Movin' on up

I've packed up and moved my blog on over to here.  And I didn't even need to ask beg anyone to help me move anything! Aren't you relieved?! 

Anyway, Come check it out.  Here's the link again: http://eclecticallybethy.wordpress.com/

Back in the saddle again...

Well, not the literal saddle... the figurative, jewelry making saddle... I'm not a huge fan of literal saddles as they're usually atop literal horses... which terrifies me to no end... The horse doesn't terrify me, nor does the saddle itself, but combine the two and I fa-reak!  See evidence A:

 I know, I know, this was like 20 plus years ago... I should try it again, I might like it... I have tried it again as an adult and I just have to say... um, no thanks!

What was I talking about?  Oh yeah!  I'll stick to my figurative jewelry making saddle thank you very much! It's bedazzled.  Anyway, like I said, I'm back in the saddle (the figurative, bedazzled, jewelry making one) again.  For a while I just haven't had the desire, creativity, imagination, etc to make any sort of jewelry.  I've been letting my creativity find different avenues such as "photography".  (I like to fancy myself a photographer... it helps me get through the day)  But this past weekend, I found my muse... That crafty little jewelry making muse that had lain hidden for months and it was great!  I was on fire!  Want to see what I was up to?  You do? Oh good.  I thought you'd never ask!  Here's what I done did this weekend...

I made this necklace and earring set for myself to wear on Easter Sunday...

I didn't do all of this on Saturday.  I already had the multi-colored beads strung from before... I just had to  finish it off a little... Like, the flower... and the rest of the chain that actually makes it a necklace... 

And then I made these earrings....

And these earrings...

All in all, a very productive weekend.  And I can't wait to make more!!  Of course, now I need to start getting what I have made sold off... Oy vey... Stay tuned...

Visions of Vacation

A few weeks ago I went on "vacation".  This "vacation" was actually more of a working stay-cation really.  Depressing?  Yeah, sort of...  But although I just hung around the hood working on things, I did have a couple of days where I got to get out and do some photography.  And I use the term photography very loosely here... So what else is there to do but show a few of the pics from that week?? Now, mind you, these are all straight out of camera... I don't have a photo shop program yet to enhance and make these pictures fantastic... You'll just have to endure unedited photos... I'm sure you'll survive... maybe...

The Old Mill...

A different perspective on the Old Mill

Mom and I went to this cute tea room for lunch... this was my lunch... I felt fancy...

Across the street from where we had tea... this cool old court house... beautiful building...

I took my friend's daughter to a local arboretum and we had a photo shoot on this hill...

You only wish you could have had as fantastic and exciting of a vacation as I did, don't you?  I knew it...

Spring has sprung...

I love Spring... I really do.  This is my favorite time of year and my absolute most favorite season.  I love watching the world go from "dead" and brown to "alive" and green.  I love watching the beauty of this world blossom and grow.  I get excited watching those first green shoots pop out of the ground growing and blooming into a colorful display of God's creativity.  Spring makes me hopeful, joyous.  After the long winter, Spring makes me feel renewed. Spring just makes me happy.  It puts a little extra pep in my step as I bask in the sun and warmer (sometimes) weather.  I love Spring!!

And... I especially love these....

Happy Spring all!

Obsession...

I'm a little bit obsessed from my idea that I mentioned Monday (click here if you want to know what I'm talking about....)

So, since I'm obsessed over this idea about starting up an event planning business, I think I'll show you some pics from another shower I (with three of my friends) threw last September... Enjoy!

The theme was "Garden Tea Pary" and we gave a teacup and saucer to each guest...

We so worked this small space... go us...

These were the individual place settings... a little hodge podge, but we liked it...

The food spread...

So... Yeah... I think this whole event planning business is the greatest idea I've ever had (I think I say that a lot though!).  Let's make it happen...

April Showers bring...

So, this past weekend was a pretty big weekend.  My lovely cousin is having a baby soon and so we threw her a baby shower!  The whole weekend was pretty much devoted to prepping and setting up and, oh, actually having the shower.  Phew... it was exhausting... but so worth it.  Sunday morning we arrived at the location and began setting up.  And while we were setting up, I had one of my most brilliant ideas... again.  I decided that my cousin, Aunt, and I should start an event planning business!!  I think it's the most fantastic idea I've ever had... for real.  So, take a look at some of the pics below and let us know if you want us to plan your next event!

One of the sitting rooms with the finished tables...

These were the centerpieces... story book characters on top of story books... and some tulips... and we put those small flowers at each place setting for guests to take with.... and we stuck polka dots on the table cloths... and....

A closer look at a finished table...

The most adorable cake I've ever seen!  I think we should totally use the lady who made this cake again!

We had a onesie making section set up and these are the finished products.

 So, my idea that we should start an event planning business is a great idea, right?  Right?!

And here's yet another way that I prove how eclectic I can be...

For a while I've been talking all about the jewelry.  Well, I haven't talked much about it in a long time, really, but for a little while that was all I could talk about.  And the kid in me thoroughly believed that I was going to be a jewelry maker and live happily ever after!  Well, I've changed my mind, again.  I mean, I'll still make jewelry, but right now I have a new passion.  And it's actually not a new passion at all.  You see, I caught this bug really early in life... it's called the "shutter bug".  Yes, from early on I fell in love with cameras and photography.  This love goes so far back that I simply can't remember when the shutter bug bit!  My dad had all these old (and new) cameras just hanging around the house and I was intrigued... maybe this shutter bug thing is hereditary.  I remember being ecstatic in the 5th grade that I, little old me, was especially chosen to participate in a special after school photography class.  We made pin hole cameras out of oatmeal containers.  I loved it.  If I hadn't been hooked before then, I was certainly hooked now.  And one of the only classes I remember taking in high school with great fondness was my photography class.  And since I'm ancient, I actually remember what it was like to be in the dark room, to have your senses clouded from the pitch black, to smell the developing chemicals (I loved the smell of them, is that weird? Please don't answer.), and to slowly watch the image come to life on the photo paper.  Ah... good times... very good times.  I actually kind of miss film and dark rooms... let's go back to being old school.  Anyway, all this to say that ever since my lovely father rocked it out and got me the best Christmas present ever (my very own Nikon D3100), I've been wanting to do more with my "photography".  I put this in quotes now because one, I'm not sure you can call what I do at this point of time photography and two, see point number one.  I have so much to learn and relearn about apertures, f stops, and all those other photography terms.  Oh yeah, and about photoshop.  Can I let you in on a little secret?  Come close now... photoshop scares the daylights out of me!  It really does.  I don't know what I'm doing in there!  Someone please help!  But I am determined to give this photography another go because like I said before, I've been a wannabe photographer since NKOTB was cool.  So, hopefully, I'll find some classes to take soon.  That would be tons-o-fun.  OH, and finally invest in a good photoshop program... that's a must.  But for now, you all will have to suffer with the occasional photo post.  And really let me know what you think... Here's a couple shots for now!  Enjoy!



Here we have a lovely shot of the Indiana dunes in winter...  Had I been braver, I would have actually gotten out of the car to capture a little bit more of the water... but I was not brave... and just a little cold as well...

 



And here we have a loverly shot of some tulips in front of this cool window that is, yes, in my apartment.  I'm not so sure about this one though.  It's a little dark... and the tulips were a very pale color to begin with which just makes me think they look washed out... I don't know