Anybody miss me?

 It's been over a week!  No good news on the laptop front other than I WAS able to get it to gasp long enough for me to transfer some files to my flash drive.  So I at least have photos to use for submissions, etc.  What I miss MOST is my photo cropping and finishing software.  I may need to figure out a way to get it on this old desktop.  But for now - between my Nook and it's WiFi connection, and this ancient desktop, I THINK I'm keeping up with the world digitally.  Keeping up with the world person to person, however - that's a different story -  and the reason for the following rant:
I KNOW it's fun to 'shock the adults' with PDA's when you're a teenager.  The teens at the next table at Barnes & Noble's cafe tonight were all over each other.  Gross - but I remember being a teen. It's exciting.  BUT - when ADULTS that are OLDER than I AM go at it in the chair right next to me IN THE STORE (HE was on HER lap) - that's MORE than gross.  That's obscene.  I really wanted to tell them to get a room - but chose to give up my cozy armchair instead (which he immediately took possession of).  I'm sure there must have been other places in the store with two chairs together, people - but was that PDA really called for?  Almost made me lose the pumpkin cheesecake that I'd just savored.  No wonder I much prefer the company of my dogs and the cozy quiet of my house lately.  Cuz being out in public is just plain scary these days! 
Hope you've all been happily beading - I know I have.  Not having internet access as often has left me with more time to bead!  So here's the latest  - all whipped up since last Wednesday:

"One World" - started Thursday.  Finished Sunday.  When they come to me, they come to me.  This is Azurite/Malachite and Turquoise.  Not sure where it's 'going' yet....



Peacock on Ice now has matching earrings....



And "Alaskan Moonlight" is finally finished.  It is destined for the Lansing Art Gallery Holiday Market inventory next week. 

Hope to blog again real soon with news of another wonderful opportunity I was presented with this week.  I don't know if I quite dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's correctly - I'll know by November 4th!
Until then - have a wicked fun weekend and Happy Halloween!  MWWWWAAAAAHHAHAHAAAA!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Gifts

What a great day.  Sunny, fall colors peaking, a little jaunt to one of my favorite clothing stores.  Big sale.  Big savings.  Fun lunch.  Warm enough to sit and enjoy one of my last days out on the deck, and was visited by this:

What a wonderful gift from Spirit.  Obviously a little late with the migration, there, bud - but I am glad you chose to visit me on your way!
Then I had a 'stealth' gift delivery from a friend - left a little giftbag hanging on the door, and hurried off before I could talk to her - always in a rush!  My hubby even surprised me after our little shopping and lunch trip with the gift of the Lady Antebellum CD I wanted!    Then an afternoon and evening of peaceful beading time, so "Alaskan Moonlight" is ALMOST finished.  All in all - a pretty perfect day.  LOTS of wishes on Facebook - I need to get over there and thank everyone!  
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

I miss my laptop

I guess I'll have to break down and take it somewhere to find out whether it's fixable.  I know for sure that it needs a new power cord - I've just been reluctant to pay $150 bucks for a stupid CORD.  There used to be used ones available on Amazon.com for much less - but didn't seem to find the right thing this time.  Figures.  So I'm using my hubbys ancient desktop, with it's big bulky tower hard drive and MOUSE!  I'm so used to the finger touch pad on the laptop.  Bah.  I've been having a great couple of months - this just seems to put a black mark on it a little bit.  It seems there's always something.  Let's hope it can be repaired or replaced economically.
As far as the show on Saturday!?  CHA-ching!  A constant stream of people, about 80% women.  The other girls I've done shows with all summer, along with Tracy, were vendors too - so it was fun texting each other back and forth about our successes and odd customer sightings.  I was delighted to find that there were people that attended the Okemos Art Market all summer that came looking for me specifically.  Now, keep in mind I had no plans to do this show - and yet, here were two people that loved my things that had money reserved to spend on my jewelry if they were lucky enough to find me -they didn't even know if I would be there.  But somehow spirit brought us all together - and CHA-ching.  An excellent day, and an easy set up/tear down with help.  Someone was listening.  Thank you.  I also was asked to do two other shows, of which I had to decline due to other commitments, AND had an invitation to contact the Shiawassee Art Council about selling items in their museum.  I do believe I'll be taking a trip to Owosso very soon....
Another show 'surprise' I guess you could call it was the customer wearing the CUTEST BOOTS.  I actually stopped what I was doing to ask her about them.  They are Uggs.  So of course I figured they'd be pricey.  But they're sweater material - so they will actually stretch to fit my real size calves!  WHAHOO!  AND - they fold down if I want to wear them as shorty boots.  So they're versatile.  Hers were a heather gray.  Zappos was out of black.  I chose - wait for it - PURPLE!  Well, they call it Sangria, which is the magenta purple color that I find myself wearing alot.  They will be here by mid-week.  Can't wait.  And yes - they were more than I've ever spent on shoes or boots before EVER.  And I deserve it.  :0)
Looking forward to a fun birthday week.  I've got my actual birthday day (tomorrow) to myself - so I have shopping, beading and relaxing plans.  The perfect birthday, don't you agree?  Tuesday will be spent with friends on both a coffee date and a dinner date. 
What can I say?  Even without my laptop....life. is. GOOD.
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Off grid.....

