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

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

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

Ok, off to finish cleaning beads.

tv, not music today
no starbucks. :(

3 days in a row!!

But who is counting? really?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday - kids sports and maybe a little beadmaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm a rollercoaster of beady emotion.

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

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

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

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

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

happy dance!!!

Kids back in school!!!!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

off to shop for Rob's b-day.

so the big news of the day...

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

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.

Officially back from Bead and Button
Still sick
No fun
No beadmaking
Some beading
Ick ick ick
not a happy camper. :(

music - not yet, but heading to itunes to see new Jason Mraz
coffee - no, but diet peach tea snapple is a good thing for me today.

Thursday...

First day of part day babysitter so that I can make beads!!! Get another day of it tomorrow too!!! It's a nice balance of work in the morning, play in the afternoon. I think this will help all of us deal with summer better.

Am plugging away at making beads for Bead and Button. Kits are slowly getting put together and I think I'll be ready when the time comes!!!! This is a little more secure than I've felt in prior years about my actually being ready.

Am working on shipping right now and then off to the gym.

starbucks - no and it's a good thing. It's just not good for my weight. I've tried the non fat, the sugar free and I just can't do it. Besides...when you're there you want a pastry too! Must stick to diet snapple and food from home!!

Music - not today, listening to the devil wears prada on the ipod. Weird story so far. A bit depressing more than funny.

making beads like crazy this week. Hooray! Am finding a rythym to the summer and might actually be ready for Bead and Button when it's time to go there! (guess I'm ready no matter what I've finished or not when it's time to go there!)

Not too much time to go online when busy with beadmaking AND kids at home. So far so good though. Have a wonderful assistant making kits for me, so life is a bit more sane than it might have been at this moment.

coffee today - mint chip frappucino - not sure why I ordered that, but the suggestive sell thing at the drive thru got me. I think I can safely say...not going to be my "regular" starbucks order. Kind of like a girl scout cookie frozen on caffine! Way too chocolate-y for me.

music - no, but listening to the Devil Wears Prada on the ipod. Somewhat amusing so far, but not too far into it.

Today is the first real day of summer vacation for the boys...so far so good, but it's just 1 p.m. :)

I'm getting ready to go to the studio for a little while. We'll see how much I get done. Maybe I'll have a grip on some sort of schedule by the end of the week.

I need to go pick up the fairy godmothers that I made at the bead store the other day. They were cute and I want to see them!!!!!

Ok, off to lunch and work.

coffee - nope, trying to abstain, again Diet Snapple to the rescue
music - not yet.

A grey day. Not outside (well, it was early, but now blue skies) but mentally. I even made grey beads! I didn't think of that until I was getting ready to type this, but I did make lots of beads (mostly small) today and they were ALL grey! (It was kind of a theme, so once I made one grey bead, the others went with it, so it's not like I said "I will only make grey beads today")

Just had some weird stuff go down yesterday and it put me into a "grey funk". Hopefully I'll be in a lime green funk next time I make beads! :)

music -ipod mix - music for mermaids and a bunch of Jason Mraz who I just love!
coffee - no, but snapple diet peach tea- yes.

Party or Panic...

That is the question.

It's the last day of school and all though it's fun to think of a relaxed summer with the kids. That is somewhat of an oxymoron...fun and relaxed with kids. :)

So, rather than freak out, I'm trying to go into this next week with a new attitude of happy-mom-ness and not the woman who is the subject of "mother's little helper"

I had a great "last hurrah" day by making beads with Margo at the beadstore. It was very fun to be a social beadmaker and I'm going to have to do it more often....once I don't have kids at home all day.

Coffee today - tried Starbucks Skim Latte with sugarfree vanilla syrup.....ICK!
re-tried Starbucks thanks to generous Margo with Unsweetened Iced Tea. not as fun as my usual sweet stuff, but there are only ___ days till my class reunion.

music today - lots of fun mixes on the ipod, which I took with me to the store and plugged in the speakers while I worked. I love my ipod. Have I stressed that enough lately?

I made beads today!!!

I did go to the honors assembly at Harrison's school AND got to make beads too!!!

Just finished watching apprentice finale and am glad he chose Kendra. What cracks me up is that he says there is going to be an Apprentice musical on Broadway! That's wacko!!!

Just a short entry today...wanted to say hooray that I got to make beads. The oxygen concetrator wasn't shipped until yesterday, so I'm really really glad that Rob brought me 2 new tanks...that way I'll make it until the arrival of hte oxy con.

Tomorrow I'm going to make beads at Beads by Design in Marietta with my friend Margo. It will be the first time I've actually rented torch time! I'm doing it as a fun activity, not because I don't have my own studio, but it gives me a social outlet. :)

no coffee today
diet peach snapple. mmmmmmmmm

watching Lost (way behind and way "lost" myself) and making bead bundles. Cleaned lots of baby beads last night.

Still no oxygen...no concentrator has arrived, so I'm going to have to go on an oxy quest tomorrow...otherwise no more beads until the concentrator arrives. and when will that be????/ not sure yet.

Will be going to Beads by Design on Friday to rent torchtime, just in case no oxy arrives in time.

today - no beadmaking - at work for my Dad
Coffee - Venti Iced Hazlenut Latte (and lemon poundcake for which I feel guilty)
Exercise - no
Children's Honor Asseblies Attended - One, where the same 6 kids got awards over and over and over (and I think you can guess mine wasn't one of those 6...otherwise I'd be thrilled about going to an Honor Assembly! LOL)

IF YOU ARE A BEADMAKER AND READ MY BLOG...Please comment on this posting. thanks!

Another Tuesday posting...

I had a cornucopia of oxygen and made lots of little beads before it ran out. and that is all of the oxygen until either my concentrator arrives OR I go get more tanks. In the meantime I'll work on the book and kits I guess.

Maybe clean beads? I don't know....but I'll find something to do. (doesn't it just figure that when I have the most beads to make, I run out of oxy?!)

Well on to other things...

I had a posting pulled from Wet Canvas today because it was considered a solicitation. I felt bad about that...BUT I still need help!!! I need to figure out if people would rather have a LONG video with lots of demos OR short demos each on one DVD. I like the idea of having an "audience" so that they can ask "frequently asked questions" and have it be more of a class-type video than me just talking step by step. I think it would be more interesting, but I don't know if people would like that or not.

This is why it was considered a solicitation I guess, but I really just want to work on something that is useful and marketable rather than a dud. :)

drinking gatorade at present...was out in sun at swimteam. Am getting very tan :)
exercise today = 1 hour, candy = none (but I really want some!), Days till 20 yr class reunion - 95!

