Happy New Year From TPC Studio

What a season it has been! Christmas is over and it was truly a family event (and without huge dysfunctional issues), for the first time in years. New Years, and my dad's birthday, are both a few days away. Soon, a whole new year starts up over again. I look back on this last year and smile. It's amazing..a year of growth and more happiness than I've ever known before. Seriously. Putting my foot down on family abuse has been beneficial to the family. I can see it and it feels good. We still have our differences but I see progress and this makes me feel proud.

As for my stores, I have been adding products, organizing and making sure everything runs ok. Their growth spurs me on to do even more, expand it all and get more efficient on how I do everything for it. I'm passionate about doing it right, and see a lot of new improvements that must be made in the coming year. I handle it all bit by bit, so not to overwhelm myself with the big picture of all that needs to be done. It's all doable.

Then there's my teeth. Tests have been done and my next appointment will enlighten me on the cosmetic dentist's plan of attack. It will take some time to do the work, but that's ok because the man is an artist, making teeth look beautiful. I've seen "before/after" books of his work and it is all stunning. He even gives me big price breaks on procedures since I have no dental insurance. I am forever grateful. It means a lot to say goodbye to broken teeth hurting my gums, having trouble chewing, etc. Not to mention it will benefit my health by losing the infected teeth. They are a drain on my energy. It's such a big deal to do this work right, and retain the bone structure in my mouth. Posts will be drilled, teeth will be sculpted, it's a big job. I welcome all of it. Just load me up with Nitrous Oxide or put me out (he's a surgeon)..that's ok with me.

The cats have had a really fun holiday. This has been Matisse's first Christmas here with us and he has been having a blast! He plays with his toys under the tree, snoozes with Beau among the new toys, and loves the box the new toys came in. Beau is in kitty bliss with the new toys, and loves to act like a sprightly little spring-loaded kitten when nobody's looking. I've caught him spazzing out with a toy or two in his paws, and it's hysterical to watch this big white furrball just throwing caution to the wind and letting it all hang out.

This is our first holiday season in this lovely home, too. I thank God we found it and are here, it is wonderful and looks so beautiful all decorated up and given some love. I have big plans for this place, adding gardens and putting in more curtains to start. The upstairs bedrooms will be better outfitted later, my office needs better chairs and more shelving. I'm in no hurry and plan it out in time, to make it the way I want it to be.

Having a peaceful home is very important to me, far from the excruciatingly painful and stupid Queen Bee histrionic tirades I endured in childhood. I used to hide at the horse barn or in my room to stay away from her temper, and keep a low profile since anything could set off tantrums, anger or hysteria. As a middle-aged adult, I still relish the glorious feeling of peace at home. Total peace. No drama, insanity or cruelty. Just love. My pets have never known fear here with me. And they never will. Being alone feels wonderful. No complications or worry. I can work on my business, which is my true love, and not feel guilty, too.

In the new year I hope to have some time to take a course or two at the local university. It would be helpful to learn more business techniques and computer programs. In order to grow the business, I have to know exactly how to do that. A big puzzle to figure out, but a fun one, once it makes sense.

To all who read this, I wish you a very Happy New Year from my house to yours. Here's to a happy and healthy new year ahead!

google-site-verification: google7067dc8e96d74570.html The Fine Artwork of Carolyn McFann

It's the Holiday Season Here in the NE Ohio Countryside

After months of working on many, many products for my store, I'm finally taking a break from it all for the moment, anyways. When I can't think straight and my eyes don't focus as well, it's time to rest. So, I'm enjoying some holiday shopping online, just sleeping, and working on projects around the house. Things I had little to no energy for when I was focused on non-stop marathon work. It's fun to work on this ornate table that I'm refinishing. The process is slow and tedious to work on all the nooks and crannies on it with sandpaper but I like detail, so it's all enjoyable to me.

Later in the month, I'm going to the dentist in preparation for some major dental work. First come all the tests then he will make my teeth better looking than they ever were before, while getting rid of some problems in my mouth. My teeth have been the bain of my existence for many years and cost me a lot of money here and there fixing broken teeth. So, one by one, they are going to be redone. Thank goodness for a good cosmetic dental surgeon and a generous supply of novacaine/nitrous oxide! Bring it, doctor, I'm ready.

Last week I got around to putting up the new lace curtains I'd bought a few months ago, in my bedroom. They are just gorgeous, very elegant looking and they don't block too much light out. Perfect. And it transformed the room from basically plain and unremarkable to Buckingham Palace elegance in the blink of an eye. Adding LED window "candles" with sensors to each window afterwards gives the whole house a holiday flair, too. The warm, golden glow looks so beautiful at night against the reflections of the curtains. Love it.

Being as picky as I am about things like curtains, this was a total score! Now, to buy and install more in the other bedrooms and then work on the downstairs windows. By taking time and looking for the perfect drapes, it's all planned out carefully. One room at a time.

The cats have been really enjoying themselves, following eachother here and there, snoozing together underneath the Christmas tree and playing with their toys. They've been very well-behaved, for the most part, when it comes to sharing their house with holiday decorations. This is Matisse's first Christmas here, and he's been enjoying himself playing with (unbreakable) ornaments, hung specifically for him at the base of the tree. He can sit and entertain himself for hours, whacking away at a gold, sparkly "icicle". Beau likes the new toys I bought them. Since Matt came to be with us, Beau has learned to play more. The two of them have been quite the team, just like biological siblings. Sometimes they play-fight, at other times they chirp to one another in a cute little language (being deaf, how do they know that they're communicating?!).

As I sit here in my living room, coffee in hand and a fire in the fireplace, my mind is relaxed and peaceful. Stillness feels good. No husband to give me grief, no boyfriends to worry about, just friends and family, whenever I want to see them. Being a tradition-loving person, it's so wonderful to finally have roots down after previous years of ambitious travel and socializing. Moving out to the country and settling here was the best move I possibly could do. Living in the city is totally overrated. Here there is fresh air to breathe, deer to see outside my windows, and decent shopping within a half hours' drive from here. Not to mention the numerous equestrian sport barns all around. I lived in places like Mexico and Florida to find paradise, when in truth, living in Ohio turned out to be my paradise all along.

google-site-verification: google7067dc8e96d74570.html The Fine Artwork of Carolyn McFann