Deer Mountain Wood Art

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!

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

I was sick all weekend - yuk! :( I did manage to reach over to my keyboard here and there and try to breathe some life back in my limp and fevered body, but only with limited success. I told my husband, "I'm dizzy". He replied, "But you're not blonde!?" Shame on him! For the bad joke as well as making fun of my plight!
I feel a modicum better and am hoping that, as I attempt to pick up where I left off before the strep grabbed me, literally, by the throat, you will forgive again my lapse of fortitude! I'm getting older, and things seem to hit me harder these days :(

I really wanted to blog last night - it was a definite withdrawal situation! I had so many things I wanted to write about! Especially this; "How to Change Your Hobby into Your Business". It's funny that I couldn't muster the strength to do so, and very fortunate at the same time! I realize now it was the Big Guy's way of keeping me from making a serious idiot of myself, and can only say, "Thanks BG!" in return for the divine intervention!!
At various times through the day, as my fever broke, I would try to get on here and send a quip or two and conduct a little 'business'. All the while I was trying to imagine what I would say about this topic.
It was strange how I would get distracted by everything I saw on here and fail to write "The Post"? I had great intentions of helping others, but at 2am it washed over me - the knowledge that I lacked the experience and know-how to write such a post!!
How uppity, how totally self-involved and conceited I was to think that I could write to you about how to start, grow, and maintain a truly successful business! If I know so much about it, why don't I have one?!!!?

I have been allowed, although, the vision that maybe it will be more informational/entertaining if I ask you to go along with me on my journey to moving my, slightly more than, hobby/business into a full-fledge entrepreneurship and hope you will advise, critique, and help mold me into the successful woman I would so love to be! Will you go with me on this journey? I would be honored if you would! =0)

Okay, so onward and upward!

I wanted to update you all on Mary's progress this morning; She's taken a backward turn again, falling prey to obscure, rare infections that were received during surgery and her subsequent tracheotomy. Jim told me the two names for the infections she's fighting, but I certainly can't remember even vaguely what they are, but they are serious he says :0(
Jim is staying by her side, night and day, and when I told him that he was beginning to gain so much medical knowledge that he probably knew more than the doctors, he confirmed as much by telling me of the massive amount of papers strewn across the table in his conversion van that he's been trying to understand and keep up with. So much for being "too old to learn new things"!!
I'm overwhelmed with compassion for him as he sounds so beaten and exhausted, but optimistic, as Mary is still conscious and tries to speak to him.
Last night as he was getting ready to go out to the van to await his next 30 minute session, she wrapped her arm around his neck in an attempt to have him take her with him. She's tired, and tired of being there. I can only imagine what it's like! Being able to think and feel, but not really communicate! How awful!! So I'm hoping that you will continue to pray diligently for this couple as I believe it's working!

Friday I called Kay to talk about her Broncos helmet I'm making her for one of her Christmas presents this year and heard that she is incredibly ill - I hope that you will pray for her as well as her doctor told her on her last visit to "get in contact with Hospice"! :0( I'm losing everyone I care about and it's mind numbing :0(

Kay started out as a client - she wanted a scene on the entertainment center her husband was building and is in love with mountain lions. I can't remember how she found me, but I'm glad she did!
I seem to always end up being friends with my clients but Kay has always been special. Every year she makes sure that I create her gifts for her sons and nephews - football pieces usually - and loves it when I make her a "good deal"!:) This year I'm making a Dolphin's helmet and a Bronco's helmet.
Anyway, I called to ask whether she wanted the 'old style' Broncos helmet or the newer, simpler, design, as well as to check up on her. She has rheumatoid arthritis and is getting more and more housebound. This year she found out she has COPD and wasn't really sure what all of that meant until she came back this last month with the news that she has emphysema and her lung capacity was at 38%. She totally 'got it' then - I don't understand why the doctors didn't explain it to her so that she could've helped herself to not get worse with the COPD? She doesn't either - she says they never once told her to quit smoking or change anything she was doing? Now, it's too late. But she did quit...
We talked about how, when one of her nephews died suddenly last year, we would want to know in advance if we were going to die so that we could 'set things in order' before we went. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but Friday she told me that it's not good to know; everyone's watching her all of the time, and her husband is overwrought with stress and anxiety, fearing that he'll wake up one morning and she'll be gone. She's not sure she's even going to be here for Christmas and it's the hardest thing in the world, I think now, to know you're going soon! :0( All of this over the last few years has really had an affect on the way I think about death, friendship, love, and the truly important 'stuff' of life...

