I decided this year to buy my own birthday present. My husband just wouldn't know what to get me since I want to shop only handmade and he's not much of an etsy shopper! So, from the moment I saw these rings, I knew I wanted them, but I didn't think about my birthday at the time and I didn't have the money to just buy myself a gift for no reason, so I let them pass. Well, when I see something like these that I just really love, they stick in my head and sure enough, my birthday got close enough that my husband asked the usual... and I knew right away what to tell him. He, of course, gave me the go ahead, who doesn't like having all the pressure off after all!

I ordered them a little early thinking since they had to be custom made I might have to wait a while. However, I received them really quickly(just in time to show them off at Thanksgiving dinner!) and I was absolutely thrilled when I opened the box! Not only did she take the time to write me a little birthday card, but the rings are just gorgeous! I just love them! One of the reasons I liked these particularly is that they are shiny silver and hammered, rather than brushed silver. And then there are the words "live", "laugh", "love"- something I so need to remember at all times. Life is too short not to remember. Having chronic illnesses and having had a heart attack at 46, I want never to forget to live, laugh and love. And these rings won't let me forget it! All I have to do is look down and admire them and I get a great reminder! Thanks so much to http://www.ablondandatorch.etsy.com/ for this fabulous birthday gift! And, oh yeah, thanks to my dh too!

Here's A Little Boy Who Can't Wait for Christmas!!

While we were trying to put up the Christmas decorations Sammy kept going into one of the containers and pulling out this little stocking! Too cute not to snap a picture!


CHRISTMAS 2008

Weird Stuff Happens!

Ok, so I saw this really cool story about wasps who had built a nest in a Buddhist temple and had built the nest in the shape of a "sitting buddha"! I looked at the picture attached and sure enough it looked like a sitting Buddha to me and I thought how really cool, and before I got carried away with my wonderful self I said... (to myself) Wait a minute! Isn't this just like all the people I call crazy when they see the Virgin Mary in a tree or a bagel or Jesus in a windowpane or whatever? So I looked around the blog a little more and sure enough there was a link attached where you can find all kinds of weird religious news- so in the interest of fairness, here is a link to some wacky religious news stories:
http://weirdnews.about.com/od/artisticendeavors/tp/Signs-of-God.htm

The wasps, I think that was something special!!

I just found this quote on an email sent to me. The email had nothing to do with the quote and I have no idea who wrote this, but I would love to know. Anyone have an idea or know where to look it up? Please leave me your comments if you do.



"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man." St Francis Of Assisi

A friend just emailed me that this was a quote by St Francis. 11/13. Thanks, Clark!

A Guide For Choosing Earrings To Flatter Your Face

I found this guide on the web. There are many. I liked this one because she took into account that not everyone considers the roundness or squareness of their face something that they want to detract from. I like the idea that some people might want to stand out and show off any feature they have- it's completely a personal thing. But, if you want help choosing according to conventional wisdom as a way to accent your best features on perhaps soften some features, then here you go:

"The conventionally perfect face shape is a perfectly proportioned oval. Few women have that perfect face shape, but through the careful choice of earrings, a woman can give the illusion of a slimmer or wider face, depending on the effect she wants. For example, a woman with a round face might want to use accessories and makeup to make her face looks slimmer, unless she is a model. Models thrive on their unique looks, so she might want to highlight the roundness of her face. A woman with a square face might want to soften the lines of her jaw, but if she views her face shape as an asset, she might want to emphasize the sharp angles of her face to stand out from the crowd. Creating the illusion of a slimmer face, or a wider one, of sharper features or softer features is easier than you might think. All you need are the right earrings. The earrings have to be large enough to frame the face in order to have the necessary result. Tiny ear studs wouldn't cut it. Larger earrings that are clearly visible when people look directly at you are necessary to help create these illusions. If you have an oval face, you can wear literally any kind of earrings and look great. If not, you can use earrings to make your face appear oval. Let's start with a thin, narrow face. What you need is something along the horizontal lines to give the illusion of width. Try a pair of round button earrings. From 70's style plastic earrings to sophisticated diamond earrings in a large circular design to wooden ear clips would do fine. If you like hoops, wear huggies that are close to the ear and which are wide, to give the illusion of width. To soften too sharp features, go for earring designs with curves or which are rounded. Hoop earrings work very well as would earrings with round beads or with circles in the design, or even waves. To sharpen flat features, wear angular earrings. Triangles, stars and shapes that are pointed or with sharp lines would work very well. For a round face or square face, you'd want the illusion of length. A dangling pendant or a cascade of beads that draw the attention along vertical lines would visually slim and lengthen your face. Shoulder dusters are your best friend, as are drop earrings and chandelier earrings." buzzle.com Janice Wee 5/18/2007

Thanks, I hope this helps!