It's Tuesday...I have nothing on my plate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Other than to do what I need to do today. You don't know how huge this is to me. A whole day to work. Now, that said. I'm down to 100 lbs of oxy, so I'm not going to be making beads for very long, but I'm on my way!!!

wooo hoo! And if I run out....I'm making kits or something productive because...

It's Tuesday and I have nothing on my plate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no Starbucks - more like Slimfast I think (though I don't even know if I have any)
Music? About to plug in the ipod. :)

Monday doesn't go the way I want it to...ever.

Planned to make beads all day. Forgot I had to go help @ Harrison's school. Got home...almost out of oxygen...had to make little beads instead of what I really need to make...in order to keep going on this last 500lbs I have left.

Made 1 vessel (pretty cool one I think), a couple of little faces, one fairy godmother, one weird-test focal...just have to wait and see if it's anything worth trying again, lots of little baby beads, a couple of hearts...I think something else big, but I can't remember. mostly little beads, though, due to oxygen shortage.

I am waiting for my new concentrator to arrive and don't want to go get new tanks of oxy...but I'm probably going to have to. :(

Realized today actually how few days are left until Bead and Button and somewhat freaked out!

In bigger, happier news...I am making a DVD!!!! It's not all finalized yet, but I am making it! After seeing myself on video...the one of the demo I did at the Southern Flames meeting, I was a bit weirded out. I talk like Minnie Mouse, have a double chin, look way more like my sister than I thought I did, but AM A GOOD DEMO and a GOOD BEADMAKER! It's funny to watch myself do what I do every day...but from the other side of the flame.

So, am in discussion with film people (yes, real film people, not just do-it-yourself video) how and in what time frame we're doing this, but I AM MAKING A DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's going to be a DVD version of my class. 8 demos (maybe on 2-3 separate dvds, maybe 1...have yet to decide)

I am going to ask for some feedback, but I think I'm going to actually have an audience to ask questions while I do the demo. It just seemed to flow nicely in the demo with the question/answer patter.

Ok...enough for today.

No coffee (and might have to give up Starbucks until after my 20 yr class reunion in August, as I fear it is a contributor to weight gain)

yes ipod music - today "midnight music for monkeys" - the playlist I made for my kids to go to sleep to. :)

Am posting quickly because Griffin is sitting here jumping up and down waiting to go to Barnes and Noble. (why I don't really know...he just knows we're going, and I'm guessing he's planning to hit me up for something while we're there!)

Am going to head straight to magazine section in a moment of vanity to see if I'm there!!!

Here's a funny funny site that my friend Jan e-mailed me this a.m. I died laughing, so I'm putting the link here. I'll add it to my side bar later...

www.threadbared.com

off to get books and starbucks and hopefully magazine.

no music so far (other than in church)
no beads either!

(update...tea not coffee at Starbucks. They didn't have any Bead Unique Magazines at Barnes and Noble...I will check again in a few days)

Here's a picture of the article though!

Happy Dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm in a magazine, I'm in a magazine!!!!!! (sung in my best Sandra Bullock voice from Miss Congeniality when she "sings" "you know you like me, you want to kiss me...")

I was taking Brad Pearson's class today and Gerry, the owner of the beadstore where the class was asks me "will you sign my magazine?" YOWZA! It was my article!!! I knew that I'd been interviewed and sent pictures, but didn't know when the magazine would publish the "artist spotlight" about me. They did!! It's here!!!

Bead Unique...page 22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bead Unique Magazine Current Issue
(this link is to the "current issue page" which as of today is not the current issue...hopefully it will change soon!"

happy dance!

And here are some beads from this week. Not my best photos, but they were fun beads!





coffee today - mais oui....iced venti hazlenut light ice latte (that's a mouthful!)

music - thanks to Brad Pearson, lots of fun reggae. I'm going to go find the album he played which was Bob Dylan songs done reggae!

p.s. funny link du jour...a blog (which wasn't what drew me in, rather this page with fortune cookie style quotations. I loved these!)
Fortune Cookie Quotes from Fussy

Oh my word!

I just read the entry that I wrote earlier and it verifies that I am nuts!

I'm going to delete it so that the world doesn't see HOW nuts I am!

I didn't make beads today. :(

I hope I get to tomorrow.

coffee - no, chik fil a sweet tea - mmmmmmmmm good!
music - nope

I tried to post yesterday, but blogger was offline during the window of time I had to type. :)

Swim Team dramas continued yesterday. Hopefully, things will have calmed down a bit today....otherwise this beadmaker might not make it through the summer without a visit to the NUT HUT!

Beadmaking yesterday was wonderful. I made things that I really liked. Hopefully, I can get some pictures here soon. I was exploring striking yellow with enamels and gold leaf (I love gold leaf!!) You would never know that looking at my beads that I even use gold leaf because I tend to melt it in and make the colors richer. The new vase-face beads have windows of gold leaf that are actually gold.

Today, no beadmaking. I have a sick kid. :(

I did clean part of my studio today. All stray glass is off the worktop. If you've ever seen my workplace you would know that is a HUGE thing.

I have tons of glass to be sorted and put into appropriate color drawers...but for now, at least the table top is clear!

I am hoping to get my new tabletops installed soon, and that required getting the old table cleaned off.

I need an assistant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no starbucks today - snapple diet peach tea
music - more "music for mermaids" I love my ipod!!!!!!!!

Did get to make beads for a little while today. Halo faces...6 made. woo hoo. Several not made, as they were icky bead messes...spinning on the mandrel...no good for anything.

After completing 6 of the "to do list" beads, I made another faces-vases bead. I used completely different colors, so I'm interested to see how it turns out.

Tomorrow is dentist day and hopefully will get to have a little torch time in the afternoon. Swim team started today and so did the drama of making my children do something they don't want to do. I might have to spend my afternoons forcing my children up the street to the pool. You'd think I was forcing them into a child labor camp or something worse...homework camp!!

I'm hoping that the drama wears off soon. I'm enough drama all on my own!!!

Today's music - a new mix of music in the studio today. I'm not sure what to call it, but it's not mermaid music, nor is it really angelic (like the faces I'm supposed to be making), but it sure rocks!

no coffee - Chik Fil A Sweet Tea w/ lemon

Monday!

2 weeks of school left!!! aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

I think that's the call of mothers heard round the world. Our precious children are about to wreak havoc with our schedules!!!

So, I have to type fast and go make beads while I have a chance to do so!!!

Already worked out, did e-mail checking...so I'm off.

