Happy Tuesday!

Writing pattern... diagram-palooza. This pattern is sooooo pretty (which sounds crazy...that the actual pattern would be pretty. The project is pretty, but the diagrams are pretty too!)

On a completely different note... my youngest son has commented that my facebook (and probably my blog too, but he doesn't read it) postings look like an elementary school girl wrote them. He's disturbed by the liberties I take with punctuation.

Oh well. I told him that I'm an adult and I KNOW how to write correctly. I just CHOOSE to be creative with my punctuation marks and sentence structure. I've earned that right! :D

back to work! Have a wonderful day everyone!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes!!!!!!!!!!
music - Otis Redding Pandora Station. It rocks! I love that they include Van Morrison in the mix along with Aretha and Al Green (luuuuuuv me some Al)

It's finally here!!!!!!!

The first day of school!!!!!

Back to "normal" work days for me!!

Long to-do list includes finishing my pattern, cleaning the studio, ordering beads for kits.....

ok. I'm already intimidated by my to-do list and that's only a tiny part of it! This will cause a short blog entry, so I can get back to work!!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes!!!!! treated myself to Starbucks this morning
music - nope. Gilmore Girls on TV... almost as good as background music! Love them!

Happy Friday everyone!

I told you yesterday that I was taking a day off. I am, BUT I thought I'd run this ad in my absence.

I've been using the site Swagbucks.com since February as my search engine. When you do, it randomly awards you with "bucks" that you can trade in for gift cards/merchandise. Since February, I have earned over $120 in Amazon gift cards as well as about $60 in merchandise from other retailers.

There are no strings... it's a google search engine that just puts some extra ads in the search results. Have questions? Feel free to message me. I'm hooked.

Here's a link!



SO... go search and win! (and help me win... when you sign up and search, I get extra bucks too!)

Just a quickie post...

I just saw that I have over 500 people who "like" me on Facebook. I feel like Sally Field, but that's pretty darn cool...that people take the time to click "like" about my work. I don't recognize most of the names, which is even cooler...knowing that there are people out there who like my work that I don't even know.

Kind of mind-blowing actually. (and just about the coolest thing of being an artist...knowing that something I create resonates with people I don't even know. How many other jobs get to say that???!!!! Very cool, indeed.

There are days, however that the "like" number goes down and I wonder... what made someone UNlike me??? I don't take it personally, but it's a bit odd.

ANYHOO...

Monday is back to normal day. I laughingly call it Margarita Monday, the day mothers everywhere celebrate....THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!! In reality, my day will not be spent as a "lady who lunches," but rather a hard-working single mom who is busting her butt to have things ready for all the fall classes and shows....while at the same time juggling regular life with teenage boys. I feel like I'm "one monkey short of a circus" a lot of the time, so I'm not sure how effective my juggling act really is. BUT, I'm having fun and really enjoying the show! :D

(and I realize that the last 2 sentences...and this one too have horrible punctuation and grammar, but I am beyond caring about those things... sorry mom and uptight grammar-police who happen to read this blog. I'm a creative person and I can write well when I want to, but I like extra punctuation marks and I like starting and stopping sentences whenever I please. My apology above is simply to acknowledge that you probably are bothered by my grammatical liberties.)

Have a wonderful rest of your week everyone! I'll be enjoying our last day of summer vacation tomorrow and won't be checking in.



tiny blah blah blah...

FREE Starbucks today! HOORAY for coupons!!!
music - not so much... well, there IS music, but it was chosen by Thing 1 and Thing 2 and today their taste and mine don't go together as well as they do other times!

I've been singing the Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" all day. Probably because a friend on FB posted some of the Monday lyrics yesterday. Now it's stuck in my head and I can't get it out.

SO... I'm channeling the Tuesday lyric apparently...

"I don't care if monday's black
tuesday wednesday heart attack
thursday never looking back
it's friday I'm in love"

I'm a little at heart-attack stage here. I have SO much to do and not enough time to get it all done. SO we'll skip over the Friday lyric... no time for that this week! Maybe next. :)

So, what am I so busy with??? Writing my pattern, updating my website (which has had a big overhaul in the store if you haven't visited lately) and making beads and kits. Not to mention all the regular every-day life stuff of week-before school starts. School supply runs, last-minute haircuts (Thing 1 finally relented!), registrations and open houses... that kind of stuff. Just run-around busy-ness.

SO, I'll try to keep from having the Tuesday Wednesday heart attack, as I don't have time for a trip to the Dr.! :D

back to work!!!!!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee - don't need it today, but it sure would be yummy!
no music - it's awfully quiet!

Happy Monday everyone!!!

It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood (said in my best Mr. Rogers voice)... hope it's the same in yours. After a few days of grey, we're back to sunshine. If it's going to be hot and muggy, I'd rather it be hot and muggy with sunshine than grey!

I'm busy in the studio and out of the studio getting ready for all the many things I have coming up.

If you are a fan on Facebook, you've seen the announcement about my classes in California next month. If you would like more info, you can click below (see the big blue F) to go to my facebook page where there is an item under "events" about the class OR you can click here and go straight to the Creative Castle website. That's where I will be.... Newbury Park, CA, just to the North of L.A.

I'm looking forward to my trip out west. It's been a LONG time since I was there and I loooove the girls who work or take classes at her shop (right now I'm waving to Carole, Jane, Lisa and Corrine) so I know it's going to be a lot of fun. I'm HOPING that the great BBQ restaurant that Carole took me to last time is still there! I still crave a salad they had on their menu!

ANYHOO....
I'm using social media like Facebook and Twitter a lot more lately to keep my customers notified of things. In the past, I'd send out newsletters more frequently, but lately, if I have something quick to let people know about (a sale, or new merchandise), I will just put up a quick message. So far, it's working great. Now there are 4 ways to keep up with me... one of them you already know, my blog. Here are links to the others...

Time to get back to non-bloggy work. I'm updating my website today. I've been listing beads/kits all weekend. Hopefully you'll take a moment and see what's new!

www.sylviebeads.com

tiny blah blah blah....

Coffee - nope and my new-ish coffee maker isn't working today!
Music - again, nope. Watching (listening) to shows on the computer while I work. After you've seen all the Gilmore Girls episodes 4 times, listening works just fine. I love that show! As soon as my kids are grown, I'm finding a Stars Hollow to move to!

Writing patterns, writing patterns, writing patterns.

Not much exciting stuff to write about. The above seems to be the focus of everything studio this week. Here's a peek at my pattern. This diagram is soooo very pretty.... had to share! (and who would think a diagram could ever be PRETTY??!!)

See what I mean???? :)




tiny blah blah blah
no coffee no music.... but I probably need some of both!

Summertime..... and the livin' is crazy!!!!!!!!!!!

(that's supposed to be accompanied by music, but you'll just have to put in an imaginary soundtrack)

Just wanted to let my readers know I'm still alive....just not as bloggy as usual. Our one computer household has left me without computer a lot of the time, so I'm picking and choosing how to best use my "ration" of computer time and most often other business things are higher in priority order than blogging.

