The End of 2007...

2007 has been an interesting and busy year for us. Major changes and moves, new home, new business ventures, the arrival of two very welcomed grandchildren and a new outlet for my jewelry designs. Just when you think it can't get any better than that, you discover something else to be grateful and excited about. Little did we know when we moved from Florida to Wisconsin that our lives would change so dramatically.

Okay, granted we knew that with two new grandchildren, we would be making some changes in our lifestyle a bit. I didn't really understand that having fibromyalgia and COPD would effect how I interact with my grandkids. I'm finding out that it's not as easy as I thought it would be. #1 being that I don't have the lung capacity nor the strength to lift a baby over 12 lbs. I'm finding new ways to accommodate these problems.

The picture above is of the Apple River which runs a few yards out our back door. Isn't it beautiful? We love our new place here in Wisconsin. Our back yard is filled with wild animals; dozens of different species of birds, deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, pheasant, turkey....you name it...we got it! We spend alot of time gazing out our back patio door window at all the activity that takes place. We are also going broke keeping them in bird seed, corn and bread. That's the price you pay to have all these critters entertain you. We think it's well worth the price!

My jewelry is taking off finally. I've just recently started selling to a local merchant here in Amery and she is expanding her business with my One of a Kind Designs. I am so excited with this new venture and am looking forward to doing some really spectacular designs in the near future. So far she's had really good response to my designs.

My other little venture is the new Yuwie.com site. It's alot like blogspot and myspace but the difference is they pay you for every page click you make and other's make in your site. There's a real potential for some substantial money here and I'd like to invite you to try it out.

Click here to learn more!So anyway, please check out this great money maker and see for yourself how remarkable it is.I am looking forward to the new year 2008. I'm sure it's going to be an exciting year. Lots of new things to learn, new jewelry designs to create and sell, meeting new people on blogspot, myspace, etsy and yuwie. I never thought I'd be much of a blogger but this past year has taught me alot. I'll be spending more time with my two grandchildren and hopefully be taking a few trips along the way. I hope that I will be hearing from all of you in the near future and becoming friends. Thanks for visiting my blog and for all the support you've offered.

Make $$$ Networking...

This is the greatest thing I've found yet...they pay you to socialize and network.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years!!

Merry Christmas everyone...How many people actually celebrate Christmas Eve? We have big plans for Christmas Eve and will have family with us for dinner and the opening of gifts. Then on Christmas Day we have another dinner with other members of the family that couldn't make it Christmas Eve. My grandson will be with us Christmas Day for his first Christmas.

I wanted to mention here that I had a wonderful opportunity to sell alot of my jewelry designs to a lady here in town who has a beautiful gift shop. I sold several pieces to her and I will be doing some custom work for her as well. I will be working exclusively with her gift shop. No longer will I sell wholesale to others. In the process of doing business with her, I manage to sell the coral pendant necklace and several other pieces.

I will be offline for a few days but will check in from time to time. Stop by and say Hey!

Coral Slide Pendant Necklace

I designed this necklace specifically for a party I was doing back in October. I wanted to designs something that younger women might be interested in. It has chunky pieces of genuine coral, some really spectacular sterling beads and a beautiful sterling silver oval chain with a lobster clasp. Being that it is a One of a Kind piece and so beautiful and unique, I thought it would sell quickly. I was extremely sad when it didn't sell at all. Now I'm not so sure about it or why it didn't sell. Maybe someone reading this can tell me. Any feedback is welcomed.

My husband and I are enjoying our new grandchildren. They are so much fun and are so cute. My grandson, Horatio has been living with us for the past month due to his parents having some problems with drugs and coping with being parents. We decided to remove the baby from that environment and get social services involved in order to get the parents some help with the drug problem.

Getting up in the middle of the night for feedings, round the clock diaper changing, feeding and looking after a newborn is really stressful at my age and with my disabilities. Due to the late night feedings, I decided to go off the Trazodone medicine that I took for sleeping (Fibromyalgia causes loss of REM sleep) because I was afraid I wouldn't here my grandson in the middle of the night. Since I've been losing REM sleep for the past month or so, my Fibromyalgia has flared up and is causing numbness and pain in both legs.

Things are going to be changing soon and my grandson will be reunited with his mother under supervised conditions. I'll be able to get back on my medication and also get back to the business of designing jewelry again. I miss the thrill of the design and watching it come alive. Business has been slow but I'm hoping with some promotional help, things will pick up soon. I'm in the process of setting up a myspace to help promote my etsy shop.

