Happy Wednesday World!!!!

I don't really have a lot to say today on the beady-front. (editor's note... apparently I did have a lot to say!!) I am SLOWLY getting stuff organized and ready to make a "comeback". I said yesterday that I'm a bit nervous. It's going to be hard breaking my way in again. Ebay sales have been slow for a lot of beadmakers and there is a new site etsy.com that a lot of them are selling through now. I really don't know how etsy works, so that's going to take a little research. It looks really cool, though and there are lots of different types of artists selling there. I like that. Etsy is actually about art and ebay is about... well just about anything. BUT ebay has been "beddy beddy good to me" (said in my best Saturday Night Live voice)

BUT... I've been out of the picture for 2 years now and bead customers can be a very fickle group. As Heidi Klum on Project Runway says "one day you're in and the next you're out" (I can't type in a german accent, so you'll just have to imagine she was saying that). There have been times that my beads sold for LOTS on ebay and times where I felt I was giving them away.

I don't intend on giving them away. I'm manifesting success (said kind of tongue in cheek - I have been listening to "The Secret" and am TRYING to make all things in my life take a positive spin) in my bead business. We'll just have to see where the best venue for that is.

I'm trying to figure out the best schedule for everything at the same time. I need time to design projects, because that's a big part of what I do every year... come up with something NEW for my beady students/customers, while at the same time making glass pieces that I love AND sell (which can be tricky... not everything I love to make sells). For instance... I LOVE the piece that is currently on my website, but it's not really what people want when they are looking for my work. I made myself into "the mermaid lady" and it's hard for some people to see past that.

I've been so inspired by art, though... paintings, sculpture, ancient glass, etc. and I want to bring those inspirations into my work as well... and that doesn't always mean mermaids, so I'm going to need to make sure I have studio time for myself... just to explore new things that make ME smile.

My my my... I'm very "chatty today"!!


ok... time for the tiny blah blah blah and then off to the dentist! (which isn't so bad... they have laughing gas for people who are chicken like me!)

Coffee - homemade!!!!!!!!! with tiaramisu (I have no idea how to spell that) creamer. First I had hot, then poured it on ice and took it on the road.

Music - my ipod playlist called "Music for a Chick Flick" which is just a mix of stuff that either I know has been in a chick flick OR should be!!!

Well, here we are... full circle. I'm at a point where I'm really ready to blog again. It was just about 7 years ago I started this thing. I know!!!!! I can hardly believe how time has flown.

So, since many of my readers might be new due to Facebook (ok... mom and Angie and Blair... I know you're probably the only ones reading this, but my site stats say differently). ANYWAYS... for any of you who wandered in here without knowing what in the heck is going on. Here's the recap...

I'm a glass beadmaker. What this means is that I take rods of glass, melt them in a flame and sculpt them into something that has a hole going through it (which makes it a bead). Most of the pieces I'm known for (pretty cool that I'm "known" for something) are my whimsical girly sculptures of mermaids. These pieces, although they can be used in jewelry designs are usually bought by collectors OR used as ornaments. I also make more basic beads to be used in jewelry.

For those of you who need a bit of a beadmaking education, google "lampwork glass beadmaking" or something similar. I'm sure you'll find some sort of info. You can also look at the books "How to Make Glass Beads" by Cindy Jenkins and her follow up book (that I'm in!) "Beads of Glass" or ISGB.org which is the International Society of Glass Beadmakers.

Wikipedia has a very basic explanation of lampwork glass beadmaking. Click here to read it.

The main question that I hear all the time about my own work is "so when do you paint the glass?" My work is not painted. Every bit of color is applied with molten glass. For lack of a better explanation, I "paint" with molten glass... mixing the colors in the flame ahead of time, making thinner strands of glass that I can use as my "brushes" when applying. This might not make sense, but hopefully it does... a little bit, anyways.

In addition, I design jewelry and beadwork projects which incorporate my glass beads. If you're not a beady person, this probably will bore you to tears... I'm just letting you know that now. Sometimes I have funny stories to tell and I almost always have music to talk about or coffee drinks to review, but the majority of what I talk about is "work" oriented.

Ok... back to the recap...

2001- I start an "online studio journal" to document the things that I'm creating in the studio. Mostly because I was getting e-mails from customers who bought pieces from me in person that were different from others that I was selling online. There were a lot of people who thought there were 2 "Sylvie Elise Lansdowne"s. Crazy, but true. I was getting several emails asking me if I knew there was someone else making beads with my same name!!

2002 - Due to my housefire, I lost the first few months of my blog (by then I knew that what I was doing was called a "blog") and started the new one. It's archived, but not on blogger. For someone feeling the need to catch up with my life (and needing to be put to sleep) there is a link on the right.

2002-2006 - I made beads and blogged about it, along with random entries about my life. At some point, I moved the blog to blogger and the look is a little different, but the substance the same. (It does make it easier!)

2006 - I had some health issues that made making beads very difficult due to tremors and I had to take a break. The leave of absence extended due to my becoming a single mom. I needed some time to devote to things at home.

2008 - I miss beadmaking. I'm ready to come back!!!!!!!!!!!!! (but I'm scared at the same time. It's been a long time in bead-years!!) I plan on setting up my studio again this weekend when my kids are away with their dad. I thought a good way to MAKE me get started would be by making a fresh start with my blog.

So, here I am. I'm taking the blog off "private" again and just putting myself out there.

I'm excited about what's to come!!!!!


and for you newbies... here's the deal with the coffee and music...

I once figured out that i had a horrible day in my studio when I didn't have coffee, so I started always noting whether I'd had coffee or not when I talked about my day in the studio. I also noticed that my work changed depending what sort of music I was listening to, so I decided to document that as well.

So... here's the little blah blah blah of today...

Coffee - made it myself for the 2nd day in a row!!!!! I'm letting go of my daily starbucks habit and have started making coffee in my very own kitchen!!! I'm thinking about getting some of those starbucks paper cups though... so that I can write my drink on them when I "order" and put my name on them in case I get confused which coffee is mine! Today's drink - Coffee with LOTS of milk and a bit of Tiaramisu Coffee Mate creamer.

Music - actually listening to a book on the ipod right now. It's "The Secret" which is a little new age-y for me BUT is full of some really good concepts for positive thinking. I think it's actually made a huge difference in how I'm looking at things right now.

I'm back. All out. Full force. No holds barred. Ready to take on the world AND I have absolutely no one but myself to "report to."

Nothing that's happened to me in the last 2 years has been really what I would have asked for in life, but I really think I'm a better person for having been "annealed" this way.

The goal for the week...

Get the studio ready for action.

Get the glass OUT of the drawers.

Make beads.

Kick butt.

Take names


coffee today - Cinnamon Dolce latte w/out whipped cream. Not as good. But I tried!!!
music today - listening to a book on my ipod while laying out at

I've been laying low for a month or so.

The kids are out of school for a week and a half more. That means....

August 11th - Margarita Monday!!!!! Join me to celebrate my children being GONE during the days! LOL (this isn't a real party, but I usually do treat myself to lunch with a girlfriend on the first day of school).

Other stuff going on in my life just isn't fun, so I'm not feeling like talking about it... besides.... this is supposed to be my BEAD journal and as of right now that topic has nothing to do with beads.

I'm still drinking too much Starbucks and listening to good music. I'll be back online to talk about it SOON (I truly hope this stuff ends soon and I can go back to normal!)

Just a quick post to say I'm still alive!

Kids are out of school. Puppy is making my life a lot more active and exciting. Busy busy busy and no beadwork at all.

Not even time to find a song of the week! Sorry dear readers, I'll have to catch up later. But wanted to let anyone who was worried about my absence know that I'm still alive.


Tiny blah blah blah...
Coffee today? Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Music - my mellow list... need to switch things up. I'm getting in a rut!

Quick post to say....

The puppy has a name!!!!!!!

His name is Cooper and he's adorable. I'll post pictures later, but wanted to bring the latest news to the blog.

There is NOTHING beady to report on... not spending any time on beads... lots of time on puppy!

And here he is... presenting... Cooper!





tiny blah blah blah...

No coffee - Chick-fil-a Sweet tea instead
No music - forgot to bring my ipod to work... what is the world coming to???

The Days of the Week...

Last night I was laying in my bed, singing the song from the Mamas and the Papas in my head (before my time music-wise, but I'm pretty sure my mom must have played it for us). ANYWAYS... I was mentally singing "Monday... Monday..." which was how I started yesterday's post.

And then I realized... It's NOT Monday!!!!! It was TUESDAY. I DO know the days of the week!!! I guess it was because it was the first WORK day of the week that I was feeling like it was Monday.

I don't really have anything important (as if I ever do) or beady to say today, but I did want to clarify that I knew that yesterday was Tuesday before someone (mom) corrected me!!!


Here's the tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee - Same as usual these days... Iced Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Music - Jason Mraz... just put a mix on of all the stuff I have of his on my ipod. His newest album is listed over there to the right. I LOVE his music... it's witty and fun.

Monday Monday.....

It's the beginning of the week (work week that is... I DO realize that weeks start on Sunday) and the end of a FANTASTIC weekend!!!

