Deer Mountain Wood Art

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I am hoping to change this - I know, you hear it all the time! lol But really, not much has been happening -

I have been battling depression some, and it kept me from even getting in the shop. Every thing is better now though, and I've been working hard. I also started school this fall, and that has kept me very busy!

Anyway, over Christmas, one of the pieces I sold was broken upon delivery. Yes, I insured it! So FedEx I guess is doing their job, but it's just taking a long time. I finally got the piece back the other day and have done what I can to repair it for now, but the cold is preventing me from getting into the shop... ugh! The cold is also delaying my getting another piece done for a local buyer and that's not good!




Here is what I have been working on -









So, that's it for now - I will update as I can, and hope you keep checking in =)


As always,
Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
~ Freida

Unless you've been asleep, we've all watched the tragedy in Russia unfold. My heart goes out to those that lost their loved ones in these terrible assaults. Ever since Tyler went to Russia he's been trying to get back there. Wants to move there. I can't blame him sometimes when I think of how wonderfully he was treated by his host families and the warmth of those he met while about. I know we are all shocked and saddened by the ongoing violence.

I've received several emails lately about what's the latest with Deer Mountain. I've been fighting chronic pain in my back and legs and it's caused a great slow down in my production. To the point where I've only been able to produce a few earrings and such during this last six or so months. Well, finally, tomorrow is my surgery; they will be implanting a spinal cord stimulator to mask the nerve pain and while I'm excited, I'm very nervous(scared) also. I hope you'll all pray for me and my little family as we undergo this new chapter in our life! I've heard so many great things about the end result but am trying to be realistic too. I'm just hoping that I will regain some quality of life as the last 14 months have been miserable. I look forward to getting back in the shop - I miss creating so much!

Well, that's about it for now - time to get the little one up for school :)

I hope to write with good news in the next couple of days, please keep us in your prayers...

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Wow, I'm honored to say that I'm including in this wonderful blog's 'Christmas Gift Sites to See' segment!!! "As the Crackerhead Crumbles" is a wonderful hodgepodge of great tidbits and tantalizing tales - I urge you to visit regularly!
and, many Thanks for including me in your list for this season!!

As many of you know, it's such a busy time for me! It has been for the last 3 months - I just haven't had a moment to myself - lol - but, I sure don't mind!!

Things are going fairly smoothly; right now I only have 3 ornaments and two boxes to get out so I'm doing great! Well, I also just started posting my 'non-custom' ornaments online - take a look!

We're all healthy and happy, so I've a lot to be thankful for this year =D

I hope to be back soon, posting my usual pishposh of random thoughts and ideas - stay tuned!!

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Wow! I saw I had all of these views and hearts all of a sudden - and boom!! I found out my Zen Garden was featured on the front page at Etsy!! Yay! =D




How cool!! =D


Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Every once in a while I run into a blog about search engines, blog ranking, social networking, and other, often tech-heavy, information that I can actually digest and even though the language might be a barrier for some, it really is something that I consider minimal compared to the help this blogger gives in layman terms.

For my poor mind these days I need simple, easy to understand instruction and advice that is quick to the point and has timely content. This blogger gives that and the link below is just one small example of what the blog has to offer.

Backlinks Building, The way to Increase Pagerank and Boost Blog Traffic ~ HypER JaDuLZ - Help Bloggers to Get Blog Traffic and Increase Blog Traffic

In an 'all-info, all the time' type of world we live in these days, it's hard to find good clean information. Hope this blog can help you too!

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Pricing your work, as an artist, is one of the toughest parts of creating anything. When I heard this on the news this morning I was like, "REALLY??!?", forcing me into the way-back machine of Valley Girl expletives.
Yes, I'm incredulous that we are still paying that kind of money for anything! Especially after all the noise and uproar about high priced hammers! But a 30lb backpack?? Are you SERIOUS!!?!
I want to sell to our government! I'll make them all of the "space tool bags" they could possibly need for sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much less! Look me up NASA! =D
Well, after a little looking I find that our very own Colorado company's Eric Haugen and his "Wolfman Enduro Tool Bag"(which retails for around $23??) has constructed this amazing work of durability that demands such a price tag. hummm, I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. Here's a link to an article about the bag company...
Anyway, that's it for wasting time ranting about something I seem to have no power over - back to work!


Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

I'm not just an artist. I consider myself a bit of an instigator and advocate. Two of my most prominent passions; Animal Welfare with an emphasis on wildlife, and a voice for artists - no matter what their medium.

A while back ago, our little area of Colorado had the honor of several visits from world-renown artists Christo and Jeanne Claude, but they weren't exactly greeted with wide open arms.
It's (Over The River project|Project for Arkansas River|State of Colorado) has been quite a controversy here and folks are very divided and some quite angry!

The issue is Christo's wanting to drape the Arkansas River with special translucent fabric panels for a period of 14 days, in which time they will of course gather tons of photos that I'm sure they plan to market.