Horatio Caine and Madison Kay - Newborns

This week has been a whirlwind of activities since Sept 30, when the call came in from my husband's daughter, Katie...going for a C section one month early that afternoon. Madison Kay came into the world weighing 5 lb 15 oz, 18 3/4 inches long and 13" head. Gorgeous long strawberry blonde curly hair, lots of it! Due to the early birth, mom had to go home without the baby for a few days. Today they are both home and doing well. Grandpa was so excited he decided to drive to Chicago to see his new and first grandchild. He had a wonderful time holding Madison and visiting with the proud parents while he was there. Grandpa took lots of pictures for grandma to see when he got home.

I was unable to travel with at the time because my son's baby was about to be born as well. Little Horatio took his time and finally had to be induced Oct 5 at 11:05 PM. Horatio Caine came into the world weighing a strapping 7 lb 10 oz, 21 inches long and 14" head. Beautiful long light brown curly hair, not quite as much as his cousin, Madison...but a respectable amount. Definitely more than his dad came into the world with as he was totally bald until he was a year old. Fortunately, he takes after his mom who has a gorgeous head of curly hair.

I had the priviledge of being in the birthing room with mother and father during the whole precedure and was able to film the birth. This was the first delivery I had experienced outside of my own two deliveries of my son and daughter. I was surprised and truly amazed at the advanced technology and better health care. The birthing rooms were a great change from the old labor rooms where you might be sharing your experience with strangers in the same room with only a curtain to separate you from total embarrassment. Comfortable recliners, rocking chairs, etc for the family members who want to share in this beautiful event. And last but not least of all, the birth itself was the crowning moment. Everyone should see at least one birth of a child, in their lifetime if possible. It was such a beautiful, spiritual moment that I will never forget and gives me a special bond with my new grandson as I got to hold him soon after he was born and he heard my voice welcoming him into this wonderful world we live in. My son cut the embellical cord and shared in the delivery also.

Ted and I are so grateful that both deliveries went well, even though there were some complications. Both grandchildren are healthy and doing well. Thank God for the miracle of birth and the gift of grandchildren. We've waited a long time for grandchildren and now we have two in one week.

My New Workbench and Workspace!

Since moving to Wisconsin, it's taken a while to get my workspace set up. I finally have it somewhat fixed up and I'm able to get back to designing jewelry. My workbench is now just a long white folding table from Walmart but it has a clean white surface and it's very sturdy and durable. I've lined up all my gray boxes with drawers up against the back wall, easy to get to when I need certain components that I use frequently. My husband built me several shelves to the right of the photo so I would have more easy access space for my bead storage. I also still have my tall drawers that sit directly under one of the shelves. We found an old dresser at a garage sale for $5.00 and painted white. All my bead books and magazines sit on top for easy access. It's still a work in progress but it's coming along nicely. I'm back designing jewelry and I've just listed several new earring designs. Feel free to check them out at my Etsy Store.

"Rest In Peace, Smokey"

My family and I are very sad. Our beloved pet, Smokey died Friday, Sept 7, 2007 from a disease called Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a terminal disease that scientist have no cure for or treatment. Because we couldn't bear to have him suffer any longer, we decided to have him put to sleep.

We recently moved to Amery, Wisconsin from Palm Bay, Florida. Smokey made the move with my husband in a U Haul truck. He appeared to be taking the move in stride, riding quietly in the truck and spending nights in motel rooms with my husband, Ted. When they arrived here in Amery, he enjoyed exploring the woods outside our patio doors. The first day out hunting, he brought back a chipmunk alive and tried to let it loose in the house, which is usually what he did with any critters he brought home. He just liked playing with them and chasing them around.

After a couple of days, he became kind of lethargic and started picking at his food. Within a few more days, he quit drinking water or eating. It all happened so quickly that we thought that he might have gotten sick from something he had caught in the woods. One morning there was a bat on our doorstep and we thought maybe he'd been bit by it. We took him to the vet and they drew blood. Hi white count was through the roof but no temperature.. It took two more days to get the official results of the labs and they came back 95% sure that it was FIP.

Death was inevitable but could be slow and painful. Neither of us wanted that for Smokey. In the few days that he was sick, he had become such a docile animal...not his normal character. We were able to spend hours petting him, brushing him, holding him in our arms...these were things that he never allowed for more than a few minutes...tops! We think that he somehow knew that we needed the stroking, petting and hugging so we would be able to let him go when it was time.

We adopted Smokey eight years ago had an Animal Shelter up in Brainard, Minnesota. Out of dozens of cats that day, he was the only one that climbed into my lap and curled up and started purring. He was a funny cat because he had lost half his tail somewhere before we found him. He was a great mouser and always kept our yards free of unwanted critters. Smokey loved people and always would greet people at the door when we had company. If he liked you, he would immediately lay down and expose his belly for you to pet him....very trusting!

Our Smokey will be sadly missed . We thank him for the beautiful eight years he gave to us. He truly blessed our family.

