Christmas jewelry

Tis the season to stock up my etsy site for the holidays.  Here are some christmas earrings I just listed.  They are available here

A very good day

Today I got a call from a company wanting me to do a custom scrapbook.  It’s great since I love doing them and need the money but I have another big one I’m working on so time is going to be tight.  I am dying to talk to the woman and figure out who gave her my name.  She said that she got it from someone at Sam Flax but I didn’t think to ask details.  I think the Gods are at work here because I was just shopping at Sam Flax today.  Also, I don’t have any connections at Sam Flax so I have no idea who could have passed the business my way–not that I’m complaining.

I had a wonderful lunch with some good friends and hubby then came home to a package from Bead Trends Magazine.   One of my jewelry sets made page 100!  I’ve had lots of scrapbooking stuff published but this is a first for my jewelry!  Here’s the pages.  Sorry for the horrible pic.

Finally to top off my pretty awesome day, I found at that my good friend Zanne who just got layed off on thursday found a rockin’ contract job alread.  I made her this card as a picker upper for being layed off but it turns out it’s a congrats card.  Good thing I made it versatile, huh?  I picked up the stamps and fun scalloped card on my trip to Sam Flax today.  it screamed out Zanne so I had to pick it up.

wordless wednesday

My latest creation and random thoughts

I got these wonderful unakite beads awhile ago.  I finally sit down and played with them.  I love how they cherry quartz pulls out the pinks in the unakite.  As always, you can find this piece on my etsy site.  I am working on a matching bracelet and earrings.

I’ve been so busy with school lately that I feel like my recent blog posts have been short on any real substance.   Soooo I feel the need to unburden myself with whatever comes into the mass of mush I call a brain.  Anyway, money has been on my mind alot lately.  Neil and I make a whole lot more than we did when we were first married but it seems like we still struggle.  We are pretty much living the same way, just with bigger stuff (and a maid).  It seems like I’m always waiting to buy something I really want/need and there’s always something I don’t really want/need that the money has to go to instead.  For example, I “need” a mac for school.  I know I just got this very cool top of the line Dell a year ago but how was I (see description of my brain above) to know that I would have a raging need to get a degree in graphic arts?  I know I could just muddle through with the school computers and make my pc work but why should I have to.  Isn’t the point of going back to school when you are all grown being able to spend a few extra bucks for comfort and ease?  Anyway, i was already to break down and buy the damn mac when our air conditioner went kaput.  Now all my florida buds know that air is not a want but a need.  No matter that I grew up in Miami with no air.  Just because it sucked then doesn’t mean I have to choose to live in a sauna.  So, a cracked air pan and $800 later I’m thinking a laptop may not be in the cards.  Although we were going to have to charge it anyway, what’s another $1200 on top of the $800 air conditioner bill.  Damn my little burst of conscience that keeps telling me that we worked hard to get out of debt.  I want that damn computer and the $600 worth of software that I also “need”.  So basically what I’m trying to say with my wordy rambling is that wants and needs are relative.  Or maybe I’m trying to figure out why I have to be so careful with $ when hubby is pulling down six figures?  either way, I think I’m geting the mac.

Just reread my post and I sure sound like a spoiled bitch, don’t i?  Doesn’t make my points any less valid

Great email day!

Today when i opened up my email I had some happy surprises.  My long time childhood buddy Jessie and her husband welcomed baby Sophia into the world at 8:30 last night.  Isn’t Sophia a beautiful name?  Both Jessie and Eddy are gorgeous so this baby has got to be stunning.  Can’t wait to meet her.  She’s a sweet little peanut at 6lbs 14 oz and 19 3/4 inches.

The other wonderful email was from Bead Trends magazine.  They want to feature one of my jewelry creations in their Feb issue!  Yay!  I have a necklace, bracelet and earring set coming out in their nov/dec issue also.  Lately my scrapbook layouts are getting no publishing love so it’s nice that there’s some interest in my jewelry.

On a different note, Madison seems so grown up since she started school.  All of a sudden she’s taking an interest in her appearance.  I used to have to remind he 1 million times a day to brush her hair.  Now she’s Ms.  Fahionista.  It’s sweet to watch her blossoming.  We went out to dinner last night at a thai/sushi restaurant.  She decided that now she is “into trying new things” so she ate california rolls, coconut soup and spring rolls.   Loved them all!  this from the child who eats about 6 bites a day.  tyler on the other hand has decided he doesn’t like anything that’s not white or fried……crazy kids!

The kids are settling in to school.  Madison grudgingly but Tyler has taken to first grade like a starving man.  Last night he not only finished his homework but he gave himself additional handwriting homework.  He couldn’t wait to bring it in to show his teacher.  My kids are complete opposites!

