Dog days...

Ok, I know it's been over a week since I posted. I've been swamped with orders, I know, it's a good thing. I'm really dumbfounded that I have to go back to work in a week and a half. I'm going to try really hard not to complain about my job this year. That's my goal for the year. Too bad I can't write that down on those 'Professional Goals' sheets that we fill out every single year. Ok, now I feel like complaining about filling out the forms! I'm off to a very bad beginning aren't I? But seriously, who reads them, and whose file cabinet are they stowed away in, and do they save them for someone's entire teaching career?
Yeeesh. And then at the end of the year you have to look at what you filled out at the beginning, and you're like, huh? Those were my professional goals for this year? And then you have to say if you met them or not, and how you went about it.
Oh well. My little one is starting high school, and I should be freaking out, but for some reason I am excited and happy for her, and not at all sorry for myself. Occasionally I get a very sad flash that I can't remember exactly what it was like when she was like 4 or 7 or whatever age, but I know that's normal. I'm sure her high school experience will be much better than mine was. There's no way possible it could be worse. Here she is playing in the tub with her hamster "Ollie" (named after the skateboard trick of course)

I'm so glad she's a late bloomer in some ways, and still likes 'kid' things. I'm very proud of her, but we do struggle at times. I just pray in a few years we'll still be best friends.
Ok, before I get all emotional I'll stop. Here's a few things I've been working on:

and this:

and Sasha made this collaged bangle, so I put it in the shop: (I get so excited when she does anything crafty, because it's kind of rare. She knows how to sew, but it's hard to get her interested)

I also made a new design on one of my scrabble tile necklaces, Little House series, and it is sooooooo adorable, if I do say so myself. I'll take pics tomorrow. ciao everyone!