Eight more sleeps?

Big Sigh!
...and so this is Christmas, and what have you done?
Another year older, and a new one's just begun..

A couple years ago I was introduced to Flylady.com.  Basically Flylady teaches you how to get organized and get your home clean in 15 minute spurts.  It is an amazing thing!  It has been awhile since I have been back to Flylady, but some of her ideas have stuck. 

• Just get in there and start, jump in anytime.
• You can do anything for 15 minutes
• F.L.Y. (Finally Love Yourself)

One of the most important things was not to stress yourself out about all the things going on in your home, workplace and family.  Of course there are so many things to do before the BIG Day but I will not get crazy about it.  I could make a list and continuously add more and more things until I am overwhelmed, but I ain't gonna do that. 

Today I did alot of running around, but it was ok.  I feel close to being finished my shopping and I haven't even been to the malls yet.  WOW does that feel good as I pat myself on the back.  I do not have money to spend and why should I?  I have talents that I am taking advantage of...I love to bake so I am making a pile of cookies.  So far my freezer has Pinwheels, Checkerboards, and Cherry Pecan Icebox cookies.  Today I made three batches of dough; Gingersnaps/Gingerbread men, Shortbread, and Sugar cookies for my Lactose Intolerant best friend.  On Monday after my stove is fixed...
Dang!  Did I tell you that the bottom element of my oven blew while my first pans of Shortbread were baking????  LOL
So, while I'm at work tomorrow, my dear hubby is going to replace the element in the oven, and the dough is in the fridge, then we will do a mass baking session and get it done.  Then cookies will be packaged up, mailed delivered or stashed in the freezer for Christmas eve deliveries to our neighbours.

I also bought some beautiful Salmon bellies from work and made some Salmon Jerky.  Very easy, really tasty but I do need to spray the dehydrator trays with Pam and slice the salmon thicker.  If I have anything left, I will be sending some of the bigger chunks to my parents with some cookies.

Last minute but it will be done!

Don't get me wrong...I'm NO Martha Stewart, but I like being creative without having to spend alot of money that I just don't have right now.  I also have Blueberries, Blackberries and Saskatoon berries in my freezer to make jam with.  My kids and my nieces love jam so that is another present, AND my family loves jam all year round. 

Other than that, I will get what I can get done, decide what is important and let the rest go.  I DID clean the bathrooms yesterday...THAT was a priority!! 

SO...Merry Christmas to you all and all the best in the New Year!!  May you always have a great book to read, a hot cuppa tea and the time to enjoy them both!  Salut!

I am so glad that the weekend is over! (or how I got my OWIE)

This is for my son Terry, the apprentice Chef.  Sorry for the graphic details.

It was so hard to get up this weekend at 4:30 to be at work for 6, but it was fun, and I was very productive.  I made 26 Blueberry pies (I added some frozen blueberries to the pie filling to make it less sweet for the diabetics and everyone who didn't need the extra sugar) , 2 1/2 sheets of Cherry Squares, 22 Dozen Yorkshire Puddings, 6 dozen muffins, 4 pans of Coffe Fromage that I changed into something even better (Coffee Fromage is a dessert made with whipped topping, gelatin, milk, sugar and coffee.  I changed it to Mocha Fromage by adding Cocoa, Ginger, and Cinnamon to the mix.  If I say so myself...it is going to be awesome tomorrow for lunch!!)  I even changed an old sheet cake that I found in the freezer into a lovely Raspberry Sqare.

But sometimes I just get too over confident using a knife and the knife has to teach me a lesson!  I accidentally sliced off a piece of my left hand index fingernail. BUMMER!!  I was chopping some fruit for my muffins when the knife told me to pay attention to what I was doing.  Yes...I did recover the chunk of meat before it went into the baked goods.  Sorry for the graphic details.  LOL

The BIG SALE

On Dec 3, 2010 I packed up all my wares into my Blazer and headed to the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community centre for the Holiday Craft Sale.  I had made a little inventory of everything I could possibly sell that evening and I had over $500 worth of items.  I had lots of my Mint tea from my garden, and the "store bought" blend that was still really good but not as great as my own mint.  I had framed all my "Forever Flowers" and I had sprayed each picture with Sealer, finished the back of the framed picture, and made sure that each picture was ready to be hung.  My catnip and herb bundles were ready from the last sale.  My daughters and I had decoupaged some old black photo album pages, cut them into Bookmark size and "laminated" them with packing tape. I had even printed out my price list to put on my big chalkboard sign, and IRONED my tablecloths.  (I NEVER iron!)