Morning Meditation

November 9 - A human being is part of the whole, called by us “universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest – a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. – Albert Einstein

This was my meditation for yesterday, November 9th. As far as I am concerned it can be my meditation for life. It is really a life style. It requires self discipline and willingness and a frequent review of this concept in order that I understand its importance in my life.

Just thought I would give you something to ponder.

Tell Me What You Think

Let me know what you think of this? If you are a potential buyer of any of my necklaces would you be willing to convo me first to get what you wanted? Do you think I need to take pictures of the 2 clasps? ( I am planning to do that I think) Or do you think this is just a waste of time and would turn you off to buying this necklace? Or, if you are a jewelry seller have you ever done this and what kind of success have you had? Below is the description as it appears in my etsy shop:

The very distinct pattern of the quartz crystal and the denim lapis ovals make this an interesting and delicate necklace. This is a piece I designed for those who would like something smaller, more petite. The swarovski pendant sparkles like only swarovski can. Since I read a poll from buyers that said that many prefer a lobster clasp, I am leaving that choice to you. You can convo me as to whether you want a silver plated lobster clasp, or a small rope sterling silver toggle clasp. This necklace should hang just below choker length and you can also choose your length, from 16-18 inches. Just include it in your convo about the clasp. That way you get the length you want.

Please leave me your comments. I would love to hear from as many of you as possible!

It's Getting Harder to Get Views

Has anyone else noticed how hard it is to get views on etsy? Just listing the item will not do it for me anyway. Perhaps if you are a big seller and a well known name, maybe then you get clicks when you list an item, I'm not sure. I think I have even seen some complaints from them. I know for a small fry like me, I have to do a lot more than just list to get any views at all now. So, here's my latest listing. Some earrings that I think are really pretty and I know someone out there must want them! I just need to get them out there in front of as many people as possible. Any help any of you can offer with that will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for stopping by and checking me out. Feel free to check out my etsy shop too!!

New Items Just for Christmas!

I made these little guys for Christmas! Have a special ornament? Then it needs a special hanger! To hang it, just release the wire top from the ornament by squeezing the wires together. Then you can loop this hanger around and voila! A special ornament and a special hanger! I'm making them in colors I think people will need, all gold, mixed with predominant red and green and mixed with tropical blues and greens- a combo that's been popular lately. I plan to do more in all silver and red and green and well, who knows! The combinations are pretty much endless! These will be listed in my shop singly and in sets of 3 by the end of today. Hope they make a merry start to your Christmas holidays!

Watering Dogs

Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows that I have dogs. 5 of them right now and I have had as many as 8! I won't do that again! 5 is definitely my limit unfortunately and I say unfortunately because there are so many dogs who need a home that I would really love to have the facilities and the finances to have more. Anyway, I thought I would share with you their water bowl!! Doesn't that sound exciting!!? lol! But, seriously, we have had a few different water stations and set ups over the last couple of years and finally we have found something that works great and looks beautiful. It was a little expensive, but it has so many great features that I am not complaining. For one, it keeps me from checking on water several times a day. 5 doggies go through a lot of water in a day, especially here in Florida. So, what is this great waterbowl you say? Here take a look!

It's a waterfall we got from Lowe's. My husband added a float feature so that whenever the water level gets low, fresh water fills it up! It also has a drain and because of where we placed it we can simply open the drain when we need to and give it a good cleaning and add completely fresh water. The kids (dogs, don't let me confuse you!) seem to love it and I love having a water feature on my deck. Much more attractive than their previous water bowls scattered all over everywhere. I forgot to take a shot with some of them drinking from it, so I'll have to do that and post those later! Oh, it also has a cool light that makes it look awesome at night. I don't think our dogs care much about the decorating around it, but I like to do that from time to time. This is my latest design. Anyway, there you have it. Just thought I would share a little of my home life with you. Thanks for stopping by!

Lengths and clasps and things...

I just finished a new necklace and because of some information I saw in a blog poll, this necklace is smaller than i usually make. Small beads with a small pendant. It seems a lot of people would like more petite jewelry than I usually make. I also read that a lot of people prefer lobster claw clasps which I seldom use. I mostly use toggle clasps because I think they are really lovely and I also find them easier to put on. So, I have an idea not to finish this necklace, but to list it without the clasp and allow the purchaser to choose the type of clasp. While they are at it they can choose the length from 14-16 inches since it should be choker or just below choker length. Other sellers may be already doing this though I have never seen it in anyone's shop. The only thing I have ever seen is jewelry makers offering to adjust the length of something if necessary. So, what do you think? Should I try it and see how it works and what people think if I get any feedback? Or am I not thinking of something I should be and so this isn't such a great idea? Let me know what you think! I would love to hear from you.

