Playing Catch Up

I had planned on getting on the torch today, but the morning is already half gone and I still need to dip mandrels.  So the game plan for today is being revised.  Instead, I am spending time cleaning and straightening up the house so everything is done & set for the week.  Tomorrow will be a full day on the torch with very few breaks.

This weekend went quickly, but I enjoyed the time with my kids.  I took the boy child to a surprise birthday for a friend and we got to race in a go-kart together (poor boy child inherited his momma's midget genes and had legs about 8 inches too short for reaching the pedals, so we got a two seater and I drove).

Atlanta has been hit with clouds pouring cats and dogs over the last few weeks.  There is much grumbling about all the rain.  But I just smiling, thinking to myself "I'm so thankful this isn't snow!"  I do feel bad for my honeys, though.  It has eliminated any chance for going to the courts and hitting a tennis ball, which is a huge stress relief for him.  And good exercise.  And I love his tennis buddies and that he can spend time with them.

After months of fighting friends about joining Pinterest, I have caved.  And as I suspected, I got sucked in.  Quickly.  I created a board to showcase jewelry using my beads because I 1) love seeing my beads grown up and 2) love to showcase and support other artists.  So if you have used any of my beads and have them displayed on your blog or in your shop, please shoot me a link so I can add them to my board!

I was asked to speak at the Southern Flames Demopalooza yesterday morning about photographing beads.  For forty five minutes.  I agreed and then wondered if it was possible to talk for 45 minutes about photographing beads.  But I ended up speaking for closer to an hour.  Wow.  I shared comparisons between photographing beads and photographing people (and there are many) that help make an interesting photograph.  I should have known the time would go by fast when speaking about two of my favorite things!

New changes are coming.  I'm not sure what they are, but I can feel it.  The same anticipation and nervous/excited energy are filling my body similar to what I felt in the months prior to leaving the phone company last year.  Perhaps part of it stems from my trip to Miami a week ago and I felt my spirit just get charged up.  Part is knowing that several friends and family members will be exchanging vows this year and I couldn't be any happier for them.  And I will be there to photograph they day of a few of those.  There are other things in the works (mainly with my photography business) that are moving me towards reaching my personal goals.  And part is filling a pinboard with so many crafts that I want to try with my kids.

Like this one might just have to happen this week.

I know I've been quiet on the blogwaves over the last two weeks.  Catch me up.  What'd I miss that's happening in your world?  What are you looking forward to next?

Back to the Normal Routine

After two weeks of soaking up time with my kids and a little over a week of having my honeys home, our little at-home vacation has come to an end.  Alarm clocks rang this morning.  Lunches were made and put in new school lunchboxes they received for Christmas.  Todd took off early for the office and I drove the kids to school.  I love our morning time in the car together.  This morning we talked about how cold it was (22F  brrrr!) and how the kids hoped and wished for snow.  The first thing I did this morning when I came downstairs was flip the switch to my studio space heater to help burn off the chill in there.  Today will be my first day back on the torch in weeks.  Woo hoo!!!

I am so excited about this new year and what it holds.  One of the things I will be working toward is getting more torch time than I did in 2011.  What's on your list?

Post Christmas Recovery

The tree was taken down this afternoon, along with all the other decorations hung up inside our home.  Our family room has been restored to its normal state and that feels good.  We had a fabulous Christmas which passed by in a flash.  This project was the only one involving yarn that was finished in time.  The rest will be a bit late.

The boy child proclaimed this as THE best Christmas ever.  With the exception of not having all the grandparents in our home for this weekend, I will agree with him.

And the girl child continues to wonder about Santa bringing her a bicycle after how naughty she's been.  We talked about the fact that he likely took into consideration her behavior for the whole year and not just the week leading up to Christmas.  When there may or may not have been discussions of coal, stockings and naughty lists.

This was the first Christmas in over a decade where I didn't have a blackberry to check.  Can I tell you that in itself was wonderful?  Because it was.  It was fabulous being able to soak up time and crafts and more time with my kids and not feel pulled by work, even in the off hours.

My honeys is on vacation for the rest of the year and I am excited to be spending every day with him and our kids.  I'm not sure if there will be time spent on the torch before the new year.  But if there is, you all will be the first to know!

Finding My Balance

Why am I so scattered lately?  I finished my Christmas shopping before Halloween, yet I am still rushing to get so many things done.  I feel like I'm getting next to no time with my camera or my torch.  How did I get everything done when I worked full time?  We got our Christmas tree up last week and decorations inside the house set out.  It's looking like the outside of our home may not get decorated this year.  Thankfully we have a gorgeous home across the street to gaze upon from our dining room and bedroom windows.  :)

This post really makes me smile.  I love hearing/seeing when goals are reached and dreams become reality.

Love LOVE LOVE this post and encouraging people to grow from failures.  But then, I just love encouraging people.  I think we are all capable of more than we know and having our own cheerleader helps us get closer to our goals.

This has been my week for catch up on so many fronts.  Laundry.  Cleaning out cabinets.  Family blog posts and photo/file organization.  Photography orders.  Family calendars designed & ordered (the one year I didn't do it, I was threatened within an inch of my life by multiple grandparents.  note-to-self, do NOT make the grandparents angry by failing to deliver calendars.  ever again.).  My mind is clearing as many things are crossed off my mental To Do list. 

The kids will be out of school for the next two weeks and I can't wait to spend every minute with them!  We will be taking a little roadtrip with friends to a nearby canyon in Northwest Georgia.  Baking cookies.  Christmas crafts.  Playing outside (bless the South and temps in the 50s and 60s and sometimes the 70s in the month of December!) on bikes, rollerblades, scooters and tossing around footballs, baseballs and hitting a tennis ball back and forth.  Family is flying and driving in.  Another roadtrip up the coast to visit my best friend in North Carolina may work out (fingers crossed).  We will be painting a couple of chairs and making cushions for them so the kids have their own special desk chairs.  These next few weeks are going to fly by.  I just know it.

Those beads above will all be going into the shop at 2pm EST this afternoon.

All Things Round

My mind has been a bit scattered this week.  I have been thinking about all things round.

What goes around, comes around.  Incidentally, a suspect was arrested earlier this week in the murder of that little girl last week.  Hoping they caught the right person and that justice will be served.

My laundry has been spinning round and round.  I caught up this week with close to a dozen loads.  That was fun.

I've been making discs.  And beads akin to discs.

And beads akin to flying saucers.  And doughnuts.  And roundish triangular disc-like flying saucers.

I have also been singing "The Wheels On The Bus".  Because, you know, they go round and round.

It's a sickness.  More so than any leaking gas in my studio.

TGIF to everyone.  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!  Mine is off to a fabulous start after having had a delicious lunch with Lori Plyler of Studio Waterstone.  Always such a treat visiting with her!

My shop will be re-opening next Thursday afternoon with all the beads above and more!  I still have another 50+ to clean out that are sitting in my sink.  And I'll be back on the torch at the beginning of next week.  happy dance :)

Random Tuesday

So after weeks of NOT being on the torch, this morning I am.  And working with my windows open in my studio.  I love winters in the South and that there are so few weeks spent in the 30s or below.  And that there are days in December where we are graced with temps in the 60s or above.  I'll stop gloating now.

After weeks of being away from torch (even though I carry my lighter in my pocket to feel closer to my flame, because I'm a dork like that), I am enjoying being back on it today.  I'm making discs.  And flying saucers.  And other non-traditional shapes, just because they are fun.

My eyes don't normally look like bug eyes.  But my hair is long enough to pull through the back of a ball cap, which is cool.  My hair hasn't been this long in a few years.

This past weekend, a little girl in the next town up went missing.  Highways were shut down.  Her body was found yesterday.  I won't share details, other than my stomach hasn't stopped churning.  And that I continue to shed tears for this family I don't know.  I am hugging my kids tighter and longer.

This morning, we kissed and hugged my in-laws goodbye before they started their trek back to Minnesota.  There were tears as we drove away to take the kids to school and not just from the back seat.  They stayed almost three weeks and couldn't convince them to stay longer.  It was three weeks of awesomeness.  I just LOVE having them here.

We will get our Christmas decorations up this week.  After I clean up the downstairs.  The kids were thrilled Todd pulled out one of the boxes last night to retrieve their advent calendars.

If you follow my facebook page, then you already know I gave away all of my bead inventory.  That's right.  All.  Of.  It.  I had originally thought after deactivating everything in the shop after my little Cyber Monday sale that some sets would make reappearances in a few months with new photos.  And that I would break up some matching sets and create new mixed sets.  But now that possibility is long gone.  Clean slate delivered in a jiffy.  So now I have a BIG fire under my feet to make more and quickly.  My goal is to be on the torch every day this week and next.  After that, the kids are on Christmas break and torch time will come to a halt as we break out the craft projects, hot chocolate and daytrips to see friends and family.

I'm ready for the UPS man to drive down my street.  He's not arriving quickly enough today for my liking.  He has an important package with a wedding album I designed and I don't want to wait anymore to hold it in my hands!

If there is something you want to see in the shop, leave a comment and help me plan my time at the torch for new items.  I'm not a fan of senseless obligations, so there won't be any strings attached for you to buy it just because I take up your suggestion.  :)

I believe all of my beads from the Cyber Monday sale have been delivered now, with the exception of one worry stone that took a trip across the pond to Great Britain.  She may be waiting a few more days.  I've heard from a few folks with squeals, so that's neat.

Happy Tuesday!  I'll be back soon with pics of what comes out of the kiln tonight!

One More Hour and My Shop Will Be Empty!

Last chance!  My shop will be emptied of all items in one hour when my Cyber Monday sale ends.

Just use CYBERMONDAY50OFF in the coupon field upon checkout to get your goodies for half price.