It Ain't Spring...YET!

I'm still in spring cleaning mode. Still. That's because of the weather, I'm sure. It's winter and we are having 50-60 degree weather here. What's wrong with this picture? Last year we had a lot of snow...Remember this?

February 2010

 

Well, we're dry. And warm. And dry. 

Yesterday, I saw my daffodils peeking up in the soil--it's way too soon for that. And I'm worried about our water supply for spring and summer since I'm planning for my garden. In this town, our drinking water comes from the main river--which is the size of a creek or "crick" if you're from my mother's neck of the woods. I don't know where that neck of the woods are specifically but all my life, she's referred to creeks as "cricks." I used to get in trouble in school for spelling wash as "warsh" because that's how my mother pronounced it. Same with "squarsh."  And "warshing" the clothes, car, dishes, or floor. 

Anyways, I digress. It's Thursday. I'm allowed to digress a bit on Thursdays. It's in the rules. Or should be. 

ANY-hoo...
In this northern New Mexican town, we get our drinking water from our crick creek-sized  river and two reservoirs where the location will remain under double secret security, thanks to Homeland Security and TSA. We don't have an aquifer here. So we really depend on snowfall in the winter and rainfall in the spring and early summer until the monsoons come to help us with our water supply. It looks like I need to start conserving warmup water already. 

But because the weather is warm, I'm in spring-cleaning mode. I've managed to fill up several bags of garbage because I'm tossing out stuff and junk and what I consider to be garbage. I've got seven boxes full of stuff and junk and clothes to take to our favorite charity thrift store. That's this current load. And I'm not done.  I'm working on convincing my husband to part with some of his toys and some of the clothes he's never worn and the 15 backpacks, 7 rifle scopes (he only has one--maybe two rifles!) and 6 bows he picked up in a bargain or two or three. That's going to take some doing but as I pointed out--he can only carry one or two backpacks, rifles, or bow at time. The others are taking up space and driving me up the wall. 

Yes, I have cabin fever and we're not even snowed in. Strange how that works.  

Now back east, people are complaining about another snow storm. I wish those storms would not pass us by but there you have it. What was I going to do about the no-snow-no-show? Then it hit me!

I bought a beautifully made pendant from Ivy Koehn (pronounced cane). Ivy works in polymer clay. I discovered I'm easily addicted to artisan beads like hers. So last year, she created a lot of them to entice me. Because she knows there are bead addicts in this world like myself. And I was easily enticed and smitten. And bought quite a few of them. More than I probably should have but oh my...they're so pretty! And I'm a confessed bead addict! What is so fabulous is that she also has a store on Etsy as well as one on eBay! 

Just some of Ivy's beads I just had to have...

One particular pendant I had purchased from Ivy was a claysicle. Oh my....It was breathtaking. And wintery themed complete with snowflakes. *fans the air around her to help her breathe* Yeah I know...silly to get all lightheaded and flushed over a bead but just wait until you see it! I put it together with some other beads and it's my Snow Charm. I'm wearing it daily in hopes it will bring snow to our part of the country.  

This is my Snow Charm...in hopes it entices the weather faeries in making snow! 

A close up of this fabulous pendant by Ivy Koehn...Just simply gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 But that also brings me to another necklace I made. One I'm having a hard time parting with...meaning putting it in my store. The beads were made by Mary Ellen of BeeTreebyME and I fell hard for them. Two sets.And I've been holding onto them for the past couple of years. A few weeks back, I decided it was high time I did something with them before someone accused me of hoarding beads. Seriously. This is probably the only place where I could be accused of hoarding tendencies. I work hard not to go there but I also know there's a fine line between having beads and hoarding...a very fine line. Microscopic thin and fine. 

Anyway...This is my Winter Blooms piece. The one I'm having trouble putting into the store. 

Winter Blooms by ME from BeeTreebyME...complete with snow quartz. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And that brings me to another piece I'm having trouble letting go of and placing it in my store. Because I like it a bit too much, perhaps. Because it speaks to me. The pendant was made by Terri Stone of TLS Clay Design. I confess that I became hooked on artisan beads because of Terri's fabulous designs. But don't blame Terri--she creates and the Bead Addict must have! So easy to blame the Bead Addict for my bead purchases. This necklace was simple but vibrant. Every time I put it in the store box, it comes back out. 

Ocean's Vortex Necklace

A close up of the fabulous pendent from TLSClayDesign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring cleaning means I should put these pieces into the store and sell them. Right? And if you hear a loud, screetching "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" that's the Bead Addict. Not me. 