So I had high energy and high expectations from this sale.  I wanted to sell enough to buy my business license and give my husband back his $80 just to say that this could work.  When I got there, I had a great table facing the doors. The girls helped set up my table and it looked good, better than the first sale.  I was ready!  Bring me your money and tell me how much you love what I do.  LOL

Here I am, ready to go!

I didn't sell as much as I expected. 


I don't know why.   There were lots of people who looked at my stuff, but I didn't sell a whole lot.  It was disappointing, but the lady beside me was very interesting.  She will be a really great contact because she teaches small business courses and we are going to meet for coffee one day soon.


Of couse my Mint Tea sold, but only a couple of packages, and that is okay because I can still give them as presents.  I like to do that and I know that the ones who will be getting it at Christmas will enjoy it.

I had open containers of my teas so that my customers could smell my product.

Nobody was interested in my catnip and herbs, so I will be making a blend of the herbs for my own use.  Perhaps that is what I should have done in the first place?  Perhaps I didn't have them packaged the right way?  I will use them, one way or another.  I know some folks with cats who would like some catnip for Christmas.


I sold a few "Forever Flowers" but only the 5x7's.  The people who bought them really liked them and seemed pleased to be giving them as Christmas presents.  I even traded two little ones for a really cool knitted hat that I liked.  It is fern green, thick soft wool and looks like an elves hat with the point.  I think I made a good trade!


The girls had a great time there.  I gave them each $20 to spend with the instructions to buy some Christmas presents.  They came back with all kinds of stuff, beaded ornaments, jars of Jelly Beans, a little basket of hand cream (I think it is for me) and really unique necklaces, you know what I mean??


It was a good experience, gave me lots to think about.  I am not discouraged and I know what I want to do. The next time I do a sale like that, I will set up my table with layers so that I can put more of my product out and arrange it into sections so the small area isn't looking cluttered.


I have been looking at the T&T Seed Catalogue with a different mind. My sweet peas were pretty, but I want darker, brighter colours, and different sizes like Asters and maybe some tiny Marigolds.  LOL...maybe I could ADD some of the brighter coloured flowers to the exhisting pictures to brighten them up and enhance them?.

So there are still possibilities!  I still want to do some landscaping, and I am not going to quit!

                                                                    Wait until next year!!

Only 11 days until Christmas!

Where has the time gone.

Now that I'm getting older, I find myself saying that more often.  There is only 3 weeks left in 2010 and that is it for this year. Wow!  I had a great year, now that I think about it.

This spring I had a great little job working in the greenhouses at Cobblestone Gardens.  I had a really great time, I learnt so much from the owners, my coworkers and I couldn't believe that they were paying me to be there.  There are 5 greenhouses S.E. of Calgay, near Langdon, AB.  I had never in my life been in the area and that is pretty pathetic considering that I grew up in Calgary.  The area was spectacular and just getting there was a great experience, the air was different, there was wide open country with horses, dogs running loose (including my dog Maggie).  Driving to the greenhouses, I had the opportunity to watch the area change with the season, in February, the ground was still frozen, huge snowdrifts were everywhere with bare ground showing in the fields.  Then the fields started to thaw and everyday I could see changes, especially after the weekend.

...under construction

I love Calgary because...

Today it was sunny and 2C!  Yes, it went above 0C and the roads are slushy, snow is melting and dripping off my roof and I was able to finally take my dog Maggie to the dog park so she could run the muscles out.  She may even be sleeping outside in her doghouse tonight for the first time in well over a week.

Today I found a source for my standby Mint Tea!!!  There is a wonderful health food store on 17th Ave. S.E. - Nature's Food & Spice, and I usually go there once a year to get some WHEAT for my Christmas Eve supper.  We have always had Kutkia (Christmas Wheat) as part of my family's tradition, and being the city girl that I am, I just couldn't go and pick some from the field.  Well, I do have some wheat planted in my yard as a tribute to my ancestors, but I just don't have enough..yet.

