Ho Ho Ho Merry Wednesday!!!!!

It's Christmas at my house... without the tree, or the presents, or the lights....

but I DO have ornaments... well... pieces of ornaments, that is! I'm cranking out the components that go into my Christmas ornaments and will be assembling them in a few weeks after all the components are made.

What am I making??? Here's a picture of one of them... it's kind of fuzzy, but at least you get a picture.... right???!!!The picture is quite small, but for me, this is a pretty large piece. It's the largest of the ornaments and is about 5" long. I'm having fun making the different polkadot beads.... just because it's play-time and I can put them in-between the making of more complicated pieces like angel faces and jesters (there are also angelic versions in softer less-traditional Christmas colors). And several styles/sizes of ornaments. They're so cute!!! (if I do say so myself).

So... back to making things.... see ya tomorrow!


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee today - Dr. Pepper instead

music - Christmas playlist made by I-Tunes genius. Right now I'm listening to Bette Middler "What are you Doing New Year's Eve" (and the answer SHOULD be... "Going to Sylvie's Retreat!!")

Tis the season to wear UGGs in the studio.

It's cold cold cold in the basement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, the basement itself isn't cold... I don't need a coat, BUT my feet get freezing and then I can't warm back up again.

SO.... UGGs are the required footwear during the cold months. They're not the prettiest shoes, but they do their job.

Thank you Mr. Ugg wherever you are!


other bead-related non-shoe related stuff...

Still beading Head Over Heels Queen of Hearts... she's turning out OH so cute!

Working on the ring pattern. I do a good job diagramming everything, and this is an EXCELLENT beginner project, but BOY does it take a lot of work to get a pattern done.

Making colorful beads that will be incorporated into my Christmas Ornament Collection. They're turning out quite fun... not my normal stuff.


that's it for today... time to warm up!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - no, but I'm going to have to get some!

music - time for the Christmas list!! I'm grooving with Otis Reding's White Christmas today

Well... I need to write something because I know you're looking to read something (otherwise why would you be here... right??)

It's very busy in Sylviebead world right now. I'm working on Christmas things, trying to finish the Queen of Hearts sample, while at the same time writing the You are My Sunshine pattern.


Multi-tasking? Not really... just switching from one thing to another as necessary. Today I made beads to use in the Christmas stuff I'm doing for quite a while and then rotated to pattern-writing. Later tonight, after a birthday party I'll be back to beading the sample.

See??? That's how my life works when I work for myself. I work a LOT. But I DO have a fun job, so I keep reminding myself of that and reminding myself that taking breaks and days off on the weekend is really ok.

I try not to be a work-a-holic, but when it comes to the work that I love... and doing it to support the people I love... I am. I think there are probably much worse things to be and I am WAY better at balancing fun and work than I was years ago... but work IS fun, so I have to be careful.

Gotta run... time for fun!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - no, it was an iced tea day

music - Taylor Swift right now... christmas music in the studio

Happy Friday again!!

WOO HOO!!! It's finally here!!!!

And it's a ME ME ME weekend!!! I have SO much planned and I'm going to have a great time!

What do I have planned???? Oooooh sorry... that's on a need to know basis only and this is a bead blog, remember??? I DO have one beady thing going on Saturday night. I'm going to watch Heather Trimlett's demo at the Southern Flames meeting. I'm looking forward to that!!

But today... until the kids get home, I'm beading beading beading (re-beading) the legs for Head Over Heels Queen of Hearts.

I'm officially SOLD OUT of the Halloween Head Over Heels! YAY!!!! I'm glad I kept one for myself!!!!!!

The Holiday girls are selling and I haven't even sent out a real mailing yet letting people know about them! I've been putting that off until I could advertise the retreat, just so that I wouldn't have to double email people... I didn't want them to feel spammed. SO I have to hurry and get this girl finished. Which means... no more time to blog!


have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - CDL (i've indulged a lot this week due to the stress of re-doing the project I think)

music - Happy Song Playlist - Beck's Think I'm in Love is playing right now. I love that quirky song! My other favorite play of the day is "Someone to Love" done by the cast of Glee. GREAT song!!!!

