Friday, February 27, 2009

Good News Bad News Friday...

The good news is I don't have strep throat!

The bad news is that my kid does AGAIN. The meds didn't kick the last bout 2 weeks ago apparently. UGH.


The good news is I got into bead and button!

The bad news is... I never get any free time to be in my studio and the beads won't make themselves!


The good news is I have TONS of great ideas!

The bad news is... I have even LESS time to bead (bead-work, not bead making)


The good news is that......
hmmm.... I'm trying to think of any other good news items and I'm not coming up with any.

oh well. Other than sick kid, I don't have any bad news either. Life is good... just not news-worthy.


hoping for a good weekend with some pockets of studio time here and there. We'll see. I DO have a plan... we'll just see if it works or not. I'll keep you posted (maybe!)



tiny blah blah blah...

brought to you one last time by Alice. Thank you for a wonderful couple of weeks of coffee Ms. Alice St. Germain! I have loved these cups of coffee ALMOST as much as I love the beads you've been making (which are quite gorgeous!)

coffee - mais oui! Cafe Latte with Cinnamon Dolce Syrup. I have discovered that if I order it this way it costs less!!!!!!!! CRAZY! If I call it a Cinnamon Dolce Latte they charge more!!!!!!! Not kidding!!!!

music - long long mellow list. Currently playing John Mayer - Your Body is a Wonderland

Thursday, February 26, 2009

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

NO MORE SICK KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have enough to do this week without another bout of strep throat. PLEASE don't let this be strep throat! I don't want to get strep throat either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad I have a job that lets me run and pick up kids when necessary.... I don't know what I'd have done without one while my kids are school-aged. I can't imagine having to deal with sick kids in a regular non-family environment.... I've been lucky to work for family or for myself since they were born. I AM lucky,

but NO MORE SICK KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


this is a short entry... just needed to scream my frustration for a minute.


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - no. coke. It feels good in my throat... which hurts... which is NOT good. I thought it ws allergies, but sick kid is making me nervous.

music - only in the car on the way to and from school. ugh!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

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"

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Tuesday...

busy busy busy busy busy....

Yesterday was just a busy busy day and I didn't get to pause to do my blog until late at night... but I decided sleep sounded much better! Sorry. I do have beady stuff to talk about, but not until tomorrow.

I do have big news, however......

(please insert dramatic music from Anamaniacs Pinky and the Brain...)

That's right Pinky!!!!! We're one step closer to total world bead-blog domination!!!!!!!!!!

Here's our map....


If you're reading this blog, then you live somewhere in the shaded areas on the map.

And LOOK at all those shaded in areas. Isn't that crazy?????

28 countries have read the Sylviebead blog. That just blows my mind.

but wait.... there's more.....




Look!!!!!

Alaska joined the green states!!!

That's right Pinky! I am one step closer to TOTAL U.S. domination!

What's it going to take to win over these important swing states???


Who knew. Tim Russert should have been writing....Vermont... Vermont.... Vermont. (I really miss him)

OK...back to the quest for world domination............

Here is the final bit of news. And this is just PLAIN crazy!!!!!!

If you search for Sylvie using Google. JUST Sylvie... that's all. Guess what?????????

This is what.......


(you're probably going to have to click on the image to see what I'm talking about)

But right there... on page 2...

Results 11-20...

I'm #14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That is just WEIRD! Of ALL the Sylvie's in the world... I'm #14!?!?!?

SO... the way I see it, I need to work harder to be #1. :)

So... get out there and round up some people in our missing states, missing countries...

click on my website a gazillion times a day.... and then we can REALLY say...

Tonight Pinky..... We take over the world!!!!!!!!!!!


(I'm in a very silly mood)


tiny blah blah blah...

Still sponsored by Alice who, if I might say so TOTALLY ROCKS!!!!! Thank you big bunches!!!

coffee - yeah a long long time ago. CDL with whipped cream. If I remember correctly, it was quite yummy

music - just came up from the studio where I was listening to my mellow classic rock playlist. Pure Prairie League - Amy (I think it has a different name) was my favorite of the bunch.

Friday, February 20, 2009

It's Friday!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and I've been doing the happy dance since yesterday because....

drumroll please.........


I got into the Bead and Button show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm very realistic and know that this year is NOT going to be a money maker (will be lucky to break even) BUT I knew it would be a good year to get back into the show because people, in this economy, might give up their booth spaces. It's an unfortunate situation, but I knew that it was likely that I'd get a spot if I could work my way up the waiting list due to seniority (doing the show for so many years in the past). And I DID!!!!!!

I have a much smaller booth than I ever did before, but I'm IN THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!

(insert more happy dancing here)

So... if you're going to be in Milwaukee the first week of June... come see me! I would love to meet the 30 of you that are here every day. :)


I have enough time to prepare for the show slowly, so that's a very good thing. I'll keep you all posted on the inventory-building process! YAY!!!