So...I have another batch of Mint tea that I am calling Ellen's Mint Plus Blend because it has more than just mint in it.  This blend has Elderberry Flowers, Chamomile Flowers, Raspberry, Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintergreen and Nettle leaves as well as Lavender.  Wow, it is so nice!  Not as nice as my original blend, of course, but pretty good! 

Count down to seven more sleeps until the sale at Hillhurst-Sunnyside, and today I paid for my table.  Thanks to some great Bookcrossing friends, I found out that there is a book exchange shelf inside the building.  PERFECT!!!  Now I can release a bunch of books there next week!  Multitasking!!

BBBrrrrrrrrrr.............Baby, it's cold outside!!!

There is nothing, and I mean nothing worse than waking up to the warmth and comfort of your bed and hearing the clock radio just as they are giving the weather report.  Minus 30C!!  There is just nothing nice about it. You have to warm up your vehicle longer, the seats are frozen solid, and by the time I dropped my girls off at school (after bundling them up to their eyeballs) the truck was warm.  Minus 30  Bah Humbug!!

I was telling my girls that when I was going to school, many years ago, my brothers and sisters and I walked to school every day, and that was a scant over a mile.  When it was nice out, we even came home for lunch, only to eat and run back before the bell.  When it hit -30 (it was Fahrenheit then) we either stayed home or Dad drove us.  That didn't happen very often, as Dad usually left for work earlier than us.  Times change don't they??  Now, I drive my girls to school in the morning, they eat lunch at school, and I pick them up after school. Hhhhmmmm...makes you wonder, doesn't it??  The next generation is soft!  LOL

Yesterday I made some more "Forever Flowers" and put some in frames.  They look so much better, and I know that I can get a better price for them.  I bought some "sealer" to spray on them so that they will be protected if a customer wants to use them to decorate their bathroom.  I think that I will have to wait until later this week before I can spray outside.  The forcast is only -4C later this week. I brought my last election sign in from the garage, and will prime it later this morning.  I have less than two weeks to get everything ready.  I only have 7 packages of my Mint Blend left, not including my personal stash, so I may have to find an acceptable alternative supplier until next year.  I have moved around so many mint cuttings that I should have a good harvest for 2011.

I went outside to take a few pictures before the snow got disturbed and these were some of my favourites...enjoy!

my daughters' baby Spruce trees that they recieve from their school in Grade 1 and my Inukshuk

next year I will plant these special Sweet Peas earlier so I can enjoy more than just a handfull of flowers

an unknown variety of Clematis that doesn't vine, but stays to under 3 ft

I love sitting in these chairs in the hot sun, but it is just too cold out

My Chocolate mint poking out through the snow.  This in my all-time favourite mint!  Doesn't it look sad?

This is what I get to look at while puttering in my kitchen.

look at this snowdrift, and we have only had snow for one week.  This is where I grow my Clematis' on the West side of my house.

I am working on tweeking my blog so that my dear friends can find it user friendlier.  Thank you all for coming in from the cold and joining me.  I am going to light my candles, put a pot of tea on and create something before I have to pick up the girls and go to work.  Last night at the lodge, they paid me to organize the freezer for 1 1/2 hours.  Cold outside and cold inside.  LOL  Good thing I love my job!

Winter is here!

Thanks to that wonderful "Alberta Clipper" we have been in a deep freeze for the past few days. There must be at least 6 inches (16 cm) of snow everywhere.  It is cold, the roads are slippery, everyone is driving SLOW and it just isn't any fun.  The strangest thing is that when I was driving home the other night, it was dark because the sun is down by 5:30 PM, there was snow everywhere AND it felt like the snow had been there forever!  It felt like I had forgotten that there had been leaves on the trees and flowers in my yard.  It was such a strange feeling.

I have started two new 'canvases' for my sale on Dec. 3.  I may have to find some more old election signs as my stockpile is getting down there.  My husband had recieved a pretty box of chocolate at work, and now that paper is the background for some "Forever Flowers".  It is beautiful, with squares of dark purple, light purple, silver and gold.  Wait until you see this one.

