I FOUND IT, I FOUND IT!!!

I can’t believe after searching and searching for my darn Strawberry candle mat pattern, I finally found it after I gave up searching for it.

After searching high and low for that little plastic zip-lock baggie that contained the freezer paper tiny pieces that make up that strawberry design, I gave up and sat down with my paper and pencil to draw up a completely new one.  I was planning just to draw it from the pictures of the finished candle mat that I had stored on my old computer. 

My old computer was stored upstairs in the “wool room”, so I took my drawing pad and pencil up to the room and while waiting the 5 minutes or so for the computer to grind and chug during the start-up process, I looked down on the floor and saw the small plastic bin that contained that darn strawberry pattern that  I had been searching for!

Oh the excitement!

This discovery has saved me an incredible amount of time. 

So, today, after my morning meetings, the dye pots will come out and I will dye some delicious strawberry colors and perhaps some nice green mottled colors for the leaves too! (sorry Brenda, the pumpkins will come out in a few more months, I promise.)

OOOOOHHHHH the excitement!!

Starting next week, please come back to see how I make the strawberry candle mat from start to finish.  When I’m all done making it, the pattern will be printed out for all who wish to purchase it. 

And that reminds me … I have this finished “Clay Pot Pansies” candle mat for sale on Ebay HERE.

I do believe that the auction ends tonight.  The last time I checked, there were no bids yet either, so you might get a super good price on it too if no one else bids.

The Census job is still going very well.  The team that I meet with everyday are great.  I try to go out to do field work at least a few hours every evening.  We're not permitted to go over 40 hours a week so I have to be very careful since I usually log in at least 3 hours every morning for my meetings and we meet all 7 days.

I really love meeting and talking to residents.  Just about everyone is cooperative and super friendly.  I’ve learned to not be judgmental about how people live because some of the kindest most helpful people have been the ones in the most rundown of homes. 

Every once in a while someone gives me trouble but I’ve learned how to handle them too and most times, just turning on the charm gets the person to unknowingly give me at least some of the information that I need.  Some of it is just like detective work and I love the challenge of getting info on difficult cases.

Oh, how I wish I could tell a story of a recent incident, but I’m not permitted to speak of my experiences.  In fact, I just got a notice in the mail today from the government which reminded me that I took an oath of silence and they better not catch me blogging about my experiences because they’ll put me in jail for 5 years or fine me $250,000. 

Hubby told me he rather me be in jail than have to pay that much, so I just better shut up right now!

I’m just thinking though, I could blog all the funny stories and then if they fine me the $250,000, all you readers would come to my rescue and pay my fine, wouldn’t you?  It’d be worth it for some funny stories, wouldn’t it??

Ok, ok, never mind.  I’ll honor my oath of silence.  I love my job.  I just wish that I could tell you all exactly what happens during my day that makes me love my job so much. I just have to chuckle about it to myself, and that’s not as much fun but it will have to do.

But, hmm… the older retired men?  Those guys make the BEST stories.

Happy Day Everyone and big HUGE thank yous to all of you wonderful customers who have purchased my patterns!  I so much appreciate all of you!