Beads!

My soup came! The box of beads was waiting for me when I came in the door. I love boxes of beads.

Vintage glass, fresh water pearls, a toggle clasp, just enough seed beads and, oh my stars, this:

Tina told me that it was from a souvenir spoon that she flattened and drilled. It's going to make a lovely pendant and I already have an idea for the necklace. What did I send to her? I'm glad you asked.

She actually got two soups. One is built around rose quartz and the other around an ammonite and some jaspers and agates. I will provide more details on everything later. I can't wait to see what she makes. I also included a little pair of earrings I made just because. Those are niobium, copper, mookite, and glass.

And the sweetest picture this week:

Luke had a big welcoming reception when he got home. It is just too sweet how his big brothers can't stop touching him and kissing him. I really didn't want to leave but I'll be going back again soon.

Love Your Earrings!

Do you fret because you can't buy those lovelies you see at your local craft fair or art show or simply on Etsy? These will be in my shop soon.

The earrings to the right are a favorite pair with a lime green (bad photo) magnesite ball, a Vintaj brass drop and Vintaj brass ear wires. I am loathe to part with them. They  have a matching bracelet. Yes, in the Etsy store soon.

I consider myself lucky as I can wear just about any metal with no problem. HOWEVER, I realize that a lot of my customers simply cannot wear anything other than sterling silver. Some cannot even wear sterling. I have found a temporary solution for you at One Good Thing by Jillee, which is a great blog full of homemade goodness from cooking to cleaning.

Here's the link to a simple remedy to keep your sensitive ears sensitive but still wear those cute earrings you've been eyeing. No you have no excuse - go forth and shop!

  

Feeling Overwhelmed

Google's definition of overwhelm: verb

past tense: overwhelmed; past participle: overwhelmed

1. 1.

   bury or drown beneath a huge mass.

I found this photo in multitudinous places all over the Internet. Try as I might I could not find a source to credit it to. As I read on one of those places, trying to locate the source was in itself a little overwhelming.

Yes, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I think I have put too much pressure on myself, which is not unusual for me to do. I'm also a little disorganized right now. A photo of my studio would be just downright embarrassing.

I have lots of ideas spinning around in my head. Sometimes grasping just one seems, well, overwhelming - kind of like pulling one thing out of a tornado. Overwhelming to say the least.

When I was studying nutrition a couple of years ago I took a stress management as one of my elective courses. One thing we were taught is that, contrary to popular belief, multi-tasking is stress inducing and can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed. I a good article on Psych Central that had some useful words of wisdom.

So my question for you today is: How do you overcome feeling overwhelmed, whether in beading, jewelry making, art, or just day-to-day existence? Remember, inquiring minds want to know.

Sweet Bird Earrings Copyright 2011 Theresa Buchle

Don't You Think You Deserve Flowers?

Sunflowers Earrings
Sunday, February 3, 12:30 - 4:30

I thought so.

The Spirit Is Willing . . . .

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41

Yeah, that's right - a quote from the Bible on my page. I read that this quote actually pertained to high goals set by one's self or, in the Biblical sense, high morals and often the inability to live up to said goals or morals. I'll go with goals. I set so many for myself that at times I get a bit overwhelmed.  I'm in that place right now -- too many irons in the fire. You know what I'm talking about - for every two steps taken toward that goal the backslide is at least one step if not more. Then frustration sets in, the flesh falters, and everything goes down the hole.

So today, I'm going into the studio looking for that one thing to create that will give me some sense of having attained a lofty goal. I've got a bracelet started for the child but it's a multiple day project. Scratch that off today's list. I've got owls to hang - about 36 of them. That might work. Oh wait a minute - there are two pair of custom earrings for my BFF. Yeah! That will work. I can crank those babies out in no time. Yippee!

But then what?

More Giveaways!

Did you think I'd forgotten? Nah, I was just waiting. And yes, I need to put together my own giveaway -- I have not forgotten that, either. I just need to be able to get to some of the stash (Jennifer asked about a destash giveaway, and since I won the earrings from her I thought that might appropriate).