Isabelle Anne -8 Weeks Old

It's official - I'm a grandma...to a very very tiny little chocolate long haired chihuahua, only 8 week old. My daughter called me the other night and said that I have a new granddaughter. Well at first I thought she meant my husband's daughter had her baby early because she's having a girl in September. Then I thought that her brother in Minnesota had called her to tell us that the doctor had screwed up and gotten the sex of the child wrong with them because they are expecting a boy in September. No that was not what she meant at all.

They bought a little chihuahua that day and she was named Bella for short. My daughter's cat is named Princess so she said that this was the closet to Princess she could think of. Actually her real name is Isabelle Anne. She is a thoroughbred registered chihuahua, papers and all. Cost $400.00 to boot.

Bella is the tiniest thing and just so adorable and loveable. Beautiful brown eye, chocolate colored long fur, the cutest little ears I've ever seen on a puppy....and did I mention how tiny, tiny, tiny she is....just a little bit of a thing. Check out the photo of her and you'll see what I mean. She is so precious! A welcomed addition to our family. We love pets.

Moving is coming along. We pick up the truck in the morning and we will start loading. All that's left to pack up is the rest of the kitchen and the food in the pantry and refrigerator. I'll be leaving early Tuesday morning to fly up to Wisconsin to get the keys and get the utilitilies turned on and make the apartment ready for the truck to arrive. I'll be out of commission for a while...hopefully I will be up and running again by the 25th of August. See you later.

The 2007 Summertime Jewelry and Gem Show - Melbourne, Florida

OMG...this was the most amazing show I've ever seen. This weekend showing at the Melbourne Auditorium on August 11-12, 2007, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Gorgeous jewelry designs, gemstones, settings, pendants, beads, etc. I don't think I've seen so many real genuine gemstones all in one place before. The most beautiful gemstone beads in all colors, shapes and sizes. Pearls in every imaginable color you could want.

I bought some wonderful cut slabs of agates and druzys, some gemstones and pearls. Next year I will have to make sure I have more money to purchase some of the more rare stones like the chalcedony, labradorite, opals, rhodochrosite ?, etc.

All in all, it was a great day. I would have stayed longer but I'm still packing for our move. Maybe I can find more time tomorrow to run over there again. More later...

Packing Up For the Move!!

Still packing up the house for our move to Wisconsin on Wednesday. My husband has been so helpful, getting boxes from where he used to work and from our future son-in-law's diner. Produce boxes and grocery boxes are the best for packing. They're small enough so that you don't fill them to full so you can't lift them.

I finally got my office and craft room boxed up and ready to go. All that is left is the computer, monitor, tv, dvd player and my camera and printer deck. We have decided to tear my workbench apart and rebuild it when we get to Amery, WI. We were going to sell it but I love my workbench that my husband built. He says it will come apart easily enough.

If you look at my last blog, you'll see my pineapple plant that I've been growing since last year. This year the pineapple was so delicious and sweet. I'm really going to miss that! We've decided not to take the plants. I have a lady who wants them. Most of these plants wouldn't survive the cold winters in Wisc...so they are better off down here.

Tomorrow I am meeting Natasha and we are going to a gemstone and bead show at Melbourne Auditorium. We are so excited to be going. This is my first bead show that I've attended. We won't be displaying our jewelry but I'm looking forward to buying some awesome beads. Hopefully there will be some lampwork bead makers there. I'll write more tomorrow evening on how it was and what I buy.

Moving Sale Today!!!

Today we had our first moving sale, to weed out things for our move to Wisconsin on the 15th. Even though our signs all said we would run from 8:00 - 3:00 pm...of course, they all started coming at 7:00 this morning. Well, running on 3 hours of sleep last night, we were kind of slow getting things out for the sale.

We ended up doing pretty well our first day, had an excellent turnout and the weather couldn't have been more well behaved...no rain until after 3:00 and everything was under wraps. Tomorrow we will get up and do this all over again, hopefully with even better results than today. We still have a few pieces of furniture, tons of nick nacks, household stuff and yard stuff.

We still have quite a bit of packing up to do. I've decided to fly up to Wisconsin ahead of my husband to ensure that the utilities get turned on and everything hooked up by the time my husband comes in with the U Haul. That way we don't have to keep the truck over the weekend, we can just unload right away and then drop the truck off in town.

Today has been a long day with little sleep so I'm off to bed. I continue the story later as it unfolds.

Clownin' Around Lampwork Bracelet

I just love the colors in this beautiful focal lampwork bead. Focal bead is made by: The Shard Gallery. It measures 21mm x 33mm and the colors are a brilliant orange, red, gold, white and turquoise with a touch of clear glass. The tiny bubbles inside gives it the appearance of the colors floating in fluid. I tried other colored beads with this but the genuine turquoise just set the whole focal bead. Any other color just seemed to take away from it's beauty. Sterling silver bali curved tube beads, a couple of cute sterling bali round beads, some bali spacers, a sterling lobster clasp and extension chain finished off this bracelet nicely. For an added touch I attached a handwrapped sterling silver beadcap and an orange AB czech glass crystal beads with a tiny turquoise bead for a lovely charm.

