A few words on a quite morning...

I have found myself with a few extra minutes of time this morning and thought I'd pop in to say hello! I feel like it has been ages since I've talked to you, though I know it has really only been a week. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments you have been leaving me here. I don't have much time to comment back, but please know that I read everyone and love to hear your words. It makes my work during the day so merry and bright as I wonder what your thoughts will be when I share what ever it is that I'm working on at that moment. Yep, you all are always there with me in the studio, did you know that?

I am creating up a storm in my little creative space. And as of this moment, ideas are still flowing. I haven't fit that road block yet of not knowing what to make next. It feels good, but it's exhausting. I went 12 straight days before my insane hours caught up with me and I was forced to send myself home sick with a fever. I sent myself to bed early and slept in late and felt worlds better.

I am working as hard on finding and maintaining balance as I am on the jewelry I'm creating right now. It can't be all show prep all the time, right? Ron and I went out to an adult Halloween party on Saturday night, I taught Lauren a crochet chain stitch last night, Jacob went trick or treating with a girl (I was devastated!), and I downloaded the Incredibooth app for my iPod. Lots of fun with the frenzy of things going on. This weekend there are plans for a little Alabama vs LSU football party here at the house and maybe a load or two of laundry might work into the fold too.

I am working out all the little details of my booth re-design as well. I can't wait to share it with you!! I think a video will be in order when that time comes. There was a time earlier this year when I told myself I probably would never do another show, and I had let the dream of this booth design go. It feels incredible to see it coming to life. Though, it is a HUGE investment, which means I *will* have to do more shows now to warrant that price tag. I think I will always have the internal struggle of do I show or do I teach. I'm finding that balancing act the most difficult of all. I put so much time and energy into both or either that it makes me feel like I should commit to one or the other. But I don't want to!

Any way, there is just 28 more days until I will be driving myself to Chicago for this amazing show. And that means even less days for actual creating. Somewhere in those 28 days we will celebrate Jacob turning 14 and my sister turning 31, we will sit down and give thanks for all our many blessings, we will make a list of goodies we want to sneak out at 5 am on a black Friday to buy, I will need to pack my vehicle and wash a few outfits... and make sure I take the time to savor this wild adventure I'm on. I am probably going to skip reading the book club book for this month. I'm sure the ladies will understand.

And how quickly my few quite moments have passed. It is time to wake Lauren for the bus, then drop my car off to be inspected, followed by a good 6 or so hours in the studio, then home for car pooling kids at the high school, a meeting with a new parent advocate we've been working with, and then figure something out for dinner.

Zonks, it sounds like it'll be a long day.

Today While Tumbling

Today at the studio, while the tumbler bum-tumbled my latest wire project (for a deadline weeks away, go me and my oh so productive self), I...

put my feet up on my desk and watched the barrel spin...

tried to get a shot of just how long my ponytail is getting and wondered if you remember it being this short...

ate a tomato and cheese sandwich on whole grain nut bread with an orange on the side...

then the tumbler was done bum-tumbling and I went on to other things.

Full Days

*sigh* My days are feeling so so full right now, and in the most perfect way. The more I think about it, the more I am sure that the feelings of the past few months are moving into a different place inside me. The feelings of uncertainty, confusion, and a lack of path to travel down have been taken over by purpose, and an eagerness. The eagerness drives me through every moment, it makes those moments become hours before I know it, and I find myself exhausted at the end of the day. My head hits my pillow, my thoughts slow, and when I wake, the eagerness fills me again for another day. I want to hold onto this sense of purpose as much as the excitement of the past few weeks.  I think it suits me.

Icicle Love

I absolutely gasped when I downloaded icicle photos this afternoon and saw that I caught this drip. I love it. We are up to our eyeballs in snow, the fire is oh-so-toasty, and I have a seriously huge grin in my heart. I am feeling so much more connected to things (life/family/love/holiday) right now. I hope you can find something that sets you a glow today too.

