Juggling belief?

Ahh Sunday, a day of rest.... Well, kinda, sorta, maybe. I love the idea, a day of rest and reflection, a day to put aside chores and duties.
I really get the whole principle, belief, commandment behind it.
But, you knew there would be a but, how do you live it?
When you work full time, commuting two hours everyday and your Saturdays are full of household chores, cleaning, searching for the thousandth time for things you've lost, making time to play with your kids, catching up on all the undone stuff from the week, and needing to make beads and fused glass how do you rest and ignore all the things that STILL didn't get done.
Wow that is an amazing run on sentence.

Anyway as I ponder the ways I can make all this happen or should I say not happen on Sunday, I am day dreaming about beads. As I probably mentioned I have been in a bead funk lately. Nothing seems to be happening at the torch. I haven't even wanted to attempt it lately because it is soo depressing. So I am drawing ideas, thinking of things to do, trying to find ways to capture the beauty of fall in a bead. I see all these beautiful trees in glorious color as I drive down the road and I feel there must be some way to capture this amazing fall show in a bead. How do you miniaturize magnificence?

Perhaps a day of rest will clear my head and inspire my hands. LOL

I hope all of you are getting a chance to rest and reflect today.

Beckie

Walking Inspiration or I found the library

Sooo, no I did not get near a bead yesterday, paperwork is still breeding more paperwork but I did fuse some glass last night.

It started with a walk and the library. Richard and I took a walk up to the Post Office to check his PO Box. As we strolled about town enjoying the beautiful evening and some time together we went by the library.

Now I have lived up here for a couple of years now and I have never been to the library, I actually have been very few places here in Warrenton. I still do most of my shopping etc. in Fredericksburg. We were going to keep walking when Richard asked if I wanted to go in. In we went and 4 books later I was very excited. Besides the newest Cat Who book, I picked up a church book, a really big cookbook and....A glass fusing book. It was the only bead/glass book I found. I'm hoping that means they were all checked out and not that they only have one.
Anyway, it did light a fire of inspiration. I came home, grabbed some glass and hit the kiln. I see a new creative path unfolding before me. I like the ideas I saw they sparked some creative ideas to explore.

I like unexpected inspiration, I like it when something hits and I can take off in new directions, I like to explore new paths. You just never know where you will go.

Beckie

Where's the bead?

So what's with all this paperwork? My binder must be breeding papers for me to work on. Sheesh, I haven't been able to get near a bead all day.

I did get on the torch this weekend and made a luscious black and purple bead with a hint of green. I can't wait to see what I can do with it, I can't wait to see what beads I have to design with. Maybe tomorrow, if the paperwork orgy ends.

Tonight is a short post but it is late and my bed is calling.

Talk tomorrow.
Beckie, the perennially tired.

Wonderful Saturday

The recipe for a wonderful Saturday, clean house. I know it sounds weird but I'm home so little that when I get the chance to get things under control I feel so much better.
Anyway back to my recipe.
Clean house.
Spend time with stepson and stepdaughter.
Talk to son on the phone.
Hear about homecoming plans from son and stepdaughter.
Talk to friends.
Watch Movies and eat very unhealthy but tasty foods.
Work on laundry while watching Meerkat movie.
Tease husband.
Blog while fixing dinner.
And add a little relaxation at the end of the day.

Yep combine all those ingredients and you get a great day. A day when you feel blessed for what you have.

Hope whatever was in your recipe today it combined to give you a great day too.

Beckie

Making lemonaide or the best laid plans...

Ahhh, it all started out so well. Got up early, got stuff done around the house, showered blah, blah, blah, headed to the burg early to walk with Richard's Lissa when BAM the car goes haywire. OK that's an exaggeration but a seasonal problem, like my car overheats only in cold weather?!?, reared it's ugly head.

My Lisa thinks Roady, that's my vans name, is just going through menopause. It's mearly a hot flash.

