Giveaway Wednesday And Other News!

So I changed the day of the week. Look, I'm lucky if I know what year it is right now! First, Cindy at Sweet Bead Studio has a little giveaway that is right up my alley. I've really been wanting to delve into more wire work and this is perfect for a beginner when it comes to just that.

Lorelei has the final Green Girl Studios giveaway -- hearts! Yum. Go leave your comment and good luck.

Can you name these beads? If you can, you might just win some. Go help Kelley out.

And one of my favorite places, Art Bead Scene, is having a book giveaway. We all know we need more beading books, and this one is from my pal Marcia DeCoster!

Babies: Natalie was supposed to be able to hold Marshall for the first time last night. I'm waiting for an update and new pictures. Max is in the intermediate care nursery now. His next step will be to actually nurse. He's rooting and trying to tell everyone he's ready.

Knee: I'm just waiting on my therapist for today's torture session.

Beady stuff: Little feelings of creativity are surfacing. I just need to be able to sit up without becoming utterly exhausted. Here's a hint, kids, when your doctor says to take it easy he really means it. When you end up overdoing, you kind of slide bassackwards. Know what I mean? (but I would do it again in a heartbeat!)

Life Is A Roller Coaster

Well, my impatient little grandsons are here, 10 weeks early. They came Tuesday morning, just could not wait until Thanksgiving. They barely waited until Nonnie got out of the hospital! That's Max on top, he's older by six minutes. Then there is Marshall, who gave us all quite a scare but now he's just fine. And Natalie is fine, but tired. They weight around 3.5 pounds, but Marshall is now just over 4 pounds! They will both be off ventilators today, and breathing on their own with just the CPAP for help. And they can now both be held by their mommy and daddy. Max looks like Natalie, and Marshall looks like Bryan. We are just all so happy that there are not enough words. Bear with me for a while as my beady blog gets taken over by baby news.

The knee is fine, but I'm exhausted. This is the first day I've had to relax since I was discharged Sunday. I need to take stock of where I am in the beady scheme of things since life has been a big series of ups and downs this week. I cannot believe it's already Friday. I'll try to get back on track this weekend and intersperse some beady stuff with babies next week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I know I will!

More On The Retreat

Here we are all. It's the last day of the retreat, hence the lack of beads and beadwork on the table and some empty tables in the background. The tables were all full for the weekend. Right to left is me, GG, Juls and Cat. Yuck. I hate pictures of myself. Moving on . .

There was the little bead war. Juls was working on a piece in blues and greens. I was working on a piece in reds. Juls would throw a reject bead, I would throw a reject bead. On Saturday night, everyone cuts loose, if you know what I mean. Well, Juls got up from the table and I sprinkled A PINCH of red beads in her pile. A while later, I got up to go to bed. When I came down the next morning, this is what I found:Do you see all the green and blue beads? I filled a little baggie with them. What started as a tiny skirmish quickly escalated to all out war!!

Speaking of little baggies, I was so tired Sunday morning. I did not sleep Saturday night. Cat and GG got back to room after 2:00 and I was still wide awake. Even after all the lights went out, I tossed and turned. The next morning, my half of the bed had no bottom sheet on it. There was a bunched up, knotted mess of what was my half of said bottom sheet. This was the reason I slept for 12 hours Sunday. I was so tired. I really thought the dark splotches under my eyes were make up that didn't get cleansed away. I was wrong:
I can't believe how the camera emphasized the bags under my eyes. Maybe I should start taking tea bags and cucumbers with me.

Today, I'm working on revamping the web site. I'm going to go ahead and put some dates in there for upcoming events. I will be doing the biennial show with the Austin Stichery Guild (ASG). Here's your first notice. I'll have some of my kits, and some kits from other wonderful designers, plus some bead packs in various palettes. I love doing that show. And in June, I'll be at the EGA South Central Region's seminar, with lots of goodies. This year they have a market day which is open to the public. I'll have many more new goodies then. But for now, I must type on something else for the rest of the day. My beady pal Jelcy sent this link, which she got from our pal Nancy. I seems that this Dutch department store was sold in June to a British investment firm. HEMA has stores all over Europe. This is the product page, but it's all in Dutch. You can't order anything, but just watch for a few minutes. Sound makes it better if you can have it. Later, beadlings!

At A Loss For Words

Hmmmm, what to type. I have no idea today. I have no beady insights, no words of wisdom, no creative suggestions. Hmmm. It's Friday, it's sunny here, and I'm going to try to finish up some things today. This weekend I'll update the web site and work on the Etsy shop. They are in such bad shape right now that I'm not even putting up a direct link. That's about all that is going on in my life. I feel like I'm letting you down today, so I'll leave you with one beady picture and a profound artsy quote: "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." Twyla Tharp

Making Important Stuff

The other day Carol left a comment that she gets bogged down making things for others which leaves her no time to explore her creativity. While she is kind and generous in doling out her beady things, her muse is starving for attention. Oddly enough, I am familiar with this concept. It's not that I make things for others, rather I make things that I know will sell in quantity, like patterns and kits. That leaves little time for the creative artsy items I take to art shows. The problem there being that I need to have a booth full of creative artsy items for every art show I do. It is a quandary, is it not?

