year end…

blogjan10

right before the holidays – this place had dolls everywhere!!

I’ve had a few weeks off to celebrate the season with the family and to think about things – all sorts of things. I took a good chunk of time to really think about Bamboletta and to reflect about what has happened this year and what I’d like to see happen next year. I’ll be going into all that in the next few weeks – but firstly I’d like to write out a little gratitude list. These are people and things that made this year rock (no particular order)..

1. You gals (and guys). I am amazed at how sweet and supportive my customers are – through all the website glitches and upload mania, you have remained understanding and excited about what was happening. I’m also blown away by our little community over on Facebook – do you know how cool it is for me to get to chat with all of you? What is really amazing is how you all seem to really ‘get’ the dolls and the philosophy and ethics behind what we are doing.

2. John – my wonderful and supportive husband. He’s also the guy that makes all the heads. I’m hoping that by years end John can join me full time here .. but,  we’ll see how that all works out. He’s been pretty amazing – I haven’t been around that much this year, well , I have – but it’s always with a doll in hand. John will always stay up late to print off shipping labels or answer emails – it’s so cool to see how into all of this he is… I just can’t ask him to choose outfits for the dolls (I just get a ‘look’ when I ask that).

3. My sewing mama’s – Michelle, Krysta, Gwen, Genevieve and Zena – my goodness! did these ladies ever sew their little fingers off this year! Without these ladies I wouldn’t be here – their talented stitches, attention to detail and true love for what they are doing goes into each and every doll. They rock the needles! And to Brandi and my new helper Rachel – these two help put this all together.

4. My family. So sweet to hear how excited my mom is about everything. And to my Nonna who stays up until all hours to knit. My friends, who, throughout this year, have seen me progressively less and less – but are understanding of my workaholic ways (that changes this year btw!)

5. It’s probably a bit shallow to include objects (and singers and authors)  that made this year rock – but here it goes.. Sirius Radio, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Seth Godin, my MacBook (what did I do before her?) , Stephanie Meyer (and RPatz.. gotta give RPatz a shout out here, right Ingrid?), Denman Island Chocolote, Halflinger slippers, my Janome sewing machine, CBC, wool sweaters and hot cups of tea. There’s probably more then this, but it’s all I can think of right now..

So one of my goals this year is to blog more –  I say this all the time, I know.  I have a hard time with blogging sometimes because I think my life is pretty boring but I will try to keep up with posting more.( if only to lessen the phone calls from my mom reminding me to blog) .

Sorry for the long winded post here ..
xo
C

PS Stay tuned in the next days – I have another doll sweater pattern that I’ll be posting soon, from Ingrid – knitter extrodinaire!


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

15 responses to “year end…”

  1. Aubrey Avatar
    Aubrey

    I am not so great with facebook, so I love when you blog! Glad to hear you rested during the holidays and I am excited to see where you are going with all your crazy success! We are in love, still, with all our wee lovelies. I still look at your shop all the time, although I really need to stop. But, with our new little one on the way (#4!), I think maybe s/he might need a Bamboletta, too, right??? Take care!! xo

  2. Leanne Avatar
    Leanne

    I’m so glad you had a great holiday break. I’m sure you had a lot of fun with your family. Your dolls have brought so much happiness to so many little ones this year, and I’m sure there will be even more in the year to come. I’m excited for you and the changes to come. Can’t wait to hear about everything!

  3. Amy Ellis Avatar
    Amy Ellis

    Christina, So glad to have you back and so happy you had a wonderful holiday and much needed break. I can’t imagine if I would not have found out about your dolls…..they are truly amazing in so many ways. I am excited for you and all to come. Thank you for your kindness and being so wonderful. 2010 will be a wonderful year for you!!! xo

  4. Amy Ellis Avatar
    Amy Ellis

    And I also need to add that I could look at this picture of the dolls….getting ready to go to their new homes….for HOURS!!!! Makes me so excited to look at….

