Self-taught? Nope

First before I get to the actual subject of this post I am having a brag moment and posting a picture of Shelby at prom.  Yes Lori, I am sorry I hadn't posted it yet. (Oh by the way you need to check out all the gorgeousness that Lori @ Out of the flames has been making lately...YUM) He is my sweet girl looking so grown up.

Ain't she just the BOMB!  She is also such a great friend to have.  I am so lucky to have her and my sweet Derek.

Oh one more thing I have to thank you all so much for the wonderful words on my "Dialed Up" Artbeads bracelet.  I had been in a funk mentally (not about the challenge) and the kindness you all showed gave me a much needed boost (actually it kicked my butt right out of it) for that I say you are all so treasured to me!  HUGS!

Okay now on to the subject at hand.  I have been hearing a lot about copyright infringement and  blatant copying of others work.  Yes we all know this is a touchy subject and has more than once made me want to stop beading.  I am not one to get into all the ins and outs of the legal yuck it involves and I have finally found a way to make my feelings known and not let it get me crazy anymore.  I am not a self taught beader.  Nope I am Proudly a pattern taught beader and I have recently been able to not only purchase patterns from some outstanding beady goddesses I have also been blessed with 2 offers to review (Oh I can't wait to tell you all about them!)  Yes when I first started beading and purchased our favorite magazines I thought I was smart enough to check out what was on the web that I could make for myself.  Yes I know that is a key to this I am not a seller so to try to recreate for myself is supposed to be okay.  Well I have to say I am one of those who would end up feeling guilty and I have stumbled upon something no one else has touched on this subject.  Each pattern and process IS unique.  You may think you know from a picture how it goes together but guess what?  You would be wrong.  Yes it may be herringbone but are there tips and tricks that the designer has to offer that you don't know?  Yes.  So to make this as short as possible I am telling any newbies out there as well as those who may think they know how a pattern works.  Stop right now.  Purchase the pattern.  Yes I know there is expense involved that you may or may not have but you won't regret purchasing a glimpse into a designers mind.  I PROMISE!

I was going to try and link as many glorious designers that I could but that will have to wait for another time.  I may even put a thingy on my page to link you to my favorites but again that will have to wait.  I hope you all don't mind my 2 cents on this subject.  

Hugs and Blessings

KK

Centering and Balance

I was actually thinking of other titles for this post but this is the one that fits the best!

This is how my Monday morning has been;

I am over my cold but.......

PMS has set in!

I sold 1 of the 2 bracelets at the auction but.....

The one that sold was for 1/2 it's value due to an error!  Juli helped me out with this one as I was feeling quite down about my work but a quick reminder that she thinks I am awesome sauce did the trick!

I am supposed to be hosting Thanksgiving this year but.......

The whole other side of the family my have strep!

I went to take a shower but.......

The pressure was so low this morning it shut off during mid soaping!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

That's it!  I finished my shower, turned on my curling iron (I know tempting fate but) put on my favorite shirt, ripped jeans and my newest finished bracelet (which is totally copied from Dawn's post and I so hope she doesn't mind and I truly have to thank her for this inspiration!)

 And decided to change my day.  I finished my hair without burning it or me.  I made Derek lunch then took him to school (all went well).  Came home and ate my favorite comfort food (tuna casserole because no one else in this household likes tuna)  Then lit 2 candles and began to find my center and reconnect with my spirit!  Now we are all spiritual but come about it in all different paths but when you reconnect even if it is just for a few moments it can change your whole outlook.  And now I am so much better!

I got to see the gorgeous pendent Beth and Evie have made for our swap

Isn't it the sweetest!  I can't wait for this but....I know there I go again I was starting to doubt myself and sweet Beth caught on and straightened me right out.  Here's a pic of part of what I will be sending her!

Once again there is no sunshine here so it is a little dull and I still need to get into a better editing habit but they are beautiful winter blues and crystals (do you think she will like them)  I do have a surprise or three for her but you will all have to wait for them.