(insert more happy dancing!)


have a great weekend everyone!


tiny blah blah blah...

Once again, brought to you by a Finding Your Voice (FYV) student, Alice. Thank you Alice!!! It's very yummy!!!

(by the way... if any of you are considering being in a future class, I have a waiting list right now for the next round and it will start at the end of March. I still have about 4 spots open. Contact me FAST if you're interested in more info!


coffee - yummy Cinnamon Dolce Latte made by my alternate barista Sterling (aka Baldy)

music - My FUN playlist (perfect for happy dancing) currently playing "She's a Bad Mamma Jamma!"

Thursday, February 19, 2009

It's Stress Free Thursday...

so I'm destressing. :)

I'm sitting here concentrating on what matters most....



These







and this







and them



I just realized I don't have photos of any of my friends from church (unless I steal them from their sites and they might not be ok with that....) so please imagine a picture of the most wonderful people in the world right here. Christian Church Buckhead




I also don't have pictures of all my bead friends, unless I pirate them from their facebook pages! SO... please imagine lots of FUN, creative, brilliant, supportive people here. I don't have enough room for all the links... sorry.



and the non-people-y (that's a word cuz I say so) things that make me happy...




the fact that I made this

and have taught or inspired LOTS of people to make their own things too!




So... that's much better than a fake shiny-happy posting isn't it??? It's a real one.

I'm truly truly truly blessed to have the life I have.... and I need to remind myself of that as much as possible!




tiny blah blah blah....

coffee moment, brought to you once again by Alice!!! THANK YOU!!!

Coffee - yummy cinnamon dolce latte made by Omar, the greatest barista in the WORLD! :)

Music - forgot my ipod, so I'm listening to the radio. Just played Kings of Leon's song that I can't remember, but is sort of spooky... good, but spooky. (I miss my ipod)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tuesday of a busy week...

No beadmaking yesterday, but I didn't expect to. HOPING for a tiny bit (an hour or two???) tonight, but I've learned not to get my hopes up.

Yesterday was wacky... lots of stuff going on that had to be dealt with that wasn't beady at all. My big crazy puppy had to take a trip to the vet because he's developed a big black spot on his tongue. It was getting larger, which freaked me out (shouldn't read stuff online), but it turns out, he's just a "fancy" decorated dog. :) The line of Golden Retreivers that he is descended from have a genetic tendency to get black splotches on their tongues. Who knew???

The vet and the girls at the vet were happy to see him. They love him (even though he is crazy and HUGE) and are hoping for him to come visit for a weekend soon. We'll see. I DO need a vacation!!!

SO that was a big chunk of my afternoon yesterday. We also had home-stuff to do to get ready to go back to school today. Long weekends make the transition back to school harder (in my opinion!) I like having Fridays off better than Mondays.... we're used to Sunday transitions...not Monday ones. BUT the school system doesn't ask me my opinions AND the federal government seems to like Monday holidays...so I guess I'm outta luck! :)

IF I get studio time tonight, I'm going to be making head over heels girls. I'm operating under the assumption that I got into Bead and Button. It would be worse not to and then scramble trying to get stuff ready in a short amount of time. I'll just pace myself and make stock. If I DON'T get in, then I have things to sell later. That's how I see it, anyways.

These Head Over Heels girls are not the same as the old ones, so making them is going to be fun. I'm anxious to see what everyone thinks when they see their "unveiling"

ok... off to work... the other work...


tiny blah blah blah...

Today's coffee is brought to me by Alice. Who was wonderful and filled my coffee card tip-jar for me. I'm going to be having coffee on Alice for a while now. :) YAY!!! Alice didn't specify any sort of "shout out" so I'll send you to her site as my thank you... Succulent Glass Thank you Alice!!!!!

coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte with whipped cream!
music - NONE!!! My computer needs charging and its using the free outlet that the ipod speaker would use!! TRAGIC!!!! (I don't even have a song playing in my head!!!)

Monday, February 16, 2009

Holiday Monday!

The kids are out of school today, so it's not a normal Monday....and this is going to be short (hopefully) because of it.

This week looks like it's going to be a lot like last week (phooey!) full of appointments and stuff that is NOT fun....people I'd rather not see.... work I'd rather not do... places I'd rather not drive....that sort of stuff. I'll get through it just fine, I would just rather spend my time in more enjoyable ways....with more pleasant people. (or just by myself...that would work fine too)

I got a little bit of time in the studio yesterday while the boys were w/ a friend. I haven't looked in the kiln to see what the results were. There was no chalk-board game plan when I went in, so I just kind of winged it....which meant a little of this, a little of that, and not much productive stuff... but hopefully good experimentation that results in something good on another day. (that seemed like a rambling paragraph...more than usual.)

