On a happier note...

I'm teaching my newest project THE HALO NECKPIECE in April. It's a beta testing of my new project before its official "launch" this fall at Pam's Bead Garden in Michigan.

I'm hoping to see some of my local favorites at my class. It would be fun if out of town favorites came too. Just a shameless plug of my own class which will be at Beads by Design here in Atlanta (Marietta, specifically)

A quick update...



I bead



I make beads.



I do taxes...I cannot do all 3 simultaneously and it bums me out!



ack!

It's been forever since I wrote!

I just have to say...

I miss teaching Beadmaking

I taught in MI last weekend and it reminded me that I really love doing it. I had not made any real efforts to try to teach and thank you to Portia who invited me to do so anyways.

I truly had fun and now need to find more glass teaching 'gigs'

off to fix kid's frozen computer

Wednesday...



Making beads today. I have cold feet (literally) so I'm taking a break to thaw them out!



I'm heading back down to the frozen studio in a minute. It's very very cold in Atlanta today...sunny but very cold.



I just needed to check in here. I'm trying to go decaf, so I haven't been to Starbucks in a little while because that real coffee is just too tempting.



Ok...that was a quick entry, but I only have a quick break.



ta ta

Totally bummed. Really a bit ticked is the better word for it. I have to be cautious about what I say here because who knows who ever reads this...

I lost my great booth space which I had last year...up front. BECAUSE some big vendor wanted more room and took my space.

Here's what ticks me....I lose MY good space, yet those with other decent spaces got to keep them and those of us who lost spaces are put on the end of the new booth assignment list...so we get what's left.

I ended up with an "ok" space, but it's not nearly as good as what i've had before and I just don't think it's fair. There...I whined about it and hopefully I can let it go now.

It will just mean informing customers in a BIG way where I am...BOOTH 434...Booth 434...maybe search lights. :) At the least I'm going to have to pay for a color ad in the show directory....ugh

I didn't exercise today.
I ate a candy bar instead
I made beads and once again NONE of them were on my "to do" list. I'm beginning to think that the to do list is a "whatever you do don't make these beads" list. Maybe I should use reverse psychology on myself and name a lot of color families that are NOT what I want to work with that day. Today was dusty blue and topaz day. I have no idea how I got on that track from what my original list was...ivory, topaz and lavenders, but there you go...a bunch of silvery earthy beads....so "un girlie"...hopefully they are at least interesting beads when they imerge from the kiln.

I had a whole bunch of icky beads imerge yesterday. Got on a pink kick, but the pinks weren't how I wanted them. I think I liked 2 beads out of the whole bunch. My beads kept growing, so that they became too large for anything that I would use. Arrrrgh.

So...this was my day. Pissyness about booth space, candy bar, and weird beads.

Tomorrow is another day.

(hey! I notice a complete lack of coffee in my recent journal entries...perhaps I need to change that so that I can get back in the groove beadmaking-wise)

All of a sudden I have that stupid Right Said Fred song in my head...

I'm too sexy for my hat...



Only I'm changing it to...I'm too boring to make beads...too boring to make beads...help me!



I am still trying to get used to making beads again and it's not encouraging. I WANT MY EBAY BEADS TO SELL!!!!!!



I hate that I use $ as an indicator of the value of my work, but I do and I put e-bay as a "every bead person" thermometer of how on my work is. Apparently, it's boring! I'm not getting bids!!!!! I know I've been gone awhile and that there are tons of auctions out there (4,000 something I saw today), but dammit (you have to say that version of the word in a very specific, a bit snotty way) I have some good beads up there! I rock at colors and these beads are rockin'! Hey!! Why am I selling them anyways???? If no one appreciates the wonder of these particular beads....I should keep them!



I'm saying a lot of things in a very sarcastic tone here...I don't think I'm all that and a bag o' chips, but I do like the colors I blend together. I think my work is different because I don't sti down to "make sets". I make beads and then blend them into color stories...all different and I think all really nice. I just wish that the e-bay buying public could see the same differences that make my work a little different.



I'm thinking of doing boro for a few days. I'm just not having fun and need a play day.



On other completely different notes...

I am now a swimmer! I have known how to swim since I was a kid, but not to SWIM with good techniques and controlled breathing, good strokes, etc. So...at the urging of my kids' swim teacher...I have been taking private swimming lessons so that I would have the stamina, control and "not looking stupid in the pool"-ness to swim laps at the pool instead of treadmill icky-ness.



Well....I began in November and was a dismal failure at breathing. I just didn't get it...wanted to hold my breath until I was out and then come up for air....couldn't for the life of me get the blow out air while under so that you can come up quickly for bigger breath. I'm sure this makes no sense to anyone but me, but remember...this is my journal and I'm keeping my baby (I have no idea where that little Madonna-ism came from in this sentence).