The area, to be exact, is Big Horn Sheep Canyon, and is home to a fair sized herd of Big Horn Sheep as well as huge tourist attractions; the Royal Gorge Canyon and Bridge as well as one of the best areas for white water rafting.

"...The project is planned as a two-week summer display affecting as much as 45 miles of the river between Salida and Cañon City. Estimates indicate the project won't be through the permit process until summer 2011 at the earliest..." Jason Starr, Staff Writer of the Mountain Mail reported.

ROAR(Rags Over the Arkansas River) objects to the artists' plans pointing out that the impact of the project might affect wildlife, vegetation, and tourism for some years to come.
As I studied this project I came to the realization that at first glance this seems to be very easy to put down - I was against it because of the potential wildlife habitat risk, until I actually became more familiar with the facts.

The artists have went to great lengths to secure everything, from worker's meals to trash removal. Everything's been covered, and my impression is that they care a great deal for the environment, the people impacted, and especially the wildlife and local residents.
They do, on the other hand, stand to garner a great deal of profit from this project as well.

If you are interested in learning more about the "Over the River Project" please click on these links to be presented with both sides of the debate:

PRO
http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/
http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/otr.shtml
http://www.overtheriver.org/
http://www.overtheriver.org/the_mountain_mail/

CON
http://www.roarcolorado.org/
http://ragblog.roarcolorado.org/
Condensed Summary of Christo’s Over the River (OTR) Plan1
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11954788



So the time-honored question lives; is it art?

What do you think about this; art/not art, yes/no on project?


Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

It's so hard to believe that summer is almost to the halfway point!! Where does it go so fast??

I'm in the shop today and loving it! =D Everyone keeps telling me though, that I'm way off for a business - I need to "focus" and settle on one thing. How do you do that when you work with wood?!? There's so many things that pop into my head to make and it's all so fun, interesting, and challenging for me that I just can't say, "oh, I think I'll just make earrings.." or "I feel that intarsia is going to be 'the thing' I need to do, have to do.." I want to do it ALL!!!!

So, okay, my shop's a little cluttered - a dangerous mind is a clean mind, I'm told. So I suppose that means I'm pretty damn meek!lol Well, even my name is German for "lover of peace" (roughly translated?) and that is definitely me. I avoid conflicts and try hard to make everyone happy - not in a coward sort of way tho! I just want to be happy, and I want all those around me to be happy too! So what to do, what to do!

I was just getting a soda and thinking about the above question - Tyler just made this ubber-cool stamp that looks like a leather design - it's awesome and very well defined. I've been thinking about asking him to let me keep it, which brought on a mental chuckle; it seems every time any of make anything that the others in the family want it! A lot of stuff never makes it to either shop!lol I guess I need to quit that and after I give this checker/chess board to Austin, I need to stop giving them my creations! It's just so hard to say no, especially when it's such a compliment to my work!!! lol Ahhh, love my babies!

Anyway, Tyler made it back from Russia just fine - back to games and t.v. Hopefully he'll be getting a j-o-b soon - it would sure make Rog happy!lol He had so many incredible experiences and was so accepted into the families that he stayed with. He even has planned to go back next summer and spend time with them all! I get chills when I think of what he's gotten to do! I hope to share pics with you soon - but there's thousands to go thru so it might be a bit!lol He brought me home my request; a genuine Russian Nesting Doll! It's just gorgeous, but even so he ended up bringing home two because he thought the first was too small. How lucky am I!?! and of course he brought home tons of coins for his dad - he was a happy guy! lol

It's really been an amazing couple of months for us here and I look forward to the rest of the summer :) Especially when Tyler gets his Banya built! =D

Btw, enjoy the Scavenger Hunt - Shop Notes is in it and I hope I didn't make it too hard for you to find the answer to the clue! I am having great fun with this and hope you do too!

So, until next time -

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!" Freida

"Looking Good in the New Economy" - is it wrong to be fashionable and wear beautiful things in our overwrought economy??

Not if you are buying your adornments at Deer Mountain Wood Art and Deer Mountain Creations!

I've just drastically cut my prices on my beautiful , renewable, and earth-friendly, solid wood earrings!

In an effort to help each other survive rough waters I reduced my prices so that anyone could afford to still look good in these hard times - and these earrings are extra special!

It takes hours to smooth a pair to a warm silky finish, all done by hand so that I won't lose connection with the wood.

The all-natural colors match everything and anything and never muddy one's complexion. And one of the best parts of these gorgeous accessories to a well-dressed-woman; you don't have to feel guilty for wearing Bloodwood, Zebrawood, Yellowheart, or beautiful and earthy Black Walnut because they are all from recycled wood!

Destined for the landfill, this wood was saved for the most special of tasks - to accentuate the natural beauty found in all the 'fairer sex'!

