Ok.... so I'm quite far behind in blogging.

I'm quite far behind in EVERYTHING right now.

I'm not going to talk about HOW far behind because it will freak me out.

I'll just say that I have a LOT to do before Thursday!!! BUT when it's all finished, I'll have a great head-start on the New Year AND will be able to start selling the You Are My Sunshine ring kits AND the newest Head Over Heels kits!!!

(which is important since as of the New Year beads are the job.... the only job.... more on that in another entry where I'm not freaking out about all the stuff I have to do!)

Anyways... the New Year will be good!

But for now.... I'm just far behind!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

coffee today was totally yummy, but was NOT a CDL. I'm trying to figure out how the new Starbucks discount thing works and it doesn't seem to like me ordering a Cinnamon Dolce Latte. If I switch to a Vanilla Latte, it's MUCH cheaper.... go figure! ANYWAYS... thank you to everyone who gave me Starbucks gift cards for Christmas!! It's going to be a nice treat this month!!

music - my long long long mellow playlist. I didn't even make it the whole way through the list while working in the studio today... and I was in the studio for a long time!!! Guess it's a LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG playlist!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I forgot to tell you that I was taking off a week from blogging for the holidays!!! Glad that there were no real riots started due to my absence... just a couple of disgruntled people from Delaware.

Here's a picture from my most recent Holiday Party... this one was at Flametree Glass. This is me with the lovely Maureen McRorie who owns Flametree with her husband Lance. Go order glass from them... they're da bomb! PLUS I'll be teaching there in 2010!!

Merry Merry to you all!!!!

tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee - Cinnamon Dolce Latte which was FREE due to a coupon! YAY!!!

Music - Christmas Christmas Christmas!

Happy Friday my friends!!!!!

The weekend is here!!!!

I'm doing more pattern-writing and photo editing today, so there isn't much exciting stuff to report.... that part of my job is really not very exciting, but it's very necessary!!!


what IS exciting (for me anyways) is that TOMORROW is my Girls Gone Mild Christmas Party!!!!

And in honor of that... I'm going to "rerun" my posting from last year... sort of. I changed it up and it's now the forward for a book I'm giving them for Christmas (and I hope they don't read this till after our party... but they don't read my blog usually, so I'm pretty sure I'm safe!)


Here's to the Girls Gone Mild!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!

Happy Thursday beady (and not beady) friends (and not friends.... happy Thursday to you too)

Merry Merry almost Christmas!!!

This is a not so very busy day, so this post won't be long (but anytime I say that, I always end up with a long post, don't I?).

I have a very Christmasy weekend ahead and I'm trying to do all sorts of stuff I need to get done bead-wise done today and tomorrow. The kids get out of school for the holidays as of tomorrow afternoon, so I will focused in different directions next week... we'll be all about Christmas!!!!

That begins with the Christmas-palooza weekend!!!!! I have THREE, count them THREE parties this weekend!!!!! It's my favorite weekend of the entire year.... I really think so!

Friday night we have our small group party for our church. CCB- Christian Church, Buckhead. I love my friends there and they have become a 2nd family for me. It will be fun to have a social night celebrating our year together. Thank you Perimeter Connect Group Peeps! I love you guys!!! (but I don't think any of you read this, so I'll tell you in person tomorrow). ANYHOO.... it will be a fun night AND the first of 3 fun dress-up occasions!

Saturday night is the BIG NIGHT... the night I look forward to all year long and talk about incessantly... The Girls Gone Mild Christmas Party!!!!!! (more about that tomorrow)

and Sunday night is a very very special party.... it's a party with the 2 people I love most of all... my boys. It's our holiday party for each other. We've done this the past 2 years...this will be the 3rd. We have a party for each other... pick a special restaurant, get a little dressed up (just a little... I don't expect miracles) and go out together to celebrate Christmas. It's not about gifts... it's just about doing something special... a tradition. Then we'll drive and look at lights. I love our silly traditions that have become "our" thing over the past few years. Most of them are a little kooky.... like having 3 Christmas trees... one for each of us..... like the surprise Christmas party last year (which won't be happening this year because it's an every-other-year phenomenon to keep it surprise-worthy). SO, Sunday night is a party for the 3 of us... a special tradition... and it will be the perfect ending to my weekend of parties!


but today... WORK!!!!! Must work!!!!!!!!

