Bead Soup Received!

Bead Soup Received

Bead Soup Blog Party package from Shannon :)

I received my bead soup mix of beads from my new buddy, Shannon, last Friday. I was so excited I almost forgot to take pictures when I was unpacking :)  But I grabbed the camera, took some pictures of the package and ripped it open. It was just like Christmas morning! I had been excited about seeing the beads ever since I signed up for the blog. I had signed up for the January 2012 Bead Soup Blog Party  and didn’t get picked to be in it so I was so excited to be in this year’s. I think it is great that they had so many that wanted to participate! I am really thankful that Lori was able to handle all the requests this year. I know it had to be a huge project for her, and she was in great pain during the time that she was pairing up the partners so I know that it was really hard for her… I think she did a great job. My partner was the perfect choice for me. I don’t know if Lori knew that outright, or if it was just in the subconscious  she just knew to pair us. Whatever it was, THANK YOU!! 

So I received my package, photographed it, tore into it, and I was so surprised. I had been anticipating something that was nice, and something that was challenging, and something different, but I had no idea that Shannon would have gone all out and sent me not just one, but two focals… that’s TWO beautiful beaded focals… Two clasps and enough beads that I can make such beauties. I am so excited and just down right happy! I really felt bad that I had sent some crystals and some Delicas and a millefiore  clay pendant with little rhinestones in the flowers, but that I didn’t really send anything that great. I had a packet of triangle seed beads that I had wanted to send but ended up next to the desk and I even took a picture and didn’t notice that they weren’t there, until a few days later I saw a packet next to the leg of the desk and bent down to retrieve it, and low and behold, the one thing that I was really excited about sending… urgh… so I had sent larger beads because I knew that Shannon had eye problems, but they weren’t anything special. Just glass seeds, and a decent clasp, but she had sent me the loveliest beads…. I wrote on my facebook page that I was sad that I hadn’t put more into the package, though it was sent with love, and she wrote back that she was happy with her beads and she loved the beads. I know she is being sweet and I did send some different things, some rectangular beads, some lentils and other things, but she actually went all out on what she sent to me.

Bead Soup from Shannon, I can't wait to get busy!

There were seeds of Wood Jasper and Picture Jasper,  Delicas, silver lined seeds, Carnelian, Amber lentils and two beautiful knotted circles of amber… Wood and Picture Jasper rounds, some pretty crystals,  and the most beautiful focals. One is a round crystal and seed beaded beauty, the other is a tube of spiral peyote stitched seeds… and the clasps… one is seed beaded and the other is copper. Really pretty.  I had to start working on them as soon as I could. I didn’t care that I had a ton of things to do, and my Mom is sick and I had to go sit with her, I had to work on them as soon as I could, so I sat down and worked for about an hour, and got a pretty “chain” done for the tube of peyote seeds… I don’t know if I will keep that, I just had to touch the beads!!!  My daughter was here for the weekend, with my grandson, and I didn’t have any time really to do any more work on the beads. I was really itching to get something done with them… they are calling out my name!!! saying,  “…we’re lonely, come play…”

So I didn’t get to do any more beading,  I spent a lot of time the past week with my mother…Mom is pretty sick, she had a cold and was coughing and had a stomach virus. She was embarrassed about the tummy trouble. I changed her sheets and her clothes and got her cleaned up as best I could, but she was pretty sick. We took her to get some icecream on Saturday, which was a bad idea in hindsight. So far the boys are ok, but Heather and I are both sick. I was sure to get it, but I am sorry that Heather got sick as well. I am sure it was the close proximity to the illness that got her.  I guess she got off light though, she just had the sore throat and sniffles, I got the stomach virus as well. But that was the close proximity as well. I wash my hands a lot but I know that it is hard to be that clean… My daughter pointed out that my house is a “cesspool” of germs. I know, I know, it is a mess, even though I have cleaned and cleaned and cleaned… I don’t see the dust, the spills on the floor, or wall… she gripped at me to make my son, her brother, clean his messes up. I try, says I… I just don’t see that it is his job to clean so much, but then again, since I can’t see…. he could help… Anyway, I have a cesspool of a house but I am germ phobic… I know, it doesn’t make sense… but it does, those are my germs, MY germs, and if I have to touch someone else’s germs… ewwwwww…..  I have had a problem ever since I was pregnant with my son, I can’t smell odd or bad smells without getting sick. I don’t know why, I have never had that problem before, but I gag when I smell something bad now… Greg understood that, he felt sorry for me, I just would run to the bathroom if there was any odd smell… I couldn’t smell food cooking, perfume, smoke, any pungent odor at all.. I would run and throw up  or gag and feel like I was going to throw up, which I felt bad about, not being able to control that reflex… it stayed with me even after having my son, and it drives me crazy, so I have enjoyed having sinus problems, and this cold is heaven sent when dealing with stomach problems… ewwwwwww…..

