A Beader's Blog

Jax to Boston via Train

2011-09-24T12:12:00.021-04:00

So this post tells the tale of my epic jaunt from Jacksonville, FL to Boston, MA aboard the Amtrak train and my subsequent visit with my New England family.

THURSDAY

After waiting for six months for this day, my heightened sense of anticipation made it extremely difficult to sit still following my arrival at the Amtrak station. I was eager to hear the announcement to board the train. At last it came and after kissing Daniel goodbye, I wheeled my little lavender suitcase outside, scanning the signs above me in search of the sleeping car number 12. So intent was I in my quest that I sailed right by my destination.
“Good afternoon! How are you doing today?” inquired the sharply dressed attendant.
“Oh, I’m great!” I replied breathlessly, and kept right on walking.
“Ma’am, you’re walking too far!” he called out to me.

Turns out he was my porter, Joseph and the number 12 I was looking for was on the train car, not the overhead signs.
After directing me to my clean, cozy roomette, Joseph explained all the amenities and advised that my dinner reservation was set for 6:30 p.m.
I settled in, took pictures of the room, and shot a brief video out the window. Then I made my way along the shifting hallway to the dining car where I shared a delicious meal with a very nice lady traveling with her dad. A railroad man since 1947, he had many interesting tales to tell. They were on their way to Arizona to visit the Grand Canyon, a trip that would keep them on the rails for 14 days.

The train made a brief stop in my husband’s birthplace, Jesup, Ga. I had to get pictures of that and also snapped a quick glimpse of Savannah, one of my favorite cities.

The delicious meal began with a crisp salad and warm rolls. The entrée was scrumptious baked salmon and wild rice. While the tiramisu I chose for dessert was absolutely heavenly, it was probably a major contributor to my inability to sleep that night. Sensitive as I am to even the smallest amount of caffeine, I probably should have chosen the cheesecake instead.
After dinner, Joseph came by and converted the seats into a little bed. I was glad I’d brought the light blanket mother gave me for my birthday as it did become somewhat chilly during the night. There are controls for the room temperature but evidently I was not adept enough to master them.

Choosing to sleep in my comfortable tee shirt and sweat pants rather than change into pajamas, I closed the door and pulled the curtains tight, encasing myself in my private chamber. I stood upon the closed
commode to take a video of the roomette in its nighttime mode.
Before turning in for the night, I tried again to call Daniel but he didn’t answer the phone. At first I thought he might be in the tub but when he didn’t answer after several additional attempts, it occurred to me that our phone might be off the hook.
Snuggling down to read on my Kindle usually makes me drowsy but sleep eluded me the entire night despite medication. In addition to the effects of the tiramisu, the train whistle blared out at every crossroads and no amount of toilet tissue crammed in my ears could deaden the sound. I’ve heard people say they sleep well on the train, but I began to feel as if I were trying to rest atop a washer on an off-kilter spin cycle. Having my own commode and sink nearby proved a welcome perk of my cozy roomette, but next time I take the train, I will come armed with adequate earplugs and stronger sleep medication.
I completely forgot about the Rescue Remedy in my purse which would no doubt have remedied the situation in short order.

FRIDAY

Despite my lack of sleep, I was up and at ‘em long before the 6 a.m. call to breakfast.
It was exciting to see the Washington Monument from the dining car. My dinner companions from the previous night had to eat their breakfast in a hurry as they were changing trains at this stop.
I shared a table with two ladies taking part in an America by Rail excursion that included a cruise to Maine. After I’d completed my meal, I excused myself saying I wanted to try again to reach my husband. Daniel still was not answering the phone and I made a mental note to have our yard guy Michael to check into the situation.
I waited until I thought Michael would be awake and called him. He didn’t answer so I left a voicemail requesting him to go to our home about noontime to tell Daniel that the phone must be off the hook.
Later Michael called to say he’d rung the bell and knocked on the door at my home but received no response. He said he’d try again later in the afternoon.

Turning my attention to the scenery passing by my window, I took many photos and short videos. My digital camera captured Baltimore, D.C., and Trenton. Whenever we’d arrive at a station, I’d quickly wake up my Kindle and attempt to do a Facebook update. The limited space available on the Kindle screen made it difficult to get the cursor where I needed it to be, and most of the time, just as I finally had the update typed out on the tiny keyboard, the whole thing would be lost as the page refreshed. Nine times out of ten I gave up and did my
updates via cell phone. I thought of this process as “keeping my constituents informed.”

Arriving at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia was exciting. I went to boarding school there as a little girl and worked there as a young woman.
But as excited as I was to see my old stomping ground, the anticipation of reaching NYC had me buzzing! I was so hoping we’d stop at Grand Central Station but it was not to be. Our destination was Penn Station, a major transportation hub in midtown Manhattan.

I rode the escalator up to the concourse and experienced a real letdown when I surveyed the scene. It bore no resemblance at all to the drama and elegance of the huge station I’d been dreaming of for six months.
I vowed then and there to find out what trains do end up at Grand Central and book myself on one of them at some point in the future.
After taking a bit of a hike to use the facilities and take a short video of an amusing animated display, I wandered into a shop where I purchased a pair of NYC tee shirts (2 for $15) and a few NYC postcards. A number of other souvenirs caught my eye but I resisted the urge to buy them.
Because the maitre d’ at breakfast had said that would be the last food I’d receive until I arrived in Boston, I decided to get something to eat while I waited for the next train. Big mistake! I spent $7.50 on a veggie wrap and $3.50 on a beverage. One bite of the wrap and I spit it out and threw it out. It was horrible! To quiet my growling stomach I scarfed down a few of the chocolate hazelnut wafers I’d brought with me.
As the time drew near to board the train for the next part of my trip, it occurred to me that I should have taken advantage of the two-hour layover to at least step outside the train station and see a tiny bit of the Big Apple instead of sitting in the waiting room like a scared bunny. How foolish of me to waste the opportunity to see midtown Manhattan!! When I take this journey next time, I will endeavor to schedule a brief layover.
Checking the clock, I realized it was too close to departure time to venture outside. When I grew tired of people watching, I turned on my Kindle for a bit of entertainment. I checked Facebook and read a bit of my Agatha Christie mystery, but soon the announcement came to board the train to Boston.

The seats were wide and comfortable and I was quite surprised when a voice boomed over the intercom that the dining car would be open for lunch! Since I’d already spent money to buy food, I decided to refrain
from dipping into my funds for additional nourishment. My brother Tony is an excellent cook and I anticipated enjoying one of his delicious preparations upon my arrival.
This proved to be an unwise decision. If I’d known I wouldn’t be having dinner until 8 p.m., I would definitely have bought something to eat. There’s something to be said for bringing an assortment of
portable snacks along when one travels.
My traveling companion for this leg of the journey was a young guy about 18 or 19 years old. I coveted his marvelous touch screen laptop! He was patient and courteous when I asked him to plug my phone in to recharge, and polite as he exited the seat to use the restroom.
As we passed various picturesque towns in Connecticut and Rhode Island, I was wishing I had the window seat so I could make better digital captures. My seatmate graciously pulled back in his seat each time I aimed my camera at the window, but it would have been so much better if I’d been able to just point and shoot. In answer to my wish, the pleasant young man left to join a friend who came aboard so I was able to move over for a better view.

It seemed as if we’d never get to Boston but finally they made the announcement that we were at Back Bay station. We disembarked onto a smoky, noisy platform that looked like something out of a B movie.

There were doors at either end of the station and I was unsure at
which one I was supposed to await my brother’s arrival. I called him on his cell and he gave me the street name, saying he was delayed with traffic.
I found the proper location and sat down on a bench with some other travelers to enjoy Boston. I watched the endless parade of sights and sounds that delighted my eyes and ears.

The most amusing passerby was a guy dressed as Peter Pan. Attired in green from head to toe, he created quite a stir as he made his way nonchalantly down the street, the feather in his green cap bobbing with each step he took in his green ankle boots.
I got a kick out of the bright green rickshaws and wished I could hop into one and go for a spin around the city.

My musings were interrupted by the arrival of my brother and after I greeted him and his two young daughters, I shot a brief video out the car window of the surrounding Boston ambiance. I loved seeing the little sailboats on the Charles River and marveled at all the beautiful old buildings. My camera was working overtime
capturing as much as I could.

As we zipped through the city, I fell head over teacup in love with Boston. There’s so much to see! I longed to explore Old Ironsides, take a ride on the swan boats or see the public gardens. I wanted to walk the freedom trail and shop at the Quincy Market. Of course, I’d love to take in a Red Sox game at Fenway Park.
My siblings have lived in the area all their lives so these things probably don’t seem very exciting to them but I wanted to see each and every attraction Bean Town has to offer and was very much looking forward to visiting the art museum the following day.
Once we left Boston proper, Tony made his way along the highway, checking with our brother Pasquale via cell phone for an alternate route when the traffic became too heavy. At one point near my niece’s house, he needed to make a left turn.
“Tony!!” I squealed when my brother narrowly escaped colliding with a truck.
“Hey, I’m a Boston driver!” he laughed.
My sister Rose and Mother greeted us at the door and soon my niece Melissa brought our darling Dalya downstairs. I was amazed at how much she’d grown since I saw her last year. We all settled around the
kitchen table to chat while we munched chips and dips. Melissa went out for pizza and it seemed like forever before she got back. I dug in eagerly, chowing down two slices in quick succession.

A lovely evening passed as good eats and homemade wine sparked lively conversation and laughter. Later on my brother drove me over to my sister Pam’s place and we arrived just as she was walking toward the
entrance to her building.
I managed to stay awake long enough to meet the tiny person I’d traveled 1,036 miles to see: the precious brand new member of our family, month-old Nevaeh Palmira.

I hugged my niece Kristy, congratulated the baby's mama, my niece Kerry, and met the baby’s daddy, Matthew.
Finally I could keep my eyes open no longer and withdrew to my sister’s comfy bed. Her lovely chubby cat Buddy must have known I was missing my own feline companions because he hopped up on the bed and proceeded to lavish me with kitty love. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light with Buddy purring softly beside me.

SATURDAY

Saturday morning Pam and I played babysitter for a while to dear little Nevaeh after her daddy said she’d been fussing since 4 a.m. We took over so he and Kerry could get some rest. I took a video of the wee babe and once she’d finally drifted off to sleep in her swing, Pam and I were able to slip off and make our way into Boston.
Traffic was bumper to bumper and a 20-minute trip took nearly an hour, but soon we arrived at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. As I beheld the imposing edifice, I couldn’t wait to wander through this great
treasure trove of art.

I must admit to being vaguely disappointed in the exhibition of jewelry I’d waited six months to see. First of all, it was crowded. One couldn’t really spend much time viewing each piece without people breathing down your neck to move into your spot. The lighting was not conducive to picture taking and what shots I did get off came out blurry. The most intriguing pieces of the whole collection were the
broaches made out of real hummingbirds.

Eager to see the rest of the exhibitions, Pam and I climbed stairs, rode elevators and walked up and down hallways, oohing and aahing at the many beautiful paintings and sculptures. Both cameras worked busily, capturing all the amazing works of art. I scribbled hasty titles and artists’ names in my notebook so I could identify each one later when the photos were downloaded.

To view a slideshow of all my pix from the museum visit Here. It's best to set the controls (upper right hand corner) to SLOW so you have a chance to read the descriptions and get a full view of each item.

Over a delicious lunch in the indoor courtyard we caught up on the latest family news and then continued to explore various rooms and exhibits throughout the museum. It was fabulously exciting to be in the same room with paintings by Renoir, Monet, Gauguin, Titian and Rembrandt.

We never did get to see the complete textile and fashion collection, only an exhibition called “Global Patterns: Dress and Textiles in Africa.“
We also missed an exhibition of colonial embroidery, the photography exhibit and a short movie called “The Clock.”

With so much to see, the afternoon flew by and soon we had to hustle along so we could get to our brother Pat’s house. We nipped into the gift shop where I purchased some glossy postcards featuring some of the more well known artworks as well as an 8 x 10 print of a particularly beautiful painting of Boston Harbor. I eyed a cloth bag with a reproduction of a Renoir on it but decided the $30 price tag was a bit too much.
After snagging a passing tourist to take our picture on a bench in front of the museum, we walked back to the parking garage. Our validated ticket saved us money on the cost of parking. We agreed it was fabulous of our brother Tony to provide us the free VIP tickets, and voiced a desire to visit the great museums Italy one day to see more beautiful paintings.
The tom-tom malfunctioned a bit and I enjoyed an unscheduled detour through the neighborhood around Harvard, snapping photos of the historic buildings and interesting ambiance.

Eventually we arrived at my brother Pat’s house where the rest of the family had been busy since 7:30 a.m. doing the annual canning of the tomato puree. Thirteen bushels of roma tomatoes were preserved into
over 200 jars. This exhausting and time-consuming annual tradition provides enough puree to last the family an entire year.

I caught up with my sister in law Linda, hugged my brother Pat and brother in law John, greeted my brother Vinny and chatted with mother.
I saw my nieces Christina and Sonya, but was disappointed to learn I’d missed my nephew TJ and his little daughter Juliet. Rose had prepared a delicious pan of homemade spinach lasagna that filled the void left since my lunchtime salad.
A tired Dalya became restless and grumpy and Melissa decided to take her home. I took my niece up on her invitation for me to ride along back to her house.
When we arrived at Melissa’s, she went upstairs to put Dalya to bed and Kristy took a break from studying for her dental assistant midterms to watch “Something Borrowed” on the big screen TV. Melissa joined us when the little one was asleep.
When the movie was paused for a moment so Kristy could attend to something, Melissa inflated the air mattress on my bed in the toy room and then bid us good night. She was clearly bushed from her long day on the tomato brigade.
Kristy and I finished up the movie and then we called it a day, too.

SUNDAY
Sunday was a lovely, relaxing family day that my brother in law John would later proclaim had been “just the way Sunday ought to be.”
Rosa and I chatted in the kitchen over homemade pancakes while Melissa took Dalya to spend some time with her Daddy. When she got back, I accompanied her to a nearby mall so she could get a neck massage. I bought a rather dull-looking Red Sox tee shirt that turned out to have a flaw in it and would need to be returned.
On the way home, Melissa picked her daughter up from her ex-husband. I focused my attention on my Kindle so I wouldn’t have to look at the sorry individual who had broken my niece’s heart to smithereens. For
the sake of my great niece, I vowed not to give in to the overwhelming desire to slap him in the face.
When we got back to the house, Rosa had prepared a lovely lunch and we enjoyed some lively banter with the gentlemen from Quebec who are erecting a storage building in the back yard.
After the lunch things were cleared away, my sister Pam arrived and presented me with a terrific Patriots tee shirt. (I wore it proudly all the way home on the planes!)
Melissa and I ventured out once again, this time to a neighborhood store called Bob’s in search of a Patriots hoodie. I found one I really liked but they did not have it in my size. This was probably just as well because the tag said $59.99. I suppose the official NFL sticker may have had something to do with this outrageous price.

I had admired Melissa’s New England Patriot pajama pants and the dear girl bought me a pair of them so the trip to Bob’s wasn’t a total washout. She also purchased a cute top to wear that evening to visit her new beau.
Back at the house, my brother Tony arrived with his two girls in their Boston Bruins shirts. Even their little dog, Izzy, had a Bruins shirt on! Obviously, ours is a very sports-oriented family.