So, back to swimming...It took until the end of December for me to get the breathing thing down and swim the length of the pool (25 yards) without dying!



So, the big news......



Yesterday I swam 1000 (yes, that's right ONE THOUSAND) yards in about 45 minutes with my instructor urging me on, making me keep going even when I thought I was going to die.



So even better news....I went to the pool solo today...no cheerleading/slave driver and .....



I SWAM 700 yards in 30 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am no longer weirded out, feeling like too much of a novice to swim in the "big pool". very proud of myself that I was self motivated enough to do it on my own.



off to do other stuff.

Here we are...Sunday.



It's been almost a week since I've been here. I'm just not as bloggy as I have been in the past. I'm STILL working on doing store/auction listings for the umpteenth day in a row. I have a BUNCH of bundles of beads going to the store and HOPEFULLY they will be there by today and ready to send out the Sylviebead news....which I wonder if it ever makes it's way to the people who wanted it in the first place....



They never call! ;)



So...once finished today...notice I say TODAY ...I am determined to FINISH FINISH FINISH this by 2:00 today so that I can send that e-mail and hopefully see the fruits of my labor start pouring in. Maybe not pouring, but at least dribbling.



On other not so newsy news. I am spending lots of time researching private schools for my kids for next year. I have favorites, but it's so hard to get into most of them, I have to have several other choices. I'm just wanting to be done with our public school in which my good kid (not that they're not both good...just one of them is getting lost in a non-disciplined world because he's not a squeaky-bad wheel.) gets the attention that he deserves and that my other child gets that same attention as he gets into classes with higher student teacher ratios.



So...once again I'm busy with life and trying to keep everything balanced and STILL make some money.



off to edit.



need starbucks, but can't leave the home. where is that delivery service when you need it!?

I made beads again today.

I was at the post office and wrote the date...realized it's the 5th and got kind of weirded out. I guess that this is just one of those dates that will stick with me.

just needed to jot that down.

ate too many cookies today. Not sure why I am losing weight...am doing absolutely nothing to cause it. Haven't been to the gym through the whole holidays...eating junk junk junk....who knows!

I made beads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



this is huge!!!!!!!!!!!



it had been 7 months since I had made beads in my own studio...WOW it felt good and weird. I'm a bit out of practice having only made beads in classes.



I did miss it, which I was worried that I wouldn't...but I did.



Today, I'm going to try to make faces again. Hopefully I'll be able to haave the control to do it.



Hooray!



and I've lost another size...which is so cool!



whoooopeeeeeeeeee

I am well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hooray!

Sitting here making bead bundles...bored with current bead stock. Must make more beads SOON!

Rob finishing new ventillation system for studio...HOORAY!

I am less of a person than I was a week ago (lbs less I mean)

Bringing the grand total to 38 lbs....hooray!

lots of hoorays!

no coffee

shouldn't have caffine anyhoo....need to buy decaf

back to work.

very sleepy



cold/flu meds make me woozy.



just checking in here to say I'm alive and really ok...just dopey. :)



wish there was a starbucks in my driveway...might walk there for chai latte.



watching tune disney w/ harrison who is also on cold meds. we're some bunch!



longing to make beads...... (this is a big deal! I really WANT to make beads again!)



zzzzzzzzzzz

this is my journal and this is just me talking to me....

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this has been a public service announcement from me to me.

I am frustrated with my sales on e-bay. I have a big ego which is easily squashed on a place like e-bay. I know I'm being stupid, but I just feel bummed when my auctions get no bids. This is one reason that I have problems with e-bay. It's so hard not to take things personally. It's not like I consider the beads I'm selling ART (oooh it's the A word!). It's just the want to be the best part of my personality that makes it difficult sometimes to sell my work.

I am sick today and thus am looking at the computer too much. I need to not be so consumed with this and just go.

so I'm going.

and another thing....



I think my e-mails to my e-mail list are getting lost in the universe. I have not heard from my "regulars" and that's even just to say "hi".



I miss my friends!!!!!!!



Merry Christmas to my missing Friends!

I wish me a Merry Christmas

I wish me a Merry Christmas

I wish me a Merry Christmas

and a happy New Year!



it was a wonderful Christmas (still is). My Christmas wishes are all fulfilled!



Starbucks under my tree! :)



and a monkey too.



