A Story to Tell

Since I can remember, books were my most precious possession and I enjoyed the many stories that they told. As a child, I would pretend that I was in school and many times I even allowed myself to be the teacher.

My father loved books as well and I can remember him laying back on the couch with a book in hand. There were always books on his bedside table and there was never a night that he did not read for awhile before shutting off the light. We had a back kitchen in our house and I would go out there and climb up on a trunk so that I could reach his book shelf. I would spend hours going over the pages of a variety of books.There were so many that I had wanted to read but time has a way of passing and our thoughts move on to other things.

I guess that is why I always wanted to be a writer and still to this day, I tell myself that is what I will do one day for a living. I also have to admit that I am a bookaholic. Right now I am in Montreal taking a course for museum marketing and throughout the day, I was thinking of what a waste of time it was to be sitting there listening to information that I basically already knew, for I could be sitting at Chapters Bookstore, one of my favourite places in the world.

A few years ago, I heard people saying that books would become a thing of the past because now people would be reading online. Well from the people I see when I go to Chapters, I know that books will always be a part of our lives. There is nothing like having a book to read and being able to close the book, knowing that you can return to its story when you get the chance. I am happy to say that I have passed on my love 0f books to my daughter as well and I know that throughout her life, they will inform and intertain her.

This fall I felt the need to write something and my thoughts brought to life the story of what happens when a town decides that they never want to see snow ever again. It ended up being rather amusing and sad ,with a little bit of wisdom mixed in with it. It turned out to be harder to do than I thought but I finally finished it and have put it for sale on my little shop on Etsy.

In time, I plan on writing a series of books from Maggie`s Raggedy Inn and selling them through my soon to be website as well as on my Etsy shop. Who knows, maybe one day I will earn my living this way.

Dreams are meant to take us where we want to go!!

A Day for a Snowman

Well here it is Wednesday morning and the weather has turned much colder.Yesterday when I looked out my window, I saw snow flurries falling. We have been lucky so far because the ground is still bare but with flurries in the air, I know that one morning soon I will wake up to snow. Yes that will be the morning that I will look for my mittens and winter boots. Then I will have to make my way out to the shed and find a shovel that is probably hidden behind bikes and all that summer stuff that was shoved away for the season. Then I will have to shovel a path out in the yard for my dog and two cats so that they can go outside to do their business.

Then there will be the car to brush off, so I will have to go back to the shed and find the ice scraper- snow brush as well, promising myself that next spring I will just leave it in the car. Then I will shovel the veranda's and make a couple of trips out to the wood shed to fill the wood box so that I can keep the house nice and warm. Maybe after all that is done, I will go and fill the bird feeders because they seem to be very active when it is snowing. Then I will try and find another excuse to stay outside and be late for work, because to tell the truth I love the first snow. I feel like it is an excuse to be outside doing something. The air feels cold and fresh and I can almost feel my cheeks turning red and I am filled with a wonderful energy which is almost childlike.

How can anyone resist making a snowball at a time like this and you know what snow balls lead to... yes SNOWMEN! Wouldn't it be a great way to forget your troubles for just a little while and enjoy one of the simple pleasures of life. I think that everyone should take advantage of the first snowfall where ever you may be and get out and play in the snow for a few minutes and build a little man of snow. I am sure that he will will bring a smile to your face and if you are lucky he will be waiting for you when you return to make to feel good all over again.

A Day for an Angel

Good morning everyone,

Well another day in which to excell! I used to work for a man who would greet us every morning with that line. I never forgot it because I figured if we were to think like that starting out in the morning, just imagine where our thoughts could take us and how much we could get done.

We all need a little motivation in our daily lives. As time goes on we seem to no longer have time to stop and think. We rush through our days almost on auto-pilot, running and trying so hard to get as much done as we possibly can so that we will be further ahead tomorow because we have so much to do then as well. Gone are the days when we used to sit and look out the window and wish for something to do or somewhere to go. With computers and all the new technology that has now become a normal part of our lives, we no longer have those quiet moments to think and withdraw from life for a little while. The only time we get off track from that type of pattern is when something happens and usually it is not a good thing. Sickness, job loss, accidents make us stop and you know what, I think that sometimes it is a sign that life gives us to say slow down, stop and look around,look at the way you are living, is this what you really want, is this how you really want to live? Hummn... I think we should all practice spending a few minutes each day thinking about things other than all that we have to do. We shouldn't wait until life does it for us.

