It is Stress Free Thursday!!!!!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wish me luck!!!

time for the tiny blah blah blah....

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

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

coffee - Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte WITH whipped cream

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

Strep Throat Thursday. :(

I'm home for the 3rd day with a sick kid. That's kind of put a monkey wrench in the beady progress... but that's also part of being mom. Bad thing is that once they told me it was strep throat, MY throat started hurting. Hopefully it's just something that's in my head and not real. HOPEFULLY.

I have been working on my website though! I have things in my store now!!!!! And I've got more stuff on its way. I've been taking inventory in the studio and then editing photos to make things fit the etsy format (etsy.com is the website where my stuff is listed. I'm adding a link in the sidebar here.)

So even though we're home sick, there is still beady news. I even did a little beading last night, working on my Head Over Heels revival sample. It's cute. :)

tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee - nope. It's a tea day. We stopped on the way home from the Dr. at a place that has great iced tea because that was the request of the sick child.

Music - nope. We're watching re-runs of The Big Bang Theory on Tivo. He seems to appreciate the smart boy humor.

It's THURSDAY!!!

(not Friday...)

I was SURE when I woke up that it was Friday today. bummer! I hate when that happens!! I actually was pretty sure it was Saturday FIRST and then realized when I actually heard the alarm that it was Friday... and then alas, realized THAT realization was wrong too.

oh well!!!

Yesterday I did NOT make beads. But that's ok. I did beady things again, so I'm still on track. I went to the Southern Flames meeting (the atlanta area group of glass beadmakers. I STILL hate the name just because when you say it people don't know what you're talking about and several people in the past have thought it was some sort of gay-pride group... I'm not kidding... SO I almost always say "the glass beadmaker group" right afterwards. Silly, huh?)

ANYWAYS, I'm off track again. I went to the meeting last night because THAT is what local beadmakers do and I'M A LOCAL BEADMAKER!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!

It was kind of funny because I actually was the person who started the original group of glass beadmakers in Atlanta back in 1996. We weren't a formal organization... just a group of beadmakers that got together once a month to talk beads. It then became a formal group in 1998(?) and I was one of the co-presidents somewhere around 2003??? The group meets in the beadstore where my studio used to be (the one with the cool walls) and it's really like my HOME when I'm there, so it was funny when the NOW co-president who was leading the meeting had no clue who I was (of course... I didn't expect him to) and "welcomed" me as a new person to the group. That made me snicker.

a side note... I miss my walls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really do. When I was there I was in my element. Those colors just make me HAPPY. I have GOT to take the time to pull down all the shelves in my studio (which will be a nightmare) in order to put some color up on the walls.

Someday I'll take a picture of my NOW studio. It's very very different in that I'm also more of a bead-warehouse than I was back then. Half of my studio is devoted to storage of the seed beads that I use for my kits. They consume 2 full walls of the space... so there is not as much room to paint fun stuff, BUT I still need some color in there. It's KHAKI!! How much more boring could I get than that???!!! (my excuse is that it was supposed to be an office for my ex when we painted it... it just became my studio instead and it was a quick move, so there was no time to paint first.... I wish I had though!!!) Hopefully I can find some time to do that this year (or next)

Beady stuff - I did make jewelry last night. Just a small gift for a friend, but it required CLEANING the beads that I had made a few nights ago. UGH. I'd forgotten about that part of making beads!!!!!! I hate cleaning beads!!!!!!!! I miss my bead-fairies/divas that used to come to my studio and do that kind of stuff for me!

(I know I have some new non-beadmaker-y people reading now, so I promise that I will add a link to some basic bead stuff so that you know WHY I'm cleaning beads and why it's such a pain!)

Tonight will not be a beadmaking night either, but I am going to dinner w/ a friend and will most likely talk about beads.... so I'm counting that!!!!!!!


