Brrr...

It's strange how sometimes I have to force myself to do things I actually love doing. I finally got myself out to the garage to make more beads today. There was snow on the ground, so I layered up and got to work.

I only got about seven beads made before my fingers, toes, and ears were numb, but it felt good to get back to it.

Pictures coming in a couple of days.

Christmas Vacation?

Just a quick post to let you know that I have nothing to post.

I hadn't planned to take the month of December off, but it seems that's what I've done. Between family birthdays, a new birth in the family (my niece), and Christmas festivities and preparations I haven't found the time to make new beads. Besides, it's been cold, and it's hard to get excited about freezing my butt off in the garage.

There will be more to come, though.

Thankful for Heat

The electrician has come and gone. I paid $250 to teach the electrician that a melting outlet can indeed smell "fishy". He had never encountered such a thing, but now he has something new for which he can look or sniff when troubleshooting. I think he should have paid me for the education, but I'm just happy the problem is fixed and didn't require tearing up any walls. In fact, I am truly thankful. Now we can be warm again.

Here's today's set of beads...

Happy Thanksgiving to you all tomorrow!

Show and Tell

Between the holiday crunch I'm feeling (already!) and life's little challenges (I have to call an electrician today because I'm pretty sure we have wires melting in our wall. Ack!) I've been getting a few beads and pieces of jewelry made. I've had a few commissions for pieces come in all at once, and that's exciting, but now I really need to get to work.

Here are a couple of sets I've made recently:



And a pair of earrings I made:


I'm working on a necklace to match.

I still need to experiment with photography techniques. I'm looking at a couple of setups on eBay for this. For example, photographing earrings laying down is probably not the best presentation. These earrings are so dainty and sparkly in person, but that just doesn't come across in the photo. Better lighting may help.

Off to work!

Another Kind of Treasure, Arrrr!

It's a bit rustic looking, but then isn't that the way you'd expect a wooden treasure box that's been buried to look?



We're having a slumber party here for my (now) nine year old girly girl, who happens to also like pirates, and this cake is my latest artistic endeavor.

(Thanks for the help, Mom!)

Beads Interrupted

I have no new pictures to share, I spent my torch day in bed. I could post pictures of what happens to a house when Mom is sick, but let's be honest, no one really wants to see that, do they? I know I wish I hadn't.

I was tempted to go make a few beads yesterday because I have a few ideas for more bracelets I want to make floating around in my head, but somehow the combination of sneezing, hacking up a lung, and hot molten glass seemed like a really bad idea.

I think I'm on the mend now. We've had the flu sweep through our house, and I was its last victim. The trick-or-treating will not be canceled tomorrow, and for that my children are grateful. I'm grateful too because I think I can use my weakened state as an excuse to make my husband take them out begging for candy.