I want. IKEA. Expedit.

Lat week we went to IKEA to get another desk for my office.  60 inches of desk space is just not enough.  I was all set to get a matching desk when this little number caught my eye.  It combines the expedit shelvins with overhead cabinets and a large cabinet on the side.  Since I’m trying to be less impulsive I just snapped a pic and decided to go home and reassess my space.  I’m still not 100% convinced.  If I go with this system I’ll have to completely rearrange my wall storage and find a new home for my new homemade clip it ups.

Here’s what I have now.

Art vs. Design

Today I had my first drawing class–I went into it with great trepidation…ie scared as shit.  Design (my other class) I’m not afraid of.  I design all the time.  Jewelry making, scrapbooking they are all about design.  Drawing is an entirely different beast.  It’s real “ART”.  It involves skill and talent.  Getting your hand to represent what you see in front of you.  I’ve never been able to do that well.  In fact, my eight year old daughter draws faces better than I do.  I have no idea how to shade to show contrast and depth.   All my dimensional drawings come out looking flat.  To even call them drawings is to give me too much credit. 

When I walked into that studio today everything terrified me…the big platform in the middle of the room,  the stainless steel easels, the stools.   But along with a fear was a certain excitement.  I’ve never had a problem learning anything I really wanted to do.  I really want to be able to draw.  I am looking forward to starting my first clumsy attempts, embarrassing as they may be, just to see myself improve.  So I took a deep breath and grabbed a stool, and sat in front of an easel and listened.  I can do this.  I can train my brain to really “see” what’s in front of me and to represent it on paper.  I will become an artist…

I am working on really seeing things and somehow my cheapy little camera helps.  Here are some things I “saw” today.

Ok, now back to my regularly scheduled blog.  Here’s a necklace I got done last night.  I am also going to make a matchinng bracelet and earrings.

Sunday sketch challenge 08.24.08 and last weeks winner

Here’s this weeks sketch.  You have until next sunday morning to complete it.  I will choose a winner at random to receive a RAK from me.

Here’s what I di with it using scenic route papers.

Now for last weeks winner.  Thanks to everyone who took the challenge.  I put al the names in a bowl and had Tyler pick one.  the name he chose was JulieP!  Conggrats.  Here’s her winning layout

You can see this layout and more of Julie’s stuff at Playground of Memories

**Ok, so I’m a retard.  That’s Deanna’s layout but Julie’s name was chosen.  So they both win!  Yeah!  Here’s Julie’s layout

I also have somemore jewlery to share.

New jewelry designs & 2peas blog challege

I am trying to get my etsy shop stocked up for the holidays so I’ve been frantically beading lately.  I was up until 2 am working on these.  Luckily I woke up this morning to a bright sunny day.  After all the tropical storm nonsense I felt like I was crawlingout of a deep, dark cave.  Of course, it’s raining now.

This pendants was made with Smokey quartz and jade on a sterling silver chandelier

Rose quartz and freshwater pearls with some crystals and bali silver mixed in for fun

ocean jasper

Golden shadow swarovski crystal component with freshwater pearl dangles

 2peas saturday blog challenge-What is something that people don’t know about you?  This question would have been alot easier to answer before I started blogging.  Now I sometimes think that everyone knows everything.  Let’s see, people don’t know that i was a shy child.  At some point I decided to force myself to be outgoing.  Now I’m seen as an outgoing, confident person but deep down inside I’m still that shy little girl playing a role.

A few things

1.  I just stumbled across this really cool blog Lucy Jewelry.  Lots of information about jewelry.  this chick must love her some jewelry!

2.  So i was craving a hot fudge sunday from McD’s tonight. I’m not going to lie, I don’t usually deny myself when I really want something.  So I drag my butt out in a torrential post tropical storm monsoon almost getting in three auto accidents in the process. But hey, a craving is a craving, right?  So I get there and the pimply 12 year old in the drive thru informs me “we have already turned off the ice cream machine”!  WTF?!?!?  You have got to be kidding me!  I could have driven around town looking for a sundae but I really believe in karma and the universe just didn’t want me to have that ice cream.  So I went home and rigged a shake using a 2 year old weight watchers fudgesicle, candy left over from halloween (it may have been from 2 halloweens ago) and some creme brulee coffee creamer.  It actually wasn’t half bad but it was no McD’s hot fudge sunday.  I’m sure there’s some deep lesson in this but the great meaning appears to have escaped me.

3.  Why is it pouring down rain and windy as the bathroom in a bean factory.  the dang storm has long since passed and we are having the worst weather yet.  I am so over it.  Listen Fay…just stop ruining my plans!