I had such a great weekend. I traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to see a good friend... bought cute shoes (on sale!), ate at good local restaurants, and saw a GREAT exhibit at the Frist Museum in Nashville. It was European Impressionists to Expressionists (I think) and it was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! It was SO cool to see so many famous paintings all in one place... and somewhere that was actually driveable for me!

After visiting with friends, I went to get my new puppy on Sunday!!!! He's the sweetest dog EVER and I'm so glad he's mine. I'll put up some pictures later. He has no name... yet. My boys are out of town and I'm not going to give him a name until they meet him and help me decide which of our choices seems best for his personality. He really is a sweet laid back dog... which is PERFECT for me!

And to end my weekend... I saw James Taylor in concert last night and it was an INCREDIBLE concert. I'm hoping that there is an album coming out soon which includes some of the songs he did. (and I think there is... and you can BET that I'll be including it as a recommendation in my side-bar over to the right!) In the meantime, if you don't own it... go buy James Taylor's Greatest Hits Volume One. I really think it is the absolute BEST James Taylor album to date. He played most of the songs off of it last night and I just LOVED LOVED LOVED it!

He did NOT play the song that I refer to sometimes in my blog called "That's Why I'm Here," but I'll forgive him. ;)

There's a new song of the week!!! This one is buy a up and coming British songstress named Estelle and she's done a song with Kanye West which is really a cool song. Perfect for summer! So take a listen! (thank you to Denise's XM Top 20 station for introducing me to it!)

here's the tiny blah blah blah for today...

Coffee - Iced Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Light Ice and Cinnamon/Sugar sprinkles on top (yes... I'm the obnoxious high-maintenance coffee-ordering girl in front of you in line!)

Music - Nothing so far! Must go put on some tunes!!!!!!!! I'm thinking some James Taylor will be perfect for today!

Whatever Wednesday...

Warning: This post has NOTHING to do with beadmaking. If you were hoping to read that I am actually making beads this week... check back next week when you MIGHT be correct (but don't hold your breath). Today's posting will be all about music! YAY!!!

I was listening to the radio on Saturday and this station in town has started a new thing called "whatever weekends." What that means is that they now play WHATEVER they want to during the weekend. It was INSANE!!! They played Jingle Bell Rock!!! Right after some mellow Celine Dionne-esque song and some TLCish song. I can't remember the actual combination of songs, but it DEFINITELY was Jingle Bell Rock! In May!!!!!

Of course, that's probably WHY they went to this format... so that I'd keep listening to what insane combinations of songs they played (and annoying my friends calling them saying "you have GOT to hear what this station is playing!!) I won't be in town this weekend to hear what zany combos they choose, but rest assured gentle-reader... I will definitely update you the following weekend when we join Atlanta's B98.5 in their new weekend feature "D.J.'s on CRACK!" (I think they're going to officially rename it that!)

See? No beads involved at all. Sorry. :(

Time for the daily blah blah blah...

Coffee today - ICED 3 pump cinnamon dolce latte. (I'd like to send a shout out to my REGULAR Starbucks who always makes good coffee. I didn't go there yesterday which is probably why I complained. Hooray for the Holcomb Bridge/Old Alabama Starbucks crew!!)

Music - Sylvie's New Groove Tunes (will have to update the sidebar soon!)

Absolutely nothing beady to say today, but I must make a blog entry simply to say...

MY COFFEE IS TERRIBLE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no idea why!! It's the same thing I always order, but ick ick ick it doesn't taste good and Starbucks is TOO expensive for bad coffee!!!!!!!!!

the end

It's Monday!

WOO HOO!!! (just pretending to be excited.)

I had a busy busy weekend and didn't get a single bead made, which should end this blog entry since this is a BEADMAKING blog. BUT you know that I won't do that (just like you KNOW I won't use proper grammar most of the time) because I've always got something to say.

I spent my weekend going to games (1 high school football game, 4 5th grade football scrimmages and 1 Braves game) and wore myself out with all those sporting events!!! On Sunday I did church and laundry. Not a single spare minute for beadmaking (look! I talked about beads again!!)

This week is all about final exams for one kid and last week of school activities for the other. PLUS they go on a vacation the next week w/ their Dad so I've got to get them packed and ready to go.

PLUS I've got to finish getting my house ready for our new puppy to arrive on Sunday!!! YAY!!!

I'm taking a road-trip with my best friend to visit another best friend who happens to live close to my puppy's current home. I'll hang out with her for a day and then pick up my puppy before heading back home. So it's going to be a FUN and busy weekend yet again... with no time for beadmaking! (look! yet another bead reference!)

I'm hoping to have some time the next week to work on beads a little. I'm not planning on making beads, but I'm hoping to get more organized in my studio while the boys are gone so that I can spend some time this summer in the studio!!!!!!

Thank you to the people who wrote me recently to tell me I'm missed in bead world. I needed that kick in the pants to help me get motivated. I have a lot on my plate and juggling it is hard, but I really really want to find a way to bring that part of my life back into the mix. I miss it! I miss my customers too!!!

Ok... that's it for today. Note that I have a NEW song of the week!! It's a GREAT song by a new artist named "Duffy." It sort of reminds me of Amy Winehouse, but even a little more retro than Rehab. Take a listen! I also left last week's song up for those of you who missed it.

daily blah blah blah...

Coffee Today - Venti 3 pump cinnamon dolce latte (if only Starbucks would give me credit for plugging them!!)

Music - Sylvie's Mellow Mix (again!)

Quick post!

NEW FEATURE!!!!!

I've added a song of the week to the sidebar! This week's song is by Jason Mraz and is called "I'm Yours." I love love love this song. Take a listen...

tiny blah blah blah

coffee today - Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dolce Latte

music today - Sylvie's New Groove (lots of funky songs... need to add it to the lists at the side. Will do that later)

The Bead and Button Blues

Here we are almost half way through the month of May and I'm bluesin' (I guess that's not a word... spellcheck didn't like it, but I'm going to officially make it a word from now on).

For years, this was one of the weeks that I was cramming for Bead and Button. It was a total adrenaline pumping, full-out beadmaking work-out that lasted a couple of months, but the last 2 weeks of May were the craziest.

And here I sit with my biggest challenge this week being how do I get one kid to football practice while the other needs to go to an orchestra concert. Quite a change. (I would have had those challenges PLUS how to make inventory and get ready for the show, so I guess I should be thankful for the reprise.)

But I miss Bead and Button. I miss that connection with people who were buying my work. Meeting them face to face and getting that Sally Field moment..... "You like me! You really like me!" that came when I had something that sold really well, or that people brought back things they'd made with my beads the past year.

I miss that. A LOT.

I got an e-mail from a friend this week (hey friend!) that is also a former Bead and Button vendor. She was asking me if I'd like to go next year as an attendee... that she missed just being at the show.

I really WANT to go. In fact, I was trying to figure out how I could do it this year, BUT the more I think about it, the more I know I'll be sad when I'm there as a shopper. I'll miss being the one on the other side of the table.... talking to my old-friends... my customers that came back year after year.

I miss that. A LOT.

It's time to find my way back there again. I have NO idea how I'm going to balance things, but if I miss something THIS much, it's something I need to find a way to do. Whether I can make it onto the wait-list is a whole 'nother thing. But I need to work this year and try to find a way to be back on the other side of the table again.

ok... enough bluesin' for today. I have a TON of other more fun stuff to talk about, but this is not the venue for that. Maybe some day there will be a blog for that too. But I doubt it!!!


Coffee - 2 Venti Cinnamon Dolce Lattes (bad bad girl!)
Music - none. maybe that's my problem!
Fashion report - I have nothing to report on this one either!!! I haven't seen anyone today other than my kids... and I actually could "out" one of them as a Glamor Don't, but I won't.

Hello whoever you are!!!!!!

So, I'm noticing that people are coming and reading this... WHO in the heck are you guys??!! I'm not asking for a "roll call" or anything, but it's funny knowing that people are coming and reading every day (and I know you are because I can read my site statistics and know there are a certain number of hits happening just about every day... it's just funny to me for some reason).

I don't have a LOT of beady things to talk about today, but I do have a few. I'm going to make beads again this coming weekend while the boys are with their dad, but I'm not sure how much time I'll actually get in since I'll also be going to spring football scrimmages.

The boys will be gone for the next 3 weekends in a row and will be gone the entire week after Memorial Day, so that's a LOT of time to myself to get things done. BUT.... I'll have my new puppy by then, so I'll probably be spending more puppy time and less beadmaking time.

I'm SO excited about my new puppy. Here's his picture...


He doesn't have a name yet, but he will! We have a lot of possibilities, but haven't totally agreed yet. I'd love an art name, but that's not gonna happen. Looks like he'll have more of a standard DOG kind of a name. I don't want anything too silly. I loved the name Einstein because he's going to have crazy hair when he gets older (he's a Goldendoodle) but one of my boys vetoed that one. Too bad! :(

ok... gotta get back to work. Just wanted to check in with my "faithful" readers... whoever you are!!!

the daily blah blah blah...

Fashion report - nothing bizarre seen today, although my 10 year old looked SHARP in his suit he wore to school today! (which is bizarre... he's never dressed up!) He was giving a speech since he's running for school council president! We're not expecting a win since there is only one girl running and 3 boys. The boys will probably split the boy vote and the girl will get all the girls, making her win by a landslide. He knows that already, so it won't be a big let down. But he's got a great slogan! "Don't be Trippin' Vote for Griffin!!" (cracked me up when he told me that!