Happy FRIDAY!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!! (My friend Jonathan informed me that today is actually Friday and that it's a secret, but I figured that it wouldn't be a bad thing to share that info with you guys... you might be in need of Friday as much as I am this week!!)

SO... happy Friday!!!!!!!!!! It's a special 48 hour version!!!


Today I'm working at the office for part of the day and in the studio in the afternoon. I made some good progress on the re-beading of the Queen of Hearts project,but I have a ways to go still and NEED to get it done asap to get my class publicized. I can only bead so fast though.... and it has to fit into the hours I have available to bead... I'm not a factory and it's harder because I'm beading something I already made AGAIN.

The fun for me is in designing a project... not so much making it over and over again. I know there are people who LOVE that (and I love those people because they buy multiple kits), but I don't... I want to move onto the next thing. This project I have made like 12 times... each with a little variation, but not enough of a variation to make it fun and exciting for me to be ok with re-beading the same one again! Normally I make each project twice... the first time to design it and see if it will actually BECOME a project, not just something I'm making for fun. The 2nd time, I'm writing the instructions.... and those of you who have done one of my projects know how much work goes into my patterns. They take MONTHS to write because they are so heavy in visuals and diagrams... and fun "sylvie-speak"

I'm sure that technical writers would gasp and roll their eyes at my text, BUT my quirky writing style seems to appeal to my customers/students because most of them become repeat customers... buying every project I make.

Can I say once again that I love my customers?????????

(I'm going to get off track of what I intended to write about here, but oh well... I got an email while writing this blog entry that caused the change of subject)

I'm sooooooooooooooooo lucky to have a job where you actually KNOW that what you do makes people happy.. that you KNOW it effects them somehow... be it putting them in a good mood, giving them a creative outlet, WHATEVER. I get positive feedback from people who have bought my work and it is truly gratifying.

I know that most people don't have that in their jobs... they do their job, whatever it is and don't hear something like "thank you for doing what you do or your work has meaning" from the general public like I do. Can you imagine if people wrote emails to their utility companies that said that??? Or to the people who write the manuals for refrigerators???? or to the billing department at Macy's??? or even STARBUCKS Baristas (who are very important) ANYONE in their business life??? I don't think it happens very often.

BUT I'm very lucky to hear from people who love what I do... even if they've never actully purchased something. I have emails that I've saved from people who wrote me during my hiatus to tell me how the art/beading world missed me and the special something I brought to it. That meant a LOT and was definitely part of the driving force that gave me the push I needed to come back.... a non-financial push.

BUT I'm back and people are buying my work again, I'm seeing my customers at shows again... and realize how very lucky I am.

SO... if you are one of those people who made me write this today.... thank you.

And if you are a person who is a friend or family member and reads this because you just want to share in whats going on with me... thank you too because I truly think that the fact that I have wonderful people in my life makes me a happy person with a very rich and full life and that flows into someone else's life through my work.


whoa... that was sort of deep (if it made sense at all!)


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte which I neeeeeeeeded this morning

music - not yet! I need to sync my ipod after all the moving and rebuilding of itunes library that I had to do this week. I lost all my playlists, BUT not most of my music...so that's a good thing!

Kids

Lunch w/ friends

Beads

Kids

(then after they go to bed more beads)

this is my day today in shorthand because I feel like there is too much going on today to blog.


tiny blah blah blah (in shorthand that would be t.b.b.b.)

c - CDL

m - LMP (long mellow playlist)

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

(the screaming kind not the happy relaxed kind)

I'm SO TICKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why am I screaming you ask???? WELL... I'm screaming because I have a bad batch of Nymo. For you non-beady types, nymo is a type of nylon thread used for beading.

Why would I be THIS upset over a spool of thread???

Well, here's why. I have a mountain of size 15/0 seed beads on my beading tray right now. Beads that were in a completely different form at 9:00 last night... beads that were a beautiful little Head Over Heels Queen of Hearts, close to completion!!!!!! Something was wrong with the thread and as I held the piece it pretty much disintegrated in my fingers... beads spilling threads splitting.

