Sylviebead Journal

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!!

I SO needed a Friday this week.

It's not been a week that seemed long, but it just seemed BIG. I have no idea if that makes sense to anyone else, but me... but it's MY blog (and ONLY my blog so if it only makes sense to me...that's ok.... please feel free to sing along if you've heard me sing this song before) It wasn't a hugely stressful week, although, for some reason, almost every Thursday in my life seems to have SOMETHING stressful and yesterday was no different.

Thanks a lot Keith... I blame you for my Thursdays being stressful. You call them "stress free" and it jinxes them every single time!!! LOL

So, it was a full week, and I'm looking forward to a weekend... a deep breath, a rest, some free time, some play time... a few days of :)

The boys are out of school on Monday so it's an extra bonus good weekend. We'll have some extra playtime on Monday!!

I'm not planning on having any real beady stuff going on this weekend, so I really should end the beady blog here, but have a couple of other things to say bead-wise.... ok, more than a couple...

I am SO blessed by the people in my life who have encouraged me to get back into beadwork/beadmaking. I just want to say a big public thank you.

1. I'm SO thankful for my bead cheerleaders who listen to my ideas (good and bad), who give me feedback, who commiserate with me and encourage me. I truly appreciate you guys (and I think you know who you are) and I hope that I'm the same support to you all. We've been doing this lots of years together and it's good to have people with that common life experience that "get it" So... thank you Melissa, Karen and Marcy. I know there are others, but the 3 of you have really been a big help lately. Thank you!!!

2. I'm thankful for Ginny, who is going to make my life easier...and prettier! I'm very excited about this... more later.

3. I'm thankful for Say... who is my partner in crime... my receptionist, my editor, my motivator, my facilitator and the sparkle! :)

4. I'm thankful for my new group of "fans" who encourage me as I help them find their own voices. I don't think you all know that you're as good for me as you are. Thank you bunches!

5. I'm thankful for my re-connection in the past weeks with my many bead friends who I haven't talked to in 2 years. I've missed you guys and it makes me smile to "see" you again!!!

6. I'm thankful for my customers who have e-mailed me for 2 years straight wondering where I was and when I'm coming back...telling me stories of how my work has been meaningful to them. I save those e-mails and they really have been inspirational. Thank you.

7. I'm thankful that I have GREAT bead people in Atlanta. I'm spoiled and forget sometimes the "old days" when we had to walk 3 miles up-hill both ways to get glass...let alone talk to other beadmakers. I can't BELIEVE how lucky I am to have a great glass supplier like Flametree Glass 10 minutes (or less) from my front door. How lucky am I???? (their website is www.flametreeglass.com and if you haven't bought from them before...their prices are great and they are GREAT people too!) And the fact that we have an active glass group in Atlanta is just as exciting (www.southernflames.org)

8. I'm thankful for my NON beady friends that don't "get it" at all, but cheer me on every step of the way listening to beady stuff when they have no clue what I'm talking about, but not just saying "uh huh" really listening and encouraging. Thank you Cassie, Denise, Jenny, Keith.... and I'm sure others that I'm skipping.

9. I'm thankful for my mom and dad who a lot of times don't "get" the bead thing, but are supportive both emotionally and financially and have helped me keep going even when I didn't think I could. I know I can't ever pay you back, but I want you all to know how much I appreciate you. I love you!!!

10. I'm thankful for my kids who are my biggest beady cheerleaders. They know how much I love being an artist and they really encourage me by telling me how proud of me they are. They also get that it's more than art...it's a job and they support me with that as well. Griffin is always telling me that he wants me to do it full-time again. I don't know that I'll be at that point again, but maybe...and it's good to know that they understand that it IS a job...not just a hobby, as some people think of it. I think Harrison's mothers day card from 2000 says it all "I love my mom because she makes us beds to get us money" The kid "got it"... he couldn't SPELL it, but he got it. :)

11. The biggest... I'm thankful to God who gave me hands that can make things and a brain that can't stop thinking of things for my hands to make. I love that I was given a gift of creation. There are lots of great gifts that he gives, but what I am able to do creatively is something that I'm blessed with and I'm truly thankful for it.

ok... I know that sounded like an Oscars speech, but I needed to say all that here. Most of these people don't read my blog, but it's a good thing to say things and not just think them.

Thank you everybody!!! (because there are those of you I'm sure I missed and if you're reading this, you probably fall into one of my categories)

tiny blah blah blah...

Today's coffee is sponsored by Sam... who hopes that Rich finds his face! (thanks for the coffee Sam!!!)

coffee - CDL - extra hot so that it wouldn't cool off in the 13 degree weather on the way to work! brrrrrr it's cold in Atlanta today!

music - the long fun list which doesn't have a name yet. I just listened to Midnight Train to Georgia and now am listening to Family Affair by Mary J Blige... "Let's get it crunk...." (I have no idea what crunk really is, but I love this song!) I'm looking forward to some New Edition in a little while! LOL