WOW, doesn't this bracelet and all the colors remind you of the clowns at the circus? This bracelet was just recently featured on: The Shard Gallery Website. If you are interested in purchasing this bracelet, it is for sale at my Etsy Shop: Naturally Charming.

We are definitely making the move to Wisconsin. Our target date for leaving is: August 15, 2007. We will be having a couple of garage sales before we leave hoping to weed out a collection of things that we have accumulated in the five years we've been in Florida. I am somewhat of a packrat and I am totally addicted to garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets so you can imagine all the things that I will be getting rid of. I'm in the process of sorting and organizing all of my pattern magazines that I've collected over the years; ie. quilting, sewing, beading, crocheting...and the list goes on. I have started listing some of the patterns on my other Etsy website: The Foolish Craftsman.

Be sure to check it out for upcoming specials and goodies. I will be adding things on a daily basis so check back frequently.

English Lavender Garden Bracelet

Can't you just smell the lavender in bloom? I love the lampwork beads in this bracelet. I bought these beads from FerrariOriginalBeads at Etsy. http://ferrarioriginalbeads.etsy.com/. They have gorgeous beads so check them out. I'm sure you'll find something you like. I handwrapped these beads in sterling silver wire and added a couple of fancy sterling beads that I had been saving for that something special. This was that time I think. The square beads are a beautiful amethyst crystal glass that I also have had for some time. I finished the whole piece off with more sterling rings, bali spacers and a very lovely floral sterling silver toggle clasp. If you're interested in purchasing this bracelet, please check out my Etsy Shop at: Naturally Charming .

My Etsy Trades for Baby Things

Etsy is such a great place to shop or sell handcrafted items. I have two grandchildren who will be born sometime in September. My son and his fiance are expecting around the 15th of September and my husband's daughter and her fiance are expecting around the same time. It has gotten to be kind of comical because it appears that the race is on between the two families now.

Each week, as the girls go to their doctor appointments, I get a new report of how they are each progressing. Recently, both doctor's have figured they are both further along than realized therefore, the due dates have changed frequently. Unfortunately, since these will be our first grandchildren....it's become a bit of rivalry for being the first. The good news is: my son is having a boy, my stepdaughter is having a girl...so at least, we'll have one of each. Maybe if we're lucky they'll both go into labor at the same time and they'll have the same birthday.

Anyway, I've been doing some shopping for baby items that I want to buy for my new grandchildren and I've been doing it on Etsy. Yesterday, I posted in the forum asking for baby items that I might be able to trade for. I got several responses and I've made a few choice trades. I traded a beautiful rose quartz necklace for a lovely rag quilt and I've also traded two ankle bracelets for two chenille bibs with little fishies on it.

I'm going to leave you with both of their shops on Etsy. The quilt was from:Susan's Treasures and the bibs are from: Our Kid's Boutique . I want to say Thank You to both of you for making this such a wonderful transaction.

Gray Mist Lampwork Bracelet

I am so pleased with how this bracelet turned out. The focal bead is a One Of A Kind lampwork bead created by Cindy Craig at: Artglass Adornments . The gray part of the bead is kind of transparent with swirls of white and blue colors going through it but the beautiful part of this bead is on the inside: a luminous color of aquamarine/teal blue and it is so sparkly and beautiful to look at. It shows through both sides of the beads. I decided to add some sterling silver bali curved tube beads, rose beads, a couple of twisted rings and some 6mm Swarovski crystal bicones to add to the sparkle and luminosity of the focal. I finished it off with an extension chain and lobster clasp of sterling silver with a small handwrapped charm at the end of the extension chain. I tried to get the camera to pick up the dazzling colors in this bracelet but I think it didn't do it justice. It truly is a beautiful bracelet and it has a mysterious quality to it. If you're interested in purchasing this bracelet, you can do so in my Etsy Shop: Naturally Charming. I have more wonderful lampwork beads by talented artist on Etsy and I will be showing them off as I complete each design so stay tuned for more surprises.

Lemony Flower Jasper Olive Jade Pendant and Earring Set

This is the other pendant that I had so I decided to do something unique and unusual with this one as well. I started with some sterling silver cable chain and handwrapped some olive ab czech glass crystals and a oblong tab of flower jasper. I continued on with that theme along one side of the necklace and on the other side I added a couple of larger olive czech glass crystals and some beautiful sterling silver beadcaps in between the flower jasper beads. The end result is very beautiful, I think. I added a simple pendant of olive jade as a focal point for the necklace.