Cassidee B Update

I hear that Cassidee is doing pretty well. She is still on chemo and will be for a while. It's a long treatment. I guess the last PET scan showed some reduction in the tumor on her lungs and that's good news! (She had a Wilms tumor that spread to her lungs and you can find out more about Wilms on her website. I think she has a link there telling about this childhood cancer.)

There will be another event this weekend for fundraising purposes, but there will not be a trust fund set up for her.

If anyone reading my blog wishes to donate to Cassidee to help her and her family cope with the financial crisis that an illness like this causes, please feel free to leave me a comment and I will find out how you can mail your donation to her uncle who is handling the business end of this.

Thanks for your prayers and keep them coming!

Here is a link to her website and blog: http://www.cassideeb.com

Aqua Blue

I love this new necklace I just listed. I hope someone else will love it too and want to make it their own. I really think it is gorgeous. I am a terrible model for pictures so I don't do it, but it does look really great on. I tried it on with a black sweater and wow! I also held it up to a denim colored dress I have and that also looked outstanding! There are so many things it could be worn with and I think it really makes an outfit. I guess I should make some earrings to go with it. If you sell jewelry, do you find that sets sell better than single necklaces? And if you buy jewelry, which would you rather buy?

One of the really cool things about this necklace is the czech glass black rectangle beads. They have these silvery/blue circles/dots in them and they pick up light and flash different colors. Really great little beads I think. A friend of mine actually found these beads as he was looking around on etsy for some beads he thought his wife might like in a necklace. Isn't that a nice thing for a man to do?? :-) This necklace isn't for her, but I will be making a much daintier one for her with a sterling silver chain and those beads. I haven't worked the whole piece out yet, but that much I do know about it so far.

Getting more jewelry ready for Christmas is something I need to get to. I have been so out of it with being down from the RA that I haven't been making jewelry like I would like to. But, here's another piece finished and hopefully someone will find it just perfect for them or maybe as a gift for someone else.

Hope!

I haven't been doing much of anything for a couple of weeks now. I have been having a lot of difficulty with pain and my knees have been so swollen and painful that I have not been able to walk well.

Saw my dr. yesterday- I have a great primary care doc- and I am hopeful that I am going to be back on track very soon. I feel better today, and I noticed that my usual morning pain did not last as long as it has been. That's a really good sign.

Ok, enough about sickness! I am ready to get myself back into my craft and into my life!! I have one gorgeous necklace that is almost finished. I also have a couple of little cell phone/ipod charms that I am going to post. They are fun to make and people like them I think. Maybe they will be nice stocking stuffers for some. I think my bookmarks make nice stocking stuffers too and they are also nice as a part of a gift. Iif you have a nice book you want to give to someone, one of my beaded bookmarks will just complete the gift perfectly!!

I'm off to see if I can get some things completed!! Have a great day!

My New Purse from an Etsy Seller, Of Course!!

I am really so excited to be buying as much as I can handmade! I just love etsy and all the really fabulous artists and crafters on the site. I have made a few purchases from several different shops, mostly for supplies. Everything though has been outstanding.

I had this purse in my favorites for several months and I finally decided to buy it after a lot of perusing shops on etsy to be sure it was THE one for me! So when it arrived I was very excited. And it was worth the wait! It is just beautiful. Well constructed and prettier than it's picture. The greens in the fabric used on the back of the bag are more vibrant and the yellows on the front are just softer and more lucious than I could tell from the pictures. Anyway, needless to say, it was everything I dreamed it would be. So! Where did I get this fabulous purse you ask? I purchased this purse from http://www.nansredesigns.etsy.com/ and it was a very pleasant experience. The shipping was very quick and Nan is very easy to work with. She is happy to do custom orders to suit your tastes including those looking for a vegan friendly bag. She does a lot of repurposing and recycling of fabrics so her shop is also very eco-friendly. What more could you ask for? She obviously has a great eye! her shop is order friendly and eco friendly and her prices are just right. Take a look around and see what you think. I would love to know too, so feel free to leave me a comment.

I love the back of this bag. Many parts of the bag were upcycled, recycled material. Like the tie dye print on the front. The back though is a cotton batik print. Check it out.