Have ipod, ready to roll. Actually planning to make the beads I'm supposed to be making today...halo beads.

Up and at 'em. Doing shipping (finally...it's been on the to do list for a few days and I'm making myself do it this a.m.).

I really really want to go make beads, but alas I have sold these and must ship them. I won't get to make beads for myself (or to sell, rather) until later tonight...if then.

We have soccer games this noontime, then I'm going to Beads by Design for the Southern Flames - Beadmaking Extraaaaaaaaaaaaaaavaaaganzaaaaa (you have to say that with big Circus voice...holding all the "a" sounds for a long time). Our group volunteered to make all the beads that go on the totebags for this year's Gathering Convention in Louisville. Our party (extravaganza) is so that people can sit and make beads together, using the group's glass/gas instead of their own since the group is making the donation.

So...after that, I come home and might get to make beads then, but probably not...just have to see how things go.

I really need to be getting ready for Bead and Button, but I'm so scattered right now. I've got 3 new seed bead designs that I want to make (and if they're good write patterns for). I've got all these new glass bead ideas in my head that I want to try, AND I'm in the middle of writing my "book". I need to FINISH something! AND I need to make some money at whatever I do finish. Bead and Button is pressing, though, as I have already spent the $ to do the show..the ad $, etc. It's a biggie for me and I HAVE to be ready!!!!

ok...off to ship.
need coffee...need music, but if i go downstairs to the studio, I'll make beads and forget shipping.

Getting ready to head to the studio to continue this new "bend" I'm on. Here's the history of where this is all coming from.

In 2000 (?) I began making these faces with tall hairdos (originally cakes, but they became hair), I then started computer drawings of more girls with "big hair" - example circa 2001 (below left)



Since then, in between mermaids, I keep coming back to this same motif. These beads with taller and taller hair (above right).



So, I was playing with beads earlier this week and did the progression of beads below (a few days ago). After that, I kept thinking of ways to incorporate them into my already existing work. Well, while having my oil changed yesterday, I sketched this big hairdo with embellishment and it became a vessel. I came home and made this bead and here it is...



I am so grooving on this bead. (it cracked a tiny bit because I was distracted while making the bead - long story)

Now, this said, take a look at the art below...am I so on this same page or what? How much more can one have going on in their head or hair (however you see it)???? My therapist (yes I said it here, publicly) said that I might be drawing/making/drawn to these things because they CONTAIN all the stuff that's in their heads/hair. She wonders if it's because I'm always saying that I have so many ideas flying around in my head and I want to keep them contained. Hmmmmm. Interesting....(that's my best therapist-speak) I think I just like big hair. :)

It's just a funny observation, but in looking at all these things (drawing, bead, new bead, the paintings I like below) they all have the following in common - LOTS going on above the face level AND all have serene faces. It's just such an interesting thing. I'm going to have to actually explore the concept now that it's been drawn to my attention.

coffee today - no (and probably shouldn't. I'm zooming already)
Music - not yet, but handy ipod is going to studio with me in a minute. My "music to make mermaids" might have to be changed to "music for big haired girls" and include some B-52s. :)

on a non-related to anything note...I think that I might have some google sponsored ads on this page. Mostly because I think it will be funny to see what key words they pull out of my postings to find things to sell. Will there always be a coffee link? Will Ipods be linked? Hmmmmmmm. I think it would be funny to see. It reminded me of when people found my site because they googled "the ozbornes" with it spelled incorrectly like I did! I also had a lot of hits from people looking for "poison ivy, itches". I always look to see how people get to my site other than the predictable "sylviebead" way. :)

Thursday beadmaking update.....

(I kind of imagine that tickertape/news music here)

I did have some studio time today after the teacher conference. I decided to go with the klimt thing I've been on lately, but with a twist. As I was sitting and having my oil changed today, I was drawing bead pictures. I kept being drawn back to a vessel shape. I first was thinking of a vessel with an angel or something like that on it (similar to the red headed girl from the earlier bead) but then I thought about that big hair thing again. What is it about me and big hair?!!

So she's a vessel with big hair! I can't wait to get her out of the kiln...always is interesting to see if I like things when they've come out of the kiln as much as I liked them when they went in. :)

I recently went to an art show where I bought a really cool print and t-shirt from an artist that paints BIG HAIR! I didn't really notice that it was big hair until later. What is it with me?!!! I'm going to try to find his website and post a link. I loved his work.

Here's a link to his site. At first you don't think of it as hair...I didn't, but the more I thought about it, I realized it's just that same subject matter that I do, only with more chaos and bigger "hair" (and a little less girly girl). :)

Bruce Holwerda

Our Lady of Perpetual Confusion (my favorite!)		The Elusive Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Not a beadmaking day...so far.

Personal Trainer
Oil Change
Lunch (that's right now) and computer catchup
Teacher Conference
Shipping (ick)

Music - not so far.
Coffee - no - Chik Fil A

Funny thing du jour....saw this quiz on another beadmaker's site and had to go take it.

Guess this explains my excellent ipod playlist (mix tapes in the making???)

You are LaFawnduh. Why are you so sweaty?


Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I thought I posted the update to "bad bead day" yesterday, but it looks like I didn't.

Here are some pictures of what I made on my "days off". Definitely off kilter! :)

(I'm watching Dr. Phil. I love it when he says "and how's that workin' for you?")

BIG NEWS!!!!
Ikea is opening sooner than I thought!!!!

didn't make beads today...worked at my dad's office
didn't listen to music (did listen to a book on the ipod while I worked)
Starbucks - Venti 2 pump mocha. mmmmmmm!

for the first time in a long long time I had a day of non-production beadmaking in my studio.

I had a wonderful time and it wasn't long enough. I had the ipod loaded with "chick songs" (hard to describe, but could probably be the soundtrack for a chick flick basically). Sang loud, had fun.

Getting ready to go to a small group thing from church. Babysitter is here, but I just had to take a second and say whoopee for me on my beadmaking day. I'll hopefully post pics tomorrow or later this week. if not here, then on WC.

also...there are fire trucks driving around in my neighborhood with no sirens on. It disturbs me. I am quite different about that since having a house fire. I would never have really blinked before when seeing a fire truck. Now I'm always worried that it has something to do with me. Hopefully, that will pass at some point. I really feel for my kids though. I know they have to feel a similar way, only more scared. Griffin hates the days that firemen come to school. Harrison hates when they ask him in class what kids should do in case of a fire (like he's a pro or something). His answer is "don't be home". Gotta love him!

