Sylviebead Journal

Wow! It's Wednesday????

I was SURE it was Tuesday... I've lost a day this week in all its busyness! I'm not sure what exactly I've been busy WITH... but it's involved lots of running around and today really is no different. The kids get out of school early today, so it won't be a normal day once again....

and neither is tomorrow!!!!! I'm thinking that there is going to be a lot of not-normal in the year(s) to come.... or maybe just a NEW normal. I'm trying to think of things differently... not negatively, but from a different perspective that makes them not seem so scary. (this probably only makes sense to me and a couple of other friends, but that's ok)

SO... what's going on in Sylviebead BEAD world...

1. I got the Russian beading book! YAY!!!!! I needed it to start some research for next year's project. It's sort of THIS year's project, but the research/sample/instructions will take many many months, so I don't predict a "launch" until 2010. (if you're reading this and are a Pam's Bead Garden customer/student... please warn Pam that I'll be calling to set up a Diva class when it's ready!!!)

2. I've been making test beads for said project. I came up with a GREAT idea yesterday and need to play with it for a while to figure out the logistics of it. Also need to buy some CZs to try out... I've never used them before, but they would be really cool in this idea I've got brewing.

3. (why am I numbering things again???) I sampled some glass for Flametree Glass that was a weird batch of Dark pink. When I sampled it, I LOVED it... it totally behaved. THEN after I bought a pound of the expensive stuff... it STOPPED behaving. Evil glass! (but pretty)

4. I used a CIM color for the first time yesterday (not the glass from above... a pale purpley/lavender translucent color). Must have a little more CIM glass I think. I HATE that there are all these new crayons that I don't have!!! It's SO tempting. I must be really selective in my choices. (If you are a CIM person and have any must haves or SKIP ITs to share, I'd appreciate it. There are some lovely colors, but if they're misbehavers, I don't want them! Think girly girl... which CIM colors scream SYLVIE!)

5. I'm making heads and feet for Head Over Heels special edition. I'm trying to pace myself for Bead and Button... I don't want to be totally overwhelmed when it gets close to the show and this is what I'm planning as my main product line. The ones I made last night were cute. I also made a couple of mermaid babies. I love making those!

6. I'm not worrying about having enough stock for a big-kahuna show. My goal is "break even" and that's it. I don't expect it to be a great show and I'm not going to knock myself out preparing HUGE amounts of inventory as if it was. I'd rather take a small amount of stuff, have a good representation of my work... sort of like it was "back in the day" when I was just starting to do shows. I'm really back at that point again, so I can't compare to what WAS back in 1999-2004... I have to concentrate on NOW. (and honestly... my stuff is a lot cuter NOW than back then, so hopefully, eventually that will pay off)

7. I'm looking at my body of work from the past and seeing the interesting progressions. Do you other beadmakers ever do that??? Go back and look at the things you've done chronologically??? I've seen a pattern in mine that's really really interesting! During stressful times, my work took on a very peaceful quality... during unhappy times, it looks more whimsical... it seems that I was conveying in my work what I was missing in my life. I have a theory about what the vessel I made on the website was about, but it's more personal than I'm willing to share here... but I'm pretty sure I "get it". It takes being away from the situation to really see these things, so I doubt if I'll recognize anything about my current work until we're past this period of my life... AND now that I've recognized it, it might color things anyways...over-thinking it. I just thought that was really interesting.

8. I need to get to work!


tiny blah blah blah...

today wasn't a coffee day, so I'll save my sponsorship announcement for another day.

music - Sylvie's extra long mellow list that still needs a name. Currently playing Elvis Costello's "Allison"