They're Here!

My soup has arrived, and I feel very spoiled.

Here's what Ren sent me:

The lampwork is by Anne Dundas, and the clasp is sterling silver from Bali.

Yep, she spoiled me!

I can't wait to get started, but I must finish my prep for the craft show Sat.

Check out yesterday's post for more info on my partner, and to see what she received.

BSBP7 She got her beads!

This is my 3rd opportunity to participate in Lori's BSBP, but

BSBP5

BSBP6

the first appearance of my new friend, Erin "Ren" Guest.

what a beauty!

She is a talented Australian photographer who also enjoys jewelry making.

I adore this photo of hers.

Here's a great piece she just finished and shared with her fb friends.

 

 She's incredibly multi-talented as you can see.  

I think my favorite part is she's such a talented writer.  I really enjoy reading her blog and fb posts. 

Take the time to visit her at Renlish.com.

She just received her soup so I can share it with you as it simmers down under.

Yes, more Pinterest packaging. I do have a problem.

 Oh and Ren...

if the flowers like to line up on the ball thing, just give 'um a little twist 

to fill in the gaps.  I've never seen anything want to line up on top so well.  

Bet if I wanted them to stack they wouldn't dare.

Without further delay the soup!

Ren's soup

the gift aka the soup I didn't finish

 Now go visit Ren

Renlish (not so) spectacular vernacular

(Her words not mine.)

 

What now?

Random bits is all I can provide today so here it goes...

I lost a very important extended family member today.

I'm heartbroken, and scared for the future of her family without her.

I feel like I'm wandering in a thick fog.

Craft table #2 is this Sat. at 8am. Ahh!

I did finally pay the monthly family bills (goal was Friday the 15th)

 I did submit this month's Scholastic book orders for the classrooms I handle on time!

I still haven't introduced you to my AWESOME BSBP7 partner, Ren.

She received her beads today, and seems happy with them.
 The soup dramatically changed before I shipped it, but I liked it.
More on that in another post.
 

I waste too much time on Pinterest.  

(link takes you to my boards)

Thea's having a giveaway to celebrate 1st anniversary of Thea Too.

Oh and here's the first thing I've completed this year that I actually like.

Yep, it's a brain fart.

My 9 year old son told me a fart looked like a green cloud
while I was cleaning up my polymer clay. 
Yep inspiration can come from anywhere!

My First Craft Table-2012 Resolution Complete

When you don't know what to do...finish all the blog posts in your drafts.
This one was started the second week of December 2012.

Last year I swore 2012 would be the year I finally offered my jewelry for sale.  I set an original goal of August, but this summer was a real kick in the teeth.  Despite everything I completed my goal on December 1, 2012 on KAB at the Tinsel Town Event.

I embellished plain white bags with a stamp and an address label.

I designed and printed business cards and tried the slinky tip I saw on both a fb group and pinterst.
Nobody wanted to mess it up.  I'm the only one who pulled from the coils.

I did a practice set up in my kitchen table.

I made 2 little signs.

I actually went.  Yes, I thought about backing out a lot.

I brought along two very handsome helpers.

I brought a mirror.
Yep, this makes 2 of my son's 
photos that have made it into this post.

I had beadwork, resin, stringing & polymer clay.
Yeah, always trying new things.

There was soldering and sea urchins too!

and even something for the kids.
These are the only things that actually sold out.

 We were right behind photos with Santa.  
See the little red house?

Here come his helpers.
Have you noticed it's been raining the whole time?

But nothing stops a visit to Santa.

At this point the rain really started to pour down so my clever husband made a rain shield with the other plastic table cover and a sheet.

but it was too short to cover the entire back of the tent so this was his solution.
It kept us warm and dry so it was perfect.  Though it was time to put up the camera for safe keeping.

Many (almost all) other vendors didn't make it through the first hour with displays falling over and blowing down the row.  You could hear glass breaking, gasping, and tape pulling.  With hubby's clever wind block and me opting not to put the long skirt on the table we did surprisingly well in the stuff not blowing over department.

Plus I made back the money I spent to be there 3 times over.
 I also realized I've made way way too much stuff I never planned on using myself.

After the booths were to close Tracy Adkins performed as a holiday treat.  We stayed till we couldn't take the cold and wet of our clothes anymore.

All and all a success in my book.
  I'm set for round two later this month at Market Day hosted by the local community center.
This time I'll be inside!

Chicken & Funk

I haven't been able to sit down and create a piece of jewelry since before my first craft show which was December 1st.  I've made gifts, class treats, tons of Box Tops prize packs, posters, bulletin boards, newsletters, book order reminder bookmarks, pinewood derby trophies, and on, and on, and on...but no jewelry.

I've tried exploring pinterest, flipping through old issues of Beadwork and Bead & Button and checking out my many facebook beadie groups.  I even started this post 2 weeks ago.  From the title I think I was going to share my cooking experience from this pin:  crescent chicken (This pin doesn't take you straight to it. For the direct route click HERE.) 

If you knew me in person you'd know looking for recipes is the ultimate sign of distress.  Even my child will tell a stranger, "Mom can't cook."  Oh my goodness, it's so true!  My poor husband can cook, but he'll still choke down my attempts and play sous chef when I try the next time.  (I really think he's in there to extinguish fires and prevents me from cutting off a finger.  Yep, it's happened.  Well, not the finger thing.

You know how far down in this creative funk I'm in?  ...I've cooked 2 new recipes.  The second one was actually idiot proof. Hubby handling the pepperoni crisping made it me proof anyway.  This one even kept my son from his ever so encouraging and consistent vow of, "I'm not eating that."  In his defense, he's had several deployments worth of my cooking so he's knows better than anyone else.  He learned to microwave his own bacon at 4 because I burned it 2 days in a row.  Yep, I'm like a tank in a petunia patch.  Ok enough about my inability to cook.  What to I do about my inability to even sit down with my beads? 

Oh and one more thing to scare the pants off anyone whose met me...I hired a cleaning lady. 






No worries potential bead soup partner.  I picked out a few things before my show, and bought a whole pile to go with them since.