Throwing Love Out There... Randomly

:: i can already tell that this is going to be one of those random mondays where i know there are loads of things to tell you, but mostly likely, i will suddenly forget everything... oh well.
:: the view from my desk this morning has me feeling like i am sitting in a little house inside a town scene inside a snow globe that someone just shook up... love it.
:: unfortunately, friday's trunk show was a major bust! happens to the best of us. turns out the night was competing with another even (wine walk) the following night as well as an rpo fundraiser concert in that town.
:: i don't mind that the show was a bust, i will post new jewelry on my website (which hasn't been done in age, sorry) and maybe y'all will find a treat or two for yourself.
:: last week, my best friend's grandmother passed away at 93 years old. 93 wonderful years is nothing to mourn but rather to celebrate.



:: i can't tell you how much i treasure getting to spend time with my bestie best kelley. she like a big sister and i miss her already. (can't believe it has been a year since we were together last!)
:: working diligently on my picture the holidays photos and love love loving feeling more connected to moments throughout my days.
:: oh, speaking of which, the top photo is of jacob's hands while out hunting for our christmas tree yesterday to go with the prompt "all you need is love".
:: and the bottom photo is of something new i learned... how to make heart shaped bokeh. i should mention, i learned first what the heck the word bokeh meant. the photo is of our christmas tree lights... so pretty, yes?
:: through picture the holidays, i have been turned on to reverb 10. i am hoping to write some posts soon from some of the prompts there. wonderful wonderful things to think about there.



:: we are getting walloped with some major lake effect snow. we have a solid 10 inches now and should have another 6 inches by tomorrow.
:: have i mentioned how much i love the snow?
:: i have been working behind the scenes on a couple of exciting jewelry related projects. i hope to be able to reveal a few soon.
:: oh?!? i made a new holiday banner, lol... not that it really matters, but i like having three sets of five random things and that just got me one closer to the last random comment...
:: here is hoping the kitten doesn't decide to climb the christmas tree!

Batten Down The Hatches

It is a horribly blustery day with all kinds of wind and rain. This morning my friend Lindsey came for a visit and we sipped on homemade Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and knit for what was too short a time. My frugal hubby had a coupon for Panera and we had buy-on-get-one-free salads in an absolutely bustling dining room for lunch. Yum. After running some errands, one of which was to get my hands on the latest issue of Artful Blogging, I came home to a whisper quiet house and toasty warm fire. My brain is being racked by the desire to debunk a difficult new wire link design that won't leave my imagination. Yet, my hands find they want to manipulate something other than wire... a wee bit of pen and paper. The other night, Andrew and I were looking for something and I came across my college sketch book. He was in awe, I was hyper-critical. I wonder why my drawing eye is so critical, nothing is ever good enough... yet, I still want to draw? It is whisper that I hear getting louder lately. Who knows where it will go... no matter the destination, I hope I can find ways to enjoy the journey. For now though, we best be battening down the hatches here...  we will be making some onion soup and settling in for a night full of howling winds.

A Ray Of Sunshine

We woke to a positively beautiful day this morning. The sun is shining, and it is expected to reach temps in the 60s. With the kids home for Veteran's Day, I have plans to get us out in the sun to soak up as much of that yummy natural vitamin D as we can. Before we do that though, Momma had to get some "work" done. After I cleaned these "The Eyes Have It" beads for kits ordered a few weeks ago, I was about to take them down to the studio for a quick photo shoot when I noticed a lovely ray of sunshine coming through the window of our front door on to the dining room table. Today being what it is, I lined up the beads like good little soldiers and started snapping away. This is one of those times that I wish I knew my camera settings better. I love how the photos turned out, don't get me wrong, but there is a magical glow that happens while sitting in a ray of sunshine that the camera lens looses. I wish I knew better how to catch that glow without completely over exposing the shot. *sigh* I am still learning though, and that is okay. All these little beadies are going to be wrapped and pack and sent on their merry ways to new homes all around the country. Not until tomorrow though, I forgot the post office is closed today!!

And a HUGE thank you for the wonderful compliments on yesterday's post for Jacob. I let him read it last night to which he said and I quote "that was really nice of you Mom."  He read all your comments too and says thanks. And apparently, now that he is thirteen, he thinks he can sleep until 10am and have chocolate cake for breakfast. Nice.

