A rude awakening

I received a very rude awakening the first day I put my bathing suit on. It fits fine, but not like it usually does. Wow, I have really gained some weight over the winter. I am trying to not let it get to my head, but it is really there and creeping into my dreams! I will take care of the "issue" when I get home. I am inspired by Candace and Jaime (and you too green goo girl) to shed a few pounds. I need to loose 15. I am accustomed to having absolutely NO TUMMY, it is usually flat as a wash board, not today girls. Enough of that....... Yesterday at the beach was absolutely heaven. No humidity and 83 degrees. Today promises to be very humid. We are off the Captiva Island to enjoy white sand and green blue ocean.

This was taken a moment ago on the Lanii, ma and grandma having morning coffee reading the paper and ma is doing her cross word

This is yesterday at the beach. We sit in front of the Rum Runner resteraunt so we (not me) can be served beer/drinks on the beach. This is not a great picture, but you can picture everyone on the deck doing the electric slide. My grandma was getting down with the beat for awhile there as well...

Say hello to my little friend....

My grandmother has a few of these furry friends hanging out behind her gorgeous home. I am on the lanii looking at palm trees swaying gently in the breeze waiting for Ma to finish her shower so we can go out. I bought an incredible gold chain today for my cross. I wanted a long one so I can keep it on all the time under my shirts no matter what other jewelry I am wearing. It has intricate flat links and I purchased it at a great price. I am thrilled with it!!
That's all for now!

lay over

I am currently in Washington DC (waves to Carolyn) waiting for my connecting flight. We have about an hour wait. It is rainy here in DC this morning. It is great traveling with my mom and dad, they are so much fun to be with! I should have taken a pic of Ma on the flight to DC. She is so cute with her little pink neck pillow, blue plastic ear screws sticking out of her ears (it relieved pressure in the ears when flying), and her blanket, she looked so comfy sleeping :) There is a bird that keeps flying by me swooping lower and lower as I type this (yes, inside the airport). So, I'm half way there!

(this is the view from where I am sitting)

Oh, Carolyn.... how far are you from Washington national Airport? Could ya run me over a cuppa coffee ..... I'm at gate 40.

Woooo Hoooo !

I just loaded up the tumbler with the last of my custom orders. Chris will ship them tomorrow. I am taking off for Ft Myers Florida at 6am! It's a very early flight. I STILL NEED TO PACK! I will be blogging and doing Etsy business while I am away, but not creating anything until I get back. There is really no sense in shutting down my shop completely. I did this last summer when i went to Cape Cod and it worked very well and was still very much a vacation. Here are a couple of pictures of where I will be spending every day reading......

Later Taters!

This is why they don't ask me to sing in church.....

Yup............ that's how I roll

WHEW!

The update is finished! I am just thrilled that my shop is no longer bare of one of a kind stones!

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=14807364
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22769698

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22770581

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22769062

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22770249

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22771049

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22770018

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22768391

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22767495

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22767169

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22768046

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22767770

HUGE SHOP UPDATE TOMORROW!!!!!

Bitten Off More Than I Can Chew?

I assigned myself an obnoxious amount of work today. I finished my regular orders and began setting stones for 10 rings, 4 pair earrings, and 1 necklace. I am crazy! I feel like I need to stock up my shop before I leave for vacation on Saturday. Anyway, I'll get it done, everything is going smoothly. I need to leave in about 2 minutes to go to the Alpha group at Trinity church. My chicken enchiladas look yummy and I am hungry! Oatmeal and a salad are all I have had today, so I am ready for supper.


Okay, I gotta run!! Have a great night everyone!