If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, stop by - at these prices, they might not last long!

Be sure to keep checking back as the prices are dropping all over the two shops!


Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

I love summer! I get so ambitious, but unfortunately, so do the bees and wasps!? I've been in a battle with these little dudes all of my life. From the time I was, oh I think 8 or 9 years old, running down the street with Sammy Burgess asking him how many wasps he'd thought he'd captured from a nest for his red ants and he dropped the jar - I was covered, head to toe, in angry vigilante' wasps looking for blood! Nightmares of my friend's mom trying to get them out of my hair still haunt me today. Nope, that's a bad part of warm weather for me - I am sure they hunt me out, and cause me to dance an odd bobbing and weaving motion to the amusement of everyone around!
So, there it is - lots of ambition mixed with an almost unhealthy respect for Mother Nature's busiest of creatures.... It's amazing to me that I get anything done!lol

But, I have been getting some things 'done' - Roger came up with an order for a hundred earrings and it's kept me pretty darn busy! I'm taking the day off from sanding though as my poor shoulder is so sore today :( I decided I'd put a few up online to see if anyone would want a pair or two as I've made some interesting designs this time to stave off the boredom of making such a large lot of one thing. Stop by and let me know what you think! :)

I also just finished working the digital converter box coupon program and am sad to see it go. It was the easiest of jobs and very good money. Back to infomercial calls... I am working for two companies, but I'm still unable to work a good amount of hours. Definitely not able to make enough to support the family, but I'm trying to build up my back to be able to sit a decent amount of time so that I can work these jobs properly. I was finally able to do a two hour shift the other day! So I think it is possible if I keep trying :)

Tyler's still in Russia - he's having fun but I can hear the home sickness in his tone the last couple of days. I should hear from him this afternoon as Skype seems to work perfectly over there. Here's a picture of the view from his bedroom at his current host family's residence. He's so lucky! :) He went to St Petersburg last week and his report of the beauty and wealth of the palaces and especially the Hermitage was awe inspiring - I read all of the books about Peter the Great, Alexander, Constantine, Catherine, etc... when I was young and hearing his account of Peterhoff and the Winter Palace just made me all tingly! I would so love to look across to Finland and walk the halls of these greats! I know for a fact that Tyler is probably already planning his return - his familys' have been wonderful to him. They've accepted him without hesitation and by being in such an element he's seeing the true Russia first hand. He loves the people and the land, but of course, he does miss home a little.

So, that's all the news that's fit to print right now - I have a couple of big projects coming soon, one of which is the 'twin' to the lighthouse intarsia I did last year. Be sure to stop by and check out the new earrings in the meantime!

And as always, thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Pretty much all of my friends locally, that is, know what's going on with me so I haven't worried too much about things like this. While I'm trying to get back on my feet I've received many notices such as Project Wonderful's robot warning.
I hate being sick - but this time it's been worse on my psyche more than my body. While I'm in constant pain, I manage, kind of. But the fact that it's affecting my behavior so much is disabling. I can't write anyone back, follow through on anything, I've totally left the dishes to everyone else. I reached out a couple of weeks ago to tell my friends from my book project that I was sick but hoping to get back to 'normal' soon and continue on with the book, but I've been unable to answer any of their emails :( I'm very frustrated and depressed, but still I remain optimistic.
Since I had an attack of sciatica in January, which still continues with my left foot slowly going numb from my arch up my leg, I've been on several answer-seeking journeys to the doctors. Finally last month I was told I have MS. Now, like I've said, I'm not sure right now what that means for me, I have a doctor appointment the 30th of June and hopefully will get better answers. In the meantime, here I remain.
My second oldest son is graduating from HS this morning and I'm not ready - totally depressed(feels like an elephant's on my chest), and don't want to endure the pain of having to take a shower.... sigh
It will get better, I'm sure it will. But I haven't written in so long - think about it often - but just haven't been able to. Getting this second notice from Project Wonderful prompted me I guess into finally writing and letting everyone know what's going on.
To all of the faithful followers and supporters of this blog, I treasure you and hope that you'll stick it out with me - I know it's gotta get better! But I will do my best to get to the writing as I'm able.
You're very important to me - we may be strangers for the most part, but gosh you've been through so much with me! and I consider you all friends.
I will be back soon - thanks for being there :)
Freida

