Sometimes it's hard to stop and smell the roses!

It's been a crazy day - part of a crazy week, but I'm thankful anyway!  This has been a week full of custom samples, preparing proposals, filling orders.  I started today at 3:15, wide awake with lists in my head of what needs to be done!

It's a small thing, I know, but important to remember that I can't do it all.  I want to - I would like to think that I can, but realistically, there really are so many hours in a day and hours in a week!  That is why resort to my lists.  I keep a wirebound notebook with me at all times.  There is a date, highlighted in yellow in case I miss it, at the top of each page.  Below that is a listing of everything I need to do.  For instance,

• Call E re: the GL Mtg
• Mail bullet points to GL Committee
• Four samples for P
• Wicker Furniture - research
• Proposal for P
• Sample for A
• Call A for the A job

It goes on and on.  When I accomplish a task, it gets crossed off.  (This gives me much pleasure to cross off an item!!!!!).  If the task doesn't get done it goes on the list for the next day.

These notebooks are really useful.  I also take little notes (changes in passwords so I don't forget, interesting things I see online that I don't want to forget - that sort of thing).  I keep my notebooks - sounds pretty crazy, huh?  But, I actually have found it useful because I will need to refer to something and I can remember "pretty close" to the timeframe and find that notebook.  There it is!  The notes I took about the customer when we did their job two years ago!  That is helpful in so many ways! 

But, I digress!

Today, my "roses" is the job we started.  We are working in a lovely home, for a terrific customer, doing fun finishes.  That is a blessing!  Here is a sneak peak - the before!

This is a beautiful vent hood, indeed!  We are transforming it, however, into a beautiful copper piece!

We started by prepping, then washing with TSP.  Our first layer was a stippling layer of Metallic Plaster (Tungston).  The next step was to stipple Palette Deco, using a combination of Metallic Bronze, Metallic Copper and Metallic Gold. After this sat for awhile, we knocked it down with rubber trowels, creating a beautiful blending of the three colors, leaving gorgeous pitting and smooth areas.  That was all we could do today,  since it had to sit overnight to dry and I know you want a progress pictures, but, no can do!  Didn't take one.  But, I will tell you when the customer walked in, she said, "OMG, that is so beautiful!  I love it".   And it's not even done yet!

There go you!  That was it!  That was the rose that I got to stop and smell today!  I am so grateful and so blessed that we have work.  Work that I love.  Customers who are happy.  Whenever I get to feeling overwhelmed, I can look back on a moment like today and that gives me a smile.

Now I gotta go!  Much to do!  Items left on the list!!!!!  Goodnight!