Swap Tease!

I received my beads from my partner, Julia Gerlach. Next week I'll give you nice clear pictures of what we sent each other. I like to keep things under wraps almost up until time for the big reveal. Let me say once again - it's like she read my mind. She sent my favorite color palette, so y'all know there is a bit of olivene green with some violet in there somewhere.

And yes, I went missing in action again. I won't bore you with the ongoing details BUT if your pharmacy gives you pills that are dyed in wonderful colors, think twice before ingesting as those dyes can have adverse effects. It will get better. At this point I'm trying to figure out how to put them into jewelry. I am positive there is a way.

Hey - March 17, 1:00 - 4:00 - The Bangles in their return engagement at Nomadic Notions!

Two new items were added to the Etsy store. It's not much, but it's a start. And there is more of that on the near horizon along with more beading and more writing.

I'm back!

Must Do

Photo by Lisa Stegall
Two things I must do today. I must start beading the color option samples for Autumn Blooms and I must do my physical therapy exercises. The first entails hunting down those beads I had picked for the two options and the second entails sweat, pain and tears. Both will probably result in a bit of frustration. What I really, really want to do is sit and read, but if I don't use these muscles (both the beading and the thighs), no progress will be made on either front. So, I'm off to hunt down some bits of glass and then set up my little gym. I'll have updates tomorrow. Bead on, beadlings!

Who Lives Inside You?

No, it is not a weird question. It's a very important question. We all have someone living inside us, someone a bit different from the outside persona. Think about it. Is there a part of you that wants to spring forth, a part that you keep tucked quietly away in the recesses of your mind, a part that you firmly believe is just a fantasy? And no, I'm not speaking in terms of personality integration. I will elaborate.

Inside me there lives an artist. She is an artist who paints with watercolors. She paints delectable, dainty tableaux in muted Victorian colors with oodles of blossoms and lace. She paints portraits of elegant women with translucent skin like the one above, and babies swathed in lace christening gowns and little girls with ringlets caught up in huge satin bows. She sips tea out of fine china cups that let the light shine through, and she lives in a loft in Paris and watches the world stroll by her windows that face north, because that's where the best light lives. And she cradles a white Persian cat while she watches and sips and dreams.

Me? I can't draw a straight line. Okay, so maybe I can draw a little. This is one of my drawings. I live in a world littered with tiny bits of glass, and most of my cats are Russian blue or coal black. I work with needle and thread, and watercolors just frustrate me (yes, I gave them a try). My windows face east and west, where I get to watch glorious sunsets. And no one walks down our road, but we do get to hear the coyotes sing almost every night. It's a long way from here to Paris, unless you mean Paris, Texas. I also have a writer who lives in there (I have written and have won small awards), and a singer (once upon a time), and a photographer (I try), a free spirited hippie chick, and a gypsy queen who dances in the moonlight (did that, too). They all get along quite well, not that I'm talking to my other identities or anything.

My point is this. If I did not have all those other creative personae screaming for attention in the back of my mind, would I still have the strong streak of creativity that drives me to do what I love to do? So there, beadlings, is your question for the day.

I am working on a little "thank you" for Miss A, who had to load the car for Mommy and help Daddy set up Mommy's booth at the ASG exhibit and show. She's such a good kid! They are both good kids. Aw hell, let's just throw T-man in there too! I'm a lucky, lucky woman!

Beads and Friends

All the comments from Friday and this past weekend have been answered. If you don't ever read them, go through the posts and check them out. Just click on "comments" below, and feel free to leave one of your own.

I had so much fun yesterday! I love the ladies I bead with. Juls took lots of pictures, and as soon as I get them I'll put them up here and on the web site. I also love seeing the color combos everyone chooses. And this time they were gorgeous.