Ya know, I'm such a huge skeptic on everything medical - grew up with a mom that was a total hypochondriac that left me feeling like I should just 'buck up' and get off of my pity pot.
I now know that she's suffered with so many health issues(one of which is fibromyalgia) through the years and wished I'd not ganged up with my sisters on her! :( - man, I can see this now and wished I'd known sooner!! Poor mama!
Anyway, irregardless, anytime anyone in my family has a health issue - especially my kids - I usually try to ignore their complaints and refocus their attention. I guess I am having a hard time with boys complaining so much about pain and such, I know my dad was not like that and that was my mentor, so to speak...
I bought a Teeter Inversion Table a few years ago and felt that as soon as the boys stopped obsessing about wanting to be on it I would pull it out and get to work on my back.
I've suffered since I was 15 years old with muscle spasms, sciatica, DDD, and bulging and herniated discs. Lately, I've not been able to even work here at home because of a sciatic flareup - it's been so bad I was forced to borrow a walker for Heaven's sake!!?! That was an eye-opening event! I've lost feeling in the top of my arch, left side of my left calf as well as completely lost the feeling and strength in my big toe? Not to mention it feels like I've been standing barefoot on a metal ladder for days! This has been going on since the 25th of January and doctors have been less than helpful!
Yesterday my husband(who, to me, is a really big whiner!lol) and I pulled out the inversion table and gingerly set it up.
Talk about being skeptical! But I've reached my breaking point with the hip and back pain and am determined to try everything, and especially do the LTBP program! I had heard a couple of years ago that orthos were downing the home Inversion tables as not being effective and being just a gimmick so I was more than doubtful that any of this would be beneficial. Thank God for breaking points though!lol
I have an appointment with a 'spine clinic' for tomorrow but am thinking about not wasting my time. I know they're going to recommend surgery, and I'm not going to do that again! They also offer what they refer to as "real" spinal decompression, which is something I've been very interested in as it just makes so much sense to decompress and hopefully allow the discs to un-herniate themselves.
But, to the point.
My husband was first on the table - he's 265 and 6'4"(well, now 6'3") and even though he doesn't have all of the back trouble I have, he's in such bad shape it really didn't seem it could hurt! I expected him to not get 'results' from the table, and whine that he was in greater discomfort. To my surprise, he got off the table totally thrilled and eager to do more! Actually said it was the best thing I'd ever bought! He hated it when I bought it...
Okay, so he's very impressionable and I attributed his enthusiasm to the power of suggestion.
I still was convinced it would do nothing for me, or that it might even cause things to become worse, so I put it off for awhile after he got done.
After reading again all of the instructions from Jesse and Steven, as well as watching the videos, I decided to try it out.
The first time it caused me to feel a little discomfort but not enough to not try again later. Before going to bed for the night, DH and I did another session - we felt a little better, but as I told Roger, I felt it was too soon to 'feel better' and remarked how the mind was a powerful influence on how one's body felt.
When I woke this morning though, I had to admit that I really did feel somewhat better! I'm actually eager to do more this morning!
I don't know if it's the power of suggestion, my own desperation to feel better, or that it's actually making a difference, but even though I still am in quite a bit of pain, I do feel different, and can't truly explain, or deny, it.
I hope for all of you that are having sciatica or problems with your SI joint(s) to give it a try though. I now truly think it is going to help and that makes this the very first thing that's ever helped in over 30 years!
I hope that I can keep reporting good results and that you might benefit from my experiences with the different modalities that I am going to be trying :)
Always the consummate skeptic, I still feel that the results may be only temporary, but am hoping that this truly will be part of the 'cure' for my chronic pain and that I can eventually return to a productive life that is free of pain pills and doctors! :)
{{{hugs}}} to all, Freida