I made a bead the other day that I thought would be great, but when it came out the kiln it was HORRID... the colors were completely yucky...the face smeared... just over-all yuckiness. I'm trying not to get my hopes up about a bead that's in there today. I really liked it when it went INTO the kiln... I'm hoping I feel the same when it comes out. Will let you know tomorrow.


ok... time for the tiny blah blah blah...

today is a day-off for coffee sponsors (see why below)

coffee - nope. I totally needed it, but needed a bagel more. I don't like the coffee at the bagel place, so I had a coke. Sorry to disappoint.

music - Sylvie's newest longer mellow list (I really should get some more interesting playlist names). Just finished Dixie Chicks- Landslide, now listening to John Waite's Missing You (I love that song...could listen to it over and over). Just for the record, so that I don't get e-mails asking... I have no real attachment to the meaning of the song since he's being facetious, saying he doesn't miss her when he really does.... I'm DEFINITELY not missing anyone... I just like the song. (I think my personal version of "missing you" would be more of the Kelly Clarkson "since you've been gone" sort of variety. BUT I love the John Waites song anyways....so I'll hit repeat and listen again.)

Friday, February 13, 2009

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

woo hoo!!!!!!!

(insert happy dance here)

woo hoo!!!!!!! (did I say that already???)

Well, it's because I'm TOTALLY glad that it's Friday!!! This has been the LONGEST week EVER!!! Sick kids, legal crap, a cajillion appointments... enough already!!!! I'm ready for a WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The kids have off on Monday, so it's a long weekend too!!! I'm excited about our plans, but hope that everyone is WELL enough to enjoy them!!! Last year, this weekend was our first "Magical Mystery Tour" and it's a long long story that I'm not going to tell here, but it is a FUN new tradition in our family and tomorrow, as long as everyone is healthy, we'll be taking another tour! I think this is our 4th or 5th. It's sort of a game/field-trip/silliness all rolled into one. Facebook friends have seen pictures of past ones... I'll be taking pictures tomorrow if we go.

In beady news.... no news. I've been busy being mom, chauffeur and nurse the past few days, so nothing beady to report. I will have some time to myself this weekend, so maybe i'll get a little beadmaking time in then...

or maybe I'll watch the Daytona 500.... you never know! I like to keep you guessing!! I zig when you think I might zag!

(... and if you think I'm teasing and that beads would ALWAYS win out over NASCAR... guess again.)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!!!! I'll be back Tuesday (maybe Monday)

tiny blah blah blah...

Brought to you again by Maggie and her wonderful birthday surprise. Thank you again Maggie!!!!!!!!

(I actually have a back-up of sponsorship announcements! can you believe it??!!! If you're wanting to sponsor, wait a week or two... look at the side bar for the 'how-to'. Thanks guys!!)

today's coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte of course! :)

music - Sylvie's "new" mellow list (which is actually like 2 years old, but I haven't changed the title). Right now it's playing "Kiss Me" by Six Pence None-the-Richer which is WAY old, so I have no idea why it's on a playlist called "new" anyways!!!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

I know that I've given a couple of quickie blog postings lately and this DOUBLE posting today should make up for that because I'm posting....

Pictures!!!!!!!

I promised pictures and here they are....

Pictures of my studio... sad but true, this is where I work. It's a mess and I'm willing to own up to it. I'm always envious of the people who have uber neat studios, but that's just not how I roll. It gets clean and organized, but goes right back to this in a week.

So... time for the studio tour...


The Walls of Seed Beads... over 200 colors (maybe more) of 15/0s and at least 100 of 11/0s. (sort of organized. They're all in containers and SORT OF in numeric order... I need to straighten them up a bit, but they're not too bad) There are a LOT of beads here. And those are just the seed-beads. There's a whole other section that's crystals, bali, semi precious and pearls (only not as many containers for sure!)

You envy me... I know. That's ok. :)


My Glass Table... Scary, but true. The white powder is pixie dust. I had a bit of spillage while working the other day and haven't gone back to fix it.

I hate the wall. I was trying to reproduce the walls in my old studio (see long time ago postings with pictures of my beautiful old studio) If you'll note in the seed bead wall pictues... they're even khaki!!! YUCK!!! NOT my choice for a studio color) Of course, I'd rather make beads than spend time painting the studio, so it remains the colors that it is. (the lime green wall isn't even completely done. I just painted enough that I'd have something other than khaki to stare at while making beads!!! Sad sad sad.)


Glass glass and more glass.... there are tools in that mess too. I desperately need some bead-fairies to come sort this stuff! I miss Marie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Where stringers go to die.... If there is a stringer in a flowerpot, you can pretty much bet that it's never going to get used. I need to throw all of these away and start fresh! The mandrels, however, get used!!!


One of the 8 rolling Bisley cabinets (which are normally really expensive, but I got these years ago at a scratch and dent store for $10-20 each) in the studio holding glass. I also have them with other bead stuff in them. These are the glass ones. I love them because they're PERFECT for 1/3 rods, which is what I use. These 2 are the moretti cases (I've got one with boro and one with czech and other glass and 2 with miscellaneous stuff that are about to be reallocated to moretti) These 2 have the glass I use the most...Transparents on the left, Opaques on the right. I was doing a cool colors day, so all those drawers are open.

