One last hour

So long yucky year.  A year of so so sales, missed opportunities, change, change and more change.  And I am so glad to be almost done with it.  Numerologically 2013 works out to my power number ~6~.  So I'm taking that as a good sign - and going into the year with a happy, healthy start.  I did end the year on a good note, with those last minute opportunities and sales.  And it's just going to be better from here, I can feel it. 
I think I'm just about ready for the Valentine's Market.  I finished "Wings of Eros", as well as the embellishment of a cute vintage pin.  Maybe one more pair of earrings.  

Love how the pin turned out.  No name for this one yet, but I'm sure I'll come up with one before the market.

I hope you all are having a great New Years Eve.  I'm sure MOST of you are doing something way more fun than blog hopping.  This is what my hubby and I were doing for most of the evening.

It finally got the better of us - so now we're just vegging.  If we make it to midnight, it will be a miracle.
Peaceful happy beading in 2013...
TTFN

Beads in the name of love

A blog post or so ago I mentioned the invitation to participate in a Valentine's Day Market at Lansing Art Gallery.  I didn't participate in their holiday market in favor of Owosso - so this opportunity made me very happy.  Consequently -  I've been crankin' out the LOVE!  I just completed one of the most unique pieces I've ever done called 'Wings of Eros".  Beads. Chain.  Lampglass.  Feathers.  COOL.  Photo tomorrow in better light.  In the meantime, here are some of the others that I've done:

"Keeper of the Flame" - another Vintage Cool key design.

Fire and Ice Earrings

Adore-able  Bracelet

 

I'm also sending a few more - like Red Romance, and a bracelet done with the Twilight theme in mind.  I can't wait to take photos of the new piece tomorrow - I really love how it turned out.  Again - my creativity took over - I had little to do with the final result.  Which is sooooo cool.

Had a fun day of bead shopping and coffee shop chatting with my friend Sally yesterday.  She loved her book "The Art of Forgotten Things" by the late Melanie Doerman, as well the beads and chain that I 'wrapped' the gift in.  She presented ME with a bottle of Red Velvet wine, which will be opened and enjoyed on New Years Eve, a box of chocolates and a very generous gift certificate to the local italian restaurant that her husband manages.  So nice. 
Here's the 'haul' from yesterdays trip:

 

 

The seed beads were not necessarily meant to all go together - but it ended up that way - so not sure what they'll turn into.  Can't wait to start looking for accents and focals.  That's one of my most favorite parts of beading - and probably why I have a HUGE stack of projects all boxed up and ready to go.  I find myself having to steal from them occasionally for yet another project.  Or forgetting that I have what I need in one of those boxes and buying more.  Such is the life of a bead hoarder!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

First snow

Well, first BIG snow, anyway.  Wednesday was not a fun day for drivers in mid-Michigan, but from what I've heard - Ohio and east got much, much worse.  And one of the advantages to living on the main drag - across from school (even though they're on winter break) - is that we are first on the plow list.  So in my neck of the woods at least, the roads are clear:

I think the sunrise is gonna be kinda pretty, but between the Jeep and the trees, I couldn't get a very good photo. And no way am I actually going out there!  Supposed to get more tomorrow  -  so I probably SHOULD venture out and do things (local things) today if need be.  But I would rather stay inside and bead.  Especially now that I have somewhat of a deadline to deal with.
Yesterday I received an invitation/call for artists from Lansing Art Gallery for a special Valentine's Day showcase they're having for the month of February.  I didn't participate in their holiday market - opting for the beautiful Shiawassee Market instead.  But I think I can handle a month long market, IF I can come up with 10 or so gallery worthy Valentine's day themed pieces.  And I only have TWO.  So I've already cranked out a pair of earrings, and am almost finished with a cute key necklace with a heart theme.  I don't want to wait until last minute to submit though - so I will photograph what I have done at the end of the weekend, and submit (we only have to submit 3 photos) by Wednesday of next week.  That will give me most of January to complete what I've got in my head. 
I'm just so excited that this wave of opportunity is continuing.  I seem to be manifesting more and more of them lately - and I think my excitement about the Shiawassee gallery is what is bringing it about.  I haven't sold a darn thing there - but no matter.  I just feel exhilaration when I go there, and they are excited about MY work in return.  It can't help but keep me "in the vortex" (a metaphysical teaching that would take a realllllly long time to explain), which in turn just keeps getting better and better. 
So wish me happy peaceful beading, everyone - the race is on!
And happy peaceful beading to all of you too.
TTFN