Coffee - Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte - which is NOT good today! They forgot the cinnamon syrup and I swear they put in an extra shot of espresso, so it's really bitter without any sweet to balance it. PHOOEY!

Music - Sylvie's New Groove (will have to post a link to those songs later) and now Sylvie's long mellow list

Good morning beady world!

This post has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with beads, so if you're here for my scintillating stories about life... stick around for a doozie. If you are looking for insight into glass beadmaking... tune in another day.

Here's my funny story of the day....

I always seem to see the funniest things when I'm out and by myself. I NEVER see them when I'm with someone. I've started "documenting" these occurrences by calling my friend and telling her what I've just seen. I'm sure at some point in my stories she's rolling her eyes and thinking "do I always need a play by play of Sylvie's bizarre sightings? NO!!" ANYWAYS, today she had to suffer through another description of craziness that found its way into my sight today. It was funny enough (to me) that I called 2 other people and told them too.

Here's what I saw... (I totally need a camera phone!!)

I was at the Sprint Store getting a phone repaired (part of my REAL job) and had to sit and wait for it. For some reason, this particular store seems to draw the "glamor don'ts" of the world and I've seen more than one big "car-crash" of fashion here before.

Today's was so funny I almost started laughing (snorting kind of laughing) right there next to the guy while I waited.

Here's what he had on...

1. Badly shaped Afro
2. Gold trimmed BIG feminine Gucci Sunglasses
3. Gold chains (of course!)

ok... at this point I have to interject that this guy sort of had a body-builder kind of look. "sort-of" being the appropriate words because with his bulging bi-ceps he had a bit of a beer belly (just wait...)

SO the outfit description continues...

4. Orange mesh (yes, you read that right) vest. It was some sort of sporty vest. Almost looked like what Water-skiers wear... but not puffy like a life vest. It zipped up the front like that though. OF COURSE he wore no shirt with this and it was a "bare-midriff" sort of style which left his belly hanging out. OH BOY... it just gets worse...

5. (holding back the laughter right now just remembering this...) He had on black M.C. Hammer pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ok, not holding back laughter now) they were TRULY TRAGIC M.C. Hammer baggy pants. "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" I wanted to yell.

but wait! There's more!!!!!

6. PATENT LEATHER black high-top 80's Rebok looking tennis shoes.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!

THAT, my friends, was one of my funniest sightings in a long time! Better than the woman who had the "parting of the red seas" hair-do!! Better than "dancing jogging man." Better even than the "Steve Harvey's Showtime at the Apollo Menswear Store" at the redneck mall!

ok... I'm going to compose myself and get back to work. I think I might have to add my fashion sightings to the list below as a daily feature. I'm sure they are out there everywhere if I look hard enough!

Daily blah blah blah...

Coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte (admitting to having TWO of them today. bad girl!!)

Music - Jason Mraz (see side bar for a link to his new album. I LOVE this guy!!!)

Flight of the Hampsters.... the mystery continues!!!!!!!

OK... after yesterday's post, I, being the Nancy Drew kind of girl that I am, decided to go do some research and find out WHY someone who did a search in google would find MY blog by typing the words "flight of the hampsters" in the search. WELL... what I found out FIRST is that I spelled Hamsters wrong!!! SO, once again, people found my site by doing the same mis-spelling that I did. BUT there were over 368,000 entries for "flight of the hampsters!" So, what made this crazy person say "hey... sylviebead blog. THAT sounds like where I'll find information about a video game!" (I also found out that Flight of the Hamsters is a video game).

BUT I didn't find out HOW my blog is connected to this at all!!! I found an entry in my blog where I refer to a book that my kids used to have called "10 minutes till bedtime" and it had cute little hamsters in it. BUT there was no "flight" involved.

So, the mystery continues...

That's it for today. No beady news to report. Will not be a beady weekend either. I'm with my boys AND cleaning house, puppy-proofing it (like baby-proofing) for our new arrival. He comes home at the end of May. HOORAY!!!

big news... I know you're on the edge of your seat waiting to hear the daily blah blah blah...

Coffee - nope. Chick fil a sweet tea with 3 lemons (I'm picky)

Music - nope. I forgot my ipod!!!!

Nothing big and beady going on today, but in visiting my own blog, I noticed that I'd had a lot of hits for something that I hadn't really advertised or anything.

SO, in curiosity, I went to my website to look and see how many visits I've been getting lately. One thing led to another and I looked at the statistics and how people find their way to my site.

Here's something REALLY funny. Someone found their way to my site through google by typing...

flight of the hampsters as their keywords for the search.

HUH???!!!! I have NO idea why I showed up with those words. Makes me curious how many sites come up when you put those words in the search AND how far down the list I am! How many sites did they browse through looking for information on flying hampsters (LOL) before they found my blog???!!! And what was I talking about in my blog that even MENTIONED hampsters!

It's always funny to look at my site statistics and see stuff like that. A long time ago people who were searching for the Osbornes but spelled it incorrectly kept going to my site because I had spelled it incorrectly in my blog. TOO FUNNY!

And what do these people think when they get here? Are they totally enthralled with my so-called life???!! Did they come to just look at the carnage after my "car crash" of a life??? Were they deeply disappointed when I took a hiatus? (no, I seriously don't believe any of that to be true. It would be SAD SAD SAD if a stranger wandered unknowingly upon my site and decided to visit it AGAIN!)

The whole thing is too funny.

ok... gotta run and do my REAL job.

Coffee Today - very disappointed, Starbucks was out of Cinnamon Dolce syrup, so I had to have a mocha. Wasn't in the mood for a mocha. :(

Music - Currently listening to Kate Nash on my ipod who is a strange strange girl... going to have to change to someone else, because I'm just not in the mood for her bitter ramblings today. Time for some Jason Mraz I think.

Hello World! It's MONDAY!!! woo hoo (ok... not really woo-hoo, but it sounds enthusiastic, so I'm trying to think positive and be excited about getting up early, getting kids to school, getting to work, etc.)

I'd RATHER have Saturdays all week long! YAY!

THIS Saturday was great! I made beads again!! YAY YAY DOUBLE YAY!!!

I had made an appointment for renting torch-time at the bead store on Saturday morning, so I got up early, took my already loaded bead-making tote and headed to Marietta. I made beads for a few hours and had no problems with shaking and made 2 fairies and a mermaid! WOO HOO! I'm BACK!!!!!!!

These beads are going in the collection for my boys, but I'm hoping that at some point I'll be ready to put some things up for sale again. In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy making beads when I can.

I THINK I'm going to work on cleaning my studio a little this week. No unrealistic goals to have it completed by a certain day or anything, just going to make an EFFORT to get started. baby steps.

For now, I'm enjoying the social aspect of going over to the bead store... it's just too far away to do any days except Saturday mornings when I don't have the boys. I stay busy on my no-kids weekends, though, so bead-making time will be limited even then.

So, this concludes the bead news for today. Any other news is just not for this blog (like the part about my getting NEW PUPPY in a few weeks !!! But I'm not talking about that here.... this is a BEAD blog NOT a PUPPY blog!)

coffee today - of course! Same ol' same ol... Venti 3 pump with whip Cinnamon Dolce Latte (I'm the girl in front of you at Starbucks that you roll your eyes at when she says her complicated order!!)

music today - still listening to my long mellow playlist. Right now it's playing the Police

Happy Beady Bloggy Thursday!!!

I have bead news! I have reserved more torch time AND I bought some new glass, bead release and mandrels!!!! I'm ready to make beads on Saturday!!!!!

This is a short entry... I just wanted to say "out loud" that I'm making beads this weekend!!


Coffee Today? - nope. Chick-fil-a Sweet Tea w/ 3 lemons
Music - Sylvie's long mellow playlist (currently playing Sade)

Good Morning World!

It's another bead-related post from yours truly!!! YAY!!! I didn't have anything beady to say yesterday, so I didn't post. I had plenty of OTHER stuff to talk about, but it would bore any beady people to tears, so I skipped my blogging yesterday (but I did THINK about posting something... so I was thinking about you at least!!)

Ok... here's the beady news of the day. I'm going to the glass store tonight! YAY!!! Now that I'm going to try to make beads again, I had to analyze my glass-stock to see what colors I might be lacking in. I have plenty of glass, but there are colors that I tend to use a LOT of, like pale pink and lime green, so I need to go fill in those gaps. No huge shopping trip (because there aren't funds for that), but I need some little basics like bead-release and a few mandrels.

I use the skinniest mandrels when making beads and I tend to bend them up pretty easily with my big beads. When I went to the basement to get supplies together, I couldn't find a lot of usable ones, so I've got to go buy some. I can buy welding-rod and cut it down to size, but I'm on an "immediate" thing and need to just get some that are ready-to-go right now.

I'm planning on making beads on Saturday at the bead store again. I've signed up for torch time and will be there bright and early with my gear ready to make some girly stuff! Hopefully I'll be able to continue the no-shaking trend and have a good day of beadmaking. I haven't been by to pick up the beads I made last week, but according to Gerry (owner of beads by Design) they turned out really nice. YAY!!!

ok... gotta run and do some REAL work.


Coffee Today - Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dolce Latte - NO WHIP! (but that was accident - guess it was the universe telling me NO MORE WHIPPED CREAM!)