In a few weeks, we'll be back to normal schedule and I'll have a bit more time to keep in touch. In the meantime, imagine me beading, making beads, writing patterns and signing up for shows (while at the same time managing 2 teenage boys schedules).

Countdown to margarita Monday begins this week! (check back through prior years blog entries during other back-to-school times if you need a definition for that one!!)


Happy Friday everyone!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

FINALLY got some Starbucks today! YAY!!!

music - Cake

2 days in a row???? Could it be?????

This is accountability blogging. If I say I'm going to the studio to make stuff, then maybe it will get done! I have a long list of "to do" that needs to be written on the blackboard of bossiness. The reaction to some of the new things I took to Bead and Button and then to Best Bead Show in Baltimore told me what I need to make more of (and less of) before the Gathering in NY late this month.

SO... off I go to the studio to make tiny faces.


Have a wonderful day everyone!!

coffee - SOON!

music - we'll see what's on the playlist for today when I get there!

So very far behind in blogging.

Very busy creating.

Here's what's been brewing in my studio the past few months...

Flora Flora Bloom Boom!

This project will be launched at Creative Castle in Newbury Park, CA in September, so if you're in that area... come see me!!!


ok... back to work!

no coffee, but I really need some

no music - it's summer and I seem to be competing with kid's choices.

Home again, Home again, Jiggity jig!

I'm back from Bead and Button!!!!! I was actually back a day ago, but I let myself "turn-off" for a full day to re-energize. It was a LONG trip, but it was great!

Quick notes, then I've got to get back to work....

1. As usual, whatever you have is NOT what people clamor for. lol I had PLENTY of Head Over Heels kits.... the ones people always complain that I don't have anymore, but what did they want???? Splish Splash and Clothesline!!!!!!

2. People love a sale. I am clearing out colors of my Halo kits because I'm re-designing the project. I've never sold so many of those kits! They had been overlooked for a while and suddenly, they're the belle of the ball! I'm not going to get the big-head and think it's because it's the best project known to mankind. I know it's just the sale.

3. I have to decide how much I want to travel and how far. Being invited to international venues is very flattering, but the logistics are difficult to figure out.

4. My customers are SO fun! Every year we spend a lot of time laughing at my booth!

5. I was brave enough to make a bead at the flame-off!!! That was a huge step for me, and was a bit trying (since I didn't bring tools or my glasses with magnifiers), BUT I successfully made a cute mermaid baby for the auction that benefits breast cancer research. (I have no clue what she sold for... hopefully she sold!)

6. I came home with more work to do than when I left! My blackboard of bossiness is about to fill up again with "to-do" lists!



that's it for now...

tiny blah blah blah
no coffee or music so far today. Sorry to disappoint. :)

Fairy Godmothers instead of Fairies and Mermaid Babies instead of Mermaids...

I just realized that I'm not making any of my "traditional" Sylviebead focal beads for Bead and Button (see the redhead in the title heading...that's what I'm talking about). I think I've just moved on from those and don't need to make them anymore. Not sure, but I'm thinking that's where my head must be at or I would have spent time making them for the show.

I got the Glass Bead magazine today from the Society of Glass Beadmakers and there was a whole article about various glass mermaids that are out there. Mine weren't in the article, but there were several that were similar to my "old school" mermaids... the ones I was making in 1996-2000ish and then again here and there after that. BUT my heart wasn't in it after 2000 and I guess I finally acted on that realization for this show. I don't WANT to make those mermaids anymore and I'm not going to! (unless I change my mind LOL)

SO... the mermaid babies, which I love, will be at the show and the Fairy Godmothers. I was looking at them today trying to figure out where they came from in my head (I know the mermaid babies came from an old book my mom had that had the story of the water babies. I loved the illustrations and my tiny girls sort of took on that look.)


But where did the fairy godmothers come from???

As I was making them today I had an OH MY GOSH moment and realized that they were inspired by none other than Holly Hobby... truly. Truly sad, I might add, that this bit of pop culture from my 70s childhood has rooted itself in my subconscious.

(I had a home-made version of this one... not sure who made it for me or where she is today)

But why Holly as a Fairy Godmother??? I then had to figure that out and was pleasantly surprised by the answer... it's not Disney's Cinderella's fairy godmother that I was thinking of.... it's Sleeping Beauty's!

I love love love that Disney movie, for 2 reasons... I love Aurora dancing with the prince in the forest and I love the 3 fairy godmothers who took care of her. They were so quirky funny... their battle over the cake and dress is my absolute favorite scene from the movie.

Fauna, Flora and Merryweather

So, my little fairy godmother is an homage to Flora, Fauna and Merryweather (but mostly Merryweather...she's my favorite!)

And thus concludes... why I'm making what I'm making part 1 (because I needed a break from beadmaking/bead-cleaning/kit-making/jewelry-making and thought I'd share my thoughts)

Have a wonderful weekend!!!!! Back to work for me!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - a FREE Frappucino! (cinnamon dolce of course!)

music - my long mellow mix which seems to be on repeat a lot lately AND a crazy old-school dance music playlist that makes me laugh whenever I play it!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Looks like I'm blogging weekly instead of daily now.

I have been cleaning and sorting beads tonight and WOW! There are a LOT of beads!!!

Right now I have...

64 sets of heads and feet for Head over Heels kits (26 sets to go!)
75 tiny faces for the You are My Sunshine ring
24 alternate centers for the ring (no face, just colorful and fun)
and enough miscellaneous beads to make several bead totems and pendants

I'm not sure how many mermaids and fairies I have. I need to check with my old stock and add the new ones to that number.

ANYHOO.... I've got LOTS of beads.... and soon a good number of them will be packaged with their kits (thanks to Marie, the bead fairy!)


Hope to see some of you in 2 weeks!!!

Happy Wednesday world!!!

I know I'm way behind in blogging still...and I'm not going to promise to catch up anytime soon. I'm just WAY busy getting ready for the Bead and Button show in June. It seemed SO far away a couple of weeks ago, but now it seems SO close and I'm a tiny bit freaking out.

I have about 1/2 the inventory that I plan to have for the show, so I have a long way to go, but I think I'm on track.

I can't make the quantity of beads that I used to in a day. I'm not sure why, but I don't have that kind of stamina for bead-making that I did in the past. It's a bit frustrating, but "it is what it is" and I just have to accommodate for the difference.

(ok... I just read this posting and it's really boring, so I'm going to save you the blah blah blah and say "see ya!")

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - OH YEAH!

music - all over the board. Ended with a country playlist FULL of guilty pleasure kind of songs like "Boot Scootin' Boogie" (yes... you read that right)

The studio has a blackboard.

The blackboard is boss.

Sometimes I rebel and make things that aren't on the blackboard's to-do list, but then I migrate back to the list again.... I'm working my way through the list slowly but surely.