It was a beading nightmare!!! HOURS and HOURS near DAYS of work spilled onto my beading tray. I cried.... then I tried to look at it as some sort of "maybe I should use this as an opportunity to do something different" sort of moment that I encourage students to do when things go wrong. "BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!" is what I screamed inside.

SO.... where do I sit today? Having pile of beads ready to be re-beaded FAST so that I can get my project photographed and flyers/emails ready to go out about the retreat.

I'm truly sad about this and truly stressed out over the time wastage... but I have no choice other than take another 2 days to re-do this work. :(

(and please don't send me a message telling me that you hate Nymo... I know people do, but I've NEVER had a problem with it... it's always been kind to me.... but our relationship is on the rocks right now and it has some MAJOR makin-up to do!!!)


tiny blah blah blah

coffee? ohhhh yeah. I might even need a 2nd cup!

music - I'm playing my long mellow playlist...which apparently is NOT the mellow list because I'm listening to Bootilicious and now a Pussy Cat Dolls song.... which are NOT on the mellow playlist. Guess the ipod thought I needed something OTHER than mellow????

Monday Monday Monday.....

Actually, it hasn't been toooooo bad for a Monday.

I had a great meeting with the girls from Beads by Design to talk about the retreat. I've been working on the Queen of Hearts sample over the weekend and more today. I'm making progress... but I wish it would go faster. I need to get pictures taken!!!

I am working on another color palette for the You Are My Sunshine ring. I can't remember if I wrote this before or not (so ignore it if I did). I decided to name the project that because it really makes me happy when I wear it.... and skies have been SO grey around here lately, so it just seemed appropriate since it looks like a Sunflower.

So... must finish samples.... off to bead!

tiny blah blah blah


coffee - CDL

music - audio books. Finished the Sookie Stackhouse book and started a Sophie Kinsella one that I've listened to before, but forgotten most of the story.

Happy Happy Happy Friday!!!!!

My day has started off really great... both my boys are well and at school, so I can actually get some work done today!!! woo hoo!!!!!!!!

THEN I got an email that I was accepted into the Decatur Holiday Marketplace show in December!! Woo Hoo!!!

THEN I looked at the email and noticed my dad's name, which mean that HE was IN too!!! Woo Hoo again!!!!!

I have been working my butt off getting stuff organized for my Georgia bead retreat. I settled on the site that's in North Georgia. Both venues are beautiful and PERFECT for this sort of thing, but the one in GA is closer to home and I think it's going to work best this time (though I'd love to go to the one in TN some time too... it's adorable!)

The official info will be posted later, along with pictures of the projects, but here is the skinny, for now.

December 31st, 2009 - January 3, 2010

Sylviebeads New Years Beads Retreat

Ellijay, GA

Includes 2 full classes (a 1-day and a 2-day), along with all materials for the projects, lodging AND meals while you're there!

I'm still working on the price, but it's going to be VERY reasonable for a class that includes all lodging, food and kits!


I will be posting pictures of the projects as well as more details later, but I was so excited, I had to go ahead and post things!


ok... off to work!!!!! LOTS to do between now and December for the show and even MORE to do for the retreats!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - boy do I need some! I'll pick some up when I go out to get more printer ink... Between patterns and labels, I've been printing like a mad woman the past week and a half!

music - I'm doing audio-books for a bit. I'm listening to the Charlaine Harris Sookie series right now.

Working on the computer today... planning my retreats and writing patterns.

I am getting fairly close to finalizing the Southeast retreat for this winter! I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row as soon as I can so that I can publicize it!

I'm sooooooooo excited about it (I think you could probably tell that since this is the 3rd day in a row I've talked about retreats)

It's going to be a 3 1/2 day retreat EITHER in N. GA or in Eastern Tennessee (I'm leaning towards the TN location because it would allow beaders from places other than GA get there easily AND the venue is fab!). I'll be teaching 2 classes (a 1 day and a 2 day) and there will be lots of free-beading time in the evenings for working on the class projects or other UFOs (un-finished objects).

