Getting out in front of it...

The holidays are officially here!  Well, at least they are at my house.  Considering that I'm already knee deep in silver wire, saw blades, steel wool, packing tape, pliers, files, sand paper...it means that I've gotta do things a little early.  For years we had the tradition of buying our tree and putting up all the glitz on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  But about four years ago I had to spend part of that Sunday working...and the tree sat all season with exactly ONE ornament on it.  I kept meaning to finish, but I felt guilty taking time off of work...but I was so sad to be "missing out" on any part of the merriest time of the year!  So now we just start early, simple as that!  And the great thing is - we get to enjoy it all just a little bit longer!  

So that's one thing I do to get ahead of the rush, what are your secrets?

ch ch ch changes...

My parents are moving.  

They've been in this house for 29 years...to say that I have not been handling the impending move well would be the understatement of the century.  I grew up in that house, I got married in the back yard, my brother came home from the hospital there, I spent my last Thanksgiving with my Nana there, several precious pets are buried there...the house just feels like a part of me.  So it's been hard.  I have not dealt with it in the best possible way.  I've carried baggage, and until quite recently haven't been able to comprehend the words: 

"let go".   

BUT, like it or not, it's happening.  So I've spent the last two days at the new house helping with the unpacking and putting away of it all.  29 years makes for a fair amount of acquired stuff.  I am very definitely a stuff person.  I have a lot of stuff.  I like stuff.  I need my stuff around me.  My stuff makes me comfortable and happy.  I like vintage stuff and stuff with memories attached to it...but in the end stuff and houses are not people...my family is where my heart is...and as long as I'm good with my family,
I can let stuff go...I think.  I hope.  I'm trying.

So, spending the last two days knee deep in books and knick knacks has meant being away from the studio.  And to tell you the truth, it's been a nice little break.  

But today I am back at it...I have a  lovely pile of these to make...

...and I have a few one of a kind rings like this one all cued up and ready to finish up!

Now I just have to dive in and hit the holidays hard!  I've got inventory to build up, gifts to buy and make, decorations to dig out of the pit that is our garage, supplies to order, and I've got a whole list of ideas and goodies and gift ideas that I wanna share with you...oh my!

What are YOU doing to make sure the holidays don't bowl you over?