Blick

That's really the only word to describe the wet, gray, blah ICK that's happening outside today. We have a wedding/reception to attend later this evening - and many relatives have arrived from southern climes - I bet they are NOT liking our Michigan weather right now. I took the time - and spent the $$ - to have my hair done this morning. And I can't find my umbrella. So it may have been a futile attempt at beauty after all.....
And then to top it off - we have a Black Lab - essentially, a WATER dog. He LOVES the rain. Have you ever tried drying a lab's coat after he's been lounging in the rain for 1/2 an hour? I think someone needs to invent a Labrador Squeegee.....with an air freshener. Cuz wet dog smell is not pretty.....

Sleepy Spitty Sunday

Our Michigan weather sure hasn't been very good this year. Another Sunday afternoon of cool, cloudy, spitty weather. Good for sitting, sleeping, reading and BEADING! Seriously - I've got plenty of things that NEED to be done (like the dreaded toilets) but can't seem to find the energy. When it's cloudy, I'M cloudy.

Although I do seem to want to cook more when it's cooler - today is scalloped potatoes with cheese, onions, mushrooms and ham bits, broccoli, and cherry cheesecake for dessert....

Put the finishing touches on the wedding gift for my cousin and his new bride yesterday. They were married in Cabo on Friday - but for those of us who could not afford to make the trip, they're having a reception next weekend. I thought this would be a unique gift - and definitely one they won't get duplicates of! I love how it turned out, don't you?
My next project is going to be straight out of Beaded Opulence! The Quetzal ring is where I plan to begin my RAW journey....although I'm thinking of using different colors - like my favorite Mauve AB seed beads with Golden Shadow crystals. Thanks, Marcia, for a wonderful, beautiful and inspiring publication!

Off to the kitchen....

TTFN

No more music in the street

Our beloved Blues nights have come to an end. We looked forward to our Thursday nights sitting in the middle of Washington Square, listening to a national rockin' blues act every week-catching up with my DJ friend Deb, seeing a few friends to give me blasts from the past. I hope next year they'll have enough sponsors to last a little longer through the summer - cuz we're not ready to stop rockin'!

So now that I have nothing important to look forward to on Thursday night - I guess I might as well go to the shop for awhile. I realized while looking for something earlier this week that I am in need of a major 'spring cleaning' and organization day (or two, or three....). I finally remembered (I hope) where my missing bag of bags may be (cross your fingers), so while digging those out - I will grab some boxes and trays and try to restore some order. Maybe in doing so I'll come across another half finished project to complete - like this one. This one was started way back at the beginning of last year - and I just never felt I had the right finish for her. She ended up in a tray on the bottom of the pile, until last week when the right components just came together. "Royalty" is now one of my favorite pieces - I've worn it ONCE so far, and received many compliments. THAT is one of the biggest rewards.

Face it - Facebook is an addiction

It's true. And it may be why I don't quite blog as often as I used to. That, and I don't really have much to blog about. Haven't really gotten the hang of the new camera, and haven't done many new project to show and tell, either. Busy with mom and dad (who's doing GREAT, btw),
busy doing outdoor music with hubby, off visiting with cousins and kidlets. Summer is fading fast - and it's a scary thought, particularly because I reeeeaaallly, realllly, hate winter.
But alas - since there's not much to find for paragraphs worth of interesting tidbits - I can Facebook a line at a time to my hearts content. And it's fun having old friends contact you to be added as a friend too. People I haven't seen or even heard from in AGES - and we're catching up through Facebook. Gotta love it. Kudos to the originator of this great social network. I'm totally into it! (Sorry, Twitter - I twied - but it wasn't my tweet. Oh well.).
Had a GREAT day at the shop on Saturday - 2 students in my class - one sucking up info as fast as I could spill it, the other just barely grasping, but ultimately finishing her project. Plus - my favorite and best customer came up from Jackson again - thanks, Bev. It tickles me that you love my beads so much that you'll travel almost 50 minutes to visit me (although I think the antiques have something to do with it too!) AND - The upcoming bead embroidery class in September is already FULL! HOORRAH! Guess I better get busy with those kits!
TTFN

This is my dream

THIS is my ideal shop - one that my friends and I have often talked and fantasized about - who knew that one actually existed? Books, and yarn, and beads, and a boutique - ALL IN ONE SPACE! LAURA! THIS is what we longed for when checking out space those few years ago.
The antique mall where I currently 'reside' is also great - we have a yarn nook, and a used book nook, but my IDEAL of a shop was Beads, Books and Beans - a bead store, a book/unique gift shop and coffee shop all rolled into one. Check out the site - you'll want to visit as much as I do - too bad it's practically on the other side of my world! (I refuse to fly - so getting there is also a fantasy for me).
Here's the link - so cool. http://www.thegrovesandiego.com/

Giant Beads?

I found this photo on my Yahoo page today - it reminded me of a bunch of HUGE bead strands. Fun. Funky.

Busy, shop cleaning day. Got both glass jewelry cases completely cleaned and the colorful paper swapped out for new colorful paper. Who knew scrapbooking sheets could have such a great alternative use? Also put away alot of items that haven't sold yet- some are newer - some have been around for AGES. I'll have to go through them all soon and discount them and get them ready for the holidays. Jeez. I hate to think that the silly season is right around the corner. I've ALREADY got Halloween beads out, so that my beaders have time to create before spooking....

Looking forward to a little late night deck time tonight. Perseids Meteor Shower - between 11pm and 5am. And since I'm usually up between 2 and 4, well - let's hope it's not too cloudy - and the skeeters don't find themselves a late night snack (that would be ME).
Toodles.

Been awhile....

Let's try this again. (Anyone else having trouble with 'Blogger'?)
Haven't posted lately. Not much to post. Dad's doing fine. No health issues. Just same old boring, blah, blah, blah....
I began a new project today that I may submit to either Bead Trends or Bead Style. Not my normal woven project, it consists of cute (though plated) curve tube chain that I'm embellishing with Swarovski Crystallized Elements, beads and pearls. Now if I can just remember how I put things together to write those instructions. Very time consuming.....and each magazine has different criteria, and waiting period, and rules - and I better stop before I talk myself out of it!
Hope to have more photos soon. Haven't been real happy with the quality of jewelry photos with the new camera, but it just may be that I haven't played with it enough.
Beautiful night. New Mary Higgins Clark book. Patio. Shade tree. You can see where I'm going with this....
TTFN