Fresh Start

Usually People make a new start as part of their New Years resolution. I didn't do that because, well, I probably would not have followed through and then I feel bad and the circle continues.  Yesterday afternoon while finishing up the Minnie Mouse outfit I watched the Nate Show and saw an episode about The Happiness Project.  http://www.thenateshow.com/videos/detail/2027/the-secrets-to-happiness/  I was hooked. I thought about it all evening and then first thing this morning I went to the site http://www.happiness-project.com/ and joined. I am so excited. Up until now I was in the mind set that HAPPY was something that I didn't have time to worry about. But, I deserve HAPPY, I think there is where I went off track, I wish all the good things for my kids, friends and everyone but me. So, I have now been told it is not selfish to want such a simple thing as happiness for myself.  Now, to look deep inside and find out what really makes me happy. I am thinking off the top of my head cupcakes, a warm bed and good friends to share with but as this project goes on I am curious to see what direction I head in.


As for cupcakes!!!!  I am going to get an entry ready for the Jelly Belly Cupcake Contest http://jbcupcakechallenge.com/landing/  then I have my goals set on entering  IRON CUPCAKE Madison http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com/   Milwaukees event has gotten so big that they have now outgrown the space and until further notice done. This is really sad, but think of the exposure those bakers got .....amazing.  I am setting the bar high, those cupcakes are amazing! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iron-Cupcake-Madison/137515206292011?v=wall

For the rest of the day though I need to get some outfits done so I can get them listings up on Etsy and send out the last of the orders. It is always fun to come up with new ideas and to update or change the pattern to more suit me. Right now I have an old 60"s patyterb book with baby layettes out. A Christening gown has caught my eye. My Grandmother made each of my kids their own Christening outfit, crocheted with love and passed down to their kids. Priceless

Wednesday 's

Wednesdays are almost always not very productive. We have a downtown business owners group meeting at 8:30 to discuss the upcoming events in town and how we can best promote our town and businesses. A very friendly group of four or five of us , planning to "SAVE the WORLD" one event at a time. About 10 am we return back to our businesses and get the day started. MOST of us,

I am a first thing in the morning person. I have myastenia gravis and am at my best early in the day. Somedays I come in at 7:45 with an idea and get right to painting and g all day each piece coming so easy. Other days like today I am thrown off by a change in plans. Today our meeting is at 6:00 in the evening! I have accomplished little all day.
Montello where I live has a population, at the time of the 2000 census, was 1,043. A toursit area that two years ago was hit by floods and last year had a drop in tourists due to the closing of our boat launch. With fewer tourists of course our shops make less money, the locals have a harder time finding jobs and we are forgotten. I have decide this just can't happen. Montello is a great small town for kids to grow up in, friendly people and loads of natural resources . So I am working to get us back on the map, all the while still filling the shop and trying to keep home life good for all of us. By all of us, I mean I am never quite sure how many will be there. Some days there are us ( my husband and I ) Kathy my daughter and her son Mike, Liz, Chris and Matt ( three teenage grandkids) 3 dogs and 4 fish. Other days my oldest grandson Joe is there with his two little guys and even my daughter Cheryl and a stray friend or two. I can't tell you the last time I was home alone!

My son has backed me along the way with my shop and website. Without him , I dont even want to think how things would have been. I use my painting as a stress reliever, stress is my #1 trigger for my MG. A Profitable shop would be nice, right now after two slow summers we are tredding water and I may have to make a decision to close the shop....but for right now I am painting to fill orders and keep my sanity.With the help of my son I am going to revamp the old diner in the photo and give out downtown the anchor it needs and a central visitng location for the locals and toursits alike. It will be alot of work and I am knee deep in paperwork right now , but if you want it, and focus anything is possible. This is how I see the next chapter in my life!!!

but until that chapter starts I will be painting because painting takes the stress away and the customers visitng makes each day enjoyable. But, today I was interrupted and didnt get an early start so I have finished almost nothing and now that I am typing this....IT IS OK tomorrow will come soon enough and I will get everything done! I had a good friend who worked with me at Michaels about 13 years ago and when I would worry about what seemed like everything she would say "Don't sweat the small stuff... and it's all small stuff" and she was right. So I will get stuff ready for the meeting tonight, reada few more blogs, finalize my cupcake recipe choices and call it a good day.

Memorial day Weekend....great fun

The weather was perfect for visitors to come up to Montello and visit the shops and see all the great stuff we have to offer. Campers were seen pulling in on Thursday and the sites were filling up fast. Downtown where we are located the sidewalks had shoppers strolling, many with ice cream cones and doing some shopping. The windows I painted earlier this week are gone! In fact we had two ladies wanting the same one. How fun. I will get a few more done this weekend and get some more of the cutre camping , cabin signs done. Then I am off to paint and decorate my COW for Montello's dairy dfaze on June 12th. Local businesses are painting and decorating wooden cows and we will have visitors vote on their favorite cow. I will also be hosting this months CUPCAKE SALE at my shop. I ahve been baking and finding new ice cream themed cupcakes and have a few that are a gourmet delight. When we hold these bake sales the money goes to help pay for advertising for other events throughout the season and purchase decorations and such that we need for the downtown. Our last money helped pay for the Moose fest appreciation dinner, gas for the shuttle busses and we still have a little left. So come on down and get your self a cupocake or two and enjoy Montello and my shop.

Cupcakes on the Brain

I have an 11 year old grandson MIKE who not only loves when I make cupcakes but loves to watch Iron Chef with me. Last night I told him about Iron Cupcake and he thought that was the best thing he ever heard of. Now, today after the shop I told him I had a comment from Iron Cupcake and he almost fainted. How did they know about his Granma and could I print it off. Well, I was thrilled also to see the comment and if you, like me are a baker or just loved baked goods check out their site and this

become an Iron Cupcaker.

To join, all they have to do is email me IronCupcakeEarth@wi.rr.com ( IronCupcakeEarth.com) with the following information to join. All Iron Cupcake participants must register via email.

Name

City, State, Country
Blog Address
Flickr Name
Referral: MY BLOG NAME

Any questions you or your readers may have can be found at the Iron Cupcake Earth Central Hub.

IRON CUPCAKE is getting bigger everyday. In addition to our ETSY artists, the makers of the CUPCAKE COURIER have donated one of their awesome carriers to every challenge winner for the next 12 months! I am also in talks with the folks at an incredibly hip, uber-desired kitchen accessory company - who must remain nameless for the moment. They are in for a similar offer. So the pot gets bigger … and cupcake lovers all over the world will reap the benefits!

IronCupcakeEarth
Bringing the World together one Cupcake at a time!

what could be more fun, ever age group enjoys a good cupcake, they make people smile, and it doesnt take much to exercise of one little cupcake!

So you heard it here, go spread the word and check out their site!