The other job

I started offering custom long arm quilting this year and want to share one of the latest quilts that I quilted for a customer.

I finished this one yesterday and delivered it, she loved it. It is a full size and has varied purple colored stars all over it, and I put the feather meander around them in the white background.

Massage is my profession and quilting is my passion - my artistic expression. I love them both.

New week after the holidays

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is over, most people had 4 days off and hate to go back to work. I took most of the 4 days off - did 2 massages on Friday, but I worked on customer quilts most of the weekend so really didn't have the days off - just different work.

My son Nathan and his two young brother in laws (13 & 15 years old) came over and helped decorate for Christmas. Nathan puts up my 7' tree and puts the lights on it, I like a lot of lights and I know he will be glad if and when I decided to purchase a pre-lit tree. Then they decorated it, mostly I wanted to boys to come over to carry boxes up and down the stairs. I think there is actually some boxes of Christmas decorations still in the attic but I don't think I need them.

I have a fairly full day today, 4 new clients (most are gift certificates) and a couple of regulars so it will be a good day. I find only a very small percentage of gift certificate recipients actually make massage a regular part of their health care routine. For whatever reason it just seems to work that way.

Working on no sleep

I offered to keep my grandson Gavin who is 20 months old and has only spent one other night away from Mommy and Daddy before. The kids wanted to go shopping early this morning and Gavin has been sick so they didn't want to take him out.

Since he has been sick he didn't sleep well and fussed and cried all night, and since I am a very light sleeper I didn't get any sleep at all. I then had 4 full hour massages scheduled today - so then the problem was - how do I do 4 hours of massage on no sleep?

I don't, simple enough. I cancelled my last one and one didn't show up and I did the other two then took a nice long nap. It is a good thing I have two days off to get rested up before starting again.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am sitting here watching the Macy's Day parade. I am sure hoping it is warmer there than it is here in Carthage, it is 11:24 am and the temp. is 31 and my feet are cold.

I was at Pizza Hut last evening eating my free meal - they lost my order so I got it all free, when my son called and asked if they could borrow my vehicle? They had more people staying at their house and going to His inlaws house for Thanksgiving dinner than would fit in their car. So I am stuck at home but that is ok because I think it is too cold to be out running around anyway and I want to get started on a couple of quilts that I have to do for clients.

I am not only a massage therapist, I also am a professional quilter and do quilting for others. The quilts I have right now to work on have to be done for Christmas presents.

Well thats all for today, need to wrap my feet up or get up and work on the quilt one.

Happy Thanksgiving from Healing Touch Massage

I struggle to take time for the holidays

I have always found it hard - being self employed and massage being the only income - to take time off for the holidays. On the one hand the money is needed and my clients are off for the holidays so it is a good time for them to come in. On the other hand I really need time off occasionally, but on the holidays that I don't have family coming over or me going somewhere I guess it doesn't matter if I take off.

Then that brings up the whole issue - you aren't having the family over for " " holiday - big meal and all. Awwww - maybe we should invite you over - or - lucky you, relaxing all day with no dinner to fix - except I have to play catch up on the laundry from doing all those massages the day before so I could take off. lol

I can't complain, business is fairly good and I do enjoy my days off, and do manage to take holidays off most of the time. I actually am planning on taking about 5 days off for Christmas since my Daughter and her family will be here from CA. I will have a house full and will probably be glad to get back to work just so I can rest a little. ;)

I love all my clients and am very thankful for their continued support of me and my business and I try to make myself available for them - within reason of coarse, and will continue to work the day before and after most holidays so that they can get their massages when they are off work - and bring in their family members while they are in town visiting.