I just listed this little angel on Etsy that I made, maybe she is trying to give me a message this morning. Yes, I must take a few minutes today to think about life but for right now I have to hurry and get ready for work.... I am going to be late!

You can check her out on http://maggiesraggedyinn.etsy.com

Monday and a new week begins at the Inn

Well another weeks begins! What will I accomplish this week? I will start of by writing my to do list of course, which will be long I am sure, but things have to get done! It looks like it is going to beautiful day as the sun is out, so I will have to find time to walk Rosie my little dog. It will do us both good.

Well I spent a good part of the day yesterday designing and making up a Christmas letter from Santa with a felt pin to go with it. It ended up being more work than I thought it would but I enjoyed making it. Last night I finally got it loaded into my Etsy shop and made up a few more pins while watching Desperate Housewives.

As I was writing the letter to go with the pin, I thought back to the many letters that my daughter received from Santa since the time she was a baby. I remember every year telling myself that I had to get the letter written before the rush but it never got done until after the family gathering of Christmas Eve when everyone else went to bed and I would stay up sometimes as late as 2:00 a.m. writing Santa's message to my little girl. It was so important that she get it on Christmas morning with her snow globe, a new one every year left by Santa. This year she is twenty years old and I will make sure that she gets her letter again. I hope that I will still be around when she is fifty so that she can get her letter to know that she is special and loved. I always told her to believe in the Magic of Christmas and that with kindness anything was possible.
Oh my the time is passing and I have to get ready for work. Take time today to be a kid, I know we all have it in us for it never really goes away. Laugh, run, sing out loud, draw something or go exploring for just a few minutes and see how good it feels.

Have a great day,

Mary!

Saturday Afternoon at the Inn

Well its Saturday and the day is just passing by so fast ! I want to do so much yet not seening to get much done. It is raining out so a good excuse to stay inside. I went shopping yesterday for fabric and of course spent more money than I should have, but my thinking is, well you never know when I will get back again, so I had better get it when I have the chance. I think I take that way of thinking from my mother who was always stocking up on stuff. We used to laugh at her and say that she could open a store with all that she had ahead. She is in heaven now, but I still miss her so much, she was my best friend .. ahh such is life. I guess we should all savour the precious moments that we have with family, yet we put it off because of our own struggles.

This is the reason that I want to find another way of living, so that I can have time to do the little things and spend time with those that I love. I have lost some good people in my life and I cannot go back, but I can change how I live the days to come.

Okay here is another doll that I just listed, she is a little prim and a whole lot cute and she is now on my Etsy site. Okay well I have to get some crafting done...

Enjoy your day, make someone smile if only for a moment.. you will see it will do you good as well.

Take care,

Mary!

You can find my shop on maggiesraggedyinn.etsy.com

It's Friday Morning here at the Inn

Hello everyone,

Guess what... I sold the doll that I just put up.. yes!!! A really nice lady who had bought my two doll on Sunday came back with an order for the doll that I showed you in my last blog and she bought a snowman to travel with her so that she would not be alone. I am so amazed that there are such nice people out there in the world. You know we all try so hard to show that we are mature adults, but deep inside we still have those childlike qualities that allow us to show our true feelings. If only we could do this more often.. I guess it would depend on the company we keep!!

So here is another doll that I just listed last night, maybe it will bring me luck. Today I am going shopping, yes I am going to play hookey and take a day off work. I plan on doing some craft shopping, although the girls that I am going with are not big on craft making. I want to get some felt as I want to make some Christmas elves to add to my shop on Etsy. Also I want to make some felt pins as well.

I will tell you what I bought tomorrow and then if all goes well maybe I will be able to show you what I am making. Have a great day out there.... show a little kindness to someone okay.

Mary!

Another night at the Inn

Well I have been up since 5 a.m. and have worked all day at the office. Then I came home and began to work here... needless to say that I am a bit tired. But I have to get some of this done if I want to get ahead.

I checked into some Etsy forums and one was really funny , about why people heart other shops. Then I loaded this new doll in my Etsy shop. I think that she is kinda cute with her big feet. I love to give my little dolls all a scarf cause I find it makes them more huggable. These scarves are all hand knit. I started to knit these little items after a bad breakup and it helped me pass the time and saved my sanity. I love that they only take maybe an hour to make and I get to use all kinds of colours.

