My "Use the Muse" entry

Just wanted to give a sneak peek at my entry for the "Use the Muse" contest!  This was the most fun I have had in a long time!!  The kit had such a diverse selection!  The Picasso style roundels were my favorite!  I added a little of my own Beadpunk flair and some polymer clay epherma.All in all I think it turned out just the way I pictured it!

Stop and Smell the Life Passing You By

How many of you hurry and rush 24/7? I know I used to. Why does it take an act of something terrible happening in your life, for you to realize life is so very short?
I find even in my own hobbies I rush to get to the next project. I hurry to finish one just so I can start something new. Oh, the rush it used to bring me. Knowing there were freshly purchased beads, still temporarily strung, and some still in their original packaging, just waiting to be used for something incredible. Something that has been on your mind for the last week or so. You just need to button up the one you are working on now. Why? Who knows. We all sometimes feel compelled to complete our task at hand. That is what we were taught as children right? Finish what you start.

My children have taught me just the opposite. It's OK mom. It is OK to take your time with each passing project. If an idea strikes you, go ahead and get started. Your others will always be there. And you may forget your fresh new idea if you wait too long.

And sometimes, just sometimes, it is OK to walk away completely and play outside!

A New Beginning

Did you know that no where in the Bible does it say to "Celebrate" Christmas? Yet every year, more and more humans spend countless hours and dollars creating the perfect holiday.
The Bible does, however, tell us to Celebrate Easter. It just hit me in my 40th year of life that I have never thought much of it. Yea, I said it. I had no idea what Easter "Really" meant.
Do you? It is a time for a new beginning. Christ died and rose from the dead so that we would know he was the one true Son of God. And everything we learned of him was true! He came to save us from ourselves.
Funny isn't it. Save us from ourselves? As humans we tend to self destruct. One day at a time, whether we plan to or not we do. We can choose to follow Christ and make it a spiritual journey filled with hope and love for one another. Or we can turn away and constantly wonder why our lives are so miserable.
Our new beginning starts with death of a Savior. He took your sin with him to his grave. And when he rose from the dead,gave you a chance to be forgiven.

Contest,Contest,Contest!

So, I have entered my share. You create this hour sucking, pain increasing,money all gone show piece. And send in your pictures and hear nothing back. Silence. Nothing. Wouldn't it be nice to at least get a courtesy e-mail letting you know they received your entry and what they thought about it? Sometimes I think they do these to promote sales and nothing more. I have more money invested in beads than I do anything else. And I have three children. How sad is that? Not at all, I tell you. If it were not for my beading I would be insane.

I would like to thank the companies who hold contests for jewelry making and beading. You have kept my wallet empty but my heart full!

Keeping up with the Jones's

This post may not be about crafting and jewelry making completely. But, what it can relate to is why, even in crafting, we try to keep up with our peers. For instance, I recently caught myself trying to re-create something I found in a magazine. Imagine that. I know no one has tried that before! Just kidding. Anyway, I though to myself, why am I doing this? It was a lovely piece. That was not the issue. I just could not bring myself to copy someone else's hard work and creativity. I am not trying to compete with the likes of magazine entries. I just want to have my own style. And isn't that true for all artists? Why on earth ,then, do they have these glorious patterns in them for you to copy? I ask you this. If I make something from this pattern. And I love it,wear it or give to my Aunt Jeannie who loves jewelry as much as I do. Does this make me a copy cat? Or am I purgering this person's work? I have no idea. The thought of creating a complete copy of something,because, of course it's pretty, is just wrong. Somehow. Not sure how, but it is none the less. So, I ask again. Why do they put these glorious, wonderous,easy to follow instruction, patterns in Magazines? Good question I think.