Where I am

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Hubby had to work all week, so we will be celebrating ours today! I can't wait for that turkey smell filling  the house! Need a child or two to get up to help. Still can't lift. We are all excited. The Redskins play at 1:00 pm, we will be watching and eating our meal! Sounds pretty perfect to me, low key and fun.

I have been so torn about the holidays, my Etsy and Artfire stores, hosting a trunk show, and creating more pieces. It has taken time and much thought but I have decided that it is OK for me not to have a trunk show, OK for me to not stress about my Etsy and Artfire shops, and OK to let the muse rest. I have felt so very guilty about these decisions. The weight has been heavy. I am trying to get things moving with my business, slow tho it may be.  And my trunk show generates a fair amount of our Christmas money.  I have  given myself permission to let it go. I need to focus on healing and focus on my family.  It is ok for me not to "do it all".  Why do I have to give myself permission? Silly question, huh? 

I have just installed Google Analytics for my blog, hope to be able to track "stuff", want to be able to track my Etsy also (anyone have suggestions?) I will do it when time allows.  I will create when my muse is ready and not forced to. I will like this. This is supposed to be fun, yes?  Creating is a peaceful thing for me. 

So, that is where I am. Feels good to get it out there and say it. It is OK. :)  Well, I am off to get my turkey stuffed and in the oven, make green beans, mashed potatos, and sweet potatos. Hope I haven't forgotten anything! 

GO SKINS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be thankful for - family, my husband, friends, our health, jobs, a home! So very much. My heart is so full right now.

Thank you all also, for reading my blog, supporting my creativeness (ups, downs, mistakes), for listening when I needed an ear!

My blog has turned into such a fun spot for me, hopefully for you also! :) Thank you for that.

I hope you all have a wonderful day, doing whatever it is you do. May your travels be safe, may your meals be filled with love and good food. May your hearts be content!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rings & Things ~ October Challenge (picture heavy!)

Ok, Here they are! I received some glass tiles and bezels in a few sizes along with bails. I had a blast!

Some fun pendants. My favorite is the numbers tile! Love that. My other love is the pin up girl with the yellow background, however, I managed to glue her on the wrong side!

Now, the bracelets are not part of the challenge, but since I was playing with resin......these are my Chipotle bracelets. I did learn the importance of making sure that your paper is THOROUGHLY glued down. You can see what I am talking about. Oh well, I love them and am wearing them!

Some of the bezels.

The tile necklaces.

Below is a picture of the bezels as they were curing.  The blue square is one of my favorites, but as the resin was on the older side, it didn't set totally and is tacky? Why did some set fine and this one not (my fav!) Also, learned that when you put sparklies in resin (far left Chrismasy one) you  lose all sense of the faceting. Looks flat. :(  I was psyched for this one and it is so-so.

Enjoy!

Erin's Challenge of Color!

Erin of Treasures Found :: Inspiration is Everywhere is hosting a Challenge of Color. Each person got send a series of paint chip samples and were challenged to create a piece following the colors. My colors are below!

Here are my colors. I also challenged my self one step further - I had to use beads that I had, couldn't purchase anything! Not sure which was harder! :)  But, I had huge success and can't wait to share.

I am back, sort of

Hi! I am back, sort of. I had back surgery on the 16th which was very successful.  I had a herniated disc between L4 and L5. This was the second time, last time was 14 years ago, surgery also. I had been living with a fair amount of pain - taking a pretty steady dose of meds for the past three months. So, surgery was a must. And successful it was. My doc explained it like this ~ it is like peeling bubblegum off of a ballon with out popping the balloon. It's off and nothing popped. And, no pain. I mean there is surgical pain, more like stiffness and soreness, but no pain. I have taken myself off of meds except for the occasional Advil and while I feel terrible right now, I feel better. Hope that makes sense.

Hubby took a few days off to be here with my, my amazing friends at work brought home made meals over each night (dessert included) They are so amazing and eating food prepared with love is the best. Saying thank you to them seems like not enough. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. When hubby heard that dinners were coming, you could see the stress leave him (he was unaware that he was stressed) He didn't need to worry about that! The kids have been great - thank you all.

I am sitting up more and more each day. Walking is still the best thing ever. Walked yesterday and today for approx. 30 minutes each day. I have been able to bead a bit - hope to get pictures up soon. I know that I am better because I am bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Tired of the big blue chair and the house.