I recently bought glass, but have yet to re-stock the cabinets... so there is a big bag o' glass rods that sits out of the picture. I'm going to need to re-organize (ok, stop laughing any of you that already think it ISN'T organized right now) the colors because some of the drawers won't be able to hold all their labeled colors (greens are now in 4 drawers and I think I need more... same with purples)




The studio is full of little doodles and sketches like this one. Just so you know, this is on a napkin... can't remember where I was when I was doodling, but it was a restaurant. These are sketches for the Halloween Head Over Heels.



My "to do" list black-board. I recently erased the list that had been there for 2 years, which ended with... "Give me Money" (written by kids). I am trying not to overload the board and make reasonable requests of myself. This was the one for the other day.... and I DID follow the instructions!

The funny picture under the wavy line is the bead that I planned to make. I haven't taken her out of the kiln yet, so I have no idea if I like her or not, but I DID have fun making her!!!



ok... that ends our tour. Hopefully you feel superior in your organizational skills having viewed this. That's what I'm here for.... to make everyone else feel better about their own "mess" by viewing my REAL one!!!

(PLEASE don't call one of those intervention shows. I wouldn't be able to work if it was all put away!!!!!! Marie, if you're reading this... I COULD use you. You "get" how I work and YOUR intervention would be welcome!!!)
It is Stress Free Thursday!!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!! We are ONE day closer to the weekend and BOY I need the weekend to get here!!! (not that this weekend will be any more relaxing, but I LOVE getting to sleep even an HOUR later than normal!)

Today isn't a LOT calmer than the others this week... this week has been WAY too full of appointments. I have been running all over the place and have barely gotten anything done at work, in the studio OR at home. I hate that!!! It's been a combo of work-related year-end stuff, legal crap, sick kids and other appointments. I'm thinking next week will be a LITTLE better, but then I looked at the calendar and it's not MUCH better. :(

I hate that!!!!!!!! I want a few weeks where my franklin planner doesn't look all colored in! It's a pretty planner and I love it dearly. (I really do love my planner. I use it for doodling and bought pretty pages that make me happy to look at so that I'll use it) BUT I'm really tired of having stuff in the appointment sections. I'd rather draw there! ;)

(right now I have really cute doodles of Halloween princesses on some of the pages... now doodling valentines queens) and always squiggles and spirals filling the empty space.

I haven't checked the kiln to see the beads from night before last yet. I'm DYING to. I KNOW that there is something really interesting in there. Could be interesting GOOD or interesting BAD, but I'm dying to see it. It's one of many prototypes for the new project.

Speaking of the new project... I bought a magazine the other day and opened it up and there was something VERY similar to what I'm thinking about. I showed it to H with my sketches to see if he thought it was too similar and he said not at all. It's not even the same medium, so I really shouldn't worry, but I do. I came up with this wonderful thing in my head, all on my own and POOF someone else out there was having a similar idea in their head. I wanted to be the only clever girl out there I guess.... and this time (as most others) I wasn't.

I'm going to go ahead with it, even though I've now seen this other thing (that I wish I hadn't). My structure and engineering are different... it's just a similar theme. Wish I could talk more about it here, but alas, I can't.

I'm HOPING for a little beadmaking today, but we'll see. I have to get a kid to appointments today, so it all depends how scheduling works.... but I really would love to spend a few (which means more than 2) hours on the torch.

Wish me luck!!!

time for the tiny blah blah blah....

TODAY'S coffee is brought to me by Maggie!!!!!!!! Thank you SO very much Maggie!!!! She didn't send an annoucement or a shout-out for me to make on her behalf, so I'll just say...

MAGGIE, YOU ROCK!!!!! thank you SO much for my coffee! It's YUMMY!!! :)

coffee - Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte WITH whipped cream

music - Sylvie's long mellow list - currently playing Jackson Browne's - "Stay". Next up, Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars"

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Way too busy to blog Wednesday

It's February and it's year end at the office. I have WAY too much to do today to blog, but I had a tiny bit of beady news to report, so I'm doing that and then on the run...

I did get to make beads for about an hour last night... nothing major, but made myself PLAY and take some chances. As much as I teach that, when I'm on a mission to PRODUCE, I often don't let myself play.

I have a picture to post here later. It makes me smile.

ok... off to work....



tiny blah blah blah...

NOTHING to post!!!!!!!!

no coffee

no music

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! hopefully tomorrow will return to it's usual state of "normal"

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Way too busy to blog today!!!

(yet here I am out of habit)

SO... because I'm guessing you need to read SOMETHING if you're here, I'm sending you elsewhere to read...

Non-beady sites that I read almost daily. Some of them visually inspirational, some of them thought-provoking, some just entertaining.

Here's my required reading list....

