all kinds of snow!! I miss the big snowstorms we had living in PA. Lucky them!!

Us Californians got a huge rainstorm that lasted for days, which is unheard of out here. There was flooding everywhere!! Crazy cuz the city is not equipped with the proper drainage and, of course, we don't have the $$ to fix it. We are one broke state for sure!!

Whatcha got planned for New Year's Eve? We will probably stay home--as a matter of fact, I might even be asleep when the ball falls, after I make all my New Year's resolutions, of course. But that's okay..we (dh and I) love our simple life. There will be all kinds of intoxicated folks driving for sure. I hope if you're driving be very careful.

Well I have a few patterns that I'm going to design. Keep an eye out on my blog for their new release soon. Take Care

I made an awful mistake of not backing up my email addresses; and consequently when my new (Aug 09)computer (Gateway) crashed I lost all of my mailing list addresses. So if you're one of my customers who were on my mailing list, please email me so I can add you to my new mailing list.

I had heard that Gateway were not that great brand of computer, however, after dealing with Hewlett Packard, I decided that Gateway was probably better than HP. HA!! 1 week after my purchase my new computer crashed...and now again this last week. This time it is sent away for a new hard drive. From what the geeksquad guy says..this happens all the time with computers!! Thank goodness I paid for the blacktie service, because I should expect to get my computer back in 3-4 weeks...without any data being saved because I didn't pay the extra $100.00...money, money, money..didn't I pay enough already???

Onto better news...Did you hear about the giveaway we are having over at TDIPT Mercantile? Check it out HERE Lots of great items to win. I even contributed one of my primitive santie makedos. Also check out our "Fall Into Christmas" booklets filled with all sorts of recipes, tips, and several patterns including one from me of my scarecrows. It is well worth the $6.95. Would make great gifts for the upcoming holidays. All funds go to charities - Miracle Network and ASPCA for animals. So be sure to check it out.

I also have several santie makedos for sale over at Humblearts. Watch for some new holiday designs on Pfatt Marketplace on the 10th and The Primitive Gathering on the 15th.

Tomorrow's going to be a FUN day for me. My dd and I are going to a sewing, craft festival in Pomona, California. It happens 2 times a year and I missed it the last few years. We always go to some thrift shops around that area too. We recently lost our biggest thrift shop last month and are down to just a few littler ones. Bummer!

I'm having a sale off all my Fall, Halloween designs on my website....25% off..with this password "autumn".Click HEREHope to hear from you,till later, keep safe.

What A Difference A Day Makes

Well the sun is back in desert of Southern California. We went from this

to this in approximately 1 day! Even all the snowmen have gone away. It was nice while it lasted though. I suppose that'll set us for 20 more years or so.

Are you all starting to list your New Year's Resolutions? Well, I have started working on some of them so they will be in place for the 1st of the year.

I have some great ideas to improve my business, Mustard Seed Originals. If you haven't visited my websiteHere you might be surprised that I have recooped my pattern line. There's only a few on there now, but watch for more great, original patterns to come.

Speaking of patterns, I currently have an ad in December's issue of Country Sampler in the pattern section (towards the back) for this doll Old Tyme Ann Isn't she adorable? I am having good response so far from the ad.She's not difficult to make at all. See? You never know what you'll find out there! hehe I usually only do a website ad in that magazine but once in awhile I get some special deals and take them up on their offer.

Have so much to do before the special day arrives. It doesn't help that we are moving our daughter and grandson in with us. I swear, where does this 21 year old get all this stuff? I thought I had alot of junk! My goodness!

Well I better close this so I can get to work, but before I do, I just have to share this picture of my 2 year old grandson, Jayden Michael, one day when I was babysitting him. He's so funny, a little chatterbox and lover.