Beverly Herman is giving away a lovely bracelet created by none other than herself. If you've never seen Bevvie's work in person, you are missing out on some great eye candy.

Lorelei is having the fourth Green Girl Studios giveaway. There is still time to enter and win beautiful beads and charms.

And this chart from Fire Mountain Gems is just too handy. Download it as a .PDF to keep on your computer. It's FREE! (that makes it a giveaway!)

I'm working on a kit I bought a couple of years ago from Beads East a couple of years ago. I felt like learning a little something different and honing old skills. I've got four new pair of earrings to take photos of and put in the Etsy shop, but *gasp* it is cloudy and RAINING today! And while this is a welcome change (it MIGHT get to 90° today), it makes for poor photo ops. Oh well! Rain, rain, rain! If my knee were healed a little more, I might go do a dance in it! Bead on, beadlings!!

Friday Fun Stuff

Digital eye candy here. Just when I think I've found a favorite, something else pops up!

I found this while reading Jennifer's blog. What a cool way to see yourself on the World Wide Web. Here is my digital history. Click on the picture to see full size:



Everyone's favorite catalogue must be J. Peterman, right?

And I'm wishing I had one of these right now. How cool is this? We should all channel our inner artistic child!

Well, beadlings, my physical therapist worked me pretty hard yesterday and I'm feeling every minute of his visit. Today I'm knitting baby wraps for the boys. I'll keep putting earrings together and I'll bet I take a nap in just a couple of hours. I'm really ready to get back to my original work style but I can't push too hard, lest I backslide. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Quickness!

Short blog for you today. Pam sent me an email reminding me that I had not updated! I do apologize. All is well with the clan. Natalie is home on bed rest after a short hospital stay. Both babies are fine with good strong heart beats and they have started kicking. Her due date is still Christmas day, but Thanksgiving babies may be more of a reality.

I'm still trying to come up with a giveaway to celebrate my own win. I cannot wait to see my new earrings in person.

Today means more doctor's visits. Surgery is just five days away. I've got lots of strengthening do to between now and then. Ugh -- I hate that part of all of this, but I'm burning those calories! Have a great weekend.

I Won! You Know What That Means . . .

Do you remember the fabulous earrings and pendant bead that Jennifer at Glass Addictions was giving away? Well, yours truly won those fab earrings! So, in the spirit of paying it forward, I'll have to come up with a giveaway of my own. Destash? Earrings crafted by me? Peyote pattern? Scissors fob? Give me some ideas please.

I've got Ariel and the neighbor girls hooked on making earrings now. It's great. I took them all bead shopping yesterday (exhausting!). They made GREAT choices in beads. Then I taught their mom how to make the wraps on the eye pins and head pins. We made four pair here, then she went home to finish them up. I'll get her to bring them over, and this time I promise the pictures will be better.

I have my visit with the bone wizard today. If (IF) my blood pressure is down, the surgery is still schedule for the 12^th. If not, then we look at the 19^th. In the meantime, Natalie has been put on bed rest until the babies come.
(Mom)"Do you want me to teach you how to knit or crochet or cross stitch?"
(Daughter)"No, I don't want to do those things. I don't want to be in bed
(Mom)"You'll need to do something so you don't get too bored."
(Daughter)'heaves great big sigh'

Later that same day:
(Daughter)Maybe I should learn how to do those things. Then I could make things for my babies later.
(Mom)'secret, happy smile'

Wish me luck, beadlings! I'll come up with a giveaway for you in the next couple of days. YOU! Yes, you -- keep beading on.

What Did You Do On Sunday?

Me - "Okay, you can make three pair of earrings each."
Them - "THREE?"
Me - "Three. And these are the beads you can choose from."
Them - "OMG!"


Ariel - "I like these!"
Katie - "I think I like these!"

And now you know what I did on Sunday! Fun, fun, fun!

Everything Is Peachy Keen!

