Beads and blahs

Sorry no posts for a few days.  Parents arrived home on Sunday, and at dinner that afternoon, Mom and I both decided we needed new dresses for Saturdays' wedding.  So we've been shopping and dropping for two days, and although we didn't exactly find dresses (I fear this is going to be an ugly dress summer) we both found great things that will work - and everything on sale!
As far as the beads are concerned - they haven't been calling me still, and the repairs keep rolling in.  It is a little depressing that I've had SEVEN of them in the last week or so, but none of them were really from anything that I did, but rather because folks are hard on their jewelry.  I've got two more to repair tonight and tomorrow - but won't be back to Coyote again until next week to return them.
Blahs - yeah, you could say that.  Just losing the mojo again so soon after finding again is a blah in itself.  Hope it comes back soon.  I thought maybe doing the repair jobs would be enough to kick in the rest - but not so far.    And more blahs because my daily routine has been altered by the decision of the local newspaper that my brother writes for to not allow us to read online for free anymore - and I'm sorry, but $24 a MONTH to read Marks column?  Sorry, Bro - love ya, but NO.  And then there's my husbands decision to try and cut cable, so he's hooked up a lousy rabbit ear antenna (yes, they still make them) and it gets very little reception.  So I'm news less, and tube less, and bead less, and well, you get the picture.  Wish I DID.

So here's something pretty I pulled of Pinterest just to fill the space and make my post worthwhile - I do hope to have something beadworthy to post soon.  I'll be pretty busy with family obligations this weekend, and then hubby and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary on Tuesday.  He's taking a couple days off at the beginning of the week, so some garden planning, and planting, and garden center trips will surely be on the schedule.  Beads are way down on the list next week.....blah.

LOVE these purple window frames.  Wish my hubby would let me do that.  I thought I had him talked into purple shutters, but now think they'll end up remaining maroon.
~sigh~
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

To read, WEED or bead....

That is the question.  And so far - I've read, and I've weeded.  And will continue to weed until the NEXT time one dares enter my garden space.  I read a post by National Home Gardening Club on Facebook this morning about pouring scalding hot water on weeds to kill them.  I tried a small section of an invasive patch right in the front yard - we'll see how well that works.  It certainly is the GREENER thing to do.....
So once again, readers - no beads.  And I really need to sit and do some.  I have a repair to make and return to sender, and I have 3 custom zipper pulls to make by Thursday. And "Plumage" is just starting to take shape just as I envisioned -  but the call just isn't strong enough right now.  The book I'm reading is quite excellent - it's one of those that you can barely put down, but do, because you want to prolong it as long as possible, and will be disappointed there's not more at the end.  It's not my usual fare, but rather something I found on the book club recommendations table last week during our little jaunt to Schuler's.  I'm trying to 'branch out' in the literature department.  Raunchy novels have bored me for several years now, and the whodunits are getting old.  There are a couple of authors that I crave new work from, but then I read it, and it's done for a few years until they come through with another one.  The book I'm reading now is  called "South of Superior", and it's ABOUT Michigan, written by a MICHIGAN author.  A very good, funny, poignant piece of fiction that takes place in the U.P.,  about a young woman's search for answers about a family she never knew, and the 'family' she ends up finding while doing so.  I will probably finish it this afternoon.   I won't have to stop to make dinner - we're awaiting the arrival of my parents for the summer - they will be here later this afternoon.  Once they've unpacked and unloaded their car, they'll need to eat, so we'll be joining them.  Maybe one or more of my brothers too, if she contacted them. 
Hope you'll hop back around and read again soon - I promise there WILL be beads.  Now that Grand-dale is closed, and I've temporarily pulled out of the gallery, there's not much to take up my time but Coyote - and that only one day this week.  Pure blissful freedom - and some of it WILL be spent with the beads.....honest.
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Market Crazy