I restarted this old thing at 6pm - it is now 11:36 - and I'm just now able to get it to function - glitchy R key and all. So this old laptop may be forcing me to go off grid for awhile.  The R key only works after you hit it about 4 times, and the mouse plate is pretty much see through - I can no longer turn off and restart without it taking over an hour (or LONGER) to return to a place that will allow me to access email and internet.  I can do some things from my handy dandy Nook - but I'm having trouble even with that, and writing in my blog is not a Nook option.  So this long story is my way of saying it may be a few days or longer before I'm able to blog again.  I get the feeling that I won't be missed.
I think I'll be laptop shopping this weekend.  I am working on manifesting enough profit at the show on Saturday with which to get a nice one.  Or get this one repaired.  Having no idea what's wrong with it, though - I think I'd almost rather have a new one.  We shall see.
So peaceful, beautiful beading everyone,  until we meet again....
TTFN
And P.S. The kids will miss keeping you all updated. They send their love:

I must be crazy

It's the only explanation.  I've decided, three days before the event - to participate in the Holidays in Haslett show on SATURDAY.  I'm not sure why.  I didn't do particularly well at it last year, and hauling from the parking lot to the car is very difficult for me.  But the organizer swears that she WILL find a volunteer or two to help me, and I do have several friends that are participating that may be able to stop and help me too.  I'm still wondering why I'm subjecting myself - but the voices in my head last night wouldn't stop.  So here goes nothin'.  Haven't had time for Bead Table Wednesday today.  The bead table is literally buried in craft show Saturday stuff.  Maybe next week.  So wish me luck, readers.  And on with the show!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

And so it begins

Another super busy week for me. I don't know how I always manage to turn a free week into a freaky week, but (sorry, and I don't even LIKE Britney Spears) oooops, I did it again. After enjoying my day yesterday (photos of the loot below), I realized that I'm at Coyote 4 days in a row this week - beginning today! Not that I don't enjoy my time there, but Mondays are especially long because we're only open until 4, so it's one long 11-4 shift. Then I'll get home just in time to feed the furkids, maybe relax for a minute, and then off I go again to bead group - and tonight we celebrate a BUNCH of birthdays. Sharon's, mine, Catherines, Annes, and we're going to include poor Judy in there too, who got forgotten back in the busy summer month of July. Not sure how much beading will be done - but this time around I'm getting to know them all much better, and we're having lots of fun. I may have to take Sally with me one of these times....

I am also finalizing the details for the open house I'm having here. Which means I really MUST get busy cleaning and shining everything for company. It's not that we're slobs, or even super messy, but we tend to clutter, and use the front living room space as a catch all, combined with the fact that I hate to dust, and well. It's not company worthy at the moment. I've got almost a month. I've already done a little. I'll get there....

Here's all the loot from yesterday. So much for quality instead of quantity. I think it's more like a quantity of quality:

Pretty polymer

Bottle cap fun

Filigree from my friend Cindy (I added the rivoli when I got home)

This is wood and resin

Various focals - cabs and drilled.  Polymer, Dichroic, Azurite/Malachite, Petoskey, & Copper Fleck.

My biggest splurge - these little lampwork babies were expensive!

Semi Precious from S&S - sodalite, Turquoise, Az/Mal, and Jasper.

Vintage glass rainbow leaves.  Good thing I didn't wait on these - the vendor sold out of them in less than an hour!

Chinese crystal - who can resist?

See?  I told ya I had fun!  And I wanted soooo much more.  The one item I wanted that stayed where it laid - a quirky, funky, very detailed lampwork witch face focal pendant - complete with warts and freaky teeth, bats on her hat - very cool.  $75.00.  Gulp.  Not cool enough. That price scared me, that's for sure!  Maybe someday, though....
Peaceful beading everyone,  enjoy where ever you are,
TTFN

