Behind the Scenes--What I'm Working On Now

Today I have a touch of writer's block, ugh! So I will talk about what I am doing at the moment and other random things.

I am at Starbucks, staring at the blank computer screen and also doing a bit of hand-sewing. I am sewing binding on my burp cloths. It's a new and improved design although I have had no complaints about the old design!

I have been using Facebook as a tool to generate business and it's working better than I expected. As interest grows, I will post tips on how to use Facebook to grow your handmade business! I'm still experimenting and learning what works and doesn't work, so I will take notes and publish them later when I know more about what I'm talking about so you can get the benefit!

I do have exciting news today. I am getting a logo! Marty, my wonderful brother-in-law, happens to be a great graphic designer and I've asked him to create something for Grass Floor Stitchery. He is going to create a Facebook inset photo/logo, an Etsy shop banner, and business cards!

Today I also hope to learn how to link to a PDF or other picture file to this blog so that I can post templates or patterns to the how-to's that I post here. That is part of the problem with my writer's block today! I have a cute idea for a baby rattle soft sphere tutorial that I have made and gotten rave reviews about, but I don't know how to post my template yet.


Now I'm home and it's almost 7 am. Last night I managed to get my printer working again, another yay! Turns out when I upgraded to Windows 7 I should have uninstalled my printer first, then reinstalled it. Well, it's done now. I had to call a number I found in my printer's instruction packet (installation cd was missing) and the guy on the phone just took over my computer and did it all for me. Guess he thought by my not being able to find the driver software online that I was a computer nincompoop and he needed to just do it. And I have to say a BIG thank you to my friend Stephen who left the computer-to-printer USB cable plugged into the back of the printer (printer is wireless). Otherwise, that would probably have gone the way of the installation cd as well.

The dogs are MUCH happier today after our big romp in the field after I got refreshed at Starbucks by myself for a while. The rain on Sunday threw us off and we just didn't do anything that day. We will go on a walk this morning to make sure we don't fall into that trap again! I realized yesterday when I got home that I needed to get out with my doggies as much as they did! I just wasn't feeling right either, and Starbucks didn't completely cure me.

So tonight I am working on the PDF upload issue, and hopefully by Thursday (my next work-for-me day after today) I will have that baby rattle tag ball tute for you! Thanks for reading....

New addition! Bolt!

I write this post in between bouts of getting up and rescuing some article of value or another from my new dog's mouth. At almost three full years of age, he is the oldest "puppy" I have ever seen! He has two speeds, on and off, on being one million miles a minute and off being sleeping. Trace and I have been taking Bolt on walks or to the huge empty field across from my apartment EVERY day, and that buys us a few hours of relative peace and quiet. Then it's back to bouncing around the room again!

I rescued Bolt from Fort Worth Animal Care and Control last Wednesday. He was one day away from being euthanized, and if I hadn't come into the picture, less than one day. I brought Trace with me to make sure it wasn't a huge mistake, to see if there was even a remote chance that my first dog would accept a second one. Trace saw Bolt through the windshield of the car and barked once, then whined a little. I got him out and brought him over to the chain link fence where Bolt was enclosed with his friend Tiffany. Bolt and Trace took to each other right away, with Bolt taking a playful stance on one side, pointed ears back, and Trace whining and barking playfully on the other.

A few minutes went by, and behind my back another dog came around the corner, on leash with a worker from the shelter. Trace went ballistic, pulling me over on his leash. The other dog, Capone, was a real sweetie according to Tiffany, but Trace did not think so. He may have been barking at both the person and the dog, I don't know. There were a couple of other encounters in which Trace did not do so well, but when Tiffany, Kristen, Lauren and I (the other wonderful volunteers) brought Bolt out to the parking lot, Trace did great again! He walked on leash with Bolt by his side when both the volunteers and I held the leashes.

So we loaded Trace up into the back seat and Bolt into the passenger seat, and off we went, three now and not two!

Now Trace is engaging Bolt in a round of play that I have not seen yet since I brought them both here. Yay! Bolt is running circles around Trace, but Trace is holding his own. He's used to being the younger, faster model, so this is new for him and it's taken a little bit for him to adjust to Lil' Bit.

I'm giving it a trial period to see how they both do. Bolt is very energetic and not used to being inside much I think. As long as they get along, I think Trace and I can keep up with Bolt and we will all be very happy!