of Smoke and Mirrors and Missing Muses

Smoke and Mirrors

Every time I’ve sat down to write a blog post I’ve sat and stared at a blank page and it’s blinking cursor. Nothing, Nada, Zip
The world has gone crazy, my life is upside down, and Facebook seems to be in an awfully ugly political fight. Even Year of Jewelry can’t help this one, my poor Muse is sitting in the corner in tears, it’s all just too much.

*I’ve managed to hold on to my sanity because even though I’m not making a lot of new pieces, I am selling and making those pieces.

*I’ve been working on the house, mostly tape and texture work. Hoping to layout the tile for the Master bath this week, we shall see but I am hoping to.

*I have managed to make a couple new pieces for The Artisan Group, I’ve sent in submissions for Bones and the Originals, blog posts coming for those in the coming weeks. And I’m thinking I’ll send pieces for the Press gift bags for this years Emmys - but I still need an idea for that and the Muse is still over there, sigh. Hopefully we can coax her back out again.

*New Kitten, omg what a sweetie he is. He just appeared on the door step this last week and has just filled all our hearts with love and laughter - it was much needed. He answers to Boogie, so we call him that. Or Boog, or Boo, or BB. He’s one of those kitties that stares into your soul and is so chill about everything which makes me think he was dumped and not feral. And he’s also extremely gentle with his paws.

*I’ve been having some very interesting conversations with friends but I’m afraid they may be what triggered the ugliness to appear in my feed. The algorithm thinking since I had one conversation I want to see all the ugly there is on it - sigh. I really don’t need to, or want to for that matter, it puts me in a dark place that I don’t like.

*The Hay House group on Facebook is a life saver, the constant positive up lifting posts there are just amazing - best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time.

*I’ve just joined a copy writing group - when you stare at a blank page long enough you realize a little help every now and again is a good thing.  Once I was accepted into the group the first thing I saw was introduce yourself, use a graphic NOT yours, NOT of your product, or your art, or of yourself. Show what your aspirations are, who do you want to be? What inspires you?

I’m still working on my introduction, the above is the photo I’ve chosen. My tagline is Artisan Jewelry with a Touch of Boheme but the words that come to mind as I think on this and the photo are Sexy, Strong, Exotic, Sought After, Loved. Now we ….. well I …… need to decide how those fit into my aspirations and inspirations, some are easier than others.

So there you have it, what’s been going on in my world. Smoke and Mirrors and ha! more swords and daggers! Speaking of, I do have another stanza for the Nightmare poem/series. Yes, it has a name now. There may still be more to write but my Muse, in the corner, yup. Maybe look for the new stanza next week….. or a choker ….. or hey! why not do both!

Thanks for stopping by!
We’ll see you next time!
Dana

on Building, or Finishing Another Room

Laying the tile in the Laundry Room

It’s been awhile since I wrote a post on the goings on around the house. Mostly because it’s been largely quiet. The weather wasn’t co-operating there for awhile for the outside projects and the hubs has just been too busy or too tired to work on the indoor projects. Which leaves me to do all the work and I start to feel unappreciated being the only one so everything comes to a stop. sigh

This last week the stars aligned just right and everything fell into place. Not only did the hubs get some more of the trim up around the doors, he capped the end of the wall in the kitchen - originally there was going to be a book case there but the wall is not just out of plumb it’s crooked. 

We’ve run into this a lot more than we should’ve. Never hire someone who wasn’t on the short list just because you have to wait on the ones who are on the short list - HAVE PATIENCE.

Anyway, so the bookcase was eliminated from the cabinetry and the pantry cabinet got bigger but that left the end of the wall unfinished. The hubs capped it, finished the trim on the outside of our bedroom door and started the trim around the doorway to my office. Best of all, we laid the tile in the laundry room! I think I mentioned I had started the tile sometime back and was just waiting on the hubs to lay down some more backer board so I could get to the end of the room before moving all the appliances across the room before working on that side. 

The hubs cleaning the tile after I grouted. I mopped two more times after that.

I asked if he wouldn’t mind and we just ran with it, got the whole room finished!! Yay! That’s two rooms 100% completely finished! I love my laundry room now! En suite bathrooms are next, flipping coins to see who gets to go first lol There has been some rumblings about not being able to use the bathroom while it’s being tiled - oh how quickly they got used to not having to share bathrooms!

