what a wonderful Christmas I had. I am still thinking about it. this is a picture of me with my Jack and Annie and the baby boxer Zia. she is a spitfire! she seems to like her little clothes.

as 2008 winds down to a few hours, I am so thankful for my wonderful year. as I think back on it, I really had a great year! my trip to japan, my fantastic business experiences and opportunities, and the wonderful gift of being able to share it with my kids, Ben and Allyson. our "family empire" is so much fun!!!

I am looking forward to 2009. I can't wait to get back to work. nice...

happy new year! stay safe and count your blessings,

all my best,

rita

winter's day

today was beautiful. the sun was out and it got pretty warm I walked the pups at the park yesterday and they loved it. this afternoon we worked in the yard, draining hoses, putting up tools. I am already planning next year's projects. Jack and I miss all the puppies being around. he is sticking to me like glue, even wanting me to go outside with him to potty like I did when he was wee little. funny.

I worked on more invoices today and mailed my gifts to my Japanese friends. chocolates of course and little scrap books Allyson made them. speaking of Allyson, she is taking orders for me up in her neck of the woods! we are planning a chocolate and valentine show next month! the ladies will love it. I am going to have one in Louisville also. it will be so much fun! I am excited to get back to work.

back to work. we had the most wonderful Christmas. Allyson was here all week with her two puppies. the baby boxer is a delight though I see why they have named her "demon dog" she is totally fearless. Jack loves her and they play pretty rough. Ben came back down Wednesday morning and Brandt made it in that evening. I made my last Louisville delivery Wednesday at 6 PM. did some more Christmas shopping and left for home and dinner with Brandt and I made 3 more Santas to be delivered Saturday. finally finished with sculpting for the year!

We relaxed and slept. Christmas morning and I had a houseful of laughing happy kids and running, wrestling puppies! we wrapped presents, and then gathered round the tree and enjoyed the happy business of unwrapping them, showing off each treasure. Ben made us eggnog lattes and fixed us breakfast. it was a wonderful day!

Friday I painted that last order and relaxed in a quiet house. the kids went to their dad's and took Zia the boxer. Saturday I got up and packed the order and headed for Shelbyville...on the road again! finally I was finished with the season...and ready to shop! okay so I was a little behind my time but I had fun.

I am so blessed and so happy. life is good on Rabbitville Road!

okay I wrote this right before Christmas and somehow didn't publish it. so here it is:


all is quiet..my kids are here and both still asleep. it takes me back to the years when they were little and I would be working as they slept in their beds. Being an elf was not easy but they accepted their family business responsibility well! They took it seriously and helped however they could, keeping house, painting ornaments, giving neck rubs. I have two wonderful children! Now that they are adults and their lives are filled with their own responsibilities, they don't get down here as much as we all would like. But when they do come, rowdy happy puppies in tow, we all laugh and hug and remember those days in Rays Crossing, living and working in Santa's workshop.

It's 7 AM. I have caught up on the dishes, fed the puppies their morning treats, and baked a sweet smelling ham for Sunday breakfast. I still have several orders to make and today must count. after waking Allyson up VERY early, the pups are all back asleep. 5! and each one more excited than the next to get to play with puppy cousins. Life is so good. More puppy pictures soon!

it's almost Christmas

Christams tree with birdhouses
oh no! it hasn't even been over a month since I've posted! well I have just been working. and working and getting very little sleep.. better talk to Santa about that. orders are coming along well and my kids are coming today so life is good. I will have 5 dogs in the house for the next week! love it.

if you are on facebook, please check out my ritabunnies application! it is so much fun, you can send all your facebook friends a virtual rita!!!

okay back to work, lots of clay work to do and the kids will be here soon. grandpuppies!

this is Ben's extra large tree with birdhouses.

sunday in the studio

uh oh! I'm falling behind in my blog. of course I am sort of busy...and I have helped my friend Krystal get ready for her wedding. she is a shorty like me so I had to hem her wedding dress. it was beautiful...three layers, three hems, 6 hours! and I made her veil and headpiece also. last night she married her Amish man and she looked so happy.

I had company yesterday in the studio. first of all, I have a friend helping me some when she has a chance. she cuts my hair and we got to talking and she wanted a bit of work to help with Christmas. her name is Leah and she was born to paint! single mother of two...we certainly come from the same place. she is good company and a very good painter. A good friend from Broad Ripple in Indy came and spent the afternoon yesterday also! Becky had her lists, her ideas and notes and spent the afternoon plotting out her holiday gift giving. it was so much fun to watch her discover this or that perfect peice that was tucked away here or there, "I didn't see this, this would be perfect for so and so" I love it. Becky is urging me to have a show in Indianapolis for all my customers up there and if the time permits I may do it yet this year. hmmn. Leah glazed turkeys and I made elves and we all enjoyed being safe and warm inside as the temperature dropped and the wind blew. It was a great day!

everything is turning out so well. as always I am working way too much but it is so much fun I can't stop. the dogs are in and out, play with their toys, and finally drop off to sleep on their beds at my feet. and I keep sculpting. with the show at the Clifton center coming up next weekend, this is going to be a tough week. still, I will have the temptations boutique the next week, so if I sell out next Saturday, my clients can always come to that show. okay, I have to go paint!

flowers!!!!

oh my gosh! I was interrupted writing that last entry by the doorbell. I got flowers for my birthday!!!! A beautiful fall bouquet. here they are...Dorine, my "other mother" sent them to me. I lived next door to her in Shelbyville and she is my role model. she has taught me so much, cared about me, listened to me and been honest with me. I want to be like her when I grow up! she is an outdoors woman, a retired trust officer (man does she ever help me with business decisions!) a gardener and an over achiever volunteer for lucky Shelby county. she has four grown children of her own, I have lost track of how many grandchildren and her first great-grand child. and me. I am so blessed to have her in my life! AND she sends ME flowers on my birthday. wow. my Japanese friends are right, I am lucky!

I had better get back to work. cake is baked and iced. the clay is calling!