So sixties, at least it reminds me of that. And you can just throw this bag right across your body, or you can tie up the strap and wear it on one shoulder, whichever you choose. I like the tied look personally, for now anyway. She has a large selection of really great bags in a number of different styles to suit almost anyone. Here's another link! Check her out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5744617

New Necklace

This is my newest piece. I listed it the beginning of the week. I just love it! I have been wanting to do something with that Buddha pendant for a while and I love how this came out. You get the nicest light reflection off of the natural agate and the smoky quartz. The picture jasper draws your eye back to the Buddha because of the color and the yellow jasper is just a nice pop of color. It will work well with so many fall and winter pieces. Any woman could throw it on with lots of solid color sweaters and long sleeve tees, gray, brown, cream, navy blue, all sorts of colors. I can also see it with dressier work outfits too, if you have to do that sort of thing. A lot of my jewelry is geared toward the jeans or casual dress kind of woman because I don't have to do the work dress thing and I am definitely a casual dress kind of woman. I love casual clothes, but clothes that stand out just a bit, clothes that express something about me. I hate for everything I wear to be ordinary! How about you?

Are You Like Me?

I remember reading in a forum a while back that a lot of etsy women had chronic pain and chronic diseases like RA, (which I have) lupus, fibromyalgia (which I also have) MS etc. So I was wondering if there are others like me who deal with this chronic pain on a daily basis and what you do about it? What remedies have you found? Where do you live? What remedies are available to you outside of the U.S. that aren't available here? Do you take pain meds and if so, which ones? Anything you want to share about your illness and your treatment, alternative treatments, and how you deal with your life with your illness would be appreciated. I think it's good to reach out to others and only those who have been where I am or who are there now can really understand what it is like and can really share ideas that work. We know they work because we use them when they do!! So thanks for whatever input you feel like you want to share. I look forward to your comments. And in the meantime, I will be thinking of a tip to share. And I'll also share a little more of my story by answering some of those questions. Thanks!

My Favorite Journal For Kids

I want to share this great find with you! Perhaps some of you are aware of "Nightmare Snatchers" a great little journal for children, offered by The Spiderbite Boutique, found on etsy. If not, you simply have to check them out! I found the journals while posting in the forums, and since I have a niece that is facing cancer at just 10 years old, I thought this would be a perfect gift for her. She can write and draw about any fears or worries she has and trust them to the "Nightmare Snatcher". What a marvelous idea! As a proponent of journaling for all women, I find it a very powerful tool, I think it is a great idea to get girls to start at a young age. And especially someone who is going through something as tough as facing childhood cancer! I ordered mine for my niece and received it in the mail a few days ago. I can't wait to give it to her as it is sooo adorable. Her favorite color is pink, so I ordered a pink one. I was completely impressed with the quality and care that was taken in making it. It looks better even than the pictures and I found Sarah Jane, who operates The Spiderbite Boutique, to be a lovely seller with the buyer's best interest at heart. So, have a look at her shop and at the "Nightmare Snatcher". I'm sure you'll be bitten by the bug too!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=79767

Events Update for Cassidee

If you happen to live in Florida or if you are just interested in what we are doing to help Cassidee and her mom you can check this link. They are supposed to be getting a trust fund set up so that people can donate to help, but I guess it's not finished yet. Apparently a trust fund is quite a big deal to get set up- lawyers and all. Thanks for looking.

http://www.cassideeb.com/id5.html

If you are wondering what this is about my article "Cassidee" (below) will explain all. Thanks!

Another Fall/Winter Forecast

I was just reading Fire Mountain Gems fall/winter forecast for gemstones and beads and they had lots of interesting ideas. Seems like my carnelian bracelet, necklace and earrings are right on track as carnelian is a hot stone for fall and red is a hot color! You can find all three of these at my etsy store by the way!

Labradorite is another hot gemstone and I love working with gemstones. I have to say that at this point I prefer gemstones to glass beads. What do you think? What's your preference? I just like the earthiness of them. Anyway, labradorite is a stone I haven't worked with yet and when I see pieces made with it I always make a mental note to buy some, but so far I haven't. So once again, mental note to get some labradorite!

I'm taking some new pictures of my rose quartz pendant necklace because even though it is pink and lavender and pearls, gray is a big color for fall and winter and I think it would look marvelous with the right gray sweater, or purple sweater which is another big fall color. It would be a sweet look and not for everybody, but still it's right for someone.

They also have some ideas for men's jewelry which I am interested in making. I have one men's/unisex necklace in my shop now and I have made several other pieces for family members and friends. My husband loves the chain I made him for a wooden cross. I also had a man who wanted some pearls, yes pearls, that belonged to his deceased grandmother made into a masculine looking necklace. Not an easy thing to do. But, I did it and he wears it everyday. He is a very manly man and he wears it well. I was glad I was able to do that for him.