I have 3 weeks (and one weekend) left till I leave for Bead and Button in Milwaukee. I have expectations of having a very full booth with lots of new and wonderful things... but I have to obey the blackboard to get them all done in time.

This is one of the reasons I've been visibly absent from the blog... I'm just SO focused on this list... getting all the things in order to Rock OUT at this show. I'm feeling good about it all coming together the way it should. I started prepping for this WAY earlier than I ever have and I love the pieces I'm making. YAY RAH, me!!

ok... time to head back to the studio. I just had to check in with my badly neglected blog first!


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee - tea instead
music - Sara Bareilles (good for a sing-along sort of day)

SOOOOOOOO... far behind in my blogging.

The quick update...

I've been making beads like a mad woman!
I've been making samples like a mad woman!

I was glad to check a few things off my "to make" list yesterday. I have all the ring samples complete! YAY!!! I also now have all the beads for the Head Over Heels kits in the "Sylvie" color. (purple, lime, aqua and white) I'm working my way through the colors... tomorrow is Florida. I'm on schedule to be ready in time, but it's still a bit daunting, looking at the blackboard to-do list full of beads to make. I just don't have the same beadmaking stamina I used to have. Too much other stuff that i have to balance in my life. Single parenthood plus single-girl life plus volunteer stuff plus plus plus........ I'm just working on juggling skills this month!


ok... off to do non-beadmaking show stuff... ordering supplies, filling out forms... stuff like that.

I've got a full day scheduled for the studio tomorrow.

Ciao!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes! it's goood stuff!

music - Dixie Chicks... all 3 albums on repeat!

Honey... I'm home!!!!

OK, I realize I haven't been very diligent about blogging lately. I guess I'm just so focused on getting my studio work done that I haven't been checking in here to report on what I'm doing.

SO, here's what you missed...

The chalkboard in the studio is boss. It has the "to-do" list for Bead and Button and I'm working my way through the list. The only exception is Splish Splash beads. They're on "the list" but I've only attempted one so far and it wasn't good. SO we'll see if they stay on the list or not! I didn't take any to B&B last year and had lots of requests for them, so I really WANT to have them... it's just a matter of whether my hands want to make them or not.

You also missed my May classes being canceled. I'm not going to go into the details here, but I'm not a happy camper.

BUT I believe there is a reason for everything and sometimes we don't see that reason till much later, if at all. I'm not going to get bogged down and worry about it... I'm just focusing on the next big thing which is Bead and Button. I'm working hard to be ready as early as possible. I will have 1 new project, 1 re-vamped project, and 1 out-of-retirement for one week only project! That's going to be a LOT of kits when it comes down to it and I will be really happy when it all comes together!

ok... lots to do, no more blogging!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - YES!

music - 80s playlist (I was going to blog about the playlist... maybe I'll do that another time. It has lots of funny stories that go along with it. I smiled and "danced" through the whole thing!)

A few of my favorite things.... (not raindrops on roses....)

Because I know you care. :D (and I do know that I'm not the center of the universe and that probably no one will read this anyways... well, maybe my mom and a few "regulars")

SO...because I need a quickie blog post while I take a break from the studio)


in no particular order ...

A Few of My Favorite Things...

(I was thinking of this at the beadstore the other day when helping someone find a color and then the list grew to non-beady things as i drove home)

399J seed beads - YUMMY grape color
431 - my go-to green! (both of these colors are available at www.saybeads.com if you are in bead-need!)

CIM glass colors - I'm just discovering these and how much I love them

Starbucks (duh)

Pure Taqueria's Margaritas

The Mansion's Lady Sapphire (neither of these places are visited often, but they are good enough to make my favorite list and I'm thinking I need to visit the Mansion again soon!)

Chick-fil-a's Sweet Tea

Chick-fil-a Sandwiches

Corner Bakery's Swiss Oatmeal (who'da thunk that cold oatmeal could be so good??!! Thanks CCB band guys!!!)

James Taylor's Greatest Hits Volume 1

Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled album

Adele - Chasing Pavement

Glee - Somebody to Love re-make

Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

(these are all the g0-to songs that I sing along with while making beads when I'm in production)

Ikea

Cinnamon Rolls

MAC cosmetics

Mac computers and ipods

Firemen (that was for you, Regan)

Jennifer Crusie novels

Sarah Addison Allen novels

Regan Leigh

Westin Hotels (I'm all about the Heavenly Bed!)

Publix

Vancouver, WA

The South of France (inside joke... I've never been there)

Maine... pretty much all of it that I've seen

Port Townsend, Washington (shout out to my friends there!!!)

My wonderful friends that I see all the time... and the ones that I rarely see, but enjoy every minute when I do AND the ones that I never see, but enjoy our "conversations" online!

Chaco flip flops

UGG boots

Everybody's Pizza Salad (I think I must be hungry... I keep coming back to food... better go eat lunch!!)

ok... that's it for now!

tiny blah blah blah

coffee time is past...time for lunch and then back to singing along with Corinne!

Happy Friday Sylviebead peeps!!!!

It's going to be a fun weekend for me, so I'm really looking forward to it! Seeing friends, going to an art show, going to a glass-beadmakers meeting (where we'll be electing officers and since I'm running unopposed for co-president, I guess it will be my big day! lol)

I was co-president several years ago and I really enjoyed my time on the board. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding at the same time. I decided it was time to return and do some work and hopefully I'll do a good job directing our group along with the other co-pres Becky!

I'm also going to the Dogwood Festival (hopefully with my son who loves art shows). It's one of my favorites in town and the weather is supposed to be nice on Sunday, when I plan to go.... can't wait!

In the meantime... it's studio time. Time to make some Head Over Heels beads!

And this afternoon.... time to work on the website and work on a customer email for next week that has some big news!!!


In other non-sylviebead news (but sort of sylviebead related)... I'm a Swagbucks addict.

It's a site that is somehow connected to google where you search, like on google, but when you do, you randomly are awarded "bucks" that you can trade in for gift cards to places like Amazon.com. There are other ways to earn bucks (watching promotional videos, movie trailers, etc.) because that's how the site makes money... advertising. But the big way you earn bucks is through searching.... stuff you search anyways. Every once in a while a message will pop up that says "you've won 20 swagbucks" and they go into your account.

Even better... if you refer people and they sign up through you... you get credit for THEIR searches too!!! So you both win. And they can then refer people and get double points. It cost me nothing and so far, in 2 months, I've earned about $40 in Amazon gift certificates.... not too shabby!

If you are interested in signing up... it's free... it's fun... here's a link...




Have a great weekend!!!!!

I'm back!!!

ok... I didn't really GO anywhere. I've just been busy and hadn't made blogging the priority that my readers might have liked me to have done. Oh well.

Those of you who are friends didn't worry because you've talked to me (or seen me) here or there either in person, on the phone, or online.

Those that don't really KNOW me, but are customers or other readers might not have known that and I'm sorry if you were worried (although I'm pretty sure that you weren't TOO worried)

I've been busy making samples for the new project, busy making beads for spring shows/classes and busy being mom over spring break. But today is back to normal... well, as normal as it gets around here.

