Hey! Guess What!

The Etsy store now has instant downloads!

AND you can now use credit cards and/or Etsy gift cards!

AND I am working on adding some new tutorials and some revamped old favorites!

AND I've got a room full of beads just waiting to be made into interesting pieces of jewelry which will go somewhere on the Internet! *gasp*

What's that? What's going on? Well, I'm off my feet for a couple of weeks so I am making the best of it. Stay tuned!

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!

New Link And Giveaway

You know I love giveaways! Check out Sweet Bead Studio. Cindy has redesigned her blog and it rocks, her jewelry is drop-dead gorgeous, and she's giving away fabulous prizes. I love it. Everything on her page is just gorgeous.

I've been drug kicking and screaming into the techno toy age. Next week you can start following me on Twitter as well as Facebook (or click on the Facebook badge at the lower right-hand side of this page). Details to follow. I must run. I need to clean up soem bead mess since Kay and her B-man are coming for dinner and cards tonight, and it's been way too long since we've done that. Have a great weekend, beadlings!

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!

Giveaways And The Prize

WARNING: BIG-ASS LONG POST!
Everyone loves free stuff, right? Well I thought I would put together some beady, artsy, desirable items for you that are free or next to free. Some have little caveats, like posting them on your blog, web site, Twitter or Facebook pages but that's still a pretty darn good deal. I've won several beady things and am never disappointed by what I receive. Beaders and bead makers are very generous people. Some of these are beads, some are jewelry, some are books but all are covetable. Ready? Fasten your seat belts, because here we go:

Art Bead Scene Studio Saturdays offers a weekly giveaway. All you need to do is leave a comment and hope yours is the one randomly drawn. I have won beads from these ladies and let me tell you, they are giving away some beauties! Give it a whirl.

Craft Gossip also has regular giveaways of all sorts. You have to check on a regular basis to see what's up for grabs.

Beaded Zen Designs has Free Jewelry Wednesdays! There are rules, but they're pretty easy to follow. And Nicolette Tallmadge has monthly giveaways.

Sorta Flowering Designs has a monthly give-away. Simply sign up for their newsletter to be entered (click on "About"). Kristi at Coliebug Beads also has a monthly giveaway. She's a sweetheart!

Lorelei is having another giveaway. All you have to do is comment, then commit and follow through if you win. And Bead Happily Ever After has regular giveaways. Be sure to follow the rules!

My beady friend Carol Dean Sharpe is giving away a bracelet simply for coming up with a good name for her new series of work.

Oh wait, I'm having a giveaway, too! You still have time to win!! What will you win? Well, a whole bunch of beads! These are in no way a hint at what bead soup I chose:

You will receive two 30g tubes of size 11° seed bead mixes (some of the last of the Bumble Beads stash), some teeny rose quartz stars, some green pyramids, vintage pearlized glass, a pair of vintage Venitian glass swirly beads in a fab rosy pink, Czech iris beads and a pressed glass mix called Spring Fling. You also receive a little post-it note book, made by yours truly, for jotting down ideas and inspirations. All you have to do is correctly guess which bead soup I chose as my prize from Beverly.

Well, that should get you started on your new giveaway addition. Just call me your enabler, after all I am experienced in that sort of thing. Happy hunting!

You've Got To Love Freebies!

Great blog, great jewelry, great give-away! Go take a peek at Lorelei's blog!

I'm beading. Pictures later. See ya!

Natasha & The Psychic Vampire, or The Saga Of Hot Check Hattie

The story you are about to read is true. It is humorous and it is not so humorous. I, myself, have been the victim of psychic vampires, and when Natasha sent me this, I felt her pain. My encounter left me confused, stumbling, utterly exhausted, and with a migraine that could have killed a horse. It also caused me to spend an extra night in Houston. I'm just lucky GG is such a good friend and put up with me! I've also had similar experiences with bad check writers, and I have been kept apprised of Natasha's trouble and travail regarding Hattie. By the way, the names have been changed to protect the innocent and the not-so-innocent (Natasha and Boris picked the names, not me). Neither moose nor squirrel was injured during this event First, here's a bit of background info on Natasha and her hubby, Boris. They have a tiny little jewelry shop in a city not too far from here. It is an extremely cute little shop, and when you walk into it, you feel the positive energy. Natasha and Boris both make wonderful jewelry, and they are dear friends of ours, plus we have several friends in common. Natasha loves her little shop, even though she keeps threatening to close it up. I know she's curl up and die without it. Here's the scoop, in Natasha's own words:

