Project X

Too soon to have a name, here is the project I'll begin working on this week:

Kind of excited about starting another embroidery piece.  Haven't done a really detailed one since "Plumage" (peacock bracelet); I've been busy gardening, and beaching, and well - doing non-bead STUFF.  And when I did find time to bead -  I've come up with a new 'line' to sell at Coyote - "Cool Chakra Jewels":

This is what I've got done so far, using the semi precious stone that represents each Chakra, and for the rings - simple size 11 seed beads.  I am running low on some of the semi's though, so I'm going to switch to Swarovski crystal for a few things, as well as more seed beads - and I still need to complete some more rings - with and without embellishment.  Not going to do a necklace YET.  I want to wait and see how these are received first.  Should have a fair amount of them (including those pictured) by the time I work my shift on Wednesday.
I'll of course have to stop working on current projects as soon as the Soup ingredients arrive.  Can't wait to find out who I'm paired with!
Now, about that beach......it started out quite fun, but a storm blew in mid afternoon that had everyone scrambling - and scrambling in the sand and up about 10 flights of stairs is not an easy task.  Still....
fun day for the family....

Heading off today to enjoy lunch and some peaceful beading at Sharon's house.  I may try to take some photos of our day together today, as well as of her beautiful pond.  Hard to sit inside at her place too - so much beauty...
Anyway ....peaceful beading to you too....
TTFN

SLLLURRRRRP!

I finally get to participate in the Bead Soup Blog Party!  I've been having to miss it, or having glitches come up for the last THREE times I've tried.  But now I'm in, and I'm ready to GO!  Lori has asked us to blog about this topic to get things started:

 how/why you became a jewelry designer, and what you like best about it. 

The CONDENSED version (since I truly wrote an entire book on this subject a few years ago) - I was bored, needed a HOBBY, and thought I'd try bead weaving.  20 years later, it is MY LIFE. During the course of that time I've become an intermediate/advanced seed beader, and also owned my bead store for a time.  LOTS of work, which, given the right conditions, I would consider doing again - because it's also rewarding.   There are so many reasons that I have made beads my passion that it's hard to say which is BEST - but I'd have to say the sense of satisfaction in knowing that I've created something new, and usually something totally original, different from anyone else's.  If you take the time to scroll down through some of my past posts, you'll see many a photo of my pieces - I use my garden, and my love of metaphysics as inspiration - working with semi precious gemstones, goddess and fairy themes, as well as lots and lots of FLOWERS.  What girl doesn't love flowers?  :0)

I hope you'll stop by a few times before the hop - I do have some new things to 'show off!'.  And of course, apologies to those of you new to the babble page - much love and slobbering over my dogs, too - photos included. 

I'll be grabbing the link to the party from Lori in the next few days.

Happy Hopping,  and peaceful beading,
TTFN

Home town days

Here are a few highlights from today's show.  Not a bust - but not a huge money maker either. It's the very FIRST year for this, and ALL of us vendors that participated have lots of feedback for the coordinators for next year. The biggest thing, and one I'm not sure they had much control over - was a PARKING FEE. $3.00! For every 5 cars that drove in - 3 turned around. And we don't blame them. They put us in a lovely park setting, but it's a COUNTY run park, so that's why there was a fee. The other thing was that it was marketed, and advertised as a 200+ space show. Yeah, they may have put the call out for 200+ vendors - but in reality there were less than 30 of us.    And not well marketed out side of their small town either.  Learning curve, learning curve....
Upside - absolutely gorgeous day, and the perfect spot for our tent:

Peacocks took center stage. 

 The table looked quite lovely, if I do say so myself....

 This was the view behind us, where there could have been more vendors, although it was slightly hilly.  To the left - the bathrooms, which was handy.  To the right just a bit - a jungle gym.

 Nicely shaded spot, and plenty of outrageously priced parking....

We had a small but steady crowd for several hours - including some unexpected visitors that chose not to make any purchases!  The top one - I thought it was a dead leaf or piece of bark at first, but when I went to flick it off the table - IT MOVED!  EEEK!  It was winged, and flew off when the paper it was sitting on was shaken.  There were some scary lookin' bugs around today - but not too many mosquitos.   Yay.

These were some other unexpected visitors, who probably found it surprising that their normally quiet park was FULL of alien beings when they arrived.  A pair of Sandhill Cranes, and their baby!   They came from the field in front of us, across the parking lot, and continued up the hill and behind us, disappearing behind the bathroom building.  My friend and fellow tent sharer - Claudia Ottinger, of Clawdia's Creations, was lucky enough to be able to snap a photo - and was 'stabbed' in the foot with a wicked branch for her trouble. 
Thanks, Claudia, for takin' one for the TEAM!  LOL!

All in all - a pretty nice day.  Got to sit outdoors on a lovely day, with wonderful company, talking to a lot of people about my work, and encouraging them to visit us at our next several shows.  Better than a stick in the foot!  :0)

Peaceful beading,
TTFN

Back at it

It's been awhile since I've gone a whole week without blogging. And once again - no news is really just that - no news. I'm busy preparing for Saturday's Haslett Hometown Days arts and crafts fair. I've also been tweaking and beautifying my garden space - and enjoying sitting amongst the growing green beautiful things. I haven't beaded much at all, other than to do a few repairs for folks - or some last minute peacock pieces for Saturday - which I plan to reveal in the photo of the whole layout that day when I'm done. I did make this bracelet - I wanted to have it for Saturday, too, because it incorporates beads that Claudia made - and since we're sharing a tent, it will be good advertisement for her items, too.  But this one's mine!