My sister Mary and her son Matthew arrived next and all of us sat on the back porch talking and laughing and just enjoying spending a lazy Sunday afternoon together.
Dinner was yummy Chinese takeout eaten while we watched the New England Patriots on TV. I couldn’t stop shoveling shrimp fried rice into my mouth with chopsticks or munching on spring rolls dipped in hot mustard and duck sauce. We passed around the fortunes from the fortune cookies and I collected them with the intent of playing the lucky numbers on the Florida lottery.
Just after 60 minutes came on TV, Kerry and Matt brought little Navaeh to meet Tony and the girls, and several cameras were busy recording the event for posterity.
I had the opportunity to rock little Navaeh to sleep. As I held her against me, I could feel her tiny heart beating and it brought back sweet memories of when I rocked my own babies so many years ago. There is something deeply soul satisfying about holding a sleeping baby in your arms and I was profoundly grateful to have had that precious time to spend with this adorable little person.

One by one, the family members hugged me goodbye and as they took their leave, the house grew quiet. I showed Rosa and John my Kindle while they made preparations to begin their workweek the following
day. All too soon it was time to turn in for my final night away from home.

More family pix can be seen HERE.

MONDAY

For some unknown reason, Dalya decided not to sleep in as she usually does so I was able to have some delightful one on one time with my delightful great niece while Rosa got ready for work.
All was well until it was time for Rosa to leave. Dalya wailed her displeasure at her Noni’s departure and Kristy had to be awakened to calm her down.

Mother and I had a brief quiet period to visit while Kristy took Dalya down the street to the babysitter.
I showed her some of the pictures on my Facebook page and next thing I knew, Melissa was outside to take me to the airport bus. I had to bid my dear mother farewell, wishing I had more time to spend with her. It
always seems as if I no sooner arrive than it’s time to head back home.
My niece and I chatted amiably during the brief trip to the Logan Express hub and took our leave of one another with a fond embrace.
The bus was large and clean and the journey to Logan airport was pleasant. I made a mental note to take advantage of this service every time I came to visit my family. It saves a great deal of time and
hassle.
After indulging in one last tourist purchase, a bright red Boston Red Sox tee shirt, I found the gate for my flight and settled in with my Kindle to wait for the boarding call.
The 2g-memory card still had some space on it so I decided to film the takeoff. Usually I’m grabbing the armrests and holding my breath during this procedure, but this time I forced myself to look out the
window. If I do say so myself, the resulting bit of video is quite breathtaking, although it does take too long to get to the part where we actually leave the ground. I’ve tried several times to upload the
eight-minute film to YouTube but I keep getting an error message. Very frustrating!
By the time we reached Atlanta I was super hungry. I decided to skip the veggie wrap this time, opting instead for hard-boiled eggs, Activia and potato chips. Not the most nutritious lunch but certainly more palatable than what I’d purchased in NYC.
The flight to Jacksonville was brief and uneventful and I read from my Kindle the whole time.
Daniel arrived shortly after I reached the ground transportation area and drove me home through the rainy evening.
With this trip completed, now I can begin planning for my next excursion: going to Philly in March to meet my two-month old grandson. After I spend time with Martha and the baby, I plan to treat myself to 24 hours in Philly, taking in the flower show and staying in a downtown hotel. I will probably fly up and take the train home so I can see what it’s like to ride Amtrak in the other direction.

MUMC Arts + Crafts Show + Sale

2011-04-18T07:30:00.002-04:00

MUMC Arts + Crafts Show + Sale is history for another year. Overall, I think the thing I was most pleased with was my display. I believe it's my most professional looking one to date. I was very pleased with the beautiful tablecloths I purchased from a catering supply place on the web. Plus the new wrought iron centerpiece worked out very well.

Only sold one big ticket item - and the gal who bought it tossed out the earrings that went with it in favor of other ones -- I mean literally tossed the three pieces down behind one of my black velveteen displays while I was waiting on another customer.

But the pink ribbon items went like hotcakes. Sold out all my purse charms and left with only 3 pair of earrings out of at least ten pair. Only sold one bracelet but the buyer combined it with a pair of earrings so I can't complain.

We had a good crowd. My friend Robyn did all right on her Kansashi sales. Her final buyer bought four at once.

Aside from the vendor across from me having a very loud and abrasive voice, it was a good day.

Pix HERE

What I've been up to

2011-04-10T18:00:00.002-04:00

Spent most of the weekend in preparation for the craft fair next weekend.
Here are a few of the pieces I made--click on pix for close-up view
first: Crazy lace agate and citrine combine with hundreds of tiny glass delica beads in this interesting piece.

next: I love the fire and dazzle of celestial crystal beads. This tri-strand is a real stunner.

I dug out some old beading books and found this pattern. Now that I've made one, I'm hooked and want to do LOTS more!

and finally:
I call this piece "She Dances" because Josh Groban's song by that name kept waltzing through my head as I made it. I started it yesterday and finished it this afternoon. I'm also hooked on the bangle-type bracelet. I see many more of those in my future!

So there you have it.
The steroids appear to be having a mild effect on the pain. It has diminished back to the old familiar pressure under the left rib now but at least the bi-lateral anguish appears to be waning.
Now I'm going to go climb into my recliner and relax the rest of the evening.

The Garden Show

2011-03-06T10:42:00.006-05:00

I was so glad we had good weather yesterday because I went to the Garden Show in Central Park.

Wow.

Great throngs of people were milling about the park. Admission was two bucks but I really didn't mind because the photo opportunities were great, not to mention another feast for the eyes and senses. I was just about to smell the blossoms on an orange tree when I noticed it was crawling with BEES. Good thing I noticed them!!

Hydrangeas are one of my favorites, so I must include this here:

Of course, I couldn't leave empty handed, so I picked up a sweet little African violet from this booth.

You can see more pix HERE. Best to click on "View as Slideshow"

First Booth of the Year 2/19

2011-03-01T19:26:00.001-05:00

Tried to post this on 2/20 but ran into problems so here's my second attempt:

Saturday, 2/19 was the first booth of the year for me. I set up at the annual Montessori Cook-Off and had a great day. Here's my picture-heavy blog on the day

click twice on pix for close-ups--click 3x for super-close

My good helper, Michael, suggested we turn the banner to face the street since we had the prime location of being the first booth in line. Great idea! Our booth viewed from Centre St

As we were setting up our booth, a boy played his violin for tips across the street. We were very impressed with his flawless renditions of many classical and Celtic tunes so we added to his growing stash of loot.

My biggest sellers were stretchy bracelets made with lampwork glass beads and my pink ribbon items went well, too. This made me very happy because I make it a policy to donate 50 percent of pink ribbon proceeds to Susan Komen Foundation.

What I was not happy about was the way the cheap red plastic tablecloths looked under my lovely lace ones. The event staff had set up their ticket tables close by and when I asked them where they'd purchased their lovely floor-length red tablecloths, they said they'd rented them. Thankfully, I was able to find some nice ones online for a reasonable price so next time, my new red theme will look more professional.

I was also very disappointed that not one of my new clay pieces sold. These require a LOT of work! rolling out the clay, stenciling and cutting it, baking it, painting it (at least 3-4 coats, sometimes more!), adding embellishments (Swarovski flatbacks, etc) and adding either a ribbon for necklaces or earwires for earrings. I thought my prices were quite reasonable, considering all the labor involved. But either people thought they were too expensive or they just didn't like 'em. Bummer! Okay, I realize they're a bit primitive but hey, I'm just getting started in this new medium and as with any learning curve, it's going to take awhile to achieve any level of proficiency. Click on the picture for a close-up view -- I'd be interested in your feedback, please!

The wind proved to be a huge annoyance. My newly refurbished displays kept falling over - well the largest one, anyway. Note to self: Find a better way to anchor these babies! Michael came through again, slipping a bag of tiny decorative rocks into the homemade easel behind the display. I also moved the vase of silk roses behind it and safety pinned a couple of roses to the back of the display. It didn't tip over again but with the lace tablecloth removed from the sidewall due to the wind, my jerry-rigging was visible to all and sundry - not good!

Aside from that, it was a great day. Perfect weather, a good crowd and people were buying - not a lot but enough to at least make my booth rent, pay my helper, and have a tidy sum leftover.

My next booth isn't until April (I know I'll be jonesing in the meantime!!) and it's an inside event. Last year, I had my best day ever at that event so I'm really hoping to exceed that this time. I'll tell you all about it!

A Lovely Saturday

2011-02-28T19:33:00.004-05:00

First I went to the beauty parlor (do they call it that anymore?!) and got a terrific haircut. The stylist really listened to me and helped me choose a hairstyle that was perfect for my hair. I purchased some product to help make it curl and some tea tree shampoo. Can't wait to use that - it smells delightful!

Next I went to the annual quilt show. Oh. My. Gawd! I am a complete nut about quilts and each year, this show is a total feast for my eyes and senses. When I went Friday, I took about 30 pix. On Saturday I took 25 more.

You can view my slideshow HERE

But I want to put just a couple of the quilts into this post because they're kind of special.

The first is called Pure Country and it was made by a guy named Stuart.

Stuart was severely injured in an automobile accident and now is disabled. He says quilting helps keep him sane. Although he can only work on his quilts for short periods of time before he has to go lie down, he says he, "lives, breathes, and dreams quilts." This particular one has 30 different quilting patterns which were all made using the designs from antique tin pie safes. Remember those? Neither do I but I know what they are! LOL

This one was a labor of love made by over 50 people for a guy named Bob. Once he retired, he took great delight in the fact that he no longer had to wear a uniform every day so instead, he took to wearing colorful Hawaiian shirts. His wife called upon her quilting friends and together, they pieced this birthday quilt for Bob. On the back of the quilt, the quilters all made shirt backs with their names embroidered on them and also birthday wishes for Bob. What a treasure!

Visit Robyn's Garden

2011-02-05T12:25:00.011-05:00

Hello Blogger Friends:
First of all, let me apologize profusely for so shamefully neglecting this blog!

I've been a bit under the weather the past few months so some things were cast aside.

In mid-December, I had gall bladder surgery and while I'm still muddling through the last vestiges of discomfort, things appear to be leveling out somewhat and I'm going to try and make a concerted effort to be a bit more efficient in my posts.

That being said, I have some exciting news! But first, a bit of background: I first met my lovely friend Robyn when our tables were side by side at an arts + crafts fair on Amelia Island. Was it really only last year? It was Robyn's very first fair and she was a bit nervous.

Being the old veteran that I am (insert giggle here) I offered my support and praise for her beautiful Kansashi pins. Here she is making her very first sale.

Since then, Robyn and I have met up frequently at various arts + crafts fairs and I've come to cherish my friendship with this wonderful, compassionate lady. She's doing very well with her business and I'm so proud of how far she's come since that first timid effort.

But now for the great news! Robyn recently finished a terrific, adorable website called Robyn's Flowers. I'd like all of you to go visit so you can see her beautiful creations and read the heartwarming stories behind her designs.

Oh and P.S.
If any of my readers live near Fernandina Beach, you might want to go check out Robyn's designs at North Third Trading Company, 13 N. Third Street in Fernandina Beach. Her beautiful kansashi are selling like hotcakes!

Cyber Monday Sale

2010-11-28T21:39:00.002-05:00

sorry I've been neglecting this blog -- busy, busy, busy.

But I'm having Half Price Madness Cyber Monday Sale at my Artfire Shop.

Unbelievable bargains from now till 6:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Come and get 'em!!

2010 Mandarin Craft Festival

2010-10-16T18:42:00.010-04:00

Click Pix for closeup

Aside from having to make two 112 mile trips (56 mi each way) back and forth to Jacksonville, I'd say Mandarin was worth it.

I made back my booth rent, plus gas money = sold about $220 so that was pretty decent.

Michael and I drove down Friday after I got off work. I was pleased to learn that I had a complete 10 x 10 space but I'd only brought one table because I was led to believe that's all the space I was allotted.

We set that table up, put on the tablecloths, etc. and set out all the velvet busts. We put tablecloths over the big plastic tubs to signify our intention to utilize the full 10 x 10 space.

When we came in this morning I was quite dismayed to see that the people next to us - who had the equivalent of TWO booth spaces had situated their tables so that I couldn't set my space up the way I usually do with two long tables on either side and the short table in the back as my check out.

The lady on the other side was quite miffed about this situation and came to my defense.

"You know, that's not really fair. Now she hardly has enough room for people to come into her space," she told my two booth neighbor who appeared nonplussed.

Anywho - rather than spend the day in a huff, I just changed my booth configuration around and put the smaller table on the left so the two booth lady could have her lane. You can see in the picture how smushed everything looks. I hated that but whatchagonnado?

People had to be patient and wait until others finished browsing my space before they could come in but for the most part, it all worked out.

I was VERY glad that I had the ability to take credit cards because I had five charge sales and quite a few cash sales. Plus there were two ladies who are going to buy items from the website after I make them.

One is a breast cancer survivor who wanted earrings. There were a goodly number of survivors there today and I was able to sell some pink ribbon items to raise money for Susan Komen foundation. One lady told me how her sister had just had a double mastectomy, has no insurance, and the Susan Komen foundation had taken care of everything. Stories like that really warm my heart and reaffirm my continued support for this organization.

When the lady came around to ask how we had done, I said we had done well and would like to come back next year.

More pix are here

Late Post on Rock Shrimp Fest

2010-10-03T22:29:00.001-04:00

So, Rock Shrimp 2010 is history. I made my booth rent + $5 so after I paid my helper, I really didn't even break even. SIGH

The no-see-ums were out in force as we were setting up and what's the one thing I forgot? Insect spray, of course. I did bring some bounce sheets, though so I tied one to the back of my necklace and that helped a little but those rotten little bast*rds deviled us the whole time we were setting up the tent and hung around most of the day. Down closer to the water, they're not as bad but we were nowhere near the river so they pestered us unmercifully.

There were a LOT of people after the parade but mostly lookers, unfortunately. One lady drove up from Fernandina Beach so that was nice. She bought my double strand black Swarovski bracelet.

It was hot, too, so that made it rather unpleasant. At least our booth had shade for pretty much the whole day because they put us beside a tree.

The booth next to me had those dichroic glass loops and ribbon necklaces for $5 but she was mostly selling purses. She had two booths and paid $85 for each. Whoa! but that's all she does. They did Jekyll Island 2 wks ago and said they didn't do too well their either.

We had a visit from a really pathetic little kitty. I felt so sorry for her! She was nothing but skin and bones, a dreadful looking matted, nasty, dirty coat and yet she had a flea collar on so she must've belonged to someone at some point. I'd only eaten half of my tuna rollup so I put it down for her and man, she scarfed it up. Heck, she even ate the tortilla! We also gave her some water out of the little plastic dish my apple salad came in and she took a good long drink. Bless her little heart! She stayed with us awhile then wandered into the booth next door but they kicked her out and she came back to us. After awhile she wandered off and we didn't see her again. Poor kitty.

After the cat left, I filled he bowl up again with water and was offering it to dogs as they came by with their tongues lolling out. Why the heck do people bring dogs to those events? *shakes head*

So even though I didn't make a lot of money, it was still okay. My helper is a very nice young man who kept me in good spirits all day with his funny comments and what not so it was fun.