Sterling Silver and Labradorite
Red Buds are blooming! There's a honeybee in the pic too :)

Year of jewelry, it’s week 11 and since I was busy with the laundry room I opted for something simple this week. Sometimes though, simple is just the ticket, I LOVE these earrings. Sterling silver and Labradorite, that flash is just gorgeous isn’t it? It’s one of my favorite gemstones to work with, and I never seem to buy it, I just don’t know why. I need to correct that and soon!

That’s it or today, Thanks for stopping by!

We’ll see ya next week!

Septembers Birthstone = Sapphire

Ever have one of those weeks where you seem to be incurably busy, just getting everything done but absolutely nothing is on schedule? lol I'm having that kind of week now. I feel incredibly productive but my schedule was blown to bits!

The biggest reason, I tiled half of my laundry room ALL BY MYSELF! Half, because I didn't move my washer/dryer/freezer was actually doing laundry while I tiled lol I'll need the hubs for the rest, he's got the saw tucked away where I can't get to it by myself and I'll need to cut some tiles. The part I got done looks amazing! I am really proud of myself  "pats self on back and GRINS"

It's the last week of September and I haven't managed a Birthstone post yet so I guess I'd better!

Septembers birth stone is Sapphire. Sapphires come in a rainbow of gorgeous colors but September focusses on the Blue variety.

A maiden born when September leaves
Are rustling in September's breeze,
A sapphire on her brow should bind
`Twill cure diseases of the mind.

From the 15th to 20th centuries Chysolite was Septembers birthstone. (ahem  Peridot! I told you we should give Moonstone another shot...just saying....lol...) Sapphire became the go to stone in 1912 and has remained so ever since.

Frosty Blues on Etsy

I definitely need to consider adding the finer gemstones to my list again, I have none in the shop but I do have some beautiful blues.

Wind Dancers Blues

Previous months Birthstones:

January = Garnet

February = Amethyst

March = Aquamarine

April = Diamond

May = Emerald

June = Pearl

July = Ruby

August = Peridot

September = Sapphire

October = Opal

November = Topaz

December = Turquoise

Thanks for stoppin by!

We'll see ya next time!

Blast from the Past

I'll have to come back and edit this post to add a pic later. Last day of finals so another short post from me again today.

Currently on the Desk:
*Forged hoops - oops! I misdrilled the hole on one earring for the latch so I need to recut the ends, forge, file, and drill again.
*Ribbon choker and simple pendant awaiting a rolled hem to finish. Probably won't take five minutes if I just pick up the needle lol
*A beadwoven necklace with a gorgeous lampworked focal first couple of inches have been started and it is going to be a pretty one! Day to day life has slowed me down on this one, these tiny beads need a clear head and I have had a head ache for several days now, hoping the cause goes away and soon!
*A bead embroidered set - gorgeous gorgeous colors in these stones! Beads are laid out and waiting for that first stitch! Seems like I've been planning this one for ages, but it's more about me trying to live up to the beauty of these stones and do them justice. I want all the details to be just right - I'm starting to think I may just have to dive in........

Remember this post from way back in 2011. It's when I created the first On The Desk post. I've finished all those projects (yay me!) except two. The one in the photo shown in the original post - it's still sitting on the bead tray, and the bead embroidery piece. This last weeks cleaning spurt prompted a let's get a UFO (UnFinished Object) done mood and six and a half hours later the bead embroidery piece is looking pretty darn good. I'm going to work up some chain while I decide whether it needs any more beading added to it before I begin cutting away the extra backing. I am very happy with it so far.

I never told the kiddo what my inspiration was for this piece, but my Art Major daughter nailed it! I asked how she liked it and what she thought of it. The kiddo immediately rambled off the exact inspiration I had used and the feel I was going for with the piece. It brought a tear to my eye, so happy I was able to convey what I wanted and so proud of her for being able to define the period and styles so easily.

With things getting cleaned up and UFO's getting finished up it feels like May is on the verge of being a very productive month around here! Maybe I'll even tackle finishing up the laundry room and the weight room {grin}

Thanks for stoppin' by!
We'll see you next time!

Sign Ups for Bead Soup Seven are under way!

and YES I did sign up! It is ALWAYS a blast!

On the HomeFront: I still (yes still) need to finish the face of my mural. She is looking beautiful but had to take a back seat while the tub was installed and then the sink. I waited for the support wall to go in on the front of the tub but it hasn't happened yet - I think I might just have to start painting again for that to happen! I've uploaded the in progress pics I have to my daughters computer. I can at least give you a couple in progress photos, right?