Making beads for Head Over Heels anniversary edition today and still have a lot to do... so I'm making this short. Have a wonderful springy day!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

chick fil a tea and the Dixie Chicks. It's a very southern day in the studio!

Inspiration Tuesday!

I'm working on being inspired. I'm NOT inspired lately, which is normal for an artist... highs and lows of ideas and plateaus where you work on ideas. Thing is... I need a little nudge in the creative department this week. I'm fully energized and ready to work... I just am not finding the "it" that makes it happen. SO, until "it" shows up, I'm focusing on my inspirational room (see yesterday's blog post)

I've got it painted and today I'm moving furniture into it (all stuff I had in other areas of the house... just re-purposing/re-cycling), so that the bones will be in place. Next step is adding UMPH. Adding the things that make it ME... the things that will make me feel happy and ready to create. And as I started to write this post, I thought... SO, what ARE those things???

I'm not completely sure. I know that my old studio made me happy... for lots of reasons, but one of them was color. It was full of color. So, I plan to bring in a lot of accent pieces/pictures that fill the room with color. (and the clock that hung on the wall of the old studio, which I love... a funky garden-angel whose legs swing back and forth as the pendulum! I wish I knew who made her...she's so cute!... anyways, I miss having her on the wall, so I'm bringing her back!)

Next, I tried to think about other rooms I've been in/had and what I liked about them. My dorm room in college was one of my FAVORITE rooms I've ever had. My room-mate Elaine and I filled the room with all kinds of stuff... a mix of fabrics, an oriental rug, white christmas lights, movie posters... you name it, we had it. I LOVED that room and its coziness. That's one of the things I'm going for in my space.... cozy. (which is why in addition to having work-tables/chairs/storage stuff, I've got an over-stuffed chair and couch!)

In that room, we covered the walls with a collage from fashion magazines. It looked so funky and fun! SO, I intend to have a collage wall, where I can pin up stuff that makes me happy or makes my brain twirl around with ideas.

I have several artists whose work does that for me... so I plan on putting up pictures/prints from them, as well as snippets and quotes that make me smile. The book I referenced yesterday, talks about putting up a clothesline for hanging stuff like this. I love that! I'm pretty sure that's how I'm going to handle the collage idea. I have plenty of wall-space and that will be a great way to switch things out as I go along.

I LOVE having something to write on like a white-board or a chalk-board, so I'm putting up a "peelie thing" (I'm pretty sure these things have official names, but it's something that is easily removed from the wall) that's a chalk-board in a funky shape like an old picture frame. That way I can write myself notes or reminders or just write things that make me smile. I have that in the glass studio for "to-do" lists, but I'd like this one to be a little more fun.

I'll add nick-knacks that I've got in the studio downstairs, along with some glass pieces from friends that have never really had a home.

I'm also bringing in a bunch of different fabric swatches because colors and patterns are a great place to draw from when doing beadwork... PLUS I've got some new mixed media stuff brewing that i'll be using fabric for... so it's going to have a dual purpose.

I'll add a small stereo because I can't live w/out my music.

What else?? Not sure. I'll keep you posted!

What inspires you??? Maybe it will give me some ideas too!

tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee, but I really need some.

music - about to turn it on!

Happy Rainy Monday my friends!

Well, it might not be raining where you are, but it definitely has been raining here in Atlanta. I'm ready for more sunshine... no more rain!!!

(and this concludes the weather portion of today's blog) :D

I've been reading a wonderful book on handmade craft and marketing written by Kari Chapin, "The Handmade Marketplace" In the book, she talks about artists needing a space to call their own. A space that inspires them to create.

Well, I don't have that. I have a basement glass studio which is also housing for kilos of japanese seed beads, but there is NOTHING inspiring about it. Even the walls are bleh taupe. I think I've talked about it not ever being intended as a studio in the first place and how I'd like to relocate it. After reading this book, I've decided that I need to MORE than relocate the studio. I need additional space. And you know what??? I can have it!!! I have a whole house and it's ALL MINE and I can re-purpose spaces to be what I need. So I am!

I began re-purposing another room as MY space. It's not going to be my glass studio (although that's getting an overhaul too.) This is going to be my work room. My inspiration room. My ME room.

SO... there is now a Granny Apple Green room in my house. The color makes me happy. It's the color that was my favorite wall of my old studio in Marietta. I kept telling people how much I missed that green wall... so I made a whole room of that green. And now it's time to finish the room, add a work table, add storage and add inspirational STUFF for the room! When it's all done, there will be photos. I promise! In the meantime, I've got a lot to do!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - nope

music - a mix of mellow stuff while I painted.

Just sent out the Sylviebead News!!!

If you're not on the list and wish you were, then go to my website and sign up!!

Sylviebeads Mailing List

If you'd rather not sign up, but really feel you're missing something that everyone else knows (or you're afraid I'll know it's YOU signing up and for some reason you wish to remain confidential, but STILL want to know what's going on with me) you can go here and read it online....

The Sylviebead News Online

(see? I'm all about your needs... even those of you who wish to remain anonymous. I'm looking out for you!)

In other news, I did research and development stuff today and I'll talk about that another day.... but it's fun stuff!

and in OTHER way more important news... It's FLIP FLOP SEASON!!!! woo hoo! Spring is finally here!!!!!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!!!

tiny blah blah blah

coffee - OH YEAH... I totally needed it this morning! Cinnamon Dolce Latte (a free coupon too!)

music - just the type type typing on my keyboard getting the news out!

It was back to being cold and grey again here in Atlanta, BUT the trees are starting to get some color and that means SPRING IS ON ITS WAY!!!!!! It's even OFFICIALLY here next week!!

And in honor of spring... here it is, the official announcement of the spring retreat. Isn't it pretty??!!

You're going to have to click on it to see it larger... I can't figure out why it wants to stay tiny here in this blog entry. OR you can go to the site and read all about it!! GO GO GO NOW!!! I'm really hoping that when I send out the announcements on Friday it will book as quickly as the New Years one did. That was REALLY fast though... so I have to remember to be realistic in my expectations.

ok... this was a short entry, but I've got a lot of stuff to do besides blogging tonight! I'm still working on the color samples for You Are My Sunshine. I'm hoping to have the "new project announcement" in a newsletter SOON! (and I have to do some laundry too... but you don't care about non-beady things do you??!!)

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - nope. iced tea felt better in a sore throat.

music - nope... unless you count the radio in the car. It was a run-around and do stuff sort of day, not a studio day.

I'm only slightly behind in my blogging!

Sorry. I know sooooooo many of you depend on my updates (ha!)

So.... what have I been up to while away and not blogging?? I've been busy in the studio making beads! I've been busy planning the next retreat. I've been busy working on samples for the ring project and the spring Head Over Heels and I've been busy brewing ideas for future things!

