Sundays are like a game of Tetris in my studio. I rush all week to get orders completed by Friday and am frantically working to get them shipped out on Saturday. So Sunday is all about cleaning up, putting everything back in its place and getting ready for the next week, because starting Monday morning at 4:00am (the best time for me to get anything done) I have a new round of orders to complete.
It's not difficult, really, just a little boring - clean the paint brushes, put the paints away, vacuum up sawdust, (no- the nail polish does not belong here on my desk), super glue the broken toys that have piled up on my work bench after a week of little boys at play, put away the shipping supplies until next Saturday, check my inventory (out of Mod Podge, AGAIN! That stuff goes quick!), re-stack paper and fabric, file away receipts, print out new invoices and work on designs for custom orders. Today I happen to be drawing a tropical tiki, a VW bus and hibiscus flowers.
And it's still hot here in San Diego County. My Dad laughs and says we're so spoiled because except for several weeks out of the year the weather is pretty close to perfect. He's right - it's silly for me to complain. But the fan I keep here in the studio broke and the stores are fan-less and gearing up for Fall, so I suppose I'll have to hop online for a replacement. I am spoiled. I'll admit it.
And I've changed the logo for my mobile hangers yet once again. This might be it - although I am considering a business name change... so this will probably be it for 'Out of the Box'. I actually don't know why I haven't been doing it in color the whole time. I wanted it to look like a stamp - in a solid color. But now I want color. Fortunately, since I produce these blocks in groups of about twenty, it gives me time to change my mind - which I do often. So for the next couple weeks, the hangers will look like the photo shown here. Who knows how I'll feel about it next week! Maybe I'll even have a new name to unveil!!!
Okay, Sunday. I'm ready to take you on. Monday isn't that far away and I have orders due in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Texas and Wisconsin this week. Wooden surfboard mobiles are now enroute to Tofino, British Columbia in Canada for sale in the lovely Tofino Tea Bar. So if you're in that neck of the woods, be sure to check it out soon.
