Hello November!

As impossible as it seems, the next-to-the-last month of the year is here, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner, and yet another year is coming to a close!! Wow...where has the time gone??

That's also how I feel about posting for Just Bee 'n Me - where has the time gone??  I'm sorry for being out of touch both here and at your lovely blogs...I miss all of you so much when I get busy like I have been of late. Everything is just fine - going great in fact, we are just going non-stop. To get everyone caught up, I thought I would take just a minute, cuz that's about all I have today, and outline what's happening here and what's in the works...

• The shop is doing very well (for us as well as for all the other vendors) and our owner just got the go ahead this week to expand 1800 square feet into the space directly behind us - this more than doubles the shop's square footage! The shop will also be adding a small bakery in the newly expanded space, which will be a real treat for our customers (and for us too!).

   
• Our space in the shop is remaining in the front room, right by the check-out, but because of other vendors shifting to the new space, we will be taking on half again as much space for ourselves! This is why I went on a Craigslist-buying frenzy on Wednesday...to help fill our newly aquired area. We bought 2 hutches, 2 corner shelf units, and 2 table and chair sets! I can't wait to share photos...they are awesome and SUCH a great deal!! Goodness gracious though, what an ordeal - we went clear to the other end of Houston to aquire these pieces (I'm talking almost a two hour drive), and it started raining on us on the way home, and we had to stop and re-tie down once, but we made it here with the stuff in tact. Now we just have to get it all into the shop...that happens tomorrow. The shop is closing down Monday for moving day and all the vendors are both shifting to their new spaces as well as changing over from Autumn decor to Christmas! Yikes...it's going to be an exhausting day, but it'll be fun too!! And yep, I'll be snapping photos!!

•  I have a new clipart kit in the works for my Digital Boutique...it is almost finished. This little snowguy is one of the cast of characters. It should be finished and uploaded in the next couple of days (I hope!!) I've had a lot of fun with this kit. It isn't the only kit I'll be doing for the Christmas season, it's just the first one intended to kick off the festivities and give folks an early selection that they can use for gift tags, kid's projects, scrapping, school bulletin boards, or whatever their crafty needs may be! I'll post the link just as soon as it's in the shop!

• I am in the middle of answering a series of interview questions for an article for a special blog coming up very soon. The interview focuses on my illustration career and art licensing experiences...I'm VERY excited about it and I will be able to tell you all about it very soon!!! Please stay tuned!!
  
   
• Speaking of illustration, I just received yet another new contract from Universal Designs, this time for an entire Mother's Day 2010 collection as well as a collection for their Monarch Creations division...wow, I am so humbled and thrilled by the increased volume of licensing for this fine company!! I'll post a link to the new products as soon as it is available for viewing on their website...
  
   
• Later this week I will be re-posting my 2009 calendars for 2010 and they will available for purchase as soon as they are updated. The designs are the same, they just have 2010 dates. Here are links to the 2009 calendars so you can see the designs in each (but be sure and not order from these links unless you want to live 2009 over again!): "My Cup Runneth Over" and "Wisdom & Whimsy". I'm happy that I will have them ready well in advance of Christmas this time to allow y'all enough time to purchase them as gifts if you desire. Unfortunately, I will not be doing a new calendar this year :o(  There is just not enough time...BUT, I am working on one for next year already...
  
  
• We will be heading to Beaumont this coming weekend for my nephew's wedding (you may remember the lingerie shower we threw for his bride-to-be Kathryn earlier this past Summer) I can't believe it's already wedding time! This will be a lot of fun as weddings typically are...it's like a mini family reunion! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and wishing the new Bride and Groom all the best!! My camera is going to get a real workout this week!!

 ______________________________

I think that's quite enough to report for now...I'm tired just typing it all :o) Thanks so much to all the new "followers" of Just Bee 'n Me - I am so happy you found me!!  I will stop by very soon to say hello...it may take me a while, but I'll make it there...  That goes for all my old blog friends too...I'll see you very soon! Thank you so much for coming by and saying hi...it means the world to me!!

Have a lovely Sunday and an outstanding week one and all! May God bless you in every way!!