Cyber Monday...with LOTS of Names!

Technically,  cyber Monday is not over yet. However,  there have been many more names than there used to be.   Last year we only sold 200 names on stockings....I'm not sure where we are this year,  but names sure seem to be popular. 

Sunday names!

Monday names!


   It's all good....I'm grateful for every sale we get.  But we are a little behind last year and it is rather bothersome because we thought we were prepared for a bumper harvest this year with all that advanced prep.  Well,  the year is still young so I should not complain just yet.   Sales have picked up since thanksgiving.


Not even all of the orders!

 And we even beat a previous sales day bby about $400.00!  Still,  our overall sales for the year are lower than they were a year ago at this time.   Perhaps people are waiting to shop a little closer to the holidays.   We shall see.


All New!  Seal stockings!





Isn't he cute! 

Oh!  In the mean time,  Cheryl has been working on  a couple of new design/requests.   This si actually a remake of last years Seal stocking.   Several people have asked about it,  so instead of answering them with a "no!"  Cheryl decided to actually make a handful of them to see if they have potential for next year.   We don't have much time to take better pictures right now...so this is all we have at the moment.  We shall see if people respond.

Thanksgiving! With Plumbing!....That works!

This hole is Right outside our Bedroom window

running the snake down the pipe.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I hope you are having one as great as ours,  made that much better because they fixed our sewage problem!  YEAH!  It was touch and go for a while as they only had one day to fix it and the problem continued to get worse.  But,  Apparently,  there is a crack somewhere in the yard and they only fixed it by clearing out the roots that had grown in side.   There is probably a major project yet to come...but for how,  they fixed it and we can  now flush to our hearts content.  (WOOOSH!)  


Pheasant seasoned and ready for the pan

Router not working...again!

   Other than that,  Thanksgiving for two is rather uneventful.   To spice things up this year,  I attempted to make Pheasant instead of turkey.




The finished Product

Pheasant with orange sauce

Cheryl's treat bowls finally get used

No thanksgiving complete without Gevunsterminer!

   A few hiccups along the way:  Our internet was down and the only recipe I was planning on ( with all the ingredients) was online...and  I did not print it out ( why waste the paper wen we pay for internet now? )  The bird was not a spring chicken...meaning it was rather old and tough.  However,   even with all those missteps,   it still managed to taste good.  I doubt I will be attempting something that exotic again any time soon, however.  It was rather expensive and ultimately,  I could have tried the same recipe  with a more tender chicken and probably would have liked it better. 


Aren't the bears cute!

 Cheryl has been spicing things up as well by purchasing little cutesy things for cupcakes...It's kind of her thing....






Big Scary Origami spider...my best yet!

And finally....An origami spider...which looks so real ( in a dark room on the floor)  That Cheryl screamed!  Normally the paper legs are too thick,  but tis one worked out  with methylcellulose and tissue paper.
Hope everyone continues to have a great thanksgiving and we wait with our breaths held for that Black Friday to be HUGE!

The Thrill of living in a Vintage Apartment.

 

 

For the last three days,  Cheryl and I have been battling/worrying about a small waste water crisis in our apartment.   It appears that the tiling that drains our complex's wastewater is failing....causing water backups,  raw sewage, flooding, and a major anxiety problems for us here on the ground floor.   What really helps is that the upstairs tenants are totally apathetic to our plight and continue to use the water with  reckless abandon!   We have called the landlord.....who just happens to be out of town this weekend.   ( usually they are here quite frequently)   Hopefully ( HOPEFULLY!)   They will get on it tomorrow morning because every flush from the people above us makes me cringe. Anyway,  this has been an ongoing problem, but never quite this dramatic.   We all thought that there was a leak from the upstairs,  but now we know that the pipes just back up...in fact I finally caught the act on film as it was happening.  ( it also happens when everyone washes their clothes.....which EVERYONE did yesterday)   Fingers crossed as this problem gets solved QUICKLY!

Button Sewing Video Experiment

So here I am sewing on the buttons   This is the first time I used the video option on the camera so I'm not sure how well it will turn out.   I'm not even sure if the format is compatible.   Anyway,  Red black bear was the stocking of choice today.  We only sewed up 12 to complete the box.   Hopefully the video will load and I will see if I can modify or save it in a different format. 

 

 

TGIF With Names and Origami

Just a typical day of names and Origami.   I worked on a couple of frogs the other day  and thought I should take a picture before giving them away.


More Names continue to pour in!

                                                                                                                                       Sales have been good lately,  but names still seem to slow us down a bit.  Hope everyone has a great weekend. and Hopefully the sales will continue!
                                                                                                                                                                         





More Stockings! More Names!

Hiro looks just like I feel right now

Names are done and drying

This is becoming a challenge to keep my energy up enough to blog...and not forget to take pics of the days stocking orders as they come in.  Regardless,  things are going well and stockings sales continue to come in.  It seems that the names are becoming  a big hit lately!   I have been busy putting names on them and that tends to hold up the orders an hour or two.  No worries.   It's a good thing that we id all those stockings this summer ( I should day spring...as we sewed up hardly any while at that job)   Wee are still working on replacing a few of them as we can.

Isn't he CUTE...And very popular

Red Black Bear was Stocking of the day

we received another stash of felt yesterday along with some other much needed supplies.  The only thing now is trying to figure out what design is low and replenishing it.  Well,  best to keep this one short.   Perhaps there will be more tomorrow.   BTW   Some really great Animes I can't wait to mention.  I'll write about them when I have more time. 

The Stocking Rainy Season for Stockings has begun!

I was going to say Monsoon but I'm not sure if that is spelled correctly,   which,  judging from the lack or red under the word,  I'm assuming it is.