Frosty Monday Morning

:: oh my stars it is a beautiful morning
:: i wonder how many of the kids' friends said "what the heck is your mom doing?" when the bus passed our house today
:: i would love to explore these colors in glass *sigh*
:: fingers crossed, my fixed oxy-con should be arriving back to me today
:: our little lola boomer jane is growing so fast
:: the fine craft show was this past weekend and i really really missed showing at it
:: set up my new metalsmithing torch on saturday and the flame has no umphf... that means another trip to the welding shop today
:: in case you missed them, there are sets of note cards featuring my photos over on my website
:: i was asked by a book jacket designer in canada to use an image of lauren on the cover of a book of poetry that will be released this spring, so so cool
:: i think i will talk a nice long walk when i finish this post
:: no wait, i have a jewelry deadline...
:: i think i will head down to my nice, tidy studio after this post
:: oh, and i wanna go photograph my mom's latest litter of english bulldog pup pups today, they are two weeks old... can i get an "awwww"
:: i can not believe my baby boy is turning 13, THIRTEEN, this week
:: and just like that, the sun has burned off the frost... oh my stars i love the fall

I Broke Up With The Mess In My Studio...

If I told you I hadn't spent time in my studio for nearly two months, would you believe me? Well, it is true. Early September was the last time I spent any quality time in there. The time was right before ArtBliss when I was banging out kit after kit to be ready to teach. Then, I put about 100lbs of tools and equipment into boxes that were shipped to Washington DC for the event. Just three days after the show, I was in England for a week (which I still haven't finished telling you about, jeesh). I came home to a bit of chaos and finally, finally, as of this week, I can see a the light at the end of the tunnel. Life has the potential to start returning to it's constant shifting state of normal soon.

So... yesterday was the first day in the past month that I haven't had to run to an appointment, set up a meeting, call the doctor's office, or or or... for anyone else. (No, wait, I did run out at lunch to a dr. appt, dang it) Regardless, I decided that yesterday would be THE DAY to get back in my studio. Something had to give in there, every surface was a disaster. Plus, I am still waiting for my oxygen concentrator to be repaired, so, in the meantime, there was some cleaning what needed to get done. I have a lot of mixed feelings about the past few months spent away from the studio. Something I have learned about myself is that even through I am a very open and share-anything-with-anyone kind of person, as a writer, I am extremely introverted. I don't let things out until they have formed into a complete idea. Not a bad thing, it is just that I haven't gotten to a place where I feel I can articulate all the everything in my head right now. Eventually though, I will and we will have a chat, you and I, and all that I have been feeling and thinking.

I can say this... it is good to be back. And just being in that space, that is mine all mine, felt really fantastic.

A BIG thanks to Wendy over at A Girl And Her Brush for the inspiration to do a time lapse video of my day in the studio. If you have a chance, you MUST check out Wendy's work. It so bright and colorful and fun and true.

(ps... I set this video to the Barenaked Ladies song Break Your Heart, ((arguably one of the best break up songs E.V.E.R. and one of my favorites)) but then YouTube said that was infringing on copyright. Sorry Barenaked Ladies! YouTube did an "audioswap" with something not protected.  SO, I have no idea which song plays with this video now. When I see it, it is still BNL. weird.)

Oh! and a bit of Woe...

:: i was going to wait and share picture fall photos all together in one post, but i find myself photoless today... so... here is a peek at a few.
:: oh! i am so in love with everything about this time of year *sigh*... crisp air and toasty house-warming fires in the wood burner daily, it curls my toes
:: taking time to listen to a few heart whispers lately
:: settling into a new rhythm with andrew here and i am working on being okay with that
:: learning to be okay with ebbs and flows of creativity too


:: kinda feeling thankful for this down time...
:: life is over flowing in different ways, but creatively, i am good with it
:: rusty and lola are starting to get along a little better... i don't worry about him eating her
:: completely rearranged the living room twice in the past week..
:: officially started christmas shopping on saturday when i purchased a beautiful hand painted nightstand for lauren from my talented aunt at a craft show.


:: i am going to be helping my mom deliver bulldog puppies this week! (olive is having her first litter on thursday)
:: tried to torch yesterday only to discover my oxygen concentrator has died, it is being shipped in for repairs :(
:: oh woe is me...
:: but see, even the universe is saying i should be taking a break...
:: my knitting needles and a slice of blueberry apple bread is calling me.