Music today - My playlist called "if I was a radio station" which is WAY too long to list here because it's something like 32 hours worth of music!

So, it looks like I'm a blogger again, huh? I'm not sure why I'm compelled to spill my guts to the internet world, but I think I just need to write every once in a while and this is a good format to do it.

Nothing real beady to say today. I haven't cleaned out my studio from seed-bead mania (more on that in a second), so there were no beads made this weekend.

Seed bead mania - While I was stockpiling beads for my mermaid kits in 2005, I realized that I had almost as many, if not way more seed bead colors than most bead stores. That led to my selling packaged seed beads by the gram on my web-site in addition to the kits I was selling. This was a big venture and I invested more money in it than I probably should have (though I made the money back).

It was VERY time consuming, however and when I took a break from beadmaking, I tried to keep up the seed bead end of things for a little while, but my heart wasn't in it, nor did I have the time, so I closed that portion of my store as well.

The point of this is that when I had stopped making beads a couple of years ago and continued to do the seed bead merchandising, the seed beads took over my studio. So, right now in my studio are BOXES of seed beads and they are all over the place, including in my glass area. In order to make beads again, I have to clear out those seed-beads and get organized. I HATE getting organized, as anyone who knows me well can attest to.

In the past I'd barter with people to come organize for me.... trading classes or beads for cleaning/organizing. Right now I don't have the means to do that since I'm not teaching and I don't have any beads to trade (other than seed beads which I have TONS of), so I'm going to have to get motivated and clean my own studio!!! UGH!!!!

At least I have motivation now... I know I can make beads again. I spent 2 years not knowing if I could or not. I didn't talk about this in my earlier posts, but I had something going 2 years ago that made my hands tremble and shake to the point that I couldn't make even the simplest of beads. It was SO frustrating because they couldn't trace the cause of it. It eventually got a bit better, but at the same time other life events took the forefront, I took a full-time "real job" and beadmaking just became something that I "used" to do.

In the back of my mind I wondered if I could return to beadmaking, if my shaking had subsided enough to try, but I was afraid. I really really didn't want to sit down at the torch and find out that I had lost the ability forever. I had people say "oh, you could make organic beads, things that don't require as much control," but I didn't want to. I wanted to make what I wanted to make... girly, detailed beads. And if I couldn't do that, it was going to be a big disappointment. And I'd had too much disappointment last year. I didn't need something bringing me down, reminding me of my weaknesses when I was fighting so hard to be strong and independant.

So I didn't even try. I hate to say it, because I'd never want my kids to have that attitude, but I didn't want to try something that I wasn't going to be totally successful at. People said "do it because you love it, not because you're perfect at it," but that wasn't working... I WANTED to be perfect or not to do it at all. Thinking of not being able to make beads was depressing, so I didn't think about it at all.

A month or so ago I decided that it was time to try. To at least see if it was a possibility. I'd spent more than 10 years of my life as a beadmaker and I didn't like the idea of just disappearing off the map because of something that wasn't my choice. But I was really afraid of failure. My hands still shake, (not nearly as much though) and I didn't know if I'd be successful or not. I had no idea if I'd be able to make a dot bead, let alone a bead with a lot of embellishment like most of my beads were. I knew I'd have to clean my studio before I tried, so I kept procrastinating.

I finally decided that I'd have to go about it different route. I'd rent studio time through the Southern Flames (local glass bead group) and since I was reserving space and paying for it, it would make me go, the same way that having a trainer at the gym makes me show up. It gives some sort of accountability, no procrastination allowed.

I called and reserved a space and found out that there wasn't torch-time that weekend, but Beads by Design, the beadstore that hosts the torch-time, generously let me use their space for the day and let me try making beads again. YAY!!!!

I tried little beads first... just dots... and I could do it with no problem!!! My dots were as straight as they ever were and even though I was shaking a little, it wasn't really an issue. I moved on and decided to go for it and make a fairy. I got my stringer colors mixed and just went for it! YAY! It worked... no problems!! So then I tried a mermaid... and again, no problems! I was on auto-pilot and was able to do all the same things I used to do.

I didn't try anything huge like one of the mermaid torsos for Splish Splash. Those took SO much time and energy and control, I didn't want to risk it when I'd had such a good day. I can't even begin to tell you (whoever you are) what a big deal it was that I could make beads again! It changed my outlook on life SO much. Not that I was moping around... I definitely haven't had a moping year. BUT I hadn't felt like an artist and this let me see that there was that possibility still out there.

SO, this is what brought me back to my blog. The hopes that I'll be beadmaking again. The accountability of saying it "out loud" with the internet universe listening. I updated my website so that there might be people that looked at this blog and said "so where are the beads??!!" at some point. I'm hoping that saying I'm GOING to make beads will make me clean up my studio and get busy!

I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, I'll just check in and talk about whatever floats my boat and keep everyone informed what coffee I'm drinking and music I'm listening to!

Stay tuned....

Beads Made - Zero
Coffee Today - Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dolce Latte with Whip (which I really need to give up!)
Music - NOTHING! aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I forgot my ipod, so it's way too quiet!

WOW! 2 days in a row??!!!

Maybe I AM blogging again. I've been working on formatting the blog today, so I'm on my way towards it anyways! YAY!!!

A lot of my recent bead-related energy has been directly related to e-mails that I've received from customers/students who were either looking for beads or patterns that they weren't finding on my website OR were asking when I'd be back OR just checking on me. I've put these e-mails into a file on my computer called "fan mail" (which sounds vain and probably is) and when I'm having a down day, I look at those to remind myself that I have (and still can) make things that bring happiness to people... even if just in a little way.

And this brings us to James Taylor...

Mr. Taylor has a song called "That's Why I'm Here" that talks about his doing the same thing (singing Fire and Rain) again and again and again, year after year for people who come to his concerts and "That's Why I'm Here" is his response to this. I totally get it. I'm not an international super-star like James, but at times I felt like I was singing the same song "again and again and again" making my cute-sy girly things, but they DO make people happy (and me too), so maybe "That's Why I'm Here" too.

I think it's "time to make the donuts" again. (I used to refer to this old Dunkin Donuts commercial all the time on days that I didn't really feel like making beads). It might not start because it's something I completely WANT to do right now, but it's something I NEED to do on several levels. I need that positive affirmation that I make something that makes people happy, I need the camaraderie that exists between beaders, I need the ego boost that selling things brings, and there are other positive benefits that come out of it too.

Are you ready for a big teaser???? A certain bracelet which was retired might be making a return... just because it would be an easy way for me to make a "come back." Something I'm used to making and might not have such a challenge conquering. (I guess I'll have to talk more about why I'd have to "conquer" ANYTHING later... but not today.) SO, that might be news to some of you... the return of ___ over ___. But don't tell! It's not a sure thing yet. Just gossip.

The big question now is WHEN can I make beads?? My life is already SO full (as my battered Franklin Planner can attest to) right now. I'm just going to have to find some time to add this element back into my life. I'll keep you posted (excuse the bad pun!) as to how the juggling is going.


Beads Made Today = ZERO
Coffee Consumed Today - Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte (3 pumps with whip)
Music - Sylvie's Long Mellow List (see newly added playlists on the right hand column)

Could it be? Am I ready to blog again? Am I ready to make beads again is the BIGGER question. The title says “the blah blah blah-og of a Beadmaker.” I think that would necessitate my actually BEING a beadmaker to have this blog. Since this was my studio journal, my way to vent about my creative process and keep people up to date on what I was doing in the studio, I abandoned it when I stopped making beads. I wasn’t sure if I’d return to beadmaking, but I didn’t take down the blog. I still get e-mails from people who, who knows how, have found my blog and read the entire thing and want to know “what happened next??!!” (as if my life is so exciting that people would be on the edge of their seats waiting for the next installment.)

I had one friend who told me he read my blog because it was like passing by a car-wreck… he really didn’t want to look, but couldn’t help himself. Thanks a bunch!!!

I have another friend who seems to think that I’m an I Love Lucy episode and that my day to day life would be a great sit-com. I don’t know that I see myself as Lucy, but sometimes I do think I’m sort of like Grace (from Will and Grace) who had some Lucy-esque tendencies, but was a modern girl (and artistic). Maybe people just read for the comedy of errors that I often am. Who knows why, but my silly ramblings seemed to have a following (and apparently, you, if you're reading this had some sort of inclination to read).

So ANYWAYS… here I am again, pondering the idea of blogging and beadmaking.

Am I ready to divulge my every thought to the universe? Hardly. BUT I am sort of ready to talk about my creative process again. I know there were people who really enjoyed reading my day to day ramblings about whatever was going on with me, sometimes bead-related, sometimes just to get new music or coffee ideas.

Without publishing a novel of my past 2 years, let’s just say that my "pseudo-real life" took some REAL LIFE turns and became the forefront for a while. I didn’t really make a choice not to make beads… life made it for me. But, now for various reasons (some of which I might discuss… some of which I won’t), I find myself being pulled back towards beadmaking (and blogging) again.

Since last we spoke, I became a single mom and am now working a full-time REAL job for my family’s business and if that's not enough, I'm in the process of going back to school to get my master's degree. These circumstances will make it very different for me schedule-wise to make beads than it was in the past and I’m not really sure if I can juggle the life I have and want to have, so that will be one of those things to discuss.