Here's the link to the article if you'd like to check it out for yourself. And if not, check out my shop for some of the pieces mentioned above. My etsy mini to the right will take you directly to my shop!! Thanks for checking me out!

http://www.firemountaingems.com/trends/fw08/default.asp?WT.mc_id=Q016

Vicious Circle

It's a beautiful Sunday morning and I sit here in quite a bit of pain knowing that I probably won't go anywhere to enjoy this pretty day. It's not any different than most days lately. I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and fibromyalgia and along with that comes depression and and now a low thyroid and a few other things that aren't necessary to mention. I've had all these things except the thyroid condition for 20+ years now, and they have gotten progressively worse. This last year has been particularly bad and I feel like I am just in a vicious circle of pain, medication, depression, more pain, more meds, more depression, on and on. I'm pretty sure the pain medication fights the anti depressant medication, but without the pain medication the pain is even MORE unbearable and the depression is even worse. It's just horrible to think about. When I feel up to it and get out of myself and make some jewelry it takes my mind off of the pain for a time. Sometimes it's too difficult because my knee is one of the joints affected at the moment and sitting at my work area hurts after a while. When I chat in the forums I also feel some relief, but my right hand has become extremely swollen from overuse on the computer. That was one of the reasons I had to go out on disability from my job, my hands wouldn't allow me to work at the computer for 6-7 hours a day anymore. I am writing this to let people know who I am and not for sympathy. Perhaps there are others of you out there who can relate and who go through similar or worse. Maybe we can help each other if by nothing else than just by knowing that someone else deals with this too. I would love to hear from you.

Pictures

I have been working diligently on my picture taking. I got some great advice from a photographer in an etsy forum who explained why when I was taking pictures on a white background I was getting a "blue" effect. So I was able to fix that and now I can take pictures of my jewelry on a white background as well as using some of the other backgrounds that I like, but that may not show up the jewelry as clearly. I had not been using any editing software either and recently my husband showed me ezimba.com so I have started using that, but only to put my shop name at the bottom and sometimes to correct the lighting if necessary. I don't do any special effects or change the look of the jewelry in any way. I hesitate even to change the photo at all, but sometimes it is clear that the quick fix option does make it look more like what the jewelry actually looks like in person. So what do you think? How do my new pics look to you? The top pic is one of the best of my old pictures and the one below is my new stuff. Feel free to leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you! You can view more pictures at my shop too! And if you are interested in this piece it IS available for purchase!!

Cassidee

Many of you may have already read my post (Say a Little Prayer 8/2) about my husband's niece who has cancer. She is a beautiful 10 year old girl and she was recently diagnosed with a Wilms tumor. She has been operated on at this point and is now going through chemo. Her family is working on a fundraiser to help Cassidee and her mom and so a webpage has been set up where I guess eventually people will be able to make donations. Her mother is a single parent with very limited resources so she certainly needs the help. I just went to Cassidee's webpage and she has started a blog! I think that is an awesome idea! Cassidee can write about what is going on with her and not only can her friends and family keep up with her that way, but maybe too, she will reach other children with similar difficulties. So I am going to add the link here so that if you know of anyone who might want to check out Cassidee's blog, please feel free to tell them about it.

http://www.cassideeb.com/index.html

I have decided to hold off on my idea of donations to the local animal shelter and will be donating 50% of all purchases made at my jewelry shop to Cassidee's foundation. I thought about donating the entire purchase price, but honestly I need some of the funds to be able to continue to purchase new beads and supplies in order to keep making jewelry. If I don't keep making new things there will be nothing for anyone to purchase to help her out. So, for now 50% and if I find I can do more, I will.

Dogs and Jewelry and Such

Samson and Benson both came from the pound!

I am considering doing something new with my little jewelry shop. I love making jewelry and seeing people get it and then be so happy with it. It really thrills me! The other great passion in my life is my dogs, and helping dogs and animals in general. I know there are some etsy teams that support animals, but I am not much of a team joiner, so I am thinking I may just decide to take 10% of any purchase and donate it to the local animal shelter. I almost had to drop two dogs off there last week, when I found them running down a major highway in our area. One of these guys was a big ol' dog, probably 85 lbs or so and the other was a little tiny Pomeranian! And there they were, quite a pair, running down the highway where cars are doing 55-60! It scared me. Unfortunately, I found at later, the door at their house had been malfunctioning and they got out of the house without their tags on. I was fortunate that after a couple of hours with the two little sweeties, trying to find their mommy and daddy I went on over to the shelter (almost in tears) and when I got there the 2 young girls working there said that their dad had just been in and just left! So he came right back and took his babies home! I was so glad they didn't have to spend a night in the shelter. But, the shelter was there for me if I had needed it. I couldn't have brought them here because I have 6 of my own. And really the best place for them to be if they were going to be found was at the shelter. That's at least one place you can check and hope and pray that somehow they have wound up there if you have a dog go missing. So, I know they need help and even if it's not a lot of money, if I just send them some money quarterly that will make it a little bigger chunk that they can buy some dog food or kitty litter or whatever it is that they need with. What do you think? Is this just a no brainer- if I can do it I should- or, will some people see it as a ploy if I put it in my shop announcement that I am going to donate 10% of each purchase? I don't know, big corporations help out the community all the time. It is expected of them. I kind of think it should be expected of me too!

