Thankful Thursday

I wanted to say a big Thank You to everyone who has been praying and leaving encouraging comments on my blog or messaging me on Facebook.  There really is a community of artists online that support and encourage each other whether the issue is about jewelry or more personal.

I have felt the love and the prayers just lifting me up and clearing my mind.

Much love
Shell

Burdens to Carry

I missed my goal of two blog posts last week, which makes me feel sad and disappointed in myself. 

I would also like to apologize to my readers for my posts recently.  Sometimes life brings me down and I need to just get it out so that I can feel heard or just release it from inside myself. 

There has been so many things that have happened over the course of a week.  I told my friend Friday night that we don't need to watch the Lifetime Movie Network because our lives are enough of a soap opera already.  

I found this photo on Pinterest and it describes one small part of my friendship with my best friend.

Pinterest

Have any of you ever felt that everything was piling on until it felt that you were going to fall under the heavy burden?  That has been how the last couple of weeks has been.  I have felt that there has been such a heavy burden placed on me that it has almost crippled me.  I feel as though of all those involved that I am the only one that is taking the situation to heart.  The only one to be considering consequences and future steps. I have pushed through simply because as a mother and wife I have to push through for the sake of everyone else.  How many of you do the same?  I would so much rather just curl into the fetal position in a dark room and have a good long cry but life moves forward even if I am not ready for it to.

Pinterest

It is during these darkest hours that I try to remember the things that make my life wonderful.  The things that have given me purpose and a reason to move forward. 

Like my boys

and 

Matthew 11:28

and I try to remember that 

Pinterest

and that everyone should

Pinterest

I know that this feeling is only temporary.  These feelings of melancholy are few and far between.  My life is wonderful and more than I could have ever hoped for.  It is these moments that far outweigh those of trouble that I try to focus on. These moments are those that give me fuel for the days that I feel that I just cannot take one more thing.

So I choose to let the burden push me to my knees.. so that I can unburden myself at the feet of the Lord, so that He may give me peace and guidance. So that I may feel Him with me as I continue along my path. And you, my dear readers, I simply ask for encouraging thoughts and prayers for my family.  Difficult decisions lay ahead in the coming months.  

Much love

Shell

A Tower of Jewelry ...

Well actually it's a jewelry tower.  This is the first one that I have created but anticipate creating at least one more for my bead table.  I can't take the credit for this design though... I found it on Show Me Cute, the link included here goes directly to the tutorial. I even used the same basic colors that she used in the tutorial.  For the second one, I will branch out on my own to see what I can do to spice it up a little bit.

This is a great addition to my bead table.  It provides space for my current projects, as well as space for my most used components.  I will be creating another tower soon, as well as another piece that will be home to my tools.

What are you creating? 

Much Love, 

Shell 

Blog Hops and Fog Lights .. Who knew?

I have to keep up with my promise for two posts a week. I was at risk of missing my goal until I realized that today was Saturday - YIKES! 

So first there are two challenges going on.. 

First is the Copper Component Blog Hop hosted by Kristi Bowman.  Participants could choose between two different copper components.

This ammonite one

Or this sea urchin one

You have got to check out Kristi's blog DreamSomeDreams to see the list of participants.  The different designs are all beautiful! 

Another blog hop in the works is the 7000 Bracelets for Hope blog hop co-hosted by Erin at Elysian Studios and Christine from One Kiss Creations.  

This is an amazing opportunity for jewelry artisans across the world to come together to benefit a great cause.  Head on over to either of their blogs to get more details, sign up and to grab yourself a button.  

On a non-jewelry related note, I realized two things

The first - friendships are born in many different ways.  I made a friend this week that I never would have thought of as a friend.  Actually we were kind of frenemies.  This week something clicked and I can see the beginning of a wonderful new friendship blooming.

The second - never underestimate the usefulness of fog lights. I have never used mine before tonight, but to all those skeptics out there.. they really do work!

This week I have learned that amazing things can spring from people and things that have been in front of me for a while.

Much love
Shell

February Already??!!!

I cannot believe that it is February already.... it seems like just yesterday it was January ( bahahaha!!) Ok seriously, January came and went in a blur.  School for me started back up with Business Law .. ugh.. and that is a monumental time user-upper..

So now that I am starting to get over the shock of my husband's surgery, I have realized that for the most part I have neglected my blog, I have neglected reading the blog posts of the blogs that I follow, and I haven't made a single piece of jewelry since before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

So its time to try to fit some me time into my already crazy schedule - which will get crazier with the impending 'senior prom' and the ever popular start of little league baseball.

First I want to reorganize my bead table.. 

I will be making a couple of these (click the link below the pic to see the tutorial)

Terra Cotta Jewelry Stand

To replace this 

Printer's Tray

This will free up some much needed space on my bead table, while having a lovely place to stash my most used components.  Not to worry, I have other plans for this beauty. 

I need to go through my bead stash and decide what I want to keep and what I need to destash.  The beads deserve a home where they will be used and put on display rather than locked tightly away in a drawer.  I am a hoarder.

So I have some goals for the year, but I find it easier to handle them one month at a time. So here are 

My Jewelry Goals for February

Spend at least 10 minutes every day at my bead table

Post to my blog at least 2 times a week

Read and comment on at least 2 blogs that I follow each week

Take a least 2 pictures each week that inspire me

My Personal Goals for February

'Play' on the Kinect 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes each (this is my exercise)

Cook at least 1 meal a week (my husband usually does the cooking, but I feel inspired to try lol)

My Jewelry Goal for the Year

I want my focus this year to be on learning new techniques to create my own handmade focals and components.  I am still working with polymer clay, although I can tell that my interest is slowing dissipating.  I am interested in learning more how to work with metal - etching, stamping, riveting, colorizing, patina.  I think that I may be able to get my husband interested in learning how to create lampwork beads - he always needs something to keep him busy - 'cause me plus fire is not a good combo.

For now.. my goal this weekend is to create two of the cute Terra Cotta Jewelry stands and reorganize my beading area.  I think that the lack of space is keeping my muse away.  And wouldn't you know that the only place with enough room in my house to put my jewelry making goodies is also the place where I feel least inspired.  So I need to fix that up ASAP.

I will include my progress on these as the month progresses.  What are your goals this month? 

Much Love 

Shell