Sylviebead Journal

Tuesday Blues (and blacks and whites)

I made beads AGAIN last night!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

*** warning: now that I'm making beads again, lots of terminology that I use in my blog will make no sense to non-beadmakers. If you see a word that you don't understand, please look it up or try to do what the kids in school do - use the words around the word to help you define OR just skip over it because in your world it really doesn't matter one tiny bit!!!*****

back to our show...

After talking to a friend, I decided to focus on an area that would be marketable when I'm ready to sell and that's jewelry. It's easier to sell jewelry than beads because more people know what to do with a pair of earrings than they do loose beads (makes sense, huh?)

So, I concentrated on jewelry oriented beads (which are not that exciting to make, but good practice for me) and stuck to a palette of blues and blacks and whites. They turned out cute. I have to get a new charger for my bead camera because I can't find it anywhere. Once I do, I'll post pictures of what's coming out of the kiln in the mornings.

ANYWAYS...While I was working child number 2 (how's that mom?) came in and wanted to know why I wasn't making mermaids (for those new to this blog, I was sort of "known" for my mermaid beads...sort of my trademark bead). I tried to explain the concept of marketing to him, but he wasn't going for it. Apparently he did NOT help me clean my studio (for all of 10 minutes) for me to be making anything other than mermaids. And not just ANY mermaids... he was NOT pleased with the mermaid I made on the first day because it wasn't the one HE wanted me to make (even though it was super cute!!). He wanted "the old mermaids" (the ones that have no faces).

I purposefully learned over the years with lots and lots of hard work how to put tiny faces on my mermaids. It's what sets them apart from the other mermaids out there now... but he is not happy with those. He wants the old-school faceless ones. SO I asked him what colors he wanted it to be. He gave me his order and then left me to work.

Unfortunately, I wasn't ready to tackle one of those last night and as I got to the end of the bead, when I was shaping the tail, I heard that horrible little sound... the crack of thermal shocking glass. I can feel it in my hands as it happens... the vibration of the crack. I couldn't SEE a crack anywhere, but I knew it was there....down deep against the mandrel. I knew that I had so much surface decoration done that trying to heal the crack would ruin the bead. It's not sell-able, but child 2 will still be happy with it.... hopefully. Otherwise, he'll send me back to make a new one tonight!!

And I WILL be making beads again tonight. I'm taking Karen's advice and making myself make ONE bead a day. Of course we all know I can't just make one, but I can definitely commit to that... making one bead a day. I just have to find a way to balance the schedule so that I can be mom, run a house, work a full-time job and still have some time to spend time with friends and relax.

That was something that was missing in my life before... the spending time with friends and relaxing. I loved what I did, so it wasn't torture, but I worked way way way too hard to support our family. I didn't allow myself down-time. I still have to be that financial stability, but I know now how important the free time is. How I will balance my want of making beads when there are no kids around (and financial necessity of it) with wanting to relax and be social is not something I have answered yet.

Maybe I should only date beadmaking men. Then some of my social time could be spent making beads!! Please consult your facebook friends lists for appropriate candidates. (I'm totally kidding. Unless there are great catches on your list... no, still just kidding!)

I'll keep you posted on how my social life is progressing with the addition of beadmaking. (NOT!)

I WILL keep you posted on whether I'm making beads, my creative journey and if I'm finding some balance with everything. How's that for a compromise??? You can consult other blogs if you're needing that social life of the single girl fix!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee today - Cinnamon Dolce Latte made by Omar my favorite barista!!

music - Alison Kraus. A mix of all of her stuff on my ipod. BUT now I'm switching to Sara Bareilles because she's this week's Song of the Week. I'm going to Nashville November 2nd to see her perform at the Ryman!!!

What I'm reading - New Moon by Stephenie Meyers. SUCH good books! I'm not as totally into this one as I was Twilight, but it's still good and I'm still dying to find out what happens!