If you are reading this and think “cool! I’m going to get to hear all about Sylvie’s new single social life…or the trials and tribulations of being a single mom.” Think again. Though there might be occasional glimpses into real life (including my addiction to starbucks), I’m going to try to keep my blog focused on the creative me. Real life does color the creative process, so I’m not going to pretend that I won’t talk about other stuff from time to time, but I’ll really have to censor myself since this is potentially such a public forum.

There will be times, like there were in the past, when I say something in my blog that makes no sense to anyone but me (or those who know me really well). It will be just to “get it out” and anyone reading this wanting an explanation for my nonsensical sayings will just have to live with that bit curiosity from time to time.

AND if you are reading this and feel a need to correct my grammar… don’t. (and that means you mom!) Even if it drives you completely crazy…don’t do it!!! I never claimed to be grammatically correct and I like over punctuating AND I make up my own words AND I like run-on sentences and fragments… so there! If you leave me comments concerning my writing style, they will be deleted and I will make mean faces at you through the computer (so don’t even think about it!!!)

Ok… so let’s get down to it… Time to make beads again? Time to blog again??? Hopefully. Like I said in February… Stay tuned!


And because I know you're dying to know...today I'm....

Drinking - Chick-fil-A sweet tea w/ 3 lemons
Listening to - My ipod playlist called "Long Mellow List" (I'll add a link to my playlists later) and it's currently playing a James Taylor song.

Testing Testing... 1 2 3.....

Happy Super Wednesday!!!!

(I'm feeling sorry for the other days this week that weren't SUPER like Sunday and Tuesday)

Is it time to return to blogging?

Maybe.

Stay tuned...

Testing Testing... 1 2 3.....

Happy Super Wednesday!!!!

(I'm feeling sorry for the other days this week that weren't SUPER like Sunday and Tuesday)

Is it time to return to blogging?

Maybe.

Stay tuned...

Why is it that when you're ultra ultra busy....you come up with your most creative ideas...ideas you don't have time to develop. Then when you do have the time, you're all bogged down in not being busy and you don't feel creative! Is that irony? Not sure. Wouldn't want to be Alannis Morrisette or anything singing songs about things that are supposed to be ironic when most of them are things that just were bad coincidences. Guess that woulnd't be such a good song...

"isn't it a bad coincidence...don't you think....like rain on your wedding day." That's just not irony, even I know that!

But is the creativity thing? Does it matter if it is or is not? No.

And on a completely different note, I want to know what has happened to Jay who won project runway. I saw a special on him last night, but like life, it didn't really have an ending and i'd like to think he's off somewhere being successful, but the show was all about the struggles of launching his own line, etc. I am rooting for him wherever he is.

I was going to say no coffee today, but then I remembered I DID have Starbucks early a.m....Cinnamon Dolce Latte mmmmmm (but apparently a bit forgettable!)

I guess I'm checking in weekly now rather than daily. Guess it's better than not checking in at all.

I wonder why I am still posting my blog since I'm not really doing posting of pictures very often, if at all, of what i'm making in the studio lately.

What I've been making is mermaid torsos...lots of them. I guess they aren't really a "mermaid torso" until they have fins...they could be just girl torsos too I guess. But I'm making them for the mermaid project and have been trying to get 3 or more made per day. These take such intense concentration that I can't do many more than that. I did do 5 the other day, but by number 5, my hands were shaking I was so tired. It's a little crazy seeing that I can make a whole bunch of regular mermaids per day and they're not all that small. Just one of those hmmmmmm things.

In a quick update for anyone reading this who was worried about my work schedule. My long days are not ALL in the studio. The hours I was talking about include the computer grunt work that I do in the evenings. I am just saying that there are few hours in the day that I'm not doing something that has to do with my business...and that's sad. I've tried, but I get antsy knowing there is stuff that really needs to be done.

Not sure how I am going to be an "empire" of girly-stuff-ness if I have these tendencies. And that's what I want to be. The future Mary Englebreit or something like that with designs based on my glasswork and drawings which have that same feeling. I really loved doing the work I did this fall with the greeting cards. I just don't have time to do everything myself and I don't really know about marketing of such things. For now, my dream is still a dream without a lot behind it.

Ok, I'm off to do work in the office of my father (which is my Wednesday job)...

Starbucks today - Cinnamon Dolce Latte - having it until they discontinue it.
Music - classic rock on the new atlanta station...the river 97.1 (said in my best rock n' roll announcer voice)

Hello world, it's Wednesday.

I have to say after reviewing my earlier happy dance posts that I am TIRED...all that dancing wears a girl out!

No seriously, I'm worn out. Good sales breed tired beadmaker/beadseller/bead enterprise CEO/Bead inventory Foreperson/Bead Website Design Diva and all the other hats I wear. If it wasn't for Marie, I would have collapsed by now.

I am so happy to have a thriving business, but SO SO tired because I've been working constantly since the beginning of January. A couple of nights ago I sat in front of the TV and did absolutely nothing and it felt weird. I'm so used to multi-tasking and almost always working on something that it just felt weird. I've been trying to knit or something else just to keep myself from working 17 hour days, but it's tough.

That sounds horrible, and I truly love what I do. I'm just tired, that's all.

AND my website is pittifully out of date. Must get help with that too I think. I'm going to call someone who might be able to help...just had brain lightbulb thing go off.

starbucks - Venti 3 pump Cinnamon Dulce Latte which is delicious and when they discontinue it (and I know they will since it was a Valentines thing)I'm just going to die a coffe-less death. So until then...Carpe Coffee :)

My last posting sounded pretty ecstatic. It was. The good and bad of that are good...lots of sales, bad lots of tired. So lots of ups and downs since that post. Mostly up, but I'm tired!

I was listening to James Taylor today, though and heard the song "That's why I'm here" and it struck home...mermaids mermaids mermaids. That's why I'm here I think...to make people smile and such with what I do. A nice aha moment for the day.

No big crowds or big bucks like JT, but just an overall happiness with the approval I got from this project.

:)ing

coffee - cinnamon dolce latte which is totally delicious
music - James Taylor

WHOOOPEEEE!

They like me they really like me!!!

(splish splash mermaid is a big success and I'm a happy camper!)

Much more exciting than the Gap selling talls, though that is pretty darn exciting!

off to work,

coffee - no, stomach is sick, so having a coke (and a smile)
music - my playlist on ipod called "if I were a radio station" has TONS of songs with no rhyme or reason that I like. You might hear aerosmith and then carly simon and then beck...you just never know what's going to pop up. very fun

I hate saying "happy dance" again, but it is!

The Gap now sells Talls online!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is huge, (no pun intended) I can buy a t-shirt that's long enough to tuck in!!!!! I love their jeans and their clothes, but had only been able to buy their jeans since they came in long and x-long lengths. Now I can buy shirts and jackets too.

Can you say....BIRTHDAY IDEA?!!!! Yes you can!

Someone tell my husband that I want a jacket! There's a really cute one that comes in black or white and a cute jeans jacket too! Oh my! So many good choices that will actually fit! woo hoo!!!!!

As for beads, which this is supposed to be about. I spent a good part of yesterday beading samples. Will it ever end?! Will I ever be able to MAKE the darn kits?!!

The beads are all here, but I'm trying to get samples and pics done so that I can market the kits. UGH. It's tough being a one-man show!!! Although Marie, the goddess of Beads makes it much less of a one man show than it was before. Three cheers for Marie!!!!!

coffee and tea today.
no music. forgot my headphones. :(

I hate to start the new year with a negative post, but I'm going to. I'm having a really bad day. Today is the anniversary of our fire. All day today I was blue, but I thought it was January 4th. Not that it matters, but when I realized that today was the 5th, I just lost it.

It's not any one thing, just the upheaval and emotion of it all that gets to me. I know it was just stuff and that doesn't really bother me that much. It was the life that had happened in the house that's now gone that bothers me. It's the pets and the kids being sad about the pets and the sentimentality of it all. My kids were crying about it today and they didn't even know it was a day that had anything to do with the date of the fire. They were just in a different part of town than we usually are and said how much they missed where we used to live and maybe we could have a "just like the old days" day. Then my oldest got teary... I started losing it just about then.

So I'm boo hooing all day while I'm trying to be a productive citizen and a "together" Mom. Maybe some day this month I'll be an artist again. I'm just not feeling like it very much right now. :(

And just to say it "out loud" here, I know that my life is better off in this house where we are now and that the fire caused change for the good in a lot of ways. I'm just sort of bogged down in the sadness of it all sometimes.

I feel like I'm spinning my wheels a lot lately in my beadmaking/beading. It's frustrating and I had to vent here.

I have so many balls up in the air right now, that they are bound to all fall on my head and cause a concussion.

coffee - shouldn't have, but did - Mocha
Music - wish I had it, could use it today, but am doing office work sans ipod.

Not necessarily pertinent (sp?) here, but must say that my new favorite thing is My Name is Earl. It cracks me up over and over again. I've been Tivo-ing it so that I can watch it more than once. I have added many Joy-isms to my vocabulary, however I haven't found a way to use "boob glitter" in my every day venacular. LOL


--------
posting number 2 from today.