Boy, two and a half weeks and I'm still hurting - and my cold seems to be hanging on despite all efforts to get better!?
Roger has decided, actually made it his 'mission' to get me into his neurology doc and I am worried. The guy has the 'bedside manner' of a turnip; would be more palatable if it didn't taste like a burned boiled potato! I don't know what to do though as I don't want to go back to the e.r., they have such limited capacity to really help this type of thing, and my own doctor, who's also my friend, doesn't seem to want to help. He finally had his receptionist call and tell me that I should go back to e.r. so I could get a MRI or other tests. I think he's upset with the fact I don't have his mural done yet - it's only been 2 1/2 years!? What the heck does he expect from a great artist such as myself!!?! LOL Aren't we supposed to be temperamental and eccentric? I have to 'be in the mood' to create this masterpiece and it only happens now and then :( But he's right, he's an orthopod, I think, and his capacity is limited too. He doesn't charge me to see him, and I can't expect much.... Maybe I should get to work on that mural though, before I lose his friendship entirely!!
Anyway, Roger went to his office yesterday and asked to have my records transferred - she said it would take a couple of weeks to complete? hummm, well, the fact that I'm losing more and more sensation in my left foot and I wish someone could painlessly amputate my left leg from the hip socket down must not be the crisis it feels like it is. I've been getting around better as I get 'used to' the constant pain and have been able to sit for longer periods of time so I thought I'd try working at my tele job Sunday. I only had an hour scheduled and thought it would be a piece of cake. I didn't think that the fact I had almost completely lost my voice due to this stupid cold a problem I guess? lol It was bad though. I had three calls, but my Internet was so bad and their system was oh so slow. The last customer's order took so long that his wife was able to get online and order the same offer(for less she stated) and he ended up canceling just as I finally got to the last screen! :( The system was behaving so badly that even after he canceled it took 13 minutes to cancel his order and get the call logged - thank God he was extremely patient!!! I ended up calling my super and explain what was happening and she finally told me to just log off and call it a day.
I had the ISP tech out the next day and he, naturally, couldn't find anything wrong. It worked perfectly for him! argh! and of course, after he left, it went down again :( This has been going on forever so I finally called them again the other day, as I've not been able to trust logging in to work, and explained to him that there was no way it was on 'our end'. He was nearly rude, but it turned out he was right I guess; even after replacing our router last year, it still is not working right. I don't know if it's that we have too much on it - three desktops and my laptop and occasionally Tyler's Xbox360 and Austin's NDS(the router is wireless and hardwire capable) - but I do know that if I plug into the antenna directly I don't have any trouble staying connected. So I guess I'll have to get another router - if anyone knows a 'good one' let me know! :) Hopefully that will be resolved soon! I am scheduled to work tomorrow, but still not sure my voice, or congested nose is going to let me, let alone my leg/back and hip!?!
I started a new project last night; a nice tropical scene. My sister, Sandi, has always associated me with flamingos for some reason that I can't remember now, so it has a flamingo in it as well. I really find myself thinking of her while I am working on it :) I am thinking that doing what I love will help me get better, and it seems to help, so I'm plugging away trying to get some new pieces out there - I love working with the wood, it just feels so good!
I sent off for the business license yesterday for Deer Mountain Creations. That felt good too, to know that my business will finally be a real business! Everything else will fall under this general dba, as I have a few other ventures that I'm working on and needed something a little less restrictive as Deer Mountain 'Wood Art' is; one of the major outlets is getting my community together in one 'store front' that we all can sell our wares on. The folks still don't believe I'm going to do this for free, but there are so many talented people here that I hate to not see them share with 'the World'! I can't wait to get it in full production :) It will be on Etsy as well under "Deer Mountain Creations" and will have tons of different things (Such as these wonderful Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit Treats!), from crochet to metalwork... getting excited just thinking about it! lol
Well, guess I better get out there and start making some sawdust - it's very cold and snow covered here, but my shop heater works well and I'm sure my enthusiasm will help warm me as well! :)
I hope ya'll have a great Thursday!


As always, thanks for "stopping by the shop!" Freida

In keeping with a theme that will hopefully help me keep up with my daily blogging, as well as organize my posts into something that readers can choose which days they are most interested in 'tuning in for', I've decided to base my blog on the days of the week poem, "Monday's Child", A Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme, and hope you'll enjoy the change!
I'm also going to be moving my blog to another platform, "WordPress", so that I have different options for posting and making use of the other goodies that are included so that the blog will be more fun and 'user-friendly' =D

It's been a while since I posted last - In the middle of trying to wrap my schedule around Deer Mountain Creations/Wood Art, working at home doing 'customer service', and home life, I wrenched my back and have been quite laid-up! :( Still suffering, but desperately trying to return to some semblance of living, I decided to go ahead and try to create Friday's post for you so that you won't forget me! lol
As I am still learning the skill of brevity, I'm sure this will remain my usual length, with multiple 'timeouts' for moving and relaxing my poor out-of-sync muscles...

So, "Friday's Child is Loving and Giving" seems to be appropriate to my way of trying to live, and I think it's a good re-introduction to my blog posts. Let's see what I can share with you that will help you in some way -

Maybe you're feeling a little frustrated by the overwhelming amount of layoffs and business closing/downsizing that we as Americans have been subject to lately?
Have you thought of trying to 'work at home'?
I know that in the recent past I've posted some offerings by companies that are finding the '@home worker' to be more cost-effective for their businesses or just flat out more convenient in terms of training and retention - either way, it's quickly becoming a phenomenon!

For the @home worker, it's the ease of finding hours in your day that can accommodate your child's soccer practice, or flexibility of working the late, LATE, or early, EARLY shift to accommodate the mother of under-school-aged children.
A lot of us, in these hard, nearly-critical, times just have to have a second, third, or even fourth job just to put bread on the table and gas in the car! Personally, I'm a hard-to-place disabled worker that can no longer support my family on the meager SDI I receive and hate being a burden to the country in general!
However you're facing your next 'career', the fact remains; there are more, highly-qualified, job seekers out there, and a true shortage of good-paying jobs. Now is when humility and patience can really be an asset to the unemployed worker!
If you're out in the 'real world', as I refer to it, then you are faced with hanging up your college degree and flipping burgers at McD's or scrubbing toilets for the local Park Service. But even with a 'home-based' job you're facing difficulties and disappointments, hence, the humility!