The invitations for the spring retreat were mailed to the New Years Bead Divas yesterday and the remainder of my email list will get notices later this week. I'm hoping that the demand for the retreat is like it was for the New Years one... hopefully it is! We had such a good time, I'd like to have another weekend like that!

Having a bead fairy (Marie) again is really really helping things get done in the studio. I've got my big "to-do" list going for Bead and Button and I'm going to work my way through it in the next two months. I'm excited to have a head start... beginning early getting these things in order. It will make the first week of June a LOT less stressful!

ok... got to run and be mom. Kids are home!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - nope. Lunch with Marcy

music - nope. Great conversation!

Sylviebeads Spring Dreams Retreat

It's time to talk about the retreat!!!!

I'm not ready to register people, but I'm ready to talk about it for a couple of days. I'm going to be teaching a 2 1/2 day workshop in Elijay, GA (same site as the FATABULOUS New Years retreat, The Scrapbook Lodge... we LOVED this place! It's the larger of the 2 cabins shown on the site)

May 14-16, 2010.

The project? The Halo Neckpiece.

It is a GORGEOUS head-turning necklace. Whenever I wear this piece, I get comments. The FUN thing about this project is that it is 2 necklaces in one. One is the piece as shown above, with an angel centerpiece.

The other option is the embellished "rope" (I call it a halo) underneath. I wear it this way ALL the time.

When I tell people how easy it is to make, they never believe me. It's true though! This will be a class where you can actually FINISH THE PROJECT!!!! This project converted my sister who spent the first 3 days of Bead and Button telling people "I am NOT a beader" to a real-live beader. (although she is a totally spoiled beader, having a sister who has a veritable bead STORE in her basement!)

Back to the retreat...I do have to say, that some of the spots in the class were spoken for by the New Years girls, before they even knew what the project was. At the time, I thought I would have a BRAND NEW project to teach, but that was unrealistic. Having new Head Over Heels every 3 months, along with a totally new ring project is about all I can handle right now. SO, since some of them thought they would be taking an alternate class, I'm not sure how many will still want to sign up. Once I know how many spaces remain, I will have the official announcement along with a link to the registration page.

We had SUCH a great time over New Years. I know we'll have just as much fun this time (only a day shorter).

ok... that's it for today!

Hope you all had a wonderful Wednesday!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

No coffee or music today. Chicken soup and quiet (until my kids got home! lol)

Sunshine Tuesday!!

I almost wrote MONDAY, but realized quickly that I skipped a day of blogging. I apologize to anyone who was on pins and needles waiting to hear from me (as if!!)

BUT while I was gone, I got an award!!!!!!

Holly, of Holly's Folly gave me a Sunshine Award!

I think it's because I'm always complaining about the weather this winter, wishing it was sunny! (actually it was very nice of her and she said sweet things about me on her blog. Go check it out! She's a glass beadmaker AND designs rubber stamps that can be used in cookie decorating! How cool is that??!!)

Here are the details about this award... (and if you are one of the winners of the award, here's the scoop)

Here are the rules, so please pass this award along….
The rules for accepting the Sunshine Award are:
- Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
- Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
- Link the nominees within your post.
- Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
- Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

As a result of receiving this award, I'm supposed to award it to 12 more people. OH NO! 12??!!!

I don't even read 12 blogs!!!!! But I will do my best to give you links to the blogs I DO read. They are a variety of things... most of them not bead oriented.

1. Dooalot - My friend from college, Laura has a wonderful blog about her life. Sometimes it's memories, sometimes day-to-day, sometimes it's her Couch to 5K stories. She's a great writer and always makes me smile (which I thought appropriate for the whole sunshine thing)

2. Reganleigh - An aspiring author, who is also a friend of mine. You never know what you're going to find in reading her blog. Sometimes it's writer-oriented... sometimes it's music....sometimes it's just fun. BUT on the site there is a trailer (like a movie trailer) for her first novel. She is in the final editing process then looking for a publisher. I've read the book and it is FANTASTIC. Once you see the trailer you'll want to read it. So, even though I would never think of Regan as "sunny" (she'd hate that), I'm giving her an award anyways!!!

3. McIntyre's Move West - Jillian's HILARIOUS blog about her life. She tells the funniest stories about things that happen in her every day life. My favorites are about the elderly woman Audrey who lives in the apartments where Jillian works/lives. Go read this blog! You will LAUGH till you cry at some of the stories!

4. For the Love of Beads - I'm not sure I know anyone MORE Sunny than Mallory. Her sweet spirit is SO evident in her blog. She's so generous with praise for others and you can just tell how much she loves lampworking. That kind of enthusiasm is contagious. When I need a lift and a reminder of how fun it is to make beads... I visit this blog.

5. Studio Marcy - One of my very best bead buds. I might venture to say a BBFF (beady BFF). I love our visits together and her work always makes me smile. Her BLOG is great for inspiration though. She always finds something new and interesting to share with people!

Ok... for now, I'm just going to have to go with 5. I'll try to come up with some others as the week progresses. After all, the instructions didn't say I had to have all 15 at once!!!!

Other studio news will have to wait till tomorrow! I'm late!!!!!!

tiny blah blah blah

coffee - not yet, but sooooo need some!

music - not yet, but sooooooo need some to get my rear-in-gear!

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

Can you hear me woo-hoo-ing all the way to where you live?? It's Friday and it's GORGEOUS in Atlanta! I neeeeeeded some great spring-like weather!

Not that I saw a lot of it so far today. I spent the majority of the work day in the studio making beads. I've got a kiln full of tiny little faces ready to go into You Are My Sunshine kits. I'm hoping to have those up and ready on the website by month end. HOPEFULLY!!! They will for-sure be at Bead and Button this year as the NEW PROJECT possibly along with another project, depending how thing progress this month. I'm not crossing my fingers at this point though. If it happens great. If it doesn't happen... that's ok because I got ONE new project done!

I just have a lot lot lot on my plate at one time and I'm having to try to find a way to balance everything. Not easy.

This weekend is NOT a work weekend though. It requires a tiny bit of balancing, but it's going to be a great weekend full of friends (and relatives that are friends).

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you have the great sunshine that we have here!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - definitely! It was a Cinnamon Dolce Latte day for sure! I had my weekly rendez-vous with this sweet older man who always shares a table with me on Fridays as I sit in the comfy chair and read/work on my bible study. We both always seem to be there at the same time on Fridays, so we've become reading buddies since he's there doing the same thing. I have no idea what his name is. We don't talk (although I did ask him what book he was reading this morning) other than to say "is this seat taken?" I just think it's nice to have the continuity of seeing the same people every Friday.

music - the soundtrack for studio work today was a combination of my Long Mellow List and conversation with Marie, the Studio-Fairy. She was there keeping me in line today!

Hey gang!

Happy Tuesday!!!

I skipped a day yesterday, but it was just one of those days. I was really frustrated with beads and didn't feel much like talking about them.

I'm working on my piece for the ISGB Convergence juried show and it's just NOT coming together the way I want AND the deadline is at the end of the week. It's not looking like I'll have a piece to enter, but I'm not giving up until I have to. I'm going to try to keep at it.