Merry Merry Thursday everyone!!!!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes. Today I splurged on a CDL.... and it was gooooooood!

music - no. I'm watching movies while I do photo editing. Just watched "Lost in Austen" I give it a "so so" Not great, but not bad. Next up... a holiday movie. I'm thinking White Christmas OR Love Actually (again) :D

WOW! 2 days of blog postings in a row!!! could it be true?????


I've been puzzling over why I haven't felt like blogging lately. Part of it has been that I'm just busy, but I don't think that's all of it. But I also don't have an answer to why I don't feel like it. Guess I'm just not as bloggy sometimes?

Yesterday was photography day. I'm still editing the photos, but here are a couple. These are ornaments from my Christmas collection. They are fairly large. The Christmas Ball is about 1 3/4" in diameter... it's blown, so it won't weigh down a tree branch. :D

The other is one of my component pieces. They are about 5ish inches in height from the swirl at the bottom to the top loop.

I really love these pieces and I'm trying to figure out how they fit into my work. I have some ideas, but they're not all the way fleshed out. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime... here are some pictures!
Have a great day!

tiny blah blah blah...

still early. No news on the coffee/music front.

Happy Monday!!!

I'm going to try and be better about my blogging this week... even if I don't have much to say.

Today is about photography. I'm trying to get pictures shot of my Christmas ornaments so that I can at least post what they looked like and maybe even sell one or two.

I'm going to be in the studio a bit tomorrow making tiny faces for the ring project. They're fun to make because they sort of take on personalities as the glass shifts and that's fun. They look different when they come out of the kiln too.. so it's sort of an adventure.

That's the plan for tomorrow... we'll see if it happens or not.


tiny blah blah blah for today...

I'm not so much into sharing what I'm having or not having at Starbucks because I feel like if I say I DIDN'T have Starbucks someone will worry about my finances and if I say I DID have Starbucks someone ELSE will pass judgment on how I chose to spend $4.50 of my money. See the predicament I'm in??? SO instead, you'll just have to wonder if I had coffee or not and if you're concerned about the fact that I might NOT have had coffee due to my pending unemployment, then please feel free to re-load my coffee card! :D

I didn't listen to music today, so I'm sort of boring in the tiny blah blah blah department. sorry.

Happy almost Christmas my friends!!!

It's approaching quickly isn't it???? LOTS to do between now and then, plus getting ready for the retreat... working on new projects... planning 2010 show schedule....

phew! I'm worn out just writing that!!!!

I know I've been missing a lot lately and I apologize to my regular readers (waving to Laura who let me know that I've been away too much lately!) :D

I'll try to be more focused on your needs (snicker). I've just been in the studio more lately and not on the computer as much, so I forget about you guys... sorry, but it's true.

I'll have lots of things to say in the next month as I work on my newest project... as it drives me crazy because I can already tell that it's going to take a lot of stitching and tearing back out to get it the way I want it.

I'll also be talking a lot about shows and show schedules because I'm totally flummoxed by this stuff right now. What to do, where, when... it's a lot to think of and I'm coming at it from a new direction this time.

back to work!!!!!!!

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coffee - YES! My first one this week!!! Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte

music - Christmas, of course!!! Mariah Carey's Holiday album is on right now. Looking forward to 'All I want for Christmas is You' (love love love that song!)

Happy Monday my friends!!!

I'm taking today off. I'm exhausted after prepping for the Clairemont show and then the late nights it involved.

Need to rest.