Oct 15 is the big fair down in Jax that I paid $80 (the most I've ever paid) so I'm hoping that one will really pan out. I'm only going to have ONE table instead of two though so that kinda sucks. I won't have enough space to set out nearly the quantity of goods I like to make available.

Pix are HERE

11th Anniversary

2010-09-04T11:43:00.005-04:00

Dinner at Ichiban Buffet was nothing short of fabulous! The only problem was: there are too many choices! Daniel chose king crab legs, prime rib, scallops wrapped in bacon and several other items which escape my memory at the moment. I had exquisite salmon, wonderful veggie fried rice, shrimp several ways and egg drop soup.

We both had desserts - yes more than one because the dessert buffet was laden with irresistible choices, too.

As we were leaving, Samantha wished us Happy Anniversary and presented us with the cutest little toothpick holder. You push the bird's head and he leans down and picks up a toothpick for you. Adorable!

We were both feeling absolutely stuffed to the max so we went for a walk on the beach. It was absolutely lovely! A wonderful ocean breeze, not too crowded, good gull and wave activity. We loved it.

So without further ado, Pix are HERE.

Of course, although the evening progressed nicely, I ended up not getting to sleep until about 3 a.m.

But it was my own fault. I'm super sensitive to caffeine and I'd munched half a dark chocolate bar earlier in the day then foolishly had mint chocolate chip ice cream with my dinner. Bad move! As a result, I tossed and turned and nearly lost my mind trying to get to sleep.

One of the thoughts I scampering through my mind like a rabid squirrel was about the necklaces for the bride. She'd chosen these stones and yet I was still worried whether or not she'd like the completed designs.

When the pkg arrived, I swear to you it weighed ten pounds if it weighed an ounce. Silly me, in ordering white agate and white chalk turquoise, I chose stones that were far too large and ordered four strands of each. (She'd originally wanted a three-strand, but said if the stones were too large, I could use my own discretion and go with a single.)

Good thing I also ordered smaller ones because that's what I ended up using. They both have the same Bali silver clasp which I think is pretty enough to be worn in front and in this case, should be because it will provide unity without being too matchy match because the stones are different. I separated the stones with fire polished Czech glass bicones for a bit of bling and to keep the stones from rubbing against one another.

The bridesmaids (sisters of the bride) are wearing bright red strapless dresses, cocktail length, so I set the finished necklaces atop a beautiful duvet I have made of embroidered satin. I just now e-mailed her the pix and will wait anxiously to hear if she approves this, my third attempt at making her sisters' necklaces. :)

click on pic for closeup

Stars + Stripes Freedom Festival

2010-07-03T16:19:00.004-04:00

So my helper arrived right on time at 7:30 a.m. I knew I could count on him. He's a really good young man. It was a pretty good event, all things considered.

The only major hassle was the wind. It knocked over my displays several times, which is always a hassle - but it sure beats sweating to death as we have done in years past at this event. Phew!

The recent rains here brought the temps down to a reasonable degree. I think it was in high 80s today instead over over 90. But with the ample breezes blowing, I lost a peace jade earring somewhere when my display fell over. Darn! Hate when that happens! At first it was really slow then it picked up around noon time then got slow again. The event only lasted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so that was good. I'd packed a lunch for Michael and me and we were so hungry, we ate it around 10 after 11. Later on, we shared a funnel cake which was so huge, I ended up bringing a large portion home to Daniel.

There was live music all day and several other entertainers when the main band took a break. Even a little Elvis impersonator. There's a slide show HERE. I didn't do all that great saleswise. At least I made my booth rent and a little left over - enough to pay my excellent helper. It's not always about just the money. Sometimes, it's about the experience and the fun....and the networking.

Enjoy your 4th, people!

Champagne and Pearls

2010-06-27T15:34:00.001-04:00

Today's accomplishment was a necklace and earring set. I'm head over heels in love with these darling little glass fringe beads. The way they enhance my designs reminds me of how the bubbles in a glass of champagne give it just that extra little kick that makes it so special. Swarovski baroque pearls and crystal bicones combine with glass pearls and glass fringe beads in what I call "Champagne and pearls." What do you think? click on picture for closer view. Now for the shameless self-promotion part: This set is available in my Artfire Shop at a special 3rd anniversary price. ;)

Fun in the Sun - 2010

2010-05-30T13:39:00.012-04:00

Another Fun in the Sun is history and while this one definitely had plenty of sun - you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day - what it did not have was plenty of people.

I was quite surprised by the sparsity of the crowds at this year's event. There were so few people, in fact, that by about 3 p.m. what little foot traffic there was had dwindled down to almost nothing so we packed up and left.

Still, it was not a total loss. As long as I make my booth rent, I figure I'm okay. Met some nice folks, had a few laughs and shared the booth for part of the day with my friend Robyn, whose beautiful kanzashis drew lots of admirers.

Both my helper James and I ended up with sunburns. I remembered the bug spray (didn't need it) but forgot the sunscreen (missed it sorely).

James had stayed up the night before till about 1 a.m. so he slipped off for a few catnaps in the car. There was a lovely breeze coming off the St. Marys River so although it wasn't exactly cool, it was relatively comfortable.

This friendly boxer acted as unofficial greeter at the concession stand near the rest rooms. He was so sweet and friendly and believe it or, spent most of the day paws up on the counter, saying hello to all and sundry.

Our booth was across from a food vendor. One of their items was friend pickles! Have you ever?

There was a couple next to us from Jesup, GA with absolutely beautiful handmade cutting boards and and furniture as well as quilts.

I won't be going back to St. Marys until the Fall now. They do have a big 4th of July shindig, but booth rents are $100 and I don't go that high, thanks.

So now I'm investigating other venues, hopefully indoors, to keep me busy between now and Rock Shrimp on September 25.

2010-05-01T20:08:00.008-04:00

Got to the Shrimp Fest early - around 9:30 or 10, I guess. Our parking lot only had two or three other cars in it and the crowds were still minimal.

I took 93 pictures, bought a few little trinkets, and walked, and walked, and walked. Didn't help that today was HOT - I think our hottest temp so far this year. It figures! Temps always seem to rise at Shrimp Fest time.

My old legs are really aching me tonight! But it was fun. I got some good ideas for my booth May 29 in St. Marys. Looking at how professional some of the jewelry booths were, I could see they'd put a lot of $$ into their displays.

The reason there are so many dog shots in my slide show is because I felt so sorry for them! Most of them had their tongues hanging out and looked as if they were extremely uncomfortable -- and it wasn't even noon yet! The worst was a guy with a baby in the backpack -- you'll see it in the slide show. Sure, the baby was asleep, but if you look closely, you'll see he or she has their dear little face all smooshed into the side of the backpack -- and Daddy walking along, clueless. *shakes head* Why people bring infants and dogs to events like this is beyond me!!

I left about 11:30 or 12, I guess. Not sure what time it was, but I knew I'd had enough of walking. The line of cars coming onto the island stretched forever and I was really glad I'd decided to come early. Anywho -- here's the slideshow.

And as for the Kentucky Derby, well I was just so happy for jockey Calvin Borel and trainer Pletcher. Calvin was on last year's winner but this was Pletcher's first win after 24 tries! YAY!

If it's Spring, it must be Shrimp Fest

2010-04-29T19:41:00.012-04:00

Here in Fernandina Beach, it's the annual Shrimp Festival this weekend. That means starting tomorrow, literally thousands of people will descend on our tiny burg and come Sunday evening, there will be a huge mess for the street crews to clean up.

Everywhere you look, you'll see people dressed up as Pirates. Saucy pirate wenches, pirate captains, mates, and general sailors will swagger through the crowds offering beads and saying, "Aargh!"

Of course there are craft booths. Why wouldn't there be? Vendors come from as far away as California to display their wares to the browsing throngs. I counted 23 jewelry booths on the vendor list! So why am I not among them? Could be that pesky old $300 booth rent!! That and the fact that each and every vendor must be approved by a jury. Tosh!

Perhaps one day my talent and skill will be such that I will consider such a booth rent mere pittance, but for now, I'm looking forward to...
the Fun in the Sun Expo in St. Marys, Georgia on May 29.

Now that I know for certain I'll definitely have a helper, the excitement has begun building for this event. The two shows I do in St. Marys - Fun in the Sun in the spring and the Rock Shrimp Festival in the fall - are the two biggest arts + crafts events all year for me. It's a LOT of work but it's well worth it because I usually do quite well at these. *knocks wood*

Holy Moley!

2010-04-17T18:40:00.004-04:00

Today's Arts + Crafts Fair at my church was absolutely fabulous. I am incredibly psyched and feel majorly validated and blessed.
Could it be because today was my BEST EVER? Whoa! Seriously! I sold $266 worth of handcrafted jewelry today!! WOO HOO!!! click on picture for close-up

I had a great spot, right in front of the stage in Maxwell Hall where our church holds the contemporary services. I was able to branch out and have and extra little table where I put my the sign up sheets for my giveaway, a bowl of individually wrapped mints and my checkout cubby.

My most exciting sale was the sale of my showstopper necklace -- which I only made yesterday--which consisted of pastel colored freshwater pearls, fire polished Czech glass beads and a beautiful antiqued silver rhinestone catch which is meant to be worn in the front.

The pink ribbon items sold exceptionally well, which means I'll be able to give a nice donation to Nassau Goes Pink. Chrissy will be pleased.

And I sold all but one or two of my bookmarks. People just loved them!

So between now and May 29, I'll be making lots more pink ribbon items and lots more bookmarks. People also seemed to like the wire wrapped glass bead bracelets so I'll make a few more of those, too.

It was great fun being next to the Blooming Bakery ladies and I was so touched when they said they hope we're next to each other at next year's event. When they made the half price announcement at 2 p.m., yours truly joined the line of folks snapping up the last of all those delicious home-baked goodies. I brought home a great haul of delicious delights to Daniel, who was delighted, of course.

Pix can be seen HERE.

Savannah Grand Art + Craft Show

2010-04-10T15:46:00.026-04:00

The art and craft show at Savannah Grand turned out very well.
As usual, I was the first vendor there. Can I help it if I prefer to take my time setting up?

Soon a gal came to set up beside me. Her craft was these lovely Kanzashi flower pins. So cute! I marvel at anyone with the patience to do such intricate work. It's kind of like origami only with cloth.

One of the sweetest things Robyn does is make memorial Kanzashi A treasured keepsake to honor the memory of a loved one who is missing. What you do is give her an article of clothing from your loved one who has passed away and she uses it to make a keepsake flower pin. What a touching and splendid idea!

Robyn and I chatted throughout the day. This was her very first art and craft show and she was so excited when she made her first sale! Of course, I had to capture the moment for posterity. Shown with Robyn is the vivacious and wonderful Renee who came up with the idea of combining an open house with the craft show. The residents at this lovely assisted living facility just loved it!

ROBYN'S FIRST SALE

click on pix to enlarge
If you're interested in one of Robyn's flower pins or memorial Kanzashi, e-mail her at robynnemes@comcast.net

After we'd been there awhile, we received a visit from the fabulous Raven who was also exhibiting at the show. Beautifully attired, as always, she is an incredibly talented, very elegant woman who has so many skills and facets, she's like a diamond: dancer, model, actress, writer, herbalist, and the list goes on. She brought around this marvelous jar of ointment - I forget the name of it now - but oh, it was amazing! She placed just the tiniest bit of it in our palms and said, "Rub your hands together.. now make a cup out of your hands and breathe it in." WOW! Talk about clearing mind and opening up your head! I have got to get me some of that!

Robyn and I will both be doing the art + craft show next weekend at my church. It's always a fine event with good crowds and folks usually buy pretty well, too. So--two down, one to go! Next weekend should be fun. I'm really looking forward to it, my third year there.

Nassau Goes Pink!

2010-04-04T10:45:00.034-04:00

click on pix to enlarge

Yesterday's First Annual Nassau Goes Pink Festival , while somewhat disappointing in various ways, was nonetheless a fun and uplifting event.
Always mindful of how long it takes to completely set up a booth and prepare my wares for display, I was the first vendor on the scene at 8 a.m. No one else was there when I first arrived, but soon one of the "official" ladies from NGP arrived and said she'd be picking up the founder Chrissy Branch soon.

I hung out in my car, enjoying the sea breeze from the nearby Atlantic Ocean at Main Beach Park until Chrissy arrived to show me where to set up.
Unfortunately, my good helper Dakota got a "real" job and was unavailable to help me. Try as I might, I never could find anyone to replace him so I went into this alone, with assurances from Chrissy that there would be folks around who could help me set up my tent.

The guys who were inflating the bouncy house lent a hand and soon my tent was pitched and I began preparing my booth for what I hoped would be a good crowd.

There were supposed to be 12 vendors but only 7 showed up. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, letting someone down at an event like this is tantamount to a slap in the face. C'mon, people, we're raising funds for charity here---raising funds for folks who have cancer. How could you back out at the last minute like that? It boggles the mind, I tell you!

Anywho -- I'll climb down off my soap box and relate the day's events.

Despite a vast army of biting gnats during the early hours, the rest of the day went very well. Entering my third year doing craft booths, I think I've about got it down to a science now. Of course, I usually manage to forget at least one major thing and yesterday was no exception. I had to call home and wake my sleeping spouse to ask him to bring me several items. Among them, my other cell phone and the 800 number for ProPay in case someone wanted to spend over $100. Hey, I was thinking BIG, okay?!

My phone had full charge the night before but by 10 a.m. yesterday, I was down to one bar. Weird, that, because my little phone usually holds a charge very well.

I've often said I'd like to have a dollar for every compliment I receive from non-purchasers and again, yesterday was no exception in that department either. It's lovely to hear praise for my work but I'm even happier when folks buy it!
I'd committed to donating 50% of my sales to Nassau Goes Pink and by day's end, I had rung up a commendable amount.

One table was set up with nothing but Pink Ribbon Items.

I sold almost all of my pink ribbon bookmarks-both large and small- so I'm going to have to re-order those silverplated shepherd's staffs and get busy making more.
Only sold two of the purse charms so I'll hold off making any more of those for awhile. It's amazing how people balk at paying $10 for something that takes that much work. I've seen items made the same way with regular beads and no pink ribbon charm selling for twice that. SIGH

Anywho -- of the booths that did show up, two which caught my attention were the tie dye lady
and the haircutting booth. One fellow with a ponytail donated his hair to Locks of Love. Check out the before and after:

I always hold a drawing at every event to give away a pair of earrings. Nothing like FREE in big red letters to draw people to your booth. My drawing slips have a place for people to check to join the mailing list. This is a great way to build a clientele base. I held the drawing at 5 p.m. and wouldn't you know, the name I pulled was one of the NGP gals. She was thrilled with the earrings and danced back over to their tables across the field wearing them to show the other girls.

As the hour grew later, I knew the doggone biting gnats would return and I wanted to exit before their arrival. Once again, experience has taught me the best way to break down a booth methodically so I was ready to leave in record time.

With almost everything in the car, I walked across the field to give Chrissy my donation. At first she didn't want to accept half my profits but I insisted and she hugged me and said a hearty thank you. She enlisted her son and another fellow to help me take down my tent and they thanked me for showing up and sticking with it.

Check out video HERE.