Daily Art Muse
A little of this. A little of that. Artistic inspirations

Colour Lovers
A great collection of color swatches. A page FULL of inspiration.

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman
(also Pioneer Woman cooks...see link once you get there)
Just plain good reading.

Small World Reads
(looking for additions to your "To Be Read" (TBR) stack? This is where I'm finding mine lately. Sarah and I attended college together for a couple of years. I didn't know her, but have recently found her site through another friend's blog.)

There are TONS of great beady sites out there, but I thought I'd send you to some non-beady ones.

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - CDL - thank you mom!!! I love my birthday!! :)

music - Sylvie's Long Mellow List - currently playing Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes

Monday, February 09, 2009

late Monday posting...

Just getting to a computer today. It's been a nutty one and I'm exhausted and really should go straight to bed, BUT I had to post some pictures from this computer before I forget.

Here are a few glimpses of Cirque from my birthday night out.

These are NOT my pictures... they're all from the Cirque website. They don't let you take pictures at the show, although I tried to snap some while we were outside the show. They were just so-so.

It was a BEAUTIFUL show and I've got lots of ideas for fun stuff to try in glass/beadwork after seeing it.

One of the pictures here is a costume sketch...I've also included a photo of costume after-the-fact.

Enjoy!!
It really was a beautiful show. We sat on the 2nd row, so we could see every little detail of makeup and costumes... SO COOL... SO many great ideas flowing from seeing the show.


ok... falling asleep... time for the tiny blah blah blah

Coffee - CDL yum! (bought to you by Mom)

Music - a mix of all sorts of stuff. Started w/ Colbie Callait. Ended with Logins and Messina

Friday, February 06, 2009

Happy Friday to Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and, since I don't blog on Saturdays...

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mom told me that when I was about 2 it was halloween and they were lighting candles to decorate and I started singing "happy birthday to me." Guess that showed everyone early how I feel about my birthday. It's all about ME ME ME!!!

As a kid, I never knew anyone with my birthday. It was sort of off by itself from other friends and family too... so it was special. (It wasn't until college when I actually met people that had my birthday... Hi Laura! Fellow February 7th birthday-girl!!) By then, I'd already pretty much defined February 7th as all about me me me day, so I was content to know that there were other people feeling the same that day.

Not everyone shares that opinion... it seems that the world doesn't shut down and throw parades for me BUT it's still the only "holiday" that's just mine. I'm sure this makes me sound quite immature, but hey... for one day of the year, I'll own up to that!!! I don't ask the world to give me gifts or DO anything for me... I just like knowing that it's MY day. :)

SO... tomorrow is all about ME ME ME.... and friends. That's what's important to me... spending time and laughing with people I love, so that's what I'm loving about my birthday this year. I celebrated a week early with my family last weekend.

This weekend I'm celebrating with friends. I'm starting my celebration tonight with a chick-flick viewing with one of my GGMs (see prior blog entries about the Girls Gone Mild). Tomorrow morning I'm going to a bead show with a friend from church who I really enjoy talking to and have enjoyed getting to know this past year... so it will be fun to do something un-churchy with her. PLUS I haven't been to a bead show in 2 years, so it will be fun to see what's out there in bead-show world these days.

Tomorrow night... it's GGM time again with Cirque du Soleil tickets and dinner at one of my new favorite restaurants JCT Kitchen in Atlanta.

I had planned to talk about beady stuff here today, and actually had a quote from a really good book ready to cut and paste, but alas... this became all about ME ME ME.

But isn't that what this blog is about????

SO... thank you for celebrating my 37th (again) birthday with me!!!

Happy birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)


tiny blah blah blah brought to me by my mom because I got a little birthday money, so I guess her announcement would be "happy birthday Sylvie"!!! :)

coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Whipped Cream and sprinkles and candles!!! (ok...there weren't really candles, but that would have been fun!)

music - my long mellow list. Right now it's playing Billy Joel - I Love You Just the Way You Are (which is how my friends feel about me... and I them...which is a wonderful thing)

Thursday, February 05, 2009

It's Thursday... another cold day in Atlanta.... and it's Todd Gilbert's birthday!

Happy Birthday Todd! You are OLDER THAN ME!!!!! HA!!!!!!!!

Todd was in my elementary school classes until 6th grade. Every year he would make a big deal about being older than me. When you're in elementary school, that's cool. NOW I relish the fact that somewhere out there, Todd Gilbert is 2 days older than me... and I think about it every February 5th... that this funny kid is having his birthday somewhere out there, not having any clue that I'm celebrating it for him. :)

Happy Birthday Todd!

back to the beady blog...

I feel like I should have something important to say today, but I don't. I've been reading blogs of friends lately and they seem to always SAY something. Me, not so much. I know my blog didn't begin as something trying to SAY something, but sometimes it seems wasted space... just my chatter.

oh well...

Things I'm chattering in my head about...