So what do you have trouble letting go of? 


 

A New Beading Partner and Some Random Thoughts...

Come dance with me! I have a new beading partner! Meet Agnes--owner and writer of Beader Bubbe's Shop and blog! Agnes has been married for 36 years and has six grandsons! I'm really excited she's my partner. She lives on the East Coast where the weather has been slammin' them regularly. Agnes is very creative and inspiring! Check out her blog and her store and see what I mean!

We share some things in common: We both love cats. We both work in education. We both love to work just about anything when it comes to beads. We both do not work with yellows or oranges because we can't wear those colors! We both like silver!

So putting my bead soup ingredients together for her was a challenge.  It should have been easy because we both work with so many materials and colors...but I found myself with several different sets of ingredients that would have made several different sets of beautiful somethings! And I wanted to send them all to her! I was going to send them last week but because of decisions, decisions, and second guessing, I didn't. I was afraid that she would think I was weird or something. I heard that!

I've  finally decided on which soup mix to send. I'll get it in the mail tomorrow so she gets it in plenty of time to oohhh and awww over it. I hope she ooohhhhhhs and awwwwwws over it. And I hope she doesn't think I'm weird or anything like that! No comments from the Peanut Gallery Puleeze!

Now for Some Random Thoughts:
A while back, one of my bead swap partners, Jayne of Mama's Got to Doodle sent me these gorgeous bird's nest earrings in copper in one of our swaps.  I fell instantly in love with them! The single egg represented my only child, my son, my pride and joy--ok you get it. And the double egg represented my husband and myself in our home, our nest, our sanctuary, our--well, you get the picture. I was so fascinated in how these were created that I had to learn how to do them myself. So after two weeks of reading tutorials and practicing and practicing and reading tutorials, I finally made a bird's nest pendant for myself. 

My attempts at creating a wire-wrapped bird's nest charm. 

The earrings sent to me by Jayne and the pendant I made to match! Yes--those are coffee stains in the background!

 

Well that was so much fun, I made a couple more. That was exciting! And Fun!  I experimented with thicker wire and stones. And made a couple more. And that was exciting! And FUN! Next thing I knew, I had more than I could wear for any given occasion or more, so I put them up in my Etsy store.  

One of the necklaces in my store--made with African Turquoise stones.

Another necklace in my store--I LOVE the lavendar "eggs!'

Yeah--I'm dreaming of spring and my garden! Can you tell I miss my garden? I miss it terribly! But I'm planning on a bigger one and will do several plantings so I can have more produce to save for winter consumption. But I still miss my first garden.  

Since I've been daydreamin' about spring and my new garden, the bug to clean, declutter, organize, and deep clean has bitten me hard. So far I've organized, cleaned, and dejunked the laundry room and two closets. I've cleaned and dejunked the back room and am working on our bedroom and office. I know spring's not here officially but I am itching to get this house really, really clean! It's probably because we are unseasonably warm most days. So I'm tackling one room at a time and doing what it takes to get rid of dirt and grime and dust. And pet dander. And human dander. And junk! Egads, how much junk and stuff can two people collect?!?!?! Don't answer--I don't need people accusing us as being hoarders...yet!

I found out OxiClean powder is excellent for cleaning carpets, furniture, walls, and appliances. I gone through several boxes of baking soda and vinegar and gallons of hot, hot water. Most of my cleaning supplies are simple: Hot water, baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt, Murphy's Oil Soap, elbow grease, cotton rags, and microfiber cloths. I LOVE those microfiber cloths for cleaning. Use one in the bucket of solution and one to dry and polish--it's that simple. And I'm all about simple. When it comes to cleaning that is. A solution of hot water, vinegar, a bit of rubbing alcohol, and lots of newspapers works wonders for cleaning windows, but I'm going to wait on doing those. 

Interesting giveaways are happening this week. Lori Anderson of Pretty Things  and Lisa Crone of A Bead A Day are both giving away PJTool & Supply Impress Art stamping kits! How cool is this? Visit both sites but remember I want one of these sets! 

Finally, I'm slowly coming out of vacation mode. I should have been out of it already but--*sighs* I enjoyed it just way too much...for the first time in four years. I'm still not fully into teaching mode--which will happen this week when I have actual papers to grade. I think that's why I'm in spring cleaning mode--because I'm not fully into teaching mode. And feel I need one more project to grab hold of for my anal-retentive/overachieving/OCD diva kicks me out of house and home! Anyone else having a hard time getting back into the swing of "normal" routines? What's your solution?