Oh OH OH I won the most beautiful giveaway at Lori's blog Out of the Flames and it came in the mail but I can't open it until Shelby gets home!!! (OH I SOOOOO WANT TO though)  Lori was giving away a flat spiral bracelet in YOUR choice of color.  Oh yeah customs are the bomb!  Shelby had been feeling quite down lately so I wanted her to have it (she is also a huge fan of Lori's) sooooo we will have to wait and post that tomorrow if we can get some good pictures!   THANK YOU Lori!

So as for a day that began to challenge me HA!  I found a way around it!

Hugs and Blessings

KK

What more could we possibly pile on?

I needed to go on a rant for 2.2 minutes because that is all I have at the moment!  I know this has happened to everyone but it is just not fun and I can't laugh at it now!!!!  Ya know when you are in the middle of  (lets give examples) Holiday party planning, Selling a house, a first visit from a new relative?  Why is it that something always seems to go wrong?  Like you forgot an ingredient, miss counted the number of guests, the toilet breaks, the washer decides to leak?  Why Why Why!  I have been spring cleaning in the fall and still trying to play with a gift from Shannon and this house seems to be interfering with it!!!!  I hope everyone is having a better weekend than I am and I hope (after Tuesday if the house doesn't blow up) to post some pictures of the new fun I am having!!!!

Thanks for listening!

Hugs

Kristen

Is this seriously the way to do business?

Oh my!!  As you have read previously I will be making a bracelet to sell.  I am sooo happy about this for both me and my customers daughter who will be getting it to match her 1st college homecoming dress!  So in that excitement I headed off to a local bead shop to purchase the beads that I needed and know that they carry.  I also checked out their classes and a national designer is coming so they had samples.  I thought it was so sweet that she let me handle them (with care of course and wow were they gorgeous but alas the class is $90 and kit is $85 so way way out of budget for me) and was talking about how many spaces were left.  Low and behold I misspoke calling rivolis-raviolis (go ahead laugh I had dinner on my mind) and the owner, let me say again the owner... turned and repeated it to another lady in a whisper and both looking at me like an idiot began to giggle and exchange even more looks.  Now I have a new outlook that I am trying out on myself and have made a few (hopefully good) life altering decisions including not taking these little things personally.  With that said I will tell you that I will be hard pressed to go there again as I feel that I can not be the only one they have done this to and I am sure I won't be the last.  I did find the humor in my error but not the response I got. What if I was new to beading just starting out?  How is that any type of encouragement or way to attract customers?  Granted I rarely shop there as it is because it is out of the way but they carry a decent amount of seed beads and Czech glass so when in need I have gone there, so the loss of my business will not effect them and I don't have any seed bead buddies in my area to pass this information along to but I hope this is not how other shop owners act!

So that is my rant.  I know you thought I was done with ranting but ya know I sometimes just need to get it out of my fingers (attempt at keyboard pun, sad I know). Hope all of you are having a great day and we will talk soon!

Hugs and Love

Kristen

PS  Guess What!  My sweet hubby and I went out on Saturday!!! I put Derek to bed and Shelby watched him and I'll say it again WE WENT OUT!  I had such a great time!  We played euchre (which we haven't done together in years!) Had some fantastic home brewed beer and I had great conversations with his friends from work especially a sweet girl named Mel!  (Thanks I needed that Mel)  We didn't stay out long but I will tell you I had the best time!  

What I planned to do and what didn't happen

Here was my plan yesterday.  I was going to take pictures of my finished class project (which is now a new pairing)

and what I bought at the bead shop ( aren't they pretty? )

and then maybe alittle about my weekend.  Here is what actually happened.  Saturday was great!  We all went shopping and out to lunch and then Michael (my sweet hubby) dropped Shelby and I off at the bead shop for the second part of my class and she really wanted to see what they had (she likes chainmail) (oh man I didn't get the picture of the bracelet she made me!) anyway, the class was good but I knew my first bracelet was going to be too small because I didn't verify measurements and just went with number of rows we talked about in class (I think I have mentioned before I have tension issues...with thread at the moment, not life ;) (that could change though :) ) It was so small that only Derek could wear it and even though that doesn't bother him because he thinks mommy's beading is cool, my husband would be mortified! Anyway (again) I brought it so I could learn how to zip it up and I had started another one so that I could at least finish something to wear. It is great taking classes and Susan was a great teacher so I do plan to take another class!  Shelby and I did some shopping and..... Ok I think I have mentioned before that ORANGE is my FAVORITE color (I will probably tell you again at another time) I have this shirt (this one I got at Tractor Supply and I love it and it is so durable and organic by the way, and is a little brighter in person (did I mention a photographer I am not))