On the way home, exhausted and sunburned, I felt good. There's nothing like being part of something larger than yourself to bring on a warm fuzzy feeling.

My next two events - back to back the next two Saturdays - are both indoors so I won't have to contend with sunburn and bug bites, thank goodness, but they're just regular arts + crafts fairs and don't have the added incentive of raising funds. Still, it was my first show of the year and I was happy with it. Here we go again!!

Earth Hour---are you participating?

2010-03-26T08:15:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post to remind everyone if you haven't yet signed up for Earth Hour, please do so.

Lights off at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow night.

From the website:
Earth Hour is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world to turn the lights off for one hour. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to make a stand against climate change, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Scandinavia to Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness.

I think we should all do everything we can -- which means that even when Earth Hour is over, we should be mindful of our electricity usage. For tips on saving electricity at home, look here. And for all of us who use computers a lot, this makes for interesting reading.

Enjoy your weekend, people!

Think Spring!

2010-03-07T14:08:00.012-05:00

So instead of preparing for my trip to Boston this coming weekend, I'm taking a break from all the hustle and bustle to create something pretty using components from my good friends at Artbeads.

This pretty little two-strand bracelet is just the ticket to put a bit of Spring into your outlook. click on photo for closeup

Comprised of precious little 4+5mm pastel freshwater potato pearls, the bracelet also features a Hill Tribe flower clasp and a darling little sterling silver dragonfly charm.

There are also danglers created with faceted Cubic zirconia bicones in shades of pink, lilac, peridot and clear.

I placed a dime in the photo so you could see just how delicate and sweet this little charmer is. Think Spring!

FTC compliance disclosure, notice of material connections: the items in this post from Artbeads were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program for review or design purposes.

Seen at Milan Fashion Week

2010-03-06T09:17:00.015-05:00

What were the models showing Giorgio Armani's designs at Milan Fashion Week wearing around their perfect, slender necks?Chunky jewelry with major focal pieces--

Then there was this piece which was reminiscent of Art Nouveau style. The rose motif was popularized by Charles Rennie McIntosh

My question is: where does one find such major focal pieces as these? I suppose the extremely talented make their own, eh?
I, however, am not quite that clever so I reckon I'll be scouring the interwebs for fabulous focals.

I shall wear purple

2010-03-04T19:21:00.007-05:00

A week from tomorrow I'm headed up to Boston to spend my 60th birthday with my mother and all my half-siblings. Four brothers and three sisters. We were raised apart and this will only be the fourth time we've been in one another's company.

Since I'm facing the big 6-0, I've decided that rather than freaking out because it means I'm *gasp* getting old, I'm going to look upon it as having reached the age where one is permitted to flaunt one's eccentricities. For me, one of those eccentricities includes the wearing of purple.

Toward that end, I've been gradually assembling an entire wardrobe of purple items--tops, sweaters, scarves, etc. And when I make my trip to Boston, I shall wear nothing but purple.

One of my favorite recent purchases was a delicious Purple hoodie that is absolutely the cuddliest most splendidly purple item I've ever owned. I love it! The scarf in the picture was given to me by my very dear late friend, Miss Clare. She was always impeccably attired and wearing it makes me feel elegant....and close to her.

This particular garment comes from Roaman's where the prices are not always uh, shall we say, economical. But I - thrifty shopper that I am, only paid $8 for it! ;)

Just look at the warm wonderful thermal weave of the fabric. Perfect for the cold Boston weather!

It's been such fun gathering all the lovely purple tops and things and putting together outfits. I know I'm cutting it very close but I did make one more online purchase just this evening, a charming cable knit beret in a lovely shade of lavender that will be the perfect finishing touch.

Who knows where this purple obsession will lead me? Only time will tell and I'll be sure to share all my delightful purchases here with you, dear readers!

And the Winner is.....

2010-02-15T21:02:00.008-05:00

First of all, a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in my One World, One Heart giveaway.

I thoroughly enjoyed traveling on the magic carpet and visiting everyone's interesting blogs.

What a talented bunch of people I met from all over the globe.

I learned new things, saw many delightful creations and most of all, found new friends.

Using a random number generator, I picked a winner and that winner is (drum roll please) is the lovely and talented Melodye Shore from California. Here's Melodye's comment:

What a thoughtful, generous giveaway! My sister had breast cancer, and I see the keychain as talisman of solidarity, in support of those who've suffered and those who are still fighting for a cure.

A Talisman of Solidarity. Wow. What a wonderful thought!
So many of our sisters, mothers, cousins, aunts and friends suffer from this dreadful disease. Let's all do our part in the battle. Make a donation here or here.

In April, I'll be setting up a booth at the first annual event for Nassau Goes Pink. I'll have lots of different breast cancer logo goodies with half my proceeds going to fight cancer in all its forms.

Blessings and thanks again to all who stopped by during One World, One Heart. You displayed the true unity behind the annual event and I hope you'll continue to stop by and visit!

Peace,
Heather

My Funny Valentine

2010-02-14T13:23:00.009-05:00

When I remember other Valentine's Days that were heartbreakingly sad, I'm so grateful I'll never have to feel that way again as long as I have my Boone Doggie.

"Although he may not be the man some girls think of as handsome, to my heart he carries the key."

He's my Boone Doggie, my best buddy, my lover, my husband, my friend. He's seen me at my best, he's seen me at my worst, and no matter what, he's been there for me--through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, he's at my side.

I'm so blessed to have my darlin' Daniel, my funny valentine.

A Saturday Lesson

2010-02-13T16:07:00.007-05:00

You are cordially invited to go with me while I run my Saturday errands.
First stop: Wally World where you might have thought it was Christmas Eve instead of Valentine's Day eve.
The place was packed!!

And what a huge array of consumer goods were displayed for the late Valentine shopper! The number of stuffed animals, bags and bags of candy, heart shaped boxes of chocolates, and flowers was insane! People were really in a frenzy!

Next up: Winn-Dixie for groceries. Not only did I save $17 today on my grocery bill, but I also racked up savings on my gas by using my Winn-Dixie card. ;)

Whenever I shop, I always fill a bag for the food bank. I'd forgotten to deliver it last week and as it turned out, I was glad it was still in the car. After I'd completed my shopping, I was driving past the empty lot beside the grocery store when I came upon a couple standing beside their car which had been heaped high with various and sundry items. The man was holding a sign: Please buy or donate.

I pulled over and motioned to them to open the back door. "I was going to take this bag to the food bank. Please, take it." They were so grateful and so happy for just that small bag of groceries. I wished I could have done more.

After seeing aisle after aisle of so much STUFF and then seeing these poor folks in such dire straits, it really gave me something to think about. There but for the grace of God.....

Chilly Sunday Four-Strand

2010-01-31T16:28:00.005-05:00

When I went outside for a walkabout on our property this morning, I was glad I had my coat on! Brrrr! 43 degrees may not seem cold to you...I know it's nothing compared to some places where it's below zero and snowing but hey, I live in Northeast Florida. My blood is thin! LOL I've got two pairs of socks on and my feet are still cold! SOon as I finish this blog post, I think I'm going to go curl up in my chair under a blanket! I'm pleased to report I have made some progress on getting stuff together for my taxes but it's been awhile since I've made any jewelry so once I completed phase one of the tax prep this afternoon, I sat down and made this: click on photo for close-up view
Beautiful Chinese cloisonne beads combine with red aventurine beads and faceted Czech glass fire polished beads separated by glass bugle beads and crow beads in this 24-inch multi-strand necklace. It's for sale in my Artfire Shop where 50 % of my profits are still going to Doctors Without Borders providing relief to Haiti.

One World/One Heart Giveaway

2010-01-30T11:21:00.009-05:00

I'm a little late this year but better late than never, right?!? This is my second year participating. Last year I made many new friends and had a grand time visiting everyone's blogs and seeing what everyone is making. Come join the fun!

One World/One Heart Giveaway is an annual event during which handcrafters from around the globe get together to hold giveaways from their blogs and to meet other crafters. It's fabulous fun and a great way to make new friends!

For more information, click on this picture!
Check out all the wonderful possibilities from talented craftspeople all over the globe!

This year, my giveaway is a purse charm composed of beautiful faceted Czech glass beads, glass pearls and featuring two breast cancer logo charms -- one in enameled metal and one in a handcrafted lampwork glass bead.

The entire pretty piece swings from a swivel clasp which easily attaches to your purse, belt loop or whatever!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog entry. I'll need your e-mail address to contact you if you're my lucky winner.

Contest ends February 15th so get your entry in quickly!

My Worst Pet Peeve!

2010-01-30T11:12:00.003-05:00

If there's one thing in this universe that I absolutely hate, loathe and despise, it's doing taxes!!!
*MAJOR GROAN*
If I were more organized, I'd keep my records through the year, making notations in a ledger monthly of all the incoming and outgoing deneros of my biz. But oh, no! Not me! I'm too busy for all that nonsense. Which is why I end up having to do the entire year's worth of accounting all at once. Why do I torture myself this way?!?!?!
I can think of better things do be doing on a rainy Saturday morning but here I sit, rooting through stacks of receipts, trying to make sense of what I laid out on the biz last year. And these are only part of the expenses. The rest has to be sorted out by going through my monthly statements, one at a time, and highlighting all the entries that pertain to Adagio. Oy!

At least I have a picture of my smiling spouse to keep me company -- Doubt if he'll be smiling so sweetly when we finally go see the tax man!

More Ways to Help

2010-01-20T08:31:00.001-05:00

From my e-mail In Box

According to Unicef, 46% of Haitians do not have access to safe drinking water.

However, Unicef can purify water at a cost of 1 cent per liter.

It only costs 50 cents to provide clean drinking water to a

family of four for a full month.

Therefore, CouponMom.com is going to donate 5 cents per every

printable coupon redeemed in the next week, beginning today.

When you use 10 coupons printed through our links,

you will provide clean water to a family

for a month at no cost to you.

You do not have to use the coupon within the next week, but you do need to print it by the end of the day Tuesday, January 26th to be counted.

Please forward this email to friends and family to encourage them to help in our Haiti fundraising drive, at no cost to shoppers. In fact, you'll save more! Print your coupons from the links below to be counted in the drive.

___________________________________

Hi, my name is Carmen Queen.

I came across your website and was thrilled to read your post about Edsel and Jayne.

My husband is in charge of the Haiti relief website for FISH, he has been working

with them for a while, and I was wondering if you could add our website for updates

regarding FISH and Haiti. We are in contact with Jayne daily getting our information,

and I'd love for more people to have awareness of what FISH Ministries does.

http://www.haiti-earthquake-relief.com/

We also have a FISH Ministry facebook link too.

This way, anyone who is following the events can easily view the

information we've been asked to relay.

Thank you so much, have a great night.

Carmen Queen

Hoping to help...a little

2010-01-17T15:58:00.003-05:00

In an effort to raise additional funds to contribute, I'll be donating 50% of profits from today to 1/31 to Doctors Without Borders as a small way to help those affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Also asking those who feel moved to do so, to help here as well:

Edsel and Jayne Redden, who have been working for many years in Haiti feeding children through a ministry they started called Fish Ministries.. (They are the ones who make the ribs we’ve had for several functions to raise money to support the ministry efforts.) Through their efforts and expertise in agriculture, aquaculture, etc (Edsel is an agricultural scientist with the Univ. of Fla. IFAS program) 1800 children have been fed every week for many years.

The earthquake has obviously devastated Haiti throughout, and the need all over the country is overwhelming. That is true of the of the Fish Ministries locations, too, specifically Christianville and Robinson’s school, the two locations out of which the kids are fed. These locations are about 18 miles west of Port au Prince, and about 5 miles from the quake’s epicenter. All the facilities (save one guest house) were flattened in the earthquake, including schools at both locations and the eye clinic, dental clinic and housing at Christianville. Edsel is still waiting word on the fish ponds and chicken coops used to raise the protein for the feeding effort, but it is clear that everything is in great disarray. Edsel does know that the feeding of the 1800 kids has not taken place since the earthquake, and feeding them, and providing medical care, are the most immediate pressing needs.

Edsel is trying to get to Haiti, but that is extremely challenging due to the inability of Haiti’s airport and infrastructure to handle the influx of aid workers and personnel. He is working with the military through a contact and has been assured that he will be able to obtain transport for him and 3-5 doctors who have committed to go with him, as well as supplies, food and other needed items. Although he doesn’t know when they will be able to get into Haiti, he is assured that they will be, and he needs to be prepared, equipped and supplied to leave immediately.

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

1. PRAY , including for the overall relief efforts in the country, as well as specifically for Edsel and his team to get down to Haiti. When they arrive, they need to get to his ministry locations and re-establish the feeding effort (incl. water), deliver medical care, address shelter needs, and do whatever needs to be done.

2. GIVE MONEY – Edsel assures me that all of it will be used to provide food for the 1800 kids and medical care. He said to assure you that none of the money will be used for transportation – it will ALL go for the feeding of people and delivery of medical care. Those of us who know Edsel know that these are not empty words.

Your tax deductible contribution can be made payable as follows:

“Christianville Foundation” and make sure to put in the memo section “Fish Ministries Quake Relief”

Please send donations asap to this address: :Christianville Foundation, P.O. Box 24598, Jacksonville, FL 32241

Please do what you can. Also, please circulate this as you feel is appropriate.

Post-Holiday Ramblings

2010-01-03T17:27:00.005-05:00

We had a lovely Christmas this year, mostly because my husband and I had a visit from my wonderful son and his equally wonderful girlfriend. Having young people in the house made everything so much more festive.

Christmas Eve our TV died just before dinner so once we'd eaten, we had to go out anyway for some critical item I'd forgotten and we wound up at Wal-Mart. I figured I might have enough on my Wal-Mart card to find a pretty decent TV. My son has a Droid phone so he looked up my balance somehow. I'm telling you, the doggone phone does everything!

When we were at Pop + Mama Jean's for Thanksgiving (my in laws) Pop showed us his HDTV. We watched the Macy's parade and I was amazed at the clarity and sharpness of the picture.

I located a TV I thought I could afford and was mulling it over when my son came up and said, "Mom, come look at this one." It was a 32" RCA HDTV.

"Oh, that's over my limit, son," I said.

"We'll make up the difference," replied my offspring.
So we toddled home in Sam's little Cavalier with her crammed in next to the huge TV box in the back seat. I think it was fitting that the first movie we saw on our new TV was "Holiday Inn" wherein the famous "White Christmas" is sung.

The kids gave me a terrific book - Making Designer Jewelry. It's chock full of amazing designs, instructions and beautiful pix. I'm looking forward to tackling many of them!

I wish everyone a very happy, healthy and productive 2010!

Sammy, Bob and Mama on the beach Christmas Eve.

Rainy Day Sale

2009-12-13T12:44:00.007-05:00

Rainy Day Sale!

I'm having a Rainy Day Sale at my Artfire Shop

Here are a couple of sneak peeks at just a few of the beautiful designs available today at reduced prices!

Holiday Fair --- in the rain

2009-12-12T14:30:00.031-05:00

This is my helper, James. My usual helper had to take his SAT test so James pitched in to help. He was a good sport about the rain but I felt sorry for him with no jacket! I had on pantyhose and socks, jeans, a turtleneck, a sweatshirt and a coat and sneakers. I took my coat off for the picture.