It's farmers market season again!  YAY!  I don't know why we go so market crazy - cuz it cost us a fortune.  And it's not just the fruits and veggies that gets us - THOSE we can justify.  It's the to die for lemon bars from the Mediterranian deli, it's the kettle corn that gets you with it's aroma the minute you pull into the parking lot.  And today it was also the new Mexican restaurant booth and it's wet burritos, which we discovered is an actual restaurant that opened a few months ago right by our house!, and a gourmet coffee vendor.  I was too late for my favorite jalapeno cheese bread, but the guy still talked me into regular cheese bread.  Homemade dog treats found their way into the bag, and to justify it all - a big bag of greens for tuna and salads.   PLUS - way over on the other side of town, there's the greenhouse/nursery that is also a farmers market, just not with a whole lot of locally grown stuff unless it's in season.  I went for a Clematis - and left with chips, and dip, and three kids of fruit and nut mixes, and oh yeah - that Clematis.   
So what's on your table for the weekend?  Beads - or chow?  In my case - BOTH!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Pillow Talk

This is the pillow that I just finished embellishing for my cousin and his bride in a few weeks.  I love the colors, and think she will too. 

I didn't add as much detail as I usually do, I just looked at it and it said 'done' to me.  I think Z will agree.
Rainy Friday.  New hair Friday.  Hate when that happens.  Can't go out and about showin' off a new 'do when it's rainy - it'll get ruined.  Bah.  I think I'm chickening out of my original plan to go short anyway - I'm just too large, and too OLD to pull off the style I wanted.  So trimmin' the bob - and callin' it good.

Getting ready to post on Etsy again - a few views here and there - but honestly - WHAT does it take? 

A little frustrated already, and it's only the 2nd month in.  But I'll stick it out, and may get a bit more traffic when folks that stop by my table at the shows this summer ask if I'm on line - or have a website. 
Hopin' to make some headway on my newest creation this afternoon too - a bead embroidered cuff style PEACOCK inspired bracelet.  I'm on the second cab section now - labradorite.  ;0)  Photos soon....
Peaceful beading,
TTFN
(LOVE how my paragraphs centered the last line.  I DIDN'T do that on purpose -but it looks cool!)

Daydream is a painful reality

Daydream Believer will NOT become a project submission to Bead Trends magazine.  I had time to think on it, and sleep on it, and re-read the rules and regulations for submission. I emailed them this morning, respectfully declining.   Here are the reasons that I am not accepting the proposal, and things that you may want to take into consideration before submitting a photo for project submission, too:
They request and REQUIRE that ALL photos of the piece be removed from THE INTERNET until the project is published, which in my case, isn't until OCTOBER.  Now, I don't know about you, but when I'm extremely proud of a piece of work, I brag about it.  Sorry, folks - I like to toot my own horn.  And in doing so - because cyber space is a wonderful world to live in - there are sources for doing so in many, many, many forms - like Pinterest for instance.  How many repins of this necklace were there?  And how do I unpin them all?  Frankly - I don't WANNA unpin them all, and the comments and pats on the back that went along.  Same with Facebook.  I have a wonderful photo album of this piece, and some nice comments that I would rather not delete.  And this blog.  And Flickr.  And probably a few others that I can't think of this early in the morning. 
Also - because I had no idea I'd be wanting or even thinking about submitting this as a project when I started, I didn't keep track of where I got all the pieces and parts - which I accumulated from several places over the course of about 8 months before I started on it.  Some were purchased from different vendors at Bead Bonanza, some were purchased at Bead Haven, some in other places, some retail, some not.  I DIDN'T keep track.  How did I know I needed to?  I've submitted and had projects published in the past, but they weren't this product heavy, so remembering where I got one or two components was easier.
MOSTLY - I guess, now that I think about it, and am faced with the whole project issue - I don't WANT this to be a project that anyone can make.  I want it to remain OOAK.  So I guess I probably shouldn't have submitted it.  My bad.
So anyway - those are a few things that I guess you really need to think about when submitting for a project (those, and how easy it is to do step by step instructions.  This one would have been crazy HARD).   I am still excited that they accepted me, and won't let it deter me from submitting again - just more carefully next time.
Off to do my daily Etsy listing.  Not sure what other tags to use to get people there - but even listing everyday - I'm not being viewed.  I'm wondering if, because Etsy has changed it's seller guidelines so that resellers can also join in at like, .99 cents for a pair of earrings, buying handmade is just not popular anymore.  Sad.
Back later to share photos of the pillow I just finished embroidering for that wedding gift.  CUTE!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Walking on Sunshine