Anyways. The fire thing put a damper on my good bead day. Hooray again for me!!!

ipods rock by the way. Maybe they're the good vibes I had been needing in the studio. It had been a long time since I had music instead of tv. Maybe I need that music thing instead.

Starbucks a.m. order - Venti Iced Hazlenut Light Ice Latte. Boys had decaf frappucinos. I spoil them. :)

Saturday of Rain.

No little league....yes Krispy Kreme (just made sense on a rainy Saturday morning)

Trying to do Clean Sweep in playroom went over like a lead balloon. Met with tears and frustration, I finally gave up and told them just to find trash and I'd ask their Dad to clean it w/them next week as a Mothers Day present for me. Doubt that it will happen, but you never know.

I'm trying to psych myself up enough to do my own room. Which is pretty scary to say the truth! I could easily be a "Clean Sweep Candidate"

So, off to do what I need to do...laundry and floor finding. :)

no coffee, but it would have been a good idea!
Music - ipod mix called "music to clean a playroom by" (I thought it was a good idea, but didn't seem to help)

It's friday!!!

Today was silent auction day for the school and my class project sold for the most (happy dance!) and in addition...it's going to be the cover of the school directory.

rob says I shouldn't be so happy about this because it just means more people will ask me to do things next year! :)

I'm proud though. I wish I had enough $ to bid as high as the bids went. I am going to go to Cafe Press, though and get myself a poster of it! I took pictures of the painting and I'm going to turn it into a poster for the other parents to buy via cafe press. tres cool n'est pas?

This weekend is "clean sweep" weekend here. We'll see how that goes. I'm not really sure I have the energy to do it, but it needs to be done! After baseball we're doing the keep toss piles!

music today - no books on ipod today. listening to the davinci code.
snapple du jour - diet peach tea...yummy!

Ok...I'm on a roll! More than 2 posts in a row!!!

So, I have nothing really beady to talk about. I'm working on the patterns and am close to presenting them for public consumption. I've done a pretty good job about keeping them secret, but have slipped info a few times, so I might not have the surprise element I hoped for. (ok, remember, i know what I'm talking about here...my journal, my thoughts, doesn't make sense to others, it's ok)

So, today I worked for Dad and didn't do beady things. Tomorrow is 1/2 and 1/2...so probably not much beadmaking, but I'm going to try!!!! I need to!

Here's one of those thoughts for the day. If you are at a restaurant that has a "roving magician" who visits tables as people eat etc. Can you ask for a "no magic" section??? I wish! We went out to dinner and had an obnoxious majician come to our table 3 times during the night. We found out mid-meal that it was "free kids" night. Was that worth the magic? I don't think so.

It's no magic seating for me from now on!

Music today (even w/ out torch, have ipod will travel) - Everything But the Girl
Coffee - Venti 2 Pump Mocha.

I'm back! :)

Ok, here we go again...

I'm in the studio being productive, but not having fun.

I'm on the computer, being productive, but not having fun.

I'm not a happy camper lately and need some sort of fun-injection. I feel work-driven not life-driven and that's a bummer.

Here's what I'm up to...
Writing Patterns
Making beads to go with patterns
Doing internet stuff - updating and restructuring website as well as trying to stay present on WC which I think is important, but is hard to keep up with.
Doing family stuff, miscellaneous dental/medical appointments in addition to working once a week for my father.

My weeks are not really what I want them to be schedule wise. I'm scared about summer because it's just me and the boys unless I find a way to fund summer camps (which are expensive!!!!!).

Ok...music and such. It's been definitely bi-polar music selections in the studio. I've loaded my i-pod and put it on a speaker system in the studio.

First - Southern Rock selections, then Sade!!!! (told you bi-polar music choices)

Today - Maroon 5, Marvin Gaye (because the M's were next to each other in the menu) then Dixie Chicks because I just arrowed up and let it stop wherever and hit play. LOL

no coffee - snapple

right now, getting ready to go to the kids school to read for 30 minutes, which honestly I know is important, but really hate to do AND it cuts up my studio day which I hate. I like having a block of time to work rather than little spurts of work time. Once the boys are home, I don't work on the torch, so it makes my "career" limited to a few hours a day IF THAT. :( Who else can do a career on those kind of hours? I'm not sure that it's "working for me" as Dr. Phil says.

When I get back, I need to change out OXY tanks. I'm ready to buy a concentrator or generator SOON!

I have things to talk about today and feel totally drawn here to do so, but at the same time...this is one of those personal-get your feelings hurt kind of thing and I don't know that I wish to hash it publicly now that I'm here.

So, I'll just write it invisibly and then get over it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

I hope that helps. I'm really wallowing a bit on this one. It's something that I think I need to discuss, but just not here. I'll call an impartial friend and then move on...hopefully.

I am avoiding work for some reason. I've been working on my written instructions and apparently need to finish them very quickly so that I'm credited for them. It's one of those strike while the iron is hot thing. So...I'm trying to work on that, but probably need to be making beads.

Art/Craft as a living is a difficult thing, but we've been over that before. No news there.

I haven't made beads in my studio in a long time. I need to devote tomorrow to doing that...even if they're not beads to sell, I need to make beads just to get myself moving again.

today there has been no music, but I have a new music player! I got a thing to plug my ipod into so that I can listen to it in the studio. Hopefully that will get my creative juices flowing again.

off to work on my book-ish thing.

no coffee today, no music. Snapple and HGTV

It's been so long since I've been here....

I missed talking to myself so I came to chat today. :)

It seems that sometimes I have time to "play" on the computer and sometimes I don't. It's when I probably shouldn't be playing on the computer that I end up doing so. It is a fine line between playing and working, though. This blog began as a work-related thing where I talked about what I did in my studio each day.

I think I need to focus and return to that. It keeps me honest about working...or not.

I taught 2 classes this past weekend and they totally drained me. I had a wonderful time and hope the students did too, but it takes a toll...teaching glass. It's such a different thing than teaching beadwork. When I'm teaching beadwork, I'm teaching a project...something in particular and everyone is on the same page...working along on that project. It's a very laid back atmosphere.

When I teach glass, students are there to learn pretty much everything I know (and that's because I'm willing to share that much) in the 2 days of the class. After spilling all of my heart/soul/knowledge of glass for the days of the class...it takes just about everything out of me. BUT...I want to be exhausted like this more often. I totally loved teaching these classes and was reminded how much I miss teaching as often. So I'm sending those messages out to the internet...I want to teach more!!!