I've typed out this little narrative three times now and each time I think I'm about finished with it, something happens and I lose all the words. SIGH

Anyway --

I knew the weather forecast called for rain all day, so I almost opted out of even doing the Holiday Fair. I didn't relish dealing with all the rain and hassle but I'm glad I did. I'm sure I'll be feeling the results tomorrow. As I sit typing this, warm and dry now, my body is already beginning to ache all over. Whew!

When we first got to the place - James arrived ahead of me - it wasn't raining very hard, just a light drizzle. About the time we got the tent pitched and all the items displayed, the rain began in earnest -- as did the parade. I felt sorry for everyone out there on their floats with no umbrellas.

People didn't seem to mind, though. It was very surprising just how many people came out to support the event, even in the rain. I felt sorry for those who had no sides on their booths. I know my tarps on the sides don't exactly look that great but I'll tell you what, it sure helps keep things snug when the rain comes down!

As the day continued, the damp ground beneath our feet became saturated and eventually we were standing in about two-three inches of water. I wish this picture could show you just how deep the puddle was!

Eventually the puddle became so deep that we decided it would be a good idea to move the tent. Otherwise, we'd eventually be in water over our shoes. Luckily, a guy I know from work came by about that time so he helped us move the tent and our tables. Unfortunately, we could no longer stand behind our check-out table because of the puddle. Putting our chairs up by the front of the tent meant there was no protection from the elements.

It wasn't long after this that I decided it was time to pack it in. The crowds had thinned considerably and James was beginning to shiver from the dampness. One of the officials came by when she saw us packing up and asked if we couldn't stay awhile longer. On the check-in sheet, it said everyone was required to stay until 4 p.m. I was in no mood for a quarrel so I just said that James wasn't feeling well and I had to get him home.

"Gee, that's too bad because once one vendor leaves, they all want to start to leave."

Well, sorry about that, my dear, but I can't have this young man getting sick, I thought.

When we were just about finished loading the car, she came back again and apologized for the way things had turned out.

"You can't control the weather," I said. "But I think we did pretty well, considering. I was surprised at how many people turned out."

All in all, it wasn't a total loss. I made double my booth rent, which is what they say constitutes a "successful" show. Maybe next year, the weather will cooperate!

I don't know why I can't get all the letters to either be black or purple. I'm too whupped to worry about it right now! LOL Click on Pix for closer view

Slideshow Here

The Great Camden County Chili Cook-Off

2009-12-06T08:41:00.008-05:00

What a day!
It was raining when my cell phone alarm woke me up yesterday a.m.
Didn't want to schlep around in the rain so I got online to see what the weather reports had to say.
Looked as if it would end "mid-morning" (whatever that means!) so I called my helper and told him to go back to sleep for an hour and I'd let him know if/when I was leaving my house.
I did lie down on the couch for awhile but sleep eluded me - which was probably for the best.
Went ahead and fixed the crockpot of chili for D - thinking all the while that I'd probably be run out of the cook-off on a rail if they ever saw my dump method of making chili, i.e. a can of diced tomatoes, a can of chili beans, and one pound of browned ground turkey to which an envelope of chili spice has been added.
Anywho - I finally called the gal who was running the event and she said they were going for it.

Met Dakota at the Post Office and at my suggestion, he rode with me. Such a good kid. Just turned 18 but in some ways, very responsible. And best of all, dependable.
We made it to the location all right, driving through a spitting rain which became heavier at various points but never turned into anything that could be described as a downpour.
Unfortunately, instead of being held on a large parking lot, this event was being held in a field. Yes, a field. A field that had been rained on for several days and as a result, was muddy and dotted with puddles.
There was only one tent set up in the craft area but I was determined not to put mine beside it because that area of the field was a mess. The guy who was calling the shots finally relented and allowed us to erect our tent between two food stations.
Okay, so far so good.

We managed to get things set up and the rain finally dissipated but it was certainly chilly! I kept asking Dakota if he didn't want to wear the extra sweatshirt I'd brought (he only had on a tee shirt and a hoodie) but he declined. Before he started eating the chili, I know he was cold. I had on a turtleneck, another pullover and my coat and I was still chilly. After awhile, I put a sweatshirt on under the coat and was finally snug. (click on pix for closer view)
A guy came around to put hay down on the ground inside the booth so all day long, I kept thinking I was in a barn. LOL
It was $5 to taste all the chili you wanted. There were supposed to be 25 chili teams and 15 crafters. I don't think there were quite that many. Dakota counted only 8 crafters, many of whom didn't have sides on their tent.
We'd put our sides on, such as they were, but all day long, the clips kept coming undone and the tarps would start sliding down.
I sold one pair of earrings, a necklace set and then another pair of earrings - just like the ones for the giveaway.
There were a number of browsers and the kids gravitated toward the candy canes, naturally.
Dakota enjoyed the chili a great deal. Every time I turned around, he was coming back with another sample. I'm glad he at least warmed up and got fed because even though the day eventually did turn sunny, the weather became increasingly destructive.
The wind picked up to the point that my displays kept falling over. Things would fall down and get lost in the hay. After awhile, I put all the stand-up displays back in the car and just left the jewelry in the gift boxes. I hate doing that because they don't look as good that way but I got tired of picking them up every time the wind blew them over.
Finally, it just go to be too much -- after one especially strong gust knocked over just about every display and threatened to uproot the tent, I said, "That's it. I've had enough. Let's pack it up and get out of here."

A little boy from the food tent next to us came over and helped us pick stuff out of the hay and off the ground outside the tent. Then he and his dad held onto two of the tent poles while Dakota and I packed it up.
I'd had everything carefully portioned out into three tubs - one for each table - but at this point, we were just grabbing and tossing so now everything's all mixed up.
But I thought it was very kind of those folks to pitch in and help us like that.
I did manage to make my booth rent but after paying my fine, very helpful helper, I ended up making about ten bucks - which went for gas.
Why do I continue to do this?
I dunno. I guess it's an addiction I cannot seem to give up.
I enjoy it such a great deal and despite everything that happened, I enjoyed this one, too. Just wish I could've sold more. SIGH.
Perhaps this was another case of wrong venue, eh?
But I did pass along a LOT of biz cards and told folks I was offering free shipping till Christmas so who knows? Maybe I'll get some online sales out of it. One can only hope.

Of course, I was worn out when I got home. I got a shower, threw on some pjs, fed the cats and fixed myself a bowl of my soul-healing lentil soup, and climbed into my recliner to watch the SEC Championship game. Felt so sorry for Tim Tebow, bless his heart. It wasn't his day and when he was on the sidelines in tears afterward, it really tore me up.
With all three cats in my lap, I dozed a bit and was glad, after all, to be home, safe and sound.
Oh, and if you're wondering why the beach towel at the top of my chair, it's because the cats like to lie there and their fur gets all over my brown chair!

Preparing for Holiday Fairs

2009-11-28T19:32:00.004-05:00

Next weekend is the first of two art + craft fairs so I've been doing mock-up displays to try and see just how I'll lay things out.
click on pix for closeup view
This is my purse charm and pocket watch tree. All the pink ribbon item sales result in a donation to the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Fund.

THen I have a large sleigh filled with Artist Gift Packs - these have small samples and biz cards from crafters all over the US.

There's also a small sleigh that has keychains and small patriotic bookmarks with yellow ribbon charms.

There will be plenty of low-priced items for those without deep pockets. My Peace choker necklaces are only $3. And yes, I did make these -- with components from three different vendors.

I also have really cheap stretchy bracelets for the kids - $1 and $2 -- you can't beat that!

I haven't really made up my mind what I'll put on the "high end" table yet -- aside from two or three Swarovski items. I'll try to remember to show you what makes the cut...but I may be so busy that I forget!

Fire and Sparkle - part three

2009-11-14T15:09:00.004-05:00

As promised, here's the third installment of my designs using the beautiful Crystallized Swarovski elements from Artbeads.
This time I used jet bicones and black diamond bicones as well as an interesting jet aquiline pendant and finished the design off with a lovely silver-plated graduated drop..
Notice the two little black diamond bicones near the pendant and where the delicate silver plated curb chain joins the bicones.
I have really enjoyed working with these beautiful Swarovski components from Artbeads. I think you should go check them out!

click on picture for closeup

FTC compliance disclosure, notice of material connections: the item in the previous post from Artbeads was provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program for review or design purposes

Fire and Sparkle - part two

2009-11-08T12:23:00.014-05:00

Still having a great time working with the beautiful crystallized Swarovski elements from Artbeads.

This time, it's the incredibly lovely and wildly versatile cuplink chain.

Since I only ordered one foot of this sparkly chain in each color, I decided to go with bracelets. I made two: one in black and one in crystal.

I added a few Swarovski jet bicone dangles, just for fun.

click on pix for closer view

For the crystal one, I pretty much just folded the chain in half and added a few fancy jumprings and a toggle. Voila! A bracelet.

The design possibilities with this cuplink chain are endless. Get some and try it out yourself.

You really should check out all the beautiful Swarovski elements....and everything else...at Artbeads. They offer free shipping and no minimum order!

Stay tuned - because I have one more piece to add to this Swarovski ensemble.

Fire and Sparkle

2009-11-07T14:44:00.009-05:00

I'm all a-sparkle to day, creating beautiful jewelry using crystallized Swarovski elements from Artbeads.

The lovely and talented Lori Groenier shipped me a selection of these exquisite beauties and asked that I blog what I designed using them.

First of all, thank you SO MUCH, Lori, for your incredible generosity!

So far, I've completed one piece. Capturing the dazzle and brilliance of these Swarovski beads with a digital camera is much more difficult than using them in a design! I tried several different backgrounds and ended up using this lovely bit of lavender fabric. I hope it shows off the rainbows of color created by these fabulous Swarovski crystal beads with their aurora borealis finish. Aren't they something?!

Click on photos for closer view

I'm working on more pieces and will definitely share them with you as soon as they're completed!

Be sure to visit Artbeads and check out their amazing selection of beautiful beads, findings and supplies.

Just thought I'd share....

2009-10-16T22:54:00.003-04:00

If you look quickly at 0:47, you'll see yours truly in my locker booth at the First Annual Open Market.

Then watch and see what everyone else's lockers looked like and you'll see why I was definitely out of my element here.
Wrong venue. Totally.

another disappointment---and a quandry

2009-10-11T17:58:00.004-04:00

Yours truly at my first-ever Locker Sale

Over 30 families participated in the First Annual Open Market.

Across from me was a very nice couple with three lockers full of various and sundry good quality household goods. They did a land office business all day long. Most likely because of their insanely low prices -- a high-end two-seater stroller in very good condition was sold for $10. Many other fabulous bargains followed suit.

I, however, did not do as well. I sold a grand total of $8 worth of product all day. A $5 pair of earrings and two bibliobeads. Pathetic. Discouraging. Exceedingly frustrating.

In retrospect, this was not the venue for me. True, I was the only person in the building selling handcrafted jewelry but my exclusivity did me little good.

People were looking for bargains --garage sale-type bargains --and aside from quite a few pairs of earrings which I marked down to rock bottom prices, I had none to offer.

It's an incredible amount of work to do any type of sale - but especially one like this where tables and tubs of goods must be trucked upon a dolly down several long hallways. I had absolutely no help and since I'd barely recovered from all the hauling and schlepping of Rock Shrimp, this event was most definitely a struggle.

It's Sunday evening now and I have yet to unload my car!

All last night as I tossed and turned and searched for elusive sleep, I listened to the nagging yada yada in my head telling me I should have taken a cue from that woman next to me at Rock Shrimp and marked everything down to half price. I just hate doing that, though. I feel as if it devalues my work. But I can't help thinking that if I'd done that, I'd have made some sales. I probably would have even made my booth rent and then some.

I hate the clarity of hindsight! I will not sell at this venue again.

That's two disappointing sales in quick succession. It's tough to take.

I don't want to start second guessing myself. I know my work is good - people compliment me on how beautiful my pieces are whenever I do a show. If I got a dollar for every compliment, I'd have come home a happy camper.

But compliments - while lovely to receive - cannot take the place of cold, hard cash.

*SIGH*

While there, I was approached by a man who's opening a similar type sale venue in Jacksonville. He asked if I'd every consider going to Jax for a sale. I hesitated and said, "Depends on what the booth rent is."

I told him how much I'd paid to rent the locker for the day and he offered to cut that in half - and said I'd be the only beader at his event as well. Hmmm. I'll have to think long and hard about this one.

Even though he claims to have had over 1,200 people at their initial sale, I still have to wonder how many of them would be willing to pay the prices I have on my pieces in that type of venue. It's a risky situation.

Anyone have any suggestions?

See pix HERE

I Ain't Down Yet!

2009-10-08T19:25:00.009-04:00

There's a song in the Movie "The Unsinkable Molly Brown that says,

"I Ain't Down Yet!"

That's me!

"You've got to follow your passion. You've got to figure out what it is you love--who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dream."

Oprah

Okay, so things didn't exactly turn out like I wanted them to at Rock Shrimp. That's okay. No experience is ever wasted.

Life is about getting back up and fighting another round.

So that's what I'm going to do.

I made a split-second decision today to go ahead and do another show - the day after tomorrow.

Call me crazy, but I believe it's the right thing to do.

Even though I won't have a helper, that's okay.

Know why?

Because it's indoors, it's air conditioned, and I'll be the ONLY jewelry person there! mwah-ha-ha!

Here's the blurb for the event:

Come find your treasure at the First Annual Open Market at Amelia Self Storage in Fernandina Beach. Located on Bailey Road on Amelia Island, this market will be held on October 10 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. There will be something for everyone with a moonwalk, face painting, fire trucks, and fingerprinting for the kids.

Adults can enjoy finding treasure at a variety of sales booths and great BBQ, hot dogs, popcorn a bake sale and other refreshments will be available while you browse. The will be door prizes every hour and a Pirate will be sharing his loot, too!

See my Mail Chimp e-mail HERE

I got the Rock Shrimp Blues

2009-10-05T19:35:00.004-04:00

Yours truly with my good helper, D

It was HOT HOT HOT in St. Mary's GA.
As we were setting up in the morning the no-see-ums were about to eat us up.
My beading buddy Keli (who lives out West now) reminded me to bring bug spray and that's the one thing I forgot!"

Thankfully, Keli's Mama, *D*, went up with us in her car and she dashed off to Wal-Mart to get us some bug spray. Phew! She also picked up a plug strip for me because I never could find mine. She only stayed a few hours but then had to leave because it was just too hot! I was so thankful for have her there because she's a lot of fun and her moral support was priceless.

I had set up a donation box to try and raise some money for an infant and a little boy who have major medical issues going on. Not one person gave one penny to those kids. I even saw one man whispering to his wife and pointing at my donation box. Then she frowned and glared at me as if I'd done something wrong. In retrospect, I think people had the wrong idea - that I was claiming these were my children and asking for money. They may not be mine, but they're someone's and their families could use some help. People are so bizarre sometimes! Who knows what they're thinking?! It only takes the slightest thing to put people off.

The day had some interesting moments, like when I sold the koi necklace. I had it out there for $28 -with earrings- which was an amazing bargain to begin with --and the lady wanted me to lower the price because there was only one earring. We found the other earring and she still wanted me to lower it because she thought the price was too high. She kept asking if I'd take $20. I stood my ground at $25 and she bought it. She really got a deal on that!

