The antidote to the holiday rush ... and a whirlwind update

Whew ... the clock is ticking ... but I can't possibly let 2006 end without a post.

For one thing, my last one was on Sept. 11 (say it with me, guys: that's pathetic!). Honestly, I'm surprised anyone is even stopping by anymore ... but you are, you sweet souls.

For another thing, tomorrow -- New Year's Day -- I plan to start Project 365, so I want to clear the slate and start fresh. Yes, you heard right. I haven't posted in more than three months, and now, come tomorrow, I aspire to post every single day for a whole year. I was absent the day they taught 'moderation' ... what can I say? I'm intrigued by the concept of Project 365, and I figure as long as I post a photo each day, anything else is gravy. I mean, how long can that take, right? I guess I'm about to find out. That, and ... 'how long can it take to lose these 30 lbs?'

Anyway, friends ... that's really about tomorrow and beyond ... but first, some highlights from the past few months. These really deserved their own posts, I know. I'll do better in 2007 ... or at least show you pictures.

Ryan (my son, 20) graduated from the Art Institute of New England this month. Woohoo! I still can't believe how fast that was. It seems like just yesterday, I was dropping him off at the dorm, trying to hold off the tears until I got in the car to head home, and -- blink -- he's all finished already. In style, no less, with a 4.0 his last semester. Now for the fun part -- finding a job. He'll be staying up in Boston, where he lives with his darling girlfriend, Nicole, and another roommate. He was home for a week, though, and it was treat ... but do you think I took any pictures of him? No. See why I need to do the 365 Project? I did dig this one out from his high-school graduation party in 2003, and you'll be seeing some current ones in '07, especially in May when he takes part in the formal graduation ceremony.

John had a birthday in December and just accepted a position with Avis/Budget as a marketing attorney, which is a whole new area for him. He's actually been at Cendant (the parent company of Avis/Budget) since January, but not as an employee. Cendant split itself up into four companies this year, and John landed at Avis in September. So, same company, new job ... and this time with benefits. His official start date is Tuesday, so he's savoring every minute of this holiday weekend, believe me.

I was a busy, busy girl this fall with corporate trunk shows during the week, craft shows on weekends, and holiday orders in between ( ... one of the best sellers were these jean/purse 'soul charms'). It was exhausting, but thrilling at the same time. I learned so much this year, and I'm so grateful for all the customers, family, and friends who supported my efforts to get believe street off the ground. I'm just overflowing with ideas, goals, and dreams for the coming year. There's a long way to go.

I know I did a lousy job this year of sharing my process, but honestly, I was afraid of boring you to tears with post after post of ... ''today I got up, made jewelry, got to the post office just in the nick of time, came back, made more jewelry, and went to bed at midnight" ... or some slight variation thereof. Come to think of it, I can't promise that my posts in 2007 will be any more interesting than that, but at least you'll get a glimpse into both the tedium and adrenaline rush of trying to grow a business.

So, that brings us to the holidays, which were wonderful. Right up to the holidays, mind you, it was chaos. As soon as I mailed out the last holiday order on the Thursday before Christmas, I shifted my focus to wrapping presents, spending time with Ryan, visiting family, and eating lots of bad, bad food ... all of which was great fun, but still felt like I was in high gear.

That's why it was such a pleasure when I got to spend this past Wednesday driving into NYC and meeting the wonderful (and very photogenic) Kerstin for lunch. We chose this place (Arium) by doing some surfing online ... and let me tell you ... it was an absolute oasis ... just what I needed after the past few months of non-stop action. As we settled into our table in the beautiful room filled with natural light, gorgeous paintings, and fresh flower arrangements, I could literally feel my pooped-out body say, 'aaaaahhhhhh.' The food was delicious and healthy, the service was wonderful, and the prices were very reasonable for such a lovely place.

We ate and chatted leisurely over tea (served in beautiful tea sets) for more than three and a half hours! And, the amazing thing is, no one ever rushed us. In fact, I felt like we could easily have stayed there another two hours, and we would have been welcome to. Now, I ask you, where is there a restaurant in NYC that will let you do that? We both agreed this is a real keeper. (You can read Kerstin's version of our day and see more photos here.)

As I drove home, I remembered the catchy old Club Med jingle ... the one that goes: 'The Club Med vacation ... the antidote to civilization.' That's just how this day felt ... like the antidote to the holiday rush. Heck, not just the holiday rush, but the 2006 rush. It was a crazy year ... one in which I felt like I was crawling and stumbling and trying to catch my breath most of the time. In other words ... truly a wonderful year, because I spent it trying to carve out my own path.

And now, after a brief rest and a delicious cup of tea, I'm all ready to do it again.

Happy New Year, everyone!