Hubby has to work over Thanksgiving (the 3-11 shift) which is bad and good. It means that I don't feel bad for sitting around and not cooking. We will do our Thanksgiving next Sunday when he is home. It's more about the meal and family than the day.  This week will be a slow and quiet week. I am working on being good. Will try to head to the office for a few hours each day. I know!  But, I have been out almost a week and don't even want to think of what my desk looks like. Like I said, sitting is ok and that is all I will do. Hey, getting outside the house sounds amazing right now. It will only be on Mon. and Tues. and then I am off for the break.  Quiet is good. Beading will be a must if I can find my desk.......

Well, that is it from here for now. I'll be back with photos soon.

I. Can't. Wait.

Bead Soup Blog Party

Coming in January

Please go to Lori Anderson's blog

Pretty Things

And check it out!

Lusciousness!

Julsbeads!

She is giving away some of  her wonderfulness.

All you have to do is leave a comment to be entered. Go. Do it!

Beautiful fall day ~ yesterday's walk

It was absolutely beautiful!

Enjoy.

Bead Soup party - Jewelry Swap!

Lori Anderson hosted a swap of sorts. Folks swapped a piece of jewelry that wasn't selling or not working.  I didn't participate in this, too much going on. Please check out what folks created - should be amazing! Pictures should be up on the 15th!

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com

Jen Velasquez http://jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

Johanna Rhodes http://firephoenixcreations.blogspot.com

Laurel Steven http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com

Loretta Carstensen http://www.designsbyloretta.blogspot.com

Lori Anderson http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com

Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com

Marianna Boylan http://www.stargirlshop.blogspot.com

Norma Turvey http://www.bead dreams and moonlitfantaseas

Sharon Misuraco http://goinoffthebeadinpath.blogspot.com

Stacey Curry http://starhitchedwagon.blogspot.com

Tyne Bodenburg http://www. tynebodennecklaces.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

My message from the Universe this morning ~

How do they know? 

Deliberate living is very cool, Courtney, but so is deliberate resting.

Chill,

    The Universe

This advice will be heeded this weekend in our house!!!!!

(Sometimes I am taken aback by the timeliness of these messages)

Tools, metal punches, ring things, metal stamps

I got tools! I have saved my pennies and ordered a bunch of stuff from Rings & Things and Fire Mountain Gems - got the package from Rings & Things and am awaiting Fire Mountain Gems. I am so psyched. I got some brass sheet, copper sheet, metal stamps, blanks and have my  disc punches on the way. Oh, to play with metal. :)  I opened my metal stamps last night and cleaned the goop off of them (ok, my son cleaned them while I made dinner...) He sorted them out and tried to put them in order. Turns out that I have two "s" stamps and no "a" stamp - I can't "dream" or "create" but I can "wish"! :) I called and Rings & Things laughed at me and are sending me my "a" stamp! Wonderful customer service. Hopefully I can play this weekend and will be able to share with you!  We are planning a quiet, pj wearing, comfort food eatin' weekend in the house. So much is going on, we are looking for down time. Good news - Taylor loves his new school. Yeah! Makes my heart happy. Said that he doesn't know why he was so nervous! Music to my ears.

I made an ArtFire Treasury!

My necklace is first!

I Love My Buddha

  Curated By: funkyluke

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Fun!

My nieces!

Rings & Things ~ October Challenge

Yeah! My name got picked and Dave at Rings & Things sent me my challenge package. It contains some of their new products, glass bezels and tiles in several shapes and sizes. They also sent backing things (at a loss for words). I have been pondering what exactly to make. I have some ideas floating around and plan on spending next weekend playing with resin! :) I love resin.

Thank you Dave! I am so psyched.

update to yesterday

Sick kid - not mono or strep, just a virus....

Trying to get transfer paper work completed, phoned current school and was told 

"the woman who dues that idnt in" - really?

Husband - still crazy hours and STRESSED

But - there is no rain, we "fall back" this weekend, I have my wonderful nieces tonight (2 and 5) and all day tomorrow and it is Friday!

I.Can.Do.This!  :)

Ugh

Sick kid, school transfer paperwork to be done, blood work needs to be done for surgery, hubby working crazy hours and it's raining..............blech. Can I go back to bed?

A fun challenge!

Erin at Treasures Found is hosting a fun color challenge. I have asked her to send me my colors, not chosing them. Hoping that they present a stretch for me. Oh, can't wait. She has been very supportive and had some wonderful words when I needed them. Thank you!

Please go on over and check it out - should be great fun!

Halloween pictures, as promised

Here we are, kids, adults, food and all!

Sugar Plum Fairy - yes there is glitter on every makeup brush I own!

Rambo!

Woody and Rambo

Woody and Jessie!

It's a seafood cheese ball! For some reason, not many folks ate it.

We had a blast! I hope your Halloween was a fun one.