Let's have some Happy.

The Color Purple

Studiojuls.com

Not your typical BOO!

You know how I'm always writing about the crazy that is my life, except lately I haven't had much to say?

It is because I don't really know how to say this, or to whom I am ready to say it.

In lieu of trying to figure it out, I think I'll just go ahead and say it to everyone at the same time in the same place.   And maybe later I'll call my mom.

I found a lump last week, and in a few short days there have been big changes that involve the kind of pain not even I can ignore.  Not that I intentionally ignore pain, I just have a wicked high tolerance for it.  Like that time my leg bone was hanging around outside my body and I swallowed an Advil and 'walked it off'. 

If you're a child of Any Decade before 2000, I'm guessing you've heard that term before.

I haven't had much success with walking this off.   Ignoring it doesn't seem to be working either, probably because the little voice inside my head that is not a doctor but pretends to be while googling Breast Cancer and scaring the hell out of me refuses to shut up.

Anyone have some insurance I can borrow for a minute?  Apparently they don't hand mammograms out like candy~ not even on Halloween.

Then again I don't remember being the little princess who ever said "Trick or Treat or squash my boob!",   but that's probably only because I didn't have them yet.

So far being FODEE! isn't as much fun as I'd planned.

~

Fiesta Freeform Links (and another Washed Ashore set), Silver Bells (Is it Christmas yet? NO? I'm still putting up my tree this week.), and Love.

Fiesta ~

Silver Bells~

She Loves~

Washed Ashore~

(available at StudioJuls)

~~

Doin' what I'm doin'.

More Freeform Ringlet sets

Adobe~

Tribal Bold~

Believing~

Freeform

Washed Ashore~

Color Play~

Homo Sapiens~

 

Creative Voices.

Cashmere~

Capulet~

Wisdom~

I had fun yesterday.

Her Heart is her Canvas~

Rain Dance ~

Purple Rain ~

available at StudioJuls

~~

Monster Inventory Clearance Sale.

All Destash beads over at StudioJuls are now 45% off the already listed wholesale prices.  Gemstones, vintage czech, coral, silver, filligree, buttons~ EVERYTHING MUST GO.

The coupon code is GIMMETHAT, and your discount will be applied at checkout.

Shipping is a flat rate of $5.50 no matter how much is purchased, but if your order can go into an envelope I will refund any shipping overages when your items are packed.

I am going in a new direction with my art and *really* want the excesses out of the way.

You can't beat the wicked low prices and fantastic quality, so why not treat yourself to something special? 
45% off!   Use Code: GIMMETHAT

Offer good Oct 18th ~ Nov 1st, 2011

(Sale applies to all items in the Destash Beads category.  Sale does not apply to Lampwork beads)

I will be making several changes to my blog and shop in the near future, some of which you can already see.  I'm sure I will gunk things up a bit in the process, but the end result will be a more enjoyable experience for everyone.  Promise.
~~

Inspired by~

In 2005 I took a road trip to Bead and Button.  While there I had an opportunity to spend some time with a local friend who, knowing my love for turquoise, took me to the MECCA of Native American Jewelry galleries.  I'm talking display case after display case of the most beautifully crafted silver and turquoise adornments completely beyond anything you can imagine.  Mouth agape, I began scanning the treasures before I'd even made it all the way through the door.  By my second step inside I was already beelining toward a bracelet nestled midway on the 3rd shelf of a 6 foot long display cabinet.

To say I was impressed by this cuff handcrafted by a Navaho artisan is like saying puppies are kind of cute or 45 below zero is a little chilly.  I tried it on and was horribly disappointed when it didn't fit just right and I stood there turning it over in my hands unconvinced that I shouldn't buy it anyway.  I was in love.

The incredibly enabling helpful shop owner suggested I might try it on the other wrist, and the way it slipped on so perfectly made angels sing. 

She then showed me the matching ring....and I showed her my credit card. 