Beautiful Pictures

If you love beautiful photography and pictures of Italy, particularly Venice and Florence then I might know of an Etsy store for you! I "met" this nice woman on an Etsy forum and took a look around her store and just fell in love with her notecards and photographs. It makes me want to do more writing so that I can send these lovely cards to someone! The pictures are rich and vibrant and give me the feeling of being right there- in Italy. She has pictures of other places and things too, some of which may appeal to others more, but the Italy ones just really grabbed me. Take a look and see what you think. I'd love to read your comments after you've looked around her shop! Thanks!

http://www.photosbykpricola.etsy.com

Meditation

Meditation has been a part of my life since I was 15. My sister, who was 13 years older than I, learned transcendental meditation or TM at that time (the 70s) and she sent me for lessons from one of their teachers. Since then I have used it off and on and also practiced other types of meditation.

Meditation is very practical. It is a spiritual practice for sure, but it has many health benefits as well. Even the health care community has documented these benefits now and is willing for the most part to embrace meditation as a healthy practice. It's great for people with high blood pressure, anger issues, depression and the list goes on and on. I'm not even sure we are aware of all the benefits we get from meditation. I am quite sure it benefits those of us with a creative flair. It allows my mind to be more free and open to the creative process and opens me up to the great Creator! And one of the big keys to meditation and one of the hardest aspects for me is consistency. I need to meditate everyday no matter what!! Why is that so hard? I make time for other things that I want to do, so there is no reason why I can't make time for meditation as well.

One of the most interesting teachers of meditation in this country was a man by the name of Eknath Easwaran. I have read several of his books and practiced his form of meditation quite a bit. I get his daily readings emailed to me. Even though he has passed away, the Blue Mountain Center for Meditation is still up and running and working to spread the word about his work and his methods of meditation and dealing with life. He was quite a fascinating man and his form of meditation is strictly spiritual and should not interfere with anyone's religious beliefs. So have a look at their site if you would like. You have nothing to lose and maybe a whole new world will be opened up to you!!

http://www.nilgiri.org/page/188

One Happy Customer

I had my very first ecrater sale last week!! I have my jewelry there as well as on etsy and while I am not as fond of ecrater for selling I did sell two of my bookmarks there! The woman who bought them asked me if I could combine shipping for her because unlike on etsy, there is no way to charge less for shipping on the 2nd item automatically. Just one of the many little things that ecrater does not offer that etsy does. Well, I tried to take care of it for her and apparently in doing so, I wiped out the transaction on my ecrater site and so it looks like I still haven't sold anything. I also negated her option to leave feedback because the only way she could leave feedback was to pay the first notice she got from ecrater. That notice had the incorrect amount on it. At least that is where it stands right now. If she gets another opportunity for feedback she has told me she will certainly take it, but I thought I would share with those who care to read my blog, what she wrote to me after she received her purchase: (she gave me permission to do so)

Jennifer, I received my bookmarks today, I can't tell you how beautiful they are in "person"....they are very pretty on your website, but the picture doesn't do them justice!! Thank you so very much for including one for me.....I don't buy things for myself very often, and when I do it's generally out of necessity....so getting one of these beautiful markers was such a surprise, and such a heartfelt gift. It brought tears to my eyes...they are beautiful. My daughter in laws are going to love these at Christmas time! Mine is already marking Corrinthians.....I was looking for a verse to put on my "future" daughter in laws hanky I am making her to carry when her and my son marry in 2 weeks.....!! Thank you again... Melana

It really made my day to receive such a lovely email. As I said in the post I did re: "Why I Make Jewelry" (and bookmarks) I love to know that people are actually happy when they receive that package or put on that piece of jewelry. It is such a kick for me! And this it seems is one happy customer! Yippee!!

Thought for today

This seemed like an appropriate quote for today since we are in the middle of an Olympics. I am sure Michael Phelps and all the other amazing Olympians would agree with the Buddha on this.

"Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes." – The Buddha

Do you have endurance? Do you stick it out when things get difficult or do you quit, give up or run away? Think about your relationships, your spiritual growth, your education, your art- are you willing to "endure" and persist even when the going gets tough?

Something to ponder.