The earrings carry the same theme with the olive ab czech glass crystals and flower jasper beads. I added the olivine swarovski crystal bicones to give it a little more pizzazz. The ear wires are french style and sterling silver. If you are interested in buying these you can do so by going to my Etsy Shop at: Naturally Charming.

Turquoise in Motion Necklace

This is a little different style for me but I wanted to try something quite unique with some pendants that I have. I thought they required a chain but with some added flash. I handwrapped some turquoise and red mountain jade beads into the sterling silver cable chain and attached a beautiful heart toggle in sterling. Then I wirewrapped the pendant in sterling silver wire and added some jade charms and another larger round turquoise bead with a Hill Tribe silver bead cap. I think the end result is very stunning. The pendant is quite unique as it has a very nice striation of lines and markings all the way through the stone to the backside so that the back is just as beautiful as the front. If you are interested in buying this pendant and necklace you can find it listed in my Etsy Shop: Naturally Charming .

Gemstones Galore

I finally got these photographed tonight. These are the ones I found in downtown Melbourne, FL the other day. Click on the picture to enlarge so you can get a better look. From left to right:

1. First three are Silicon Carbide - Discovered in 1891 by E.G. Acheson. Man-made fro a compound that forms extremely hard irridescent crystals that are insoluble. Information on the metaphysical properties of silicon carbide is unavailable.
2. Next one on top - Ruby in Fuchsite - Encourages one to follow their bliss. Allows one to remain at ease after tense emotional or physical situations. Due to fuchsite's flakey texture, do not prepare elixirs from this stone in the traditional manner of soaking the stone in water.
3. Onyx - green/gold - Excellent for scrying or carving magical amulets. A stone of inner strength, allowing one to focus and follow through. A stone of physical strength, allowing one to gradually build up one's vitality.
4. Tiger Iron - Accelerates and enhances all healing functions. Diminishes one's tendency to procrastinate. Helps to alleviate fears associated with "survival" issues.
5. Bottom left - Amethyst - A physical representative of the Violet Ray of transformation, with strong protective qualities. Enhances psychic abilities and channeling. Stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands, and the endocrine system.
6. Aquamarine - Aids creative self-expression. Enhances inspiration, peace, calmness and love. Calms nerves, reduces fluid retention. Strengthens kidneys, liver, thyroid and spleen.
7. Citrine - "The Merchant's Stone" - Allows the bearer to increase and maintain wealth. Enhances the body's healing energy. Never needs clearing or cleansing, and will not accumulate or retain negative energy or vibrations.
8. End piece - A carved whale bead in jasper - Holds an aspect of solar energy and a connection to the solar plexus chakra. An intense stone of protection against negativity. Helps one to be grounded to the stabilizing energies of the Earth.

Jewelry Design Station

So this is where I spend alot of my time each day, working on the computer. I try to spend a few hours each day on answering email, listing jewelry, editing photography, promoting my jewelry designs and my Etsy Shop, writing in my blog and keeping up with current events. Between the computer and designing my jewelry, I keep pretty busy each day. I generally am up pretty late each night as well, due to the fibromyalgia...I don't sleep very well and when I do it's only for a few hours because of the pain.

Designing jewelry has literally given me a reason to get up in the morning. I was always very active in my life before I fell in 1999 and injured my low back, then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and COPD in 2002. My life changed very dramatically then as I became less able to get around or do the things that I loved to do. When I decided to start doing jewelry again, I felt like my mind was coming alive again, I became creative again and I was thrilled to be learning new techniques. Now I try to learn a new technique at least once a week. I really enjoy some of the bead magazine that teach you how to do different techniques.

My workspace is very nice as you can see in the picture up above on the left. My husband built my work table. I decided I didn't want a table that I had to sit at all the time...I wanted something that would be comfortable for me to stand at when I needed to be up and moving...this table stands about 37" high and the table top is 66" x 34". I have several storage boxes with drawers stacked towards the back wall of the table and underneath the table there are two shelves on each side with storages boxes as well. I also have a closet with two sets of rolling drawers stacked about 4 1/2' high full of beads and supplies.

All my cameral equipment, lighting, jewelry displays and props can be stored underneath the table. All my jewelry design books, magazines and my photo portfolio of my designs sit on top of my two filing cabinets where they are easily accessible for reference when needed. As well as keeping a portfolio of all my jewelry that I design, I also keep a catalog of each piece and what exactly went into it and what it cost me to design so I know exactly what I have invested in each piece. It also helps me so I don't duplicate my designs by mistake as each one is one of a kind.

As you can see, I'm very serious about what I'm doing and very conscientious about it. I try to be professional yet enjoy what I'm doing. I really love my little workshop and that's important to me as I spend most of my days in this room.

Jewelry Beads Hunting...