I wore it earlier this week and was inspired

to duplicate the style in bead embroidery.

With turquoise, of course~

I like to think my ancestors would be proud.

Taos

Natural Turquoise, Upcycled Leather

Cuff/Earring Set

$165

~~

For no reason at all.

An old friend sent me these today.

The card was signed

"Just Because"

.

I'm tickled pink.

~~

Gift Certificates now available at StudioJuls!

~~

~~

~~

~~

A whole lotta sass. There's really no other way to describe the last 3 pictures.

These are a few beads from a set I am working on.

Silver glass, oh how I love thee.

~~

I'm going to talk about the felines

residing on the Catio again

just long enough to tell you

that they share food willingly

with whatever cat is brave enough

to come in.

Even cats

THAT ARE NOT CATS.

"I am going to stare right at you

(through the door)

while I walk in

and eat this food,

and the only thing you're

going to do about it

is take my picture."

Meanwhile

Baby Daddy is eating his dinner

on the table just

to the left of this guest,

and Baby Boy is laying in his basket

under said table

observing his leftovers

being hijacked.

Guard cats.

I don't have 'em.

(Although I am totally stocked up on

kickass masked bandits!)

~~

This morning I let Chelsea

have free run of the backyard

because it has been cool enough

that snakes are no longer a concern.

I forgot that poop

(duck poop/cat poop/other dog poop)

should be a concern.

My girl is a poop roller.

Show her some poop she can roll in

and she'll show you some rolling in poop.

6 am bath time.

Squee is not a word I would use

to describe it,

and it seems Chelsea agrees.

Stink Eye and the Doggie version of the finger.

Her foot fur and tail fur and mane fur and pretty much

all of her fur had gotten way too long, so I cut it.

Salon ala Mom

Such a Pretty Girl.

Not even my early morning hackjob

can change that.

~~

My Mind. It is changed.

THIS

is totally my favorite bead collection.

(Ever)

(So far)

Click for big pic.

Lick screen.

~~

When Vetro goes on sale for 70% off...

mama stocks up on turquoise.

Okay. You're right.

Mama ALWAYS stocks up on turquoise.

The bright translucent yellow is new though

and the only reason I added it to my cart

is that it was $3.41 a pound

which means Frantz practically paid me

to take it.

Sunshine, anyone?

~~

Quite possibly my favorite set of beads. EVER.

These make me happy that

I know how to melt glass.

Knowing how to melt glass

makes me happy

that I can make them again

because

licking yours would be

kinda rude,

dontchathink? 

~~

PS.  I am making a cameo bartending appearance tonight, and I think you should totally come have a beer with me.  Although technically I can't actually *have* a beer with you, I could stand there and watch you drink yours.  I promise not to drool.

I'm actually going to root for Auburn against Arkansas today.

But to make up for that, I'm going to show you a BAMA necklace set first~

And last.

~~

...I'm in it. How could I not be?

Baby Daddy.

He may have claimed me first,

but where I go

he goes.

This next beauty is

Face.

He is I think his leg is broken's brother,

and after 9 months

he will finally

ALMOST

not run away

from the human with the food.

(I suspect he has ear mites)

(So does I think his leg is broken)

(They are such sweet hard luck kittehs)

(I am going to feed them...)

(but I can't afford to fix everything)

(If you want to adopt either or both)

(I'm willing to travel to find him or him)

(or any of them)

(a forever home)

Such a sweet face.

This was my front walk

tonight ~

You've already met the precious

I think his leg is broken.

Next up is

"I have a home"

He/she is a gorgeous piglet,

is well cared for and

 pretty much just shows up to eat.

Lil' Mama is a tiny thing that had her babies

earlier this year

in the woods out back.

I never could find the babies.

My vet is awesome though

and lets me make payments

when I bring in the strays

to prevent more strays.

Human. NO!

is a talker.

She talks and talks and rowrs and purrs.