After all of the miracles with Mary, I told Kay that I would ask you for prayers - she said she would be so grateful for any help you could send in that department! I believe in miracles and the power of prayer - I don't know of any other way for the impossible to become possible!

So I always have a lot to say, but I know that you may not be able to handle having to read a novel during your busy, busy day, so I'll close with {{{hugs}}} and a [Thank you!] for all of the help, encouragement, and prayers you send! I need it, love it, and appreciate it, more than you'll ever know!

Thanks, as always, for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

So, I didn't think I would get to blog today as the pain in my leg and back is excruciating, but I saw this great post by my dear friend, Tammy, and just had to write a note about it! As usual, it turns out that I'm too much in a talkative mood to settle on just one topic! But here's the place to read about Tammy's interview on Soap Deli News - way to go girl!! =D Be sure to visit her blog too; all about her journey in life, jewelry designing, being a metal artist, and being an online entrepreneur!

Click here too to read Tammy's interview!

Never anything new under the sun!? :( Every time, and I mean every time, I'm about to make public another great idea - as in offer it for publishing - someone else beats me to it! I am always thinking I have found out something new! :(

I just received one of my favorite mags, "Creative Woodworks and Crafts", today and guess what?! An article on how to make wood puzzles was in it! My husband just laughed... he's used to it, but I never will be!lol

I came out with a great idea on making Zen Gardens, so this last issue of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts previewed an article for next month entitled, yep, you guessed it, "How to make a Zen Garden"... UGH! I'm just so miserable with my lack of notoriety!!! LOL

Oh well, as long as my boys are proud of me and believe I'm creative, innovation, and amazingly talented(snickering), screw it! I don't need the other - just would be cool is all! :)


On the home front we received some great news today - Tyler is being considered as a candidate to go to Russia over the summer as part of the school sister-city exchange with Valdai, Russia!! I actually let out a squeal when he read it - I guess he could tell I'm in his corner on this! lol He's a little down though about it because he wants to go so badly but is thinking the trouble he got into a year and a half ago is going to put a stop to his going. He may be right, which would be a shame! Like I always say, "never do anything that you may regret!" If you would like to find out more about that you'll have to read my other blog...

Anyway, working on puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles! I just got another order for a wedding 'guest book' puzzle which is something that you place on the bride and groom table and pass out pieces for your guests to sign.

It's a great hit with everyone and is a lot of fun for the guests. At the end of the reception or wedding service, everyone puts their pieces in place and the bride and groom sign their special little double-heart piece and place it, finishing the puzzle! It's very symbolic, putting a puzzle together with your pictures on it and having everyone take part in piecing your new life together! :]

The other two puzzles are a huge 16" x 24" portrait puzzle of the client's daughters and family doggy, and the other one is a medium portrait puzzle of the client's entire family at a gathering. Very cool - it always makes me feel like a small part of their families when I get to cut something so intimate :D

By the way, if you would like to have a portrait puzzle or wedding guest book puzzle of your own, visit my website for contact/order info.... (small plug! =>)

I have been plagued lately with tons of ideas for things I want to make, including cutting out my Christmas Cards this year. It makes me panged to think of all the things I want to do and not being able to do anything about it. But, working on custom orders is what pays our bills, and it is creative, so I will be a good girl and not start another personal project until I get everyone happy! :)

Well, that's all I can take of this sitting, so I will have to bid you adieu' for now... stay cool, stay awesome, stay creative, and as always, thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida

My best friend died the night before last and it sure left me in a slump :( I have been trying to distract myself with work and last night just couldn't keep going. I went to bed at a record time of 11pm!?! I wished I could say the extra sleep was worth it, but I'm definitely in bad shape this morning - even my SI joint has a large 'bump' on it and sitting here is grief... My son got in trouble, well more like his friend got him in trouble, the same night Cora passed and I'm tired of being so strong and capable! But that's for my other blog...


