All these great projects...that I can't tell you about

This time of the year is so frustrating for me. I love to make Christmas gifts, and I have to start right now so that I have time to finish them, BUT I can't write anything about them, or talk about them to be sure that the recipient doesn't figure it out.

I don't know if it's harder for me to stop myself from telling others about the projects I'm working on, or to keep them from catching me working on it! So, even though I have not posted a lot recently, trust me, I am super busy, and I have the week after Christmas off, so there will be tons of time for me to update you all on what has been keeping me busy.

Right now I am preparing for Halloween, just like everyone else. Now, I don't craft or decorate for Halloween like some do, I'm not big on skeletons and ghosts, sure we'll carve pumpkins, but I enjoy the day after Halloween the most. My home is decorated in beautiful, rich, autumn colors (we moved in in the fall and I was inspired), so for the entire autumn season I am on the hunt for decorator items in those colors that don't scream "FALL". I love these colors all year round, but I don't particularly want to see pumpkins and scarecrows all year round, so I get to be very creative.

The day after Halloween is my bargain paradise. As soon as Halloween is over all of the autumn items are liquidated to make room for Christmas stuff, that's when I really go on the hunt!

I hope that you all enjoy your Halloween festivities, be safe and check in for updates on my post-Halloween bargains!

Comforting finds for cold and flu season

Cold and flu season has officially arrived, and I have spent the last three days doing anything that I can think of to ease my stuffed up head. Unfortunately I will spend a lot of time sniffling this winter, but fortunately I understand that sometimes my body just needs to rest. So that is what I'm doing tonight, just resting.

Luckily I can take time to rest, and sitting around catching up on my favorite blogs is the perfect relaxation technique. There are a few other essentials that I need when I feel like this, so I thought it would be great to feature some Etsy artists who create just what I love to have around me to make me as comfortable and relaxed as possible.

The first necessity is tissues, and a lot of them. Many tissue companies offer some really cute box designs, but if you are looking for something to match your decor, and make that necessary tissue box seem like it really belongs in the room, check out Fondue. This gorgeous (and completely un-tacky) tissue box cover can be found in their Etsy shop.

Another absolute necessity is a great coffee mug. Whether you like coffee, tea, or my favorite, spiced apple cider, a warm drink makes a sore throat feel better every time. The bigger the mug, the better. Here some sophisticated handcrafted mugs from JustWork.

Nothing beats a great blanket for curling up on the couch with my coffee, tissues, and General Hospital. I have a couple of criteria for what constitutes a great blanket. First, it has to be fleece, because fleece is always fuzzy and warm, it doesn't take on the chill in the air. Secondly, a great blanket has to be extra large in size, so that all of me, from my neck to my toes, can fit underneath the blanket. Here is a super cute blanket from katesblankets.

These three things may not actually make me feel better, but they do make me more comfortable. Now I'm off for some good old fashion R&R, let me know what you need when you're sick and I'll post it for everyone!

A new take on a familiar project

I can not believe how long it has been since I have posted. When I first started this blog I could not understand how someone could go for weeks without posting, but then again, when I first started this blog my only job was my small business and my blog was a part of my job, now it's something that I get to add to when I have time and something to share.

I had been taking some time away from Obsessively Organized to jump into my new job wholeheartedly, and to attempt to catch up on some personal projects that really needed to get started (Christmas gifts!). During this time I have barely been online at all, which is completely strange to me because I was online almost every minute of every day over the summer. However I have been spending more time with my trusty computer recently because I have been working on a custom order.

This order is important because it is for someone who is just as specific as I am about what they want in their planner. Many people will get a new planner because it looks cute, or they have every intention of getting organized, but then the novelty wears off and they forget where they put the darned thing. Custom orders are all special to me because when someone requests a certain kind of planner I know that they understand exactly what they need a planner to do for them, and I know that it will be useful for them because they are getting exactly what they want. This is why I started creating planners in the first place!

I was weary of taking on such a specific order, because I knew that I didn't have much time to work on it, but I am really thankful that I did, because it gave me the chance to remember what I love about this business - the creating. I got the opportunity to spend all day in front of my computer formatting pages, and I was given a new challenge - tab dividers for each month. This is something that I have been avoiding up until now because I couldn't seem to find a way to make them work, but for some reason it was so simple when I finally sat down to do it. I'm very excited about the tab dividers because I have a project that I would like to make for a friend for the holidays and the dividers are completely necessary (I won't say anything more, but I will be sure to let you know how it turns out).

I am so glad that I was given the chance to work on an Obsessively Organized project again. I am certainly not ready to get it back up and going at the rate that it was this summer, because I value my sleep far too much, but I will definitely be taking on a few more projects now that I know I can fit them into my schedule.

Here are a few pictures of the custom order that I just finished. I was so honored that she chose one of my original designs for the cover. How could I say no to that!

Time to rejuvenate!

Image from justnaki

I have so missed my blog! Isn't funny how the first things that we push to the side when we run out of time seem to be the little things that truly make us happy? While I have not been able to blog as much lately (a direct result of the fact that I am rarely able to make it to my computer) I have certainly been using my journal more often. I am proving to myself that writing is one of my favorite therapies (writing and coffee!).

I have been so busy getting used to my new work schedule, and now it is time for me to work on my new personal schedule. I get so easily distracted because I have so much less time to work with. I get online to check my email, and I find myself on the computer for two hours because I keep thinking of things that I really need to catch up on, none of which were on my to-do list to begin with!

I am trying to rejuvenate myself by jumping back into my favorite projects. I have some wonderful Christmas gifts that I have started for my friends (I am super excited about them, but not sure when I will find the time to finish them, I am supposed to be working on them now...) which I will certainly share pictures of after Christmas. I also have a surprise for those who have purchased from me, just a little thank you for helping me get off to a great start (yes I will post pictures of those too). Finally I am beginning to get back to my Obsessively Organized products, and I can't wait to ship out some more calendars before the new year!

Now I just have to find some time to sit down and read some of my favorite blogs, that may prove to be a true indulgence, but maybe I can make it part of my Sunday morning routine. I will keep you posted on my fun new projects and deep musings!