The lady in the booth next to mine was about to drive me up the wall. She had jewelry, too, and all day long she kept calling out, "Everything's half price! Everything's half price!"
She was selling gemstone bracelets for $9!! I mean, how do you compete with that? You can't!

There were far too many jewelry people at this event and for them to place two of us side by side was extremely poor planning and very unfair, I thought.

The lady on the other side of me had sunglasses and some kind of dry mixes for drinks and dips. Every single person who walked past her booth all day long, "How're y'all doin'?" I mean, I'm all for being nice but ... I dunno ... it got on my nerves after awhile. She had her teenage son with her and the whole time we were setting up he just talked and talked until we were about to go bonkers. Once the booth was set up and people were browsing, he kept asking everyone who came in if they wanted to see a card trick. ???

At day's end I heard her on her cell phone saying she'd sold $500 and booked two home parties (for the mixes, I guess). SIGH

I didn't even come close to matching last year's $200 in sales. I made my booth rent and about $15 but once you figure in paying my helper, what I spent on beads for new designs, gas, printing, etc....I actually came out in the negative. BIG SIGH So very disappointing!

Anyway - My 17-year old helper, D, was an enormous help. He's an exceptionally nice young man, (and one who enjoys peace and quiet! ) LOL

When I met his Mama afterward and I told her she should be very proud of him.

So - that was Rock Shrimp 09. Do I sound bitter? Well, maybe I am a little.

I mean, I adore doing shows -- even with all the hauling and planning and lifting and setting up and breaking down--I love it. But I'd have loved this one a little better if there'd been more buying and less whispering and strange looks from my browsers.

Just before it was time to break it down, a girl came around with flyers about the next big event up there. A chili cookoff December 5. Booths are only $30 or something so I might go for it. We'll see.

More Pix HERE

Stepping out on my own....

2009-09-16T19:48:00.003-04:00

Last year, my beading buddy Keli and I did the Rock Shrimp Festival in St. Marys, Ga.

I did great: sold over $200 worth of my handcrafted jewelry.
Keli and I shared a booth and had a great time.

Well, Keli did have one lady who bought a bunch of stuff and turned out to have a bogus credit card so that part wasn't so fun but....we worked together setting up the tent and our tables, etc and it turned out great.

This year, my beading buddy Keli is living in another state. WAH!
Without her to help, I didn't think I'd be able to do Rock Shrimp. I was bummed.
Given how much I love doing festivals and craft fairs, this was really bringing me down.

So I've decided to step out in faith and turn in my application. I mailed it off this afternoon.

*GULP!*

Now all I have to do is find a strong, reliable, honest helper!

WISH ME LUCK!!

Has it been that long??!!

2009-09-13T11:53:00.008-04:00

My, how time flies when you're having a good time!

Seems as if it's been forever since I last posted here. Sorry about that, folks!

Since my last post I've gone full-time on my day job and celebrated my tenth anniversary. My husband and I were married September 3, 1999 in a courthouse in Carrollton, Georgia. Our daughters and son-in-law were our witnesses. I made all our silk floral headpieces and bouquets and the girls' gowns were thrift-store finds.

Going full-time at work has really cut into my beading time. I adore my job and wouldn't change a thing, but I must admit I have definitely missed my time at the bead board. So this weekend, I was determined to make time to bead and here are the results:

First, we have a necklace and bracelet set comprised of 17mm Czech glass swirl beads, Czech glass faceted, fire polished beads, bali style silver plated beadcaps and silver plated bicones.

Next is a five-strand necklace made of freshwater pearls, mother of pearl, glass seed beads and glass bugle beads.

I love multi-strand necklaces but they sure take a long time to make!!

I have added new items to my Artfire Shop. Go check it out!

Woo Hoo! I'm the featured shop!

2009-08-17T18:42:00.006-04:00

So my best beading buddy, Keli, has set up this awesome online mall and I'm the featured artist!

You really should go Check it Out.

Tile Ad Size: 125x125 Pixels

The Fall Mall will be open and ad space will be available until November 1st.

Ad Rates for Tiles: (Payments accepted through PayPal)
1 Week - $7
2 Weeks - $13
3 Weeks - $19
4 Weeks - Only $25

Want to Feature a Product at the Top of the Page? Featured Item includes a large picture of the item and a small write up with a link to your shop. Must be running a tile ad at the same time to participate. Get noticed! Only $2 a day!
You choose how long and when it runs.
First come first serve basis, so get your reservation in now!

Contact Keli at GlitzyGallery.com.

She's an exceptionally talented young lady and you will receive the ultimate in service, I assure you!

Yikes! There's a face on my pancake!

2009-08-16T12:53:00.005-04:00

I always make my spouse pancakes on Sunday mornings.

Imagine my shock when I looked down in the frying pan to see this bearded guy staring back at me.

Or have I finally lost all my marbles?

Can you see him? Can you? Please say yes!

I didn't do anything do make it come out shaped like that, either.

Bizarre, huh?

I'm going back to the bead board to calm down. That'll relax me....she said, hopefully.

Ah, to be in England

2009-08-06T19:18:00.004-04:00

Someday -

I'd love to see a little cottage like this in real life.

It's always been a dream of mine to go to England. Not just a whim or a fancy, mind you, but a deep-seated, heartfelt, earnest desire. I've always felt an intense kinship with all things British and/or Irish. I know, it's almost blasphemy to mention those two in the same sentence, isn't it? My Irish ancestors are probably rolling in their graves. Well, groaning, at least.

I'd love to see London, the Cotswolds, Yorkshire, the Isle of Wight, Dover.......need I go on?

This evening I watched Agatha Christie's "The Mirror Crack'd," a Miss Marple mystery and in the final scene, Miss Marple is presiding over tea in her wonderful English country garden. The camera pans back and behold! A perfectly splendid thatched cottage. *SIGH*

Oh, to be in England....someday, someday!

just this and that

2009-07-27T18:47:00.004-04:00

Got home about 2:30 this afternoon. My cat Helen usually spends the day on the couch with my husband, but since he had to go to The Big City for a health appointment today, I guess she was lonesome. I looked around for her and found her sitting in the windowseat in my room with Savannah. Ebony, however, was nowhere to be seen. I finally found him under my recliner.

I toddled on out to the kitchen to make salmon patties for dinner. I learned by watching the Food Network that they won't fall apart when you cook them if you let them set up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.

When I went back into my room, All three cats were posing prettily on the window seat so I captured them for posterity. I know I'm prejudiced, but aren't they just three of the most gorgeous felines you've ever seen?
My furbabies. Yeah, I love 'em. Lots.

Back in the Saddle Again

2009-07-18T11:52:00.005-04:00

Went to work for a couple of hours yesterday, just so I could get a feel for how it will be when I return on Monday.

Felt good to be back and it was nice to know I'd been missed.

Now that I'm able to sit for longer periods, I've been updating my etsy shop with a few things, like this pretty pink cross necklace. I'm hoping to draw some traffic in by twittering my new items. It's amazing how quickly people go to the links! I can sit and refresh the page for a couple minutes and watch the numbers rise. Now if folks would BUY instead of just clicking!

The medical bill tally - so far - is $17,000 and counting. Phew! I'm going to have to sell LOTS of handcrafted jewelry to pay that off, huh? Good thing I still have a day job. LOL

How I spent my 4th of July

2009-07-04T16:37:00.004-04:00

Last year's 4th of July was my very first Arts and Crafts Show. My beading buddy, Keli and I did the Stars and Stripes Festival in Fernandina Beach. I was so excited when I made my first sale!

This year, of course, I was unable to participate in the 4th of July festivities. I'd planned on going to the one in St. Marys, Ga. because it draws a bigger crowd. Maybe next year.

I'm having a PIF sale on patriotic items at my etsy store today. Already sold two things.

Meanwhile, I spent part of the day working on a bracelet, using the nice tray table Daniel bought me. He had to go to three different stores but finally found one at Target.

It's perfect!

I let Daniel have the couch for a few hours today while I watched stuff on the computer as I lay upon my futon. Caught up with the CSI NY episode where Lindsay and Danny's baby is born. Then I watched Red Shoe Diaries on Hulu. Oh, I sure do love that David Duchovny!

Okay - enough chair time for me...back to the couch!

sunday musings

2009-06-28T14:21:00.004-04:00

Greetings from sunny Florida where yours truly is recuperating at home following surgery.

These days I spend most of my waking hours on the couch, either reading, sleeping or watching TV. The latter usually only at night.

Yesterday I had a visit from my beading buddy Keli who brought me the latest issue of Bead Style magazine.

She's moving away soon and I'm going to miss her like crazy. Keli's the one who helped me "get serious" about beading.

Speaking of which, I was able to do a bit of work on a rosary while I was in the hospital, but I haven't been able to do anything since I got home. I can't seem to sit for any length of time in any kind of regular chair because it hurts. Darn!

Tomorrow I'm going to dispatch the spouse to Wal-Mart in search of a TV tray with short feet or some kind of breakfast tray I can rest over my tummy. I gotta be able to bead over the next couple weeks or yours truly will go stark raving bonkers! Meanwhile, I've been drooling over all the projects in the Bead Style magazine and dreaming of all the projects I want to make once I get well.

A hearty thank-you and shout out to all the great doctors, nurses and support staff at Baptist Hospital downtown, especially Shirley, Angela, Elaine, Elsa, Imelda, Kristin, Marisha, Marlene, Angel, Mary and, of course, Baby Jane. You all are the best nurses ever and I thank each and every one of your for the special brand of TLC you provided me.

thanks to *M* and *S* for helping me post this.

Fish in the Waiting Room

2009-06-18T16:36:00.003-04:00

When we were walking through Baptist Hospital to the PACE Center get my pre-op stuff done this morning, we passed this fabulous aquarium full of the most beautiful fish. I couldn't resist taking some pix. The one little guy with the mouthful of teeth seemed as interested in us as we were in him! One of these days, I'd like to have an aquarium again. They're so relaxing to watch. These are salt water fish. Lots of work -- but they certainly are beautiful!

Everything went fine for the pre-op stuff. Chest x-ray and EKG. When the woman was taking my blood (three vials!) she asked me, "Are you all right?" "Oh, I'm just reciting a poem to myself," I said. "It's what I do to keep my mind off what you're doing."

Doc sez I'll be in the hospital anywhere from 3 to 5 days after, depending on what he finds once he gets in there. The more extensive the repair job, the longer it'll be before I can get home to Daniel and the kitties. But the good news is, he said I can go back to work as soon as I feel able...and he signs my medical release. YAY!!

I can wear makeup (oh, thank goodness for that!!) but no jewelry and no finger nail polish. And of course, I gotta remove ye olde choppers. I made the intake nurse write it in the chart -- please do not let my husband see me without my teeth! hahahahaha

Tomorrow afternoon, I have to go in search of a nightgown. Turns out I won't be able to wear the new pj's I bought because my tummy will be too tender. I gotta get some BIG granny panties, a robe and some slippers. Looks like a trip to Wally World is in order. I don't usually wear nightgowns because I don't like the way they get all bunched up when I thrash around in bed trying to sleep. So annoying!

I'm thinking about taking a couple beading projects to work on while I'm laid up at the hospital. Maybe I can interest some of the nurses in my work, huh? I may even make up a couple little keychains to bring with me just to give to the nurses who wait on me. Those women work long hours and deserve to be rewarded for their compassionate care.

Anywho - that's what's up in my corner of the world.

Thoughts for a Sunday morning

2009-06-14T08:11:00.003-04:00

Just for the heck of it one day, I searched Twitter for Jane Fonda and was delighted to find her there. Not only is Jane a prolific Twitterer, she blogs profusely as well. She's been a hero of mine since way back when and I'm thoroughly enjoying perusing her writings on a daily basis. At 71, she's still kicking ass. Go ahead, girl!

From her "Matters That Move Me" pages, I offer you this:

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.

A very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The man who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will swim with you in the deep waters that may engulf you, and who will help you become untangled from the things that bind you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

thanks to Rick I and Craig Neal for passing this to me.

Be sure to read the comments here.

And read SF Bay Whale Watcher blog.

We truly do need to realize, once and for all, that animals and birds are our brothers and sisters on this planet...and behave accordingly.

Amen. End of sermon. ;)

Gearing up for surgery

2009-06-13T06:48:00.003-04:00

Met with my surgeon yesterday. Quite young, only in practice since 2005 but exceptionally qualified and very bright - graduated magna cum laude. Sweet, friendly, compassionate - shall I go on? The most adorable thing about him - besides the most pinchable cheeks! - is his cute little accent. At first I thought it might be Austrian, but when I looked up his bio, under languages it says "Polish." Ah, the homeland of my favorite composer, Chopin. ;)
Anyway, he probed my plumbing sure hope we're nearing the end of all those invasions, thank you very much! and confirmed that yes, back in 1993 when they did my hysterectomy, they left a bit of ye olde cervix in there, from whence originated the abnormal cells which so alarmed Dr. G.
Dr. McCutie said he thought he'd be able to do the surgery week after next. He must have read the "oh, no!" expression clearly written on my face because he quickly amended to say he'd try to work me in this coming week.
Thank God/Goddess because it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my lifestyle when any extended sitting, standing, or walking causes discomfort and pain. I told him how this whole thing was infringing on my passion in this instance, I'm referring my ability to work the arts+crafts fair circuit . He not only didn't brush off my remark, he actually asked me about it. Other, older docs could take lessons from this young fellow - it's called building rapport, guys. Making your patient feel as if she matters, that her comfort and quality of life mean something to you. Get it?
So now my project is putting together a CD to play before and maybe even during my surgery. I heard this story on NPR the other morning and it gave me the idea for the project.
I'm going to start it off with the theme from "Enterprise" --Faith of the Heart. It's my understanding that the astronauts like that song. Hey, if it's good enough forthose guys, it's good enough for me! Here are a few other types of songs I thought of including....

Classical I love me some Chopin, baby!

Broadway Climb Every Mountain from Sound of Music gets me every time

Pop You are Beautiful by Christina Aguilera

Folk just about anything by John Denver

Gospel You'll Never Walk Alone - an oldie but a goodie and of course, In The Chapel by Elvis.

Hymns It Is Well With My Soul and Softly and Tenderly from "A Trip to Bountiful"

If you happen to know the best site for finding and downloading songs preferably for free!, I'd love to know that. Tell me your favorites! Help me build my CD Thanks, guys!

Visible Praise

2009-06-11T08:47:00.007-04:00

Sundress two is almost complete. Will do finishing touches and post photos this afternoon/evening. I intend to wear it to my first appointment with the surgeon at St. Vincent's tomorrow.

Yes, it's finally FINALLY going to happen--and it's all thanks to my hero, Dr. G.

Words cannot express my joy. Knowing that all this horrendous discomfort will soon be over is such an overwhelming relief!

True, I'm not that thrilled about having to undergo the scalpel once again but hey, if that's what it takes, bring it on!

At long last, a reason to smile!

To make my feelings of gratitude visible, I created this last night -- freshwater pearls and Celestial Crystal beads with an aurora borealis finish set off a beautiful silverplated crucifix.