The Jury is IN

And I am approved to show at Great Lakes Artworks.  HOWEVER - we have come to the mutual conclusion that I must wait until they have a more secure place, like a jewelry case, to show my pieces in.  And they're full up right now.  I noticed that when I was there the other day - LOTS of jewelry.  So much, in fact, that I had pretty much decided to hold off before they called me about putting me on the waiting list.  That's fine with me.  And once they do call and tell me there's space - I'll have to consider it long and hard.  Because there are still issues that I'm not fond of.  I think whatever type of display I decide to do, I'll be paying a little extra every month to have someone work my shifts.  Just not wild about working down there.  It's often alone, and the parking is horrendous.   So the search is still on for another classy, upscale boutique or gallery for my things.  Maybe on one of our little jaunts this weekend and next weekend.  Off to the cider mill in St. Johns today, taking the back roads and enjoying the beautiful leaves and day.  It's been a great October so far - in the 70's and over 80 the last two days.  The same for today - and tomorrow, and Monday!  YAY!  Tomorrow will be fun day for me too.  Off to another bead show - Bead Bonanza in Southfield.  Put on by the Great Lakes Beadguild, of which I'm a member.   Going to try to go for QUALITY and not QUANTITY this time - maybe some nice lampwork focals, some Murano glass, Star's Clasps.  The high end stuff I don't usually go for.  We'll see....

And despite the fact that it's been gorgeous outside for the last few days, I've been quite creative, and am obsessed with creating tons of these: 

You saw the oval ones in a previous post, and I've since gotten the idea to do several pair, in different sizes and shapes, and display them all in my jazzy little green spinner case.  I was originally going to consider taking them to GLAW, but I think I'll take them to The Grand-dale Shoppe instead.  Lots to do this gorgeous October!  Beauty surrounds.  Can't wait to show you photos of our road trip - the trees are just turning around here, and they are beautiful!
Peaceful, beautiful beading everyone,
TTFN

One of those days

Everyone has them.  I suppose I was due.  But I've pretty much worked myself into a snit this morning - and with it, everything is pretty much turning to dog doo.  My breakfast even ended up on the floor.  I can't find something I'm looking for.  Just one of THOSE days. 
And it all started with my jury meeting last night.  What a waste of time.  They still have my pieces to jury, but I won't be signing any contracts.  I had hoped that with the name change, building change and owner change there would be some COMMON SENSE change.  Unfortunately, everything is pretty much the same as it was, right down to the fact that you must work a 3 hour shift ALONE in a community that's a little spooky after dark AND with a two hour parking limit in all their lots and at the meters.  Can't leave to go feed the meter or move the car, so basically, I have to PAY them (in the form of a parking ticket fee) to work there.  Not sure why none of the other girls are bitchin' about that.  The two I know that have items for sale there get rides when they work.  So that may be why.   I also don't appreciate that they don't take high end work seriously as far as security is concerned.  That art community gets crazy busy on weekends, and during festivals, literally thousands of people pour in - and yet they want me to put my $100 and $200 pieces out on an open shelf in the middle of the sales floor.  Seriously?  I suppose I could just have them jury the simple stuff - but what would be the point?   It's my detailed, woven seed bead work that I want to be known for.  That's what I believe is gallery worthy work.   So I've been frustrated about that, and stewing about it all morning.
I also had another conversation with Connie at the bookstore about my space there.  I'm going there today to downsize a bit to make room for some of her things, and try to make use of the floor below, but basically I'll be pulling the beads out after the holiday season.  Not sure what I'm gonna do with all of them.  I could probably just plan to use them all myself, but since it seems I'm also in a bit of a sales rut jewelry wise, well.  Hm.  Another thing to add to the stewin'....
So sorry about the vent blog today, all.  Hope your day is peacefully, blissfully, beadily better....
TTFN

Bead Table Wednesday

When I was choosing the lampwork beads at Polkadots yesterday, I had a flash of an idea for using ALL of them together.  Alas - it was a flash that didn't remain in my head long enough to evolve.  So I am creating small but still fun things with them - so far, two bracelets, probably a pair of earrings, and a zipper charm or pendant with the onesie left overs.  So here is what  my bead table looked like BEFORE I sat down and started creating this morning....

Here's the Polkadots loot:

And this is the project I am getting ready to start:

Plus I still need to complete "Alaskan Moonlight".  But first, I must finish my check in sheet of gallery pieces for tonights jury meeting, order post cards for my open house, and do some chores.  All in a day's work....
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Pleasant surprises