On the Desk: I actually finished a UFO this week! I know!! The pieces have been sitting in that little triangular tray for over a year. I am so excited to have it finished, it's such a sweet little bracelet. No pics yet, I only finished last night and have been playing on Pinterest today. I know bad me. Not really I love iron work, I have pieces of it all over my house (you see it in my pics all the time!) it translates into wire so well that I decided to create an inspiration board of just iron. I think I blogged about actually cleaning off the desk - maybe that was a FB status update oops any way I said I had actually gotten it cleaned off and of course already had a couple projects ready to go. I had a custom order I needed to finish, then the UFO and now this piece - HEAVILY inspired by the iron. I have another UFO I'm really ready to get to and I want this piece finished up before I begin so my desk can be devoted to what I'm working on.

But Dana, Bead Soup is on the counter waiting for a sprinkling of inspiration. Yes and I have a dead computer that needs to be boxed up. I think it's safe to say after four months it isn't going to spontaneously turn back on. I know, I've been trying. Once it's boxed up my computer desk will be - an empty surface. Since I have decided I like the mobility of Paige's laptop and do believe I'd like one for my own, I don't think the desk is going to fill back up with computer. I'm also looking at rearranging the furniture in there just a hair to free up even more space. So no worries, I got it covered! Huge grin!

Sneak Peeks at the mural these are IN PROGRESS shots NOT the final thing....







Wraps around three walls with no stenciling all free hand. I did use the painters tape as a straight edge - I can paint but I can't draw a straight line lol Even with the tape I managed to get it crooked. Still needs a couple touch ups and her face and hair need finishing. I forgot to put her other arm in - it is in my sketch but somehow didn't make it onto the wall. Debating whether she really needs it, would be something of a pain to tuck in to the white of her gown and match skin tone at this point.

Thanks for stopping in and listening to(or reading) my ramblings. If you liked the in progress shots I may consider doing more - we still have a few projects to finish up around here. Cabinets and tiling, pine flooring, etc etc
See ya next time!

Been a couple weeks, but I am still here....

Just been keeping busy on this end and time slips away from me on weeks like that.

On the home front: Hubs has finally decided it's time to hook up the Whirlpool bath YAY!! however I was in the middle of painting a mural on the wall above the tub.... Pics of mural soon, promise! In fact, now that I'm trying to write a blog post he's decided to pull the tub so I could work on mural while he runs for parts. Isn't that the way?! lol

So keeping this short.... Lori Anderson of Bead Soup fame is hosting another blog hop. Memories and Thanks. I had intended on participating in this one but got busy and I knew I'd be completely overwhelmed had I added one more thing to my plate. Do visit, it's a wonderful way to give thanks to those who lift you and memorialize those who left too soon.

I'm off! Need to get those paintbrushes whirring!!
Thanks for stopping by!
See you next time!
Dana

I am still here.....

Just really missing my computer :( I have so much I'd like to share but I really don't want to stuff Paige's computer full of my pics.

Alex finished his first cross. I made the frame for him and then showed him how to weave it. He did such a great job! I'm proud of him and he's happy with his gift, three more to go.

Started priming my bathroom. Ran out of primer and then put the brushes in water to clean while I went to get the other bucket. Yup, you heard right, got a little ahead of myself lol

Trying to decide which room to tackle next.
I still have to finish the ceiling in the laundry room. It has a seam I never finished, not sure how I managed that either. Get that seam finished and I can paper in there like I did the kitchen.
I can finish sanding the entry hall, texture and finish painting it.
I can sand the kids bathrooms - they were supposed to - and get started painting them.
Or I can head downstairs and finish the bedroom/gym.
They are all on the to do list - I made up a list of things I could do that don't require Alan to finish something first and was actually surprised at how much I had! Now I feel like a slacker lol

On the desk are my forum swap pieces. All cut, patinated, sanded and waiting for me to decide how to assemble. I really like them so far, hoping my friends do as well. I also made up the cutest little angels and IF I had a computer I'd show you! sigh. Apple is having a black Friday sale, maybe just maybe we'll have a little extra money in time for the sale. Fingers crossed.

It's been a really rough couple of weeks around here, I'm blessed to have such a wonderful family and enough to keep my hands busy and my mind occupied. I am ever thankful these types of weeks are rare in my life and I know without a doubt if we just keep moving forward we will be fine.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my ramblings once again :)
May you have a blessed Thanksgiving even if it isn't a holiday you celebrate in your locale, we all have something in our lives to be thankful for right?!
We'll be counting down the days to Christmas when I post next and as always I'm committed to a Handmade Holiday so look for gift ideas you can make for your loved ones to be posted soon!
See you next time!