I'm busy adding items to the Etsy shop this week. That means lots of work with the camera, which is nothing but frustrating for me. Oh well, I'll get over it. There is just so much to photograph! I've been very remiss and have ignored my little enterprise for way too long. These are my Peachy Keen Earrings, now available.
I've also added the $5.00 tutorial for my Fields of Gold Bracelet, aka Wild Blue and Purple Haze. To those of you who have responded, thank you so much for your comments and support. When it comes to things like this, it's nice to know we all really do stick together. Beaders and jewelry designers rock! ♥

Oh Happy Day

This is my happy face self-portrait. No, I am not an artist but I like to play. Why I am I this happy? Read to the end of the blog (no, don't skip or scan, read the blog).

I have two new blog links to share with you. First is the lovely Lisa Peters. I've got four items from Lisa, which will all be put to good use in the following months. Second is the marvelous MaryLou Holvenstot. And I would not know of either of these two ladies without my cyber friend Carol Dean Sharpe. I got to meet Lisa in person at Bead & Button, but missed MaryLou -- our paths just never crossed. As for Carol Dean, we're working on a face to face. These are three very talented ladies and I'm very glad to have made their acquaintance, even if it is only virtual. Have you hugged a cyber friend today?

I still have earrings screaming to be made but I also need to do MASSIVE house cleaning! It's really too bad I can't do both.

Your mission for the day: Check out the web site and blog links I've provided for you. There are some giveaways, some art news, some great tutorials and lots of inspiration. Take a few minutes and surf.

I now have pants that can be removed without use of button/zipper. And Clara will be coming soon to take new pictures. Okay, enough personal stuff.

Oppressive Heat!

The heat index yesterday in downtown Austin, where I was spending the afternoon, was 107°, which is odd since the outside thermometer on the car read 106°. I felt every degree of . . . . well, you choose one of them. Today will be the same. And the breeze out here is straight out of the south and hot and dry. Did I complain about the cold a few months ago? If I did, I take it all back. It's hard to believe that just a few days ago I was in a blustery 45° with rain in Milwaukee! I do believe it sent my entire system into shock!!

I think that today I will sit inside the cool house and make some earrings. Maybe I will take some photos. I went through the pictures of the Bead and Button road trip. Some of them are usable, most are not. Obviously, I do not know how to correctly use a camera. *sigh* I want a new one so badly, but I'm thinking I may have to take lessons when I get it!

Question: How do you keep cool when you are creating? I have a small, directional fan that I set up to blow directly on me. I'd just curl up and die without it.

Whatever you do, wherever you are, I hope you keep cool today.

Event On The Horizon

Carol and I leave for Milwaukee on Monday! I cannot believe it's that close. I better make a list of things that need to get done so I don't forget anything. I'll try to take the computer and hopefully I'll be able to type a little each evening. Actually, I'm hoping we are so busy that we barely have the energy to fall into bed each night and drag ourselves out again the next day. I really, really want Carol to go home with a MUCH lighter load (and not just because it's less to pack up).

As for the jewelry, I'm going to attempt to finish a necklace I've started, but I'm not sure there will be anything else I can get finished before we start selling. The earrings have garnered lots of compliments when I have worn them. I absolutely love the ones made with the vintage Chanel chain (tease, tease, tease). By the way, we will be in booths 746,748. Look for Jeweled Treasures on your program.

Thunderstorms are getting closer. Of course it is raining in Austin, which is where I'm headed this afternoon. Bah! It figures. Oh well, I don't melt -- I must be a good witch, huh? Later, beadlings!

Lots Of Words And A Few Pictures

First there is the necklace made from goodies from Carol, modeled by my darling Natalie. Just so we are clear, I don't do wire and chain work. This is made with a Vintaj bronze hook and ring clasp, two types of bronze chain, 20g wire in vintage bronze (wire wraps by yours truly), some beautiful glass rose beads (she has these in several colors!) and a flower which adorned a bracelet in a previous life (there are quite a few of these in the booth). She even has all the tools you need to create your own wearable work of art. I'll be wearing this next week at the Bead and Button show. I'm making another pair of earrings today (in addition to two pair I have already made -- pictures next week) and I'll lay out another necklace to be put together this weekend.

