TRYING TO WAKE UP NOW

Ok, I've rested for a few days and it's New Year's Eve Day so it's time to get in gear.  I always try to start the new year with some goals, not written in stone, but things I would like to accomplish.  Seems everyone wants to lose weight, exercise more, eat healthy things, and I am no exception, but there are other things I want to do too.  For one I want to be a kinder person.  I want to remember to try to see the world through the eyes of others and see if I can make a difference in some body's day.  Maybe it's just a smile, or holding a door open, or seeing some one's need and being able to fulfill it, without them knowing.  I want to appreciate what I have every single day, and I think for the most part I do that, but I complain about little things and I want to stop doing that.  So tonight I will be grateful for all that I have and tomorrow I will try to do my little bit about helping to make the world a better place for someone else.

PS  an aside unrelated to the above.  It has been brought to my attention that people are having trouble commenting.  If you want to comment just hit comment at the bottom of the blog you are reading.  A box will open on the left with a place to write your comment.  Choose either name or anonymous as who you are, you don't have to sign up for anything.  You don't even have to use your real or whole name if you choose Name.  After you have written your comment hit publish and there you are.

A LONG WINTER'S NAP

That's what I intend on taking, now that Christmas is over.  I do love the season, but the older I get the more it wears me out.  After spending the weekend before Christmas with three of our grandchildren who came in from Atlanta and then driving to St. Louis to be with our other grandchild, I am officially "done in".  I loved every single second of our time with all of them, but now I'm going to really enjoy that nap:)  I have a book I want to read, a scarf I want to finish knitting, and after a long break my studio is calling my name.  Maybe my mojo is back.  I do know that my jewelry has been selling at the new store so that makes me happy.  Please go read the comment my Honey Bunny made under the My Mojo and a Whine entry.  He cracks me up sometimes!!  I hope everyone had a great Christmas and that the coming year brings you happiness.

A VERY GOOD, WONDERFUL DAY

A friend of mine wore a piece of my handmade jewelry over to her friend Ann's place of business.  Ann owns a shop that has all kinds of unusual art from all over the world.  Ann fell in love with the necklace my friend was wearing and asked to see more of my things, so I took bracelets, necklaces and pendants over to her shop today.  In two hours that woman gave me my mojo back!  She loved everything I brought and kept it all.  She wanted to know all about lampworking, and was most interested in hollow beads and the silver glasses.  I left her place feeling so good, and renewed in my love for making beads.  Etsy and Ebay have not been good venues for selling beads recently and I only do two bead shows per year.  I was getting very discouraged about my abilities as a beadmaker ........and then along came Ann.  Some kind words, some positive reinforcement, some genuine appreciation for the art and my world turned around.  What a great day I had!  I celebrated with a Starbucks :) 

MY MOJO AND A WHINE

My bead mojo is gone again and I can't find it anywhere.  I look at some of the beads I've made, or the jewelry I've turned them into and I am pleased, until I offer them to the public and they are rejected.  It's the way I judge my work, if it's accepted by others.  At my recent bead show, sales were down considerably for all of us, and I know in my head that it's the economy, but my heart doesn't see it that way.  So I have this little argument going on in my head.  Do I keep making beads or just throw in the towel? Maybe I should just quit trying to sell anything and just enjoy the glass, but part of enjoying it is seeing others appreciate it. So this is my little whine for the day.  Minor in the grand scheme of all things, but still troubling, even if only to me.