Reflections...

2016 was a challenging year for me physically and financially.

The physically started the ball rolling on the financially, but what the physically taught me is that I need to SLOW DOWN!

Oprah Winfrey describes exactly how I have been feeling in an interview I read in the Costco Connections this past week.

The words of Oprah:

"I've spent so many years of my life on the path of creating success and not actually being able to live in the moment to appreciate it.  I look back at all of my glorious years on the Oprah show, but so much of it was numbing to me because life was coming at such a fast pace that it was hard to take everything in.  And that is why, when I look back at old shows, sometimes I'm like, 'Okay, I know that's me sitting in the chair, but I don't even remember that show.'"

What I highlighted in red struck out to me so strongly!  

I have been running from doll show to doll show since 2009

(I mean, I had been to many doll shows before that date but that year began several shows per year, traveling across the United States several times a year, mostly in the summer and fall months) including several teaching engagements, plus the creation of my DVD that took nearly a full year to complete.  

I have met so many people who were just a passing fog to me because I could not take it all in.  

My poor brain and body were on overload!

So if we have met before, in person or even online, and I don't recall it, please do forgive me.  I have found that even though I keep believing that I am Super Woman, the human body and brain does have its limits!

It was the summer of 2015 that I decided I would not be showing at the ROSE show this past July, but rather just teaching and enjoying the show afterwards.  Enjoy I did, and I fully enjoyed the road trip to and from the show with one of my best friends, Sally.  

But even so, my schedule was so packed this last summer with not only shows but family and other events that I enjoy...the moments just whizzed by and when it finally came to a time where I could slow down, that is when I got hurt on a trail ride in September.  

Broken ribs will slow you down for sure!

But now that my ribs are nearly healed and I can do most of the things I have always done (still can't lift too much weight, fling grandkids around or push/pull very much), I find my world getting too busy again.  Of course, we did just end the holidays but as I look into the next month, I find my calendar filling up, FAST!

I want to remember and savor every moment of my amazing delightful days!

A friend on my Facebook page told me that from her view, of being outside of my world looking in, I live a glorious life.  

I do, I will not deny that!  

I am blessed beyond measure, I have pure joy and find myself in so many crazy and exciting adventures!  

I just want to have the time to consume them entirely.

 

I need to stop and remember what I learned from not only my illnesses in May (heat/sun stroke, pulled back muscles and a chalazion on my eyelid), my accident in September and the passing of my beloved horse in November, but also in those moments of victory where the Lord lead the way when I was too weak and too tired to do so.  The biggest thing I need to remember is that in Him, I am made strong so I MUST, MUST, MUST set aside time for Him, DAILY.  

And then all of the things that consume me will empower me instead, and give me peace.  

So, what am I going to do about this?

Well, as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE doll shows, I am bowing out of them this year.  

(except I hope to be able to take grandgirl Jena to the Portland show the end of this month for her birthday, if I can afford it.)

 Because of the financial strain on my business and financial strain from another situation in our personal life, I simply cannot afford to go to the shows this year plus, one lands on a family reunion weekend that I have been missing for the past many years and I just decided that I want to be with family.

I need to focus on building up that business account by making the dolls that have sat on the back burner for a long time now.  Did you know it is hard to make dolls when you are not home to make them??  :)  (or had broken ribs??  LOL)

I am sure that my collectors will appreciate more dolls coming from me this year!  

I made 13 silicone dolls in 2016, and 7 vinyl dolls.  Many of those were minis and two are still here with me waiting for forever homes.

I won't be teaching any live classes this year but I do still have my full reborning course DVD available.  It can easily be used with any paints you are using as my techniques for painting have always been the same, regardless of the paints I use.  The DVD teaches far more than I can teach in a 2 day class...it is really good stuff!

I need to work with my other horse more so that he trusts me fully so that we don't have any more incidences like what happened in September.   

So I will be sitting tight in the studio and enjoying my work and all of the other things that the Lord has so greatly blessed me with.  My grandbabies are growing up SO fast!

I will always be available to answer reborning questions and I will be producing at least 2 more color guides~hopefully very soon.  I am wanting to complete the Asian skin toned reborn before I write that one so that I have a good photo of him finished (I should have him rooted by the end of this week...hopefully!) I'd love to get the Ruddy Newborn baby rooted too before I write that guide but I might just have to write it with him bald and final details unfinished because people are waiting for that guide.  

My mohair production really slacked this past year and I hate that my customers could not get what they needed from me because I was too busy.  I want to be more regular about mohair processing.  

And maybe I'll do a video or two this year...

I can do this if I stay home more!  

So here is to 2017...a year of prosperity and peace

XXOO