I've decided on New Years weekend...which is a bit crazy because it's a holiday weekend BUT at the same time it's NOT crazy because there are tons of people who will be off work that Friday AND a lot of women who don't want to spend the weekend watching football (although I'm quite aware that there ARE female football fans and I'll try to make sure there is a TV for emergency use). New Years Eve is my tricky part. I think it will be mongo-fun to have a New Years Beads party that night and actually start things up on Thursday night... BUT I am trying to figure out of that will hurt the class because of people having NYE plans.

Still pondering all these things.

off to work!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - Cinnamon dolce latte on a rainy day!

music - listening to books on tape lately. Starting the first of the Sookie "True Blood" books!

Hello Happy Tuesday People!

I'm happy for many reasons... one of which is that it's NOT RAINING!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!

(but it's going to rain again tomorrow according to weather.com)


I'm recuperated from my quick turn-around trip to Michigan. I've spent this morning researching venues for bead retreats and I'm getting really excited about the whole thing.

I found a location in the Southeast that is PERFECT and is centrally located for GA, TN, SC, TN, AL and even Kentucky beaders. A GREAT place and I'm working on setting up a special retreat called.... (wait for it)....

Sylvie's New Years Beads Party!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I'm the only one who thinks this sounds fun, but hopefully I'm not. I'm planning a 3 1/2 day class beginning on New Years eve, going through the Sunday afterward. The location is a FABULOUS bed and breakfast that is perfect for this... it sleeps 15, each person has their OWN bed (which, as you know is not usually the case at bed and breakfasts), has an INCREDIBLE workroom already setup and ready to go with tables, comfy chairs and great lighting.

I'm going to post more info later, but if you are a Sylviebead girl and want to be the FIRST to make the You Are My Sunshine ring and the first (and only) Head Over Heels Queen of Hearts class, then let me know SOON so that you won't be left out of the loop.

Hopefully this will all fall together and we can have a great weekend!!! VERY excited.

At the same time, I'm looking for a retreat location for my Michigan girls. I've found a couple of possibilities and I'm running them past people on the 'committee' to see what they think.

Lots to do!! PLUS I need to get crackin' and make more Jester beads as well as get started on the new project directions!

so... must go work!!!

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!!! Hope to see you December 31st!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee and no music. a sad state of affaris... must remedy this quickly!

I'm home from Michigan and I'm totally exhausted, but had SUCH a great time and left feeling that I am on the right track. It was really really nice to get validation that I'm creating things that people appreciate... that people want to learn to make.

I have people excited about workshops. I'm excited about teaching again! YAY for my Michigan girls!!!! Luv you guys bunches!!!!! SO I'm now searching for a place to hold our retreat this spring. I'm hunting for the perfect place where we can have a true girls weekend away and spend a few days creating something AND enjoying hanging around with the girls. You guys are SO much fun... it's going to be a blast!!! NOW I just need to write the pattern so that you can have something NEW and exciting to make!!!!

I'm ALSO looking for a place for the Atlanta beaders.... I just haven't quite figured it out yet... but I will! I found a scrapbook cabin that is PERFECT, but it's booked solid other than New Years weekend (which might be kind of fun) and Valentines weekend. The project I was going to teach IS a Valentines project.... I just don't know that I would wait until Valentines DAY to make her!

lots to research... lots of exciting ideas brewing!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - AGES ago... like 6 a.m. I had a Cinnamon Dolce Latte. It was airport Starbucks, which usually doesnt meet my standards, BUT somehow it was really good today!

music - no... just clicky keyboard. :)

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

(not the relaxed exhale kind of "aaaaah" but the Lucy Van Pelt Peanuts kind of "AAAAH!!!")

I have SO much to do before I leave for Detroit and not enough time to do it... PLUS the boys are out of school for a teacher work day... which means even LESS time to do it in!

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

The good news is that I found some special Halloween girls and will have them at the show. I thought I was completely out of Halloween kits, but I have a few really fun and different witchy hats and shoes. Hopefully they'll find the right home in Michigan!

I'll also have the Christmas kits there... the question is how many.

So... off to work!

