Friday Favorite

Today's choice comes all the way from across the pond.  I give you my favorite...t-shirt.

It's over twenty years old and probably smells like the dickens, but I can't ever, ever get rid of it.  My brother brought it back from England as a souvenir for me.  Back in my saucier days it caught many eyes as the word "Virgin" was most prominent.  I thought that was amusing.

I only wear it around the house now as it is tattered and faded with many years of wear and wash, but it remains my favorite.  When it is beyond wearing it will join many others in the Rubber Maid hamper, also known as a tomb of t-shirts, someday to be incorporated into pillows or blankets or some other "art" I might create from their sassy and memorable slogans.  For now it is cherished and worn with dreams of visiting Europe and memories of Diggy.

Marketfest

I was driving home in the pouring rain yesterday thinking of all the things I have to do, including a special little project that needed to be done before the weekend. When lo and behold it hit me like a ton of bricks ~ I have to take inventory for my event tomorrow!

How could I forget?  Actually I didn't really forget as much as misfigure my days.  Marketfest is on Thursday, when most shows I go to are on the weekend.  And this evening from 6:00 to 9:00 I'll be in beautiful downtown White Bear Lake meeting and greeting my adoring fans.

When you're not visiting my booth you can check out some old-time cars, eat some great food, visit other vendor booths, and listen to music.  I think there's also a petting zoo or something with farm animals for the kids.  It's three solid hours of nothing but fun and hob-nobbing. 

So come on up to White Bear Lake and say hi.  I'd love to see you!  The weather will be warm and sunny for a fun evening out.

Photos courtesy of Marketfest's Facebook Page

Wordless Wednesday

Fly Away

It's been a busy time at the Auntie B's Wax World Headquarters. Lots of thinking, lots of producing, lots of packaging, lots of selling. I love life at the headquarters, but no matter how much I love what I do, sometimes I just need a vacation.

Vacation comes from the word "vacate." Let go. Leave. Don't look back for a week or two.

Chances are pretty good I won't be vacating any time too soon, but still I dream. And because I'm merely dreaming and not actually planning, these are the destinations I would choose...

...Italy...

Misterious Ways 

...Hawaii...

Coast of Somewhere Beautiful

...Alaska...

Turnagain Arm and Mountains

...Door County, Wisconsin (my next state neighbor!)...

Path

...France...

Love Birds

To what destinations would you like to vacate?

A Quiet 4th, Except For Those Neighborhood Firecrackers

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. For a lot of you (like me) the weekend continues today, which is a much needed bonus. Yay!

There's not much to report from the Auntie B's Wax World Headquarters regarding the weekend. Husby and I were in town instead of at the cottage for the first time in a very, very long time. It's a long story. We spent a little time with my parents on Saturday and Husby's dad on Sunday. Other than that, it was a pretty ordinary weekend.

One fun thing that happened was my being featured in two very unusual Etsy Treasuries. Check them out...

Giving You The Fingers, Curated by Sarantos

Giving You The Fingers (Part II), also curated by Saranos

Bizarre and beautiful treasuries, don't you think?

Enjoy your extended weekend.  If you're back at work today, welcome back.  It's a day in Craftland for me, getting ready for Marketfest.  I'm very excited to be participating, but so much to do before Thursday.  Off I go!

Friday Favorite

I can't pick just one favorite today. 

First of all, there is Paenney.  Happy Birthday!  The little kid becomes a man.  Eek!  (Nah, he'll always be a little kid :))  His sense of humor brightens up many lives, and his extraordinary good looks will turn a lot of heads (as if they haven't already!) in the years to come.  Sorry we can't be together today, but we'll all be celebrating soon.  Have a fab day!

And then who could deny this favorite?...America.  Cherish her. 



Have a blast this holiday weekend!

Droppin' Dough On A Mystery Project?

So I've been thinking for a while about a project I might want to try.  I don't want to let the secret out because here's the deal ~ I don't have the supplies needed to even make the attempt. 

Don't think it's anything so simple as going to the store and buying something like pipe cleaners...

...or glitter...

  

...or paper and scissors...

The thing I want to try requires an investment of $350.  That's three hundred and fifty dollars.  This is nothing to smirk at, at least when you're as frugal as I am.  Oh, I can easily drop $300 on a few cases of wax because I've been pouring candles for over a decade and actually know what I'm doing. 

That's the thing ~ with this new project I can't even start small.  $350 is the bare minimum I need to invest to without even knowing if I'll enjoy creating the product, and that says nothing about creating a product that will actually sell.

These are the things that plague a small-time business person like me.  On one hand I want to jump into anything that could be fun to make and also turn a profit.  On the other hand, I have to pay attention to the budget.  It kills me to have to think like a corporate fiscal manager.  It takes the fun out of creating.  But then back to the first hand, you have to spend money to make money.  And then my mind gets to being really chaotic and twirly and I don't know what to do!

For now I think the project is going to be put on my Outlook Tasks under the category of New Projects.  I'll see how the summertime shows go and perhaps I'll be lucky enough to make some extra change to make a capital investment.  There's that fiscal manager lingo again.  Ugh!

Why, you ask, am I telling you all this?  Several reasons.  1) Maybe some of you are in the same predicament, wondering what to do, and it may ease your mind to know you're not alone.  2) Talking things out like this clears my mind a little, and what is a blog if it isn't a place to clear the mind?  3) I'm here to serve as a small reminder of how we can't always just jump into a project simply because we think of it.  Sometimes the reward is in the waiting. 

But your curiosity may be piqued.  What is this grand scheme I'm pondering?  Here's a sneak peek...