(this is a totally inside joke and no one understands the monkey thing but a few people and maybe those who heard the lyrics to the Barenaked Ladies song which mentions "everybody wants a monkey")



Merry Merry Me

2 days till Christmas!



went swimming

no weights

worked on storefront - lots of new bead bundles

bummed that things aren't going nuts sales wise...why do I expect it?

no coffee - tea instead

not finished shopping

lots of cleaning to make house baby-friendly for my neice on Christmas eve

off to do errands

Friday...

School gets out today for the holidays...

My daytime freedom ends....sniff sniff....for 2 weeks or so....sniff sniff...

I love my Children and I also love them while they're at school.

It's not the holidays...it's the days between the holidays where 'mom, what can i do?' sets in...children being bored while I work is NOT fun.

I'm already getting stressed and it hasn't even happened...


On other not stressing news....

Rob is actually interviewing for a job on Monday...a real job not a temp job.

And in other non-stressing news...

I'm selling beads again...Hooray!

And finally.....

This morning the scale said I had lost 35 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(it will change tomorrow, but for now I'll celebrate today's truth)

I swam 700 yards yesterday and am off to the pool now. I would like to be invisible by Spring. :)

drinking starbucks - 2%, Decaf, 1/2 the mocha mocha. No pastries, yet lots of gift cards....from the person who loves starbucks....to the world...Merry Merry Caffinated Christmas!

It's Wednesday...and I'm now being shipping and receiving department...one of the many hats of a small business with one person...I am shipping/receiving/accounts payable/accounts receivable/purchasing agent/designer/head of production/web development/IT manager/caterer(I bring in Starbucks right?)/Custodian (barely)/head of research and development/bookkeeper/personnel department/sales...boy I could continue, but it's overwhelming me already looking at everything I need to do!

I have not had starbucks...need it!

music today: Elementary School christmas programs.

oh yeah...



This is not a journal post, but is an announcement out there to outerspace...



Sylvie the Sylvie who is not me....I don't have your e-mail address! Help?

I'm back
I'm back
I'm back.

I have to say that it is a rush to be selling beads again. It's that whole Sally Field "they like me" thing again. You do your work on your own and have no idea what people think unless you're in a class situation or if you sell your work publicly.

I am really wanting to make beads again (it's still been a while), but I absolutely need to get my studio up and ready after it's been moved to a different location in the basement.

So....until then, I'm living off of previously made bead stock.

My letter to Santa...

Dear Santa,

Because I wouldn't expect any human to pay attention to my greedy list and as my children recently told me "Santa can bring you anything you ask for...he has lots of money"...

I would like to ask you to consider bringing me the following...

A weekend at a Ritz Carlton, preferably in a beautiful city...all expenses paid including room service, transportation and a massage....so that I can bead in peace for a few days.

A new really nice firm feather/down pillow (I own a ton of pillows, but I love them and always want more)...you could include this with the Ritz Carlton visit by letting me keep one of theirs.

A big kahuna Starbucks gift card.

A ventilation system installed in my studio (I'll pay for it, but I need a genie to come and poof it into place...elves would also work I guess...but they're a bit short to do the ceiling stuff)

Diamonds - or cubic zirconia that looks real :) - a bracelet set in platinum/white gold if necessary Santa Baby.

A monkey...because according to a song (I think it's Bare Naked Ladies) "everyone wants a monkey"

Someone to remove the wallpaper in my kitchen so that I can make it green instead of terra cotta which looks like my parents and not me.

I am sure you'll think of some other fun little things to fit in a Christmas Stocking such as baubles, bath products, cute girlie stuff, etc.

I think you can handle all of these Santa...if the Genie can't show up, maybe you can come on one of your days off after Christmas to install the ventillation system.

I've been mostly good this year, but if you have room in your sleigh, please bring me a new attitude too...sometimes I need it.

Merry Christmas Santa!
Love,

Sylvie

Life goes on after a wonderful class with Michael Barley...

I had a fantastic time on Monday and Tuesday taking a class with Michael Barley. He is a wonderful wonderful instructor and I learned a TON. I always enjoy taking classes with people whose style is SO different from mine. I can't wait to actually get a chance to use this new info I garnished from the class.

It made me really want to get back into the GLASS studio...not just the studio, but the GLASS studio.

It's cold here and my fingers are missing the keys because they are so cold! brrrrrrrrr (I'm sure people in the north would be laughing at me for being such a wuss about the cold here)

In other back to life...I finished the class and then my kids began getting sicker and sicker. The flu has hit our house HARD. Hopefully I continue as caretaker and not patient. Grif is very very sick and we were on a quest for tamiflu (sp?) after the doc prescribed it...everyone is out. Finally found it and it's miles away. Felt like I was on a quest for the Holy Grail Flu Medicine. It's worth it because he's really really sick. :(

I'm off to be mom..