Owwwwwwww!

Okay, this is SO not fun! I'm having major problems with my left shoulder. HOW do you decorate/craft/FUNCTION when you can't move an arm??? Well, I'm here to tell you you DON'T function well. AND,,, you don't get much done!
Swell, less than two weeks to the Parlour Tour and I am seriously dysfunctional. Couldn't find a new massage therapist that would take me today and my previous "miracle worker" left her profession to have and raise and infant (the NERVE!)

So, here I sit and can't even type without pain....Ack! Okay, tomorrow is a new day. . .

Shell

(Me and my shoulder are going to try and scramble up an easy dinner for my Monday Nite Madness for Andrew and roomie Frank. The are So going to do the dishes!)

Amazing Little Mouse,,,,Clarice you might want to skip this one....

When my mother passed away almost two years ago, I "inherited" her Kitty,"Tuxie." She's a slight little Tuxedo-the runt of the litter of a ferral momma kitty, more skittish than any cat I've ever had,but finally adjusted to sharing her lair with a HUGE Golden Retriever (Kodi) and a Black lab that loves her to pieces, amazingly. Tuxie, was also a fierce hunter-always bringing my Mom "presents." Lovely.


When she first came to live in my household however, she must have protested the move and the other occupants (human AND animal) so her hunting stopped for quite some time. But once she adapted to the new environment (and ME) she started bringing me "presents" in ernest, much to my dismay!

Now, being an animal lover, and also knowing the nature of cats, I had a hard time with this. I know she was trying to please, but OH, how my heart wrenched for those cute little birds. The other varmits,,,not so much, but still!

And then ....On Sunday night I went to bed and the Golden (hey, I'm single, okay??) weasled his usual way onto the bed, but when I looked for my Black Lab she was MIA and there was activity under my bedskirt. I didn't think too much about it but it was a bit odd for Shadow to be under there. So,,,,when I got up, She-Shadow the Lab, was still under the bedskirt and I heard squeaks which I originally qualified as a dog toy! BUT after a brief investigation I discovered Shadow was sharing this skirted enclosure with none less than a mouse!!!

I rallied the "troops" from the back cottage (aka my Son Andy and roomie Frank) and Frank captured the mouse and although I shuddered, he showed it to me in a box and it truly was a cute little thing. I told him to take it outside and "set it free" IF it survived. (I'll pause here to say that the mouse showed NO battle scars, but it was WET-it appeared Shadow, in her interest may have lavished it with doggie kisses (her tongue)but hadn't apparently harmed it.

So, Frank took the mouse out and as I was leaving on an errand he was sitting on the lawn and rubbing the little creature and I inquired as to whether or not he was doing "mousy" CPR...... Well, eventually he left the mouse alone,and told me he thought it would survive.......

Okay,,,,,Day two, or I'll say Morning two, I kid you NOT-I'm watching the Today Show and Tuxie (the huntress) comes in to the livingroom and starts acting strange and before I know it, she's chasing a MOUSE around the room- Again!!!! I go get Andrew in the backhouse and he comes and rescues the thing from behind my bedroom door! It is STILL apparently okay. Come ON!!!

Andrew takes the mouse and releases it in the Alley, apparently unscathed. Well, I NEVER!!! This brings a whole new meaning to the term "Mighty Mouse." And although I'd prefer that these escapades never happend,,,,I'm rooting for that little creature of God!

Shell

Reflections post AND Slideshow

I have a "Reflections post" about life and times at Joyworks, but also, scroll down to previous post for the slideshow of our Gala-30th Anniversary and stay tuned to http://Joyworks-Shopgirl.blogspot.com for the Professional/real deal photos!!

Shell

Reflections on Joyworks

Today, Saturday, all of us working and fellow employees that stopped by, had reflections on our Celebration last night. Lots of smiles and recollections about the Event and towards our wonderful customers, our fellow coworkers and our beloved boss/friend/counselor, muse-TRULY-although she waves the praise in various directions, Clarice.

Clarice always contributes the sucess of the shop to the whole team, and I suppose that IS and always has been true. But without her creative nature, her business sense/cents, Joyworks would NOT be what it is today. And as I've said before, we are NOT just coworkers-we are a fantastic family of women that love and respect each other. We respect our differences-the efficient and neat and the creative and messy. We support each other in spite of those differences and the bond to one another is strong.