Will be back tomorrow!!! (I had to be reminded by friends that I don't need to work 7 days a week... no one else does... so when I do a Saturday show, I need to take a weekday off. Thank you friends for reminding me of that)


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee

no music.... it's quiet and nice. :)

It's POURING in Atlanta today. Did someone ask for rain for Christmas???? I didn't and I really don't think we need any more. Will someone please ask Santa for a NO RAIN day??? I'm not asking for a drought again.... just to have rain every ONCE in a while instead of every DAY (I'm exaggerating a little I know)

I looked at the forecast for the rest of the week and it's going to be cold cold cold and might even SNOW on Friday night or Saturday! AAAAAAHHHHH!!! NOT on the weekend of the show!!!! No snow until Sunday! Please???

This was just a quickie weather posting... I'm warming up upstairs for a minute then back to work in the cold studio!

Stay warm and dry everyone!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - not enough in the world for me today... had some need more.

music - Christmas Playlist over and over again.... I truly think that Otis Redding's White Christmas is the BEST Christmas song in the world.

quick post then back to work....

Decatur Holiday Marketplace... this weekend... BE THERE!!!!


Click the link above to get directions. I'll be exhibiting, so will my friend Blair and my DAD!!!

see you there!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee

music - Christmas favorites... the VERY favorite today is Otis Redding's White Christmas

I know I'm far far behind in my blogging. (sorry Laura) ;)

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday out of town with my family... and now I'm back in the studio working my tail off to get ready for the Decatur Holiday Marketplace show this weekend.

I haven't done a "finished" show in a LONG time (like 2000... maybe?). By "finished" I mean... not a beadshow. A show where people can walk away with something that is FINISHED... a wearable or useable item... not just a bead. So this will be the first of this type of show for me in a long time.... and I'm a bit nervous for several reasons.

I'll blog more about that tomorrow. I'm exhaustified!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

we're way past coffee time, but I did enjoy a starbucks CDL today

music - it was Christmas Christmas Christmas in the studio today!

Bead Show!!!!!

I'm headed, in a few minutes to the Down The Street Bead Show in Marietta, GA.

I have WAY less inventory than I'd like to have, but I'm not going empty handed. Taking an unplanned week off sort of messed up my groove, but such is life. God was teaching me to BE STILL I guess. A hard lesson to learn... and I know I'm not there yet.

But, today is the show. After a stop at Starbucks, I'll be on my way to make a lime-green and white girly girl table which today will probably be more fluff than substance... but I could possibly find that I have more inventory than I really think I do. I think all people who do shows NEVER think they have enough inventory.

SO... what did I do while I sat still??? I worked on the next retreat...that's what! I found the perfect venue for my Detroit-area girls. It's actually in Toledo, Ohio, but it's only an hour-ish drive from Detroit AND will make it not too bad of a drive for anyone in the Chicago area...not to mention Ohio!

And without further fa-la-la, here is the first look at the retreat info. The image and full information for this project is forth-coming, but this will be the BIG project of the year... the one that launches at Bead and Button. I've always tested my patterns with the bead-divas of Michigan and I'm hoping that they'll help me through this one as well.


Sylvie's Spring Dreams Bead Retreat. March 18-20, 2010. This class will be followed on Sunday by the Great Lakes Beadworker's Guild's Bead Bonanza, so if you are coming that direction and are NOT from Detroit... it might be worth it to stay an extra day for the show. It's a GREAT show for a local bead society!!!

I'll have more info on the retreat in a few weeks. Need to catch up with other stuff first!!


time to go!!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

on my way for coffee

clock radio music isn't really my thing, but Drivin' and Cryin' was just on.

Happy Friday world!!!!!

It's demo day!!!

Tomorrow is bead show day!!!!!!!!

lots to do between now and then.....


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - yes, but need more (but not before I demo!!!)

music - no, but need some!

Well.... so much for all the stuff on my plate that needs to get done this week.

I can't see.

I can SEE... but everything is blurry. I have a few days of it left and then the doctor says I should be fine by the weekend.