Best Hair Cut Ever

I feel rather vain sharing this photo like this, but OMG, I got the best hair cut ever yesterday!! I have never been so in love with a hair stylist in all the years I have been getting my hair cut. Is that even me?!? My sister insists that is exactly what I look like these days. I find that hard to believe though.

Anywho, I am keepin' this short. Today is nearly as full as yesterday with Jacob's first football game of the season (!!!), grade level night for Lauren, and the season premier of Grey's Anatomy! I still need to pack for my flight to Washington DC in too!! I fly out as soon as the kids are on the bus in the morning. I can't believe ArtBliss starts tomorrow. I can't wait to get to spend the weekend with such awesome beady peps!! Next time you hear from me, I will be sharing all my adventures from ArtBliss.

A Typical Hump Day

I have on my plate a very full "hump day". It is that middle of the week kinda day that has everything planned for it, and it is gonna be a p.i.t.a., but by the end of it, I will be one day closer to what will be an awesome weekend! Today, I am meeting with a potential new therapist for Andrew, I am getting my hair cut, meeting with Andrew's care coordinator, and then I have a football meeting for Jacob. I am doing all this today while nursing a very sore throat and stuffy nose (yep, I got the kids' colds, ugh). I am not complaining though. It is miserably dreary out, so naturally, my spirits are high and I am actually looking forward to the distractions of the day.

And, like I said, it means I am one day closer to Friday and the start of The Inaugural Event at ArtBliss. Today's beady photos are from kits I finished up over the weekend. The top photo is for Unhinged bangles!! If you want to hear a little about Unhinged's history, check out my February 2008 post about them! (It is one of my favorite posts I have ever written actually.) I call it up all the time, in my mind, and sometimes for others too. I was hoping to have 18 of these kits made, alas, the cold I have made is so I only have 14, but oh well. I can make more later. If by chance, any of the 14 are left post ArtBliss, it will be one of the new kits I release in the coming days!! Stay turned for that!!

Below are beads for a completely new design. Well, not completely new, it is kinda a hybrid of a design with a twist. Can I tell you a secret? When I proposed this class, I knew I would make 3 bangles with my students, and I knew what 2 of them would be off the bat, but, um, I didn't actually figure out the 3rd design until last Friday. Yeah, potentially irresponsible of me as an instructor, but it all worked out in the end! The new design can be seen here: Sample Bangle. Not a very glamorous name, I know, but the ones we make in class with be called "Create-A-Bang". In honor of all the "create"ing we will be doing this weekend, each student will have a "create" bead as a focal and I hope it becomes a sweet keepsake from our time together. The construction for it is actually very similar to my 2006 design seen in the background of this bracelet grouping. Anyone remember those?!? Yep, that bracelet eventually went on to be "Sandy Lanterns", one of my earliest projects seen in Step By Step Wire magazine!! Now wasn't that a fun little stroll down memory lane!?!

What has you busy this fine Wednesday?

Mindfully Blissful

I am truly loving the rhythm of my days right now. When the afternoon sun floats through the windows at the end of the day, the air seems to be glowing. And when the sun isn't warm our hearts from that perfect Fall time angle, then we are wrapped in clouds and rain. The clouds and rain have me tending wood stove fires and making slow cooked meals that feed more than an empty tummies. I am finding myself able to let more go so I can take a few moments to knit another row of a cute baby hat for a friend, or make a cup of tea and chat with a friend on the phone. Who cares if the laundry doesn't get folded today or if the dishes go unwashed or if I haven't swept. It is okay. All the while life is going around me, I am spending hours and hours in my studio. Bead after bead is formed at my hands and I love the solitude.

I know that this won't last forever. By February, I will no doubt be feelings lonely rather than free. The mounds of snow will eventually bury my spirit and the monotony will be too much. Something will snap in my mind and Carrie will be beside her self at the size of dust bunnies I let grow. For now though, for right now, I am so so completely blissed-out and I am taking time to stop, be thankful for the happiness, smile, and move through my days a little more carefree than usual.

Look, I bought some flowers to mark the bliss. Isn't their color so beautiful... unnatural for sure, but so pretty none the less. I hope you are finding something good in your days right now too.