Hattie came in on Saturday, and tried to get away with only paying the $96.77 and not reimbursing me for the $50 in fees I incurred and the $25 NSF charge. She asked for proof. Yes, I had it. She claimed that she'd been by on five occasions and I hadn't been coming in, claiming she'd even been in on Easter Sunday. I informed her that not only had I not been closed, I arrive at 730am and leave when the building closes. And as for Easter, I was one of the last people to leave the building. I actually stood my ground. Hattie said she would return when she had the complete amount. When I informed her that I would be filing charges with the DA in a week, she said she'd be in Sunday with the cash. She came in early. I was a nervous wreck before she came in. Ten minutes after she left, the negative energy she brought with her and the two months of stress actually made me physically ill. I got a violent episode of what can only be described as motion sickness/vertigo. Boris was so calm, he kept me from panicking. I asked him to close the door until it passed. I couldn't believe it, I'm on the floor behind the counter retching into my trash bin, and customers are knocking on the door wanting to shop. So, we re-open. Yeah! I'm still puking, and customers are coming in completely undisturbed by the site or sound of me. They were so sweet. I'm apologizing for the situation and they're trying to comfort me, offering to buy me water or a Sprite to settle my stomach. My faith in our customers is renewed. We are very blessed to have them all. You would have been so proud, we continued to sell through this two hour ordeal. And, yes, we cleansed the bad energy from the shop. We broke out the entire arsenal, incense, candles and Holy Water. As quickly as it began the motion sickness vanished.

All in all, it was an awesome day.

Poor Natasha. Poor Boris! He is a sweetheart to do all that for her. Yep, Natasha now belongs to that semi-exclusive club called "Victims of Psychic Vampires", also known as "Do I Have Some Kind of Sign on My Back??" I've been a long time member, but didn't realize what was going on with these people until just a few years ago. I just keep getting this image of Natasha down behind the counter with her head in the trash can, customers asking for her only to hear the echo of her voice from the can! Poor baby!

Class on Monday was fine, and the ladies in Georgetown were wonderful, but I was a bit distracted. I had to leave Ariel by herself until T-man got home. Normally this would not have upset me, but she had a fever of 100.1 and severe pain in her jaw. I dosed her with acetaminophen and ibuprofen before I left. Well, we went to visit the doctor today and come to find out she has strep throat. Poor baby, she feels lousy but she has started taking her antibiotics and she'll start feeling better soon. This was the first time she has had her throat swabbed, and she did not enjoy it. There were quite a few duck noises involved.

I birthed a new bracelet pattern with three color ways last night. I also had a great Mother's Day pattern all worked out and my Mac decided to lose power due to a loose power connection. I fixed that, but lost the pattern in the process. Amd now it's time to get back to typing and drawing, which is comical since I can't draw much of anything. It's a very good thing that Word has a draw feature, or I'd be totally screwed! I can't wait to get my Fly Pen this summer, but I can't get it if I don't get off my duff and start making some green, so hasta la vista, babies!

Sunny Day

It is a very sunny day today, as was yesterday. We loaded up some plants and a bit of jewelry and took off, along with Ariel. We stopped by the local feed store. The chickens I want won't be there until the 15^th, and they will be itty-bitty. That gives T-man plenty of time to build their coop and yard, though. It just means that Momma Hen here will have to keep a very close eye on them. Anyway, we had quite a few people stop by to look at the plants and everything else. Ariel drew a couple of pictures. We ended up selling a couple of bracelets and one of Ariel's drawings to a very nice man who was in the process of leaving Texas to go to New Orleans. I hope he does well there. Ariel actually came home and went swimming! It's still a bit too cool for mom, though!

So, today I'm getting things together for my class tomorrow night with the Georgetown Satellite group of the Austin Stitchers. I have no doubt that we will have a blast. And the ladies will be making their calorie free chocolate bracelet! What more could you ask for?