OK, so back to the beads….

I am so excited to have the weekend to get some work done, I am really excited to get started on the crystal encrusted bead necklace… I am going to do it justice with a beautiful pattern that I have been working on, I hope to at least. I think I have it figured out enough to work on this project, though it will only be the focal that I use with this pattern. I am using all the beads for the other focal, I thought it was cool to add a little of everything in it, but the beaded bead is so beautiful that I don’t want to use anything else with it other than some beautiful seeds…. 
Do not disturb… I know that I need to do a lot this weekend, but… I am hanging a sign for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday….

Beads for my Beading Partner!

Bead Soup and crackers

Ahhh, February, it is normally a beautiful month and this year is no exception. Some years we have near 90 degree weather, so far it has just been up around 80, but beautiful none the less. 

I have this love/ hate relationship with February. I love that it is 'Spring' and every day is so beautiful... and I hate it because of the unexpected cold spells and  Valentine's Day and my birthday, and well, it is bittersweet.  I worked the hardest in February for many, many years. 70 hour weeks were slow years... ahhhh.... I am not working this year. I am, but not in the floral industry. Sigh, I kind of miss that, but not so much that I would ever go back to work in that field again :) !

I thought that I had posted on here somewhere who I ended up being partnered with for the bead soup blog party, but obviously it was on another blog that I mentioned it... and on my facebook page I know I did, but I was paired up With Shannon Hicks, who is also a seed beader, and that is great! I went to her blog page --- http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/ -- and I love her work. Go there and take a look at her lovely work, she is so creative...

I sent off the beads for the bead soup on Thursday, seemed like there were so many obstacles in the way I didn't know if I would get to the Post Office or not... but I did finally and got the package labeled, postaged, and taped and insured and in the drop. I would imagine that it didn't get into the mail until late or the next morning, though by my clock in the truck it was on time to get out in the evening pickup. I hope so... I can't wait for Shannon to get the beads... then I am worried as well... I left out a little baggie out of the package, grrrrrr..... I didn't notice it until last night. I am so angry with myself for not noticing that it had fallen down next to my desk and I just didn't see it.... It was the one baggie that I wanted to be in it... I hope that what I sent is ok. I would stick it into the mail but I would have to send it overnight and just can't afford that right now. sigh.

So I will post a couple of pictures, hoping that the package has already been delivered... I am pretty sure it should be or at least by the morning mail tomorrow... I have hesitated to post anything, hoping that it would be a surprise, but really... I am so disappointed in myself for leaving out the other beads that I might as well go ahead and post what I have sent. 

My son has had another bout of tummy problems, he is going to have to go in next week and we will test for his gallbladder... see if it is the problem. He has lost a couple more pounds, pounds that he doesn't have to lose. I think we need to check his blood sugar as well.. seeing that Greg had diabetes and my brother and grandmother, and aunt... I think that it would be prudent for them to check just in case... I know the tummy thing isn't that but that if he is eating still it shouldn't be making him lose weight. Another big sigh....

I have moved around most of my workroom this past week. Moved out the wardrobe and a lot of things that I didn't need in there and the tables that I stored in there. I have no idea where I am going to store them, but I will find a place that is less intrusive :)   I can't wait to have more space in there to work, I can't wait to work... The whole week was spent going between the college and on the phone with them, and working on classes and the school and getting the beads into the mail.  Ha! I spent a lot of time doing nothing really.