God is Good!!

click image to enlarge

It's enough to make you want to scream

2009-06-07T15:43:00.004-04:00

Got home Friday and Daniel said the clinic had called about 9 or 10 a.m. about my application for medical assistance. Said she didn't want to call me @ work.

Bottom line: after all that legwork, no local help for me.

Called Dr. G's office as soon as I composed myself but he doesn't work on Fridays.
Maybe he'll call on Monday. Don't really know what he can do. He's tried his best, bless his heart. He's a very compassionate physician. Unlike the one who told me he couldn't help me because I have no health insurance. Jerk. But even with Dr. G's input and the medical info from Shands, they still said no.

They offered some other alternatives, none of which will do me much good because they involve having the work done here in my hometown - which isn't possible.

I've been networking like mad all weekend, sending e-mails hither and yon trying to find some answers or turn up some options. If nothing comes thru by Tuesday, I guess Daniel and I will head to St. Vincent's -- my last hope.

It just is so incredibly frustrating . Here I am, out there every day, working, trying to be a productive citizen. Can't get health insurance from work because I'm only part time. Can't afford to buy it. So when a health crisis comes up - I'm stuck! It's not right! If I were unemployed or 65, I could get the work done no problem.

Phew!

Meanwhile, to take my mind off all this, I started another sundress. Didn't have enough scraps to make the whole thing out of one material but I think the two I'm pairing look well together. I'm taking a bit more time with this one, reinforcing seams and adding a bit of lace at the neckline and on the pockets. I love lace. Must be the girly girl in me - or maybe I am just feeling nostalgic for all the girly girl clothes I didn't get to make for my daughter after she was swept away from me by my ex-husband.

Anyway -- it's almost time to start thinking about supper. Sorry to dump on y'all. Sometimes a person just needs to vent.

Life goes on.

Sundress One

2009-06-03T08:36:00.005-04:00

The first of two sundresses I'm making from leftover fabric was completed last night. The bottom is seersucker - which I adore and can't seem to find much anymore - the top is a simple cotton. You can't see the tiny motif on it from this picture.
I won't be making a fashion statement wearing it, but it's cool and comfortable and that's what matters...to me, anyway.
I went through my fabrics last night and put together enough scraps to begin another one. Maybe I'll get started on that this afternoon. We'll see.

Pay no attention to the weary face or the bad hair, but here's a quick snapshot of the dress. I added an overblouse (which I didn't make) and of course some of my fabulous jewelry (which I DID make--lol)

It'll do..for now.

click on photo for closer view.

Creative Diversions

2009-05-31T11:41:00.006-04:00

After a 21-hour marathon at the ER in Jax, I know for sure now I'm going to have to have surgery. Turns out my left ovary is 8cm so that's causing some concern. Now that I've found an excellent surgeon, it's a matter of filling out lots of forms and trying to find funding to get the deed done.

In the meantime, I'm under doctor's orders to "take it easy" and "limit activity." Yeah, right. Spent a lot of time in the recliner yesterday between brief bouts of light activity. Dunno if it's coz I watched three episodes of The Fashion Show on Bravo or what but last night I rooted through my patterns and leftover fabric and decided to put together a couple of sundresses . I haven't sewn anything in a couple years - probably not since we moved into the house.

With so much bead stuff everywhere, there's no place to set up my machine. I cleared off my light table and will put it there temporarily.

After the poor showing at Fun in the Sun, I've decided to take a wee bit of a break from the beading. It won't last. It never does. Sooner or later, I always return to my beloved beads. But for now, I'll channel my creativity elsewhere.

Since I am uncomfortable wearing pants now and bored with the same ole few jumpers I've been wearing, I thought perhaps a pair of new sundresses would cheer me up.

It's going to be a case of do a little, go get in the recliner -- do a little more, get in the recliner. haha

It'll be nice to have a couple new frocks....no matter how long it takes to put 'em together.

For the first one, I'm kind of having to jury-rig the facing for the top because I don't exactly have enough material but I'm determined to make it work. As for the bottom, I'll have to finagle that as well for the same reason.

Last night I ironed the fabric and pattern. This morning I cut it out. Once I check e-mail and stuff, I'm gonna climb back in the recliner for a bit. I sat down at the computer to get relief from too much standing, now I need to lie down to get relief from too much sitting! lol

Fun in the Sun -- not so sunny but still fun

2009-05-23T23:16:00.007-04:00

Yours truly at Fun in the Sun Expo

St. Marys, GA Saturday, May 23

It didn't turn out exactly as we hoped. The theme of the expo -- the star of the show -- the SUN -- never did show up. It was gray and cloudy all day and then about 2 p.m. started raining so...my good buddy Keli and I packed up our tents and headed on home.

But it was fun while it lasted. I gave out lots of business cards, met some lovely people, sold a few items and got orders for a couple more. Two sweet girls from a local beauty shop were interested in the latest addition to my repertoire: rosaries.

I had brought one along to work on during the lull...or in this case, rain delay. One of the girls checked back twice to see if it was finished. I'll be putting it up on the website tomorrow. Silly me, I never did get her phone number or email. Where was my brain?

Probably thinking about my health situation. Not good, kids. Turns out the doc I thought was going to be able to help me can't do it. Why? Because the sonogram revealed larger masses on the ovaries than were seen in the cat scan. The doc said it's 30 to 50 percent chance it could be cancer. Hmmm.

He said, "I could go in there and remove them but...if I were do to that and did run into something that looked bad, well, that's just not my area and I would be doing you more harm than good."

So now the search is on for a gynecological oncologist who will take payments. Yeah, right.

Geez, the health care system in this country is really botched up, huh?

Well, I'm trying to think positive and not let it get me down but well, I'm only human and sometimes....it does.

But I made it through today all right. Mighty sore tonight but it's worth it. My husband rolls his eyes at me when I tell him I'm bummed that I don't have a show lined up for June but hey, I can't help it! It's my obsession! I can think of worse things to be addicted to than beading, huh?!

Here's how I set up my booth... I was so upset when my Bible got rained on. I've got it draped over a hanger now, hoping the tissue paper thin pages will dry out. Had a lot of nice comments about the rosary I had displayed and the biblio beads with crosses added all sold, so that was nice.

I know the tarps aren't exactly pretty but hey, I was mighty glad I had 'em when the rains came down! And wouldn't you know, about the time we got everything loaded into our cars and were heading home, the rain quit. It figures!

click on pix to enlarge

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2009-05-16T11:23:00.004-04:00

There's happiness in my household today!

Two good things--

I finished my first "fuzzy" bracelet. Used some goldplated wire given to me by my beading buddy, Keli, and umptyzillion beads. Geez, it sure takes LOTS of beads to make one of these babies. I really should have used more but I've made a huge dent in my aqua inventory as it is!

Bumpy lampwork beads, firepolished Czech glass rondelles, blue quartz discs, glass pearls, wavy glass pearls, you name it, it's in there. lol

click on picture for a closer look

Today I'm buckling down and packing up for the Fun in the Sun Expo next Saturday. Gosh, there's a lot to do to get ready for a show, huh? Especially when it's going to be outdoors - the tent, the rug, tables, tablecloths, oh yeah -- and then there's all the jewelry to bag, tag and inventory. Phew!

Last year when Keli and I were up in St. Marys for the Rock Shrimp Fest, we about got carried away by the dreadful little no-see-ums. Ugh! This time, we're coming armed with Bounce fabric softener sheets. No kidding! I read it on the web that it keeps the little buggers at bay. Yay!

And I'm thrilled and delighted to announce-- I found a surgeon who will take payments so I can finally get my much-needed surgery. YAY! My appointment is Tuesday. So yours truly is a happy camper == busy, but happy!

My Mother's Day Gift to Myself

2009-05-10T18:26:00.000-04:00

mood: pleased

I have a pretty hard and fast rule when it comes to the jewelry I make for sale: no acrylics!
But when it comes to making things for myself, I break the rules.
Take the necklace I made myself today - it has very big acrylic beads but they are so interesting and colorful, I just couldn't resist them.

My friend Keli and I put together a stash of beads for a local group that helps mentally challenged folks and when I looked through Keli's stash, there were these creamy, beautiful turquoise beads that kept saying, "Keep me! Keep me!" So I did.

And today, I sat at the beadboard and pulled together a few firepolished Czech glass rondelles, some mother of pearl shell bits, and various glass beads and made this necklace. Of course, I couldn't leave it at that. It wasn't finished just strung up that way. No, I had to add my beloved delica beads, of course. But this time I added fringe beads as well.

I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Mixing gemstones with glass pearls and Czech glass beads

2009-05-09T19:26:00.004-04:00

I seem to be somewhat addicted to the gemstone donuts, don't I?

When they work up as pretty as this one, why not?

A picture jasper donut combines with red aventurine beads, leopardskin jasper chips, glass pearls, firepolished Czech glass beads and of course, my beloved delicas in this interesting piece.

I went ahead and used the two remaining red aventurine beads to make matching earrings suspended from antiqued brass earwires.

In other news:

The countdown has begun for Fun in the Sun. May 23rd will find my friend and beading buddy Keli and I up in St. Marys, Ga. for what we hope will be a very lucrative and fun event.

Peace Jade

2009-05-03T15:42:00.003-04:00

It took most of the day but my Peace Jade necklace is finally finished.
I used firepolished two-tone Czech glass beads in citrine AB and freshwater pearls as well as my beloved delica seed beads to compliment the unique peace jade cubes.
Turned out pretty well, I think.
Aside from a few potty breaks and a very abbreviated lunch, I was at it from about noon on.

(click on picture to see larger view)

What a pleasure to be able to sit and do a piece from beginning to end! But now my bugaboo has decided to rear its ugly head a bit in protest so I guess it's time to stretch out in ye olde recliner awhile before I have to fix dinner.

Mother's Day preparations

2009-05-02T12:13:00.007-04:00

With Mother's Day just around the corner, I thought it best to get my gifts completed so they could reach my Mother and Mother-in-Law on time.

For my Mother, I made a rosary. I wished I'd had more faceted jet black beads to do the whole thing in them, but I only had enough to use them as the Pater beads and accent beads. The gemstone is labradorite. This gemstone is thought to bring good luck.

For my Mother in Law, I made a red agate necklace. I absolutely adore the little bug-eyed fish focal point and must make one of these for myself sometime soon. When I looked up red agate on the web, I found this:

Agate belongs to the class of stones of chalcedony and comes in shades of color and translucency. This is a stone that has been associated with powers of healing, rejuvenation as well as the ‘chi’ enhancer. In historical times this stone was often placed in the cooking pot to dispel illness. Red Agate is generally used to encourage the flow of good luck. Used to promote prosperity and the growth of all things, this good luck bringer may be used both for business as well as your private life.

Okay, well - that's about all for now. Gotta get back to work preparing for Fun in the Sun on May 23.

Enjoy your weekend!

I'm Back

2009-04-26T15:49:00.004-04:00

Haven't been able to post much. Sitting for too long exacerbated the pain in my upper left quadrant so much, I couldn't get on the computer for long. Worse than that, I couldn't do any beading. Oh, horrors!
Long story short: I ended up in the Emergency Room on Monday and was there for about five hours. Why does it always have to take so long?
Anyway -- they did two cat scans and found out all my inner workings are not functioning as they should be. I've got gallstones, a hiatal hernia, a cyst on my liver and cysts on both ovaries, the largest of which is 5cm. Oh, what fun! So now they're talking about two different surgeries: gallbladder and the ovarian thing. SIGH

Not a very pleasant prospect when you have no health insurance!
So with all that going on, it's been a pretty rough week. One of the meds they gave me caused an allergic reaction which my body always manifests as a lovely rash. More fun!
But today, for the first time in over a week, I was finally able to get back to the bead board for a little while at least. Didn't do anything too very fancy, just a couple of gemstone necklaces with matching earrings.
Still enamored of picture jasper so both have that in them - one also has beautiful blue crazy lace agate.
Almost time to fix dinner so this post will be short.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday.

A surprisingly good day

2009-04-18T20:05:00.010-04:00

After two good days in a row, I should have known I was in for a rough one and brother, did I ever get socked with one today! Phew! It must have been the Grace of God that got me through the day - painwise - but I'm ever so glad I hung in there because I did surprisingly well.
By the time it was all said and done, I'd sold over $100 worth. Now that may not seem like much to some folks, but considering that I barely sold $30 worth at the last church show, I was pretty pleased.
I waited until about 10 a.m. before I called the house and woke my husband up to ask him to bring me a pain pill. I was disappointed and perplexed when it did little to assuage the pain.
Looking on the bright side: we had good traffic all day and I had some terrific crafty neighbors around me.
To my right was Mary Stangel who had beautiful beaded jewelry. Behind Mary was the lovely and talented Kandy Mathis whose wire work was absolutely superb.

Across the aisle we had the amazingly talented 16-year old photography genius, Jack Chapman. I was not alone in my awe of this young man's prowess with a camera. If he's this talented at 16, I have no doubt he has a very bright future ahead.

Sharing a table with Jack was his sister, Charity Chapman and her jewelry partner, Dominique. I've seen Dominique around at several of the local craft shows and at Beadlemania.. He is also exceptionally talented and does beautiful work. He admires my seed bead work, I admire his wire wrapping. He's offered to teach me to do loops better and I'm looking forward to learning from this expert instructor. He doesn't have a website yet but whenever he does set one up, I'll be sure to post the url. Dominique makes exquisite necklaces and Charity does the beautiful earrings. Together, they're a mighty fine team.

There was also a delightful young lady named Chelsea who calls her business "The Glamorous Life." Dunno why she left by noon. *shrug*
The biblio beads sold like hotcakes! One lady bought four (the ones with the crosses) for her Bible study group.
I got quite a few pointers which I plan to put into play at the next show.
So yeah, aside from the fact that I was in some pretty brutal pain the whole day, I still consider it a very good day. I did well saleswise, gave out lots of biz cards, made some new friends, got some new folks signed up for the mailing list and had a delicious lunch.
I was given frequent respites by the compassionate and sweet United Methodist Women and when it came time to break it down, the men and women of my church could not have been nicer or more helpful. There was one minor mishap when the men bumped my angel which fell down and broke but I think I can fix it with some jewelry glue.
I hobbled into Publix afterward and picked up a sub at the deli. No way I was going to be able to cook when I got home.
Next up: Fun in the Sun in St. Marys, Ga on May 23.
oh, and Pix are HERE

I'm a Featured Seller!!

2009-04-09T08:06:00.006-04:00

I Am SOOOO Excited!!!

I'm a Featured Seller!

Check out my Featured Seller Page on the Made That Blogspot!

I'm so proud and excited to be featured. THANKS, JESSICA!!

There are only a few items available in my Artfire Shop so far. Wish I had more with this blog feature coming out today but...who knows? Maybe I'll get some new customers and make some new friends.

LIFE IS GOOD!!

More Unakite

2009-04-05T14:50:00.002-04:00

More Unakite

Got a huge 50mm unakite focal point in the mail along with some complimentary beads. Over the course of yesterday evening and today, I finished this necklace and matching earrings. I sure do love that unakite!

Other than that, I'm beginning to set things up for the Arts + Crafts fair on April 18th. Would you believe I can't find the brown bibliobeads I made? *shakes head* I try so hard to be organized but sometimes, it's as if these beads have a mind of their own. haha.