   And I spent some time today going through some sketch ideas, some old mag projects, and THINK I have another unique idea to start - one of these days. I have so many things I still want to do - I have a couple of original projects that I would still like to turn into kits, and learn to turn the instructions into PDF's - but need to figure out how to draw illustrations IN the instructions first. So many things I want to do. Eventually.

But for now - I feel the need to be relaxing in my garden space, in my new deck rocker, with my babies, and a book, or two or three.....the beads will be here waiting when I'm ready.

Peaceful beading,
TTFN

The surprise and sadness of loss

I just learned today of the passing of the husband of my best friend from high school.  I am stunned.    In school, our lockers were side by side, and we became inseparable.  We even shared apartments for a few years after graduation.  I was with her when she met Brad, when he was hired on in her fathers construction company.   I was in their wedding. I was the first person to hold their first child. We were very close for many years.  But alas, although it seemed we had the same goals and dreams at that time in our lives - we'd grown apart in the last 10 years or so.   I am devastated for her, and will try to get in touch with her in the next few days.  What do you say to someone who has lost their mate?  They married around the same time I did - so were married 30 years as well, and had 4 children.   My heart just aches for her.    So sad.  I know not the reason for his passing, but know there must have been a reason for the timing - in metaphysics, it is said that we all 'write' our entire life, our entire history, including our deaths, before we even come into the world.  I find it hard to grasp that concept most of the time - the horrible things that are happening in the world today could not possibly be planned by anyone.  More discussion and study is needed to understand this, I think.  So Bradley, wherever you are, you were a faithful devoted husband to my friend, and I thank you for it. 

RIP Bradley Monroe - 1957-2012

Changes

Things are changing for me again.  It's too soon to tell whether they will be cleansing, clearing, happy path changes - or changes that send me into deep despair.  '
On a happy change note - I've placed my jewelry for sale in a newly opened boutique here in town, and am also selling some of my no longer worn clothing there - it's a 'resale' boutique - but only for mens and womens clothing and accessories, and high end ones at that.  We'll be doing the consignment route - and I'll give it a 6 month whirl.    If you're ever in Holt, check out Off~Rack Consignments 2068 Cedar Street, next door to Domino's Pizza (and just north of Biggby Coffee).  Tell 'er Sheryl sent ya!
As far as selling jewelry elsewhere - I think I'll be taking a break.  I'm committed to about 1/2 dozen art shows and fairs over the summer, and that's it.  I've decided not to pursue other venues, or look for other opportunities right now.   It's been on my mind for several weeks now.  I've had three different people ask me, when the subject comes up that my sales are lackluster, WHY do I continue to do it?  And I finally had to ask myself the same question.  I used to be able to answer it with 'because I love it', but this time, I had to face the fact that I am never going to be the in demand, popular jewelry maker.  I just don't seem to have what it takes to bring buyers to the table.  And that makes me not love it anymore.
What will I do?  I have no idea.  I keep hoping and ASKING that a fun, part time clerk opportunity will enter my path.  So far, no luck.  Will I keep designing?  Probably. Maybe.  But just for myself, and my mom, and for gift giving needs.  I find myself once again at the lost mojo stage - which has happened so many times lately that I wonder if it might be gone for good.  I've never had such a stretch of time when I was unable to be creative and design something on my own.  Instead I find myself referring to the mags, and letting someone else's idea and vision help me create.  And I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, it's nice to have someone else's brain to do the creating once in awhile, but at this point in my 'career', I should be designing and creating from my OWN brain, consistently and without fail.  Something has clicked off in there somewhere, and I need to find the on switch, or find another path.  Simple as that.
Will I stop blogging?  Hey, lucky you, dear reader- probably not.  I still have a garden, and life happens, so I will continue to babble - but probably fewer and farther between.  Writing is another one of those things that I have always loved.  I had thought I might try my hand at a project book, having already self published two books (a 'How I did it" and a photo journal).  It was really fun - but self publishing gets you NO exposure, and that was a bomb as well.  Then I start seeing that it seems as though everybody and their beading brother are putting books out there right now, so again, I'm lost in the sea of other people's successes, and don't feel it would even be worth it to try. 
I hope my future is not as gloomy as it seems right now, and I'm sorry to put such a wet blanket on my usual bubbly posts.  It feels as though someone has popped those bubbles - and it may take me awhile, if ever, to get back up to the bubbly stage again.
TTFN, I hope I'm back with brighter beady news soon - getting ready to do a show next weekend - so maybe I'll have LOTS to post about after that.

Michigan is burning

Totally non bead post again today.  Our great state is on fire.  The Seney Wildlife Refuge in the Upper Peninsula has been burning out of control for days.  Although they say it's now 70 percent contained, it's consumed much of our beloved forest, as well as Rainbow Lodge, a VERY popular establishment, and is threatening one of Michigan's most beautiful natural resources - Tahquamenon Falls and it's surrounding park.  Here is a link to a youtube video showing just what's at stake.  Pray that all is not lost.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndOCEaSWykM&feature=player_embedded


Tahquamenon is very near and dear to me, although it is a half days drive away, and over the bridge too.  I remember every year our family would make the trip, and take the train through the wilderness, where the bears (unbeknownst to us small kiddies) were baited so that there would be bear sightings along the way.  Then to the trail to the most spectacular falls.  Those didn't really seem so great until I got old enough to appreciate their beauty.   Even once I'd married, my husband and I would make a regular camping trip or two to the U.P., and usually included Tahquamenon in those trips.  It's been a few years, but I still remember so much about it.  We've driven through Seney many times too - miles and miles and miles of nothing but trees, trees, trees, and the occasional critter or two.  Mother Nature must have a grand plan in mind, so much has been lost and will need to regrow.
So much to love about Pure Michigan - I hope we don't lose too much of what makes us a GREAT Lakes State....

TTFN