The colors are just not working out the way I want them to. I keep stitching and tearing out and stitching and tearing out... ugh.

BUT today is another day and I'm going to give it a fresh start this afternoon. I'm going to be in the studio making beads this morning while Marie keeps me company. YAY for studio assistance again!!!!

time for work!!

Have a wonderful day beady world!!

tiny blah blah blah

coffee - not yet. Keurig here I come!

music - I'm thinking new Sade... we'll see.

Yesterday's topic today

Happy Friday everyone!!!! I'm sooooooooo glad it's finally here! I'm really looking forward to my weekend. I've got a lot of fun stuff planned AND I have some work I really need to get done uninterrupted. Yay for Friday!!!!!

Yesterday I had a topic in mind to talk about and then got sidetracked by my awesomeness (ha!) and the fact that I had 430 fans on my facebook page. That still blows my mind, but I won't be talking about it again (today). :)

WARNING: This is one big long rambling idea-filled blah blah blah of a blog posting. If you're not in the mood for run-on sentences and me thinking "out loud" you might want to skim to the important stuff.... that I'm going to be listening to Sade in the studio today. (oops. I gave away the big finish) Seriously though. It's long-winded, but I don't feel like editing.

Back to what I was saying....

I was at Barnes and Noble the other day and there was an end-cap display about art and entrepreneurial/business of art books. Most of them were the "you make something so now you can make money" types of books which I glanced at and then moved on, but one really caught my attention. It was on a topic that I've been really thinking about lately... marketing in new directions, growing your "brand" (and I am a "brand" even though it's hard to think like that sometimes) and more big-picture/idea sort of things rather than a specific game-plan for "crafting business beginners" with forms and charts that the other books were.

I have barely started into the book and it's already got me thinking about some things differently. One of the things that I'm truly thinking about is a podcast. Crazy, huh???!!!

BUT I'd been thinking about a new blog (again, crazy!) that focuses on the REAL business of beadmaking/creating and why couldn't it be a pod-cast???

(ok, the fact that I have a high voice that sounds like Minnie Mouse sometimes MIGHT be a reason, but I also think it might be something fun and different!)

If I do something about the business end, it will probably focus on marketing.... but that idea leans itself more towards a blog because I'd like to use examples.... sort of like a "call in radio show" but with me taking a look at their site and giving them some ideas while using certain things as examples to teach others. This is something I've been told I'm good at.. looking at something and seeing what works/doesn't work and why as far as marketability goes. I think it's one of those things that's easy for me... easier than it is for a lot of artists. I have a gut instinct about the marketing end of things that isn't really something you can teach, BUT I can share my insights and they might help someone. (My friend Marcy has been telling me for a while that this should be a business for me... sort of a coach-approach to the business of beadmaking. I'm not sure how to make it a career, but maybe this is a start)

At the same time, for the last year on-and-off, I've been working with others on creativity and finding your voice in glass (or other mediums) and this is something that would be nice to explore in a blog/podcast format as well.

This blog is about me me me... just me talking about whatever is on my mind, usually having to do with my artwork. What I'm talking about would be very different.

These other concepts go further than me.... it's about me sharing my philosophies on the bigger picture of craft/art-making and marketing. I like that! I like the synergy that seems to happen when you share what you know with other people in an open way. We're artists, not pharmaceutical companies after all! We don't have any secret formulas (like Mr. Krab's Crabby Patties on Sponge-Bob) that we have to hide from one another or worry about corporate espionage. We SHOULD be sharing. So, that's what I'm thinking about doing through a podcast or new blog.

How do these help me business-wise with my OWN business? I'm not sure yet.... that part is still percolating. I just thought I'd put the ideas out there into outer-blog-space and see what happens. Sometimes I get great feedback from people on things I say here (even if they don't post comments)

So.... what do YOU think? Would you listen to a pod-cast about creativity? What about the business end of things? I'm sort of thinking that a hybrid might be more "me". And again... I'm just percolating. Who knows what will come of this. I'll keep you posted though!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - oh yeah.... and it was yummy!

music - a tiny bit on the radio, but I'm about to download the new Sade with an I-tunes gift card I got!! YAY for free music AND free coffee!!!!!

This is not the post I planned...

I was going to write about something COMPLETELY different, but I was looking down the sidebar of my blog just now and saw the facebook box. WOW... 430 fans?!!!

How cool is that??? I'm totally floored when I look at things like that. I KNOW there are tons of pages that have a million and three fans or members, but the fact that 430 people chose to click on a button and join my page.... that's pretty cool!

I don't know of a lot of jobs that have "fans" Does the cashier at Publix have a fan page? (mine should... she's really sweet and always remembers me). Does the dentist have a fan page? I'm thinking probably not... although my dentist is wonderful... not sure people would join a dental fan page. Do accountants and lawyers have fan sites? Where you can post "woo hoo! Mr. Abbot (or whatever his/her name is) did my taxes! He(she) rocks!! I'm not thinking so.

So, anyways, how cool is that???!!! To have fans!!! 430 of them!

ok, so I'll talk about what I wanted to talk about before I got distracted by my sparkling fans tomorrow!! It's a fun topic!

tiny blah blah blah

music - praise music.

coffee - yummy Cinnamon Dolce Birthday Latte! (gotta love a birthday that stretches out for an entire month.... or longer if I make the gift cards last!)

It's Wednesday!

We're half-way there!!!!! I laugh with a friend of mine and name the days of the week different things. I told him this one is called "OMGwillthisweekneverend? Wednesday"

I will be very glad to get to Friday. Not that I really get a day off.... I still work on weekends, but the structure changes a bit and I do get to mix in some social stuff with work AND I get to hang out with people from my church. Can I just say one more time how much I love those people???

I don't think any of them are blog readers, but they are the most incredible group of people... all of them. I go to a funky cool church (you know it's a bit different when the minister wears flip flops and always looks like he has bed-head. Sorry Derek... if you're reading this.... you know it's true, but we still think you're great and wouldn't want you to change) I now work at the church a tiny bit. Just enough to get to spend a little more time with people there... and I really really enjoy it.

The rhythm of my weeks has changed since the new year and I'm slowly getting into the groove. I love all the different things involved with the new schedule (all different hats I'm wearing lately), but it's definitely different and it's taking a little adjusting.... but I will!

One of the really cool things I mentioned on Monday. Marie is back in my studio every once in a while. Beadmaking is such a solitary thing... it's different when she's there, BUT it's nice at the same time to have that change of pace AND to have someone who "gets" me and can help me catch up with things I'm behind on.... and wearing all the hats I wear just in my small business, it's easy to get behind. I'm diligently plugging away at getting caught up though! And Marie is a WONDERFUL help in making strides that direction.

AND I love that it's a bartering situation. I'm helping her get her artfire site going and to get ebay auctions set up. She's a beadmaker as well.... Marie's Artifire shop!