 The other is the pink and brown napkins that a dear bookcrosser had sent me as a Holiday Gift Giving last year.  I have decoupaged the napkin stips so that the effect is an almost plaid effect.  Very cool!!  I am so getting into this creative stuff LOL!

Interesting "Plaid" effect



Just a few of the "Forever Flowers" I worked on yesterday



I have made a decision...I'm going to put all the "FF"s" into frames, and I bought some sealer so that my customers can put the "FF's" into bathrooms.  One question that was asked at my first sale was if the decoupage material was ok in a bathroom.  That problem is solved.

Today has flown by, after dropping my girls off ,I ran around shopping for Winter boots...for ME, and some early Christmas presents, so now I have $60 left from my paycheque  LOL.  Big Sigh!  I'm not always going to be this poor LOL.   I still have some HGG2010 to send to my bookcrosser buddies, so I need to think about postage...I do have some priorities.  Speaking of Bookcrossers...thank you for following my blog,  I really enjoyed hearing from you all, especially about gardening.  The seed cataloque that I recieved this week was from T& T Seeds in Winnepeg, Manitoba.  http://www.ttseeds.com/  They sell great products that are going to grow in cold, short seasons.  Please check them out."Early in the Arctic, First in your Garden"I have already got my red pen circling my wishlist.  I will be ordering STEVIA for my mint blend for next year...I will be selling a sweetened mint blend...no sugar!

Yes Deb, I also grew Brandywine tomatoes for the first time this year.  I had a part time job working in a greenhouse this spring and I got to watch our little baby seedling tomatoes grow into lovely plants.  I brought two plants home and they grew huge!  I loved the flavour but I didn't like how the fruit has weird shapes, but I guess that being an heirloom plant, all those unfavourable traits are still in there. I am very interested in different types of vegetables and your beans sound really cool.  I do have some pictures of my mint that I will be adding soon.

I need to get something...anything done around the house before school is over and everyone is home.  I have to work this weekend at 6 AM at the lodge, so I will have to mentally prepare for that drive tomorrow morning...yuck!

Thank you for stopping in, I appreciate your comments.
Ellen

Ahhh, Monday morning

Saturday I had my first experience selling my "stuff" and I had a really good time.  I did the best sales with my mint tea($5 for a cup), and having a container available for someone to smell really helped.  I also sold a few "Forever Flowers" and that was it.  If I known that the Weekend Market was what it was , I would have reconsidered, BUT it was a good experience!  It was just too slow and not enough traffic.  I wonder what Dec 3 will be like?  One thing that I do need to do is to put the pictures in the frames already, they WILL sell better!  I would like to sell the catnip, but I need to find a source for some more.

It was a very busy weekend and working at the lodge really tired me out.  I enjoy seeing the seniors and they really liked the Grilled Cheese and Onion sandwiches.  Working with Mama Sharon is great!  We are both of the same mind. 

Yesterday while I was at Aspen, I had a look around at some of the plants in the building. Pretty depressing!  The plants are all the same Umbrella plants, Mother In Law Tongues ( love that name) and Corn plants.  There is a really beautiful Palm in a floor planter that I didn't notice before, and I took note of the condition of the front entrance.  Very boring with no variety and colour.  I am planning to present my proposal beginning of January.  I still have to get my business license, Worker's Comp and update my liability Insurance before I can make my move.  Baby Steps...

It is nice to have a bit of time today where I don't have to create some products, I can take a break and take care of my loved ones.  I moved around two shelves in the garage and tidied up so now I can get my Blazer into the garage.  MUCH better!  The forecast for today was rain turning into snow and I can see some dark clouds building in the north.  I enjoyed working outside in the yard while the sun is shining.  I pulled the pansies from the front planters and bagged them to collect the seeds. My idea is to plant some evergreen branches in the planters to pretty them up for Christmas.  Another goal today is to start my Christmas lights on the trees and house before it gets too cold like last year.

I even dug up some carrots from the south side of my house.  Can you imagine that, digging up carrots in November?  Some of them were pretty bizarre but there are some good sized carrots, and some onions too.  I found some parsley plants that were hiding in the carrots and replanted them.  Last year I had some parsley that came up again, (they are Biannuals) and the seeds from those plants are also in a bag in the basement .  I can see the possibilities for next year.!!

