Day 1

Day 1 of NO SUGAR!
I'm serious about this. Sugar is from the devil.
Well, I don't know about that. But it definitely can be addictive.
I hate the skin problems, the hair problems, the lack of energy, the mood swings, the heavy periods and cramps (did you know that? Oh yes, it's scientifically proven to make your lady problems worse.) , the weight gain, the cost, all the yucky preservatives that come with it.
So I am giving it up.

I am going through withdrawals. I yelled at my kids, I slammed a door, I said a bad word, and I broke my camera. I acted like a crazy person.

This was my menu for today;
omelet
cheese and Vault Zero
ham and cheese roll-up
sugar free jello & cream
peanuts and 2nd Vault Zero
2 chicken breasts & side salad, ranch dressing
3rd Vault Zero
Russell Stovers Sugar Free Chocolate
now I'm about to have sleepytime tea.

I can do this. I CAN DO THIS.

The above picture is for cute sakes alone.

I just made this...

This is very exciting. I have had images in my mind for years now that I could not recreate with paper arts, stamping, or any software that I have purchased.

Until now.

The possibilities are endless.

Now if I could just figure out how to upload and print....

How do I...

How do I add a list of people who have the most coolest blogs?
How do I add that neat flickr thing with all the little pictures?
Is it uncool to advertise books I want to share with everybody from Amazon, like that ad thingy on the side?
Why do some people have all these little clickable picture boxes along the side of their posts?
Is it okay if I'm just a really mundane and boring person sometimes?
I seriously don't always have something to say, I usually just listen and ask questions in real life.
I don't know, I just don't know anything sometimes!

Pinky

This is Pinky. Pie of Fatness. Pinkerton. Princess Pixie Pop.
She is all girl. From the beginning - charming and attracted to all things feminine. Like high heeled shoes and big foofoo dresses. Ballerinas and dollies. Above all she must have PINK.

However, she is a complete and total dare-devil tomboy! She would put on her prettiest, frilliest ballerina tutu and dive smack in the middle of a mud puddle.

She is a risk taker. A leader. A Diva with a capitol D. The Boss.

She drives me crazy. She is the reason I believe in leashes for children and locks on the refrigerator.
You can NOT turn your head for 2 minutes. She KNOWS.
When you are on the phone, she plans and executes in seconds. You're right there and you have no idea what is happening.

She is amazing.

She's been speaking since 16 months and she has not stopped. Unless it has been to sing. Loudly. Right up in your face.

Her songs of choice; ABC's. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Itsy Bitsy Spider.

And Burning Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash.

I'm not kidding, she yells out the ending words on the chorus.

"I fell into a burning ring of FIRE!!!!
I went down, down, down as the flames went HIGHER!!!!
And it burns, burns, burns,
The ring of FIRE!!!!
The ring of FIRE!!!!"

I laughed so hard when she first did it, I almost ran off the road in our van.
She is something.
I am eager to see what direction her life takes. You have to admire such dogged determination.

She's sick a lot though. It is either allergies or a low immune system. The doctors we have spoken with said there is not a lot you can do at this age, in fact she might grow out of it.

If we take her to church on Sunday, sure enough she ends up with cold like symptoms by Wednesday. She misses the next Sunday and she's fine until we take her back. Then it repeats itself.
We've changed churches since she was born, she was nursed until 11 months of age, never given a bottle to bed, cleaned constantly, kept away from crowds.
We even had tubes put in her ears to help with the constant infections. They have helped. She doesn't stay sick as long and she hasn't been put on antibiotics in several months so it is better.

She wants to be outside all the time. She doesn't like the cold but she's like her daddy, she doesn't notice anything once she gets busy, coldness, heat, pain.....

She wants to learn how to fish (with a pink pole), she wants to play football (with a pink football), she wants to play basketball ( with , you guessed it, a pink basketball)!

She can't stand it when the boys play x-box. The phrase "your not old enough" has no meaning for her. I try to indulge her curiosity for everything safe that I can. But I still say NO too much.

She hates to be SHHushed. Hates it! She'll run screaming from the room, slam her door, and stay mad for hours. It offends her Diva soul I guess.

I am fascinated by her, she is so different than me and yet she is my responsibility. I'm not sure what to do with her, in spite of my extensive reading, keeping her stimulated and occupied is beyond my capabilities right now.

I think she will really enjoy school, we will be searching for a pre-school in the next week.
She stands naked at the front door with nothing on but her backpack and says "Where's my bus?"

I love you, Pinky Pie!

Shipping Drunk on Chocolate

Sounds like a b-grade indie film doesn't it? Shipping Drunk on Chocolate.
The first photo is how my packaging/shipping area looks normally.
Neat. Tidy. Organized. An assembly line of professionalism. I pride myself on my packaging and shipping. I think it makes an impression people do not soon forget.
The second photo is how my shipping area looked like the other day. Askew is putting it mildly.
The third photo is the reason why. German Chocolate with Champagne.

You have to be a complete light weight in the alcohol area, I mean not having indulged in months and months.
You also have to have an empty stomach and be a chocolate binge eater.
And lastly, most importantly, have a good friend in Germany who surprises you with alcoholic chocolates!
If all those things are in place you too could find yourself surprisingly buzzed while packaging orders for shipping.

I didn't even know what was happening.

I stood there swaying, trying to tie strings onto my little free mini tags and having a hell of a time. There was no order. No 2nd step after the 1st step, 3rd step after the 2nd step kind of flow to the whole ordeal. It was comical. And it took forever to finish.

But finish I did and everyone's package was together and in the mail in time!

Thank you, Eva! It was a most enjoyable learning experience!

failure....