SO, it's a good trade off... computer knowledge (me) for bead-diva-ness (Marie). I like when things work out like that.

ok... back to work catching up!

tiny blah blah blah....

music - not yet

coffee - GIFT CARD purchased Cinnamon dolce latte. YAY for coffee gifts and tips!!! :)

Note to self...

Do NOT answer the phone while making beads. If you DO answer the phone, tell the person "can't talk... call you back when I can" and just hang up.

I was making beads yesterday and unfortunately was in the middle of a really complicated one when the phone rang. I thought that I recognized the # as something having to do with the boys, someone I'd called and was waiting on a returned call. Wrong. I got stuck trying to keep a bead warm while talking and I ruined the bead. Granted, this person is clueless about art and the process, so I can't blame them. It was my own fault for picking up the phone.

BUT I wasted over an hour of work, not to mention the glass because I answered the phone. :(

AND because I answered the phone, I was totally out of rhythm once I got back on the torch later. There is something about making beads where the first one you make leads to the next, leads to the next.... and when you interrupt the cycle, it throws things off.

I ruined a piece of art and I was bummed.

SO.... if you call me during the day, you will most likely get voice-mail. If you are a friend or customer or someone who is interested in classes, I will call you back as soon as I take a break. If I called you and you're returning my call, I'll call you back soon too. If you don't fall into those categories.... well, you probably won't get a call until I feel like it.

(oh yeah... happy Tuesday to you!)

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - totally need some.

music - not yet, but soon.

Monday....

Not sure what superlative to add with that, but it's definitely Monday.

That said, there was a very bright point in my day... HELP!!!!!

Hooray for Marie who is the beady fairy godmother I've been needing lately!! I've missed having Marie in the studio and it was really nice to have someone around today. REALLY nice.

So thank you thank you Miss Lily Marie!!!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

music - nope... too much conversation

coffee - YES! Thank you SO much to everyone who has given me gift-cards this year!!!!!

A great Sylviebead day!

It's been a great day in Sylviebead world. Truly.

I acted as teacher's assistant for Caitlin Hyde today. I have always admired her work... never taking a class or seeing a demo, but just looking at her exquisite detailed beads. When I taught a class at the Gathering in Lowell, MA in 2003, her class was next to mine and I really really wished I could have been in the class when I saw her beads. NOW I've seen how they're made and they're even MORE incredible!

I learned a TON today. Truly. EASILY one of the best classes I've taken (although I'm not OFFICIALLY taking it. I do get to watch all the demos!)

And in other news... a show that I REALLY have been interested in doing, contacted ME to see if I'm interested in doing their show! That was truly cool. Hopefully things will work out and I can be a part of this great show. YAY!!

more class tomorrow... can't wait to see what else I learn!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yummy FREE cinnamon dolce latte purchased with a free drink coupon! YAY!!!

music - nope. Just demos.

So, I have to confess....

I did NOT make baby beads last night. I'm not great at making beads at night. I used to be just fine with it LONG ago, but I've developed a rhythm and I do better if I start my day in the studio. Too many things pop up later in the day and cause me to detour away from it.

Oh well...

So, I didn't make baby beads last night, but I made them today! I didn't have a plan when I went in, and I probably should have. The goal was just baby beads in a color story. I did that.... but everything was all over the place as far as WHAT I made. They all match, but it will be interesting to see what comes out of the kiln tomorrow!

And speaking of tomorrow.... I'm going to have FUN tomorrow and Friday!! I'm the teacher's assistant for Caitlin Hyde's class here in Atlanta. WOO HOO! Her work is beautiful and I can't wait to be a fly on the wall in her class!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - STILL enjoying my gift cards. YAY!!! Cinnamon Dolce Latte... yummy yummy yummy!

music - Dixie Chicks!

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

I'm checking in before I go spend some quality time in the studio.

I'm bundled up and ready to go! It's really cold in ATL today, so it's SUPER cold in the studio.

The plan is LOTS of baby beads. LOTS I tell you!!! I haven't made bead bundles to sell on e-bay in 4 years(?) Could that be right???? Anyways, it's time. They're fun to make when I view it as playing with color and I need some bread-and-butter beads right now, so I'm hoping these will do the trick.

I love just sitting with a color palette in mind and seeing what tiny beads spring forth based on the colors. I usually have a plan, but abandon it a few mandrels into the list and go with what "calls my name" I'm not sure what the color palette du jour is yet, but I'll let you know tomorrow. (I'm thinking pinks, but that could change in 5 minutes!)

The only bad thing about bundles and ebay is the photography, editing, posting, etc. I need to do it, so I'm going to do my best to focus, stay on top of things organizationally (that's a word... if it wasn't, it is now!) and be consistent. I found that was what worked for me. Having a consistent presence on ebay, "branding" my work (even though it was just collections of little beads) and frequent newsletters to my customers. We'll see how it goes.

In other non-baby-bead news... I'm working on my entry to Convergence. She's also the spring kit, so I have double motivation to get her done. She's turning out really cute so far, but there are some challenges ahead. She's got wings!!!!! (and that is the challenge)

ok... I've talked too long. Time for work!

have a great afternoon everyone!!!!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes! yummy Cinnamon dolce latte which they tried to convince me to order "skinny" because they're having a contest. I HATE splenda... it tastes really bad to me. I'm totally on board with the non-fat thing, but the fake sugar thing doesn't work at all, so they didn't get their "star" for selling me a Splenda-rized CDL.

music - not sure what's going to be on the ipod for the studio work, but I'm thinking sing-a-long sounds good, so probably the Dixie Chicks!

The best laid plans of mice and moms.....

This is not a beady post. This is the post of a mom who planned a really special weekend for her boys and was thwarted by bad weather and social studies assignments. Bummer!

The boys had 2 days off from school, so I planned a trip away for the weekend a few weeks ago. It was a destination unknown kind of trip (which in our family is called "magical mystery tour") I've done the M.M.T. several times, but our destinations have all been local. I wanted to do something special and planned some really fun ones out of town this time.

WELL... mother nature and Ms. Holloway put a monkey wrench into my plans. Ms. Holloway assigned homework which required the kids to watch specific olympic events, specific athletes and turn in an assignment based on what they'd watched on Tuesday when they returned to school. Great.... just great... does that mean we can't go anywhere, I wondered?? SO, I made arrangements to have things Tivo'd as much as possible (and not all were possible since I get only very basic cable and some of the events were on non-basic channels. Do they assume we all have TVs and extended cable packages?? Luckily I knew others who did have those channels and could tivo them for us to get results from later) and figured we would come home earlier than I intended to finish the assignment. (why do teachers assign things like this on vacations??? They are VERY insistent that we not plan family vacations in times other than school holidays, but then when we GET a holiday, they assign homework that interferes with the time off!!!!! Sorry to rant, but this really bugs me. They do it on spring break too!!)