On Saturday, my dear old friend Billy stopped in to see me at the sale, and we had a chance to catch up.  He brought me some presents too!!  He gave me a beautiful braid of Sweet Grass that I will use to Smudge my home...kinda like blessing my home and/or chasing the bad energy away.  He also gave me a huge bag of potatoes that he and his wife Laura grew on their land.  GREAT potatoes Billy, thank you!!  So tonight for supper, I am going to BBQ some thick steaks those lovely big red potatoes, and some carrots from MY garden.  Good way to spend a Monday, don't you think so??

Thanks for stopping in,

Fresh from my inbox...

A friend sent this to me today, and it is one of my favourite prayers and I am just going to share it with you.  It is just a nice thought !

Saint Theresa's Prayer
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

WOOHOO!!!

I'm in for Friday, Dec. 3 at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Holiday Gift Market from 7-10 PM!!!!!!

The big day is tomorrow!

Last night I was puttering around putting some finishing touches to my products.  I even set up a table in the basement, draped the tableclothes, set up all my products to get the idea of what it will look like.  Hey...I was impressed!  I am just waiting for the phone call from Hillhurst-Sunnyside to tell me that I will have a table on Dec 3.  (Did you know that Stuart McLean is coming to Calgary that night?  To do this sale I would gladly miss out on going to see him. it just means that I will have to read more of his books...Maybe I will get one for Christmas??)

Anyway, I have things to do...pick up my new business cards from the printer, go to the bank andget change for my float, drop Stephanie off at her Birthday party for her good friend Jarome, finish the laundry (WHY does that keep sneaking in here?) and I would like to prime a couple ex-election-soon to be "Forever Flowers" and maybe make a few bookmarks to sell.  I also want to stop at a couple Thrift Stores for some frames to put my flowers in.  I cut the decoupagued board into sizes that will fit into frames and I think that I will make more of a profit if there are frames to go with the "Forever Flowers".

ok...that is it for now, wish me luck!

Everything is falling into place, isn't it??

Let's talk about Bookcrossing...

I have been a Bookcrosser for over seven years.  Bookcrossing is an international group of wonderful folks who love books.  They love books so much that they register their books online at http://www.bookcrossing.com/ and release their books for others to enjoy.  I have met so many wonderful folks through this website and have found a wonderful way for keep my books from gathering dust on my shelfs.  Over the years I have become very passionate about Bookcrossing, sometimes to my husband's annoyance LOL

Basically, Bookcrossing is...

Welcome to BookCrossing! This is a site for catching and releasing books and spreading the good karma of reading! Please make a journal entry when you FIND this book and let previous readers know how you came upon it. You may remain Anonymous on this site if you like but it's very safe and spam free. We leave FREE books around for others to stumble upon...they read, and then re-release in a public place for someone else to enjoy. Of course you're welcome to keep the book if you prefer but it's more fun to watch them travel and to hear from them once in a while. I hope you enjoy the book but I especially hope you enjoy ookCrossing.

Many thanks, herchelle  (that's me)

Welcome to the World's library!

It's easy to find books, share books, and meet fellow book lovers.

Nov. 10 Starting to get really excited!

I am starting to accumulate all my 'merchandise' for Saturday morning, and it is starting to look like I may do well.

Last night, the girls helped me to package my mint tea.  After every jar was emptied and squished in the big bowl, I ended up with 12 - one cup size packages that I want to sell.  That isn't as much as I thought I would have, but it is a start.  Next year I will have more plants to harvest as I moved lots of mint around the yard, I even planted some under the deck that will peak out.  Nothing worse than wasted space!  I think that next year I will also grow some STEVIA, because I could sell 'sweetened' mint tea!  Good idea??

Then we wrapped the herb bundles of Sage, Majoram and Thyme.  I think I will call them 'Turkey Bouquets' because it sounds cute and you can use the herbs when you cook your turkey or use them in stuffing.  Just one of my brain waves.  We wrapped 10 bundles, and I still have the catnip to do before Saturday.

