My New Dylan Photo

Every month my daughter Holly sends me the best photos of the month that she's taken of
my Darlin' Dylan. Here is one of the best for April. Gotta love him.

I think I can...I think I can?

Haven't posted in almost a week. I've been working on setting up a new website. We've had a very basic website for years, but never sold from it. Lately we have been using it as a way of sending people to the selling venues where we have our products listed for sale. We decided we needed to put up a website where we could actually sell our products. I now know why it costs so much to have someone build a website for you. It takes sooo much time. Of course, if I actually knew what I was doing, it might go more quickly. So between painting and shipping orders, I've been finding out the different options I have for the website and how it all works.

The first thing I realized was that all my pictures I have used for etsy and other selling venues needed to be resized...not just once but twice. I needed a thumbnail size and and larger size for a more detailed view of each item. But not as large as the ones I already have stored. All the pictures I had been using were way too big. I am learning more about keywords, and meta tags and meta titles. I have discovered how to add attributes and drop down boxes for colors and sizes and more. We needed to upgrade the shopping cart that came with the hosting package. Thank goodness Lou was able to work that out, I don' think I could have done it. So now the shopping cart on the site has a shipping calculator and customers will be automatically charged shipping for their orders based on weight and destination.

I've gotten many items listed on the website and have many more to add but if you'd like to take a peek now you can visit www.countryworkshop.net I'm hoping, down the line, to maybe get other artists work displayed for sale on the site.

Now going to watch "America...The Story of Us" on the History Channel.

Bachelorettes....

My daughter Meagan and friends celebrated the upcoming wedding of their friend Amanda (the one with the garter) by going to Walt's Inn "Baltimore's Best Karaoke Bar". They even made it to Walt's Facebook FanPage. Meagan has known some of these girls from Harford Hills Elementary and all went to Loch Raven High School. The girls have scattered all over the country (one is teaching English in Japan) and several were unable to make it to this gathering. Having the internet has made it possible for all to keep in touch, while they were at various colleges and now as they continue the stories of their lives.

I really did not keep in touch with anyone I went to school with. My oldest and dearest friend I have known since we were 3, but we did not go to the same schools. During the snow storms this winter I set up a FB page (my girls told me I should do this) and have been in touch with several people I went to high school with. I know there is a reunion being planned for our 40th.
Oh my, does that make me feel old.

Pansies...

Pansies are on my mind. My neighbor has beautiful pansies in flower pots in front of his house. Makes a beautiful display for early season color. I tend to shy away from planting these colorful flowers because they don't last all summer and I hate to have to re-pot a second time in the spring. However, I can paint them and enjoy them forever. Here is a 3 inch heart I painted that can be tied onto a basket or gift and a sign of these pansies of many colors to welcome friends and family.



Hope you all are having a beautiful spring day...

Can't fool me???

Warm weather came early this spring. Last week, the temps were in the 90's. That forced many green growing things to pop up early. The lilacs started blooming last week , and as I walk out the door, the fragrance from the bush hits me. The azaleas are getting ready to pop open, and this is early too. I worried about those old bushes during the all the snow we had this winter. The branches were bent to the ground by the weight of the white stuff, but not one broken branch. I always remember that the azaleas in my parents yard were in full bloom on the day Lou and I tied the knot on Mother's Day weekend 35 years ago.
The warm weather tried to fool me into thinking it's time to start planting the annuals but I kept reminding myself that frost date is May 10 in Baltimore. So glad I didn't give in...it was 34 degrees here this morning.

A Day with Dylan and his Mom

Yesterday was my day to watch my wonderful grandson...I do this once a week to help my daughter and son-by-love with daycare while they work. Although I know it is a help to them, it is special time I get to spend with my first grandchild. The past several weeks though, I not only got to be with Dylan, but had the chance to spend the day with Holly. Yes she is still off of work because of the accident and she can't be alone to take care of Dylan. She still can't pick up the baby, can't drive, can't do the everyday things we take for granted. It is very hard to see your child in distress, no matter what her age. Saying prayers everyday that she mends both in body and mind, giving thanks that it her injuries weren't worse and that Dylan survived the accident without a scratch.

Wishing all a wonderful springtime weekend!

Never Enough Time...

Some days do you feel like a wind up toy...going in one direction...hitting the wall...going in another direction? That's me today. I came up to the shop early today to get items packaged to be shipped. Walked them to the front of the house and popped the scan sheet in the mailbox to let the mailman know that there are packages to be picked up today. Walking down the driveway, I am looking at the yard and the gardens are calling me...really need the feel of my hands in the soil but that's not going to happen today. I have orders to paint. I am writing this post as I wait for the boards to dry that I have just basecoated. They will need a second coat before I can letter them.

Also, I am working on a new website for the business. I have been loading listings for the past several days whenever I have time and that's taking longer than I would like. I just want to get it all finished in one sitting and that's not going to happen either. But eventually it will all get done. I think because it's such a beautiful day here in Baltimore that I am getting antsy.

Happy Easter Day

Sending all wishes for a beautiful
Easter Sunday.