I think I know what Katrina and the Waves meant by that song, cuz WOW!  My day consisted of a great meeting with Sharon at OffRack Boutique - I'll be selling my things there as one of just a few chosen designers. She'll be ready for us, in a room all our own, by the end of June.   Her shop is very small, with the front space being adult mens and womens gently used QUALITY clothing.  Like from Gantos, and Chicos, and Hudsons - HIGH END QUALITY.  And the whole reason for deciding to have a room for artists to sell things is not necessarily to appeal to her customers, but rather to the CONSIGNERS that are bringing IN the high end clothing, that have - and will - and DO - spend a lot of money on nice, quality items that they love. And also for her professional contacts - consisting of many, many people in the music business (by "day" she's a music promoter and manager).  YAY ME!  I followed this with a quick 2 hour shift at the bookstore, and then came home to find TWO spectacular emails - one from Liz at The Great Lakes Bead Guild with the link to my FEATURE on the WEBSITE! 

http://greatlakesbeadworkersguild.org/featured/sheryl_stephens.pdf

This was followed in the same batch by an email from Northridge Publishing, tentatively accepting one of my pieces that I submitted WEEKS ago (I lamented here about not hearing from them not too long ago, in fact).  There is a question as to whether or not it's important to know my SOURCE for ALL of the components, because unfortunately, I don't.  But I'm hoping it won't be an issue - so that I can BE in an ISSUE in October.    Daydream Believer is the project though, and I didn't think about how freeform it was - writing instructions are a bit tricky when you wing things.  I also have to try to remember where all the photos of Daydream Believer are - as they REQUIRE that the piece is NOT published photo wise anywhere else before the issue comes out.  Yikes. 

I also stopped by the hair salon and talked to my stylist about the stuff on top of my head called hair.
I think I'm chopping it.  Hubby won't be happy, and I will give him a "heads" up first.  Got till Friday to decide...
So wow.  What a day.  Celebratory mozz sticks and marinara (one of my faves), and relaxing with the fur kiddoes.....

Peaceful beading, everyone - and prosperous days to you too....
TTFN

Wednesday's Bead Table

This is what MY bead table looks like today.  Not too bad - somedays it's much, much worse.  Unfortunately, on the DOWN side of starting Etsy listing again, it takes up my entire morning BEAD TABLE time.  I haven't been able to break away from this laptop since about 7:15 - and it's now 8:30!.  I could have gotten sooooo much beading done in that amount of time.   Listings, photos, postings, sharings - but it's all ME related, and ME's gotta pay the bills!  lol!  My Etsy listings have been posted for the day, so if you want to see what's new - just hit the link on the right.

The above photo is actually a preview of sorts for some of you.  I used it, along with photos of some of my newer pieces, to submit to be a FEATURED artist on the The Great Lakes Bead Guild's website.  www.greatlakesbeadworkersguild.org
It will probably be up on the site by the next issue of the newsletter, which will go out in July.  I haven't been able to participate in any classes or meetings in the last year and a half or so - gas prices and $$ needing to be spent on other things.  But I really miss the comaraderie of the group, and since my group in this area didn't really pan out, I need beady interaction.  Plus the exposure, too.  Even if most of the members are in Detroit.
Today's the day I meet with Sharon at OffRack (why does it seem like many of my opportunities come by way of someone named SHARON?)  and then it's off to Coyote for the afternoon.  I was able to find another (the last one they had) grid rack, and fill it with more beads.  Connie was quite happy with what I've done so far - YAY!   Taking some new jewels today, too.

Peaceful beading,
TTFN