Am now sure that I am certifiable. Watch out e-bay seed bead sellers, I'm on my way! After visiting a store today who told me "make sure you check out all our seed beads (and they had MAYBE 30 colors...I could be exaggerating, but I think so), I went home and counted mine.....I AM a beadstore times a gazillion! I have 24 columns 10 or more tubs high each...over 250 I'm sure, colors/sizes of seed beads in my very own basement.

So, having thought of this for a while, I went to e-bay tonight and there are only a very few people selling seed beads! wow! I had already decided to add them to my storefront as just an aside for customers who regularly shop with me to pick up a little bit extra of the colors they liked from my kits. Having seen that there is a big void in seed bead land, however, I'm taking my tiny beadies to e-bay! Am in process of photographing the 250 some-odd varieties of japanese seed beads currently residing in my basement and will soon be a bonafide online beadstore! whoa! that's scary!

********happy dance*********

literally!

Dancing (well not this minute because I'm typing) to tunes on our new Bose speakers for ipod!!!!!!!

I had them on my wish list (to the left bottom of this page if you haven't been paying attention) and received them for Christmas from my sister in law. WOW! Was truly surprised, but am now dancing around the house to my groove tunes playlist.

Need to go to the studio and do some work, but want to stay and dance! :)

shake it like a polaroid picture....

off to work (or dance haven't decided which)

hey ya! hey ya!

Sunday of the party weekend. 2 of 3 down, 2 or 3 to go. Wardrobe is extensive for this type of social life! I can't imagine people that do this all year! I don't even have enough fabulous jewelry to wear for 3 parties, let alone 5! It's bad that some of the parties have the same people, so I can't repeat!!!

Have cool cool shoes and that's what matters.

Writing here quickly because I think it's important to keep up with my blog again.

coffee today - mais oui, mocha!
music - lots and lots of Christmas music!

way behind in blogging and in life.

Had a tough month so far, but seem to be returning to normal.

I'm really really hoping that January turns into a much more profitable work month. I've been working so hard designing and making samples that I haven't SOLD anything!! It's the tough part of what I do. If I was a bead maker, pure and simple again, I would just make beads and sell them...voila a business that lasts all the time without starts and stops.

I LOVE doing the seed bead weaving and project designing, though, so I am just going to have to adjust to the ups and downs OR give up that portion of what I do.

So, am done whining and will now return to work. I am so glad to be normal again and wanting to work. It was just a crazy crazy month and I'm glad it's back to some form of sanity.

Coffee today - mais oui! I had a starbucks venti 2%, 2 pump mocha. My drink of choice lately.

No music. Am listening to the Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd on CD (well ipod really), so no music played today.

Off to bead...

Today's post is a rant about Christmas songs...one in particular.

The song that the "we are the world people" did about Christmas...

Do they know it's Christmas-time at all.


Well, here's my view. NO! They don't! They never did. It is not really a holiday that I expect they celebrate, so they don't know it's Christmas and why are you singing those silly lyrics?!!

"There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" - well, duh!

So, if it wasn't bad enough that people in the 80s (and I was one of them I guess) thought this song made sense...the Barenaked Ladies have done a remake of it!!! I thought they were witty and intelligent songwriters, but they could have done a better cover...or at least edited the stupid lyrics and put in good ones that made sense.

Every time I hear this song it makes me giggle....They don't know it's Christmas time at all.

(this has been a brief Christmas rant from me)

tea and coffee today - a big caffine day
music - Christmas (could you tell?!)
reading/listening to - The Mermaid Chair
making - small beads
buying- Christmas gifts and shoes for me

still here.

not quite so "funky" today. Coming out of the haze, but still not there. Need to work, but haven't really had the desire to do the work. I think if I had a regular job, it wouldn't be a choice, but this line of work is a bit too accomodating for "feeling in a blue-funkness" and kind of makes it too easy to stay there.

Have been exercising regularly, so that helps, but it also wears me out, so it's a mixed bag.

ok...enough complaining. Kids coming home soon.

watching: Making the Band 3 (I have to admit to this guilty habit here)
eating: too many chocolate chip cookies
drinking: un-sweet tea from Chik fil a
swimming - 1800 yards today!

Blue Funk
Rainy Dark Days
ICK

Getting my hair done tomorrow, so maybe will do something "bright" to help the mood. I don't think I'll do tobasco (sp?) red again...saw those pictures from a few years ago and don't think it was my best look. :)

off to bead (or play solitaire...can't decide)

Another thing...

I read this today written on a forum and it was so poignant and beautifully worded that I wanted to record it here. It is on the subject of bipolar disorder...

snipped from the lampwork etc. forum, a response to the subject of bipolar disorder in an artist...(I've snipped out parts here and there to allow it to make sense in this context)

I am intimately familar with this "problem". I put that in quotations because, ironically, the very fact that some swing low allows them to swing high to places most never see. The low is the payment for the great insights of the high....

However, I just want to add one slightly politically incorrect thing: It might just be that those souls that are blessed/cursed with a free-swinging inner pendulum are the very source of human inspiration and imagination. They pay the price and we stand in the wake of their dynamic experience and say, "Gee, that is really neat! But how sad they..."

More clealy...don't be so quick to process this in the "bad column". You had a life altering experience, you learned, you evolved, and now are better equipped to deal with the inevitabilities of the future. What more can one wish for?

Finally, the emotions are like an ill mannered horse--energetic, uncontrolled, and dynamically beautiful. There is no need to tie the horse down though...only to attach a tiny strap to her snout and lead her in the right direction.

I just thought this was a wonderful way to look at things.

Rainy days and mondays (fill in the rest)

I did make beads today...7 focal beads which was a BIG day for me lately.

I need to get my samples finished, but I think that's do-able in the next 2 days. Could be unrealistic, but I really really really need to.

Bummer du jour - my planet smoothie is closing. sniff sniff. good bye shagadelic smoothies after workouts. (maybe it's a good thing, I don't seem to be losing weight lately and maybe this is the reason!)

swimming 2x a week now...whoo hoo.

making darn good mochas on my own espresso maker, so Starbucks is sort of out of business here. LOL

music today - groove tunes playlist and also "chick flick songs" playlist

Happy Thanksgiving!


food consumed - just enough
cakes baked - one yummy banana chocolate chip one
coffee - home made mocha
music - Christmas :)

Happy Day before Thanksgiving!!!

I worked out extra hard this week preparing for the holiday...not really, but we'll pretend that my workouts had those sort of good intentions. I am just trying to keep a regular workout schedule. I'm swimming again because I think that was the main form of exercise that kept my metabolism at a point where I could eat more of what I wanted without worrying so much about gaining weight.

Ok...that had absolutely nothing to do with my studio work. I am trying to keep my blog on-subject, but I guess it's harder than I thought it would be.

Studio-wise, I've been making samples of mermaids. It's been several weeks of me saying that now, but it's true! I had to make the beads to be the torsos of the sample mermaids...choose the colors for the samples/kits which takes the longest because it's lots of beading and tearing out and re-beading until I find colors I like.

I now have 4 out of ___ samples made. One is Sylvie colors, one dark purples and greens and burgandies (a deeper Sylvie-colors), one vivid florida brights, one hot hot hot Rio reds and pinks. I'm finishing one that's autumn-rich tones. I have plans for a blue mermaid and a turquoise-y hawaiian one. It's just taking way too long to get all the samples made. I want to be able to send out an e-mail and say...They're here! Time to pre-order! I just need to have several more hours in the day to sit and bead!!! Work out time does cut into beading time, but it's necessary to keep my beader's butt in check.

having coffee - mocha (with whip full whole milk whipcream thing...not good girl drink)
no music at moment...

It was a dental day...once more. I am not happy about spending so much $ this year on my darn teeth! I could have had a wonderful vacation somewhere for the price of my teeth!!!

Back to beading. working on samples samples samples. Hoping that this is a project that people will really like and ORDER. Hoping to have something ready to roll into a premiere by the beginning of Dec. and that's not far away!

So...off to bead!

no coffee today, but my sore mouth had a smoothie...mmmmmmm

Exercised until I almost near died....well not really, but my legs feel like Jello after swimming for almost an hour. I hadn't been in the pool in over a year and it was time to get my rear in gear, so I did. Ouch!

Back home now, cking e-mail and other junk. Won't say that I'm being health nut today, because I did have caramel corn after exercising. Guess it would be worse if I had caramel corn and DIDN'T exercise.

Going back to making samples in a few minutes. Have 3 out of 6 finished. Woo Hoo!

music - no
coffee - no, Planet Smoothie - Shagadelic w/ Soy protein and no yogurt...took out the sugar and fat by doing that!

to work I go!

Things seem much more sane today, in my life and those of others.

I have such a great support system of friends and family, I can't imagine the life of one without such a great group of caring people. I am one truly blessed chick!

So, back to normal, back to work today. Am beading samples for the new project...can't order beads for kits until I know what colors I'm ordering. I'm really really excited about getting this launched, but I can only bead SO fast! If someone is e-mailing me (cough cough maybe you?) because they've read this blog and they are waiting anxiously for the kits to be ready.....they will....soon! I'm beading as fast as I can!!! :)

Off to bead and watch t.v. (my son asked me if that's what I do all day...watch t.v. I don't think he understands Mom's job!)

music today - no, as I said above am watching my Tivo
coffee today - no, Planet Smootie - Shag-a-delic w/ added soy protein. mmmmmmm

I blog therefore I am? Probably not, but it sounds really important huh?!

someone blogrolled me and it made me so very happy.