Finally, in other beady news. I have several people who have expressed interest in the online class. It's going to happen and I'm planning it to start at the beginning of October. I haven't FORMALLY announced it anywhere other than here, but I'm planning to in the next 2 days. I think I have 5 slots open right now. If you are reading this and have not said you want to do it and DO... tell me ASAP. If you want to know more about what's involved, e-mail me and I'll be happy to give you the full scoop. (do I have an e-mail address posted over there? -----> If not go to sylviebeads.com and you can send e-mail from there)

that's it for today!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee - cinnamon dolce latte. yum!

Music - Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces. I was reminded by the word "canada" to the right about them this morning, so I decided it was a good day to listen. (if you didn't know this already, there is a story in my blog archives about how I flew to Canada to see the Dixie Chicks. It's pretty funny if I do say so myself!!)

It's Friday.

I'm SO glad it is. This has seemed like one of the LONGEST weeks ever!!!! (didn't I say that last week???) Well, if I said it last week, I didn't mean it because THIS week was DEFINITELY the longest!!!!!!! Without going into details.... OMG this week was awful!!!!!!!!!!!! I would like a do-over immediately. Take that back... I DON'T want a do-over. I just want a long weekend!!!!!!

SO... I have no idea whether I will get to make beads this weekend or not. I'm hoping for YES, but I'd be happy with just a NAP. I'm not going to press my luck hoping for beadmaking time!!


But I'm ready ready ready to be at my torch and you, dear readers, have to be READY READY READY for me to shut up about it already and make some beads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please feel free to send hate mail saying "we want you to shut up and make beads." Please DO NOT feel free to send me other types of hate mail. I wouldn't like that and would probably make mean song dedications in your honor. So don't do it!!!


Tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee - WAY too much today. I've had 2 cinnamon dolce lattes!!!!! What was I thinking??!!! I was trying to stay AWAKE that's what!

Music - Also trying to stay awake with that one too. My "Sylvie's Groove Tunes" list which usually makes me feel like dancing... today I was just hoping it would keep me from falling fast asleep.

Books - still reading my funny "Stop in the Name of Pants" but it's short and I expect that I'll be onto a new book by Monday (and I already have it... no spoilers to be given. You'll have to wait to find out what it is!!)

Wednesday....

We've made it HALFWAY through this week. This has not been a fun week for SO many reasons... mostly because it's crazy busy and I need a break.

Calgon take me away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, there is NOTHING beady to report and I am SO ready to talk beads. I have stuff to talk about bead/beadmaking-wise, but I just am not in the mood to do it today.

SO instead of my regular blog entry, I'm going to talk about OTHER PEOPLE's blogs.

I'll start with Jen Geldard. Jen is someone who makes beads that I LOVE. When I talked in one of my "sermons" on creativity in beadmaking and said that art is when you can look at a bead and see the emotion in it.... well Jen's beads are TRULY an example of this. I can't explain it, but they definitely evoke emotion and every bead that I've ever seen of hers just "sings" to me. I wish I knew Jen better to know the person behind the beauty that she creates.

I was on her site today - glassgirl.com (long story, but I got there because I was playing an online game MOUSEHUNT on facebook and she seems to ROCK at this game) ANYWAYS, I was on her site and I saw that she had a blog called "Torch Songs" which is SO witty. I thought she had always had a blog, but for some reason this one looks like a new blog. I'm looking forward to keeping up with what she's making, so I'm going to bookmark it for myself.

ANYWAYS (why does it take me so long to tell a story??!!) while I was there, I looked at the links to the other blogs she had listed and saw this one called "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" - Of Mike and Firemen. Well, to be honest, the "firemen" thing caught my eye. I have a thing for firemen. SO I decided to check out the pioneer woman/firemen blog! I didn't expect the poignant story about the blogger's brother Mike and his love of fire Stations. It was beautifully written. (and you should go read it, go to Jen's site and then follow the link on her list of blogs she likes)

Leave it to Jen, whose beads really really make me FEEL something, to bring me to a site that does the same.