Two of them, actually.  The first was finding out, after spending every other Monday plus road trip time with the WWB (Women Who Bead-I know, pretty original and hip, right?) bead group - that I SHARE my birthdate with one of them!  And it's the one that I carpool with almost every time.  I can't believe the subject never came up before!  I knew there was a reason we liked hanging out together!
The second one was the practically instantaneous response I got from the art gallery I inquired at today.  I've shown/sold there before, a couple years ago, when it was on a different street, and owned by a different person.  I stopped in today to just scope it out, see what was what, etc.  LOTS of jewelry.  So much that I never expected to hear from them-I figured they'd just put me on a waiting list.  So I was surprised to hear from them, asking me to set up a time for bringing in pieces for them to jury.  So it looks pretty likely (I have a few questions for THEM before I sign another contract), that I will be in yet another location before the month is out.  Which is probably just as well - because I'll probably be losing one of them, or at least a major portion of it, by years end.  The owner of the bookstore (Coyote Wisdom) and I talked today about the fact that the beads I have there just haven't been selling or even been paid attention to as much as we thought they would be.  We're both a little bummed about it - but we decided to give it another month - get through the class I have planned at the end of this month, and then downsize the beads significantly, and then after the holidays - just go back to jewelry only, on a much smaller scale.  So still not quite sure what to do with all these beads.  I'm hoping my holiday home open house/show/sale in November will put a big dent in the inventory I have left.  And then there's my friend Sally's idea - she thinks a small boutique/bead store in the area that always seems to be sparse on their inventory MAY be interested in purchasing some of it.  MAYBE.  BIG BIG MAYBE.  Still have to check out that possibility - I don't have a good gut vibe about it, so I'm still procrastinating on checking them out.  I do, however, have a good gut feeling about my second go round at the Old Town gallery (now Great Lakes Artworks).  We shall see come Friday when I go pick up my work.....
So here I go again, giving myself MORE responsibility, another place I have to commit to, another inventory of jewelry to keep track of.  Why do I keep doing this to myself?  Simply because if I don't have my name and my things out there, especially now that show season is done for me, I'll never sell any of these boxes and trays full of jewelry pieces.  Now if I could just sell the beads, too.....I know, I know - website.  It'll come one of these days.  But once I get it set up, that means putting numerous items out there for sale, monitoring, updating, and completing sales requests.  Does it sound like I've got time for all that?  Not at the moment I don't.
Looking forward to a fun rest of the week - beautiful, warm, sunny days are expected through Sunday (what most people around here refer to as "Indian Summer" whatever that means), and a trip to Bead Bonanza - a bead show put on by and for Great Lakes Bead Guild members.  Haven't gone in a couple years - I hope I don't get too carried away.  ha.  Ha.  ha.
Check back tomorrow for Bead Table Wednesday....fun stuff on the table.  I've got the snaps now that I needed for Alaskan Moonlight, so I just need to find time to finish it up.  Somewhere.  Somehow.  Someway.
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Blue Monday

And not just because my bead color of choice lately seems to be blue. Soon after posting my blog yesterday about the comments sections and the fact that many of us no longer seem able to do so, I made a comment on Facebook to one of those same people - a very innocent agreement with a statement she made. And the comment was deleted. Presumeably by her. So now I'm wondering - what could I have said or done to deserve to be deleted, and possibly even be blocked blog wise - by this person? We've done business together in the past, she even helped me with some website issues. I'm a very sensitive person when it comes to the aspect of people finding fault with me (less so than in the past, but it still stings sometimes), so I will probably wonder on it for a few days before I decide to just let it be. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be totally UN-caring of what people think about what I say or do or look like. I know people that are that way - blissfully so. But, I am what I am, and I deal as best I can. Somedays it's just harder than others....

Anyway - back to the 'blue jewelry' subject. I just finished these this morning:

Not an original idea, but not something that is being done to death around my area.  I'll probably make a few pair, some oval, some round, maybe a pendant, and see how they go.  I'm looking at getting back into an art gallery I was in a few years ago (new name/new owner, hopefully new energy), and these may work well there.

And THIS - is where I am with 'Alaskan Moonlight'.  The close on this will be snaps, and I need to get them before I go much farther.  Should be finishing it be the end of the week or so....photos of the completed piece coming, for sure.  This one is Lansing Art Gallery bound.....

 Peaceful beading everyone.  Know that I love and appreciate ALL of my readers - and commenters...
TTFN

No comment

I've been noticing it - and hearing alot about it lately:  the fact that several people, including myself, seem to no longer be able to comment on the blogs.  Not sure why - after all, putting the blog out there is only HALF the process - allowing comments and responding to comments a big part of it, too.  If someone, ANYONE can tell us why this is all of a sudden happening, I'm sure many of us would love to hear.  But in the meantime,  here's my solution to that:  I will share all my blog post links through Facebook. Hopefully most of you are Facebook friends so that you can make your comments to the post on the Facebook side.  If not - I could use a few new friends!  Just ask!
Speaking of friends - I think Bella and Zeus have made friends since her arrival, whether he wants to admit it or not!  We'll often find them lying side by side, and they constantly tease each other for possession of the bones & toys.  We're all gettin' along just fine....

Peaceful beading.  Don't forget to go post your comment on Facebook!
TTFN