Boy. Isn't that a negative title? Today was one of those days. I worked so hard trying to accomplish a lot but didn't succeed at one darned thing.

It took me way longer than it should have to print paypal shipping labels, organize, wrap and package my orders, then the post office was closed, I couldn't pick up a very important package.

I had custom orders to work on but Pinky was having one of those days where discovery and experimentation played a big part in her play.

Flooded the bathroom again with to much toilet paper in the potty, sneaked a potted plant (violets) to bed during naptime and found hidden easter candy. I know what your thinking - "Why weren't you watching her more carefully?" I have no excuse. I mean, I think I'm watching out but she works really quickly. And silently. If you don't have a child like this - please be careful judging because God will send you one.

The dishwasher broke, everything needs to be washed by hand. Yeah , I had the extra time for that...

No sales for most of the day , but a couple of copycats did sell their versions of stamped clay pendants. That set me off. Nothing to do but come up with better ideas and more of them.
I mean I didn't invent stamping into clay, so who am I to be angry?

I had to get the kiddos ready for the church easter egg hunt. Didn't really want to dress them up but mom alluded to the fact she expected to see them decked out in their easter finery.
I get there and find out it's OUTSIDE. In the 30 degree weather. Pinky is in a fluffy , wispy dress with her new sandals! Boo has no jacket!
I find out it's not going to start until 6:00pm so we head back home with 20 minutes to get dressed for winter weather.
We get back as they start the darn thing and before we could get up the hill, the eggs were gone.

I have failed as a business woman and as a mother today.

I wish I could say I have learned something, but I have not. I just want to go to sleep and hope for a better tomorrow.

I'm off to read my friend's blog. She has a much better outlook than I do.

Black Tree on Lemon Polymer Pendant

This is what I will be creating today.

I list it, it sells. I list it again and again it sells. I've created a few editions of this pendant already and now I think it is time to create it in batches rather than one here, one there.

It is harder to create batches of a custom mixed color. But hard is not something I shy away from. I embrace difficulty. That's a joke. I am particularly motivated in this case though.
My husband just called and let me know he's bringing home a power washer.
"We desperately need it ."

Anyway, it's one of those items that just happened as opposed to planning, preparing, and organizing.
Which how I usually create.

I know it sounds kind of anal retentive, but it actually is one of the enjoyable parts of creating for me.
I have notebooks full of brainstorms, lists, instructions, techniques, supply companies, and notes that I constantly refer back to.
This keeps me from having to many failed experiments and spending money I don't need to spend. It really bothers me to hear of people who craft for the sake of shopping. You know what I mean. They have tons of unopened supplies. They buy all the new stuff, the trends.

So many people do not find their creative side due to the lack of funds until much later in life.

I would love to be the Robin Hood of crafting supplies. Sneak into peoples homes who hoard and distribute them to the underprivileged. Think of how many other young girls might be helped to quit smoking if given some wicked awesome beading or ATC supplies.

Ummm... I wonder what local places would think of that. Not using stolen goods, of course, but supplying and teaching young people how to express themselves through craftsmanship.

I don't believe art and crafts even has to be pretty. Anger could be relieved by slashing up some cool card stock and smearing it with any number of mediums. Hurt, neglect, ridicule, confusion, all emotions that could be expressed in art. Just thinking out loud here.

Yesterday, although a not so good sale day, I was very productive.
I learned how to apply my etsy mini items onto my blog. By. My. Self. This is so important.
As I am running a business by myself.

I also prepared links to some of my favorite artists and photographed a lot of cool things to edit and blog about. You know - Plan. Prepare. Organize.

From Love Gemma

These came today. Can you believe it!?! They are so completely, perfectly, ME!
I got them from lovegemma.etsy.com.

She has such a sophisticated selection of beads and findings, you can't leave her shop without buying something!

I think they will become one of those sets of beads that I keep unstrung for yeeeears. Just because they are so special to me.

I am definitely feeling restless. There is something brewing in my head, I'm not sure.

I'm getting tired of making pendants. I need to ink and tear up paper. Find words I am struck by, quotes that change my thinking. I need time most of all. Need. Need. Need. I sound so self absorbed. That's probably the problem. I'm not helping others right now. I know from past experience, if you focus on others - your own problems do not seem as important.

I surprised by the difficulty I am having blogging. Where are my words? What do I have to say?

Don't think me unkind.
Words are hard to find.
the police

True Love

This is my true love.

He is beautiful, smart, strong, funny, sweet, confident, sensitive, impulsive, easy-going, thoughtful, athletic, calming, and romantic.

He is a wonderful father, a faithful husband, an over comer, a go getter, enterprising, inventive, slow to anger, and quick to apologize.

My life changed when I met him and I continue to change for the better because of him.

I laugh more, I have more patience, and I understand the opposite sex a lot better!

We met delivering pizza for Imo's in 1999. Isn't that funny!?! He gave the place a professionalism that wasn't really there. He made me laugh so hard, I routinely snorted water out of my nose because he 'd always get me while I was taking a drink. He was sooooo cute. I always avoided cute guys before, they were egotistical and intimidating and less grateful to be with me!:)

I tried not to date him, I'd just broken up with someone and was tired. When I did spend time with him, I refused to kiss or even hold hands with him. He had actually gave up on me.

But I didn't like that so I finally called him and he surprised me by asking to come by my parents house to drop off an Easter card. My mom said to invite him for dinner, so I did.

That day I saw Mike as the easy going, charming, good looking, funny, adapting man he is.

He just....... flowed.

My family loved him and he actually made hanging out with them fun.
And he had a crisp white shirt on with beautifully tailored pants and Elizabeth Taylors Passion Cologne. My Lord. He was fantastic!

We were married 6 months later.