I have to take a moment to recognize Gordy-Clarice's wonderful husband who although, not part of the selling team has been instrumental (out of public view for the most part). Gordy climbs the high ladders and changes our bulbs, hauls stuff to recycling, mows around the shop, drives in on Snowy days to pick Clarice up, helps with our annual inventory and ALWAYS has a joke or a story. And,,,,a quick kiss goodbye for his wife. What a love story! (P.S. Gordy,,,,no coat for the wife THIS Year! just a hint!)

Jana and I were closing the shop up tonight (I was punch drunk from lack of sleep-okay STILL am, but I like to write,talk, so you can tell me, just shut up Shell at any time!) And I suppose Jana punch drunk too, but she's a bit younger and her focus is always on "what's next?") Anyway, She said, something to the effect that she didn't know how to elaborate/pontificate on the Celebration last night, laughed and said, "Shell, I'll just send them to your site and YOU write about it." Well, big job, because I can't say enough about our store, the crew, the WONDERFUL cutomers and again, Clarice, who started it all. But, I will pontificate briefly on HOW I ended up at Joyworks,,,,and lead you to the present. And yes, it has been a "Present."

I've lived in Snohomish about as long as Joyworks has been in existence. Although, as I recall I think I first stumbled into the store some 10 years after they opened here in town. Although living in town, I commuted to various stores and positions while working for Nordstrom. (I started as Employee 2950, in 1974). Eventually I worked into Buying and Management and then left the company in the late 80's and worked in Advertising (While Jana was apparently working just a few blocks away from me in Bellevue.)

Anyway, I stumbled into this DARLING shop one day in my home town. (I had done most of my shopping in Malls or big Cities prior to this) And low and behold, I came across this unique shop AND one of my Classmates from High School worked there. Well, I shopped for a few years, was burning out on the stress of corporate life and my friend, fellow Classmate "Debbie McIntyre" aka Deb Wood said, "we need some help on weekends, why don't you ask Clarice for a job?"

Well, now, again, I worked for some high rollers and Fortune 500 companies and all I thought was,,,,Will she want me? Because I knew that this WAS THE PLACE I REALLY WANTED to work. I wanted the position SO bad and I was So nervous (I used to sign regular orders with the likes of Boeing, Microsoft, etc. in advertising) I was so NERVOUS about getting this position at JOYWORKS and really, really wanted to work there. I presented my resume. And they all kind of laughed. (Did anyone else EVER do that??)

But I got the job. No,,,,I got the family. I got the friends. I got the hometown community involvement that I had never had previously. I got the surrogate families, the counselors, and yep,,,the best friends and coworkers you could ask for!!

And,,,,some 10 years later I still have it! Silly? Lord no. I couldn't be prouder to be involved with a group of women and work in our great little community and have our "regulars" our "semi-regulars" and our "annual" shoppers.

It's not called Joyworks without reason. We gain great Joy from our customers, our coworkers and environment.

So, now you have heard MY Joyworks Story...And I KNOW there are many to be told. I wish all my coworkers would post theirs, I'm sure there is a lot to be shared.

That said, I have to say that all of us missed "our" Jill last night. She SHOULD have been there, but was actually diagnosed and has been extremely ill with the swine flu. She did SO much to help get the shop ready for the event and thanks go out to her sister Chris, who drove up from Oregon to help us last night. "Thanks Chris, you are a trooper!"

And as mentioned, all the former (not oldies but goodies and dear) employees that were in attendence,,,,,Cass, Deb, Cathy, Rita "Sal", Janie dear,, Deborah Nash, Chris M. It was SO AWESOME to have you all there,,we need to all get together more often!!

Special Thanks to: Kelly Rae Roberts for her appearance last night, Wendy Perez for her WONDERFUL appetizers and deserts-you were FLAWLESS GF!!
Elise Marie Photography who will portray the event RIGHT (excuse my novice pics) and I'll humbly shove my camera back into my purse! Peterb>b>, our sign maker extrodinaire, for donating all his cute little signs to our event........

I'm sure ALL of us Joyworks Gals want to thank EACH and every person that stopped by, but the list,,,,thank heavens would be endless. So THANK YOU to all that helped, all that participated, all that were there in spirit and all that will continue to make Joyworks the BEST EVER!

Hugs,
Shell
(Clarice, Jana, Amy, Kay, Jill,Sandi, Luanne, Moi, Rita, Penny, et. al)
Love to you all! Thanks for sharing our Celebration~~

Slideshow and a word on our 30th Anniversary Party Tonight!