I'm wishing I had time to make beads this week. It's just not happened yet. On the days I've had time, I haven't felt good OR it was too cold in the studio. I'm not forseeing beadmaking this weekend either. I'm spending it in a much more important way... with friends.

My mind is FINALLY full of ideas that I want to pursue. It's been a long time waiting for the ideas to start flowing again, but they have. I'm SO happy that I hadn't permanently lost my muse... just shelved her for a while.

Other random thoughts - (need to make a bullet list, otherwise I look totally scattered here)

  • I have enough glass, but there are new colors and even though I said I don't want them yesterday... I do. It's HARD to keep away from the new crayons. I want the 64 box... but only have the 48 and need to be content with it!
  • I want to play with my new whimsicalities tools!!!! I haven't made beads since I got them.... the studio is just TOO cold this week!
  • I miss going to Tucson (I know I keep saying that). Not for the show itself. I really wasn't big on that show... too much wholesale... too long... other reasons too. BUT I miss the comeraderie that show had (has). I am just connecting with a lot of my bead friends again and I know that of all the shows, Tucson is the one where you actually get to spend a little time with friends. I'm missing that opportunity.
  • I need someone organized to come attack my studio. I need an intervention...but by a beady person who gets what's important and what's not AND gets how I think because if it's put together in a way that's perfect for someone organized... it's NOT going to stay that way... it needs to be Sylvie-friendly.... just in better structure. I have 2 zones that don't make any sense and could be much better used. One of them would be good for a permanent photo-setup, but has a lot of miscellaneous stuff there now. Miscellaneous is bad. (but fun) :)
  • I'm going to a bead show on Saturday! That will be fun. I haven't been to one in Atlanta for a long time, so it will be a learning thing as well as a fun thing. I'm going w/ someone who has NEVER been to a bead show... so it will be fun to see her reaction to having so much beady stuff all in one place.

ok... that's it for today. I'm over the "list" thing.... it just shows there are too many things swirling in my head right now.

Oh look... another blog entry that didn't SAY anything!!!! oh well.... you're only here to find out what coffee I drank today anyways! ;)


tiny blah blah blah... (needing a sponsor for next week. Please apply!)

coffee - brought to me by me (and the nice guy in the drive-thru because I was too cold to go inside!) CDL with whipped cream!

music - Lifehouse and Crowded House (guess it's a "house" day???)

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

COLDER Wednesday!

I said I was cold yesterday... I spoke too soon. It's much colder today. It's 15 degrees outside!

BRRRRRRR!!!!!!! At least my feet are toasty warm inside my UGGs. They are my best purchase EVER. They are probably my ugliest shoes, but they do their job and keep my feet WARM!!!

I didn't make beads last night. I really thought I was going to, but I still felt lousy and not being able to breathe and making beads just don't mix. I have no idea how people who wear glasses can manage having something sitting on their nose when it's stuffed up!! Drives me CRAZY.... so no bead making for me. I did spend some time working on bead stuff, but not much. I just couldn't concentrate while feeling icky and being on cold meds.

In facebook world, there are a gazillion "lists" going around and my lack of beadmaking and having things to share here that are bead-oriented have made me decide to do a "25 things" list about glass. Some of it I've said here before... some I haven't.... so excuse any re-runs... live with it... and remember it's my blog and I really can do whatever I want here. :)

So... 25 Random Things, in no particular order about beads, glass, and beadwork....
1. I've been making glass beads since January 1996 and although I kept moving from one medium to another before that... since then I've never felt like stopping doing glass to do something else instead.

2. I got into glass beads through making polymer-clay beads. My polymer clay beads were very cutesy and my goal in making glass beads was to have some spacer beads to go with my polymer clay faces.

3. The first bead I made was on a hot head torch. Ceille W___(?) who worked with me at Beadazzles in Atlanta showed me how to make a bead one night at her home. She was taking a class at the arts center in Atlanta.

4. My first bead was kelly green and red and actually pretty decently shaped.

5. I bought a hot-head torch and a mix of glass from Frantz with my Christmas money from that year and made lots of NOT decently shaped beads. :)

6. I took my first beadmaking class from Kim Osibin and Leah Fairbanks at the embellishment show in Houston in 1996. I've also taken classes with: Kristina Logan, Heather Trimlett, Laurie Copeland, Kate Fowle, Sharon Peters, Michael Barley, Brad Pearson, and Loren Stump (and I'm sure I'm forgetting others). I have a long wish-list of people I want to take classes with... Janice Peacock and Caitlyn Hyde are a couple of them.

7. Donna Milliron was very nice and complimented one of my absolutely HORRIBLE beads that I made in that Embellishment class. (it was an encased bead with pixie dust inside... because I had been told that you can't encase pixie dust. Don't tell me I "can't'" do something because I'll try. What they SHOULD have said is that it's a waste of time and pixie dust because it dissipates and you don't really see its effect.) ANYWAYS... Donna was kind because it was an UGLY bead.