So happy am I, but I need to take a break before going back to work. In the past, I didn't know that and tried to keep going at full speed...even after teaching a class. Now, I give myself permission to vegetate for a day. So for my resting day (today) I surfed and did computer work on my upcoming project, so I'm not sure that it was all relaxation, but it was definitely low stress, low mobility day.

I hopefully will have work related things to say in the future and maybe I will do my positive thinking things now to do some sort of self-fulfilling profecy that I will work when I should and be successful...

or not. I'm not sure I wish to do all my self-help things on the web for the world to see....sufice it to say that I am positively thinking. :)

And now for the old favorities...
No music, a couple of old movies.
No coffee, just snapple....do you think they'd hire me as the new snapple lady? Might be another career choice....drinking snapple and smiling a lot...answering people's letters, etc. Seems like a sweet job!

Oh there's no place like home for the holidays...



Well, I've been house-bound for 3 days now and am going crazy!!! AND I can't make beads!!!!! arghhhhh



Harrison has pneumonia and strep throat, so he is down for the count for the rest of the week and being Mom is my only job this week. At least he'll be better by Christmas! (I hope!!!)



Rob got a job and I'm a much happier camper.



Other than that...nothing to talk about except to say "Let me outta here!" :)

I haven't been very diligent about posting here. I also never spell check, so if I'm spelling things incorrectly in my own blog...so bee it.



I've been swamped with getting e-bay things up and going. Also with some changes to the Clothesline project, adding them to my website in a new way, adding them potentially to e-bay. Not sure why, but thought I'd get more exposure that way.



Am tired tired tired. Watching olympics late into the evenings, but really enjoying them.



have starbucks in hand today...need that jolt!

Didn't get a ton of beads made today, but kept organizing the studio. I'm actually almost at a point where I can find my beads! They are there by color, style and in clear boxes so that I see everything!!! Hooray!!!



Auctions still bite.



Me - I'm creating fun things and trying not to obsess over the above statement.



Pizza delivery on its way...beading in the meantime



should have had a starbucks today. feeling a bit draggy.

OK...

If I were not feeling so darn creative tonight I might be having a nervous breakdown due to the fact that most of my auctions right now have absolutely NO bids. I am deleting any whiny-ness just because I'm not whining...just puzzled and a bit miffed.

I have good stuff up there!!! I have low starting bids!!! Even the ones I raised to $19.99 are good prices...they're $70ish bundles!!! So, why they are receiving no bids is one big mystery to me. I really feel they are some of the best things I've had up in a while (not that I don't like my other stuff, but I was really happy with these) I was really happy (am really happy) with the photography too! Whazzup? I just don't know.

That said, I'm feeling really creative right now, so I'm pretty stable emotionally about this. Still, it would feel much better knowing I actually had some income next week! LOL

I have been beading new things today, so am happy about that. I'm ready to create..not just produce.

Off to create more.

School day 1 - complete.



Sylvie made lots of beads



Kids happy with classes



Harrison changed his name to Ethan. Apparently the teacher called roll using his first name and he said "ok" and at that moment chose not to rock the boat, but to go by his first name since the teacher used it. That's my little "pleaser". I told him to let me know which name he wants me to call him. If he wants to be Ethan...so be it.



I did get a lot of beads made. It was a crazy quirky day of color.



Received a shipment of something I had ordered through e-bay. It was something I was saying I was interested in selling on e-bay...I'm just wanting to avoid directly mentioning who and what I purchased.



I just have to say, that though the product received was just what I purchased and quite fine. The packaging was the absolute most atrocious (sp?) thing I have ever seen. It was a small jar (of what I ordered) wrapped in paper and postal tape sloppily then in some paper then into a USED business reply envelope which was then re-taped and stickered with return address and my address. I might have to photograph this just to show how absolutely unbelievably bad presentation it was.



I KNOW that I am so much better than this in my packaging and presentation. These people selling this product are just so so not artists, though I don't really know who would be interested in this product were they not artistic. Their photography stinks, the ad copy is ok, but this was just such a crazy way to ship (and the shipping charge was around $3.00 for FC) I would understand that if it was well packed, but for that???? Oh well. It was exactly why I ordered. I wanted to see what the potential competition was doing.



ok...



off needing some dinner. Griffin is asleep due to the no nap factor of 1st grade. Ugh. Won't be easy to wake him and he won't want to go to sleep tonight if I don't.



starbucks today! _ Iced almond latte (I'm on a kick of that I guess, but today was the last for a while due to the shakes I get from Starbucks) :(

twas the night before school starts... and no kids could sleep. It's going to be a challenge to wake up tomorrow! BUT I am planning to spend some quality time (after Starbucks of course) at my torch. I don't have anything specific in mind, but I think I need to make beads. Not small beads, though that might happen, but I feel like i need to MAKE something. Not sure what, but SOMETHING.



will keep you (me) posted. :)

It's Sylviebead news day. I sent out an e-mail to my customer list telling them super secret stuff and letting them know there is new stuff in my storefront. I am finally happy with my photography. And...hopefully, now that I know what I'm doing (sort of), I can photograph some of my larger focal beads this week and post them to the store as well.

Head Over Heels is winding down and I'm feeling a bit bummed about it. I know that I wanted to make room for myself to do something new, but I'm wondering if that's a big mistake!!! Am I a one hit wonder that is retiring my HIT????? It's one of those things where I was so happy with the Clothesline, but it doesn't seem to have the appeal to other people as head over heels does. I also love the angel piece, but what if it receives the same reaction?!!!!

I'm over thinking things probably, but I just had my 2nd class cancellation due to low registration. I know it's summer, and I think that had a lot to do with it, but I'm still having a lot of self doubt.

The boys start school on Monday, so I'll have a bit more time to spend on designing. Maybe there's another "hit" in there somewhere????? If Rob would get a job it would make it much easier for me. Being the beady breadwinner is not an easy thing and does make for more of a production lifestyle than a creative one. Head Over Heels has paid the bills this summer. When that stock is gone...then what?!!!

I'm sitting here with the smell of sharpened pencils in my nose. Griffin was supposed to sharpen 48 pencils for school....he did 15 I think! We'll see if he gets a few more sharpened later, but I don't think 48 is going to happen!

Bookbags are ready to be packed with fresh supplies. I think I'm having more fun with that than they are. I always loved having new school supplies. The first day when all the crayons are organized and pristine! Makes me want to buy a box for myself...just to sit around and not use! LOL

am off to pretend to work on something important while I continue to work through this blue funk.

i think i need starbucks

This is one of those "what the heck is she talking about entries" that I just need to write and then laugh and be done.

I am a dairy queen dip cone.