Home is Where Your Heart Is

And the Kitchen is the Heart of the Home
All things seem to congregate around the kitchen don't they? Family meals, Holiday gatherings, the newest works of art and report cards lovingly placed on the fridge for all to see and mmmm cookies in the oven.

I posted I had managed to load my wagon last month having decided now of all times (in the middle of Bead Soup) was when I was going to finally start the ceiling in my kitchen! I thought you might like a peek.

I love the look of tin ceilings with their gorgeous pressed patterns.
I don't however like the price tag that comes with - ouch! My Dad always said I had expensive tastes!
Unfortunately for me I don't have an endless supply of cash.
Fortunately for me, I love a challenge and finding ways to get the look without the pain!

Enter architectural paper, I remember it as anaglypta wallpaper but try finding that at Lowe's! It's paintable paper with an embossed texture, usually in "tin" designs and usually meant for your wall. It isn't cheap at around $18 a roll but it costs significantly less than $68 per tile and covers ALOT more square footage!

I bought a roll or two with each trip into Lowe's until I had enough to get started. While I was busy doing other things my pattern was discontinued!! Yikes! Turns out I had just enough and good thing too as I had already started in the hallway next to the kitchen.

The first two rows I had cut to length and then had the entire family on ladders holding it up on the ceiling while I smoothed and cursed (under my breath young ears!!!) and it sat like that while I contemplated a better way. Then it hit me, quite a few tin ceilings have a border trim that hides the seams. I could cut the paper to a manageable size and have trim work hide the seams! Wonderful plan! As it turns out, there is the slightest twist to the repeat in the pattern that requires a slight gap every so often to keep everything lined up and straight. Trim to the rescue!

I'm almost half way across the kitchen, waiting on the hubs to take the light fixture down. I have a larger bronzed medallion that will also go up when we put the light back up.

I did the ceiling in the Guest Bath the same way, but painted it a copper color. Painting was a long process for something being done overhead so I think I'll leave the kitchen ceiling white. But I thought I'd show it as it gives you a better look at the pattern.

Google's Banned Words for SEO

Well, it seems Google has a list of terms and words they'll disallow for searching in Google Shopping. Most I don't mind at all, they're not terms I use and often find annoying when searching myself - alternating capital letters the @ symbol in place of an o. I don't really even mind the drug and explosives terms being banned. While I do understand the alcohol references, there are a number of colors that use the same terminology and that's going to make things a little difficult.

They're also banning text and twitter speak, the shortening of a word to a single letter or number. Here's where it gets a little tricky for me personally. The screen name I've used for close to a decade contains 4U2, That screen name has meaning to me, it fits me, it holds dear memories of my children. I'm well known by it, and now it's banned. While I don't use that screen name for my shops I do have several profiles where do I use it, and link back here and to my shops. Link backs, we've all been told, are crucial to building an on-line presence and now it can penalize me.

I suppose I could change my screen name, create a more unified brand for my shops, but that means I'll be starting over in creating my presence and the 1000's of posts will still be there, penalizing me in search rankings. I googled, I have over 11,000 posts in combined forums and message boards - but Google will only allow me to actually look at three pages. I've already been truncated.

On a brighter note, I've been quite productive this week taking pics, writing descriptions, pricing, and even managed to get several items listed in both shops. I have a couple projects nearly finished, several planned out for Art with Heart, the Christmas swap on the jewelry forum and of course gifts to friends and family.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are inching ever closer and I suddenly feel an urgent need to get MOVING! I'm hoping to make a piece a day, but I'm sure there will be days where I won't make it. I did ask for my Master Bath to be finished for Christmas and that means I have taping, texturing, tiling and grouting in my very near future. On top of rocking the basement!

Not much has happened on that front this last month. Alan has been busy working and the backhoe/sand transporter has not been available for grout mixing and I have discovered I don't have the upper body strength to tip a full mixer of grout. At least not at the height it is set to allow for dumping into the wheelbarrow. I just don't have enough leverage. But the trim is up around the windows, stained and varnished, the rocks are stacked up to the trim, and it sure is looking pretty!

Well, I have some pictures to take, an e-mail to send, a Peacock to get finished, a bracelet the needs a clasp, a couple necklaces that need chains revamped and several projects to get started and mortar to mix. So I had better get moving!