8. Most of my first beads were destroyed in our housefire in 2002. This is a good and bad thing. They were pretty much truly tragic beads, BUT examples of "before" that were a nice reference for how you can get better with practice.

9. My first mermaid was a complete fluke. It was supposed to be a glass candy...then a fish... then I added pink "cousin-it" hair to try to rescue it. It became a mermaid.

10. I decided to pursue the whole fairy-tale motif for my beads. I never thought of them as goddess beads. I still don't. I make girly girl stuff and am proud of it!

11. Apparently everyone else DID think I was making goddess beads and there was a lot of talk about me being a knock-off at my first show (I didn't know this until MUCH later and I'm really glad. I'm really sensitive and probably would have cried right then and there and then quit doing shows...maybe quit making beads.)

12. Editors of 2 major bead magazines have said really AWFUL things to my face about my beads. It hurt, but they were SO mean that it almost made it comical. ("Everyone likes boobs" was the ending of one of their statements. Nice, huh?)

13. Because I had an ad in a magazine, it made people at several shows call me a "famous" beadmaker which I thought was pretty funny considering I PAID for my name to be in the magazines (that the 2 editors mentioned above would have never put me in editorily.... is that a word??). There was never an article about me in a magazine till LONG LONG LONG past that and it wasn't a big-time thing.

14. I probably wouldn't have been bold enough to become a full-time beadmaker if my then-husband hadn't suddenly left his job. It was kind of like a ok... I guess I'm doing this... kind of thing.

15. I love lime green glass and beads. 431 is my favorite seed bead color... Opaque pea green is my favorite Moretti/Effetre glass color. If I'm out of either of those colors I'm in trouble!!

16. My favorite and most used glass tools are a pair of bent/beat-up ridgy tweezers, a brass stump-shaper, a utility blade tool and some glass shears. I can't live without my torch-mounted marver and don't realize how dependent I am on it until I work somewhere that doesn't have one. I have a huge arsenal of tools that I never use, as well as a wish list for lots of tools I'll probably never use, but want!

17. I clean most of my beads just using the mandrel they were made on. I learned that trick from Kristina Logan and I've stuck with it.

18. My seed bead work was sort of a fluke. I never intended to really DO seed bead work. I just wanted a piece of jewelry by Cynthia Rutledge that featured my glass beads... she refused to make it for me, so I took her class and learned to make it myself... and loved off-loom beadweaving. I went on to take classes with Jeanette Cook and NanC Meinhardt, but there are many others I wish I could take classes with (Marcia you're one of them).

19. My Head Over Heels project was an escape from stuff that was going on in my personal life at the time. It was an entry for a contest at a bead store in Atlanta and I spent more time working on it than I should have. I'm glad I did. I needed to change focus back to something artistic and less production oriented.

20. I've taught 2 classes in my life that I wish I could re-teach for different reasons. Both groups deserved better than I gave them. :( I hate that.

21. My first beadmaking class was taught in Maine to a group of women who had no idea at the time that they were my first class. They were SO wonderful and was a funny experience since it was in the middle of a restaurant at a ski-lodge. The whole thing was something that I'll never forget. (or stop laughing about)

22. NanC Meinhardt told me, when I didn't know her, that I would be teaching Head Over Heels and selling kits/patterns for it. I laughed and thought she was crazy. She was right. I think she "gets" me and did even before I knew her.... which probably makes her a little crazy. :)

23. I miss teaching.... a LOT. I miss teaching glass for the "I'm a rockstar" moments (I'm being honest) and I miss teaching beading workshops for the overall "girl-time" atmosphere. I really really really miss it. (but I don't know if anyone would even sign up for a class with me nowadays. I've spent enough time away that I've lost any name recognition. I'm working to rebuild that.)

24. I'm afraid to apply to teach places like Bead and Button, Glass-stock etc.. I'm also afraid to apply to anything juried. The application process as well as the big potential for rejection scares me into paralyzation. I need to fix this.

25. I am not my customer. I figured out who my demographic is several years ago and I am not her. It's really funny to me that I love the stuff I create, but it's not the stuff I tend to buy or wear. (unless I'm at a show, where I MUST wear my own stuff). I hardly ever wear jewelry.... but wish I did.

26. I am the queen of color and pixie dust. I love making new colors out of the same old glass. The new glasses that are out intrigue me, but I'm trying to be good and stay away from them.... too many possibilities still exist in my "old" palette. (but look out when I DO try those new ones!! I'll tweak them and make them MINE!)

27. I remember hardly anything from the year I spoke at the Gathering. I wish I could have a do-over for that one too. It was bad timing in my life personally and I really hate that I had the opportunity to talk about something I'm so passionate about and didn't have my whole self together when I had that podium.

28. My favorite glass quote is by Stephanie Sersich who said in her presentation at the same Gathering in Lowell - "Less is Less" love that.