Smooth and somewhat stable on the outside, but still very fragile and one good thunk and I'm just a mess.

I felt thunked yesterday, but I think I'm better today.

I'd rather be Brewsters I think...maybe Ben and Jerry's....better yet, something that doesn't melt at all!

coffee - Starbucks iced Almond Latte (it was one of those days that I needed it!)
and a Krsipy Kreme donut....it was REALLY one of those days! LOL

Watching: Court TV a new LIVE trial (finally) about a guy who might have killed his wife, but if he did, he was truly stupid (though he is in real life a rocket scientist). It's one of those trials where I'm not sure if he's guilty or not. Those are my favorites...I get to decide as the trial unfolds rather than having an opinion right away.

Reading: The Edge of Reason (again) - Want to remind myself how funny it was before the movie comes out. I laughed harder at this one than Bridget Jones.

Yesterday's posting was quite whiny. I hate when I do that...and I did it publicly, so everyone (if anyone reads) knows that I am a real person who has those days.



In light of my recent e-bay failures, I am considering a new line of work...



I have been watching e-bay and the MAC cosmetics section. Some people know that I am a total MAC junky. You might not guess that if you ever saw me because I don't even wear makeup half of the time. Only a fraction of the time do I do wild MAC-like makeup. Most makeup days are fairly subdued (though I'm still using MAC)



Ok...what is all this rambling about. No, I'm not going to become a makeup artist (though that might be fun). I have found that e-bay has auctions for mac products. Most of them being pretty ordinary, like someone has purchased a lot of discontinued color from an outlet store and they're re-selling on e-bay.



BUT there is this crazy market for these things called Mac Pro Pigments. They are the color that is added to eye makeup or lipgloss (even nail polish) WHATEVER to change their color. They are what they say a "pure pigment". Well....I'm dying to try these and they don't sell them at most MAC stores (only the PRO shops).



So what is all this about you say? Well......there are people selling 1/4 teaspoons of this stuff on e-bay for $2-5 per 1/4 teaspoon!!!! So, I says to myself, I says "hey, I could do that!" There aren't very many people doing this, and there seems to be a consistent market for the items since they are scarce in most towns. PLUS the people who are selling this are NOT artistic in their presentation of the items. Their photography STINKS and they're marketing COLOR!!



The whole thing reminds me of how e-bay bead sales got to be so hot. People didn't have access to them, so e-bay became the primary place for the general public who didn't live in a big bead show town to buy them. I'm truly considering making PRO purchases either via some sort of ordering (and I do have a source to do this ) from the PRO stores OR making trips to those PRO stores (oooh!! that sounds fun!!) and then re-packaging and selling these samples the way others have.



What I need to find out is if it is really something that could be profitable, or would I just be asking for more trouble than it's worth. I would be able to own all the colors myself (which is a fun fun fun thing for me and probably why I love MAC so much, the colors are endless and using these pigments you can mix NEW colors!!)so that might be a draw, but I'm just not sure yet.



I have to find out how many 1/4 teaspoons are in one package and if when adding in the new packaging for the samples it would be at all profitable. I have to guess so since there are people doing this, but I would want to make sure.



I will keep my journal posted on this idea. So, I could quit making beads and be a cosmetics mogul OR I could just hook my bead customers on this stuff and MAYBE cross market to the makeup girls out there too and get them to buy jewelry or beads! (this is sounding more and more interesting!)



ok...must do bookkeeping work for my Dad today and just think on this more (talking MAC is more fun)



had Dunkin Donuts latte today, which really is pretty good!

ok...

I'm just about dying now.

I have auctions with NO bids. I have a bundle of beads closing in 4 hours with a high bid of $14. This is a $70 bundle of beads and I'm really really close to thinking twice about e-bay.

I know I know I know I need to sell beads to pay bills, but the idea of selling cheap just hurts my pride. :(

I did get a new bra this weekend though and it made me happy. silly thing, yet happy about it. Was terribly controlled on a shopping trip and limited myself to a very inexpensive PTA outfit (long story) and did not buy shoes (though I was quite tempted to go to the Nordstrom big sale).

Have my new photo setup and am working today to learn how to use it. Learning curves stink, but I'm needing a day to figure it all out.

ok...

off to work again. enough whining.

free beads. get your free beads.

That's what I feel like I'm saying right now with my beads on e-bay. I am practically giving away those beads. I have to sell right now, though, since Rob doesn't have a job and I can't say "no, I'm just not going to sell my beads if I don't get what they're worth", but it hurts to see $70 worth of beads go for barely $20. I just don't have the luxury of saying "I just won't sell right now".

I can go back to the worrying about how my beads stand up to others and why are others selling and mine not...or I can just be glad that I'm making what I'm making without having to be a secretary. That's pretty much where my head is at right now.

Making beads for e-bay is my "job" and I have to do it just like I would have to go to another job that wouldn't be nearly as pleasurable.

I am currently watching a bizarre movie while I type and I think I'm going to have to go watch it with my full attention to see how BAD it really is! LOL

Am not depressed, just filled with philosophical art vs. money questions that have plagued me for the past 8 years!!! (or more!)

Ikea in Atlanta!!!

It's a short entry, I know, but it's an important life changing one. :)

Until summer 2005, I'll be loitering in the Atlantic Steel future Shopping area in midtown. I'll be the one in the soon-to-be parking lot with a big empty truck, ready to back up to the loading zone! :)

Hooray for the Braves who beat the Mets tonight. Go Braves!

Here we go....

Sort of lots to talk about, but nothing really important (like there is usually something important here?)

1st...I want a Mac Pro store in Atlanta. Why? I don't know, I just don't like NOT having something that other cities have! I want to play with the Mac pro pigments and they don't sell them here! Why do I care about these makeup items when I hardly EVER wear lots of makeup? Because like playing with glass colors, playing with makeup colors is really fun for me. These pigments can be mixed into lipgloss/lipstick/eyeshadow, moisturizer, NAIL polish....the list goes on. I'm just fascinated by the thought of mixing my own colors! Bring the Mac pro store to Atlanta...pleeeeeeeeeeease!

I priced last night the following options...

Paying for Rob's next semester of college
Buying 4 pairs of Stuart Weitzman boots (I don't really need 4, but it's a math comparison here)
Flying last minute to the Gathering in Portland
Flying to NY or LA to buy MAC
Buying an Oxygen Concentrator (or 2)

All of these options add up to pretty much the same figure. I see, looking at the list, that only ONE of these does not directly offer any benefit to me. Sure, I can hope that there would be future income based on the tuition, but no guarantees. I would not gain any real happiness by having Rob go to school. HOWEVER, buying shoes or makeup would be a happy thing. Buying an oxygen concentrator would directly benefit the income making ability...since right now I'm out of oxy and Rob is out of town, so I'm stuck w/out oxy until MONDAY! Finally, the Gathering would be a happy-ish thing. If not happy, at least educational.