Thanks a BUNCH Jen!!! You've got my mascara running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


tiny blah blah blah

coffee today - Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce latte with 3 pumps of Dolce syrup, stirred and topped with Whipped cream. (they had to make it twice because the new barista, for some reason mis-read the 3 pumps and instead made it a triple shot. I do NOT need the extra caffine, so he had to make it again. Pauvre Barista. he'll learn.

music - forgot my ipod, so I'm listening to Dave FM. I'm not liking the song that's on now, but Mercy by Duffy was on a couple of songs ago and I love it. I miss my ipod.

Monday Morning Quickie Posting...

No Beads Made!!!

Lots of going out with friends.

I'm happy with how I spent the weekend, even if it meant no beads. I had a lot of fun and fun is good!!!


tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee today - back to Starbucks for my Cinnamon Dolce latte. Hooray for Omar who knows my drink PERFECTLY now and I don't even have to ask. Unfortunately for Omar, it's about time to change drinks for a while. He'll have to learn a new one!!!

Music - Colbie Callait's album "CoCo" on the ipod. I think I'll make one of her songs the song of the week. They are mellow but fun and that's sort of my mood lately.

Happy Thursday!!!

A friend and I call it "stress-free Thursday" mostly trying to think positive because Thursdays rarely are for some reason. Maybe it's because you're trying to get everything done so that you can relax on Friday??? Not sure, but in my positive thinking mode, I'm calling it "Stress Free Thursday!" Please feel free to join the trend.

I have nothing beady to report other than the fact that I'm now DYING to get into my studio and work. I'm letting life stuff get in the way (some of it I'm LETTING, others are just necessary, can't help it stuff.) BUT the fact that I'm DYING to get in there is huge. I haven't felt that way in a long time, so it's kind of exciting.

We'll see what happens tonight.

Yesterday evening was spent on computer stuff. I had to go to the Mac store to get a new mouse and keyboard for our desktop computer. I also had wanted to have them take a look at my laptop computer because it's being weird. I can't use it without having it plugged in, which makes the whole idea of a laptop computer kind of moot, huh? PLUS the plug for the laptop is this little magnetized thingy and it is easily UNPLUGGED meaning that as soon as someone jostles the computer user (which is normal in my house... either a kid or a cat or a dog), the computer turns off and you have to start whatever you're doing all over again.

Not fun.

BUT now I at least have a functional mouse for the kitchen computer, so the kids can use it again and I can try to put up with the laptop until I can get back to the mac store on a day that they are not swamped. It was CRAZY in there yesterday. I think all the college students are getting their computers before going away (they're giving away an ipod if you buy a computer... probably that's why they're so busy right now).

SO, I spent my evening doing computer things THEN helped my kids get facebook accounts and send each other "flair." (if you don't facebook, that won't make sense, but they absolutely LOVED it and that made me happy since it was something I introduced them to." I even got an ALMOST unsolicited "my mom rocks!" (ok, it WAS solicited, but they meant it when they said it AND I got a hug from Griffin, so that was pretty huge!)

After kids went to bed I watched Project Runway and THAT is the topic of the blog entry today (not all the assorted nonsense in the above paragraphs! LOL)

Here's what I think...

The guy who is making the shredded wheat outfits just HAS to go!!!!!!!!!! He is SO full of himself and even though he is a little innovative and a couple of his designs have been cool.... the one last night was HORRID!!!!! It reminded me of a black and white version of Sigmund the Sea monster from the Sid and Marty Croft show of the same name!!!!! AWFUL!!!!!!!

And the tan kid? The one who says "licious" after everything... he's only on there for comedic value right now... that is the ONLY redeeming quality he seems to have right now. His Pterodactyl Mardi-gras meets tacky Pinata design last night should have put him in the bottom group. I have no idea how he survived!!!

The guy who got voted out was boring, sure, but those other 2 were just plain AWFUL!!!!!!!

People I do like...

The 2 African American women designers. I can't think of their names off hand (but will have to go look because I really like them.... hold on.... Korto and Terri!) I love them both. Each has a different aesthetic, but they are both SO talented and so NOT weird!!! In the past, for some reason, each season they have had some bizarro African American woman who just didn't represent style to me the way these women do. I have NO idea why. The exception to that would be Kara from the first season.