Do you think I could find the right bead combo to make a pairing?  NO  I can't seem to make it work (I brought the shirt too)  I am looking for something fun and funky to pair it with but nothing is jumping out at me! (jumping out at me might be scary but you know what I mean)  Ok I do have a necklace plan (if Nicole will accept my nickles and dimes I am saving) Belinda did one of her kits that would match perfectly and it will be my first attempt at embroidery (I'll end up having enough by Christmas so maybe it will be a wish list item) but a bracelet not yet!
Between Saturday night and Sunday night I had baked cookies for Michael's monthly ucher tournament, chocolate banana brownies and banana bread ( obviously the banana were very ripe ) and tried to start a new bracelet and ended up starting it 3 times before I decided enough is enough ( I should have been finishing others but I blame crafting ADD again) It rained most of the day, we were all tired from the late night Michael was out til 2:30, and I stayed up to finish my 2nd class bracelet and Shelby and Derek just didn't sleep well and well...depression got the better of me (again)  You know, I really can't stand knowing that I have nothing to be depressed about and then my stupid body rebels against me without warning and I end up over thinking things, rethinking other things and getting mad over nothing!  OH I could just scream!  So..... I didn't take pictures til this morning (and it wouldn't have been good if I posted a pity party for myself yesterday) and if you have read this far you have seen them and probably think I have babbled enough.  Don't you?  :)

Always Believe (even when you can't remember why)
Kristen

Is my head really attached?

I seriously don't think so.  I have been forgetting everything!  Things we need for groceries, why I went upstairs, things that should have been removed and now Derek's teacher conference.  I hate hearing that its an age thing (mostly because I have always been a little airy) but it is getting worse!  I have had enough of it!  (don't worry I'll forget about this later)
Speaking of forgetting I was going to tell how my shopping went at Lets Bead in E Rochester.  I put Nancy Cains $12 bracelet to the test and she failed miserable considering the sterling wire itself was $8 and the S-Clasp was $3 I didn't have enough to get the drops or 8's that I needed (I did buy another class kit too after all)  I still intend to get the rest of the supplies (if my sweet hubby remembers) but $12 bracelet no its not!

My homework and Ode to Juls!

This is my beading tray right now.  I was going to post a pic of what it looked like when there were 4 projects on it at one time and ask for an intervention but.....IT SPILLED!  Oh it was my own fault having too many projects and all the beads on the tray at one time but as I have mentioned before I do have a pit of crafting ADD and that does conflict with the crafting OCD (having everything in its special place) So there I was trying to pick up all of the tiny little beads in the carpet and thinking ohwhatamoron and howcouldyoubethatbrainless (nice little words I have picked up from Juls @ Julesbeads who I am so lucky to have found and that she is following me Thank You Juls) and a thought occurred to me HUMMM why to they give you nice containers for beads if you just dump them on the tray and risk another bout of howcouldyoubethatbrainless?  So now the OCD is winning and I only put out a few beads at a time and things stay much more organized (and I don't sit on the carpet looking for 15's and thinking "you actually work with these for fun?" ) So that is my first rant and I am able to get this out due to the great teachings of Jules!

On to the tray, on the top is the Twisted Pink Nightmare (Shelby named it) which is a pattern from Rubys Beadwork with a literal twist.  An the bottom is my class piece that is almost complete.  I love this! It is designed by my teacher Susan and it is so much fun to make!  I have the last class this Saturday and will learn how to zip it up to make a bangle!  (and an excuse to buy more beads I hope :) )

Always Believe
Kristen