29. I stopped making beads in 1996 because my hands were shaking. They didn't know why at the time. I know now. The cause of the shaking is no longer a part of my day-to-day life, so it has virtually disappeared (but comes back from time to time making even more evident what the cause of the shaking is). Even after I stopped shaking, I was afraid to make beads again... it was fear and nothing more. Fear that I wouldn't be as good as I was before... fear that my work wouldn't sell... fear of not being the best at something. It was paralyzing. I forced myself to go to the local beadstore that had torch-time to meet a friend and make beads...that way I couldn't back out of it like I could avoid going to my home studio.

30. I started making beads again out of fear. Financial fear. That same thing that made me make beads for a living when that hadn't really been my goal, was again forcing me to make beads for extra money again. I hated that. Especially since I was JUST starting to think about making beads again for the ART not the money. I quickly made a personal stance, however that money would NOT be what brought me back into beadmaking again and focused my attention on nurturing creativity in others... waiting for my own muse to return. I didn't want to end up in the same place I had been before, where my worth as a beadmaker was tied to my ability to make money. That's when I started teaching my Finding Your Voice workshop on Facebook.... for free (ok... for the occasional cup of coffee) :)

31. I am SO SO SO SO SO proud of my Finding Your Voice workshop. I have no idea if the participants are really finding their voices, but the work I see is so different than what is out there in "glass bead world" that I can't help but be proud. I think THAT was the catalyst for me finding my muse again.... helping to fuel the creative fires in other people.


ok... that was more than 25, but Stephanie said "less is less" right???? :)

I could go on, but I won't. I love making beads again. I'm going to love beading again too.... and I have a FABULOUS project brewing that I can't WAIT to get started on!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - no sponsor today. Just me. I bought my coffee (although I totally welcome you to buy it next time!!!) :) Today's brew - Cinnamon Dolce Latte which got cold too fast because it's so cold here

music - I'm listening to my "most recently played" list off of my ipod. I thought it would be a good mix of stuff I already listen to off of all my playlists. It's a bit random. Ok... it's a bit like a DJ on crack.... Taylor Swift, Al Green, T-Pain, Gorillaz, Green Day, Christmas Music.... I forgot that my kids use my ipod in the car sometimes and that I haven't moved the Christmas music back off of it!

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

It's a COLD Tuesday!!!

brrrrrr!

I'm inside and toasty warm right now, however! I love my uggs. If my feet are warm, the rest of me is usually just fine!

I'm planning on spending a little time in the studio tonight, so I'm going to have to make sure to bundle up. It gets really cold down there! Not as cold as it used to get when my studio at my old house was on the enclosed porch. BRRRRRR... THAT was cold! I remember one year, the week before Tucson, the temperature here in Atlanta dropped into the teens and I still had a lot of beads to get made before the big show. I froze my BUTT off!!! (but we do what we do to get the beads made, right???) Anyone out there who is getting ready for Tucson, which starts this week, knows how that goes!

I miss going to Tucson. :(

I don't miss spending my birthday there though. It was nice to have friends around, but I really think my birthday is a BIG DEAL and spending the day working a show wasn't my favorite way to spend it. I DID like the Italian restaurant we went to every year on my b-day though! That was good food.... great Italian in the middle of the Southwest... it's true!

Tonight I'm going to concentrate on making the focal-bead for my new dream-project. I have no idea if the whole thing is possible, but it's time to start trying... making a few attempts at the prototype. I'm very excited about the possibilities...almost enough to talk about them here, but then I decided that wouldn't be best.

SO... I'll just try to hold off the sniffles (I still have a cold) and spend an hour or so "doodling" in glass tonight. I'll let you know tomorrow how it went...


tiny blah blah blah..

Today's coffee is brought to you by... STARBUCKS!!!! I got a free coffee coupon for my birthday!!!!! WOO HOO!!! Free Coffee for my birthday!!!!!!!

coffee - CDL - YUMMIER because it's FREEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

music - my long mellow list. Right now playing James Taylor's Sweet Baby James. Love that song. :)

Monday, February 02, 2009

Monday Monday....

This is short short.

I'm not feeling great. Haven't been all weekend. Made my early birthday party not nearly as fun, since we didn't do our bowling thing before the party (we did do it yesterday). I just want to crawl under the covers and sleep for 4 days... that's not going to happen.

I DID clean beads while watching the super-bowl last night... so I have that tiny bit of beady news to report... but that's all.

tiny blah blah blah...

brought to you by my sister, who didn't ask me to make this announcement, but since she bought the coffee, I'm going to anyways...

This coffee moment is brought to you by Sarah, who did something really nice for someone, which she really didn't need to do... and didn't get any sort of thanks... which wasn't very nice at all (and you know who you are.. you really do need to write and thank her.)

coffee - CDL (thanks sis!)

music - my long mellow list. Right now it's playing "She's the One" by Robbie Williams. I really love this song. I have no idea how I found it on itunes, but I did sometime last year... need to see if there is anything else of his I like... because I really like this song.