New Furniture!

Last Thursday Noel and I went to an auction and we purchased some wicker/rattan (I never know the difference) for our back "sunroom". I am excited because we've been looking for a couple of months but haven't been successful at garage sales, and new is just outrageously expensive. Friday we were unloading it from the back of the pick up truck and a bent nail, protruding from the bottom of one of the chairs, pierced the palm up my hand - going in by my thumb and coming out by my index finger on the palm of my hand. Ouch! So we had to stop, cleaned it out and decided I should probably have a tetanus shot. So we wasted a perfectly beautiful Friday afternoon waiting at Urgent Care for a dumb old shot. I still think it was worth it - the furniture not only looks great in there, but it is really comfortable. I don't care for the fabric on the chairs, but someday I will get them recovered.

Saturday I went down to a gem show in Sharonville and bought some great new millifiori disks, some beautiful labradorite, moonstones, fossils and some great moldavite. Moldavite is a tektite, a piece of a meteorite that blasted into the Moldav Valley somewhere in Yugoslavia. These pieces are polished on one side, and show the natural rough texture on the other side and are just gorgeous! Just as soon as my hand feels better, I will get to work. I did manage to make a lot of earrings over the weekend, and I'll post pictures soon. These I made last week - pre-injury, and just listed them on Etsy. (http://www.whenlifehandsulemons.etsy.com/)

Don't forget to leave comments to be entered into the free earring drawing, and you can't leave them "anonymously" because then I won't know how to contact you if you win!

An emotional day

I was asked to speak to the North Dayton Christian Womens Club today about jewelry and stones; the 4Cs - carat, cut, color and clarity, etc. There was a group of about 100 ladies and it was funny - In my career I spoke in public all the time and on television a lot, but since I haven't done it in so long, I found myself quite nervous! There were a few times I stammered and forgot what I was about to say, but overall, it went well. I guess at each of their meetings there is a speaker on a "theme", like today it was about jewelry, and another speaker that is there to share their spiritual journey. That speaker was a delight!! Funny, engaging and a walking embodyment of Christianity.

I often get turned off by organized religion because so many that claim to believe don't necessarily walk the walk, myself included. Since my mother died I've been in a terrible depression, having also had to close my business that was so much a part of my life and social network, as well as income. I lost my dear mother in law not 2 years before my own mom, and in between those two deaths my son left for college and my husband got cancer. That, and many other more minor stresses, including my own failing health, really have taken their toll on my mental health and psyche.

Today was a good reminder to take my troubles to God in prayer and to remember that there is a reason for everything. When I got home, I turned on the tv and watched Michael Jackson's funeral. It made me sad that we didn't have any kind of ceremony for my mother. I thought Jackson's funeral was touching and tasteful; I've always been a fan. It makes me laugh to think both moms and Michael Jackson bumping into each other in the afterlife....talk about 3 VERY different souls.......

Earring Giveaway!

Just for fun, I am going to give away a pair of earrings! Leave a comment on my blog and/or become a new follower between now and July 19th, and I wish choose one name at random to send a pair of earrings to! I'm just curious to see if/who is actually reading my blog!

Market Day!

"I'm in a wonderful position: I'm unknown, I'm underrated, and there's nowhere to go but up." - Pierre S.DuPont IV

That is kind of how I feel today; yesterday at market I enjoyed seeing all my friends, loyal customers and cute little Katy, who I still think of as my own baby girl! But while at market yesterday, a woman was telling me of her neighbor, who also makes jewelry, and sells hers for thousands of dollars and she doesn't even advertise; that doctors and movie stars call her to place orders and buy her most recent creations! She suggested that I should do that too, since my jewelry was "beautiful" and "every bit as nice as her neighbors and much more affordable!". What she didn't tell me is how to go about doing just that! I'm finding it quite difficult to be "discovered" here in Brookville, Ohio and even here in the great WWW! I gave her my card and asked her to give it to her neighbor; perhaps she will share her secret with me, though I'm not holding my breath!

In the meantime, my son flew off to England to visit his up and coming actress / girlfriend Sophie Ash, of the British hit comedy "Beautiful People". I've spoken to him several times, and it seems he practically had an "international incident" when he reached Heathrow Airport by not knowing Sophie's address to provide customs as to where he was staying. Apparently when traveling over-seas, you must provide customs with who you are, what your business is in that country, your occupation, where you are staying, how long and for what reason. He was detained for several hours and they were skeptical that he even knew Sophie until they finally reached her and she corroborated his story and claimed him!

I've made several new pieces this week, and a few are still available after yesterday, including these:

"Fly me to the Moon" charm necklace,

Carved bone face pendant;

Multi-colored art glass pendant.

And lastly, before Jason left he was mowing the neighbors lawn and caught this little frog and brought it over to show me: Is this not the cutest frog ever??

Well, off to the studio - I'm finally shaking off this horrible depression from losing my mom and am starting to feel creative again - better strike while the iron is hot! Happy summer!

RIP Michael Jackson

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart...
They view it as such strange eccentricities...
'Cause I keep kidding around
Like a child, but pardon me....

People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things....
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I've never known....

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adverturous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?....

People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things,
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood I've never known....

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
The dreams I would dare, watch me fly....

Before you judge me, try hard to love me.
The painful youth I've had

Have you seen my Childhood.....

This is my favorite Michael Jackson song, and I think one of his most autobiographical, although its hard to choose a favorite song of his. Growing up in the '70s, so many of Michael's hits mark various milestones in my life. It is unfortunate that such an amazing talent was driven to such reclusive and bizarre behavior. I hope he has found peace and perspective....

Still here!

Yes, its true - I am alive and well and have been enjoying the fact that June's evenings are wonderfully long and the perfect time to sit on my swing, watch the birds and enjoy my flowers. I am really enjoying having my son home for the summer, not that I see him much! I have managed to make a few pieces of jewelry, and I've been sketching an idea I have using silhouettes of dancers. I am really enjoying this season of "So You Think You Can Dance". Take a look at some new pieces and leave comments, good or bad, with your thoughts!

A cut, a weed and an island necklace

My husband and his brother have been outside all day with chainsaws and a 50' boom lift - their faces lit up like little boys with new toys! Wheee - the lift looks like fun!

While they are hard at work outside, I've been hard at work inside - cleaning my studio, which has become quite a mess! I've weeded through hundreds of magazines and I can actually see the bookcase again! I'm also getting ready to list some new pieces on Etsy (http://www.whenlifehandsulemons.etsy.com/), including some of the shells I found in Sanibel that I've made into pendants!