It has been almost a month since I last wrote. Time does go by quickly when you are having fun and even if you are not. We have been having fun and not working very hard since my last entry. We shut down for the holidays, in every sense of the word. A couple of months ago I was to the point where I wanted to quit and get a “real job”. I just wanted out. I would have really regretted it over the years. Everyday would be filled with I should have, could have, or “I cudda bin a contenda”.

I had been trying to do the work of two people and I was not doing very good job of it. My daughter called it “working like a fly on the window”. I found out no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do the work of two people. I just needed some time off. We have been to the studio a bit this year, but tomorrow I have to get back to into the grove. I have been very close to the groove recently, just not in it. The orders are coming in, the wholesale show is in a month and I don’t have much for inventory. I want to add large decorative pieces to the line…………… I gotta make some pots.

I am excited about the store. When we first talked about it we were looking to build a gallery, but now I think that we will go more in the direction of interior decorating. The items in the store don’t have to hand crafted or Canadian, just  has to be “cool”. If I like and I think it will sell, it’s in. With the large pieces of pottery and a funky one of kind stock, we are hoping that it will soon be the place that people will go to when they want that special something they can’t find anywhere else. We don’t have anything in it yet. We are at the painting and replacing the lights stage.

The Alberta Gift Show is next month and we will go as buyers and not sellers. It will be the first time in years we will not be in the wholesale show. This year we are inviting our wholesale customers to come see us at the studio. I think it will work out fine, not to mention the $2000 we save by  not being there. So far we have not had anyone tell us they won’t come by. Most people we talk to are looking forward to seeing the studio.

This year will be an interesting year. I know there is an old curse that says “May you live in interesting times”, if it is a curse, I welcome that one. Jim and I have been “cursed” since we have met. The work looks good, the store is an exciting direction change and Jim’s venture with the DVD’s and the  conection to the oil industry  is a total wild card. Who knows where that one will go? We will have fun finding out.  It is exciting.

I will try to take some pictures of  before, during and after of the progress of our little store. We don’t have a name yet. We will most likely just call it Out of the Fire Studio Pottery and ???? .If anyone reading this has an idea let me know.

Until next time.

Cindy