Some of you probably remember the search for a way to reduce the quantity of plastic bags in our home.  (I’m happy to report that we do a really good job of taking the reusable bags with us on our big shopping trips, we don’t always remember when we are just running into a store for something small, but we’re working on it).

Getting ready to open the shop, I have been faced with teh paper vs. plastic debate from the other side.  There wasn’t really a debate, I knew I’d get paper, but my sister had to endure several whiny conversations about how much more expensive paper was than plastic, at least for the nice Kraft bags with handles vs. the plastic t-shirt bags (20 cents per bag vs. 4 cents per bag).  I wound up with some much more inexpensive paper merchandise bags, a little flimsier, but I think they’ll do the trick.

Having those arrive today was kind of exciting.  It seems like every day (as we get into the home stretch) something new happens that makes it feel even more real.

And what could be more exciting than boxes of paper shopping bags???

How about a box full of knitting needles!

Yippee!

Better eat, then have to get back to work!  I think my sister-in-law is going to come down and help me for awhile.   Pricing and hanging knitting needles and crochet hooks ought to keep her busy, don’t you think?

TTFN-

Suzanne

But gee, looks like I still need to spend some quality time hanging things up on my pegboard.

That quilt is my Blooming Nine Patch (B9P) from this past spring.  Did I ever tell you that the judges thought I needed to work on my fabric choice in order to have the fabrics flow together better?  Or something like that.  Judges comments are so subjective.  In terms of a strictly by the book B9P, yes there probably is too much contrast between my fabrics.  But you know waht?  I don’t care.  Love the quilt, love how it turned out, love my fabric choices.  SO there.

Tonight, I have two vastly different customer service experiences to report on:

Sign company number 1

Visited store to talk about what I want, take pictures of front, blah blah blah, work on the artwork, get an estimate and get back to me.  It’ll be 2 weeks or so to actually get the sign done once everything’s approved and we have a permit.

Off on vacation, checking e-mail occasionally, thinking I’ll hear something, plus I have my cell phone.  Nothing.  For several weeks.

Finally, I e-mailed last week asking for an update.  Days later, “Artwork is done, it’s with the estimator.”

Haven’t heard anything since, don’t have time to babysit and ask every other day what’s going on.

Sign Company Number 2

E-mail them on Thursday.  They respond asking for more information on Sunday (and apologies that they hadn’t gotten back to me sooner, they are short-handed with summer vacations).  Send them logo and exactly what I want on the sign.

Monday, get an e-mail with artwork to approve, which is perfect, exactly what I want.

Tuesday morning, call to place order.  Phone call later to check on the color of the red in the logo.

Tuesday late afternoon get call that sign can be picked up on Wednesday, and by the way, we think it needs a third grommet in the center is it OK if we add it?

I haven’t actually SEEN the sign yet, but unless they are completely incompetent, it ought to be awesome.

I’m debating about whether to call/e-mail the first guy back and tell him he blew it, or to just wait until he finally gets back to me with is estimate.  I have a suspicion that my little sign wasn’t “big” enough for him.   I may wait, just to see how long it does take him.  And then I’ll have the last laugh.

Sheesh, how’d it get to be midnight?  I’d better head for bed.

Ciao-

Suzanne