  5. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Love seeing so many dolls laid out like that. How exciting!
    Glad it was a wonderful year and I wish you many more!

  6. cheryl Avatar
    cheryl

    So glad you had a good little break to enjoy family. I too love to see all the dolls going to their new homes. I also loved seeing all the children with the love of their lifes…Bambolettas!

  7. Laura D Avatar
    Laura D

    I can’t wait to read more blogs. When I discovered you and your dolls, I spent a week reading through your old posts to your blog and I absolutely loved the experience. I can’t wait to read more.

  8. Krysta Avatar
    Krysta

    Thanks for the shout out Chrissy ;)!! The last 8 months have been great and I am so excited to continue on!
    Let’s go get some wings on Saturday!!!
    Cheers!

  9. ingrid Avatar
    ingrid

    Welcome back! You have been very missed. I’m reading this while munching on a Gingerama chocolate bar in one hand and with my new glittering Edward doll in the other. You know I’m gonna have to buy a Bambo if it comes up being named Robert, right? Or Pattison (as if that would fool anyone).

  10. shelby Avatar

    oh goodness! thank you for all that YOU do!

  11. Stacy Avatar
    Stacy

    Thanks for the update Christina! Love the blog!! Keep it going!

  12. Maddie Avatar
    Maddie

    Very wise of you to take some time out over the holidays to reflect on your year and think about the year to come. The last couple of months must have been pretty crazy. Like many a bamboletta-co-mother (can’t bear to call myself a bamboletta-granny for more than one reason 😉 I keep checking the website often, just to enjoy the new babies. It is such a pleasure to see those lovely faces, all with their own uniqueness, their cute outfits etc etc.
    But the mayhem on loading up day!! I gave a verbal account to my hubbie one day of how fast the dolls were being snatched up in the shop and he said he could just picture all those people getting really stressed out and high on adrenaline! This could be because he saw me when we received the confirmation of ours: very zen-like I was (not)!
    Couldn’t agree more with all the ladies here though, Facebook is still a bit of a mystery to me (getting older? aaargh) so I love to read the blog; it seems more of a trusted oldieworldie letter!
    Anyway, best of luck for you and your loved ones (this includes of course all the mama’s working with you) may 2010 be all you wish for.

  13. Fabiola Avatar

    Dude, I don’t know how you do it?! Even with all that help…my brain hurts and my shoulders hurt just to think what it must entail to put such an amazing amount of love (in doll form) out there…seriously…even with the output each doll is pretty awesome…and that can only happen if everyone is on the same page…what an amazing team and support group you have! that and you must be really really devoted to all of it…sometimes I struggle with my orders…and I want to pour my creativity in other areas…and make stuff for my kids…and for my house…but the dolls are like this vortex that pulls me to it…I wish we could meet and have a cup of hot tea, in our cold basements, and talk dolls (or not for a change!)…best wishes to you and yours this year 🙂 I will strive for balance…and cozy shoes for late night sewing 😉

  14. Nichole Avatar

    Dear Christina,

    I first had a reason to purchase one of your lovelies in May when I knew that my adopted newborn daughter needed her first blanket dollie. She’s loved that little one to pieces over the last several months. Now, I’m on a mission to score her her first real doll for her first birthday on March 17th!!!!

    Finding our perfect bamboletta is beginning to sort of remind me of finding her. It took us years of trying to make our little family. But now, it’s just perfect. As it should be. So each week when I get that big fat negative while trying to pay for her doll, I’ll try to tell myself that all will end well in due time.

    Thank you, thank you for your beautiful work and vision. We really do appreciate it.

  15. Brenda Bell Avatar
    Brenda Bell

    Dear Christina,
    I hope you know how much you are appreciated! I don’t know how you get it all done, but it sounds like you have an amazing support staff there. I also know that everyone here supports you too! I just wanted to say Thank You again for all that you do. I hope that this year will be less stressful for you. I can’t wait to see what beautiful creations you come up with and I will be looking for my next purchase soon!!!! With Love to the Bamboletta Family!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *