Thursday Randomness

These little guys made by Ms. Pearl and Pebble watch over my work laptop every day.  They make me happy.

Here is my To Do list that starts off this year.  I have been on a slow and steady roll of simplifying, tossing and organizing.  I still can't believe that I filled up 7 garbage bags with recycling/shredding from my file cabinets last month!

I have been intrigued by the Project 365 in the past, but never participated. This year, I am participating here.  It is my first real attempt at actively using Flickr and it was a rough start with some gnashing teeth.  I am slowly starting to navigate through the options and menus more easily, but not as comfortable as I would like.  Yet.

Courtney made these cool earrings with my beads.

I am contemplating doing the 52 in 2011 self-portrait project, which is one self-portrait each week. I think this would be a bigger challenge for me in that I would have to constantly find new/different ways of photographing myself. I would also have to use the self-timer and figure out focusing issues since my new camera does not have a wireless remote like my last one. I admire Julie Kittredge's photography and think her go at this project in 2010 looks pretty fantastic here.

I saw this truck and it made me smile, remembering how the teasing of classmates was slow to register when I was younger.  My maiden name is Ford.  It took weeks, if not months, before it registered that when they were saying "Fix or repair daily" or "Found on road dead" that they were using acronyms for my name.  I am still somewhat slow on the uptake for some jokes.

My friend ThyHand blogged about comments and how much they mean here.  These thoughts echo my own in how much your comments mean to me.  It seems like I never have as much time as I would like to do the things I want to do.  Responding to all comments (at least those of you who have been so kind as to allow your email address to pass through for comments for replies) is something I would very much like to do and I feel guilty when I don't respond back.  Email is one of my downfalls in communication.  I find my inboxes (yes, there are multiple inboxes between beads, personal and then my work inbox) extremely overwhelming.  So just know that all of you majorly cool people who do comment bring a smile to my face when your comment comes in and I apologize for not always responding back to you.  I am thankful for you.

I can't seem to find any before pics of our family room, but it was filled with a blue sofa and love seat that I loved.  And a tall entertainment center that had doors to shut in front of the tv (yay!) and many cabinets that housed the kids toys (another yay!).  We gave away the blue furniture to a friend starting a new life and the entertainment center to another friend in a similar situation.  After a few weeks of emptiness, we moved the furniture from our living room into our family room.  And then for months, the wall behind the tv was empty.  I didn't want to be in the room.  It didn't feel like home.  But over Thanksgiving, I finally got my act together and uploaded pics and ordered prints.  And by the first week in December, I had everything framed and matted and hung up (I had been hoarding frames for months and months as I found great deals at the outlet mall or IKEA, which consequently freed up quite a bit of space in my office!).  So here is what our family room looks like now.

The rocker/recliner feels a little out of place, but it has always been up in Chloe's room ever since she was a baby and I have missed sitting in it.  And since I'm rarely the one watching tv, the spot is just fine by me because this is one of THE most comfortable chairs ever!

I love my wall of photos.  I took all of them but just a few of the black and whites and that makes me proud.  I never thought I would take pictures good enough to blow up to 8x10s or larger.

Now I love spending time in this room or just walking through it.  No longer having an empty wall, but one filled with pictures of special moments makes me feel like this is home.  And it is.  :)

Tonight I will be sewing patches on the boy child's karate uniform.  And reading one of my photography books.  And walking Little Horse, since there won't be rain tonight.

So.  Very.  Happy.  Tomorrow is Friday.

New Beads

New items coming to the shops Friday night!

Here are two sets of beads, although there are six more sets I need to finish cleaning and photograph before Friday night.

A necklace and two pairs of earrings will be going into the jewelry shop.

 I have cleaned up my office and studio space this week.  I reclaimed my desk top...

and my floor...

I removed dozens of boxes that have been accumulating for months, in the hopes I would use them.  But now many have been moved to the recycling bins or to a storage closet.

I also completed these necklaces that were a custom order for a husband/father who asked me to make three single bead necklaces in pink for the special girls in his life.

More Items for the Shop Update

Besides the beads I showed you yesterday that will be going into the shop tomorrow night, these will also be joining them.

This necklace (and matching earrings) will be going into the jewelry shop tomorrow night after 8pm EST.

I am addicted to these samiches and can't stop making one each day.  I love the combination of avocados (Todd finds avocados offensive and will not even try a taste!), tomatoes and fresh mozarella on wheat bread.  That is one of my work computers.  Where I eat my lunch every day.  While I'm working.  Sigh.

This is some of the frost that was on Todd's car in the morning.  I love all of the different shapes!

I am very thankful the weekend is almost here!  C'mon Friday 5pm!!!

Friday Night Etsy Update

This was the view from the conference room where I met with my customer on Wednesday.  Hard to be stressed when surrounded by water, gorgeous trees and long leggity beasties that I saw stalking the edge of any mass of water.

After spending several quality hours in the Orlando airport waiting for clearance from Atlanta to board the airplane, I had a few fleeting moments to stare at this sunset before we turned North.

Now onto the important stuff....Here's what's coming to my beads and jewelry shops tonight!

Two sets of copper headpins and two sets of sterling silver.

 And several new pendant necklaces on copper and sterling ball chains.  Some of these beads are new for the month of October and some have been hoarded upwards of a year.  Or two.  But we're not here to talk about hoarding, are we?

I'll see you all at 8pm EDT when I get these all listed on Etsy!

I hope you have a happy and safe Halloween weekend (if you celebrate it)!  Our weekend will be filled with soccer, tennis, family and friends.  I'm crossing my fingers for torch time.

New Buttons

I have been totally slack this past week (or two) in responding to comments on the blog.  I'd like to take a moment to apologize to you all for that.  Work has been crazy hectic and I'm struggling to find balance right now with personal, professional and bead commitments I have made.  I told one customer last night I should just stop making commitments this week because I am keeping so few.  It makes me feel like crap.  :(  I don't like not following through on promises I have made and I need to better learn how to juggle all the different aspects of my life.

On the flip side, I am still convinced I have the best and most understanding and patient customers ever.  So thank you for that!

Since the custom buttons that were requested a coupla weeks ago have now been chosen and reserved (because I took a coupla weeks to actually make the aforementioned buttons), I have others that are now up for grabs.  I thought I should go ahead and list them since I have the pics all taken and ready to go. 

10,000 Leagues

Hot Mess

and

Blue Belt

All sales made before 8pm EDT tonight will get shipped out on Friday.  Anything purchased after that will be sent out on Monday, October 25th after I return from St. Louis.

I am so excited to go on another roadtrip so soon.  Can you tell?  Normally we wait months after the drive up to Minnesota and back in June/July.  So many good things (and not in any particular order) about this weekend!!!

Gooey Butter Cakes!

Seeing my Aunt Judy get married!

Jack In The Box tacos!

Seeing my Uncle Mike from Arizona!

Photographing my Aunt Judy get married!

Loading up on more Maul's barbecue sauce!

Taking my kids to the Magic House!

Driving for the better part of a day and seeing a vast amount of our countryside and farmland!

Spending time with my husband and kids for three solid days straight!

Getting a three day weekend and not worrying about work!

Are you tired of my exclamation points yet?!

:D

On another note, but equally exciting because I am so. very. thrilled. for my friend....  If you are a jewelry designer and you didn't already know, Lorelei and Erin Siegel landed their own book deal on leather, lace, cord and ribbon projects.  They have started a Flickr group and opened up a contest to decide upon another contributor (or two) to their upcoming book.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!  I am looking forward to sharing pics of MY weekend once I return.

Friday Night Etsy Update

Thought you'd like to see a sneak peek of what will be appearing in the shop tonight.  

It starts at 8pm EDT!

And the pendant necklaces will all be going here!

Have an excellent weekend, my friends!  I know I am most certainly looking forward to mine :D

More Eggs are Growing Up!

I absolutely LOVE getting pictures of my beads all grown up and wanted to share this with you all.  Holly loaded up on eggs from me a few months ago. :)

She was one of the few who wanted grey eggs.  Holly specifically asked for them and I just love what she did with this one!

I imagine it will end up in her shop soon.  Where you can already find these lovely earrings.

Thanks again, Holly, for buying my eggs and then putting them to good use (fyi - I think having them sit on your desk to be gazed upon is also considered good use....I have many beads doing the same on my own desk!)

Grown Up Beads and Torch Frustration

I just got more photos of some of my egg beads all grown up and had to share.  I LOVE what these ladies did with my eggs!

Courtney made these two necklaces with my eggs.

Next up is the collaborative work of Beth and Evie from EB Bead and Metalworks.  Beth already had a vision when she asked me for cobalt and lapis beads.  Read about her inspiration here.  And then read here to learn about the whole process that went into making this.  Great vision, Beth!

Beth and her Mom create wonderful lampwork and metal components, like this little Kokopelli.  Check out their shop here.  There are also pieces of jewelry in there.  Through emails and her blog, I have noticed that Beth and Evie love to spend time together and have a blast creating and making art.  You don't know how much that makes me smile and feel warm inside to hear about a mother and daughter being so close in their adult years.

In case you didn't notice the link in the upper left, Lorelei is having a big sale in her Etsy shop and marked EVERYTHING down $10.  Great deals in there, people.  Think about some items that you could give as Christmas presents and get some of your shopping done early.

I sat at the torch for close to two hours last night.  I made a few more eggs and tried to make more of some beads I listed and sold the other day for a special request.  But honestly, it was all drudgery.  Every other bead was a disaster.  The bead release (mud) was breaking off the mandrels.  Glass was popping and flying back at me.  I was gnashing my teeth and looking at the clock, wondering when Todd would be home from tennis and I could go walk Little Horse.  It was like I had been away from the torch for weeks/months and nothing was working right.  I am so thankful this is a rare occurrence and will be back on the torch again tonight, since it is the first NFL game.  And the Vikings game will be on.  In HD.  You can tell I'm a supportive wife, no? :D

Wednesday Already

I love short work weeks when Wednesday is here in no time!  I also love it when I sit down at the computer to list beads and I get them all listed lickety split like last night.  All of the beads from the weekend are now in my shop here :)

Check out this bracelet Courtney Breul made using one of my eggs.  Didn't she do a great job?  I always love copper mixed with greens.

Nicki has opened her Etsy shop and has this fun bracelet using one of my swirling beads.  Her wire wrapping is excellent!

I received an email a few weeks ago (I thought from either Courtney or Katie?) showing how my egg beads were used on a silk ribbon.  Now I can't find the email. :(  If it was you, would you please re-send because I would love to share the pics with everyone!  I'm sorry I'm a slack mailbox steward and have so carelessly lost the email.

So.  I didn't see any comments back on these blue beads.  Is it because you all are still on vacation and haven't gotten to my Tuesday blog?  Or you didn't have anything nice to say, so you chose to remain silent?  It's ok if you don't like them.  I'm not crazy about them.  I like the aqua ones on the right with the metallic finish better.  But it is still a lukewarm meh kinda feeling.

I will be back on the torch tonight after the kids go to bed since Todd will be at tennis.  Making more eggs for Ms. Nancy.  And more beads to make me happy.  And maybe making one last use of mandrels that have become virtually unusable to me.  But more on that later.

Anyone want to offer up suggestions for future blog topics?  Videos you would like for me to make?  Questions that need answering?  Help me out here, or I will be forced to begin blogging about how Jezzie insists on licking my arms, fingers and chin.  Relentlessly.  She is a silly girl and likes to get in the shower after I step out.

New Necklaces

Here was my professional jewelry making workspace last night.  Can you tell that Scrabble helped me move through the night?  Little Horse kept me company on the other side of the wall and would occasionally lift his head to watch me and pant.

This first necklace was made for an old classmate of mine to give his Mom for her birthday.  How sweet is that?  I think it is so cool when men will ask me to make something unique for a special woman in their life.  I love this square in square chain!

The necklace is adjustable and has a dangle in the back of the neck.

Then I made this one and the whole time I was playing with the beads, all I could think of was that they looked like something hidden in the moonlight.  They all have a mirrory, metallic finish in blues, silvers and golds on top of black beads.  I used my last Ethiopian silver bead in this and I admit that was hard.  I have hoarded it for several years because I love the shape and knowing it was handmade.  Another chain that I just love.  This is now available in my Etsy shop here.

This necklace is also adjustable and has a fun dangle on the back, which is great for women with bare necks.

And lastly, I made this necklace for an old friend to mark the passing of another birthday.  I made the beads years ago and they have sat on my felted tray ever since.  I waited and I debated on using them because the beads didn't turn out exactly as I wanted.  Some turned a little goldish and didn't stay silver, but after several years of thinking about it I kicked myself in the toukis and went ahead and made the necklace because I know she will love it just because I made it.