Packages Ready For shipping!

Names Galore!











Anyway,   We had some serious sales today along with lots of names!   YEAH!  LET'S OPEN THOSE FLOODGATES!    It was also a nice day for everything else.   We received our felt order finally so we were able to work on some of the stockings that are down to 4 stockings so we made that a priority.   Rudolph have been the most popular as a whole ( just like last year)   but we had prepared for them making several batches well in advance.  Still,   even with all that advanced prep work,   even they are getting low now.  

No!  It's no mine.

Glad to know another Ethan exists!

   Speaking of names....and Black Bear stockings.   I personalized a stocking for someone WITH MY NAME!   I'm aware that Ethan Is becoming 0ore and more popular with the younger generation.  However,   when I was growing up....No one ( I mean ....NO ONE)   had the name Ethan.   The first time I met another kid named Ethan,  I was a Junior in college...and the "kid" was 4 years old.   Anyway,   I was teased mercilessly when I was growing up because Ethan Allen was the name of the furniture store...And the humor was lost on me when I was 6 years old.   But alas,  I now can look back and say that My name was on the cutting edge of becoming popular...I was just 20 years too early. 

Money makes Cheryl Happy!

Finally, Green Black Bear replenish

   Well,  I hope everyone enjoyed veteren's day and you all have a great week .   I'm hoping our week continues down the same road as today.   There is something fun about being swamped with orders so that you can think of only how to get things out in a timely manner.  Call it Zen or mind clearing....or total exhaustion.    Which ever word you choose,  it's probably the correct one.

Broken Blade Anime! Totally Awesome Action!

  Ever want to see one of those animes that have a healthy dose of reality?   You know the type,  where gravity and limits play  an important role.   Not too much mind you!   Just enough to keep it grounded.   Broken Blade ( or break blade as it could also be translated)   is just that type of Anime.   First off,   it would not be an Anime if it did not have a bit of magic or advanced science in it that is out there in the fantasy fiction realm.   However,   It also has these limiting factors, such as human endurance,   ammo depletion, and death.   People die in this Anime,  because...in war...that is what people do!   The harsh reality is that good people die and sometimes for no good reason.   I'll spare you the in depth analyses or description of the anime,   I'll just suggest that you watch it.   YOU MUST!   It is way too cool for those of us who are science fiction,  action  fans.   Watch it here!

Finished Origami Rhino, Sleeping cat, and Space Brothers Anime

It has been a while since I was able to talk about a cool anime.  Not that they are not out there, but that we have not had the opportunity to watch them.  Anyway,  On Crunchyroll, we discovered a really great one.   Space Brothers.   Two brothers who dream of going into space,  but life has different plans for each of them.   We are currently one episode into season 2 and we are hooked!   Perhaps because I can relate to the oldest brother, because he gets fired from his job and was not persuing his dream.  However,   his younger brother is an astronaut with NAsa and scheduled to be the next person on the moon.  Fate steps in and sets the older brother back on the path and I can relate to all the self doubt and desire and triumph over every little victory that this character goes through.  A great watch if you don't mind reading subtitles.   Watch it now at Crunchyroll.com.

Rhino Walking

I like the look of the paper

 

head close up

he's turned to the side a little

 Also,  I finished up the Rhino yesterday and I think this is the best one yet.   I was able to position it a little more so it looks like it is walking instead of just standing.  It is too bad the camera didn't seem to pick that up too well. 

 And while I was at it....what blog post does not look a little better with a cat on it.   Enjoy!

Rhino Day 2....

So this is the second day of messing with the Rhino.  Sculpting is one of the more time consuming parts of Origami.   You COULD just fold it and have it look like a piece of paper that is roughly shaped like an animal....OR  you could spend hours fussing with each part to make sure it looks more like the animal and less like a piece of folded paper.   I'm sure the truth exists somewhere in the middle for each and every artist out there.


Rhino without clips

Still working on back legs

And they all differ on where that certain stopping point is.   As for me....I want to make this one look the most like a rhino than any previous attempt.  So  Out with the brush,  methylcellulose and heat gun to make the parts behave the way I want them too,  I still have to work on the back legs and tail...and I've been trying to give the head and front legs a little more expression so he does not look so "stiff".

Smiles from Sales! Isn't she cute!

Polar bear will be very popular

8 Names out of 12 stocking

 Anyway,   Cheryl and I have also been sewing and packing things as the sales come in.   I only do the origami AFTER it is all done and out the door.   Today there were quite a few names as well and foreign orders.   The non-US people are probably figuring out to buy early so their items will arrive by Christmas.  It's good for us because it is a bit of a head ache explaining to the last minute shopper that their Christmas  stocking will not arrive by Christmas

Same Rhino, Differant Paper.

So Cheryl found this really cool paper in some package she got and offered it to me to fold.   It was very large and thick,  but I thought I would give it a go with the new wet folding technique I have been exploring ( new to me anyway)

Hopefully it will dry like this

Can't wait to see it without the clips!



I had to re download the PDF

check out that sexy computer!

 This could very well be the best Rhino yet.   There is no foil to hide,  and no color change to mess with.   It had the look and feel of leather when I folded it.   Right now it is drying so I don't want to touch it until t is completely dry.  I still have to play around with the tail a bit,  but I'm pleased with the way the legs are coming out.  Also this one has a little more of a 3 d feel to it.   We shall see how the finished project turns out.   This is about the 7th Rhino I folded,  So I may just be getting better at the folding part.  I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Many other colors to choose from!

Very popular

Other than that,  Cheryl and I have been sewing stockings again.  Red Rudolph seem to be quite popular so far,   so we decided to sew up a batch to replace the 30 we are currently down.  Hope sales pick up soon  now that the election is finally over.