My Tea Leaves

Monday, while sitting at the local minor league ball park for 4 straight hours, I finished knitting the adult size version of the sweater, Tea Leaves, that I knit for Lauren a few weeks back. *sigh* Alas, it turned out much too big. When I have it on, I feel like I am wearing a tent, or rather much like I just came home from the hospital after giving birth and am wearing maternity clothes without the belly. (Those that have kids will know just what I mean!) I love love love the yarn though and that will be the thing that saves this sweater from being ripped out or tossed in the bottom of my closet. In the dead of winter, it will be wonderful for layering. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

You know, I haven't been happy with much of what I knit for myself. I don't know if it is the garment itself, the fit/sizing, or just me *in* the finished piece that I am not liking. I wish I had a better understanding of what works well on my body type. I don't have the energy to research it though. So I will continue to brood and be horribly disappointed.

You know, in general, it is one of those horribly disappointing kinda days. I was working on the torch today and couldn't make the beads work for anything. And, there is some behind the scenes business frustrations going on, and and and... I thought the new Toffee Mocha at Starbucks yesterday was soooo good that it would keep my in a pleasant mood for a month, but frankly that euphoria only lasted a couple hours. Hmmm, maybe I should get another one? Kidding! What I really need to do is organize my mind. I need a clean sheet of paper and a to-do list. Yeah, that's the ticket.

I better get on it.

And Then There Were None

It Was Date Night, But Not Like The Movie

:: On Friday, Ron took the afternoon off to come with me to Canandaigua Lake where I was dropping off my joolz to JOOLZ.
:: It was to be a date night for us, but not like the Tina Fey - Steve Carell movie.
:: I found a killer homemade cabinet full of library card catalog drawers. And, it is all mine!!
:: That second picture is of a building we pass on a side street in Canandaigua almost every time we are there. I want Ron to build me a replica in the backyard. I love it so.
:: I like that we still hold hands while walking down the street.




:: Homemade gelato at a little place called The Muar House is freaking awesome. We shared a bowl of Peanut Butter Chunk. yum.
:: And they have wicked cool murrini light fixtures that I think I should have in my studio.
:: We heard there was a double rainbow over this town just a couple hours after we left. I am so bummed we missed it.
:: Sooo thankful for the cool weather that the rain that caused the rainbow brought with it though. This weekend has felt amazing.
:: Sooo thankful too for the fact that 16 years later, we have plenty of conversations that have nothing to do with the kids.




:: My hair tastes good. HA!
:: He took me out for Thai food for dinner and I decided I don't think I like Thai food.
:: But I love cheesecake and I love it even more when he shares his slice of chocolate cheesecake with me in exchange for some of my marble cheesecake.
:: On Saturday morning, I decided to paint my bed frame blue and he was okay with that!
:: Thanks to my MOM for giving us the opportunity to have a wonderful 24 hours together.

'Cause We Live By A Big Lake, Ya Know

It is easy to forget sometimes that we live just moments from a really really big lake. The shores of Lake Ontario are a few miles away. With the heat being oppressive this week and the boredom running high, I decided that we needed an afternoon out of the house. So, that is just what we did yesterday. Jacob decided he wanted to stay home (yeah, he has been having weird anxiety about the possibility of crowds lately, I blame it on almost being 13) making it just Andrew, Lauren, and me. The beach was near deserted with only a few dozen people there. The sun was blaring at first, but the wind picked up and clouds quickly rolled in. It made for a wonderfully relaxing couple of hours.

Now, as we face our last official weekend of summer, there are lots of fun times to be had. Today, the kids are going to be picked up for an over night adventure with my Mom. She has "tasks" planned for them that is sure to cause a laugh or two. They will be picking these tasks out of a bowl to earn goodies while they are there. So, picking your nose like Aunt Bonnie and telling Pappy you love him 6 times could earn them a mini candy bar. And writing a poem to Gerty, the dog, could lead to getting to pick the movie for the night. HA! Then, tomorrow, my Mom has a Thanksgiving in the Summer picnic on tap. YEAH, turkey, mash potatoes, corn on the cob, and apple pie! Monday, we will be watching the Rochester Red Wings at Frontier Field. Dang. The weekend hasn't even started and I am already tired!!

What do you and yours have planed for this holiday weekend? And, I hope my East Coast friends are staying safe in the wake of Hurrican Earl.