Soo now I am at home, Roady, is off to the repair shop and I have this gift of a day. A day I can clean, work on jewelry, put pics of my jewelry on Etsy, work on a postcard to mail to prospective shops. WOW!!! I'm thinking if I write it all here maybe I will get more done. Like I now have witnesses.

That being said I better get going. I have alot to do and maybe a few people watching me.

Beckie

Tuesday into Wednesday

Happy Tuesday!! Today was a mixed day of number crunching and creative pursuits. The numbers are still fighting me but I think I'm winning, at least I'm nearing the end of the war. One of the most surprising things was looking at my jewelry sales in the past few years. The economy took their tole but when I look at what I was doing just a few years ago it has really inspired me to get back to that level. The pursuit of my dream.

Tomorrow I am hoping to hit the bead mat again. The holiday's are coming along with the show I'm doing in Warrenton. I hope to have a great variety of items to sell. I'm going to mix it up a bit. I want to include my artsy pieces along with some more tradition styles that might appeal to working women. I don't have a real handle on Warrenton but it strikes me as a bit conservative.

Well Tuesday has morphed into Wednesday. When did I start becoming a night person? Sheesh that husband of mine is a BAD influence. LOL

Sweet Dreams,
Beckie

A new week. I wonder what it will have in store for me. Something good I hope.

Today I have been crunching numbers. Numbers hate me, they always have. They simply do not make sense to me. I envy my best friend, numbers always make sense to her. Even when things are at their worse and she's under a ton of stress she can calculate numbers like a wild women. Me, I don't know. I probably should avoid numbers whenever possible, the calculator and I never agree. I always have to check and recheck and still it's like number roulette. Ya just never know what number is going to come up.

On the bright side I should escape number hell tomorrow and I can go back to what I truly love...dropping beads everywhere.

Beckie

Changes

It's Friday!! Not sure why but I have been looking forward to Friday all week. Today they started working on the shop. It was a bit tough, now BeadL*jewlz is totally gone, erased from site. The funny thing is while the change was hard accept I realized something wonderful has happened. Since the shop closed and alot of the associated stresses are gone and now that I have time to work on jewelry I have been amazed at the artistic idea's I have had. Amazed at how much I have gotten done. Amazed at the direction my work is going.

Once again I marvel at how when one door closes another can open. Even when changes in life are difficult and not what you were hoping for those changes can offer marvelous opportunities for growth.

So on this now Saturday morning, I wish for all my friends to embrace the changes in your life, you never know where the path will lead.

Beckie

Fires of Inspiration

It's a beautiful Thursday morning and the fires of inspiration are upon me.
Last night I went by AC Moore, mainly to kill time before a meeting, and I found some really cool beads. Yes I do shop local craft stores, cool beads can be found all sorts of places and even when I had the shop and spent time on the Internet searching you could never find everything.

Anyway I digress, so last night I fused two black and Dichro focal pieces to go with these new beads, when I pulled them from the kiln this morning I was so excited. I can wait to put this all together. I think it will be amazing. I also found some soft etched tubes in pastel colors that look like they will be fun and summery so we will see what inspiration comes from those.

I love being inspired, it excites me, motivates me, and makes me feel alive.

I hope you find something to inspire you today.

Beckie

Laugh Tracks

It's o'dark 30 in the morning and I am up trying to get something done around the house. This is one of those mornings when you wonder where the laugh track to your life is. Ever have one of those days? You stumble around dropping things, every mix up mess up possible has happened and you feel like your in an episode of I Love Lucy. My cats are helping or not depending on your perspective. They have read the script and I haven't but they are in charge of the physical comedy, Who knew cats could find so many ways to make you stumble and dance to avoid falling over, all the while looking cute and innocent.

Well I guess I best get back to work. I wish you a fun, laugh filled day. May all you do go the way you plan and if not I hope you find laughter in the disasters.

