Totally random photos....

Just a few things - finished, unfinished, idea stages, just things:
The heads are something I picked up today.  Not sure what I'll do with them, but since I love working with faces, I thought it might be fun to work with something a little more modern looking than my usual mystical beings.  These are flat on the back, so I'll probably use some Lacy's Stiff Stuff, and I may hide those hideous necks...

Then there's the first of many "Simply Sweet" Spiral Rope bracelets.
Nothing fancy, very simple, very inexpensive to make - and buy.  I'll probably post some on Etsy, take a few to the bookstore, maybe a few to the Art Gallery.  I just pulled out colors to go with the grapevine inspired pieces I've been doing, plus I plan to do at least one in each color to match:

These.  My original pattern flower rings.  MOST of them are like Dahlias - I've made one that is more like a Rose.  These were made at the request of the Art Gallery, so they'll be going there in April.  I'm pretty proud of this happy accident.  And they're so simple that I'll be able to easily put together kits, and teach it for a ONE DAY make it and take it class.  Not too complicated, few supplies.  BIG FUN!

I finally got a clean bill of health from the opthalmologist today.  YAY!  Don't have to go back unless the redness returns, which I'm not worried about.  He did want me to keep taking the drops he gave me - but wouldn't you know - that little magic bottle is finally empty!  I can't believe that little thing lasted as long as it did!
Busy day tomorrow.  My favorite day - Thursday.  My prosperity group meets in the morning, and I never know what will happen there.  Some days are a total bitch fest, with everyone having something to vent about.  Some days we share wonderful stories of abundance and faith, and some days we do marvelous meditations.  It's fun, it's relaxing, it's calming, it's girl time (unless James decides to poke his head in) - I look forward to it every week.  AND - now I get to combine it with an afternoon of beading and conversation with the clerks in the bookstore where the prosperity group meets.  All in all - Thursdays ROCK!
Bead happy all!  TTFN

Morning has broken....

and with it has come another gray, dreary, rainy, SLEETY Michigan day.  Yuck.  And wouldn't you know, I have photos of some jewelry to take.  Photos always turn out so much better when I can take them in natural morning sunlight.  Guess I should have timed that one better - yesterday was GORGEOUS.  Sunny, a little cold still - but just the sight of the sun somehow makes me feel warmer, inside and out.  Hoping today's rain doesn't last long.  Sure could use some more gorgeous....
Today is what I HOPE will be my last visit to the ophthalmogists office for a very, very, VERY long time.  My eye seems to have mended (for those of you haven't scrolled to previous blogs - I scratched my cornea), and I am seeing just fine.  First thing in the morning blurries and pain were a biggie for the first few days, and for some reason it took longer for me to heal that normal, I guess just cuz I'm special.  But today seems clear, bright and painless.  I just hope they say the same.  I had BEAD plans for all the money that is now lining the pockets of someone in the eyecare industry....
Still got big bead plans though, hoping that the customers of the bookstore will appreciate AND BUY - them: semi precious stone bracelets based on the astrological Sun signs.  I pored over the internet and went through my numerous astrology books here at home looking for stones and COLORS to coordinate with the signs, and I think I've found just the right affordable combinations.  I had originally planned to do semi precious bead birthstone bracelets - but am not willing to pay the price for, and in some cases search for, beads like Sapphire, Emerald and Ruby.  I plan to make them in a range of stones, with some having more than others, so that I can vary the prices.  I'll probably start gathering them all together so that THOSE are what I actually sit and make while spending time at the store.  Time will tell.  Hope they are a hit.  Heck, at this point, I hope someone even comes in the ROOM.  It's only been a week, I know - but I hope people will start hearing about my little bead space - SOON.  Still working on getting a sign for the front porch of the store (actually a house turned store), hoping that will help.
Anyway - enough babbling.  Hubby has arrived home safely through the sleet from his graveyard shift job, and I'm thinking scrambled eggs are in order!
TTFN

E-glitch

I found out something I CAN'T do on my NooKColor EReader today - BLOG!  It will only give me the keyboard for the title space - but not this text portion.  Bummer.  That was one thing I had hoped to do while sitting amongst my beads in the calm wonderfulness of Coyote.   There haven't been very many customers in the store - for them, or for me, so it's a little slow - but it is still a much happier, calmer, nicer place to bead.  Great music, great company, great room- GREAT energy.  But not blogging.  Oh well.  That's something I'll just have to do when I'm here on my laptop. Or I suppose I could TAKE my laptop.  Just thought smaller and more compact would be easier....
And as long as I'm here, finally blogging - a quick vent about my shopping experience at Kroger.  I'll skip the entire idiot in the parking lot incident and get right to the question - WHY bother to have lanes that specifically say EXPRESS LANE 15 items or fewer - when you still allow full overflowing carts full of groceries through the lane?  2 EXPRESS LANES.  2 open regular lanes, and 2 self serve (I loathe self serve-they NEVER work correctly), and still people think the rules don't apply to them.  I kept my mouth shut - but believe me, it wasn't easy - hence the reason you're reading about it here....
Anyway - got some wonderful beading done today.  Finished another flower ring - photos soon.  This last one is my favorite, but I made it so it's a little small for me.  I can't keep them ALL!  :0)  Off to the Art Gallery they'll go next time I switch out pieces....
Bead happy,
TTFN

Where's the Love?