All in all a sort of happier day today (is that vague or what!) Am definitely feeling more up and more in control...leaving things I don't have control over alone as much as possible. Today was all about socialization with normal happy people, so that helped muchly.

I know that everything i'm writing here this week is kind of nonsensical (sp?), but it makes sense to me and that's what matters, huh!?

no coffee today, though I'm jonesin' for a latte right now.

am addicted to poppycock stuff with chocolate on it. must say no to popcorn-drugs.

started my day with a good cry.

now ready to go make beads.

needed to do pta stuff today, but need some quiet torch time more.

ipod and I are off to studio never to return to webpages again.

It's one of those days that I want to rant and rave here, but know better.

think I'll go have some James Taylor with my coffee. :)

Still working on Mermaid samples

spent too much time today reading things that didn't need to be read.

I don't wish to talk about it here, but lots curiosity about things that I shouldn't be curious about. Would hate it if people discussed my own emotional train wrecks (and we all have them to one extent or another) in such public forums. YET...I am lurking waiting for news that everything is ok...really ok, not just "ok".

This makes no sense, but again, it's my blog.

Made my own starbucks latte today. mmmmmmm

no music - should have played music instead of reading stupid computer stuff all day!

It's almost mermaid time!!!!!!!!

I'm really excited about introducing a new project and want to do it with all the fanfare that it deserves. It's like waiting to give a Christmas present that you're really excited about someone opening. I'm trying to make my samples as fast as I can so that people can see all the color varieties.

I'm going to be taking pre-orders for kits and will have a gift with purchase thing (like they do at Clinique!) for all orders placed in the introductory weeks. I think the gift is a fun one too!!!

OOOH! I can't wait can't wait!!

coffee - can you tell? :) Mocha!
music - just radio....nothing special

pattern writing again today.

Nothing big to say other than that. Am trying to keep up with blog...just to keep some structure in my studio life. I did have a good beadmaking day yesterday. Now, I'm trying to get all the quirks worked out of my pattern and actually make it a good pattern.

watching sappy movies on tivo while I do. :)

it's big premiere episode week, so my tivo is very busy. LOST is tonight and I am really anxious to see what happens. So...off to bead more.

coffee today -iced hazlenut latte. mmmmmmmmm

Am busy working on pattern. No beady pictues,etc.

worked hard at gym today.

No coffee, chik fil a.

boring entry, but that's the way it is.

Rhoda Regrets..............


I didn't post this one the day I made it because I was in a bit of a rush. I realized this weekend that I can't keep up this pace. I wish I had the time to make a new girl each day, but I don't. This one was hard. I didn't even have a story until the very last minute and it was a bad one at that. All of a sudden, though, it just spoke to me and the sea monkeys just came out of the blue! I have no idea what warped things happened to me in my childhood to make me come up with these stories. Mom? Anyone?

I double checked with non-beady friends to get a read on whether these were funny to normal people too. They gave me a thumbs up. Now I just need a non-friend/non-bead view of them. Wish I knew how and where to market these! Might need to go do craft shows again or something.

Here's Rhoda.....
(click image to enlarge)




no coffee today, but I need it!
bought lots of seed beads...does that count?
burned over 300 calories on the elliptical, so i bought a chicken biscuit. :)

Wanda Wishes..................................
(click to enlarge)



This is today's funny. At least I think it's funny, and as long as this is my blog, well that's what it's all about...me me me!

I am still not at the torch. Have been on computer all day (other than quick fast food run)

no coffee- though I was totally tempted after writing "yesterday's entry"

I went back to find the original image that I used to do this picture...just to show how way far off I ended up from the original, but i discovered that I had overwritten the old picture with the new one. oh, well. When I have time, I'll post the other pics that go with the earlier girls.

off to work doing something, not sure what yet.

music - allison Kraus, Diana Kraul (I'm just going reverse alphabetically through my music...not!)

No Big Haired Girl today..............

It's not really Wednesday, but I'm going back in time to post about yesterday. I tried to log on and blog, but for some reason the computer wasn't letting me. It was not a day to get to do anything creative. :(

I work at a real job on Wednesdays, so there was no time to play with beads or pictures. NOT THAT I SHOULD BE PLAYING! I have too much real beadwork to do right now to be playing!!! So, with that said, I'm going to pretend that Wednesday is over and go to Thursday, where I will also say that I should be working and not blogging!

coffee - yes, I had coffee on Weds - iced Hazlenut latte...yum, makes me want to get another (but then I wouldn't be working and that wouldn't be good)

music - classical stuff in the office...forgot the ipod.

Vanishing Violet Verjongen
.................................................

Today I edited photo. Notice I said photo and not photos. I am going to have to get with it.

Am watching the newest round of Biggest Loser. I love the inspiration that the show was last summer. I need that kind of motivation. Have been to the gym twice this week already. Goal is 4 times. 2 is a must, but would like to do some sort of workout 4 times.

This is the first time I've done a before and after of the "big haired girl" photo. I'll do the after first.



I'm not quite as happy about this story as I have been others, but I really like the picture. I can't be witty witty every day. :)

Here's the before (well I just realized I didn't upload the before, so I'll have to do that later.

no coffee, but did have chik fil a tea which I love.

Princess Josephine
............................................


Here we are on Monday! Woo hoo! (not...I'm just acting excited about it)

Today's big event...I now have a clothing line! Well, I have a pseudo clothing line. It's not pseudo-clothes, but pseudo-mine. I have a "storefront" at cafe press where they make custom printed items. hooray for Sylviebeads! Buy t-shirts, tote bags, notecards, etc.!!!

I have listed the big haired girls in addition to a "generic" Sylviebead Mermaid/Fairy t-shirts, etc.

Hooray!

here is today's little bit of humor...

music today - not really

Chik Fil A tea instead of starbucks.

Posy Pouts
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Sunday's funny

Brought to you by the letter P and the number 3

and Starbucks Venti Mocha. :)

Nell Nocturna
...............................................

I'm going back in time to post pictures that I didn't post earlier. This was Saturday's "girl du jour"

Velma Volunteer
..........................................

Another missed posting.

Red Hat Wannabe

.................................................................

I am avoiding work. Hmmm. Not sure why, but I am. I've been having fun doing digital art to go w/ my bead bundles (which are not selling very well). Now I just want to spend time doing that. I think I'm funny and I like the stories I've been writing.

Here's the one from today...



It made me laugh. I'm my own silly audience.

no coffee no music - maybe that's why I'm so wacko today!

Queen Matilda De La Mane

.......................................................................

Ok...I'm way off task this week. Harrison came home sick yesterday, so I didn't go torch. Instead, I doodled around on the computer for HOURS and came up with much silliness. (I also edited photos, so that was productive at least)

Here is my creation from Wednesday...



I said it was silly!

Hopefully today I'll get a little pattern work done because that needed to be done by now! I'm pushing that deadline too much.

coffee today - venti 2 pump mocha
music - John Mayer on the ipod

Queen Matilda De La Mane
................................................



started the day not feeling well. ick. went to dr. ick took way too long and ate up my studio day. double ick.

Now am editing photos (took TONS of pics yesterday) getting ready to post bead bundles for storefront and e-bay. Want to make more of the "big hair girl" prints, but I'm not sure I'll have time.

have not cooked in 3 days...not a good thing. I was on a roll, so I need to get back on it!

coffee today - no chik fil a tea
music - Alison Kraus on ipod

Amelia Overwhelmed
.......................................................

Labor day - laboring in the studio.

I-pod on and I'm listening to "chick tunes" which is my list of songs that could be from the soundtrack of a "chick flick". All different types of songs, but mostly girl tunes. :)

I actually started my day w/ Starbucks!! Woo hoo! Had a mocha and was ready for the day! I'm only doing starbucks about once a week (if that) now and am feeling very in control of my habit (I sound like a heroin addict or something!) "hi my name is sylvie and I'm a starbucksaholic. It's been 7 days since my last cup" :)

I am doing non-beadmaking studio work today...taking pictures, making bead bundles, measuring and naming beads. Hopefully later will make another silly bead picture. I really enjoy doing that and am wondering if it's a sideline business in the making. I can really see some of these as t-shirts or greeting cards. hmmmmmmm. Maybe having a Patience Brewster (see right) card sitting at my desk is pushing me that way. hmmmmmmm (I said that already didn't I)

"hmmm" is the word that my therapis uses frequently. I think it's just when she is getting bored and wants to sound like she's really considering what I'm saying. ..which is actually pretty boring on my end too. LOL

Ok...off to work.

(here is picture of newest bead print...I think I'm quite clever and since this is my very own journal, I can say that and no one can say anything contrary to that and if they do...I'll just delete their comment! - though no one reads or comments anyways!)

Sunday...no beadmaking, lots of beadcleaning. My least favorite part of being a beadmaker. My fingers are pruny....though I dried them off a bit to type. :)

Ebay seems to be a tiny bit better for me. I do have those crazy girl prints and I'm proud of them...even if the beads don't sell for as much as they should, I loved doing the prints, so I'll probably do a few each week. Probably not for every auction, but I do like doing it enough to do several a week.

Need to get down to work this week on mermaids...work Sylvie work! For some reason I just haven't been doing that kind of work that I needed to the past few weeks. Not sure why.