Changes! Okay, no changes here yet but changes in ME! Yes, me. Be prepared for what happens next. I want you to be sitting down and not have anything in your mouth. You know how I dislike pictures of myself, but here you go:

This picture was taken by Clara back in March. Yuck. That is NOT me. That woman CANNOT be me. Then we went looking at bridesmaid dresses Wednesday and Natalie shows me what she wants me to wear at the big celebration next year. Oooookaaaaay. Hmm. Add to all this a visit with the doctor yesterday and changes are going to be made. I found these Ezine articles, which I absolutely love. You would not believe what a difference it has made to just tell myself that this is going to be done and it can be done. I feel like the Not-So-Little Engine That Could. So, you'll get a new picture of me every month. What did T-man say? He said "Good. I can't wait until we can get back to doing things we used to love to do." Crap. He had that "let's go rock climbing" look in his eye. Do you think it's like riding a bicycle? And bicycles! He wants to ride bicycles! So, here I go getting back down to my fighting weight and I have until November 2010, if not sooner. And no, I won't tell you how much needs to come off. You'll just have to check the pictures each month. And you know how I love moral support, so lay it on me! And I hear you over there, wanting to know what miracle I found. Nope, no miracle and I'm not deluding myself into thinking this is going to be easy. It's going to be a lot of hard work and a totally different way of thinking.

It's apparently a holiday weekend (my days just run together, you know) so I want you all to have a nice, relaxing time and be safe! Oh, and work in some beading while you're at it!

Such A Boring Day

According to my calendar, today I need to do some paperwork. It's nothing big or dire, it's just things that need to be done. I need to update the calendar some more, write a class description, update my resumé/bio, and fill out a proposal or two. It sounds like such a little bit, right? Ugh. I mess around and take my time because I hate trying to describe what we're going to do when it's so much easier for me to show you, I hate tooting my own horn, and class proposals bring out all of my insecurities.

Speaking of insecurities, I did two small paintings this week. Of course, my family sings their praises and I don't even have to pay them to do so! The first one was getting used to the canvas and paints. It looks like it was done by a five-year-old. The second is okay. After paperwork today, I'm going to try sketching out a design for the next one. Why am I painting? A friend talked me into doing paintings for her apartment models after she found out that I like to play with paints and I said yes. The canvas that frightens me is the 36"x36", although I have definite idea of what is going on it. Let's just say I am a hack and leave it at that. But hey, I'm sitting here watching a guy make a pineapple in a shadow box using duct tape, a glue gun, caulk, and paint, using a pencil to texture the paint. It actually looked like a pineapple when he finished. Obviously, I am not pushing myself enough.

I also made two pair of earrings this weekend, which just goes to show what happens when I'm intently procrastinating. But according to the calendar, photo day is Friday this week. And yes, I've got something specific scheduled for every day this week.

Now on the Pay It Forward Prize Front, you are still not there. However, someone is very, VERY close. T-man says I'm being too vague in my hints. Well, it's not a palette I use very often, it's not the colors in the prize package, and it is pretty much a brand new crayon in my box. Even if you have already guessed, give it another go. Here is a BIG hint: look at my Etsy store for a clue.

I'm off! (Most of you already know that.)

Tweaking

No, no, not the illegal kind -- the obsessive compulsive perfectionist kind. I realize that the web site and the blog may appear to be finished, but no, they are not. There is still tweaking to be done, little things to be added. And then there are other places on which to place my brand (thanks, Margot!). But, alas and alack, today is Monday. Bleck, patooie, yuck. And it's foggy, damp and cold again after such a beautiful weekend. Yes, it's true -- rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

What should I be doing? Making a new page somewhere, adding new items somewhere. What do I want to be doing? Sleeping, reading, watching bad movies. What will I do? Hmmm . . . I hadn't really gotten that far. Last night was one of those nasty insomnia trips, so I'm a bit foggy today. I'm thinking I should get busy with some repurpose, revamp, renew, reuse earrings and necklaces that I want to remake and put up on Etsy. And that will occupy me for about an hour. *sigh* What am I avoiding with everything I've got? Organizing the studio and cleaning the house. Oh wait, I can't pull the wool over your eyes! Y'all know I don't clean house! *snort* Go back to yesterday's post about the end of the world! Hah! Me, clean house! It is to laugh!! Dust bunnies rule!