Sunday Scenes From the Hendrick Homestead

Good morning! I am up and already cooking. I needed to start the sauce and get it in the crock before going to church this morning because I have a BUSY BUSY day today! I am going to the "new church" again this morning. The service is a bit longer than my church, and it starts at 10:30am. I won't get home until 1pm. LuLu has an appointment at the groomers in Concord (35 minutes away) Oh, EVERYTHING is 35 minutes away from where we live! While she is at the groomers I will go grocery shopping and Will needs cleats for baseball and some new warm up pants. We won't be back home until 6pm. I will make the pasta and serve supper. I have to make chicken enchiladas for my "Alpha group" tomorrow night, so more cooking. I really wanted to get into the studio today, but I highly doubt that is going to happen. Tomorrow is another busy day. Well, I won't bore you any longer. Here are some pics of the goings on at my house this morning. It is quiet because Will is still sleeping and Chris already left for church (our regular church). Danny slept over a friends house last night, so he is not here.

browning Italian sausages for the sauce....

the shopping list...............so far

LuLu looking like a lil woolly mammoth, dreading the groomers.......

Tazzy, soaking in some rays on my studio floor.....

My new bag sitting on the kitchen table....

My studio begging for someone to create in it today!!!

The GORGEOUS stones I have selected for my next batch of lovelies!

I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful Sunday!

THANK YOU ALL!

Woo Hoo ALL RINGS $100 TODAY!

EVERY ring in my shop is $100 today only!!! Wait for a revised invoice after purchase!!

If you have been holding out, it is now the time!

Custom orders are now finished! for now.....

I have had a ton of custom orders and I finally finished the last 3 rings. I think custom orders are my very favorite.

The turquoise in the wrap ring is breathtakingly beautiful, the camera does not do it justice.

In other news, I have so much chocolate in my house right now, it's just wrong. Chris and I are literally watching our waist lines expand. Chris is hopelessly addicted to peanut M&M's. He loves to buy the huge 5lb bag and we all finish it in 2 days. We stopped at the pharmacy last night because I need new hair clippers to give haircuts. My current clippers are not working properly. We left with said hair clippers, 2 LARGE bags of M&M's (buy one get one free) and a HUGE bag of malted milk eggs (my favorite). I feel like a giant blob. All of my self control is gone as of late. I need to accept and embrace where I am at this moment before I can get through the other side so to speak.

Oh, and the other thing? This will be the last word on it......

I am human.................................. hear me roar

I love my customers!

I have a good bit of "regular" customers. I am quite fond of all of them. I have created MUCH jewelry with these woman and they come back again and again like an old friend. Well, one of my best customers sent me a birthday card that I received yesterday. It really made my afternoon. It lightened up my mood and really said to me "stop taking yourself so dang seriously".


>

I also find that a good few of my regular customers read my blog and really care about me. They don't treat me as a "jewelry making machine", but as a buddy. I'll tell ya, it's been awhile since I have sat in this seat typing in my blog and suddenly had feelings of gratitude wash over me, but it just happened! Oh, good golly.....speaking of gratitude, maybe it is time for me to start my gratitude lists again. Boy, why didn't I think of that before? (writing is magical for the brain, isn't it?)

Today I am grateful for.............

my regular customers xoxo!

my husband (sound like a given, but not really..... it's been tough lately)

my home (I had a weird dream about my home last night and I am grateful for it just the way it is at this moment)

later tater!

after thought........ I wanna win something.

A New Church?

I have been exploring the idea of going to a different church. I first got the feeling that this may be necessary when our children's Sunday School program yet again fell by the wayside. We are a small church in a small town and there are not many children in the church, so it is really no ones fault that there is a lack of any programs for children/young adults. This is not the only reason why I want to explore other churches. There is a group of "discontents" that I feel are having a negative affect on the congregation as a whole and definitely ME. I have been in meetings with these people and I can't believe the self righteousness and ego. I don't understand why they stay if they are so unhappy with the church and our Pastor. Anyway, I don't want to bore you too much with this, but it is a huge decision to change churches. I have been attending the same church for 13 years. It is the only church I have ever known. I did not grow up with church and my parents do not believe in God, so this is a big deal. The boys and I went to a different church yesterday and I will tell you the passion in that service is none like I have ever experienced. This church offers programs, middle school age youth group (william), teen bible study (danny), and adult bible study and other programs. They are active in overseas missions and are all in all a larger congregation so they can do all of these things. I am not going to make a decision like this by going to one service. Sunday church service is a small part of belonging to a church, you MUST get active and build relationships to grow in Christ. I will be attending a group in this new church called "Alpha" this evening to see more about what this church is about. Please pray for me in this decision. It will almost break my heart to leave my little church on the hill, but if that is what I need to do, I certainly will.