When we have our little "classes", we also do pot luck. Everyone brings a little something, and there is always a lot of fresh fruit and fresh veggies, which I absolutely love. N was munching on the broccoli last night. But this weekend Gaye brought venison sausage (thanks to her hubby the hunter). YUM! Pam brought homemade soup, and I've got to get the recipe. Again, YUM!. Juls brought pasta salad, which A took for lunch today. YUM! Cat made her tuna salad, which always reminds me of being at the lake. YUM! And it's all healthy and good for us, and we don't even realize it as we're scarfing it up!

The latest on the fire ant saga: The InTice works, just slowly. Now I am fascinated by the ants. To use the InTice, you put little dots about the size of a size 8 seed bead (how's that for relating?) every five to six inches. The ants are just drawn to it. But here's what they do. They drop whatever they are carrying, and go for the InTice. It's like a toddler carrying his little truck, but he sees a ball and the truck is suddenly forgotten. When the InTice is gone, we clean up the tiny piles of crumbs. And now when we open the microwave, instead of there being dozens of ants, there are only three or four. If you tap on the wall of the microwave, they all run away. I kid you not. They run to each other, one ant touches all the others, and then they form a retreat line and out of the microwave they go. Cat says I'm weird. I am just fascinated by this little nature study in my kitchen.

I am organizing this week. If I don't do this, I won't be able to bead anymore as I cannot find everything I need right now. I am also photographing items for Etsy (see the link to the store, over there on the right). And I'm designing. We have a big EGA show in February. That's what this week is. Not very entertaining, is it? Keep in mind that when I organize there are always several "I forgot I had that" moments. Don't worry, the camera battery will remain charged, because we never know what I might find!

I've Been Beading

First, the bad news. Hubby got laid off a week ago Friday. He's been making money doing those little jobs that he loves to do, and he has been working every day. The problem with the odd jobs is that eventually they run out, the economy can change at any time (as we learned several years ago), and they don't offer benefits. Have you ever asked a specialist what his fee is if you pay them cash??? And we won't even talk about tests, diagnostics or procedures or pharmaceuticals. On the up side, he is out looking as we speak.

Me? I haven't slept since the night before he got laid off. I have been beading, though. I bought this beautiful kit from Ann Benson's Beads East. I love the color, loved the technique, and truly enjoyed making them. But they are just too heavy for my ears, so I may end up having to sell them.


Now to the good stuff. You have 24 hours. My favorite three posts will get a free kit for this bracelet. The kit includes enough beads for an eight inch bracelet, crimp tubes, a PLATED clasp (don't argue -- it's free), Beadalon, and full instructions with color diagrams. You will need a size 12 beading needle and Fireline. If you do not enjoy working with Fireline, I will be very upfront with you -- you will be weaving with it.

Please post something other than "I'm sorry to hear about hubby" or "the earrings are lovely". I want true interactive blogging. Here's your topic: What is your favorite color combination and does it work with beads? For example, my favorite color combo is teal and violet. It doesn't work well simply because it is so difficult to find beads in those colors. I do have a wonderful set from Pam, but I must make repairs to the bracelet before I can post it. But I could not find seed beads or Delica beads in those colors, so I had to work the bracelet with iris beads to blend in.

So, what I would like from you, dear reader, is your favorite combo and whether it not it works with beads and why or why not. And winning posts are at my discretion, so be creative and entertaining with your posts to win a free kit for the lovely lavender/green bracelet. BUT you must leave some way for me to contact you via email. I do get a notification that posts have been made, but I will also need you to follow up your post with your own email. Ready, set, GO! Winners will be named tomorrow.

Don't Worry, Bead Happy.

I thought I would take a little break and surf for a bit, and I see that Pam is doing her part to direct traffic this way. She even took time from one of the busiest days of her year to do so! She is truly a good friend. So here's a question --- did you like the sunset picture??

Does a Texas sky get any better than this? This was at 8:00 last night, off our back deck. I love the color play, don't you? Click on the photo to see a larger image.

I'm beading away today. I've got two projects I'd like to have finished by Friday, and one that has been put off that I'd like to get back to. Hasta la vista.