Then I made a few bits of jewelery which I want to sell at a Christmas bazaar. I have so much that I want to do but my time is limited because I do work full time away from the house. Tomorrow I will make some business cards to attach to my items and will list my Etsy shop address on it as well. This weekend I will get back to my website development. I love Etsy, but I really feel that I need the website. This blog is a new thing to me as well.... that old saying is true.. you can teach an old dog new tricks!!!

Well until next time, take care and spread a little kindness, it does make a big difference in the world!

Mary!

My goal is October 24, 2009.. a full time job selling online and doing what I love!

My Third Blog from the Inn

Good morning everyone! Well a new week begins and I am sure that it will be a busy one again. Halloween was great. I had about 80 people stop by and told my Willamena stories. This year she came back as a cat, which I had made along with all my other creatures. The living room was full of goblins. But the best part of it was that my daughter came home to surprise me, all the way from Montreal which is a 14 hour bus ride. I was so happy and even though it was only for a day, it made me realize how lucky I am. She is a smart young woman with so many qualities and I always say she was my gift in this life for which I am forever grateful. At 20 years old she is studying Professional Theater and will graduate this year.
Yesterday I made my first sales on Etsy. The first one was my sister who tried to encourage me by buying a pin and my Snowman story. She said they would make nice Christmas presents. Then in the afternoon a lady from New York sent me a message asking about my dolls..... well before I went to bed, she had bought two. I was so happy and even missed a bit of Desperate Housewives, which is the only show I really have to watch. I called my daughter and told her and she was happy for me as well, but said Mom you are going to find it so hard to part with them. And that is so true. I love my little dolls and I make each one special, trying new colours for their hair or new designs and colours of material for their dresses. They end up looking like little people, full of life and so huggable. So today I am a bit encouraged and will try and find time at the end of my workday here at the office to organize myself a liitle bit more. My partner finds my work space so small and does not know how I can work in such a small space, but I assured him that I know where everything is and it is okay for now. But someday I plan on doing this full time and then I will maybe add a bigger space. I have to make a few more snowdrop snowmen as well this week as I have a show to do in two weeks.

Okay well that is it for now.. remember my focus is to work full time by October 24, 2009 and this blog will keep you up to date on my progress. I added a new doll last night to my shop and will be adding more tonight.. see you there,

Mary!

maggiesraggedyinn.etsy.com

My Second Blog from the Inn

Hello again everyone. Well it is a really busy time for me today. I am getting ready for a board meeting here at work and have all the financial stuff to get ready to give my directors. Also at home I am getting ready for Halloween tomorrow night. Last night I set up some very strange characters in my living room to greet the trick or treaters when they come. I will serve them witches brew and pumpkin shaped cookies with their treat bag. Tonight after my meeting I will go home and make my costume. Not sure what I will be yet but I have some really nice red and yellow satiny material so I imagine I will be some sort of gypsy!!!!

I have also found a bit of time to follow the Etsy forums.... there is so much to learn. Also I have linked up to a group of bloggers which I hope will help me become more visible. Then at lunch time I found a fellow blogger on Etsy http://jaimiebdesigns.blogspot.com/ who is my first follower.. yes!!! I intend to sign up to other blogs and make some connections because I am slowly learning that to get to my goal of earning a living online, I am going to have connect to that big outside world and hope that they take an interest in me. But I am very positive that I will get to where I am going... remember October 24, 2009 full time occupation selling online!!!

In the meantime, please take a few minutes and visit my little shop on Etsy
maggiesraggedyinn.etsy.com Hope that you enjoy my snowdrops!

My First Blog from the Inn

Hello from Maggie's Raggedy Inn

Well I am new to this blogging business but I guess I will give it a try. I have recently opened a little shop on Etsy, which for any of you who do not know about it, is a really interesting place for crafters and those who like things made by hand. Its seems that a lot of people like making crafts which is great cause I am not alone!!!!

Since I have been a child I have always wanted to make things, like purses, dolls, paintings etc etc and of course then I grew up and unfortunately still wanted to make things like purses, dolls and paintings. But the adult world set in and I got married and had a child and worked to pay bills and dealt with family issues and did volunteer work etc etc etc... but I still wanted to make things but had no time. But here I am at 52 and you know what, I still want to make things and this time I am going to do it and through this blog you will get to follow me along on my journey to making crafts for once and for all.. doing what I always wanted to do......

Well not right now, cause I am at work and have to get some reports out.. but just wait until I get home.. well not right away cause I will get supper and then I have to make Halloween decorations cause it is almost here and I have a big black cat to make as well as other ghosts and goblins. I will post pictures for you all to see in a few days...

Mary!