Jewelry Fashion Trends 2008

Jewelry Fashion at the Teen Choice Awards
Well, normally this wouldn't be something I would even check into, but since it came into my inbox I decided to give it a look. I didn't see a whole lot that inspired me. A lot of gold chains with delicate pendants, nothing to inspire my beading brain! But, this one, I loved and wouldn't it have been great to make it for her!! Check it out!



Kristen Bell at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards - August 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California
Kristen Bell's long necklace appears to be made from turquoise, onyx and pearls, all set in yellow gold.

There were a couple of others that caught my eye too! Scarlett Johansson just because she can never look bad and of course here she is ever so bold!

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Scarlett Johansson at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards - August 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California
Big flashy beads on a huge chain -- Scarlett Johansson pulls off a look I probably wouldn't like on most people.

And finally this really awesome ring! I don't make rings personally, but I have seen lots of pretty ones on Etsy and so this one made me take a second look!

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Driver Danica Patrick at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards - August 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California
Danica Patrick's large floral ring with a pearl center spread out to cover a good portion of her fingers. Her purple (snakeskin?) clutch is embellished with colored gemstones.Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Driver Danica Patrick at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards - August 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California
Danica Patrick's large floral ring with a pearl center spread out to cover a good portion of her fingers. Her purple (snakeskin?) clutch is embellished with colored gemstones.

If you would like a link to the whole article with all the pictures, here you go!http://jewelry.about.com/od/famousjewels/ig/Jewelry-at-Teen-Choice-Awards/index.01.htm

Enjoy!!

Fashion Color Forecast For Fall 2008

Pantone is the leading forecaster for what's hot in color in the fashion world. And this article tells us what will be happening for fall with regards to color. Designing jewelry now for fall I need to start thinking about what everyone will be wearing and match my jewelry colors accordingly. Sounds like it is going to be a beautiful fall!! You can find this article at http://www.pantone.com



A Season of Change
Best described as a season of change, fall ’08 is defined by rich, elegant hues that offer a vibrant selection. New York's fashion designers emphasize cooler blues, greens and purples in the top five tones used in their collections, followed by variations of warm red, orange and yellow.
"Fall is traditionally a time for subdued, quiet colors, but this season we are seeing a shift toward cool hues with bright, exciting undertones," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Conventional tones such as warm autumn hues, chocolate browns and steel grays are also among the fall color choices. Blue and purple tones have become staples, as illustrated by Blue Iris, one of the top 10 colors chosen by designers this season, and Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2008."
Preview colors for Fall 2008.

Say a Little Prayer

We had some very sad news the other day. My brother in law's wife's sister's daughter (there must be a better way to say that- I am very bad with family connections) has been diagnosed with cancer. She is only 10 years old and a beautiful child. To give you an example of her beautiful spirit she was at the time of her diagnosis, growing out her hair for "locks of love." It appears to be a "Wilms" tumor and they have removed it. Now they have to put her through chemo. I just can't believe little children have to go through chemotherapy. It just seems horribly unfair. And, if the diagnosis is correct, this is a cancer that only affects children. Talk about unfair! But, the reality is that she is not alone. There are many more children just like her and younger than her and with far worse conditions, in far worse conditions. And so I pray for acceptance for all those who love her and for Cassidy herself. I pray that God will give comfort to us all and courage and strength to those who need it.

My Favorite Place to Shop

I love to shop on Etsy! Right now I have to window shop as funds are tight, but I like to put the things I love in my favorites and look at them from time to time and think about what I might like to get first. Most of these are just fabulous finds to me. These under $50 that just thrill me because they are handmade, creative and created with love and care. I am going to post some of my favorite things here but before I do that I want to find out a few things first. I also want to post a few of my favorite shops. I don't want this to turn into one of those rolling, scrolling places where everyone's shop is listed though. I want it to clearly be just MY favorite shops. I have looked on other shopping sites, I am not an Ebay person, I just don't like the way that is set up. To me it is messy and disorganized and I always find TOO much of everything and NOTHING that I really want. Etsy just suits me. It's clean and organized and pretty and creative and full of very talented people all just trying to get their art out there for people to see and buy so that they can do more of it. A really nice shopping experience!