Happy Weekend!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - CDL but could SO use another one! (but shouldn't since I'm trying to make beads today)

music - a mix of all kinds of stuff this morning from Aerosmith to Guns and Roses.... studio music will be JT or Corinne Bailey Rae.... I need to chill.

Happy Stress Free Thursday!!!!!

So far, so good... and only a few hours left till FRIDAY!!!!!!

I have a ton to do in the next day and a half and I'm busy getting things ready to go to Detroit this weekend to see my favorite bead Divas!!!!!

Head Over Heels for the Holidays is being kitted. The supplemental instruction book is WAY more detailed than I thought it would be, so hopefully everyone will appreciate all the work that went into it. I love love love it!

Here's a picture of the cover... not such an exciting font, but I was going for readable more than cute this time.
But just LOOK at these yummy diagrams!!!!! I'm the bomb!!!!!!! I totally rock the bead-diagram world!!! (I'm laughing at myself as I write this... just making sure ya'll know that.)

Here's a sample from the original Head Over Heels pattern, which is still a part of the current pattern....

And here's a sample from the supplement... I know you can't read it, but isn't it SO CUTE!!!!!??? And you should see the fancy diagrams!!! (can you tell I'm quite thrilled with my own efforts??? LOL)

Ok... off to do some non-beady stuff.


Tiny blah blah blah...

coffee today was a very yummy Cinnamon Dolce Latte

music - Christmas!!!!! I don't know if I ever informed the "studio audience" here, but I finally found Aretha Franklin's Last Snow in Kokomo that was on the elusive Starbucks Christmas Album that apparently never really existed according to Starbucks headquarters people who researched for me. Oh well... I found the song! And today I enjoyed it and my other favorite Christmasy non-Christmas song 3000 miles by the Pretenders. Love that song!!!

Hello blog-reading friends... Happy Wednesday!

It's actually a pretty happy Wednesday. I'm not just saying that. It's happier than Tuesday was for sure!

I wasn't sure if I was going to talk about this or not, but I guess I am... my Tuesday SUCKED!

(so, if you're here because you're one of those people who loves looking at the "car-crash" that my blog can sometimes be... or if you're someone that really revels in other people's bad days... this one's for you.)

I found out yesterday that I wasn't accepted to teach at Bead and Button. There were over 2,000 applicants, so my odds were slim in the first place, but something about the rejection really stung. It hit me WAY harder than I thought it would (and I was expecting rejection... for the record). But the reality of it was more than I could handle yesterday. I don't remember EVER crying about something bead-related. (I'm a major water-works kind of girl... I cry at commercials, sit-coms, books, movies, music, church, friends WHATEVER... but I have never cried about anything art related.)

I've been snubbed at shows by other artists... had my authenticity questioned because a designer told everyone she had made my beads... I was called derivative by the editor of a major bead publication... laughed at in person by customers who said no one would ever buy my Head Over Heels kit because the price was too high...insulted by a customer who questioned the value of my glass work... all sorts of stuff that I could have cried about.... but I didn't.

But this...being turned down to teach at Bead and Button made me cry. big-time. boo-hoo sobs in my car on the way home from the office. Smeary mascara-big-time.

I can't figure out WHY it hit me so hard. I'd been rejected for BeadFest Santa Fe and didn't shed a tear. Sure, I was bummed, but it wasn't the same. For some reason, this hit me where no other art-related thing has.

A few friends said "don't take it personally" and I don't... but I do. I don't take it PERSONALLY... it's not about ME as a person... but I did take it personally as an artist. There's no other explanation for me crying... I took it personally. It was about the stuff I create and the stuff I love. It was the place I WANT to teach the most.... and that's the only reason I can think of that I broke down... I want them to love my stuff as much as I do.... and they didn't.

... and the thought that B&B didn't love it bummed me out in a big way.



But now it's Wednesday ... enough pity party. I just had to write what happened yesterday.

I'm better today.... but thought I'd just say here what I'd been thinking. I'm ready to move on.

tiny blah blah blah

coffee - Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte (CDL)

music - my long mellow list which has gotten longer due to my finding new artists to add to the playlist. My favorite not new, but new to my playlist is Missy Higgins.

