I've done it...

Well, I have taken the big step, which was very nerve wracking to do, but I have done it....my Etsy shop is now open for business. I'm still trying to figure out how to add the slide show to my blog but for now it's just the Etsy Shop link. I'm flying by the seat of my pants and hope all works out and is done right.  Comments back would be most welcome. I have a limited number of items in my store but will continue to add as the days go on. Who knew this would be such a huge learning curve.

I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful blog friends, and this week I have enjoyed so many of my blog friends posts - Lori shared her story of when she first knew true love and I felt special to be  included in the reveal of her excellent story. Keep writing Lori, you do it well. Sarah shared her way of coping and prioritizing - I always take away so much good advice from her and count myself lucky to be her blog friend. Ginger my BSBP is sharing her experiences in Okinawa, I call them my mini blog-cations. I am so excited that Ginger is my partner, I think we are kindred spirits and share a lot in common. My list could go on and on,  but suffice it to say that I appreciate all my very talented blog friends.

My baby moved out today and I'm not sure I'm prepared for that even though she is 24 and ready to be on her own..the empty nest syndrome has hit me hard but at least I have my fur babies.....

Fur Baby #1 - Rockstar

Fur Baby #2 - MoJo

oh, and  my beading.....I have a couple of pieces I am dying to show, but must wait for reveal days so I thought I would share two bracelets I just finished instead. "Dottie" evokes happiness, and  "A whole lot of Bling" evokes just that. Both pieces succeeded in lifting my spirits and were fun to make.

oh happy weekend....

What a great weekend, not only was it my beloveds birthday (celebrations were in order) but I also found out who my BSBP partner is. I now have a new, wonderful friend that I am excited to get to know. This is going to be so much fun.

Because it was Mr. Wonderful's birthday I banned all house work (yeah for me), yard work (he did sneak some in), and anything that had the word "work" in it. It was an absolute wonderful weekend. We had a big family birthday dinner complete with a delicious birthday cake and then just did fun stuff for the rest of the weekend.

Our garden is looking good, a bit overgrown because we have had so much rain, but I always say better green than white. I love the peonies in our yard and these beauties begged to be photographed.  Much to my surprise and only noticed later,  I had captured the cutest little ladybug. I'm sure that must mean good luck or at least good photography!

Perfect Pink Peonies

Little Lady Bug

I also had a bit of beading time and finished a free form peyote weave bracelet. I had purchased a small tube of mixed seed beads in various sizes and thought it would be perfect for free form. Had just enough! I think I will be going to purchase more of these little mixes! Some very exciting news for me is that the bead store (the one with the mixes) that I frequent is moving....moving very close to me! Exciting and very dangerous.

Lava

..getting closer, but not there yet...

 I have been busy trying to get an Etsy store going. I don't know why it's taking me so long, I think I have a block. But I have given myself to the end of June (yikes that's getting close) to have a least one item listed and my Etsy store up and running. I mean how hard can it be.....there are many, many Etsy stores already and the sales are in the millions and most of my blog friends have a store.  Maybe I am afraid of not making any sales or...... maybe I am afraid of making sales! Whatever it is I need to just do it.

I don't know if I will put this piece in my Etsy store or not, I have grown quite fond of "Royale". It has a certain feel of richness to it, a feeling of royalty.

Royale

...what to do, what to do....

I finished my Summer Lovin challenge from Amy (http://amybeads.blogspot.com/)but upon further reading discovered the reveal isn't until August 1. I am glad I took a second look at the  instructions, I almost jumped the gun and posted early. I love how the piece turned out and hopefully everyone else will too. My first challenge and it was so much fun, it made me step out of my color comfort zone. Normally I wouldn't pick the colors but I absolutely love the combination, thanks Amy. I will have to wait until August 1 to reveal but I will be wearing it today.

I am excitedly waiting to find out who my partner is in the Bead Soup Blog Hop (http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/). With that in mind I thought I would post a necklace that I strung. I found the jade beads on a trip to the coast and couldn't resist.  I had the perfect focal jade bead in my stash and with the addition of silver accents, and green crystals and the octagonal glass bead I think it turned out well. I made earrings to match and find I often pick this necklace to wear.

Jade Treasure

...in anticipation....

Lori (http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/) suggested that while we wait to find out who are partners are we should kick start the blog hop and write a little about how we started making jewelery. So here goes....

For as long as I can remember I have made jewelery, through the years I have perfected and honed my skills and have found a niche that I am deeply passionate about. I love to create one of a kind bead embroidery pieces and never tire of making these beautiful things. When my girls were in school I made many, many beaded daisy necklaces, one for each exam they had...it was my little good luck charm to them and these little necklaces made an impact (happy to say they always passed their exams). I have now graduated to much more involved pieces and yes my girls have taken to these new pieces as well....funny that.

I have always been involved in art and but for a misfortune in life would have gone to art college and earned my degree in fine arts. Life has a funny way of throwing curve balls so now even though I work in an engineering driven job I find my creative release in making wearable art.

I am fairly new to blogging but have found a place where I can share and receive comments and compliments on the pieces I have made. I feel incredibly lucky that I now have so many wonderful like minded friends.

This is my first bead soup blog hop and I cannot tell you how excited I am.

totally tangled..

Back in the day it was called doodling and I was a master, I doodled in all my school books, I doodled everywhere and now even when I am in a meeting I find myself doodling....only now it's called "Zentangle" http://zentangle.blogspot.ca/....and oh yeah it is addicting. You do go into a zen like trance and just totally relax.  I need to be careful though, eventually someone at work will wonder what I am doing...but because you tangle on a three and one half in square it is easy to conceal!!!

Tangled dragonfly

Tangled up or not I still had time to bead and "Urchin" was created. Fun to make and took no time at all. I thought it looked a bit weird at first but my wonderful sister loved it and thought it was really pretty. I love the color and it is fun to wear.

Urchin

This month I have promised myself that I will get my Etsy store up and running, I am having difficulty picking a store name...I think that is the hardest part, but once I am past that hurdle I think it will be a breeze. Stay tuned.

...I knew I would......

...as I mentioned in my last post, I knew I had to do more free form. It is so much fun and so relaxing. What happens, happens. "Anemone" is for my sister, just because she is my sister and because I believe she would really enjoy wearing this. She understands and encourages my creativity and when I am down on myself she picks me up. She is my friend and confidant, she laughs with me and cries with me and I am thankful for having her in my life.

Anemone

 A beauty from my garden for all to enjoy. Everything is so lush and bright, it just makes life so enjoyable.