ANYWAYS both Terri and Korto made really really cool stuff last night for the drag queen costume designs. Terri's was over the top wonderful design-wise, and you could tell she totally expected to win... and maybe should have if the contest had not been about drag-queens. The winner just represented his queen SO well and you could tell how happy she was with the design. I think that's why he won. You could tell Terri was disappointed though. We'll see if that was a little bit of fore-shadowing!

ok... that was totally non-beady, but was what I was thinking about today. I always wanted to be a fashion designer when I was little and that's probably why the show is SO interesting to me. I think I ended up doing something just as interesting and challenging though. If I'd ever get back in the studio and DO it!!!!!!!!

time for the tiny blah blah blah...

Coffee today - totally Starbucksing - Cinnamon Dolce Latte - 3 pumps WITH whip

Music today - NOTHING! gasp! Need to put the ipod in the speaker and listen to something... QUICK!

Here we are... it's already Wednesday!

(editor's note: this is a really goofy entry because I am in a total goof-ball mood today)

And I haven't made any beads this week!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I should just end the blog entry there since that's all the beady info I have for today. BUT instead, I'm going to do what I always say I'm not going to do and talk about other stuff.

Today's topic is... stupid things suggested by the elementary school...

I went to the Curriculum Night at school last night and while we were there to talk about what the kids are learning and what's expected of them this year, they also talked about some general information stuff for 5th graders. One of the topics was "snacks sent from home."

First, I have to say, that neither of my boys has wanted a snack since 3rd (?) grade. I would put things in back-packs and they would stay there for months. OR I would find them in their desks when I went for a conference. (yuck)

That said, they handed out a "suggested snack list" because they are no longer letting the kids bring "unhealthy" snacks from home. Now, every family has their view of what is healthy and what is not. I think we can all agree that a Snickers Bar is unhealthy (but yummy), but once you get into which granola bar is healthy and which might as well be a snickers bar, it gets kind of dicy. So, they made it clear for us, distributing a list of "approved healthy snacks"

I just about cracked up!! All the normal things were there Fruit, Nuts (although they can't bring nuts because someone might have an allergy), carrot sticks, goldfish crackers, etc. They ALSO had some new suggestions (which is where I started to snicker)

Here are my FAVORITE suggestions...

• Hummus (every 5th grader's FAVORITE snack!!!)

• A Can of Tuna Fish (again, a favorite... especially just PLAIN tuna. PLUS I think that a can-opener could be considered a "weapon" and cause them to be expelled)

• and my very favorite for personal reasons... Hard Boiled Eggs.

Now, I'd like you to imagine my child, who leaves snacks in his backpack for MONTHS, with a hard-boiled egg sent in as a snack! (you getting the picture? or rather the "fragrance" the faint... ok not so faint aroma of WROTTEN eggs????)

Who made this list???!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone who evidently does NOT have a 5th grader! Or ANY kids for that matter. I'm sure the kindergarten moms, whose kids actually DO eat snacks will just be overjoyed at the prospect of their little ones opening cans of tuna for their snacks!

Glad that my kid doesn't want a snack in the first place, BUT I'm very tempted to put a few cans of tuna in his backpack (without the weapon-like can-opener) just for laughs.


What happened to cookies and Kool-aid???? I think I turned out just fine!!! (as we can tell, that might actually be the reason for the changes... look at what happens when you allow your child to eat cookies and koolaid... they have to write a blog that documents their terrible food/drink habits!!)

and on that note... the tiny blah blah blah

Unhealthy Snack of the Day - Starbucks (yeah, i'm totally off the make the coffee at home thing already) Cinnamon Dolce Latte AND (I really was bad today) a slice of their lemon pound cake

Music - My Long Mellow List - Right now I'm listening to "Stay" by Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories. One of the best things about the movie Reality Bites was the music. This song in particular is one of my favorite things from the movie. (that and Janeane Garofalo's character talking about working at the Gap..."I'm late for a jean folding seminar!")