I have an eye infection in BOTH eyes, so things are very fuzzy. (luckily my computer lets me put the zoom on big enough for me to see what I'm typing here). Driving... not so much. Beading... HA! Beadmaking... not a chance.

SO, I'm sitting and thinking about what I would be making if I was making stuff.

phooey!


tiny blah blah blah....


coffee - oh how I wish!

music - nothing yet, but I need to find something!

Happy Tuesday world!!!


SO much to do in the next weeks...

1. prepare for bead show this weekend

2. prepare for art show the first week of December (knowing that for almost a week of that I'll be away from the studio for Thanksgiving vacation)

3. prepare for the New Year's Retreat

4. PLAN future retreats!!!!!


not much to do at all!!??!! aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! (I'm not quite panicking, but we could get to that point the first week of December)

Oh yeah... I forgot to squeeze Christmas in there!!!!! That too!!!

so back to work........


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - I'm on my way!

music - need it like I need some coffee! I'm about to cue-up Somebody to Love, the Glee edition

Happy Monday World!!!!!

I had an incredible weekend full of reminders of my purpose in life and reminders how loved I truly am. WOW.

I'm exhausted from the weekend, but have SO much to do today that this has to be quick, BUT I had to write and say that......

THE RETREAT IS FULL!!!!!!!!!!!


Can you believe it??!!! And it booked in a week??? CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!


So now I'm seriously looking at other venues.


and now i'm off to make beads!


tiny blah blah blah...

chick-fil a tea instead of coffee this morning (though I'm freezing and now questioning that decision)

music - Christmas Playlist on deck and ready to go!

Thursday!!! We're almost there folks!!!!

And what am I talking about today?? retreat, retreats, retreats...

I received an email yesterday from one of the women who is coming from Florida to the New Year's Bead Retreat. She's super excited (and so am I!!) and took the info to her bead society meeting. While she was there THREE people told her they want to ride up with her for the retreat. At the time I received that e-mail, I only had 4 spots open, so if they really DO register then I'll be down to ONE spot. I'm totally amazed. I officially announced it on November 3rd, sent out an email to my customer list on November 5th and here we are on November 12th with it 70% officially booked in 7 days and these 3 others would put me at 90%! WOWZA.

What I've learned from this... I'm on the right track. We love going away for a weekend and really getting to concentrate on a workshop. We love the camaraderie of being with a group of people who love what we love... and we're all still teenage girls at heart who love a good slumber party! (and cake... my son keeps saying that cake is what sold it... the fact that I mentioned we'd be having cake) :)

So, having learned that I'm on the right track, I'm researching places QUICKLY because the venues that work best for this book FAST. None of them are beady places, but they work for our purpose... problem is the scrap-booky/quilty people who they are also perfect for already KNOW these secrets and book them a year in advance. I've got feelers out and I'm scouting places, but I'm going to have to act pretty fast and get a calendar firmed up for 2010 in the next few weeks or I'll lose my possible venues.

Currently I'm looking at.... Michigan (small town outside of Detroit OR Toledo Ohio...also close to Detroit), Wisconsin (for pre or post Bead and Button classes?), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas (either Galveston OR a tiny town off the beaten path but driveable from Houston or Dallas), Oregon (south of Portland), Tennessee (East of Nashville), Colorado and Southern California. Not many choices there huh???

I wouldn't be picking all of these probably just a few. They are all just possibilities at this point....and it's a little overwhelming! I'm really going to need to hear back from prospective students to know for sure where I should aim. I WANT to find a venue in New England and Florida and maybe central to northern CA. Who knows!!!

AND I think I might have one other trick up my sleeve for the New Year's retreat. I'm not making it any larger, but I might have one fun surprise to talk about in a future blog entry (and newsletter).

ok... time to get moving on getting non-bloggy stuff done! Have a great weekend ya'll. I'm not blogging again till Monday. Too much to do!

tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee - Dr. Pepper instead.

music - I've got Pearl Jam's "The Fixer" stuck in my head... need to play some other music fast or that's going to be "playing" all day long!!!!

