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

Fear

There are only a few things that bring with them that all encompassing feeling of fear.  Last night I came face to face with one of those things again. At this exact moment in time, it seems somewhat silly to have been as fearful as I was last night.

My family is my everything.  Those of you who have been following my blog or are facebook friends with me, know this already.  The most central point of my everything is my husband.  I know that it seems corny and cliche to say things like 'he completes me' or 'he is my everything' or 'he is the yin to my yang' (yeah I do say that all the time!)  There will be some of you who feel the same way about your spouse or significant other, and others who may not understand the depth of these feelings because you haven't yet met 'the one'.

In the emergency room, with my husband Thursday, I was full of fear.  The words 'emergency surgery' are scary words.  An unlikely word - Iodine - may not seem like a scary word to some, but with a husband who is allergic, 'CT with contrast' is just as scary as all the others words spoken to me that night.

I tried to explain, but my words seemed to be falling on deaf ears.. They took him .. away .. when is he coming back?  was everything going to be ok? I will be all alone.. A piece of me will be missing.. Please bring him back to me.   These words were spoken by me that night when he was taken for the CT and again when he was taken for surgery.  The last 24 hours have been filled with fear.

Without knowing all of my husband's extensive medical history, it may seem (to some) that I was overreacting.  Appendectomies are done all the time.. routine surgery.. minimal complications, etc etc.. But for someone, like my husband, who has never been able to have a 'routine surgery' in his life these words are less than comforting.

I was scared, terrified... crying, praying... scared, scared, scared.  He is the center of my life.. He holds me together.. he gives me solid ground... he completes all of the missing parts of me to make me whole... he is my husband... he is my children's father.. he is everything ..

Those awful minutes and hours of fear still haunt me.. I cry .. the kids don't understand..  So I hide it as if it is something to be ashamed of..trying not to scare the kids ..

Now it is ok.. he is home.. he is ok.. I can breathe again.. Today all those fears are relieved.. he is better.. he is going to be ok.. My life is settling back into its normal rhythm... He is home..

You are all so wonderful to listen while I vent and put my fear into words.. to share with all of you the fear.. letting me release it ... through writing, talking, sharing

Much love,
Shell

Reveal Day!

Just wanted to update all of you my wonderful readers with some important dates.  Today is the reveal day for a couple of goings on in the bead world.

Today is the reveal for Michelle Mach's Secret Snowflake Challenge.  Although I didn't participate in the challenge this time, the reveal pieces are inspiring and beautiful.  Here is the list of participants.  Check them out to see all the different creations using this kit.  Each artist has her own ideas of how to use these beautiful components.

Today is also the reveal day for the Bead Soup Blog Party participant's list.  I know that I will be on the edge of my seat all day today waiting for the reveal - wondering if I was lucky enough to be included in this round.  Lori Anderson is such an amazing artist, mother and business woman.  If you don't already, you need to be reading her blog Pretty Things.  It takes an impressive amount of time to randomize all of the participants, then to pair up the lucky 200 chosen jewelry artists.  

Good Luck to everyone who has entered!  AND don't forget to take a look at all of the wonderful creations in Michelle's challenge.

Much Love, 

Shell