… the first batch

I wanted to title this post

'cue the angelic choir' . . .

. . . because it felt like a little miracle getting through the process

of getting this done!

But it did!

 & I'm so happy it's done!

 So. . .

without further delay. . .

I am soooo pleased to announce that the first batch (10 of 'em) of

PDF downloadable patterns are available on the website!

One of the perks of these patterns is that they are available immediately

once you complete your purchase. . . (no waiting for the post!)

& there are no shipping costs! (yippee!)

(A special thank you to my international customers 

for 'encouraging' me to work on this. 

I know the international shipping costs can be prohibitive.)

I will be adding more of my patterns/designs as PDFs,

but if there is one of my designs/patterns that isn't yet offered as a PDF

 & you would like it to be in the next batch, 

just drop me an email & let me know.

Thanks for the encouragement while I worked on this 'step' in

expanding my little business. . .

You folks are the best!

♥ Bren

… tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . .

That’s what it felt like this past week.

. . . waiting for the ‘powers that be’ to respond 

when there was a little issue with getting my website cart

to recognize the pdf downloadable patterns. 

(sigh)

(first a little vent. . . then some news!)

I actually was successful installing the software to the website

on the first day (!) 

(. . . although it did take me all day (12 hours) to get the ‘test’ download to work. . .

. . . you would have had a good giggle . . . 

as there was a squeal & a little happy dance involved!)

But then. . . for the last step, the website shopping cart wouldn’t recognize the pdf items as downloadable.

(bummer)

So, the next day, I emailed the software company 

(which is in England), 

& even though it was about 10:30 pm their time - 

I heard back from them within 30 minutes. (bless them!)

They had checked all my work on the things I uploaded 

& let me know that it all looked good. (. . . & I must admit, 

it felt good to have the affirmation that I could do it!) :o)

They looked into a couple of other things & found an issue with the 

id codes & the website shopping cart & suggested that I ask my web host if they had disabled the id numbers in the cart. 

(the software needs to have the id numbers for it to recognize the item as a downloadable item.)

So, I did. . . I sent in a support request to my web host, 

. . . it shouldn’t take long - as it was a simple question. . .

. . . & they are located in Oregon. . .

. . . I waited. . . (1 day. . .)

. . . & waited. . . (2 days. . . 3 days. . . 4 days)

. . . & then on the 5th day. . . I sent in a new support request, asking if anyone was home. . .

. . . (nothing) . . . I started looking into new web hosts.

Thankfully, I heard back from my web host this morning, 

& they assured me they hadn’t forgotten me. 

(felt like it though. . . enough for me to look into switching everything!)

I’ve heard of several other folks have had issues 

with getting web hosts to respond, & I’m wondering 

if there is a big influx of new websites at the beginning of the year 

& they are overwhelmed with too much to handle. 

(. . . or, they are still napping after their New Year’s ‘celebrations’. . . ?)

Either way, the good news is that within the next 24 hours, 

I will be working like a little bee to get the first round 

of pdf patterns available on the website. 

(. . . & yes, there will probably be another little happy dance!)

So, until that happens, I thought I’d show you what is making the news here in southern Arizona. . .

For us - this is really cold!

Pipe-freezing cold!

It’s kinda cute (after living in Minnesota) 

to hear the news broadcasts here.

They spend lots of time trying to warn folks of what it means when the temps get this cold.

I’m sure that all the ‘snowbirds’ that live here in the winter (folks who live in the north for the rest of the year, & come & live in Arizona for the ‘cold’ months). . . find it funny too.

(by-the-way, it is the afternoon now & we just reached the 30’s. . . I’m doubting we make it to 48 like the forcasters thought!)

I actually like it.

I get to wear my coat & scarf (& even my mittems the other morning),

. . . & it’s a change from the norm here.

(by the way. . . we’re supposed to be back up into the low 70’s by the end of the week.)

The first & last photos on the post are of one of the plants that I’ve been bringing inside each evening.It’s a cute little geranuim that a sweet lady gave me. . . 

& I am smitten with it’s color!

It’s the prettiest coral-ly pink.

Okay. . . I’m off to the website. . . 

Hope you have a great day!

♥ Bren

… giving it a try

It's not my thing really. . .

. . . working with  the 'techie' side of my website.

But, I do feel better knowing that I have a little bit

of knowledge & can work on things if I really needed to.

I didn't design or install my website,

(I had someone who knew what they were doing!)

but I do the adding of items & pages. . .

So. . . when it came time to make some of my patterns available as pdf's,

I decided that I would try & do it all myself.

Tweaking & creating the patterns in a pdf format was no problem,

. . . & I found the company that has the software that works with my website host. . .

. . . but now there is all this uploading to what I refer to as 'the guts' of the website. . .

. . . & honestly, it's taking every brain cell I have.

So, of course. . .

 . . I'm taking a break!

I thought I'd pop in & say "hi!".

. . . & here's a peek at what I'm working on. . .

(. . . & wish I could be working on today!)

. . . more on these soon!

As for the pdf pattern versions. . .

Hopefully I will get it all worked out by week's end,

& they will be available on the website.

(Prayers welcome!)

♥ Bren