Have I ever mentioned that I find running a small business kind of annoying? I love creating stationery, I love using stationery, I love talking to people who love stationery, I love interacting with customers, I love making customers happy. What I DON'T love is all the business stuff - taking pictures, editing pictures, and creating the listings. It's all so boring. I wish someone else would do that stuff and I could just keep creating stationery and making people happy with their orders. :)
Having said that, Toronto had its first slightly sunny day that also wasn't massively windy yesterday, so I bundled up (it was -4 C) and headed out to take some pictures. They came out acceptably but not great. Still, I'm sick of waiting for better picture weather, since the winter is probably just going to get worse rather than better. It was a fight with the wind that kept blowing away my stationery the entire time, and I was freezing and frustrated by the end. At least it's done. I've been wanting to list these sets for a while. My favourite is the
Yummi Sushi stationery, which is a tip of my hat to
Buffy's Yummi Sushi pyjamas. :) Who doesn't love a kissy sashimi? <3
Also, it's January, which means it's time to do the December raffle. This month there were 17 entrants, and the random number generator online gave me #16 as the winner. Congrats to BonnieM! I've already contacted her to see what set she'd like to get for free. Thanks to all my customers for December! I hope my stationery added to your holiday cheer.
Mail call! Check out this AMAZING letter I got from a pen pal in Oregon. I even love the nifty stamps!
That is the outside of the envelope. Here's the card on the inside, which like the envelope, is entirely handmade.
I make sure to scan all her letters, because soon after I get them, I rip them apart. <blush> I feel slightly bad about this, but I use the art and card stock to decorate the inside of my journals. :)
Even her stationery was super cute, and a note on one of the pictures spurred me to join the
Letter Writer's Alliance. I'm in Canada, so it will take quite a while for my membership information to reach me, but still. I'm excited. (click the image to enlarge it and get a better look at the images!)
The middle image reminded me strongly of a set I just finished working on and hope to take pictures of on our next sunny & not windy day. The main image is this cute typewriter.
All in all I was pretty thrilled with her letter. I'm almost finished writing back, and she will be getting this cute little cactus envelope.
My pen pal in Louisiana sent me an envelope with this pretty, sparkly sticker sealing the back.
Blue and shiny - right up my alley! I'll be sending her this monkey envelope back, lined with these bizarre timepieces I cobbled together in an illustrator program. I'm not sure why I seem to think snow monkeys have access to some sort of mystical, watery, time machines, but there you have it folks.
Lastly, I've been struggling with whether to take a night course at U of T or not. I'm feeling oddly motivated lately to become a better creative writer, and I'd like to focus on that this term, Whether it's by taking a few continuing ed classes at U of T, or just writing every night myself. That plus a legit university class will be too much. I'd also be lying if I said that the idea of hoofing it across campus in -30C weather and 3 feet of snow didn't have anything to do with my decision. It would be nice NOT to go home at 10pm in the bitter cold and pitch dark this winter, even if it is only once a week. Thoughts? What do I do - take the university level English class or just wait to take a few over the summer instead? If I take it during the summer, should I enroll in a writing class for January through to March, or just work on pieces by myself? Either way, I should get some Charles de Lint out of the library; he's my writing inspiration and it's been quite a while since I've reread his work.
It's late and I'm heading home. Have a great night!