Watched Slumdog Millionaire last night. Loved it. Definitely understand why it was voted Best Picture. If you haven't seen it yet, by all means do so. Trust me: you'll be glad you did.

This and That

2009-04-04T15:34:00.004-04:00

Crab Agate and Red Aventurine

The storms seem to have blown out to sea finally. Thank goodness! Two nights of thunderboomers was about all I could take. It was delicious to have a good night's sleep for a change.

Awakening refreshed after my restful slumbers, I toddled to town and completed my Saturday chores in record time. Home by noon! I took advantage of the energy rush to do something about my winter weary front porch. Hosed down the chairs, scrubbed the table, swept the concrete. Even gave my hanging plants a bit of healthy new soil to awaken them from their slumbers.

After a nummy tuna sandwich and gatorade lunch, eaten while reading the latest issue of Time magazine, I set to work on my latest creation: a crab agate and red aventurine necklace.

Being relatively new to the scene, I'm not sure what the protocol is about combining Swarovski crystals with gemstones , but for some reason, these particular smoky Swarovskis seemed a nice compliment to the creamy red aventurine. I love the crab agate, too, and couldn't resist sprinkling in a few small fire polished Czech glass beeds and of course, my beloved delicas had to be added as well.

Now I'm going to see what else I can get into before it's time to fix supper. Hope everyone's enjoying this gorgeous Spring as much as I am!

Biblio Beads in Blue

2009-04-03T08:33:00.002-04:00

I wanted to post the first of the aquamarine (turquoise) Biblio Beads.This one has the smallest of the pewter cross charms. I'm glad the cord was thin enough to go through the glass beads. It takes a bit of doing to push it through the hole in the lampwork glass, but patience is rewarded.

I have larger crosses, too, and for the largest one, I'll probably use Swarovski crystals to make it a real dazzler.

In other news:

My hydrangea has returned after being nipped by frigid temps! I'm so excited to see a great outcropping of lovely green leaves and on closer inspection, tiny buds where soon I'll have bursts of the lovely blue/purple color I adore. YAY!

Spring has Sprung in my yard.

Ain't it funny how time slips away?

2009-04-01T19:37:00.002-04:00

Daniel and yours truly, back in the day

Eighteen years ago today I met the man who is now my husband. It totally amazes me that it has been that long.

Back then, I was a newly single mom living in St. Augustine. Daniel answered an ad I'd placed in "Singles Serendipity" magazine. We talked on the phone a couple times before we decided to meet. Chose April first as our first date because there was some sort of festival going on in town that day. My son was just a little guy- about six, I think - so he tagged along.

We hit it off right away and while we were at the festival, I invited Daniel back to my place for spaghetti and meatballs. Unfortunately, I had left my keys in the house. He had to climb a ladder to the second story of my apartment building, crawl through the bedroom window and come down to let me in. Some first date, huh?

We've been through a lot together in the 18 years we've known each other. It hasn't all been peaches and cream. Heck, I was even married to someone else...briefly. But we'll celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary in September so I guess we've worked through the worst of it.

Looking back on all those years, I decided to blow off my workout today and stop by Publix and get the fixings for a nice dinner instead. The treadmill will still be there another day but it's rainy and nasty and I just wanted to go home and hang out with my man and my furkids.

So I did.

Biblio Beads

2009-04-01T08:45:00.004-04:00

BIBLIO BEADS

Many thunderboomers over night here. But we can use the rain. Not easy to sleep with all that racket going on. Didn't want to turn on the computer for fear of lightning so I sat and made my first three bibliobeads. Some people call them book thongs but that name just conjures up all the wrong images to me so I prefer the more sophisticated label of bibliobeads. I figure anyone who reads might like a beaded bookmark. What do you think? click picture to enlarge
I just want to have lots of little impulse items available for the church sale. Yeah, I know. I said I wasn't going to do it. But you know what? It's for my church so....I kinda feel obligated.
Plus what the heck, you never know...people might just buy something!

Take a picture, Jasper

2009-03-29T13:18:00.004-04:00

Picture Jasper Necklace

It took me three sessions over the weekend to finish it, but I'm very pleased with the results. Picture jasper donut, beads and chips accented by antiqued bronze pewter leaf drops and "hand made" hand charm. Yes, I did incorporate my beloved delicas in there, too. Click on picture to enlarge

Now I'd like to pose a question for those with etsy shops: Have you considered leaving etsy for any reason? Do you have both an artfire shop and an etsy shop? If so, where are your sales higher?

Reason I ask is that I'm considering switching to a different venue. Sales have been at a total standstill at etsy and I seriously doubt it's all due to the economy. Seems to me there are simply too many vendors there and the market is saturated.

Suggestions? Comments? Let me hear your thoughts on this...

Thanks and have a lovely Sunday.

Paris Fashion Week

2009-03-28T08:21:00.005-04:00

No pix today - just a couple links

Before I dash off to the mundane world of my Saturday chores, I was drooling over Paris Fashion Week. The clothes are madly gorgeous but even more interesting to me is the JEWELRY seen on some of these models. You gotta check it out!!

As a young girl, I spent endless hours sketching outfits. Even won an award for a store design I did in my senior year. So naturally I am drawn to all things fashionista, even the blunders, as seen here

Enjoy your Saturday, people!

Triple Decker

2009-03-27T08:39:00.003-04:00

Wood + Lampwork with delica fringe

Finally finished the triple strand wood and lampwork bead necklace. Ran out of beads so I had to finish it with glass seed beads. Looked a bit nekkid so I went ahead and added a delica fringe.

It's quite long, dangles to just below the bustline. Took it to work and showed it to my beading buddy who gave it a hearty thumbs up.

At present I'm working on a repeat of my gemstone and delica combo - which SOLD, by the way. This time I'm using picture jasper beads. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Meanwhile - it's FRIDAY!!

I dream of delicas

2009-03-22T12:29:00.007-04:00

Recently, I fell in love with unakite so I bought some pieces and put something together. Trouble is, I don't know how to do bails and didn't have any anyway so yesterday I used delicas to attach the donut to the necklace. It looked kinda nekkid so I began experimenting with jazzing it up a little, using the leftover chips and delicas to make a dangle from the donut. haha that sounds funny.

I admit to going a wee bit overboard with the delicas but they're just so adorable, I couldn't help myself.

The unakite beads are not what I was expecting. They're kinda smallish, about 6mm, I guess. I never was very good at judging how big things are by the size designation. It has been my nemesis since day one. Oh, I know. I have ye olde bead size chart around here somewhere...*peers around at assembled rubble* but who knows exactly where?

Once I finished watching CBS Sunday morning, I put this together: a polished rose quartz focal point which I surrounded with various sizes of seed beads.

I'd rooted through my stash looking for more delicas but alas, the only ones I have wouldn't work with the few donuts on hand so I put this together instead. It defers the housework, what can I say?

Last night while I was watching TV, I sat with the bead catalog in my lap and put together a wish list of delicas. It ended up being about $35. haha. Hey, it's free to dream, right?!

A visit to the antique store

2009-03-20T19:44:00.007-04:00

I had occasion to visit an antique store today and let me tell you, it was a most delightful 30 minutes.

Yours truly has always has a great love for anything old. Call them antiques if you must. I just call them old things and I wonder about what the original owners may have been like, you know? Who sat at that desk in the 1900s? Who slept in that bed made in 1800 something? What was their life like? What was going on in their world?

The owner who showed me around the place has been refurbishing and refinishing old things for the past 30 years. Completely self taught, he is an absolutely genius cabinetmaker, too. You should have seen some of the exquisite pieces he made!

Like this reversible game table he made of curly maple and cherry wood. Wow. The center part pops and to flip over and make a regular table.
Beautiful, huh?
Look at the intricate carving on this antique bed. Isn't it gorgeous?! I love it!
Or how about this incredible French breakfront. It is absolutely magnificent!

Of course there was more than just furniture at this place. Two floors in an old house chock full of everything you could think of including handcrafted and antique furniture, china, glassware, fiesta ware and of course my all time favorite: Willow Ware ... it was everywhere.

Yours truly was most definitely in hawg heaven, walking through this place! Wow!
SIGH
I've often dreamt about a home just filled with beautiful antiques.
Who knows?
Maybe one day when my beading biz takes off, I just might be able to buy one...or two pieces, huh?
*smile*

--Getting the outdoor fair fever --

2009-03-19T19:41:00.005-04:00

Just got these three dolphin watch faces in the mail today. Aren't they adorable? I'm a great fan of dolphins so one of these will find its way into my personal jewelry box.

The other two will be added to the collection of pieces I'm making up to take with me to Fun in the Sun in St. Marys in May.

My friend Keli and I shared a booth at the Rock Shrimp Fest in St. Marys last year and had a great time. I had my best day ever and sold over $200 worth of jewelry. WOO HOO! So anytime I get to go back to St. Marys, I'm there with bells on.

So glad it's finally time for outdoor fairs! Time to break out the tent again. YAY!

Top o' The Morning!

2009-03-17T08:48:00.005-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to ye!

Some sweet day, I'll visit the Emerald Isle and research the Donegal ancestors.

Until then, I'll sigh wistfully every time I watch "The Quiet Man" or when St. Patty's Day rolls around. I can still hear my dear departed Daddy singing Toora Loora Loora, An Irish Lullabye It never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

Visit Ireland Here

2009-03-14T23:22:00.002-04:00

Tired -- but it's a good tired
mood: contented
So, all in all, I'd say the birthday turned out all right.
Despite the changes in planned activities due to unforeseen circumstances.
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans..."
or words to that effect.

D and I shared the Ultimate Pepperoni pizza from Papa John's. It was good but let me tell you, the picture you see on TV? Don't expect to see a duplicate when you open the box.
Not going to happen. It was still good, though.

First we watched The Bucket List. I love both Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Loved the storyline, too.

What would I put on my bucket list?

Well, probably the top five things would be visiting certain countries
One of which would most definitely be India.

That is why what happened next is so interesting:

I had rented The Secret Life Of Bees, but there was something wrong with the DVD and it wouldn't play so instead we watched The Namesake
I had purchased this movie at a yard sale or something awhile back and had not watched it yet. Oh, I love this movie!!!
Anyone who knows me knows I have a very special place in my heart for all things Indian. This movie spoke to that special place.
Beautifully photographed. And the music! Oh, the music was splendid. I absolutely adore Indian music and this soundtrack did not disappoint.
Wonderful storyline here as well.
I highly recommend this film. And since I own it, I can watch it over and over and I will, for sure.

At the end of the film, I had Ebony and Savannah with me in my chair, as usual.
When the beautiful Ashima (played by the gifted and beautiful Tabu) started to sing her exquisite, wordless song, both cats looked up and listened carefully. I love it when they do that. It's as if they, too, recognized something special and worth paying attention to.

And the best part?
A phone call from my number one son.
Another sound I love to hear is his voice.
Best in person, of course, but on the phone is good, too.
Thanks, Casey.

So now I'm off to beddy bye -- to dream of India and Bucket Lists and fly to the Taj Mahal on songs from tabla and sitar.

A little gift from the cats

2009-03-14T09:15:00.005-04:00

So I allowed myself to sleep in this morning, seeing as how it's my birthday.
Yawned, stretched, rolled out of bed and toddled to the bathroom
and stepped directly into a puddle of cat pee.

UGH!!

NOT how I wanted to start my day!!
Looks as if I'm going to have to take one of the cats to the vet.
By process of elimination, I think it's going to be Helen.
She has been behaving oddly of late. I should have taken it as a clue when she pooped on my big cloth insulated grocery bag. How she ever got her hindquarters high enough to get poop on the handle, I'll never know.
HELEN

Anywho -
I ordered my birthday pizza just now. Since they don't deliver to our neck of the woods, I'll dispatch the spousal unit to go pick it up later on today just before suppertime.
MMMM Ultimate Pepperoni!!!
Yes, once a year, I will eat pepperoni even though normally I do not ingest dead animals!

Just because it's my birthday doesn't mean I can abandon the chores . I had my day all planned out but that cat pee episode meant some rearrangement to the plans. Now I have a vet appointment at 11:45 so there's not enough time to get the laundry done before that. FYI: I have to go to town to wash clothes because I don't have a washer and dryer in the house. So....

I've got about two hours to do whatever I want. Hmmm....I think I hear my bead board calling...

For anyone who's interested:
There's FREE SHIPPING today at http://adagiobeadcrafters.com/
It may be my birthday, but the treat is for you!

A new necklace and an old pain

2009-03-11T19:36:00.004-04:00

Well let's see: today we have some good news

and some not so good news.

Let's go with the good news first, shall we?

I finally made something from some of the beads sent to me by my dear friend Ryk. They were so adorable, I just had to wait until the right design presented itself.

At last, these little darlings have taken their place beside firepolished Czech glass beads, celestial crystal glass cubes and several other types of beads in what I think is a rather stylish necklace. What do you think?

In other, less pleasant news, went back for my follow-up visit to the P.A. today. Told her the Elavil is working well and I'm sleeping blissfully at night...but still have this unpleasant and severely annoying discomfort up under my ribs.
This has been going on for lo, these many, many months and I am truly OVER IT, so to speak.
I've been through several physicians on this problem and no one can figure out what the deal is so I thought I'd try someone new.
She's not a doctor, actually, she's a Physician's Assistant.

Last time I was there, she gave me some meds for I dunno, acid stomach or some such nonsense. That's not the problem, sweetheart.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think she's quite capable, really. Perhaps I didn't explain it properly. I understand why she's reluctant to make any certain diagnosis until she knows for sure but geez, I HATE not knowing, you know?

SIGH

Anyway, she's ordered a cat scan because as she said, she can't really tell me what's wrong until she gets a look at my insides Okay.

A cat scan. Oh, joy!

And guess what? It's going to cost about $600! What fun!

And I have no health insurance.

*laughs hysterically*

Sunday afternoon musings

2009-03-08T14:41:00.005-04:00

It's beginning to look a little bit like Spring at my etsy shop. I was quite delighted when I posted my beachy necklace that I had seven hits within 2 minutes of posting. Wow! Now if I could just get some buyers instead of so many browsers.

Spent a good bit of time this afternoon straightening up the beading area. It has needed it for a very long time but as is my usual mode, I kept procrastinating. But today, I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves and got busy. I'm quite pleased with the results!

Click on pix to enlarge

If you look closely, taped to the windowsill just under my Hotei or smiling Buddha, you'll see my affirmations that I typed out and posted above the desk. I keep forgetting to read them, though. haha

On the wall directly above the desk is the poster I made as a source of motivation. It has pix of me at my first three major events - grinning broadly as I sell my wares.

I've got a beading magazine open to a design I want to make. See that little three-drawer cabinet to the right of the desk? The top drawer is filled with bags of beads that have yet to be sorted along with baggies of projects yet to be completed.

I went through all my beads and the majority of my plastic organizer boxes and labeled almost everything. Yes, I know - - there are still quite a few boxes without labels. I'll get to it. Really, I will. Soon as I finish my little cyber break, I promise.

I was reading an online article just now that posed the question:
"What keeps you from beading?"

hahahahahahaha

Uh, that would be life in general: my job--which I LOVE and am blessed to have,
my demanding cats, housework, errands, a husband who wants meals when he's hungry -- you know, the usual stuff.

So let me ask you -- What keeps you from beading? (or doing whatever your particular passion is?)