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. I spent the day searching for new beads and ideas for my jewelry designs. While I was downtown Melbourne, I ran into Natasha, my friend from Etsy. We ended up spending the afternoon together looking for beads, visiting with merchants and promoting our jewelry. It turned out to be a very good day. I found some really beautiful seashells and some gorgeous gemstones for wirewrapping. My favorite fine was a tumbled piece of ruby in fuchsite approximately 28mm x 22mm x 11mm. It has alot of ruby in it and has a beautiful emerald green color to the fuchsite. I can't wait to get it wrapped. This piece will be for my own personal collection as it is my birthstone. Maybe if it turns out great...I'll go back and get another piece to sell. We also found something called silicon carbide and I have to say it is so absolutely stunning. I bought 3 pieces of it and can't wait to do something with them. I will get a photo so I can post it here for you all to see. The colors are so breathtaking...lots of turquoise, purple, green and so sparkly. It's fragile though so it will have to be wrapped carefully so as not to break or crumble. It's going to take some thought as to how to do this but I will figure it out, I'm sure. So I will get back to work here and design some jewelry....it's so easy to get off track these days.

Meeting Natasha...

I had the most lovely day today. I met a wonderful woman from Russia who just happens to live here in Palm Bay, FL where I live. We originally met on Etsy but decided to meet for lunch today and I'm so glad that I did. We have a lot in common as we both have shops at Etsy and we are both very creative and craftsy. I learned alot about marketing and promoting for my jewelry, thanks to her. If you would like to see some of her designs you can find them at: Tender Things and her name is Natasha. She has many wonderful things for sale. I also have a couple of possible sales. One of the waitresses at the restaurant asked me to come back on Thursday to see some of my earrings. I will bring extras just in case some of the other waitresses would like to buy something as well. We both left several of our business cards with the restaurant owner.

On my way home from lunch, I stopped at Goodwill, one of my favorite places to bargain hunt. This time I went in the other side where you can buy by the pound. As I was checking out at the counter, I noticed that there was a huge grocery bag full of junk jewelry and I asked the clerk how much they were. She replied that I could have the whole bag for $ .50 if I would like. There were a few pieces lying on the counter as well and I said I would give her a $1.00 for all of it. She agreed so I have found a treasure trove of wonderful little surprises. Tons of beads, pendants, etc. I'm so excited because I love tearing apart old jewelry and redesigning it into new designs. So I have alot of work ahead of me. It's been a very good day.

Don't forget to check out Natasha's shop at Etsy. You'll not be disappointed!

Bracelet Forest Wonderland

This is such a beautiful bracelet. The focal lampwork bead is by: Sun Daisy Gems. She makes lovely beads. This one in particular has a luminous glow to it. The colors are so clear and true. I added a dark green cat's eye beads to bring out the greens in the focal bead. Sterling silver bali curved beads, barrel beads, spacers, a lobster clasp and sterling extension chain for adjustability. You'll find this wonderful bracelet in my Etsy shop.

Well, the 4th has come and gone, and so my birthday as well. The holiday was a huge success at my daughter's home. Lots of family and friends, terrific food, lots of fun, great music and entertainment. The weather started out a little rainy but only for an hour, then it rained itself out for the rest of the day. Bright sunshine and clear skies. My daughter, Nellie and her boyfriend were the perfect hostess and host. A good time was had by all...

On Friday, my birthday, Nellie took me out for a late lunch at Red Lobster. It's been a long time since I've eaten at Red Lobster but they only get better each time I go. I had the lobster and shrimp linguini alfredo, a caesar salad and of course, their wonderful cheese garlic biscuits. I tried a new beverage that was tea and cranberry which was delicious. (No sugar added) We had a wonderful time chatting, catching up on the past couple of days since the party. She brought me a beautiful birthday present - which I will keep a secret for right now until I can photograph it and show you. It will be worth the wait, I assure you!

My husband's been in Wisconsin/Minnesota for a few days now...we have decided to move back to the northcountry again. We are from Minnesota originally and miss the lakes and trees and the change of seasons. Living in Florida is nice but we are both tired of the heat, the heat, and the heat....and the weather in general which is usually hot and humid. Anyway, he's looking for a house for us to buy and also has a big job interview with Miracle Ear Inc selling hearing aids. It's a great opportunity and my husband loves working with the elderly and he's a great salesman.

My son and his fiance are expecting and their son is due Sept 30 of this year so we want to be home in Minnesota for the birth. This way we'll be able to play grandma and grandpa to our new grandson. We also have a granddaughter who will be born in October this year. We've been anxiously awaiting grandchildren for some time now and we finally get our wish. I will continue to update any information we get on both pregnancies.

Happy Birthday America!