My first two days at West@home left me bawling like a baby! The first was a very perverted man who thought it fun to taunt me, with details of what he wanted to do to me, while I was taking his order. The second, one I also consider perverted, thought it was fun to take up my time asking questions about a product only to say at the last, "I'm sorry, I don't want to order anything. I just called to 'meet' you..." Boy, that one hit me wrong!lol But that's what I get for taking 10pm to 2am shifts! You learn fast in this business!!
Also, while it's never happened in my 'real world' experiences, I've already been 'reprimanded' twice for failing to take information properly - I was trying to save critically fragile sales and hurry the call for the customer so they didn't end up angry. It was my fault on both and I totally deserved the call-on-the-carpet, it was just painful is all... I've always prided myself on being a good employee and considerate and caring customer service professional, so when I failed at doing this, it crushed me...
Anyway, all jobs have their shortfalls and disappointments, but if you're hurting for cash and need a job, I believe that the 'telephone professional' career is definitely becoming the way to circumvent the 'real world' job shortage while allowing people to work and contribute that might not otherwise been able(like myself).
Below is a VERY small list of legitimate 'work@home' companies. I've been honored to be accepted for employment by 98% of the companies I applied to. I think, that in itself, proves that there is a large market opening up that can offer something for everyone.
Okay, I started to put the list here, but in searching for web addresses I found this blogger who'd already put up a beautiful, and seemingly, pretty complete list - check out her blog list here! Source: "Real WAH Jobs" - nice site with a LOT of great information! =D
Some of them offer full-time, others part-time. There's temporary and permanent positions. Some schedule you based on your hours of availability while others completely let you choose when you want/need to work. One of the problems with scheduling yourself, though, is that you might find it hard, amongst thousands of other workers, to actually grab enough hours to support yourself or your families. But like I said, everything has it's good and bad, and this, being the only way I can work right now, it's the perfect solution for me :)
Whatever you choose to do, in what seems to be one of the worst economies we've faced for a long time, I wish you luck and happiness! It may seem bleak right now, but it's always darkest before the dawn - who knows, maybe our new president can pull us out of this crisis, but I am a little dubious on the belief that the efforts of one person can make such a huge change - I pray for him though, as well as us all!!
That's it, for now, on the loving part of this Friday's post - now for the giving... I hope you enjoy!



Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

I was so shocked to see that I've not posted anything since Jan 01!! Wow, time sure flies - wished I could've said it was from 'having fun'! lol

A little bit after Xmas I found myself landing 3 jobs for work@home companies!? I ended up taking just one so far; it seems to be all I can handle and still do my woodworking - but I'm so grateful that I get to try to be more productive and a better care-taker for my family!

I'm the one you talk to when you call about the infomercials you see all day and night. It could be a fun job if it weren't for all of the required 'upsells' that they make you read to the customer! After about the 7th offer, I usually end up with a frustrated and disgruntled person - it's definitely a skill to be able to do this job! lol Just a note; please be gentle with us! :) Just say "no" twice and we'll process your order and shut up! lol
It has caused me to get a little behind on everything while I attempt to work out a compatible schedule, but I'm starting to come to the surface for a much-needed breath of air! I'm only making minimum wage, but hope it picks up soon as I learn the ropes better...

Have had a few strange things happen that caused me to have flash backs of 2008; one of which was a good friend died suddenly from a heart attack. He was only 58 and he'd told his buddy the day before that he was having pains, but thought it was just something he ate... the next day he was found under the car he'd been working on, passed on... he'd been there for quite a while and it appears that he didn't suffer, but we're all still in shock over it. It definitely has caused Roger to look at himself and try to do better to stay here for his little boy! We're all walking a little softer these days.

Seems like I never have good news, but I do have one that is REALLY awesome! My nephew, Randy, and his wife Claudia, just had a beautiful little boy and my sis is a very proud, first-time, grandma!!! Our mom is there also, so they have all of the generations that are left to celebrate this amazing blessing =D Here's a pic of mr. 'Gonzo' on his first birthday -

Ain't he CUTE!!! {{{sigh}}} Hurry up boys and give ME one!!!!!! LOL

What a great way to bring in the new year, and I couldn't be prouder of Claudia for going thru a very trying labor - it was worth it wasn't it!!?! I bet you're already planning your next!lol =D Love is a great pain mitigator!! lol

So, you see, I'm not all downer and darkness! lol

I'm working on custom orders right now but I'm hoping to get some new things in the shop soon! When I finally get this one project done I'll be sure to post it here first :)

The boys are in school, Ryan's back in college, and Roger's in Aspen working on new construction with Jim, so it's pretty quiet - I took the day off the phones so that I can get one of my orders done but thought I'd drop a quick post to let you know I'm still kickin'! :)