Anyway, here's what's up at DeerMtn -

• 16 x 20 Portrait Puzzle for client
• 2 Custom Portraits for client
• 2 NFL Helmets for client
• 1 large "Bronco's" sign for client
• Publishing "INTARSIA, Creating Art from Wood" book, hopefully, this next week
• Adding more product to new websites; ShopHandmade.com and Boundless.com
• Finishing Angel, hopefully tomorrow
• Finish CubScout site I volunteered to create! ugh! lol
  
• Cora's funeral is Friday - quite a bit of travel time involved in that one...

Yesterday I spent almost 14 hours online!?! I'm a little frustrated by this - it's not like I have anything else to do! I wanted to start off spending a couple of hours updating my info on different sites I belong to, but ended up joining others, and responding - a LOT...

Interneting can be extremely addicting, and for a brief moment I thought, "maybe this is what I should be doing?"lol yeah, right....

Indiepublic, for one, is a great place to meet people that are similar in their interests to yours. It has a lot of traffic, so of course I'm going to see if I can get some exposure there. So far, I've met quite a few people and saw many things that I was unaware of - it really made me want to do stories on the folks I met. Hard to keep me down on that one - everyone's so interesting and they're all busy doing what they do, yet they seem to have time to welcome newcomers - that's awesome =D
This led to another site called, "Silkfair". It's another shopping site, a lot like Etsy in some of it's features, but they're new, they're hip, and they've got some of the features that I would've loved to had seen on Etsy. So I joined...
Then, after hanging out there trying to input some of my store info(a little on the complicated side, I must say) AlwaysAmy attracted my eye on Indie - she was "cross-promoting", as she calls it, so it led to other things; I purchased an ad spot on her page with ProjectWonderful, exchanged links, well, added hers... Somewhere in there I found a site called "Blogs by Women Bloggers", joined that... While on ProjectWonderful, I learned some more, so I bid on another, pretty busy site called, "The Coveted", where they didn't have any bids yet, so I got in cheap!

It's so totally not in sync with what I sell, so I might have to remove that one!lol Here's a link to their most recent post; I'm sure you'll see what I mean!lol The bird looks like my babies, and it was hard to look at - although it was another person they were promoting, so I won't hold it against them! =D It blew my mind how many people are into this stuff and think it's fashionably cool - you wouldn't catch me near one!!! lol To each his/her own though, right? Anyway, it's a pretty dark, goth site and I don't think my ad is appropriate there... free advertising? I don't know if it's always the 'right' thing to do....
Let's see, what else did I join... it was a "joiner" type of day - ugh!

Oh, I also worked hard on a new format for my personal blog "three boys and a dog", and ended up once again at "BloggerBuster". Amanda runs a nice blog for helping other bloggers, replete with free templates and tons of customization tips - I kept downloading Hispanic blog templates though and I ended up learning a lot, as well as some more Spanish!

While I was working on various projects while I was 'surfing', I didn't get a whole lot done - it's bad because I have so many clients waiting!? I wish I had more hours in a day - as it is, I'm consistently up until 1 or 2 am and it's starting to take it's tole - I don't how many patterns I've screwed up lately while falling asleep holding my Wacom pen!

I do know, this has to stop! I keep hearing the voice, "don't go near the light!" running through my head - I guess I need to listen!

So for today - this is all you'll see of me - I've gotta go to town and mail orders and pay bills - they keep coming, no matter what I'm doing!? Then I'm going to come home and, dang it!, get some work done!!!
Be careful on here and listen to the voice, "don't go near the light!" The internet is either a blessing or a curse - I hope it will be a blessing for me =D

Thanks for "stopping by the shop!"
Freida