We had an AWESOME time tonight at the Joyworks 30th Anniversary,,,,,It's late, I'm tired and I'll just leave you with the slideshow and save any additional commentary for tomorrow night or Sunday morning. Hey,,,,,I'm an novice at the photograpy and the posting, but I hope you enjoy! It was SO FUN to see everyone,,,,all our great customers, "shop" neighbors and most of all, all our old,,well I don't mean OLD, but fellow co workers that came!!

Jana had a photographer there, so I'm sure her pics will be much better than mine,,,,,but I thought I'd share a bit of tonight! Hope you enjoy!!


Shell

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Glittering my heart out!

I've been working on my own little giveaway at the Joyworks Anniversary Gala/extravaganza/party/soiree on Friday night.

Just a little something something to give people who attend our event. Forget my studio in the basement-this is ALL OUT crafting wars and I will take NO prisoners. I'm folding/glue gunning/pasting/glittering via my coffee table. You try and make 100 of something for a giveaway and the craft studio just doesn't cut it, at least not mine. I can go down there and make a few things,,,,,you know, a crown a birthday box, even a dozen or so Christmas decorations and that's fine. But when your thinking/doing in mass quantities, at least in MY studio,,,,,that is not so fun. I glued/glittered/punched while watching the Today Show and Ellen and then again Oprah later on......maybe I need a TV in my Studio downstairs,,,or then again, I cannot imagine trying to DO 100 or so things again for anything.....Thank you Lord that we, at Joyworks wont have another milestone or mega event for a while!!!


Shell

Lots of Tears today and some gratitude

Any of you that follow my blog or talk to me much, know that I have a new "long distance" dear  bestest friend and fellow blogger, Lulu. Her hubby aka "The Commander," Rick is just short of retirement from the Army. Well, Lulu emailed me this week to ask for some cooking tips for my White Chicken Chili, because she doesn't do much cooking,,,,the Commander does. But she wanted to surprise him with it when he came home from training some troops in Texas.......yep Texas.

Now here's the clincher,,,,,Rick (aka the Commander) had a rough flight getting there, including a flat tire delay on the airplane and then arriving to no heat in his accomodations......His dear wife, (Lulu) concerned about his mood after such a scenario wanted to cook for him when he came home. (I told her to put on a cute apron and he'd be "toast" anyway, even if the White Chicken Chili was a disaster) And that I'd "talk" her through it while making.

I "spaced." Okay,,,,didn't think of Rick being at the scene of the Shootings,,,,didn't think of Lulu wringing her hands/heart......And then it dawned on me this morning that HE WAS THERE!!! I hadn't spoken or emailed her since the Chili overview and then today I thought, OMG ,,,,,,,,Lulu's hubby was/is there!!! 

I felt SO deeply for those families and commrades in Texas. Nothing like sending your son (Mine) off to Iraq in the Marines a couple times to bond you with those that serve and those that love those who serve......

And now this,,,,,senseless, unreal and to think that I had a link to someone there. Rick (Lulu's hubby extrodinaire) is okay..and I give thanks for that. My heart goes out to ALL those families and friends affected by this horrific event.

I watched this story today,  and part of the memorial for our fallen Police officer in Seattle,and thought of of the woman that was memorialized today in Snohomish for her community and youth service.

I think it's important that we take every opportunity to those that serve our Country, our Cities and our communities and the families behind these individuals.

Hugs, and take time to thank a service man or woman, a soldier or a community leader today!
Shell

Again, saying thanks that Lulu's hubby is SAFE!!!

Workin' my buns off!!

I have taken on another position/profession. (Would this be the second OR third with my crafting? --

Working as a Commercial Real Estate assistant to my dear friend Laura -helping with Market analysis and sales.. I will initially be focusing on two larger buildings/sites she has in the works and helping  target investors/and potential tennants. ...I worked in corporate Advertising and Marketing for years,,,,,,,apparently I need to get back in the saddle to help bring the right businesses into our community.....I LIKE this business plan and think it makes great sense for us in Snohomish.That is my primary reason for helping to market, show and promote these  properties- I believe in the vision and think it will be very beneficial to our community.

So that said, I'm juggling Commercial Real Estate, my job at Joyworks on the weekends and Crafting WHEN it fits in,,,,,,,an interesting mix! Cerebral, Social and Creativie,,,life is good!! I just need to learn how to make time for all the various aspects!!