Tooting My Own Horn

YAY for me. My buisness, k.maedesigns, just hit over 1,000 fans on Facebook. I'm so excited. It all started about 3 years ago with my friend Sondra Mae and a candy corn dress. For a year or so, it was just a small thing making items for friends. I remember being at a bible study group and we were all asked the question what do you want to do for a job, if you could do anything? I said sew for a living. Well, a move to VA, 3 new embroidery machines later, here I am. A real, actual buisness. With paperwork, Quickbooks, and checks to prove it! I'm a little over halfway through my first year being "official". Thank you to all the friends and family who encourage and support me. Thank you to all the customers who purchase from me. Thank you for being patient with me as I learn and grown. I strive to make each item better than the last. I try to pride myself on customer service - if it's not right I will try, try, again. Where do I go from here? I guess only time (and taxes ha ha) will tell. I hope to keep growing in knowledge and customers though! Ryan is always pointing out buildings where I could set up shop down the road. Could be fun - sell fabrics, sew all day, maybe teach some classes? Who knows! But I'm loving the journey!

The Way I Am

You may wonder about why I am the way I am. I'm sure my husband does, since I frequently am nagging him to get up and DO something. I'm really not trying to be a SuperMom type person, I'm just this way genetically. We bought a house that needs a lot of updates, which really doesn't help my need to fix, create, and stay busy. Well, my mom came to town Sun-Wed and we...

1. Glazed 2 tables
2. Painted an end table
3. Painted my fireplace door/frame
4. Sanded and stained a door frame the dog clawed up
5. Bought and added some new home decor
6. Sewed her a new tote bag, altered 2 pair of her pants, recovered my hamper, lined a hutch with fabric, made a new throw pillow (and a few k.mae orders)
7. Took down a dead tree and pruned a tree growing out of another tree
8. Organized the garage somewhat and started sanding night stands

Of course, this is in addition to shopping, Zumba, Bodypump, Vacation Bible School. We inspired Ryan, who finished painting and putting our large dresser back together and into the room, as well as hanging the mirror! There are some phone pics on Facebook but I'll try to add some real camera pics the next time I have it out for work!

It's So Hard, to Say Goodbye...

Ryan and I have made the decision to re-home our dog, Drake. I know it's a good decision for him, and for us, but it doesn't make it easier as his departure date eeks closer (tomorrow). It's been a long, strange trip with this dog. First, his refusal to be crate trained led to the purchase, return, and destruction of 8 types of crates. The only time he didn't get out was when we weaved a chain through and padlocked it shut. Instead then we can home to a bloody faced dog who tried to dig out of a metal cage. Then the constant escaping and running all over creation (raise your hand if you have helped chase and return Drake). How about the carpet torn up in our first rental townhome? Or the mouldings torn up when he has been shut on the inside side of a door? The using the house as a bathroom when he is "mad" at us for leaving him home? But now, I just keep thinking how sad I will be when I see the empty spot in the yard where he was laying. Or how much the kids will cry as his new owner's pull out of the driveway? What will I put on Natalie's chore chart instead of "Drake"? In my heart, I know he wants to run free. I know he will love being part of a "pack" with the other dogs and animals on the farm. I'm just feeling like I gave up on him. We put so much time into trying to keep him and now we're just giving up. I can't give my kids away, so why should I be able to give the dog away? I swear he comes in at night and sits looking mopey like he knows we are getting rid of him. But Ryan was sanding in the garage last night (with the big door closed) and Drake pushed oupen the door from the house to the laundry room and ran full speed into the garage door thinking it was open and he was free. So he does crave the freedom. Say a little prayer for all of us tomorrow - it's going to be a hard day. I guess this is a mini-lesson in learning to let the people (dogs) you love do what's best for them, even if it hurts.