Where did the time go ??

It seems these days I blink and 2 months pass by in a flash. I guess I was so busy up until Christmas , that I decided to be a little stingy and take some extra time off to enjoy my family and my home..shame on me !
All this time off has given me a new outlook on the past 13 years of Erinn Laine Candles, and I've decided to do things a little different from now on.
I want to get back to the basics and stick to those tried and true items that my customers have come to love over the years. No more jumping through flaming hoops to keep up with the Joneses..I really have no desire to accrue all of the debt that they probably have.
My new motto for 2011 is "simply made simple goods" sounds simple enough for me !
I want to continue making you all the very best handmade candles possible, because quite frankly without you, my customers, we would've been gone a long time ago...
Thanks so much for another year !

smells like Christmas Spirit

every year I feel like I'm being forced to prepare for Christmas sooner than I want , but this year's different.
I'm actually enjoying what I call "a timely preparation of the holidays". The tree's not up yet,not until after Thanksgiving people because that's how I roll.
I'm just taking my time this year and really enjoying my family because isn't that what it's all about ?
I spent a whole day with my sister poking around Amish country and visiting shops for decorating ideas.
We hardly spent a thing and it was great !!
I don't see what's so fun about buying all this stuff that you don't really need, then trying to find someplace to put it all and eventually donating it anyway...it's just so silly!
I did find a few treasures but nothing that would cause Buyer's Remorse.
I also picked up "A Simple Life" magazine, the photos are absolutely beautiful and it makes me want to simplify even more !
There are some yummy recipes inside for a cabin Christmas that I plan to use .
Yep, this year we are slowing down several notches and making some wonderful memories because that's the way it should be.

Long Time No See

wow, this summer just flew right on by didn't it ?

seems like one day you're getting the flower beds ready for spring planting & the next you're cleaning up and mulching for fall.

I just finished another year of Atwood Fall Fest and I'm so glad it's behind me.

Don't get me wrong, I love fall fest otherwise I wouldn't do it, but I think my body's trying to tell me to slow down a bit and that I'm no longer 26...DARN IT !

Most folks don't realize how much work goes into doing a 3 day show, especially a festival.

There's a lot of planning & preparation that goes into your booth when you want to present your craft in such a way that entices people to come in and have a look- see. I still scribble ideas in my college ruled notebooks,which by the way I buy in bulk ! I think that over the winter months I'm going to curl up with my stack of notebooks and sketch some ideas for next years shows and plan my schedule accordingly . I have a few primitive shows in mind that I would love to do, as long as time & money allow.

I'm doing my best to scale down my scent list, but it's very difficult because I love so many and I know there will always be a customer out there that cannot possibly live without that scent.I promise I will choose wisely.Now if I would just take my time when loading / unloading that truck...maybe my back wouldn't hurt for a month .