Ok, off to finish cleaning beads.

tv, not music today
no starbucks. :(

3 days in a row!!

But who is counting? really?

Well, I'm cooking each day and posting auctions each day, so you never know...I could even blog each day (well, let's not get carried away!)

Am at present, loading Harry Potter CDs onto computer so that I can listen to book6 on my ipod today. Need to escape reality for a while...That's actually how I started the Harry Potter thing in the first place. After 9/11, I was so down and couldn't listen to the radio w/ out bad news and when I listened to my own music, my mind wandered and I got sad again. So...Stephanie who worked at the bead store (where my studio was at the time) brought me the books on tape and it was a great escape.

I've alread read book 6 (the day it came out and the following day actually...was in Las Vegas, bought the book at the airport, read it on the way home, finished it the next day...am a fast reader), but I love listening to the man who reads the books on tape. It adds so much to the story. Unabridged, so you don't miss any real text, but adding character voices makes it so much fun.

Once ipod is loaded am off to make beads (several days in a row...almost...of that too!). I'm a virtual organized/beadmaker! Not!

Have a new auction up with one of my old-school "paintings" that go with it. Her name is Flora Whodunnit and it is very cute if I do say so myself. The picture is a seek and find of all different elements of a bead set. Very fun to create and will have to do more. Wish I had the ones I'd made in 2001 (fire) because they were fun too and it would be great to see them again.

off to make beads...no starbucks, still saving gas...have iced tea (homemade!) instead.

Thursday morning and I'm actually blogging 2 days in a row.

I spent a little time re-formatting the blog to make it prettier and I'm happy for now with how it turned out.

Am going to make beads next. Not driving today, made kids take the bus (gasp). Am a bit paranoid about all the gas stuff on the news. Of course, I hadn't watched the news for about 4 days and had absolutely no idea how bad the hurricane situation was. I was a bit shocked and freaked out when I did see the news. (I'd been watching tivo stuff instead of actual tv for the past week...old movies, recorded reality stuff...definitely NOT the news)

I was a bit worried last night about all the stuff that might have an effect on me personally (which is totally selfish when you look at the big picture) but my mind went straight to..."oh no, what if we can't get gas...what if groceries can't get to stores...what if I can't afford the new prices that everything will be...I need to plant a garden...) So I got a little carried away and today I am trying to calm down a bit about it all. I am avoiding driving, though for sure. What finally caused me to watch the news was the line I saw at our corner gas station yesterday evening when we went to ball practice. It wrapped around the building at least once. I thought there had been some freak accident that caused everyone to have to detour through Texaco. Once I figured out what was going on, I had to watch the news and see what the heck I'd been missing.

So...I'm going to try to make my 1/2 tank of gas last as long as possible. I'm afraid of driving to the pump only to find they're sold out and then having to drive around to find gas and then running out of gas before I find someplace. See...I panic when I start to think of it all.

Ok...this is my beadmaking journal, not my freak out journal, so I'm going to go make beads now. I have to grab my ipod first, though. I can't make beads w/out music.

Coffee - not right now...no trip to starbucks is in site, but maybe I'll crank up the espresso machine...but NO! I'm out of milk!!! DRAT!
Music - planning to listen to my groove tunes play list, but might have to move to something calmer, depending on the mood.

Still blogging...though not daily, much more consistently!

Have been in a more upbeat mood than last posting which was really pretty dreary. Now am fine and am trying to keep ego at bay...not at e-bay. LOL, I'm pretty funny sometimes (she says to herself knowing that this blog is probably not read and that's just ok w/ me)

Have been busy trying to make beads at least 3 times a week...would like to do more, but it's not real practical to think I will. My life is in flux lately trying to be a balance of Mom, wife and beadmaker... new schedule...

Mondays - grocery shop (I know it shouldn't take all day, but somehow it does for me...don't let non-diagnosed ADD people wander down aisles at store...they don't necessarily buy everything, but are distracted by all those boxes, cans, colors!)- see note later re: groceries. Studio office work - photos, photo editing, auction writing...assistant for beadmaking in the afternoon- hooray for Marie!!!

Tuesdays - gym and beadmaking...fairly consistent day.

Wednesdays - office work for my dad and kids sports (sneak in blog posting while at work)

Thursdays - gym and beadmaking...fairly consistent again - hooray for Marie again, assistant for sanity and shipping (I think that's her new title V.P. of Shipping and Sanity)

Fridays - beadmaking and whatever appointment type things get scheduled usually fall on Fridays, so beadmaking can get bumped.

Saturday - kids sports and maybe a little beadmaking

Sunday - church and family...maybe babysitter and date night!

So, seems like a sane schedule. I have to add "computer work" to all the days with posting auctions, keeping up with e-mails etc...

Here is why all the grocery shopping....I'm cooking at home almost every night. Ok, now to some people, that would be completely normal, but my family has eaten out almost everynight since before I had kids...since about 1992? I know it's ridiculous and I've spent a ton of money doing so, but I've just never had a kitchen I was happy cooking in AND I always had an excuse why not to, etc. BUT while shopping for non-cooking items one day at grocery, happened to talk to someone in veggie section (not normal to talk to shoppers, but I commented on her cute kids or something as my 2 monkeys were terrorizing the produce section) she herself was bursting at the seams to tell someone about her new cooking experience...SIX O'Clock Scramble. something she'd seen on Oprah...fast meals that are interesting but also kid tested. I went online, checked it out and decided that I'd try it. Well, I love it!!! I have to kind of commit to doing it once I'm at the grocery store buying all the items for the week (which come on a nice organized non-ADD grocery list). Once I've bought all those things, I think I HAVE to cook the recipes.

So this is week 3 of Six O'Clock Scramble and I'm LOVING IT (did I already say that?) I do. I really enjoy cooking and these recipes are easy, but really varied and yummy. The kids don't really get to comment on "I want this" or "I want that" it's kind of like this unseen authority of meals has dictated that tonight we have "Coconut Chicken" and they have no say in things...they don't say "oh mom" with a whine or anything...it's just "six o'clock scramble" to blame if they don't like it. And honestly, there have only been a few things they didn't like (and if one didn't like it, the other did).

So I have cooked at home for 3 weeks straight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to save money or not. I'm sure that I will, but I'm still buying some things each week that normal cooking people would automatically have (flour and sugar, salt and pepper...really, I didn't have any which is very sad) But I'm cooking and I'm good!!! Hooray for me.

Coffee du jour - starbucks venti iced hazlenut latte
Music du jour - listening to classical at the office, but at home have been listening to my ipod playlist called "groove tunes" which is mostly r&b old and new from "Leavin on that Midnight Train to GA" and "Super Freak" to Mary J. Blige and Outkast. Very fun to dance in my chair to. :)

I'm a rollercoaster of beady emotion.

I have been so psyched to be back in the beadmaking/bead selling groove again...

HOWEVER...I do not wish to give my beads away!!!!! I feel like I am just about doing that on e-bay right now. What is it that makes someone hot or not is not really what I'm talking about...it's just...why aren't my beads selling at all???? I don't ask to be the darling of e-bay, just to get a price closer to retail...I'm not even NEAR a wholesale price right now. I've only had a couple of auctions not sell EVER, but I've had at least 3 in the last week not sell. waaaaaah!

I probably shouldn't whine publicly, but that's what I'm doing here. waaaaah!

So...do I quit doing e-bay? I just don't know. I just want to pout.

coffee today - oui! Venti Mocha
music today - my "groove tunes" playlist on my ipod. From Tenderness (old school) to Mary J Blige it's my dance in your seat while beadmaking music

happy dance!!!

Kids back in school!!!!!!!

Been making beads again and actually got to grocery shop on my own (that sounds so trivial, but honestly it was a big deal to me)

Not much to say, but want to make a valiant effort at writing again....we'll see.

starbucks today - new drink for me...iced coffee (was cheaper than a latte, so I'm trying to save...right?!!)
music - no, but listening to a book on tape-ipod by sophie kinsella

Back in the Saddle again.... la la la la la la la.

It's back to semi-normal here. Feeling better...not all the way, but better. Kids are getting ready for school to start next week. I guess I should really change that to I'M getting ready for the kids to go back to school next week.

I've entitled Monday Margarita Monday. I don't think I'll really go out and have a margarita while they're at school, but it's more a symbol of the PARTY I'm going to be having in my head. A few hours a day that I'm all alone....alone alone alone!!!

I love my kids...really! I just love the few hours of quiet too. Making beads is a solitary thing...I'm a solitary person. I need social time too, family time too, but if I don't get a few hours alone, I'm on the edge of crazy. Ok...I'm in the middle of crazy!

So...I am back to work for a few hours a day right now while they're at home and will be full time at work next week when they're at school. 8:30-2:30 I'm working again!!! Hooray!!! I'll have shoe money again! Maid money! Assistant money!

Yes, I have an assistant. Woo hoo!!!!! My life is much happier with someone who is organized doing the organizing!!! The studio is starting to look like a eral workplace rather than an explosion! Hooray for my new assistant...bead goddess!

off to shop for Rob's b-day.

so the big news of the day...

coffee - no, but wonderful sweet tea from Starbucks
music - no, but listening to a new book on ipod. (still in love w/ my ipod!)