I need minions.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow

I won't be here tomorrow. T-man has a tank delivery waaaaaaay up north near Fort Worth. He does not like to take long drives by himself. Right now, he is probably on his way back from Lake Buchannan -- just a hop, skip and a jump away. Anyway, he asked if I would ride with him tomorrow. I said yes, fully cognizant of the fact that I will have to haul my fat butt out of bed at (as Anne T says) 0:dark:30. I'll take something to read and something to bead. Oh, the things we do for love.

Today I'm going to take some pictures for the Etsy shop. I've neglected it lately and it is feeling sad and lonely. Okay, not really, but I am feeling a bit guilty since I have a tray of fabulous earrings that need to be sitting there in the "shop" and not on the coffee table. I also need to redo some of the current photos and get some holiday specials up there. And I have an order of patterns to mail, since the printer finally decided it would start working again.

By the way, it is FREAKING cold out there. See? It's so cold I can't even use the word I prefer. I took A to school this morning and the thermometer said 31!!! On the upside, it's not raining/sleeting/snowing.

I leave you with a suggestion to read Clara's comments on yesterday's post, Fan Club Blues. My dear friend Clara definitely has a song for every occurrence! Adieu, mes amis! Au revoir!

Monday, Monday

Ya'll are so cool! Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that you actually come read my blog!

There was a time, not so long ago, when the days of the week just kind of melded together into one big blob and I never knew what day it was without asking. It wasn't drudgery that caused this. It was constant bead work (not to be confused with beadwork) without breaks. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. But I have never, ever liked Mondays. I have always thought three day weekends would be wonderful. I could easily start my week with Tuesday. But then would the Mamas & Papas actually have written "Tuesday, Tuesday"?


Today, I'm shipping off patterns and hedgehogs. Then I am finally putting projects together for the angels. Sorry ladies, last week was pretty much a wash. I have not forgotten you. AND I must take more photos for the Etsy shop and the website. I will also take a photo of the earrings I made for myself (yes, moi). Who knows what other mischief I'll get into. Maybe yoga, maybe yogurt (I haven't had breakfast yet).

And it's supposed to rain most of the day. After all, today is Monday, right?

Wasted Day

Okay, maybe not an entirely wasted day. I had an appointment with the rheumatologist this morning. Keep in mind that we live smack dab in the middle of Nowhere, so any specialist is pretty much in Austin. Except for this one who is in New Braunfels. She was the only doctor treating fibromyalgia that I could find without having to drive all the way to San Antonio. My eyes have suddenly begun to blur and I cannot even look at the TV without my glasses on. This has been very troubling to T-man, especially since the wonderful medication she put me on specifically for the fibro has a tendency to affect your eyes in a very bad way but, I found out today, only in very high dosage. Long story short, that medication is not the culprit (thank the stars above). But T, you might ask, what is causing the blurry vision?? Well, I'll tell you ---- it's the wonderful INEXPENSIVE medication she put me on to help me sleep. *sigh* The upside is that I'll be able to see again in a few days and perhaps get back to what I love to do, which was rather difficult lately. And she did give me samples of something new and we'll see how it goes.

I was hoping to put some more earrings in the Etsy shop, but it may have to wait until Friday. I am taking A to the doctor tomorrow. She has a very bad cough and it's keeping her up at night, poor baby. And she's miserable. Fortunately, this doctor is in Buda, which is much closer, but I will still feel like I've wasted an entire day doing things other than beading.

Don't you hate it when real life interferes with your fun??