Why I Make Jewelry

There is more to this question than I am going to address in this post today, but the primary thing is that after I found out how much I love beads, the earthiness and organic nature of beads, I realized that I love making people happy by giving them my jewelry. I would prefer to give it all away and if I were a rich person then I suppose I could do that. But, making jewelry costs money and so to support my habit, I sell my jewelry, some of it anyway, at what I believe are pretty reasonable prices so that people can buy it and I hope be happy wearing it. While I know that "things" do not make us happy, I also know how much pleasure I receive from some of the simplest things that have been given to me or that I have purchased in my life. They are usually not the expensive gifts or purchases. I'll give you an example: about probably 15 years ago now someone beaded for me an anklet at the request of a friend of mine. It was really a nice piece of work, done on a loom with seed beads. It was an unusual anklet at the time and hand little brass clamshell beads that hung down by my foot and jingled just a bit when I walked. Well, I love unusual things so it suited me very well. As you may have already guessed I still have that anklet. I still love that anklet and I am still grateful to both of them. I get a thrill whenever I pull it out of the jewelry box and wear it. A simple thing yet it gives me great pleasure. It doesn't make me happy, but it adds to my happiness for that day. Also it was one of those times before I started beading when I realized what a very cool thing beads were. It reminds me of the Native American beading and how awesome their designs and beading is. Anyway, enough for now. That is a large part of my motivation for beading. JOY!

Ruby

The picture I have put on here today is a picture of little Ruby at 10 weeks old. Little did I know then that this dog would become my sweetheart! She was the runt of her litter. She was born in the back of the car. Her breeder had gone up to N.C. to see them be born and pick them up- I forget all the details, but anyway, she put the mom and pups in the car and headed for Florida and next thing she knew little Ruby was being born in the backseat. She instantly fell in love with her too and named her Ruby. We didn't change it, though we call her boobies more than anything, don't ask me why. Seriously, I don't know.



She is one precious dog. She loves me. She is right by my side at all times. She sits by my left leg much of the time and I love it. Never had a loyal dog before as I have been a husky lover for a number of years and loyalty is not their thing.

Spirituality

To know me, you have to know that I am involved in a search to better know myself and to better know God. God as I understand Him, not a religious God by any means. In fact, organized religion really turns me off. I feel sorry about that, but I have tried with churches and they are just not for me. I love being open minded about spirituality and in my search I have found that I love many of the things the Buddha taught as well as the teachings of Jesus and that I think the Buddha had it right about a lot of things. In fact, he taught many of the very same things that Jesus did. That lets me know that it is absolute truth!

There will be much more on this topic later, but for today that is all I have time for. Jewelry making and blogging and marketing and taking care of six dogs and myself is quite a task. Never did I realize I would have so much to keep up with.

Benny Rescued from the Pound

This is precious little Benny. He was rescued from the pound. He was about 3 or 4 months old and had been there for a month. He was the softest puppy I had ever felt and he looked like a little bear cub. He had been found wandering the streets. Can you imagine a little guy 2 or 3 months old out running the streets!! Bless his little heart. They thought he was German Shepherd and Chow. We are pretty sure of the Chow as he has the blue tongue, but we tend to think he is Australian Shepherd since he did not get very big and his coat is very similar to the Aussie we have, except in color. He is quite a character! Tends to scared of most things and squeaks around the house a lot. But believe me, when he needs to be, he can be tough as nails and I wouldn't want to cross him!!

Meet Samson!! Leader of the Pack!

We usually call him Sammy, unless he is in trouble!! We got him from the pound when he was just 6 weeks old. He had been dropped off with 3 of his brothers. They were precious. His mother was an Australian Cattle Dog and his father was a pit. I wasn't too happy having a "pit" anything, but he was so adorable. He has turned out to be a very loving dog, however, he can be a challenge too. He responds very well to my husband and he is able to manage his sometimes fiesty temperament. Overall though, he is a sweetie and likes mostly to cuddle and sleep. He has a little bit of a weight problem and we have had his thyroid checked so we have him on a diet which does not make him even a little bit happy, but it is for his own good. My oldest girl, is overweight somewhat and has terrible arthritis and I know she would get around a lot better if she were thinner and I don't want that to happen to Sam. Anyway, Sammy is a sweet boy and I can't imagine life without him!!

Jewelry

As for the jewelry- I sold my first online piece a few days ago. You can view and purchase my jewelry at http://www.sobeaditjewelry.etsy.com - I have sold other pieces to friends and family, but selling my first online piece was quite exciting. If you are interested in my jewelry please go check it out. Feel free to let me know what you think.

My First Rescue Dog

This is a picture of my first rescue dog, Goat and yes, there is a story behind that name. He was rescued by Husky Rescue and ultimately by me from being put to death. He had participated with some other dogs, while he was being neglected, in killing a goat. The people at the pound knew he was something special and they blocked his execution until Husky Rescue could get him. I happened to be looking for a husky at the time and I picked him over the internet from some pics they posted. He was precious, though he looked a lot different then. He has turned out to be a joy in my life, though he has never lost his desire to run free, like most huskies. It's something if you own a husky you must know and be very careful of. They have to be watched like hawks because they will run off on you, no matter how much they love you or you love them. But, he is a beauty and has been a terrific dog, thank God he was saved!