'Til next time!
Dana

Making progress

I have completed my first locket, thanks in large part to the inspiration Mary provided me (see my last post) I'm quite happy with it for it being a first and have a number of variations of it floating in my head :)

Art with Heart Beads n Blessings Cycle 3 is now taking pre-orders. This cycle's charity is Step Up for Cancer. I lost my Dad 23 years ago to Cancer, lost my Grandpa (Mom's Dad) a week after 9/11, lost my Aunt (Dad's Sister) in May. My younger cousin is battling her third round, I can't think of a better cause, I'm all in! I've made my order and have my design worked out, as much as I can without knowing what the surprise element will be! I am really looking forward to this cycle!

I've got a fairly decent routine going now. Rocks, box, or garden is my morning routine mantra. Stack some rocks, unpack or repack a box, or weed the garden. The rock work is really coming along now, my house is staring to look like a home, and the weeds .... are still overwhelming (it's a brand new rather large bed)- but give it some time.

I've also discovered another blog to follow, she's just moved to her own domain http://www.newdressaday.com and I gotta say, I read all the way back to her very first posting and I am really impressed with this young lady's creativity, she's really quite an inspiration. On just one dollar a day, she is creating a new outfit to wear each and every day for an entire year. What she can do to a MuuMuu is just amazing. The girl has definitely got an eye for style and color. Check her out and see if you don't agree!

Up, Down, Turnaround....

Oh up, down, turnaround, puts me in the mood.
Oh up, down, touch the ground, in the mood for food.

Gotta love the Pooh Bear!

My goodness, what a week it’s been! Ups and downs and just plain busy!

I won the Beads n Blessings Artistic category!! Yay! UPS returned my prize package, boo!
Seems they couldn’t find my house - there are only four houses on the street, mine is the last one and they found me just fine to deliver the kit, go figure. Thankfully the Gift Certificate was delivered electronically. On the advice of my friends I used it to buy something I really wanted but haven’t bought until now. Are you ready? I bought a pair of Tronex Razor Flush Cutters! I really needed a pair of flush cutters and these are on par with the best, I am so excited! I kicked in some of my money and also bought a gorgeous strand of Russian Serephinite. I can’t wait for them to get here!!

I started using my iCal to remind me of the various things I need or want to get accomplished in a day, and to tell me it’s time to stop doing one and move on to another. That’s working out very well! I seem to be getting so much more accomplished in a day - does not seem to make any difference in the I don’t feel like doing that right now thing though lol

After saying I was going to get back in the habit of exercising for the last year, I finally did it!! Added my exercise schedule in the iCal, and boy had I forgotten the energy boost you get from a good work out! Of course since I’ve gotten out of shape, that boost is followed by an intense desire for nap time! Luckily for me I’ve started inventory on my beads and such and can use that quiet time to enter the strands into my spreadsheet and still feel productive. I missed yesterdays work out because I forgot to set up the alarm. But that’s ok, the first couple weeks are all about establishing a routine and it’s expected to not be perfect - nothing really is anyway, right? Right!

Our other business is booming right now, we’re backed up and the work keeps coming in. We’ve had an early heat wave - heat index has been in the triple digits. For my European friends that about 35c if I remember the conversion right. 0 is freezing and every degree Celsius is approximately 3 degrees Fahrenheit. On one of the hottest days my husband had work lined up for the trackhoe and dump truck. Both are air conditioned and it should have been a fairly easy day - the air conditioner went out on the trackhoe in the first hour and on the dump truck in the next. That poor man looked so beat when he finally came in for a late lunch. I felt so bad for him, but he turned right around and picked up the parts he needed to make repairs and got right to them, in the heat of the afternoon! But he’s got a/c again!

This weeks piece I’ve been working on is a gold filled filigree cross. It’s really coming along beautifully and I’m quite happy with it. Just one more piece of filigree to add to the back, so it’s as pretty as the front and it’s all done. Finally got a decent pic of Sabina’s matching earrings yay but I haven’t gotten started on that matching cuff yet. I know, bad girl!! But I’ve been working on the cross - *biggest best smile*

We’ve been building our house for the past seven years. We’ve been living in it for over a year now. Makes it interesting to find things sometimes as there’s still quite a bit boxed up. We’ve just received notice from our insurance that they’ll no longer be covering us since the exterior still needs work. We have two months to get the front balconies and rock work done. That’s the bad news, the good news is that’s the incentive to FINALLY get it done! Yay! On that note, I finished texturizing the last wall in the laundry room! It is now ready to be primed and painted in the next few days. Told you I’ve been busy!!

'Til next time!
Dana