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!)

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!

And Here It Is Wednesday Already!

My, my, my how time flies when having so much fun. I went to the new ENT doc yesterday. Yours truly has a long uvula. Yep, I have a long one. How many of us girls can say that with confidence? HAH! The sleep study is already scheduled. That should be interesting. Apparently, the elongated uvula is potentially serious, in that it may be blocking my airway at night! Well, we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

And nothing much is happening here. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it's chilly, but it will be quite warm later. Basically, it's good cold and flu weather. I've got some things to do today, so I will leave you with this:

Nothing encourages creativity like the chance to fall flat on one's face. ~ James D. Finley

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!