I'm not dead yet.

But I have been very busy this week.

The Mess Girls went back to school Wednesday. This is a big year for them; E started middle school and MiniMe is now a high school freshman! They both have to get a lot earlier this year than last which means I also have to get up earlier. I feel like I've been on a treadmill set on high speed from 5:45a.m. until around 11:30p.m. every day this week. Getting up early has been beneficial to my schedule a little bit because it gives me a little extra time every morning to get a few loads of laundry done or some basic chores done before leaving for the store. But the after work schedule has been mad. Every night I close the store, run home, either bring food home with me or figure out something quick and tasty, take one or both girls to some activity (gymnastics, piano, babysitting, etc.), help with homework, sign papers, watch a few minutes of the convention (or Project Runway!), and go to bed.

Things have been pretty quiet here at the store lately so I've been forced to had time to get some alternative modes of income generation going. I have the fall class schedule all up and ready to go. Next week I hope to figure out how to add a way for y'all to actually register and pay for classes through the blog or I will add class listings to my etsy shop. Today I started getting things spruced up at my etsy shop and added a few items. I'm starting with fabrics, particularly holiday/seasonal yardage. Eventually I will have fat-quarter collections and more of my designer fabrics listed. I would also like to put together some kits with my own patterns and fabric. I'm just going to keep chugging along until I come up with the right combination of product/service/price/customer. No one ever told me that this small business ownership thing would be easy!

I've also been working on my fall email newsletter. I intended for it to go out last week but I keep adding and tweaking things. Tomorrow hopefully I will get the final touches on it and get it sent out. I also just realized that I lost the email newsletter sign up with the blog template change. I'll add that to my to-do list.

Also on my To-Do list:

Plans for "Project Scarecrow" contest for the St. Charles Scarecrow festival in October

Plans for a holiday open house event in early November. There will be wine and cookies!

Finalize projects for Girl Scout badge program. They are all on paper, I just need to get all the supplies lined up, hand outs typed and samples made.

Find time to revamp my accounting/bookkeeping system because what I'm doing now isn't working and I can't afford an accounting firm to come in and do it for me.

Assess my holiday inventory needs and decide how I'm going to pay for what I need and get it ordered.

Contact PTO person in charge of After School Enrichment program at our former elementary school. I decided I didn't have the resources to attempt a district wide offer but I would like to help out at our school if I can.