(I'll catch a pic of her one day)

(and yes I checked to see if she was a girl before calling her a girl)

(Winning!)

Pretty Girl

is one of 5 beauties that my neighbor

up the road tossed out

when they moved.

She is so sweet and gentle

and I am sort of in love with how much

she favors Baby Daddy.

I'm not so much in love with

 the character of the former neighbor.

Crazy Cat Lady World...

~~

If you'll give me your opinion on something I'll give you a kiss on the mouth. Or you know, maybe just a virtual hug.

First I thought I'd share a photo of 2 of the "strays" (theyarenotmycats.  theyarenotmycats. theyarenotmycats) that I feed 9 times a day.

You think that's too much?  You try sitting here with a bunch of kitty faces peering in the door ~ first at you and then in the direction of where the cat food is stored.  And then back at you.  And then back in the catfood direction.  And then back at you.  It's like the Wimbledon of MEOW.

Baby Girl (who is not a girl at all...I should really investigate that before assigning them fake names because now he is pretty much stuck with that moniker.) showed up in the middle of winter, climbed into Baby Daddy's basket lined with towels and never left. So I added another basket for Baby Daddy, because he is not my cat.   I think his leg is broken (and it was) showed up early this year, climbed into the basket with baby girl, and likewise never left.   They sleep hugging each other.  It is adorable and I've tried so many times to get a photo....but as soon as I turn the door handle they both hop out and look at me like "What?  We weren't doing anything!  Where's the food?" 

Let's review, shall we?

I have a cat named Baby Daddy.

I feed strays every day

including the gay couple above.

I am a DOG girl.

~~

Now if y'all would be so kind as to tell me

which one of these pictures you like best,

find most appealing, suggest I continue using,

etc...

I would be most appreciative.

Organic slate background or gradient white?

Guinevere

available at StudioJuls.

~~

Gorgeous Glass.

Instead of cleaning off my torch table

I decided to use up what was on it

to create some random beauty.

This is basically an entire Skillz Day

at a wicked awesome price.

StudioJuls!

~~

For real.

I don't usually even allow a blue rod and an orange rod on my torch table at the same time.

I haven't had much to offer in the way of creativity in the jewelry department for the last little while...until over the weekend a lovely customer bought a few sets of beads and requested I make something out of one them. 

I'm not usually a fan of forced frivolity, because having to do a thing makes the thing not so much fun, but I'll just go ahead and admit that this?  This was fun.

It was so fun that when a custom order for

a Bama bracelet came in a little later

I knew exactly what to do~

and now I have to make myself one of those sets too.

Right after I finish the 6 other orders I've gotten

for various college teams.

Including Auburn.

Which is a bit of a challenge

for a Bama girl.

Know what I mean?

~~

Yes? Maybe? Pleeeease?

Y'all KNOW I had to play too!

Love My Art Jewelry is having a one day cyber sale ~ and I couldn't resist the opportunity to party with so many wickedly talented artisans. 

(even though I totally forgot about it until this morning.)   (Because forgetting is the new black!)  (That is going to catch on if I keep saying it, right?)  (I don't guess it matters though, because chances are I'll forget by then that I said it and won't know who to quote when I repeat it)

Anyway.

Today (SUNDAY) only take 15% off everything at StudioJuls!   Use coupon code TREASURE at check out.

For a list of all participating shops go take a peek HERE.

If you are like me and don't like to be told what to do, let me just say that if you ignore my instructions and don't go take a peek THERE then you will never know about the giant prize package that 1of you is going to win~ including a $15 gift certificate for StudioJuls.   

For many of us participating in this sale, our art and these shops are our livelihood.  They are how we pay the mortgage and that guy Bill who shows up every month with both hands out. 

So I want to thank y'all ~ YOU, yOu, and EwE too ~ for supporting handmade, for creating and sharing your own beauty with the world...for being here right now to read these words.  You rock my world.

~~