How pretty is this?

Just had to pop in and share.

A while back I did a trade -my beads for some findings (which I still haven't had time to use) - with a beady friend, Dhea Powers. She sent me a pic last night of what she made with them and it really turned out beautifully.

Mine are the leaves. I love those acorns, though. I'm not sure if she made them or if they were from someone else.


Of course, her work is always gorgeous. She also makes the most amazing boro beads. Here's a link to her Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=103579

Too much to do!

So, I haven't posted in forever. Not because I don't have anything to say; I have too much going on. No time. Must have rest.

Must interject. Am accidentally watching a movie with Kim Basinger in it while I write this. How the hell does that woman get hired to be an actress. She is so crap! If I was as bad as her at what I did for a living, I swear I'd go on welfare.

Seriously, I feel like I haven't had real sleep in days and there's just more of the same ahead.The kids are too busy. I'm too busy. We're all run ragged. I've had so much going on that when my friend asked me what I did over the weekend, I honestly couldn't think. I know I did a million things, but I could barely sort it out in my head.

So here goes:

I've made about 200 beads, photographed them all, edited the pictures and started listing again.

I've been camping. Again.

I've Christmas shopped.

I've birthday party shopped.

I've been to a birthday party.

I have constructed a butterfly habitat and assisted in the metamorphosis of 6 Monarch butterflies.

I've volunteered at school 5 of the last 10 days.

I've been to 2 soccer practices and 2 soccer games.

I've been to 4 swimming practices and a swim meet.

I've hosted the Den meeting for Cub Scouts.

I've chaperoned yet another field trip.

I've have done all of the fall cleaning, trimming and landscaping for the entire yard. It's an acre of manicured veggie, tropical and perennial garden.

I've been to a Cheetah Girls concert. (Isn't that enough, for the love of God!)

I've cleaned my carpets.

I've purchased and begun to prepare food for a party of 50.

I cleaned my entire house in preparation for the party. (And I'm talking 'Party Clean' not 'Family Clean'!)

I made my son's Halloween costume.

I made my son's 'Hoe Down' costume. I had to do this because the school thinks Halloween is offensive and won't allow it to be recognized so they have an alternative party. How queer is this?

I made my daughter's Halloween costume.

I am on a diet.

I have lost 7 pounds.

I have lost my mind.

Oh yeah, and I still did all the rest of the stuff that needs to get done on a daily basis to keep this machine I call a family running.

I am so tired that I can no longer sleep.

I made these beads.

They are for sale.

There will be more soon.
Seriously, lots more. I'm looking at, like, 7 more focals and three more sets right here on my desk. I'm just too tired to finish editing them.

~Siren Song~

(This is, perhaps, the most beautiful bead I've ever made)

~Spice Island~

~Candy Land~~He Said~ (Yes, there is a She Said)
~Serenity~~Silver Tiger~

~Silver Tiger Focal~

The Monarchs are here!

I love this time of year. We have butterflies just about all year round, but none seem as friendly and as accesible as the beautiful Monarchs. We're lucky because they winter here in Florida, so we get the chance to watch them, from egg to adult. Over the last week, they've decimated my milkweek and, just today, I noticed that all but a few have vanished. They're off to build their chrysalis'. It won't be long now!

Here's a shot of one of the big, velvety caterpillars.

Speaking of cocoons, does anyone know what creature this one belongs to? I found it in the yard and it's incredibly cool looking. Almost like a little fairy house. It probably has some enormous, disgusting creature in it. Ewe!


Oh, I also went on the "Mud Walk" with my daughter's class. Apparently, it's a 5th grade field trip tradition around here and the kids look forward to it for years. I, not being from around here, was not aware of exactly what it entailed.

Well, now I know.

Basically, you hike a mile or so out into the hammock and then proceed to hike some more miles (probably only 1 mile, but it definitely felt plural) through the flooded low lands. I'm not kidding you, that mud and water was almost waist deep in some places. And the smell! It smelled like a cow farm.

Seriously.

And the water is all murky and brown and you're in the middle of nowhere and you know there are alligators and water mocassins out there...somewhere. It was creepy and stinky and pretty exhausting, but it was also fun.

I mean, how many times as an adult do you go out and play in the mud all day? The teacher had her disposable waterproof camera so, as soon as she processes them, I'll post some pictures.I've relisted ~Coffee & Donuts~ on eBay and that's all I have for right now. I have a bunch of new beads but I've been too busy doing yard work to photograph them. I'm going to try to do it tomorrow.

Half full, half empty

HALF EMPTY

Are you all sick of hearing about the financial crisis? I am. And you know what else? The more the media hunts it down and leaps on it and rips the story to shreds and gloats about it, the worse it's going to get.

Remember that old song, "Dirty Laundry"? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

The 'Financial Crisis' is the new Brittney Spears. Watch our economic structure self-destruct, right before our eyes.

HALF FULL

Wow! What a fabulous morning at the torch I had. I've been so busy and preoccupied, filling custom orders and running kids around and chaperoning events and trying not to lose our life's savings while the banking executives take off to the spa on our coin that I've really felt sort of out of the groove lately.

Not like a few weeks ago, when I was so discouraged. Just....like... wanting to get to the torch but not having anything to 'say' when I got there.

Do you know what I mean?

But today I had a birthday gift to make for my 'niece' and a couple of fun orders to fill and a technique I wanted to try so I had to get the creative hat on and it was worth it.

I may be jumping the gun but, if it comes out of the kiln looking as fabulous as it did going in, I just made a gorgeous bead. Maybe my favorite ever.

I might even keep this one!!!!!

I got some amazing reaction from Double Helix's Luna 2, which is my favorite silver glass. The problem is, as always with silver glass, it's been inconsistent. The first batch I bought was awesome, my second batch of it sucked, my third batch was just so-so. But, when it works, it's fantastically beautiful.

Today it worked.

Oh, and I have this set of Painted Ladies listed. I like it because it's very Autumny.

~Fall in Wonderland~

Camping with the Boys

My son joined the Cub Scouts about a week ago and so had to immediately go on their campout this weekend. Now, it's been a long time since I've camped in a tent. We have a travel trailer and I have to admit to being a little spoiled.

But it was actually fun. So many kids! Unlike the Girl Scouts, when the boys go camping, they bring the whole family. Both of my kids had a blast and can't wait to do it again. Strangely, neither can I.

I didn't get much work done this week, but I did have time to list a couple of new focals on eBay. This is one of my favorites.

~Juliette's Regret~

I also really like this one. It has gorgeous, unique color.

~Girly Swirl~

I've also got some new items on Etsy. A few for Halloween.

Are you Tuff Enough to Wear Pink?

Welcome to Pink October!

This month I, along with my fellow LEST Team members, will be participating in Pink October on Etsy.

Just search tags and/or descriptions for 'LEST Team Tuff Enough' and find all the beautiful items our group is offering, with a percentage of the profits to go toward a foundation of the artist's choice in the fight against breast cancer.

As for me, 100% of the profits from my 'Tuff Enough' tagged items will be donated to Susan G. Komen For the Cure.

Let's fight this together!

Here's a preview of some of my items that are eligible.