Check this out for the best fireworks show ever! It's truly the most fun too! http://www.maylin.net/fireworks.html Well, it's official...it's the 4th of July...our nation's birthday today and she is 231 years young. Will we survive the Bush Administation and all of the crap that they have put this country through in the last 6 years. It's strange but I was never much interested in politics until I hit my 50's. I had never voted in an election, never paid attention to what was going on in our government...until 9/11...it woke me up, big time! I will never be complacent ever again in regards to our country, our government, nor our elected officials of this country. I am proud to be an American but I am not very proud of our President or his administration. In fact I am furious that he is allowed to continue his blatant disregard for our constitution and the laws of this great nation. Today I'm going to celebrate this country's birthday with my family and friends over at my daughter's home. Lots of good food, games, swimming, partying and just all around good fun. I hope you all have a great day today. Let's keep it safe...and drive responsibly. If drinking, get a designated driver to take you home safely. God Bless America !!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Okay, I know...it's not the 4th yet...but I get so excited that I have to start celebrating early. This little guy was sent to me today and I thought he was so cute, I just had to share him with you. Been having some problems in my right shoulder and arm, lots of pain and not being able to lift the arm very far before it feels like it's being ripped apart. Went to the neurologist today and he wants to get an MRI done so we can see what's going on. Not exactly what I wanted to hear...was hoping that a cortisone shot might be recommended but no such luck. I'll post more on this as I find things out... Wednesday my husband leaves for Minnesota/Wisconsin to do some house hunting. We've decided to move back up north. Weather here in Florida is just too hot for us. Me, always running 20 degrees hotter than the rest of mankind...plus the heat and humidity are just too hard on my lungs...really aggravates the COPD. I'm still going to my daughter's party and it will be a wonderful day. We'll be celebrating my 55th birthday as well as our country's birthday. I'll be back tomorrow to post more of the days' events.

Sew Sassy Creations: About Etsy

Sew Sassy Creations: About Etsy

July is my favorite month...

Three more days until the 4th...my very favorite holiday of the year...partly because I always get to celebrate my birthday on that holiday. My birthday is the 6th, and was always celebrated on the 4th because it was easier to get all the relative together for that day! Great big family reunions and picnics were always planned. Relatives would come in from all over to attend the reunions. This year the 4th will be celebrated at my daughter's new home. Her first really big entertainment event in the new house. They have a lovely backyard with a nice inground pool with a brand new deck added on. My husband helped build it. Lots of people, family and friends will be attending. Backyard barbecue, open bar, games to be played, live music, the works. Her boyfriend owns a restaurant and he's an awesome chef so we know the foods going to be wonderful! This year is my Big 55 birthday! Makes me think of the Speed Limit! I'm the baby in the family so I've watched my siblings go through this milestone...didn't seem so traumatic for them. Is it just me? This year seems even bigger than my 50 birthday! Will this be the year that my jewelry design dreams finally come true? I have my shop now and I'm selling a few pieces each week...will it continue?

Great Hair Day!

Got my hair done today...needed it badly...starting to look like a shaggy dog. I love my hair short, it's cooler, easier to take care of and you don't have to spend all that time trying to figure out what to do with it. With my busy lifestyle I need something simple, something I can wash and go...! I always feel so much better when I get a fresh haircut....absolutely love the scalp massage! Katie, my hairdresser...gives the best scalp massages I've ever had...and she rubs hard and fast...then does the massage afterwards...makes you want to just go to sleep in her chair. Did some shopping at K-Mart today also...got a great surprise...I picked out a pair of capris marked $19.99....got to the checkout and found out they were marked down to $11.99. I hardly ever have that happen to me. Usually it's the other way around...I find something on sale and then I get up to the checkout and find out the tags been switched...or it doesn't fit or come in my size. So today was a good day all around. Made a nice little sale last night too. That always makes me smile. I love having my new shop at Etsy.com. They are all so supportive and helpful...I must ask lots of questions every day and I read the forums too. I can't believe all the information that is out there for someone just starting out. I was having trouble figuring out how to set up this blog the other day so I just asked a question about it at Etsy and several people jumped right in and started mentoring me. How great is that?! I have to share my experience with consignment shops. For a few months I had a booth in a small shop, downtown Melbourne and I have to say...it was not a very good experience. After a few months of paying rent to the shop owners for my booth space, I was in the hole financially..the first couple of months I made just enough to pay the rent but didn't even cover the material in the pieces I sold. As time went on, I noticed that the shop always had it's front door open and being in Florida, it gets humid alot. My beautiful sterling silver was starting to turn badly from the moisture in the air all the time. I tried to come in and clean it as often as I could but it got to a point where I couldn't keep up with the high humidity. I actually lost a few pieces they got so bad! The other thing I didn't like was when I came in to the shop originally, they told me I would be accepted because I was the only one that had sterling silver and my pieces were more high end...more fine jewelry, rather than costume. Two months later they surprised me with someone right next to my booth coming in with sterling silve, Swarovski crystals, pearls, etc. The only real difference was that she donated a portion of her stuff to Breast Cancer. When I asked about this, they just said," Oh, she was going to come in before you, but she had to delay due to health problems." Who does business like this, anyway? Needless to say, I think the only one making any money in this shop is the shop owner....who also happens to have their own artwork all over the store...and that seems to be the only artwork they seem to promote when someone comes in...they don't even get off their butt to help sell your stuff when they see someone looking at it or asking questions about it. Overall the experience was beneficial to the degree that I did learn from it...and hopefully won't make those mistakes twice. I'm much happier at Etsy and I feel confident that things will start happening for me there.