So, how do we fulfill the one without neglecting the other? I would bet that some of you have family/friends who are always asking you to make something for them, right? But in order to do that, you put that fabulous necklace for yourself on hold, so much so that when the big event you wanted it for came along, you didn't get to wear it because it wasn't finished. Anyone? Show of hands please. Ah, I thought as much. The bracelet did not get worn because so many others needed jewelry for that event. Granted, I got paid well, but still . . .

So, what must we do to overcome the necessary obstacles in order to make ourselves happy. It is human nature for women to put themselves second because of the gene that makes nurturing creatures. It's not easy to be selfish and do something just for us, and even when we do, chances are we will feel guilty about it. So, I propose a project to you all. Make a piece, just for you and your muse. You have six months (because I know a lot of you have 8-5 commitments). That makes July 10 you deadline. Send me pictures. I'll post them. Send me progress pictures I'll post them. But also send me a story to go with the pictures -- a journal even, of how doing this makes you feel. I will do the same, but I don't want to do it all by myself. I would really, really like for this to be a collaborative effort. Deal? Deal!

Oh crap, I almost forgot! Pam updated her page. I'm not the bully she writes of, really I'm not. I'm just looking out for her best interests, really. Oh, and I'm getting one of those rings!

It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

It's cold as all get-out, but it's gorgeous outside. Oh, I know you folks that live up in the frozen north laugh when I talk about the cold. But you should realize that before the blizzard at Thanksgiving, the last time we saw snow was Christmas of 2002 when we visited T-man's grandmother in the mountains of Pennsylvania! It just doesn't snow here. It does get cold, but usually with rain. However, the past two nights have been crystal clear and in the mid-20s, with crystal clear days that warm up to the low 50s. Brrrrrr. And yes, I do want to make it to Alpine some day, where it snows every winter and the mid 80s makes for a heat wave. But there are so many things I love about that area that make up for the temperature.

I finished part of the special project, and today hope to finish it. Then I will send the designer pictures, mail the project and right after Christmas I'll post the pictures. I don't want to unveil it before the proper authorities (lol) get to see it. That just would not be good manners.

Now, are you sitting down? No coffee in your mouth? Swallow, sit. I cleaned house yesterday. No, no, no -- nothing big, but I did clear out the corner where I was doing my photography. We also moved some things around, which made the room look a bit bigger. Today I need to clear my beady stuff from the living room. Then I should have the space for the Christmas tree, which please A immensely.

I'm also doing something else I don't usually do. I'm making changes (not resolutions) for 2008. 2007 has not been the best year. T-man believes it is because I swerved slightly from what the universe directed. He keeps pointing out that when I do what makes me happy (rather than what I think people want me to do) my work is better and more profitable. It's not that I do this to make money, but those darned kids have to be fed on a regular basis! Anyway, more along this line throughout the week. I just got a call from T-man and must rush something to him at the office. Stay warm wherever you are and have a peachy-keen day!

It's a Miserable Day in the Neighborhood

Yuck. It's wet and windy and cold. Yes, I know we need the rain, but why must we always get six month's worth at one time? I spent a week near Cancun one summer. Every morning you could watch the rain come down the shoreline from Cancun on its way to Belize -- a nice, gentle rain that lasted for 15 minutes every day. It was nice, it was soothing. Of course, it wasn't a hurricane, but that's another story.

If you are inclined to surf today, check out The Impatient Blogger and her tales of artistic mistakes. Be warned -- her potty mouth is as bad or worse than mine! But it's a great read.

I've been asked about the new medication. Well, life is rosy with no little aches and pains. But I've developed my own type of ADHD. I cannot stay focused on any one thing for more than half an hour. This is totally bumming me out, folks! So far, all the other side effects are surmountable with a bit of time, but not this. It sucks canal water!

Saturday, we went in search of a rumored air show at the New Braunfels airport, only to find nothing going on. So we drove into NB and ended up at the Market Days in Gruene. May I say that I do not miss doing shows like that? Nope, not at all. And the Gruene show is juried, but it's still the same A&C.

I am going to try to get something beady done today, or something photographed and listed on Etsy. I've got seven pairs of earrings I made before I started the new medication. They are fabulous, and just waiting for their debut. I have no idea why I can't just get it done. If anyone has any tips, let me know! So long, farewell -- at least until tomorrow.

Do you get beady eyed?

You know what I'm talking about. You've beaded so long that your eyes are crossed and teary? Or you are suddenly no longer able to see the big screen TV, but you can easily focus on the size 15 seed beads on your needle? Yup, you are beady eyed! Please feel free to join the club!

The necklace I'm working on decided it liked a beautiful porcelain bead I had rather than the one hubby made. That's okay. The necklace will still be stunning and I have a new plan for the special bead he made. And yes, the piece is predominantly green. I have joked with the hubby that if I had spent all those years selling nothing but purple and green beads, I could have made a mint!

"Okay, you're gonna love this one. A Dachshund, a Poodle and a Great Dane go into a bar . . . "

Well, I've been asked why I didn't finish the joke. You see, Oliver was telling it when he was suddenly distracted by a cat. He never got to the punch line.