Hi ho, Hi ho, It's Off to MI I go...

Well, I think the title pretty much sums it all up.  I leave for Michigan later this afternoon to spend some quality time with some friends... These friends aren't just any friends though, they're my lifetime friends... Seriously, we've been friends f0r over 20 years!  So, I'm really looking forward to all four of us being together again.  Much hilarity is expected...  So, dear, faithful readers (Ok, ok, I know I don't really have any readers, but sometimes I like to live in my own little world here) never fear!  Do not weep!  I shall return to bore you with all my jewelry making details when the weekend is o'er.  Have you noticed that I like to throw out a little old time English here and there... like shall, and o'er?  You should try it sometime.  It's quite fun and it makes you feel smart. Happy weekend to all, and to all a good night (er... morning)!

Love,

Bethy

Tired...

First things first, how do you like the new look on this here blog?  Be honest with me... do you love it? Hate it? Does it make you swoon or want to poke your eyes out looking at it?  I'm trusting you to tell me how it really is!  The pressure is most definitely on!! 

Ok, with that out of the way, I just want to write a quick update... I know you all have been waiting with baited breath for this...  I don't have much to update though, sorry.  I was super productive Tues. night finishing 5, count 'em, FIVE sets of earrings!  Good start, right?  I thought so... I now 0nly have like 5,257 more pieces to make... just kidding... I have about 10 or so more pieces to make for this upcoming craft fair.  So, a good chunk was accomplished on Tues.  But... then... nothing since then.  Seriously, I've been drained, exhausted, and ust plain tired.  It's been a long week... And I don't think I'm going to get much done this weekend, because you see, I'm going up to MI to visit with some very, very dear friends.  All thoughts of jewelry making will have flown out the window the second I get on the highway.  And that's OK.  BUT, and this is a big but, hence the all caps, you all need to keep me in check!  I'm serious, don't let me get "tired" and shirk all my jewelry making responsibilities...  Seriously, I have a lot to do in only about a week and a half.  Cuz did I mention that the fair is on Dec. 2nd?  Well, it is... and looking at the calendar, that's soon... OK, I'm going to go spend the rest of my lunch break freaking out... Toodles!

P.S.  As I lay in bed, desperately trying to fall asleep one night, I received a vision from the jewelry making fairies... it was for a necklace that I think will be fantastic... if I can get it together and make it... so stay tuned...

Join me in the story circle...

Once upon a time there was this girl named Bethy who fancied herself a world class jeweler.  And one day, her friend Hannah (see her fantastic blog here: "tripping with grace") emailed her to tell her about this amazing opportunity to showcase and sell the jewelry Bethy had been working so hard on.  And the funny thing is... Bethy decided to go for this opportunity! 

The End

But not really the end.  The truth is, yes, I'm planning to sell my jewelry at a craft fair (more details to come) in Dec.  Which means, I actually have to have pieces to sell!  Fancy that!!  I was on a roll for a while there, but now that the deadline is staring me down, I've lost a little steam.  I think I'm letting some fears get me down.  The fear that I'll never have enough pieces to sell, or that no one will want to buy my jewelry.  Sigh... but I just need to go for it... and push those fears aside.  Right now I have 4 pieces to sell... I think I need about 20... which means I better get going on this!  So what am I still doing blogging... I've got some jewelry to make!  Wish me luck!

Once Upon a Saturday

This weekend is the first weekend I've actually stayed in the city in a very long time.  It just so happens that my parents house is only a mere 40 miles out of the city... and a very dear friend is there... with a new born... so, you see, there's such a pull for me to go there as much as I can.   But not this weekend.  And so I found myself with plenty of free time on my hands this Saturday morning.  Ah... the joys of a carefree day... it's loverly (name that movie).  The morning started out well.  The rooms and I went for a walk through our cute neighborhood, crunching leaves as we went.  Our first stop was to that magical land of Starbucks where I got myself a tasty pumpkin spice latte... mmmm... And then, oh my, we went to, this is exciting, a cute, local bead store! What?!?  Yes, I love this store so, so much! I may or may not have gone a little crazy there.  When we got home from our autumnal trek, I was again inspired (it's so nice to be inspired so much lately) and so I sat down to hours of fun jewelry making!  And here are some of the finished products... But first, remember the other day when I mentioned a top secret piece I made... Well, the whole reason I'm in the city this weekend was for one fabulous friends birthday extravaganza!  And these earrings were made with love, by me, for her, as a birthday present!  So, I obviously couldn't put them up on my blog before giving them to her!  But now that they've been gifted to her, I'm going to show you what they look like.  Because honestly, I  love them and almost considered not giving them to her just so I could keep them for myself.... But no worries, I didn't do that... Here they are!

Don't you just love them?!  I really do!

 

These are some fun earrings I made to match my party outfit for the evening...

Just pretty...

This one I call "Twisted Wire"

And I actually didn't do this today. Those strands of beads took forever!! I could have never done all that in one day!

I found these beads at the bead store today. They were just too fun and funky and there was no way I could pass on them!

I'm calling them "The 80's Squared"

I also found these beads today and HAD to buy them... I'm calling this bracelet "Rosie" and will be giving it to a very special little girl for Christmas...

So, busy, busy day here... tons of crafting, tons of fun!  Fan... tastic.

A Revelation...

So, I don't know if I've never noticed this or if it's a new thing, but I noticed a stats bar while working on my blog today and I thought, "Huh, interesting". So I clicked on it. And guess what, it was fan-freakin-tastic! It was a complete breakdown of how many page views (there wasn't really many) there have been on the blog, from what area of the world (who knew anyone outside the US would be reading?!), and other such fun things. So many times I've been discouraged about this whole blogging thing. I think, "Shoot, this blogging stuff is so over...". Or, more often, I just think that no one wants to read about my boring little life. But today, the revelation that people do actually read this (besides my Mom... oh wait, she actually doesn't), warmed my heart and soul. It brought tears to my eyes (granted, I do cry easily, but that's beside the point!). My heart swelled with some weird sense of pride that my words and efforts aren't meaningless! So, for those of you who suffer through and read the piddly words I put out here in the world, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I love you all!

A crafty evening at home

Well, today I was feeling a bit inspired, so I made some jewelry. You know, every time I sit down to make something, I always think it's going to be a cinch... and then it's not. This jewelry making can be tough sometimes! But I'm getting the hang of it (sort of... just let me have this one, OK... it helps me sleep at night). So here are two of the pieces I made. (I apologize in advance for the sub par photography... I really need to invest in a good camera... and photo shop program...) I did make a third piece, but it's top secret for now... Enjoy!

This is what I'm calling "Coral Snake" necklace and earring set. Why I named this set after a creature I hate, despise, and have a deathly fear of I'll never know...

And these earrings I call "The Green Danglers"... get it... they're green... and they dangle... too obvious?

Anyway, I need to have more nights like tonight because I'm considering doing something rather big with my craftiness... I won't talk about it now, because I'm not sure I'm going to go forward with it... but it would mean lots more jewelry making for me in the very near future. Can I do it? I don't really know...