Tomorrow, once I'm finished with my class kits, I start typing my little fingers off. Then, joy oh joy, I get to start counting, weighing, packaging and pricing in preparation for the San Antonio Bead and Ornament Society's Spring Bazaar where I will be doing another trunk show. This time I will have even MORE items than I had in February at the Austin Stitchers' show. Have I mentioned how much I love doing the trunk shows? I am so glad Tracey suggested it. In fact, I'm glad she suggested a lot of things last year! And once I again I beg of you, if you have the replicating technology, please share it with me. I could use another me right now!

Natalie and my niece Brianna will be participating in the Kyle/Buda Relay for Life on May 2^nd. You can see their team page here and you can make donations online. If you check the picture of Natalie from Easter Sunday, you'll see she's wearing her team shirt. The girls started participating in Relay For Life six years ago when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mom just celebrated her fifth year after chemo and she is still cancer free. I also have several friends and relatives who are breast cancer survivors, uterine cancer survivors, skins cancer survivors, and the list goes on. This is a very, very worthy cause, so please consider donating. T-man, Ariel and I will be there, and I'm going to try to get my mother out there.

That's it for today, beadlings. I hope you have had a wonderful weekend. I hope I see some of you at the class Monday night, at Relay for Life, and at the bead bazaar May 3^rd and 4^th. In the meantime, itterasshai. Ki o tsukete!

My Head Is Full Of Mush

Okay, an explanation for that title is probably in order. I have all these fantastic ideas for jewelry, dolls, etc. floating in my brain. Constantly. My brain never seems to stop whirling (and I realize that might sound a bit bipolar). Sometimes I write the ideas down, sometimes they even manifest themselves. But there is so much going on in there that I cannot possibly keep up most days. I don't want to spend all my time taking notes. I'd much rather spend it in front of a pile of beads with needle and thread in hand! So I remain stuck in a whirling vortex, adrift in a sea of ideas, mired in . . . . I think you get the picture.

Yesterday I took KC (who is pretty much a baby beader even though she has strung and she has torched and she has fused) to visit a couple of the local bead stores. I took A with us and we took KC's teenager with us (cute as a button!). My little Miss A is invited to a big b-day party next week, so we picked out some cute, cute beads to make a bracelet for the birthday girl. I got some yummy glass beads (of course) and a few margaritas (no, not the drink) at the wonderful Mica Beads & Jewelry in San Antonio (unfortunately, they do not have a web site). Then off we went back to Austin to my fave LBS. I got some metal components and a few beads. KC grabbed up some Charlottes that were on sale. I have to admit, it's impressive when a baby beader gravitates to charlottes and crystals right off the bat! Then it was off to the book store, where I got my copy of Laura McCabe's new book Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski. And I got a copy of Somerset Studio's Artful Blogging. And basically, perusing those two books will add to the mush that is my brain. *sigh* Maybe I should go attempt to execute something. Ciao!

MAKE YOUR OWN JEWELRY!

Okay, so I was running an errand yesterday and I picked up the current issue of In Style magazine. I get home, open a soft drink, sit down and start thumbing through the magazine. I buy this particular magazine because it's a great way to look at trends in clothing and jewelry. Anyway, I'm kind of scanning the table of contents and I see "Make Your Own Jewelry". CRAPOLA!! Et tu, In Style? I flip through the pages, looking for the dastardly article, expecting to find bead stringing lessons, trying to imagine Angelina Jolie making her own earrings (yeah, right -- in between babies), and there it is. Tips on how and where to remake your old jewelry, as in 10 carat diamond engagement rings from that millionaire's son you met while studying Latin at Brown, antique pink sapphire sorority pins from your great aunt who went to Wellesley, your great-grandmother's pearls, etc. *whew* Breathing a sigh of relief, I go back to enjoying my magazine.

The Onion had an article a while back stating that "80% of the US Populace Now Selling Handmade Jewelry". What it doesn't say is if it is their own jewelry they sell or cheap imports from third world countries. I would guess that 80% is a huge overstatement, but it's possible.

Today I am putting spiders in envelopes and mailing them off!