It's Wednesday!!!!!

And it's SUPPOSED to stop raining this afternoon... PLEASE let it stop raining! I'm sooooo tired of being cold and wet! It rained for the last 30 (?) hours... and it wasn't just sprinkling most of the time... it was RAINING... ugh. It looks like it's stopped now, but it's still grey. I'm HOPING for some sunshine to get me motivated to...

go to the post office. It's shipping day for Sylviebeads!!! (woo hoo!!!) Not woo hoo for me... I hate that part of things and I really miss having an assistant to do that for me, BUT it's a good thing that I have orders that need to be shipped and I hope that my customers will be saying "woo hoo" when they open their packages!

And yes... I know that today is a postal holiday, but I figure, there won't be any lines at the automated machine and I'd rather get in and get it DONE than wait till tomorrow. I've got a lot on my plate tomorrow anyways.


I've been working on my website a lot. A lot of it is behind the scenes work, but it's taking a LONG time to get it all sorted and together. There are still a LOT of things that need to be fixed or added, but I'm getting there.

At the same time, I'm writing patterns and making samples and making beads for upcoming shows. Can you say BUSY?????? Can you say "NEED AN ASSISTANT?" (I know you can!!... said in my best Mr. Rogers voice) Anyhoo... I don't have an assistant right now and it will take quite a while before I'm back to the point where I can have one... but I'm GOING to get to that point.

Things are going really well and I feel the momentum start to build... which is truly exciting! I have a great life!


so... back to work! Lots to do!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

coffee - oh yeah... it was definitely a cinnamon dolce morning! Even if I had to get out in the rain to have one!!

music - Taylor Swift. Love that girl!

Good afternoon bloggy friends!

So.....My mom informed me that no one really cares about my Girls Gone Mild Christmas party (she didn't really say it THAT way, but I understood what she meant) and that it doesn't look like THAT big of a deal because there are only 4 of us going. She has nooooo clue how much fun we have that night and what a BIG deal it really is, BUT I can understand that you all might not be as interested in it as I am... but again, it's my blog and I felt like celebrating the fact that the party date is getting closer.

back to talking about beady things....

The retreat is getting closer to booked by the day! I have FOUR spaces remaining!!!

Which made me get excited and start singing this song in my head...



I can't help it. I'm a child of the Sesame Street generation. I hear a number and I think "Four, Four, Four, Four... Let's sing a song of Four!"

So... FOUR of you need to get your registrations in FAST. I've had WAY more than 4 people emailing me, so people who are on the fence need to move before someone gets your spot!

For those of you who weren't into driving cross-country for a retreat... tell me you want one in your area and I'll see what I can do! I'm looking into possible venues in other states (Michigan and Texas to name a couple), so I'd love to hear from you!


I'm working on another ring sample tonight. More muted colors to show how different the project can look from one color to the next. I'm going to have the kits in 6 different color palettes. This will be one of them.

happy Tuesday everyone!!


tiny blah blah blah...

no coffee today... too rainy to go inside, so I did Chick-fil-a drive thru instead! (it's REALLY rainy here today)

music - just the sesame street song! :)

WARNING... this post has nothing to do with beads or art...

It is in direct conflict with what I've said lately that I'm not talking about life stuff...

I lied. (but I can do that since it's my blog)


I was too busy to really blog today, so this is simply an announcement for all of you who wonder about such things...

How long is it till the Girls Gone Mild Christmas Party you ask???
(see? I KNEW you wanted to know!!!)

It is 39 days till the party!!!!!

We were together this weekend making pre-party plans... and I can't WAIT!


So... the countdown has officially begun.... and can I say one more time how absolutely lucky I am to have these 3 friends???? Love you guys!!!!!


tomorrow we'll be back to our previously scheduled bead programming....