Cashmere? Do You Love It?

You have to check this place out, Cashmere Connoisseur Blog. Have you ever wondered how to take a sweater or an afghan apart so you can use the yarn again? Full instructions on how to do so are available at this blog. You can also purchase her animal that she makes out of recycled cashmere. These are really adorable teddy bears, not your standard stuffed animals that you'd find at Walmart or Toy R Us. These are animals that you'll want to keep as "keepsakes" and pass them on to generations. You can check out her etsy store at Cashmere Creations. I have two grandchildren being born in September and October, this year so I know that I'm going to be shopping there shortly. I'm going to be busy crocheting each of them an afghan (from Nanny) and since I don't know how to do the animals....these will be perfect! These are my first two grandchildren, boy and a girl, which I have been waiting for for a long time....so I'm going to be doing quite a bit of spoiling for a while...I have lots of catching up with my two older sisters. Of course, the little girl will be getting handmade jewelry by Nanny as well. Stay tune for some of my baby bracelets ideas. I'm also working on a charm bracelet for my step daughter that has to do with having a baby. I found some really cute polymer clay beads on eBay of little babies wrapped in blankets which will be the focal point of the bracelet. I've been collecting some silver baby charms to add to the mix. I will be posting a photo of it here soon so keep an eye out for it. Don't forget to check out Cashmere Connoisseur for the really special teddy bears. Goodnight!

Earrings "Mystic" Blue Larimar Clear Quart

The bracelet looked so lonely without earrings that I decided to make a pair. Loads of quartz crystal chips and blue larimar beads all handwrapped with sterling silver wire. I attached them to a sterling silver chain and sterling ear wires. They look so classy and elegant, just the right touch. I love making chandelier earrings. Since I enjoy making the little handwrapped charms, it's something that I've gotten pretty good at, so it makes sense to me to do the chandeliers. They take a little more time and effort than the regular ones but I think it's worth it when they're done. Spent the day doing some promoting, but most of my day was spent fixing computer problems. I was on the phone with Road Runner for about 3 hours, trying to figure out why my firewall kept locking me out of the internet. Turns out the firewall was faulty, not me this time...now it's fixed and it's working wonderful. I'm not a complete idiot about computers but when it comes to software problems, I don't have a clue. Well, back to the designing board...have some more ideas spinning around in my head...need to get them down on paper before they go flying out the window. Fibro fog sometimes hinders the creativity channels...I've learned to make alot of lists.

Bracelet "Mystic Dragonfly"

Oooh, I love this one so much. The gorgeous clear quartz crystal nuggets and the sky blue color of larimar gemstones makes this bracelet such a wonderful piece. I like the mixing of chunky with graceful and elegant. Lots of sterling silver square bali spacers, sterling chain, lobster clasp and topped off with a beautiful silver Thai Karen Hill Tribe dragonfly. Then I handwrapped some larimar, sterling silver bead caps and Swarovski crystal bicones into cute little charms. This is truly going to be an eyecatcher. You can find this piece for sale at: Naturally Charming Today was a great day for designing. Some of my new beads arrived so I've got some really great pieces coming up. I found a couple of great thrift store finds today also. Little miniature domino pieces and a scrabble board with all the tiles. I'll be using these things in some of my new designs I'm working on. I love using things that I find on my little hunting trips in my jewelry.

Setting up this blog...

This is alot of fun so far...confusing at first but once I found my way around, I think it's going to be okay. Now I need to learn how to get the word out that I'm here so if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate any advice I could get. Thanks,

Birthdays...my daughter's

Monday, June 25, 2007...Nellie's turned 28 year old. When I was 28, I went through a major life change...all my dreams, my hopes, my aspirations, my ideals changed and grew into something spiritual and beautiful. Life was a struggle but it all seemed at the time to be worth it...and it was in the end. I wanted this gift for her to be important and momentous. Something that would express who she was and where she is going. These colors are her favorites; they remind her of the ocean, the seashell, dolphins, laying in the sun, spending time with her friends. The design is something new for her, more elegant and expensive than she normally wears. She's changing her taste in style, growing into a lovely woman with maturity as she leaves her little girl ways behind. It's been wonderful watching her grow this past year and it makes me proud to call her daughter.