Happy Holidays Out of my Comfort Zone

Happy Holidays!!

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.

I spent the weekend in Dallas with my brother's family and my mom and even my sweet son. 

Me with my mom and brother.

Growing my bangs out...ugh.

Nothing worse. 

My absolute favorite picture of the weekend.

My great nephew playing Pokemon with the Big Guy. 

Also had the chance to see some friends so it was a pretty perfect time. The icing on the cake was I got to get on a plane- not much makes me happier- and on the return trip I spent a night in Denver with my friend Diana and her very sick daughter and her not sick son-in-law.  LOVE having a place to stay in the Mile High City as the drive to and from the Denver airport is the pits. 

And now I'm back at the cozy cabin in the woods, watching the snow fall outside my window. Don't think the temp has been above freezing at all today. The pellet stove is blazing and there is chili in the crockpot for dinner. 

Mina on my lap, fire in the pellet stove.

Cozy in the woods.

Need to put the Christmas tree up.

And last week I really got out of my comfort zone. The hospital had a craft fair which I went to last year...but wasn't brave enough to sign up for.   Cheryl, the nurse I work with, does beautiful photographs that she puts on cards and canvases. She sold things last year and encouraged me to try it this year. And then she reminded me and nudged me just enough that I turned in my fee and committed.   

Honestly, selling stuff I make has always intimidated me. Lots of doubts of  it "doesn't look professional enough", it isn't "creative enough". Whatever. Lots of excuses to not try. 

So with a shove from Cheryl, I tried.   I made some beads...necklaces and earrings and fun wrap bracelets. Then I made some banana bread and apple pies. And then I made some seasoned salt. My fabulous nephew, Andrew, who is über creative and much better at computer design than I, offered to help me with a label for the salt. I had a basic idea- he cleaned it up.   So it was an interesting table of items for sale. 

Andrew's improved version of my label.

After setting up, I wandered the other tables and despaired a bit that I was not as organized, creative, professional and then decided "F*@k it. I don't care."  This was an experiment. Would anyone buy anything? Would I take everything I came with home again? 

Lots of little salts. 

And some earrings. 

Needed a little work on the display but o well.

Well, guess what?  I sold half my salt, most of my bracelets, all of the banana bread, all but one of the pies (Fools. I should have sold all of them as they are really yummy.) and some  earrings and necklaces.  I probably made a $120 profit, which, considering I had zero expectations 
and I only started working on things November 1, was not bad. I had someone come up and tell me they had bought one of my bracelets for her daughter for Christmas. Really?? I made a Christmas present?

Would I do it again? Sure. But I would plan a little more- my presentation needed work-and start creating a little sooner. 

So. If you create, share it with the world. There will always be people that are more or better but there are also people willing to spend cold hard cash on your ideas and creativity. And that is such great validation. 

Put yourself out there.   And have a wonderful holiday season. 

No.21 :Go to Brunch

No. 21: Go to Brunch

Over Spring Break, while the girlies and friends spent the weekend in Texas, I snuck off to New Orleans with six friends from high school. 

And this is where I throw in a million zillion thanks to my fabulous brother who came through with last minute tickets on Southwest Airlines.  Love a road trip but sometimes getting on a plane is just the best. 

While in  New Orleans we ate. And ate. And ate. 

I came home 10 pounds heavier.

The whole gang on Saturday night. 

A little blurry. Kinda how the night went.

Allison, Ann, Kathleen, M. Anne, Peggy, Me, and Liddy.

But No. 21:Go to Brunch can now be officially crossed off the list. 

Sure, technically I do brunch frequently. But I don't consider just going to a late breakfast/early lunch at the same place that I always go to as worthy of being considered "Brunch" with a capital B.

And while in New Orleans we had lunch with a Capital B at the Commander's Palace.

Just love an establishment that is willing to make a statement.

That turquoise says "Here I am !!"

Commander's Palace has been a restaurant in the Garden District in NOLA since 1880!! During the 1920s it expanded it's menu to include ..um.... "entertainment"  upstairs for the traveling riverboat captains and gentlemen of the day. That era didn't last long and while the management has changed, the reputation for fabulous food has endured. 

And our Sunday brunch was fabulous.

 The festive upstairs dining room where we sat.

No ladies of the night, just cute waiters. 

From the spicy Bloody Mary's to the exquisite Southern Style pecan pie...  It was worth every calorie. 

A perfectly set table.

The jazz band that serenaded us was just icing on the pie.

Good food AND good music plus GREAT friends.

Just doesn't get any better. 

We returned home fat and happy with plans to get away again in the fall. 

We hope. 

No. 21 is done.