It's been a while, I know :( TONS of pics included..

Sorry it's been so long since I updated.. it's just been one of those months.. holidays are so hectic, lots of rush orders for Lil' Outlaws , trying to get my website updated with a shopping cart feature, plus lots of stuff going on around Bandera in general. Here are a bunch of photos from recently, I'll try to add more text ASAP!

TONS of pics here..
First off, you guys wouldn't believe how many packages have gone out in the last couple of weeks. I finally closed down customs from last Friday until the beginning of the year - however I will be having an after Christmas sale over at Raining Baby Fluff for the few days following Christmas (starting at midnight 12/25).

Check out all the outgoing orders...






And this is how I keep orders straight.. as they come in and get paid for, I copy shipping info and order details to a text file on the computer.. every evening before James gets home, I copy the orders into categories on a dry erase board. When James gets home, he watches kids and gives me free time to work. I knock out all of the day's orders every night, so they can ship the next morning. This is how I get all orders (except wood crafts and Tumbleweeds) out within 24 hours.


And some of my favorites from recently..

Mint Chocolate Pony Soap (scented Mint Chocolate with a toy pony inside, intended to match the fabric of the same name):


Joy to the World embossed soap:

Tumbleweeds:

Bath Fizzers:

and I also now offer bath crayons! Here I wrote on my fridge to test the color intensity..



Let's see, what else..? Oh yeah, we took the kids to drive through Johnson City to see the Christmas lights.. Canon was asleep by the time we got there, but McCayla had a BLAST. Lights are her favorite part of the season..



And we got some snow one night.. it didn't really stick and it was so late at night that we didn't really get any photos.. but when we took McCayla to my mom's the next day there was still a little bit sitting in the shady areas.. here's McCayla with a handful she got off of the trunk of my dad's car..


We went to the Tarpley Christmas Party down at the old schoolhouse.. it was a potluck, so I took my Andes Mint Pie..

And McCayla took this picture of James at the party.. check out the full beard!


And I also started trying my hand at a different kind of soapmaking - I usually do melt and pour soapcasting, but now I'm trying cold process and I really like it. Still getting used to it, I'm only 4 batches in.. but I really am having a lot of fun.
Down front is my first, it's a bluebonnet swirl.. the round ones are Chamomile Tea shampoo bars for my mom, the orange one is a pumpkin spice..

and this is batch #4, it's Sweet Milk and Amber, made with goat's milk..


aaaaaaand yet more pictures :) Lots of photos from the studio - babies and maternity, hooray!











and FINALLY, some photos from this past weekend... we went to the coast with my "sister" Danielle and did round one of her senior photos.. is she amazing or what??








..and then my darling, wonderful hubby dropped me off at the aquarium for a last minute dolphin show :) It's my favorite part and he knows it.. so he watched Canon in the car (Canon was sleeping) while I ran in and watched the dolphins :)


and last but not least, I want to wish my Mommy a very happy birthday - she turns [expletive deleted] today - so Happy XXth Birthday, Mom!! (ROFLMAO)

I've never seen so many packages in one day!

Today was a busy day at the Post Office!
I finally finished the tidal wave of orders that came in for Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend! I sent out a total of 15 packages today, and the wagon we took to the PO was overflowing! I wish I'd have had my camera, I'd have taken a picture of that - kids piled ontop of boxes and packages :)

Here's the packages before they went out: (I still have one more for Terri here that goes out tomorrow)


and then I got 9 packages in the mail today - I missed the PO Friday as well as Saturday, so there were a few waiting for me :) I have more coming too - I was lucky enough to be able to trade my soaps, detergent, etc. for items from other WAHMs for my family's Christmas gifts. (Hooray!) and I'll post pics and links as those start coming in. I have a few things that I'm very excited about!

Here's today's fluff, unopened:


and opened (contents list coming next):

The five diapers on the bottom, along with the white/pink shirt and three flowered hair clips are from Sabrina - traded her for some longies and fleece footies that Canon wouldn't wear (cry). All for the studio, except maybe the clippies :D
The thing on the right is a flattened wine bottle (yes, real!) that is now a really unique spoon rest (like when you're cooking and have the dirty stirring spoon). Two DVDs, new in package - for the kids for Christmas. Elmo for him and Happy Feet for her.
The pink diaper and tiny striped diaper are for the studio (I may let Canon wear pink - that's a Jellybean Muttaqin Baby 3SR there!), also traded for them. The white hat, rainbow hat, and rainbow scarf I got in a trade for some rump solution - rainbow is Canon's if it'll fit, otherwise it's for the studio. (Okay I really need some babies in the studio - if you have a LITTLE baby or will have one soon, please email me!) The thing with cars on it is a flannel sleep sack for Canon so he stays warm in bed this winter. And finally, my favorite part of the fluff for today - the brown hat in the middle with teddy bear ears - and a tail!!
Here's an action shot of that - it's just to die for!
(he was mad because McCayla kept trying to steal his hat)

and last but not least - I finally finished and shipped the large letter order today! Hooray! (that was the big box in the outgoing fluff picture)
Here's the finals on them:
Here's the inspiration for that one:




and the inspiration for that one too:





Okay I think there's way more than enough photos in today's post - more tomorrow! :D