I've pretty much narrowed my choices down to oxygen concentrator, boots and tuition...for various reasons....Hmmmmmm what to do?!

I'm going to spend my non-beadmaking weekend beading. I'm really wanting to play a bit with creating something new and I need to finish up a couple of samples, so that will be the real alone time accomplishment of the weekend.

I have ordered a new photo setup. It was expensive, but I spend SO much time trying to get photos to look good that I decided that the $ spent would be worth it. I hope so.

Ok...this whole entry has been about shopping. Hmmmmmmmm. With Nordstrom having a sale this weekend, that might be a BIG temptation.....I hear shoes calling. People go bid on my auctions I want some boots!!!!!

:)

did my workout today with the exerball...an evil piece of equipment which looks so UN-evil. Beware the exerball! Really a good core workout, but OUCH!

off to find food (funny that the food thing came after talking about exercise?!

I should be here saying important life-changing/affirming things.



I'm not.



I have absolutely nothing of real importance to say, so instead I'll go back to what I used to do and just say what I made today.



Today I made beads. I spent the morning playing with techniques that I learned from Michael Barley last year, interpreted with a Sylvie-esque spin (can't really say what that is other than the fact that they don't look like Michaels! LOL) I made a series of beads...not trying to make any 2 the same...this is a BIG deal for me! I love matching things, so this was really living on the edge.



I later came back to the studio and made some smaller more monotonous e-bay esque dot beads. Played with color to make it more interesting. THEN found out that I'm down to relatively NO oxygen and Rob is leaving out of town early a.m. I thought I had a back up tank, but turns out...this WAS the backup tank!!!!



I immediately began planning a weekend alone WITH NO OXY! Can you believe it? I have a whole weekend to make beads in peace and NO OXYGEN!!!!!!!! I'm a little frustrated with myself for getting in this predicament. Guess I'll paint the house instead. :(



Not happy about this at all. In fact starting to really pout about it.



In other things...I want a mac pro shop here! I just saw a bunch of stuff on e-bay that came from there...you can make your own eyeshadow colors, etc. I wanna do this! Guess I'm trying to do something else since I can't make beads.



I'm bummed bummed bummed.



Can you say "going to buy a concentrator?????" I thought you could. :)



no starbucks

(been really really off of it lately. No starbucks = no shaking hands)

Chik fil A tea and 2 dunkin donuts. Breakfast of Champions.

Swam 800 yds in 30 minutes...thus negating the donuts (sort of)

no weight gained, nor lost

court tv viewing in studio - stupid but true

Dear Blog,

This has absolutely nothing to do with beads or beadmaking, but I must voice my feelings somewhere and this is it.

My radio station has changed. In one day they went from classic rock to a new format of mixed alternative/today and some David Bowie and Clapton. This is not classic rock. How will I continue to teach my children what is right and wrong with music? Yes, many of their programming choices are good, but they have fired my DJ's and hired a computer. And worse...they named it a cheezy name Dave FM!

I have listened to some of these DJs since I was in high school! This is too much change for me. I don't like it one bit....ok only one little bit where they played John Mayer, but that was only a tiny bit.

Please let me wake up and find that this was only a dream or a bad April fools joke or something. Let me wake up to a morning DJ not a computer.

I will not be able to listen to the 5:00 whistle today, which has happened every Friday afternoon since before 1984 (the earliest that I remember listening to it) Is radio dead? Am I doomed to getting satellite radio? Will satellite have a 5:00 whistle? I think not. :(

Video killed the radio star? No, big corporate media conglomorate (sp?) killed the radio station.

waxing sentimental,

Sylvie

 

happy happy day.



have finished editing photos and loading beads into the storefront!!!!!!!!



hooray!!!!!!!!!!!



am e-mailing the sylviebead list tonight to let them know.



hooray!!!!!!!!!!!



this bunch of beads has crazy names. Even Griffin says so :)

It's Saturday. I've spent the last few days making bead bundles. I'm photographing (I hate that part) and getting names/measurements so that I can list these in my storefront and then to auction. It's about time! I'm even getting e-mails asking if I'm still making beads! LOL



ok...off to do photo stuff. ick ick ick. I'm just too picky about my photos and they're never ever THAT good. I've tried tons of things and still don't have the magic ticket to gorgeous photography.



had starbucks today. it was awful. go figure!

I feel like talking in Meow Kitty language (remember Mr. Rogers...the cat who lived in the tree next to the owl?)



Meow meow busy meow.



Meow meow $%&^! meow meow.



Meow money meow meow shoes meow.



Meow avoiding meow meow.



Meow computer meow.



Meow sleepy.

I feel like talking in Meow Kitty language (remember Mr. Rogers...the cat who lived in the tree next to the owl?)



Meow meow busy meow.



Meow meow $%&^! meow meow.



Meow money meow meow shoes meow.



Meow avoiding meow meow.



Meow computer meow.



Meow sleepy.

spent the holiday weekend sick...allergies hit and turned into icky sinus stuff. Makes it hard to make beads when you can't breathe!

I did go back into the studio yesterday to get more beads made for bundles. I'm desperate to have enough to sell on e-bay again. I need to have enough stock to do that though. I seem to have a ton of beads...none of them work together. :(

Hopefully, after at least another 2 days or so, I'll have enough colors to make SOMETHING to sell. Need to sell. Time to make some money.

Hating the relation of money to beads right now. I am just telling myself that my "job" right now is a beadmaker and making little beads is just a job...not an art form for me. There are those whose small beads are art. I just don't view mine that way. My heart and soul are not in those beads.

I'm wanting to have the freedom to make whatever I want without having the monetary factor in there. I really really would like to spend more time doing one of a kind mixed media sculptures, but for now, that's just not happening.

ok...off to do other work stuff (not even bead work stuff)

made beads today....not very exciting beads, but at least I got back on the torch again.

This time of year is ALWAYS the time of year that I just don't feel like making beads. I questioned last summer whether I even liked it anymore. I'm still unsure.

I like what making my own beads allows me to do artistically (sp????)

Just pondering life and my reason for creating things.

Off to do other stuff now...

Some days you need to whine...some days you don't.