Oh, and how could I forget!!?!? My little cockatiels have proven themselves and are sitting on four beautiful little eggs! (Roger was sure that they must be gay!? hah!) Petey didn't have any trouble with binding and Cherry is a very proud and protective papa and loving husband :) Even though it's cemented that Petey will never be my bird (she's taken up hissing at me now!), like Roo was, it's a beautiful thing and I surely hope that all will come out okay. Although they are young, they seem to know exactly what to do? It's so funny to hear Petey rolling the eggs around in her box - I call it 'bowling for babies'! teehee
In a couple of weeks we should know if I'm to be a new avian grandma and I'm prepared to take over if necessary - wish us luck on this one! =0) I will post pics soon - if they ever get out of the box at the same time!! lol

I hope everyone is well and happy - it's time for a New Year "Happy Post" and hope you all enjoy the picture of my new great-nephew! =D

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

Well, alrighty then!! You know I knew this was going to be a big year! Reading this story gave me goosebumps! I kid you not! =D What do you think about the term "Spaceport" being slung about so casually? Did you ever think in your lifetime that you would see the first one being built?? I wondered, but sure didn't think it would become a reality?! (Picture is Virgin's WhiteKnight2 Spaceliner)
Wow!

and then, on a personal level!

Things that have come about for the New Year for me;

• 1st off, received a brand-spanking new pellet stove from my adopted MIL(long story!lol) to keep my tushie warm at work! Yay!!!
• and then, found out Tyler's going to be going to Russia this summer for sure!!! YAY!! I just can't believe the beautiful things that happen for him! :0D
• Ryan's help with the house has been incredible! We can walk through so many new areas!lol and we've found so many missing items! right on! =D
• I was about to take a job that would've made my morals questionable(I'll talk about that another time!lol) but instead I ended up with 3, count 'em, THREE, new @home jobs that are sure to bring us out of our financial crisis finally! YaaaYYY! and won't have to even consider the former =D
• my health improved almost over-night! I'm full of hope, optimism, and energy today and have been getting major hurdles out of the way! I'm so happy with the way life is going right now that I'm about to jump outta my skin! lol and in truth, all it took to make it this way was ONE plea to my Creator for help! Can't get better service than that!!!! =D
  
• and finally, new and amazing opportunities abound for Deer Mountain Creations/Wood Art and it is looking like this will be a banner year =D
  

So, you see - with the change of one guard(2008 - 2009), everything's so bright I'll have to wear shades :0)

I've come up with a new system for the blog - will be posting soon - and you will be able to check in on a regular basis to see just what you are interested in. It should be fun and hopefully interesting and entertaining =D I can't wait to begin!

{{{hugs}}} & love to all!
Freida

Okay, so most of you that follow "Shop Notes" - thank you! =D - have watched my absurd struggle with Life this year with mixed emotions. Whether it be a curious, can't-look-away, interest as one might show a highway accident, or felt the kinship of sadness in the losses that seemed so much a part of this year, or even hope, in that all would turn out okay eventually, I have felt a strange bond with everyone that has happened along. Somehow, the journey seems less lonely and the outcome more optimistic, when you have someone to travel with you. The internet has afforded me many kindnesses in the friendships formed and in even the strangers that offered their quiet presence, to the newfound opportunities that sit on the horizon ready to greet the dawn of 2009. I'm very grateful to find this new outlet to a rather quiet, solitary existence.

I can say one thing for sure though, without the Internet and my new friends, I probably would've hidden in my bed through most of it!

This year was nothing though in comparison to 2006, when I lost my sister. That was and still is something I will never get used to, and in most ways, have yet to accept. Since she lived far away and we had fallen away from each other through my stupidity and stubbornness, it's easier to think she's still there and I'm still trying to figure out how to apologize and get us back on track... It's probably not normal, but it's the only coping mechanism I have for such pain.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand...
2007 was crap, 2006 was crappier, but 2008 was just confusing, hectic, sad, and well, absurd! I found out a lot about myself; I'm not as wonderful a person as I want to be, I procrastinate to disaster, I've become a very lazy mother, I blame most bad things on something else besides the fact that I did it, I sell myself short a lot, and I'm not a good friend. The actual 'list' is many pages long, but I'm trying to focus on something more obtainable and less 'all over the place'. All things that, by this time next year, I hope I can say the opposite of!

So how do I start remolding myself? Have you ever asked that? Where in the he** does one start on such a mess of a blob of cells?!?

