keepin up this year….
There are many factors as to why I believe this Christmas rush is running more smooth…… Everything has been consistent, I’ve been calm, the weather has been good (cold, but good), schedules aren’t conflicting, both my kids go to school all week, hubby hasn’t been traveling, i have more clarity, I’ve had practice, and putting my practice to play is making a huge difference. Not to mention my stellar crew, whom, without them, there would be no MGS….
You see, it’s right around November 1st that the butterflies start fluttering in my stomach, and I start stocking up on silver. Which, by the way, silver has been at a steady-all-time-high these past couple of months. Which,, is bittersweet….. it costs more to buy my silver (and I haven’t raised prices), but also, people are seeking silver moreso than they are gold, because, well, gold is just off the charts expensive right now. When the economy is in the shitter,,,, precious metal prices sky-rocket. People buy it up like it’s water….. I recently refined all the silver I had accumulated over these last 5 years… i.e. mistakes, mis-spells, scratched disks, ends of cuffs, broken chains, etc…. and the beauty of it, is that even tho’ I can’t use it again, I can still send it to Los Angeles to be melted down, weighed, and then given a check for the amount according to what the silver market is on THAT DAY…. I lose some money on scrap, but get enough back that I don’t feel bad when I stamp the wrong letter and toss it in the refining bag……. a.k.a as the “flicker” bag… But back to my original thought.. Okay,, so then Thanksgiving hits, and everyone gets together at family gatherings etc….. and then black Friday comes, and everyone and their grandma is out and about shopping (not online) and then the weekend after Thanksgiving is picking up on orders,,, and then CYBER MONDAY hits!!! As Lightning McQueen says,, “KA POW KA CHOW”….. It’s a thrill. Of course I love making money, but when the slew of orders start rolling in one after another, I get this cool feeling inside…. it’s a pride-ful feeling… like,,, look at all these people that want to buy MY stuff….. the stuff that I create with my hands. The stuff that WE create with our hearts and souls. It may sound cocky, but it’s the truth. God has blessed me with a talent, and a talent that I love to share. That’s not to say I’m not going to have to have carpal tunnel surgery by the time I’m 35, or wear a back brace the rest of my life, or need bi-focals when I’m 36.. it’s all worth it. No pain no gain…
Cut off is the 15th this year. Me and my family are flying down to California for Christmas…… sooooooooooooo excited!!! Hubby is driving down, and me and the kids are flying down. He’s bringing the dog and our skis and all the gifts. Last year for Christmas, my mom n’ dad came up here, and we got snowed in for 7 days. It was a white Christmas indeed!! And we all survived being home-bound by the skin of our teeth. No one left beheaded….. even tho’ it came pretty damn close…. ha
It is BITTERLY cold here in Oregon this week. They are calling for snow. Another thing that makes me giddy and child-like. Love love love the snow. So do the kids. And at our new home here, we have this huge huge steep hill right up the way that is going to be PERFECT for sledding. Unfortunately, the bottom of the hill is right at our driveway, so I hope no one does anything STUPID and plows right into our yard.
Must get going for the day…. Maggs has field trip to some Veterinarian hospital today, and she keeps talking on and on about how she wants to be an animal doctor. Good stuff…..