Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Production

In more ways than one!

I've been feeling really snowed under lately with no time for fun stuff, but today, I feel that we've hit a turning point.

Tina & I are teaching an online class on "Balms & Salves". We send out kits and the participants will receive enough raw materials and packaging to make their own lip balms, lotion bar and 2 different salves. All the instructions will be online and a special Yahoo group will be opened for the participants. She did something like this last month for incense making and it went very well.

We would have loved an opportunity like this in the early days because we are sending small samples of a lot of different ingredients so they will get a chance to see what various things are like and what they do.

The kit making was hanging over our heads and we finally got it all together and packed up all the orders to date.

Meanwhile, I had an order for 40 of my soap beads.

They are really a production item - not the favorite of someone who likes to create something unique, but they do help pay the bills!

I knew I had to get them made and today, the last batch came out of the kiln. Now to wire them up to jump rings and send them out. As soon as I get the findings I ordered, they will be finished.

Meanwhile, last week it occured to me that the idea of putting everything together at the "end of the year" for taxes was not a very good idea. Things get piled around and then misplaced.

Now that I have a few moments of breathing room, I am re-organizing my systems and planning to set a few hours aside every week to update my records so nothing goes unrecorded in the future. My accountant will love me for it next year. No more waiting for Maryanne to get her act together at the last minute.

Tomorrow, we make some special order soap and as soon as I figure out where I will be staying in two weeks when I take my class with Jen Geldard(!) I will feel that I am in complete control of my life - uhuh!

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