Well, here's my plan;

1. Stop criticizing myself and focus on the good points - hard, yet do-able, I hear! :)
2. Tear up the sign I made in 1986, "Don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow" - really, I did print and hang that stupid thing!lol
3. Focus, focus, focus - get rid of mile-long lists and start working on the workable. Don't get distracted by all of the wonders of the internet. Work on things that can be done, don't try to perfect everything, and don't worry about being perfect myself!
4. Shoot for realistic goals - only look at what I can actually achieve and don't run into blaming others for my failures or shortcomings.
5. Schedules do work, if they're realistic - but be flexible so I don't have a stroke!
6. ASK others for help or advice - I'm not a superhero or a 'one-woman-show'! Right now I'm like a guy that can't ask driving directions; fixated on being able to 'do it myself' - this makes life so much more difficult than it has to be! Find out what others have done to work things out and realize that I'm not alone!
7. Prioritize - this is one of the things that cause me to lose focus; I'm putting all the wrong things at the top of my lists! I've completely moved my family and friends to the bottom and then off the list... wrong, wrong, wrong!
8. Establish some "me time" - I'm not even in the same notepad as my priorities! I rarely take time to even eat properly(if at all!) because I have "so much to do"!
9. The Big One; balance - Balance work, life, home, and business. Home life(family) should have 50% at least on the scale of time used, Business/Work should be a 35%, and Internet Misc, a nice 15%.... that's how I'm going to split it up for now and see how it works :)
10. Everything is adjustable - there's nothing set in stone in Life. Don't panic if I missed a lunch date or didn't get the front room cleaned up on the day I planned - I've been so hard on myself and all that has resulted from that is the feeling of failure, disappointment, and self-doubt and yes, loathing! That's pretty harsh, but there's no other word to describe the self-digust I feel when I screw up all over the place, or don't meet a deadline because I've procrastinated!
11. Enjoy life! period. Too short is what I've learned these last few years - I could go tomorrow and what would I see when I look back at my life? I want it to be a good reflection! If all you have is regret, remorse, guilt, and the feeling that you could have done so much more, or done It so much better, then you have failed the game "Life"! I've always preached to my children to make sure they can live without regret, yet it's all I can look back on for myself. Physician, Heal Thyself!
    
12. Be Thankful! For what you have, don't have, will have. Be Thankful that you have the chance to 'make it right'. Be Thankful that you have this one life to do amazing things and be an asset to yourself, your family, your friends, and the world at large!

So here's to the new year - 2009! - a year full of hope,
promise, and a chance to "do it right!" Now, I know we've all said that before, maybe we say it every year? But for some reason, unknown to me right now, it feels different this time - something new is in the air!?

I am so happy tonight =D Xmas is done and I squeaked by another year!lol I honestly did not get to do any shopping until last night and, man, it was hectic and frustrating, yet, I pulled it off again and all my little men are happy campers tonight! Whew!! Thank goodness I received a check yesterday and it all just fell into place!
I managed, just barely, to finish up the last two of the local orders I had out there and got them delivered and then, off to town with Austin (we had a "date"!).
I found out, once more, that that little guy has a LOT on his mind!lol I was certain that he would sleep on the long trip home, as I'm sure he was just exhausted from all the fun we had!, but no, he found the strength to carry on and keep me working on answers to his many questions and ideas! =D
He's such a great guy, and I was so proud of him as he struggled to maintain the fact that he was shopping for others, not himself, and I knew there was so much he saw that he wanted!! What a wonderful little trip - we even got to have a nice lunch at his favorite restaurant, "Big Daddy's" and he was so gentlemanly as he reached his little hand out to mine to help me out of the car and how he insisted on sitting next to me in the booth, instead of across from me! It was fun getting him to myself for this special occasion =D
We got home rather late, and I was so tired. The older boys started working on the ready-to-cook pizzas I'd brought home and Tyler and I plotted how we would get everything wrapped and still grab a few hours of sleep before Santa's bounty would be discovered - I think I did manage a few hours, but I was ready when morning came.
Austin did have a slight melt-down this morning as everyone put off the unwrapping for a hot cup of coffee and wake up time! I told him just a few minutes and it ended up more like 30 and you can bet he was beside himself when we finally got to it!lol Poor guy!
It's really funny, but I've always maintained that clothes were not something you get for Xmas because they're a necessity and as such it's something one has to get their children all year - but being broke and needing this type of thing, I broke down and purchased a few articles of much needed threads - they were very happy with what I gave them and Austin wore his new warmly-lined hoodie all day! Yay! I guess there's always a first time for everything!?!
I think we all made out like bandits though and I feel very blessed that I'm loved so much that my babies would work so hard to spend their own money on me and actually desire to see my happy face more than their own! It's very special to see them grow up and find out how they will handle such things - I couldn't be prouder =D
It seemed that everything everyone got was just what they needed, nothing more, nothing less - so well ends another Holiday and I'm glad it went well...
So, mostly I just want to wish you all a peaceful Xmas night and that you stay safe and warm for New Years =D Let's start 2009 off right!!
{{{hugs}}} and much love to all of my friends and family :)
Freida

After much thought on how exactly you do such a thing, we HAVE A WINNER!! Tammy of "Tammy's Treasure Chest" has won this beautiful ornament and I'm very excited to make it just for you, Tammy!
Tammy had 12 comments for the time period, which I believe helped to give her the winning edge =D
Thank you all so much for all of the comments, well wishes, and friendship - the internet is such an amazing place!

{{{hugs}}} and

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

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