Still haven't picked a name....

So it is official, I have given up kanzashi.  Well making it at least.  That was until I found 5 or 6 new books that I had never seen before hidden in an Etsy shop.  And I am totally going to buy them, like the one photographed on the right I just purchased.  Before they go out of print, I am spending my earnings on beefing up my collection of designs.  This one contains the most new flower designs, so I grabbed it first.  It should be here in 2 weeks to a month. 

I'm not making it anymore though. New books or not. 

I still have to settle on a shop name, and I might just stick with Lilyashes.  Although someone on DeviantART has already taken that title.  So I was thinking something like Lily's Crafts, or something like that.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I am working ornaments, trying to drum up some sales to buy more books.  I have a teal and gold one that needs trimming, and another in purple black and gold that is almost finished.  Both of them are coming out well.  I have more color schemes and material than I know what to do with, I just need the time to work, and my fingers not to give out.  Those little nubs on the satin pins can be damaging! But two or three more and I will have enough to set up a photography session.  I am also going to remake a few that I have sold off, such as the lovely Pink Lady, and I have several fabrics I have not even cut to make balls with yet.  Plus I have been searching the net to find new patterns and designs, instead of the general 3 - 4 layers of satin.  So hopefully I can increase my variety in ornaments and make some sales!

For more kanzashi books, lol.

Shop changes. New brand coming soon!

bullets :

1 - shop name will change
2 - no more made to order listings
3 - kanzashi pieces are going on clearance. 
4 - ornaments will take over shop inventory.

I am not excited about this change.  Giving up kanzashi is not something I wanted to do.  I love my flowers, and my shop. But I do not have the ability to work at the demand made to order requires.  I will still take custom work on occasion. It is my most favorite sale to make. But I no longer have the time and energy required to be a dedicated kanzashi artist.
I think we have discovered the root cause of my health problems. Which gives me hope, and fear.  I have poly cystic ovarian disorder. It causes very poor hormone levels, including my type 2 diabeties. It can also give you cancer, if you have it bad enough.  And i have it pretty bad. I go to a new obgyn for testing soon. Let's just hope my worst case scenario is a partial hysterectomy.  Not kemo.
In light of all this, i at least have a path to follow to get better. I am not what you would call obese, but i am at least a few pounds over my bmi. So my time now must be dedicated to exercise. Religiously.  Even 10 pounds can regulate my ovaries again. And reduce my fatty liver disease.  Yeah. I have that too.
So as i lay here in bed with the flu, typing all this on my phone, i realize th as the this was a year of letting go. I lost several close friends, had deaths in the family, gave up kanzashi, and had my son diagnosed with autism.  Hoping for a better 2015.

One Last Ornament Before Store Vacation!!!

So this little lady is the last one to sneak into inventory before I close up the shop for Christmas Vacation.  She's polyester satin brocade of burgundy, brown, and silver in a floral/arabesque pattern.  The solid burgundy is apparel quality crepe back satin in polyester, and the silver highlights are crepe back super stretch satin in a polyester/spandex combination.  She has 3 layers of silver and burgundy ribbons for wrapping the seam, silver bells and bows on each side. 

Still Playing Catch-up

 Still playing catch-up.  I wrapped and trimmed most of these ornaments this week, except the white tree and the orange with gold. I still have 1 more to finish with a new print of Blues and silver, to replace the other popular navy and silver that has been discontinued. And I have one that is finished pinning and just needs trim. I really like the pink lady the best from this batch.  

Tonight I am focusing on a stain kanzashi batch I have yet to finish, but only becasue I have been waiting on a new glue gun to arrive in the mail.  My last one started leaking all over the place.  Plus I hated it. But I have one week to finish them and I will be done with all my orders for this year. 

Ornaments

Ornaments seems to be the theme of the season, this year.  Kanzashi demands too much uninterrupted time I just don't have.  With ornaments I can pick them up and put them down, carry my supplies in a bag and do them in the school car line. 

Besides I still have over 20 foam balls left to work on.

I still have another two not pictured here that are completely finished, trim and all, but I just haven't photographed them yet.

I also get my new fine tip glue gun in today.  Which means I can finally finish the 4 satin kanzashi I still have left to make.   And THAT will wrap up the last custom order for the year. 

I am also closing the shop the week of Christmas as I will be traveling away from home, and inventory, to see my extended family. 

I hope the new year treats you all well.  Hopefully I will be back in action by then. I am going to have a lot of free time this weekend to work, so look for more listings soon!

Life Changes

It is a sad realiziation when you realize that you have overstepped your limits as a single individual. 

I had to close the custom orders and made to orders.  I couldn't do them anymore.  Believe it or not, this was a very difficult decsion to make, even to just close it for one month.  But it is indefinite right now.  I do not know if I will be able to open it back up in January as I had hoped.

I don't usually go into my personal life, but it is definitely interfering with my craft time. I have two children, one is ADHD, and the younger one is severely autistic.  We have always struggled with him, but now he is at the point I have to keep him home and take care of him, with the constant need for therapy, I am always watching him, taking him for whatever appointment that day, he is a huge burden, though I love him dearly. 

I also took on too many orders this year.  October nearly killed me.  November got worse at home.  We are doing major work on my house to keep my son from hurting himself on the furniture or climbing the walls (no really, he does that) on a constant basis.  I have no time for housecleaning except for at night, when all I want to do is relax and sleep.  So work is few and far between, ornaents I can at least work on from time to time in the car line picking up the older girl from school.  But I can generaly only manage 2 balls a week, when before I was working 2 a day.  But kanzashi is a time consuming sit down and focus craft.  It is not a put it down and come back to it craft.  It requires time and dedication, of which I just don't have much of any more. 

I'm worn thin, and believe me when I tell you that my children are not the least of my worries.  I am still recovering/dealing with several severe medical conditions. I am not realy going to go into that, because it is nothing I am going to die from.....immediately.  But it does wear me out and until I can get that part of my life under control again, I am just going to have to lessen my work load. 

I am still wondering about a site change over.  that may not happen.  I cant get my web developer person to fix what i need fixed and I think he has gone MIA.  So until i have the time to sit down and figure it out (yeah right) or find a new web developer (more likely), the change over isnt happening any time soon.

I will sign off with a picture of the last three ornaments I made for my last custom order.

She's a wonderful customer, and I am glad I could get her work done, even though I was late on it.  She asked me to do this set to match one she bought previously.  It ended up being three since I can't find this pattern satin brocade fabric anymore.  I managed to find something of similar color but diferent pattern.  Just going to have to see how it works out. 

Meanwhile I am still making ornaments, but right now I have a huge about of new fabrics to process (that means cut and organize).  I will try to keep everyone updated on my status, but so far I am still in recovery mode.