Beckie

Simple Pleasures

It's beginning to look alot like halloween... Oh the things that can make you happy!! Halloween decorations are up, glass is in the kiln, car is somewhat cleaned out and the Buckland Farm Market is open till 7pm. What is it abuot getting things done around my house that brings me such joy. I really need to be a stay at home wife, or at least have a stay at home career. I do stay at home so well, really, I am great at it, cleaning, decorating, yard work, cooking, I excel. I'm not so great a juggling a full time job and a house. I enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

I am finishing up the cleaning end, No, don't think wonderful things of me, it is sooo not done but I am finished for today. I need to work on some glass if the muse is hanging with me and my sweet wonderful husband is taking me out to dinner to the place he proposed to me, (thanks mom for the gift card). We are also going by the Buckland Farm Market, they have finally re-opened after their move and while we can only afford to window shop that's OK. Anytime spent with my husband is a great time, simple pleasures.

I am off, the bat bunting needs to be hung on the front rail and glass is calling me.

Happy days,
Beckie

Busy, Busy

Well, things have been fairly busy in my life these last few days. I went to my 30th high school reunion, my sweet wonderful husband celebrated his 50th birthday, and we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. One wild, interesting, fun, fabulous, loving, challenging, wonderful year.

Time is interesting in how we conceptualize it's flow. I feel like I was just in high school last year not 30 year ago and I feel like I have been with Richard all my life not just a few years. Age is a number and while our bodies may weaken how many of us really feel our age inside. I admit to often being surprised that I'm 48, I barely feel like 20. OK, I act like I'm 20!!

Work is going well although the gallery is not yet up and running. I spent part of today cutting glass rods until I cut myself for the second time and decided to take a break. Burns I don't mind but I hate cut fingers.
The ideas keep flowing for jewelry and I am really excited with the direction things are going but I really need some new focal pieces. When you move to a new studio it can take time to re-adjust. I was so used to the studio at the shop and now with the new studio I am trying to get used to the lighting, the atmosphere, the table position. I haven't had muck luck with beads but I think if I just keep at it I will get comfortable again and the beads will come. If not? I add a bunch more beads to my bowl of rejects or I mulch another planter with ugly beads.

Well it's time to sleep, morning comes too soon and I have miles to go tomorrow.

Beckie aka Bead Beckie

Brain Jewelry & Birthdays

Yikes, where did the last week go? I have tried to be so good about blogging every day but it's been almost a week. Shame on me. Oh well I have blogged way more in the last month than I have in the last 2 years so hey, that's something.

OK so in my last blog I was whining, yes I admit it, whining about having to repeatedly make the same beads or stitched tubes over and over. I was being a giant baby and then...what do I see on TV? A report on talent and how practice, repetitively performing the same tasks over and over can help build myelin in the brain.

To keep this simple, you can google it yourself, but myelin is like insulation of the brain pathways. The thicker the myelin on the connections the faster your brain cells can fire. It's like going from dial up to a high speed connection. I found this fascinating and if I were a better person I would say I will never again complain about repetitive tasks but hey, that's probably not going to happen. But I will remind myself when I feel crabby about it that I am increasing my brain function and my talent.

Sooo, today is my sweet husbands 50th birthday. It's a wonderful thing to celebrate but he is not taking it well. I wish I could convince him that age is just a number but he is feeling his mortality.
I have made up cards, 50 of them, with 50 different reasons to love being 50. I will scatter them about the house, tuck them in his lunch and tape them on the bathroom mirror. Hopefully something in there will help him see that life is not over and the best is yet to be.

I personally have loved every one of my 48 years. They haven't all been easy but believe it or not there are only 2 things in my whole life I would change. I firmly believe the past is what makes you who you are so I have no regrets, I have learned and grown from all I have been through and will continue until I leave this earth and head to the next adventure.

Don't you just love new adventures? As long as I am able I will continue to experience everything I can. For when I am old and drooling, wetting my diapers and confused as to who everyone is I want to spend my days reliving all my great adventures instead of regretting the things that I never tried or wishing I had done this or that.

They say only the good die young so I think I will be here a long, long time. :-)