Today...
After the girls went to school, I went looking for a printer to do my business cards.  I just ok'd the proofs and it is a bit pricey, but it is a certifiable business expense.  Yes, I am saving up all my reciepts!  My business cards will be ready for pick up on Friday morning.

Just thought that I would share my process for my "Forever Flowers"

From old election signs

primed with Gesso



a little bit of creative decoupaging




a summer's worth of my garden's flowers



a bit of a mess

that dries beautifully



my "Forever Flowers"




and Ellen's Fragrant Garden is up and running.



After getting home I got really creative and got more "Forever Flowers" done.  I think that it is a good idea if I make the pictures to fit into a regular size frame...without the glass.  Perhaps they will sell better?  I made 4 - 8x10's and 12 - 5x7's.  I don't need to fill up the entire surface with flowers, just make them look pretty, right?

Yesterday I was phoning around the different communities to sell my wares (  ;o) don'tcha just love hearing that??) and I am trying to get into the Hillhurst Sunnyside Craft Market on Dec 3, 2010.  Now the interesting thing about this sale is that it is one night only, and I have to apply for the spot.  I had to send in an application form that will be approved by a committee.  The criteria is that venders, have to make their own products...just like me, and they cater to home based businesses...just like me again!  I still have to send them some pictures of my products for their consideration before I have to go to work this afternoon.

I phoned Thorncliffe/Greenview and found out that they reserve tables for the Christmas sale in SEPTEMBER!!  Good to know for next year!

So this is where I'm at right now.  And I just noticed where I can add my pictures...woohoo!!

I am not very enthusiastic about going to work at the lodge tonight, but I need MCF to support my business for now...for now!

My very first post!!! Nov 8 2010

Hello and welcome to my blog for my little home based business, Ellen's Fragrant Garden.  I love to garden and I can think of nothing else that I would rather do than have my hands in my garden and selling my products.  To me it is like sending out my garden to the world outside my yard.

I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and my yard is around a Zone3 or maybe a 5 on the south side of my home.  I love to grow all kinds of perennials and that includes my growing herb collection.  Right now I am focusing on my Mints for my Mint Blend tea.   I grow Chocolate Mint, Peppermint, Spearmint, Apple Mint, Lemon Balm and I also use Raspberry leaves.   For many years I have harvested my mints and given them as gift and I had so much favourable feedback that I will start to market my product.

The second product from my garden are what I call Forever Flowers.  Throughout the growing season (which is so short at times) I harvest and press flowers to be used in my product which is a bouquet of flowers that is decoupaged into a "suitable for framing " picture. 

Because I prefer to be as GREEN as I can be, my garden and all the products I produce are organic: which is important for my Mint Blend.  For my Forever Flowers, I use recyclable materials whenever possible.  At this point in time, I have a large stockpile of leftover election signs that were made of corrugated plastic.  I am building up my stock this week because I am going to my first Christmas Craft Sale.  This will be my first public appearance of Ellen's Fragrant Garden.  I'm getting pretty excited and my creative juices are flowing freely!

The third aspect of my business is that I wish to be a gardener...period!  I have found that sometimes homeowners just do not have time to garden...an unbelievable thought but very true.  I have some potential customers at this point, and they all say, I am too busy but I want to have a nice flowerbed, some shrubs, and I need help.  Boy, would I love to help them!!! 

So...do you see what I want to do?  I want to do what I love to do, get paid to do it AND create a
good life for myself and my family.  I have a dream that one day I will live on an acreage, have a great greenhouse that I can grow most of what I need for my customers along with 3 dogs, 2 goats, free range chickens and 5 cats.  Sounds like a great 5 year plan, to be financially secure, debt free and having time to enjoy ALL my children.
Thank you to all the Bookcrossers who have enriched my life with books, postcards, real handwritten letters and the most amazing little presents.  These are all strangers whom I have never met except as a bookcrossing ID.  It would also go on my list of things to do in my life...go to a Bookcrossing Convention.  How cool would that be??!!

So that is it, time to get back to work.  I have all kinds of things to do and some housework too.  My husband has been such a dear and helped around the house so that I can get my products ready for this sale this weekend.  I will be posting pictures of some of my endeavors and I will publish some pictures of my sale table before and afters.

Thank you for stopping in, see you soon.

Ellen