Oooh! Now Elton John's "Your Song" is on. It's the song that my college roommate said she loved so much that any guy who sang it for her, she would probably marry. (I had my own song...of course no one sang it, but I'm still not going to say what it was. It IS pretty funny in the context of my life AND I should have picked a different one now that I look back. I'll think on what my new one would be.)

True Confessions Tuesday....

NO! Not THOSE kinds of confessions! I'm not airing any dirty laundry here.... but without really meaning to make that segue this post IS about laundry!!!!! Not kidding!

Here's my confession... I did NOT make beads yesterday. I did NOT clean my studio yesterday. I did laundry. :( Lots and Lots and Lots of laundry. Apparently my children had been hiding lots of dirty clothes in strange places all over the house! Suddenly there were NO clothes to wash and NO clean clothes for them to wear.... so I went on a HUNT! (and found about 4 loads of laundry among all their hiding places!!) If only I could find where they are hiding the socks and underwear!!!!!!

SO, I got all excited for nothing... just laundry. :(

Today is full of other kid-related activities, so it won't be a beadmaking day either (unless I do something nutty and make beads at midnight... which i really don't think is a good idea since I have to get up at 6)

Sorry dear readers that I don't have something exciting to tell you on the beady front, but this is the "blah blah blah-og of a single mom" and her crazy life... and laundry is sometimes a part of that.

My other non-beady activity today involves getting a kid with poison ivy to stop itching!! That reminded me of a blog entry I had a few years ago where I said the phrase "poison ivy still itches" and when I checked my website statistics to see how people found my site, that was one of the google keyword searches that a lot of people had used!!!!!!!!!! They were looking for info on poison ivy and chose the "sylviebead blog" as a site that might have info???? Crazy!

I can't see those stats the same way now that my blog is here on blogger.... which is ashame. That was always funny. So if any of you came here looking for a cure for poison ivy that still itches... i'd suggest going to a REAL medical site OR visiting your local physician. If this is an emergency, please dial 911 or report to a local emergency room.

now back to our "show"........

Tiny blah blah blah...

No coffee this morning! (gasp!!!) I had a Dr. Pepper from the grocery store instead. I had to stop and pick up a prescription for Harrison who has poison ivy (that still itches! LOL)

Music - listening to Dave fm (per Harrison's request) and right now they're playing "There She Goes Again". I haven't heard that song in a LONG time. That's one of the reasons I love that station. (that and because my kids are "radio personalities" on the Mara Davis radio-free lunch show)

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

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

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


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

Quick post to say....

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

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

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

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





tiny blah blah blah...

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

It's Monday!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

daily blah blah blah...

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

Music - Sylvie's Mellow Mix (again!)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

still here.

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

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

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

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

Red Hat Wannabe

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

Here's the one from today...



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

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

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

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

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

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

Amelia Overwhelmed
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Labor day - laboring in the studio.

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

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

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

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

Ok...off to work.

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

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

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

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

Ok, off to finish cleaning beads.

tv, not music today
no starbucks. :(

Still here

Still not in the studio, so I haven't felt a real need to post what I'm not making.

I haven't felt great since Bead and Button...a whole month of draggy-ness. :(

Hopefully will be able to make beads again soon and thus...make a living!!!

My tivo came home yesterday after being away being fixed. Am very happy to have it safe at home. ;)

music today? - no...just kids and tv and radio in the car

starbucks today - no, I can't go w/ kids or they want something too!!!!

nothing real to say, but need to keep up with blogging since I've been erratic about it in the past year.

Have not made beads in a while. Still not feeling great...better, but not great.

Been beading and thinking of beading more than beadmaking. That's the way things go with me...in cycles of beading/beadmaking/beading/beadmaking....

so...hopefully next week will be beadmaking again.

had starbucks today - mint mocha frappucino (didn't I say it was a one time thing?)

music - no, but listening to book on tape (well, ipod not tape, but it just sounded better to say tape) - Janet Evanovich 11 on Top. Not wild about the narrator and might want to actually read this again instead of listen.