ANYHOO.... so I had plans to go out of town, but decided to make them a day and a half shorter due to the assignments. THEN weather reports start showing that we might be getting bad weather... so I plan my trip around that... planning to skirt the bad weather by heading north of where it's SUPPOSED to hit.

Well.... again, things did not cooperate. Our first stop on our mystery tour was to be a silly one, but a fun one just the same... a trip to the unclaimed luggage store in Alabama. We were on our way to the Space museum in Huntsville after that and then onto Nashville for the rest of the weekend. WELL.... the snow that was headed to Alabama was supposed to hit fairly far south of Huntsville and my detour to this small town first would help us skirt it even more. I followed the weather channel predictions closely for the 3 days prior to our trip... even the morning of.

We headed out and it started snowing lightly (which I didn't panic about because it was supposed to snow a bit in Atlanta...but not where we were going).... we got further into our trip and it snowed more.... and then more.... and then we were 7 miles from our first stop and the highway was shut down because of a truck being jack-knifed. SO they detoured us onto a back-road for 30 minutes... in that 30 minutes, the roads got progressively worse and they decided to shut that road down due to ice.... that road was the ONLY road to our destination. SEVEN MILES AWAY!!!! We'd driven 3 1/2 hours to get THAT close and be turned away!!!!!!

They said that the roads wouldn't open for quite some time... hours and hours. By then the store would be closed, as would the museum. At that point we had to decide what to do... do we stay the night in nowhere Alabama so that we can go to the store the next day?? Do we try to re-route and go on to Nashville??

The vote from the passengers was "go home and serve twinkies to the neighbors" (which makes no sense to anyone but my kids, but that is their new snow tradition... a tradition meaning they did it ONCE the last time it snowed, so now it's a tradition.) SO being the good mom I am, I decided that I would just bag the trip and take them back home, detouring through the grocery store to buy Twinkies.

It was not the weekend I'd planned. It was not the weekend they planned. But it was the weekend that happened.

And now we're enjoying watching various events that we have no real interest in (Biathalon, Luge, Figure Skating) for Social Studies homework. Why couldn't she have assigned Snow Board Cross or Moguls??? They're at least fun to watch!

Here's to you Ms. Holloway... and Mother Nature! Thanks for screwing up my weekend.

(sorry for the rant. I just needed to get it off my chest)

tiny blah blah blah....

coffee - yes. definitely. SO glad I still have gift-cards a plenty!!!

music - nope.... just the Olympics (gotta love that figure skating background music... ick)

In today's studio news...

The beads were MUCH better.

The focus, sort of better.... although I did make one of this one of that and not get a list of anything done... but I DID get the 2 beads made that I absolutely needed today. YAY!

Tonight is a beading night. I've got to make some serious progress on the Convergence piece.

short and sweet...

It's freezing freezing freezing in Atlanta today!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee -- oh yeah! I enjoyed it in starbucks while sketching. I've decided that my "office" time will now be spent at Starbucks. It's a much happier place and less lonely! PLUS they have coffee and I have gift certificates!! WOO HOO!!! Thank you for the birthday gifts everyone!!!

music - Colbie Callait and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Do you ever have so many ideas that it's hard to pick one to focus on?

I'm there.

I have a deadline at the end of the month for a juried competition. I have self-imposed deadlines for new patterns and projects (also at the end of the month) and I need to get my website up and running, filled with glass beads in addition to the kits.

YET more new ideas keep popping into my head, not allowing me to focus on the tasks at hand.

I had a studio day from hell yesterday. I tried my hardest to make beads and NONE of them (ok, maybe a few of them) turned out any good. They were seriously BAD beads. I gave up after a couple of hours because I could see that I was just spinning my wheels.

Hopefully today will be better. I've GOT to get a couple of good beads made for orders and a couple of more for the new project proto-types AND a couple to choose from for the juried pieces.

I'm putting pressure on myself, but these things HAVE to get completed.... in addition to the non-artistic stuff that goes along with my life and business.


ok... that was an overwhelming post. I'm not as overwhelmed as it sounds like... just a bit scattered in my focus.


time for some coffee!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - very badly needed. will remedy this quickly

music - Corinne Bailey Rae was the studio music of yesterday. I think today will need to be a little more rockin'. We'll see how things turn out.

It's Friday and it's BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!! YAY ME!! I ROCK!! ;)

(insert Eric Hutchins song Rock n' Roll here... not sure why, but I think it fits)


I have a wonderful weekend with friends and family planned. Other people might think it's a party weekend because of the Super Bowl, but they just don't know they're celebrating MY birthday (and my friends Laura and Nikki's birthdays too! Hi Nikki and Laura!! Happy Birthday to you too!!!)


This is a totally non-beady post... just to say "Happy Birthday" to me. I love my birthday (can you tell?) I love that valentines stuff is in the stores because I associate that with my birthday instead of the holiday. I see them as aisles devoted to ME!!! (see? I'm all about me me me today)

So, when you're planning your superbowl party, make sure to include some birthday cake!

(we'll get back to bead stuff next week. Hopefully I'll have some fun stuff to share)


happy weekend everyone!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - provided by Starbucks. YAY for free coffee coupon!

music - very quiet. I need to turn on Pandora!!!

It's Thursday and I haven't blogged much this week.

I haven't had much to blog about! It's not been a very beady week. I wish I could say it was, but it hasn't been. I'm just not feeling it this week. I'm going to have to go crank out some spacer beads just to make myself do some torch work. I think that will be a good catalyst to get me inspired to make other beads. Sometimes it just takes being on the torch and making SOMETHING to get me back into a groove.

I just haven't been in a groove.

I am REALLY thinking about re-locating my studio to another area of the house. I'm not sure where, but there is just something I don't like about where it is now. I haven't EVER liked it in the spot it is now. It wasn't originally designed to be the studio... moving my bench into there was an after-thought due to a play-room relocation. And the kids don't use that room as a playroom NOR do they wish to re-locate to it as a teenage hang-out bedroom (which I'd thought they might) SO... I might move the studio back where it was. OR I might do something entirely different. No matter what, I think I need to move it somewhere that I like.... because I DON'T like where it is now.

Not that this is an excuse for avoiding the studio work itself... it's just something I've been thinking about, so I'm sharing it with you (because i know you care)


have a great day blog readers!

tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee - iced tea with my sick kid instead.

music - only in the car... if I do get to be in the studio for a while today I'm going to play my new Corinne Bailey Rae album! yay!!

It's Monday and I'm FREEZING!!!!

The house is cold, the studio is cold, the WORLD is cold!!! (ok... maybe it's not cold in the Southern Hemisphere, but it's sure cold here!!)

It's "time to make the donuts" and I'm totally dreading the cold of the studio. Being bundled up doesn't really work for beadmaking, so I'm layering... LOTS of t-shirts!! Luckily I have UGGs again, so my feet will be warm, even if the rest of me is still f-f-f-f-reezing!!!!

Off to work, hot coffee in hand!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - made by Mr. Keurig and me (we're a great couple!)

music - not sure what's the soundtrack for today... I'll update you later!