A sobering holiday

I hope that all of you have had a wonderful Christmas holiday.  Although my husband and myself have had a nice time with family and friends - a few of our family members did not fare so well.  A Christmas Eve snow squall blew through Mid Michigan from late afternoon through early evening - which made roads slick and snow covered.  Many accidents and slide offs - one which included my husbands cousin from Portland.  He is ok, kinda beat up from the air bag deployment, but his vehicle did not make it - totalled.  
And then there was the Christmas Day accident involving my sister in law - as she and her family were leaving OUR holiday celebration to attend another, they were rear ended quite forcefully - putting her in the hospital with a fractured vertabrae in her neck.  A definite over night stay with surgery is likely, since this is a chronic issue for her - she's just feeling better after a previous spinal surgery 2 years ago.  We feel badly for her, and will probably end up spending at least one day this week visiting her.  NOT a very fun way to spend Christmas.  So say prayers and send healing to Cathy that she is back to her healthy self quickly. 

It really makes me stop and think about how lucky I am to have made it through my life safely, healthily, and for the most part happily.  I definitely say my thanks to Spirit everyday for the kindness of the Universe.   My hubby put this nice little pocket size book in my stocking this morning - and I think 2013 in going to be the perfect time to make use of it. 
As the day draws to a close, and we are all revelling in great gifts and great meals - give thanks for the great pleasures of family and togetherness as well.  You never know when something can change it in a heartbeat.  It touched our family this weekend - and I hope it is done.
Peaceful beading, now and in the year to come,
TTFN

Merry Prosperous New Year!

Lots of family doin's and plans away from home in the next few days, so this may be my last chance to blog you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or whatever else you celebrate. 

I don't usually make an actual New Year's Resolution - too much pressure, but I have decided that I am going to make a point to be kinder, calmer, patient-er, and more tolerant in 2013.  I'm going to learn new things, make new friends, and be open to new possibilities.  I hope that you find something new and exciting to do too.

I'm excited to see that I've got just TWO more visitors before I reach 15,000!  I may need to celebrate the next big milestone - 16,000 - with another giveaway.  Keep stopping back as often as possible, and it'll help me get there in no time!
Peaceful beading,
TTFN

One more whirl

I don't know about you, but I will be glad when everyone stops talking about the whole 'Mayan Calendar' bit.  Being involved in the metaphysical world, it's been a topic of conversation lately with various friends that are also astrologers, psychics, intuitives, and mystics, and we all agree that it is a DIFFERENT cycle than our Georgian calendar, and really not a calendar at all.  It simply means a new beginning; great change, planetary shifts that are indeed bringing about changes that are monumental-but not destructive.  WE WILL live to see another day - and thankfully - Christmas! We'll all be giving this world one more whirl come Saturday.  Count on it.
I'm also giving my Etsy site one more whirl.  I almost didn't.  In fact, if you're a fan of my Cool Moon Facebook fan page, I posted last week that I'd probably be closing it for good soon.  I'd forgotten that I ordered 500 new business cards a few weeks before - all with the Etsy site address still on them.  So.  One more whirl.  But with mostly JEWELRY this time instead of beads.  And I'm not sure why.  ALL I've ever sold on that site is beads.  I've listed jewelry pieces from time to time - some heavily embroidered, some simple string necklaces and bracelets.  A wide range of prices.  AND NO jewelry sales.  EVER.  NOT ONE.  So call me crazy.  Caught up in the what the hell it's the end of the world excitement (jokingly, of course).  So all trying to shop online. 

Anyway - let me leave you with the Mayan Calendar cartoon that's been hanging on the door of my refrigerator for the last 6 months.  Enjoy.  Long after the world is supposed to stop turning....

Indeed, everyone IS freaking out.  CHILL OUT.  Or as all pins on Pinterest say....
CALM DOWN and ______.  As in CALM DOWN and do anything else.  In my case- BEAD.

Peaceful holiday beading,
TTFN

Vanilla Skies

Or Sky, as the case may be.  Lookin' outside today, our skies are sort of a vanilla/gray with a touch of sunbeam once in awhile.  I understand it may be the calm before the storm, so I'm off to the Shiawassee Art Center to see how things are going with the market, and see if I've sold anything!  Draggin' my mother in law with me (well, ok, I'm borrowing her car-I have to bring her), so there may be some shopping and lunch involved too.  Haven't had a fun day out like that in awhile, so it should be fun.  Then I can hunker down and work on some new things.  Like this:
I made a bit of progress on it last night.  I think this one's going to be a pin, but I may add a short bail at the top for the choice of either.  Still no name for this one.  It'll come.

 

And as promised, here is the finally finished, and fabulously wonderful (in my HUMBLE opinion)

Vanilla Sky

Totally worth all the alterations and changes.  Think I'm wearing this one today.

 

Are you ready for the big man in the red suit?

 

 

Bella is getting very excited about Santa Dog's visit soon.  She can hardly stand it!

 

Have a fun and peaceful beady day,
TTFN