I've never had an opportunity to meet, let alone converse with, some of the big names in beads out there, like Marcia, and Kate, and Diane, and Beverly - but I really wonder, how long did it take them to become the successes in the bead world that they are today?  How long did it take people to take notice?  Is that what they set out to do, or did it just happen?  Cuz - I'm beginning to wonder if I'm either trying too hard - or not hard enough.  EVERYONE told me I needed a website, so I started one, and started out trying to keep it updated, kept up the Etsy listings, kept linking everything to Facebook, and sat back and watched.....nothing happened.  There must be a secret.  I know part of it is where I'm located.  Mid Michigan was hard hit by the failing auto industry, and the crash of the housing market.  Our own household took a hit when my husband could no longer do real estate appraisals due to the idiocy of the mortgage lenders. But because I put myself out there on the web - the WORLD WIDE web - I guess I was hoping for a little more love. And I'm sure that very few, if any, of the big names in beading were overnight successes - but it does beg the question - "how do you get noticed?"  The bead world is huge, despite the fact that I've had many people tell me that it's a dying fad, hence the reason there were so few jewels at the Oscars this year.  It sure doesn't seem like a dying fad when you see all the books and magazines and online sites that there are out there in cyber space.  I DO know that most of the brick and mortar bead stores in my area are gone, including my own.  And it's really sad.  I would love nothing more than to still be able to offer customers face to face beads - but they didn't seem interested.  At least not around here. 
So where IS the love?  How do I gain respect, and customers, and recognition, and FAME by creating with beads, offering classes, coming up with my own unique designs and patterns, and the list goes on and on.  I guess you can just call me a wannabe....and you'll find me where ever there are beads - no matter what the fad may be.  My trays of finished pieces without homes are getting taller and taller....but it's who I am, and what I love - I just need to find the counterparts that recognize, appreciate, and BUY it, so that I can AFFORD to continue to do what I LOVE - everyday.
I appreciate and bow to the masters out there, you seem to have found the key to success....and I hope I am awarded it too, someday....
TTFN

Everybody loves FREE beads!

Head over to Happy Mango's blog for a great giveaway, Mardi Gras style! 
http://blog.happymangobeads.com/

Happy Mango always has something fun going on!

Enter to win - and get a second entry by blogging, too! 

Anything's better than a scratch in the eye

For those of you who haven't friended me on Facebook, you may not have heard that I have had a minor setback in the beading territory.  On Tuesday of last week, I began noticing a redness, and an irritation in my right eye.  I don't know about you, but if you have an itch, you rub it, right?  Well - after an entire day of irritation, which at first we thought was Pink Eye, I decided I better have it checked out.  Not Pink Eye - but a scratched cornea.  Yikes.  How'd that happen?  I wish I knew.  And that was the question of numerous techies and doctors at the Ophthalmologists office as well.  Gee Doc, I did it on purpose, cuz I love you guys and your THIRTY dollar copays PER VISIT so much.  So I haven't done much beading - just resting, and putting drops in my eyes. 
Now, I could seriously go off on a tangent here (just see previous posts if you think I can't), but let's just say - drug company owners are obviously BILLIONAIRES.  Upon my 4th visit in 4 days to 3 different doctors, yesterday's doctor decided I needed a different, stronger antibiotic drop and called in the prescription at my local pharmacy.  Upon arrival I am told two things - 1.  My insurance provider wouldn't cover it (big surprise), and 2.  It'll cost me $100 for a 5 oz. bottle.   NOT.  Still not sure why we pay insurance premiums when all they do is deny, deny, deny, but - I digress and touch on a tangent again.

So, needless to say - not doing that drug long term, and sticking with the one they gave me to begin with instead.  As of today, my eye looks fine, and feels fine.  Back to the FIRST doc I saw when I go on Wednesday - and they better tell me the same.
So I'm afraid most of the beading plans have had to be postponed - the most serious of which was spending time in my new space at Coyote.  They are so loving, and so caring and SOOOO understanding.  But I feel it's important to be there to not only become familiar with their clientele, but for their clientele to get to know me, AND instill my energy into the store and the room.  Not going to happen with a freaky eye (as my friend Tracy calls it).  If everything happens for a reason, as I so much believe that it does, then I'm still trying to figure out what the reason for this weeks drama has been.  Maybe just cuz I never have any, and it was my turn.  Yay.
The one bright spot in my beading week was the request from my 8 year old niece.  When I attended her birthday party a few weeks ago, she noticed and oooohed over the jewelry I was wearing, and I explained to her how I made it.  I never thought that an eight year old would remember it.  So imagine my surprise and delight when I received her request to create a bracelet for her to give as a gift to someone.  She was so funny - and she actually negotiated for the price!  HERE is the bracelet I made (to her specifications) and it will be sent to her tomorrow.  Kids these days.....

Cool Beads at Coyote

Today was the official start of Cool Beads at Coyote.  The set up reminds me more of what I would have for a table at an art fair - and for now, it's enough.  I'll be adding a round table off to one side, which I'll sit at and bead while I'm there most of the time.  It's a work in progress - we've got an idea for another rack hanging in the big center window, and a short narrow riser for another rack in front of the window ledge.  I am also looking into having a sign made for the front entrance - THAT will make me feel really important!
Wish me luck - I'm hoping this will grow into something good - a little smaller is ok (if you've never owned or managed a store before...you have no idea) and I think the customer base is going to be much more open to my design style, too. 
Bead happy,
TTFN