Quickie posting...

Busy busy day. In the office this morning... bead making this afternoon and evening. In between, more pattern diagramming (is that a word? looks funny!).

I like the new Adobe Photoshop Elements, but I'm still getting used to it... the tools are in a different place and when I work, I'm sort of on auto-pilot, clicking where I THINK the paintbrush is... and ending up with some new tool that I don't yet know what it does.

I'll get used to it and HOPEFULLY find the new fun things that it can do... but for now, there is a learning curve that I just don't have time for.

Kits are getting assembled, beads are being made and packing is SORT OF starting... but not really. I'm totally bad at packing!!! I do have to ship some stuff to the hotel and need to get it out today so that it can meet me in Detroit. The luggage limitations and hassle have made this a new challenge.

I'm getting into the groove again and it should get easier each time... BUT at the same time, I'm looking at new venues that will have challenges of their own. The more I think on it, the more I am considering doing art shows instead of bead shows (or in addition to bead shows). I know that the percentage of people from the general population that purchase beads is small... and my percentage of bead buyers, those buying high-end products is even smaller. So, I've been thinking that I need to cast a broader net... to be in more shows that aim at the general public, where the percentage of buyers is larger. I don't know how my work will be received in that audience.. or with those juries that accept people into the shows, but I think it's time to consider this more seriously.

This is ONE of the things that has been spinning around in my brain lately. It's also caused me to question whether I would sell jewelry or something else at shows like this. There are WAY too many jewelry booths at every show I've been to lately and I think it would be much harder to be accepted as a jewelry artist. So what do I do??? This is what I've been asking myself lately and what has caused a lot of reflection AND a lot of new creative ideas. It's just a matter of deciding what road I want to take.

I'm excited about the possible paths... it's just that they are all new AND require, in layman's terms, some Research and Development. Most companies have whole department for that... with Sylviebeads... I'm it. I'm everything. I'm R&D, production, travel & transportation, marketing and sales, management, procurement, shipping and receiving, accounts payable... you name it, I'm it. And that is a LOT for one person to handle... especially a creative one that wants to just be the R&D department right now.

Maybe someday I'll be an empire... for now, I'm just a one-woman show! (with some really cute back-up singers who step in and help when I need them)

ok... this was longer than planned. Back to work!!!!!

Have a great day everyone!!! (and hello to the unknown person who likes Gilda Radner... glad you've stuck around!)


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte which seems even yummier than usual!

music - Black Eyed Peas for now.... Jane Austen audio books later!

It's a rainy Monday in Atlanta...

Adobe finally sent out Photoshop 8 for Mac and that made my day! I had things on hold that couldn't be finished without Photoshop and my old version wasn't cooperating... so now I'm back in business.

My Head Over Heels for the Holidays is finally in the storefront and will be with me in Detroit at the Great Lakes Beadworker's Guild Bead Bonanza this Sunday.

It's a long way to go for a one day show... but I love my customers there and they have always been SO good to me, so I'm making the trip and can't wait to say hi to everyone.

ok... short posting... much to finish today...


tiny blah blah blah...

music - no

coffee - no (but I really could use some!)

Well, I've had official confirmation that yesterday's blog posting was a "hot mess."

I knew it was, but just couldn't stand editing the nonsense.

I also tried to explain something to that same reader about what I've been working on and it rendered her confused, so I'm guessing I made the right move in not trying to explain it here.... sometimes it's hard to turn visual concepts into blog postings.

Today has been about non-bead stuff. Tomorrow is "free-play" creative day. I can't wait!!!!!! I have stuff I KNOW I need to be doing, but between the hours of 8-3 I'm going to let myself work on this new stuff without feeling pressured to do something that is marketable. I think this is going to be essential in the upcoming months... having a day that I can CREATE in addition to days that I "make" Hopefully this helps keep artistic burn-out at bay when I'm doing more shows and making more sales. Hopefully.

ok... off to do more non-beady stuff!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee today - Cinnamon Dolce Latte... YUM! Perfect for a chilly morning!

music - missing