I think I'm done whining. I'm still not getting anything done...spinning and creating, but not getting anything productive-wise done. Sadly, the productive is what pays the bills.



I need a benefactor who will allow me to just create...and they can pay the bills and buy me great shoes! :)

Saturday



Blue



Frustrated



less confident



heavier



dull



uninspired



done (for today)

Posting again!



I gave myself a few days break after coming home and now it's time to get back in gear!



I need to contact bead stores to book future classes...finish my angel sample and make beads for e-bay.



Just paid Rob's tuition, so selling beads is a must right now! Not even for shoes this time (my normal e-bay money goes to shoes LOL)



Off to do stuff...



no starbucks in a LONG LONG time. I've pretty much kicked the habit.



I developed a donut habit, but have also kicked that one too!



M&M habit still here, but as long as I keep exercising, hopefully it won't be damaging!



Sore from being back in the exercise swing again after a big break getting ready for show/classes.



ok...really off to work this time!

It's me.

It's actually a posting. We'll see if it happens more than once. I'm home for a little while. I taught for NanC Meinhardt in her new studio this last weekend. I had a wonderful time and I hope the class did too. They were lots of fun and great beaders. Hi to anyone who was there!!! <--Sylvie (this Sylvie) waving to you.


For being in a good mood about that class, I'm also bummin' a little bit. My classes just don't seem to be filling like they did before. I didn't have the response to the new project...The Clothesline that I had hoped.

Am I a one hit wonder?

Do I have to go back to doing shows and put teaching on the back burner?

Is there any hope for my hair?

Can I give up sweets?

Will I ever go below ____ lbs? (I'm at a plateau due to my love of sweets)

Can I still afford new windows for my house?

For the answers to these and other questions...

Tune in next year for "Sylvie's Blues Review"

-------

this is one of those postings that is written without really thinking about what I'm saying. I reserve the right to deny anything said here when I re-read it later.

I'm actually here.



I don't know why I haven't been as into making entries as I once was. Maybe I should just go back to the whole beginning of what I made and just keep it simple and up to date.



Maybe it's because I have basically stopped drinking starbucks! it's true. I even have a full giftcard....I've never had a FULL giftcard. They would get spent in a big big hurry. I still have one that I got from my Dad for Christmas!



I am a busy beadmaker these days.



Made little beads today (don't know how many...a few mandrels) and 3 angel faces. Must make HOH faces/feet next week.



Am officially a smaller person than last week. I weighed at the Y again today and I'm 5 lbs lighter than the last time I weighed there a few weeks ago. I have not been as diligent about going to the gym and need to get back on that too.



So...note to self...



Blog beads and gym....not starbucks...no music...blog court tv?? on demand movies?



Today I watched Bullets over Broadway (no good court cases on today)

Made beads

Swam 500 yards in 15 min.

Lifted 5000 lbs (not all at once! LOL)

Had chick fil a tea and m&Ms for lunch. (I had a sandwich too, but the m&m's were the best part of lunch) I like to eat the same number of calories in fluff food like candy that the gym computer says I burned today. I figure...they're free calories if I do it that way!

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..

This is really quick, but a big big entry...



The Clothesline Sweater is IN the Storefront!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I haven't had time to finish the announcement to e-mail or to put the overalls/jeans OR to even put it on my website...but it's in the storefront in all 9 colors!!!!!!!!!!!



woo hoooooooo!!!!



This is a huge accomplishment... you go Sylvie!

just a quick update.

am totally stressed out due to absolutely no real reason. I have lots on my plate, but none of them like deadlines I've had in the past. Hmmmmmm is it just Christmas stress????? Is it husband-unemployment stress???? who knows. I am just stressed.

I am taking Michael Barley's class next week which I have wanted to take FOREVER, even begging him to teach 2 years ago when he wasn't teaching. Now I have the chance....

BUT (you knew there would be a but...)

I haven't made beads since JUNE! Yes, you read it right...JUNE! I'm really intimidated now about the class. Will have to have some quicky beadmaking time this weekend just as a warm up. Otherwise I'll have class-anticipation-anxiety in addition to the nameless stress.

On a positive note. I did NOT gain weight over Thanksgiving!!! Hooray! I ate really really sinfully yummy food at Disney and didn't feel guilty about it. I'm glad the scales didn't punish me though. Hooray.

Am feeling like a noodle right now after long swimming session. I am just gaining the endurance to really swim laps. I am taking lessons so that my stroke HELPS me get somewhere rather than keeps me from getting there. There are just too many things to think of at one time while swimming. It's like making beads I guess....hopefully it will seem more natural at some point. I like that it's a good workout but not hot and sweaty like the treadmill.

off to work.
no starbucks today.
did indulge in Chik fil a tea.

I am thinking of my Christmas list....will begin giving hints here later (knowing that my Mom will read them) and maybe like Oprah's favorite things it will bring retailers everywhere bonus sales due to my plug here. hee hee

back from Thanksgiving at Disney



got to see fireworks that were incredible



won at Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin...422,000 (if you know the ride, you know I did DARN well!)



got to see 2 parades...I love parades and fireworks



rode 2 roller coasters (would like to have ridden 4)



played "you can be a millionaire" 3 times. Sat next to a woman who was a "professional" and had won enough prizes at the game at Disney last year to have to file a separate form on her taxes! I no longer will worry about my Disney habit...she comes many times (not sure how many) a year or something like that...spends most of it playing the game.



Survived family just fine



am home working and having playground stuff for kids installed. Hooray!



Have not weighed since I got home yesterday...pretty sure I gained. I can swim 6 laps at the pool, though and that makes me proud and hopeful of working off any holiday weight!



off to bead stuff...

Hi me! (I'm still talking to myself here)



I am here to announce that my life will be insane for the next 7-8 days. Insane???? Isn't already???



scoop..... family (me, husband, 2 boys) going to Disney (again) for Thanksgiving with my mother in law, my sister in law and my neice.



I'll end it at that.



(32 lbs lighter and 32 lbs more stressed than 32 lbs ago)

Just checking in with myself here.



I'm alive, 30lbs lighter and my life is still a bit crazy which keeps me from blogging. :(



But I thought it necessary to report that today I lifted 2,000 something lbs at the gym, and consumed 1 GRANDE Mocha (I'm cutting down from the Venti LOL)

Sometimes I just want to come in here and rant and realize I can't because it's screaming to the universe things that the whole universe doesn't need to hear.



I might be taking a bigger hiatus from this for a while. I need to feel totally free to write without worrying about worrying anyone or ticking anyone off.



This makes sense to me at least.



signing off for a while...



me