In other news, I was very busy in the studio Saturday filling regular orders and a few custom ring orders. I am just about caught up on everything, the past week has been quiet in my shop. I have one more custom ring to finish up and 2 more to make for my "best customer".

That little Butterfly Wing Jasper with the Malachite poppy has to be the very cutest thing I have EVER made. My lovely customer Kim and I designed that together :)

This beauty is now in my shop...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22366250

This plump Peruvian Opal is Purrrrrrrrfect for spring!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22365531

If you are wondering if my "mood" is any better................................ it's not. I would love to report a cosmic change or psychic shift in my thinking, but things are about the same. I am happy to report that I have accepted it and that does make a difference :)

Later Taters!

oui.... it's effecting my work

Okay, this is about enough. I am feeling a bit better today mood wise, a meeting last night really did help. When I feel like this the most obvious first step is MORE MEETINGS!! I am still an inch away from smoking a cigarette. I really don't know how I made it the last couple of days. Basically I prayed all day.......

This bologna is effecting my work. I have had about 2800 orders on Etsy and this is the first one I royally screwed up. Remember this picture from the other day?? Do you see anything wrong with the earrings????

The little branches or on the same sides, they are meant to be mirror images of one another like all earring as meant to be!!!!! ARG! Even after snapping and looking at this picture I did not see it, my customer did though when she received them. AND further more I did not send her the free lil hoops she was meant to get. Again Mai, I am so sorry. This may really not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, in fact I know it's not but I don't like to mess up when it comes to my business, not one bit.

I am going to try and step a bit lighter and sigh a little less today. I hope you all have a fantabulous day!!!

See, I am happier already..........(cough)

ho hum

I am in a very strange melancholy mood. I have been in this state for a couple of days. Life is going okay from an outside stand point, but I feel..........

I am wondering if being "me" will ever be enough (for me). I seem to "measure up" in most people's eyes just fine. I guess I just want more, or want to be more. This is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time, i think. I know that for me stagnation is death. I must keep growing mentally and spiritually. I guess I am feeling stagnant and I can't figure out why. I feel like my morning and evening prayers are blah. I don't feel any excitement. God is quiet. Maybe I am not quiet enough and God is there as he always is........ (of coarse He is)

The best thing to do in situations as these is to get out of my head and do something for someone else. Okay, what can I do for someone in need? I will pray for an opportunity to help another person, that's what I will do. "Dear Lord, if I can be of service to another person today, please put that person in my path and guide my words and actions" in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Writing is therapeutic, I am already feeling a bit lighter. I suppose this may be better suited for a private hand scrawled notebook, but it happened to come out here in my blog with no planning or premeditation, so that is where it stays.

On a lighter note, I received quite a few orders for some of my first Etsy designs. I have not done any beading/wire wrapping is a bit so it was really nice to get "back to basics". The turquoise beaded hoops have always been a favorite of mine, they look marvelous on!

I guess that's it for now, I probably have said enough........

I am going to post pics and run. I am feeling a bit better today and will be going to "poker night" with Ma this evening. I need to run to the PO among other things so here are a couple of new additions (I am in love with the ring, it is unbelievable comfy for such a large piece, i am wearing it now, I can't seem to take it off).

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22097119
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22097465

These are custom orders that will be in the mail momentarily!

I am getting so into this large post style, and it seems my customers are as well!! Yeah!

I hate to "eat and run" but I gotta go! ttfn

Rip Van Winkle......

I am feeling like Rip Van Winkle after a weekend of sleeping. Saturday I dropped Danny off at the mountain, then went grocery shopping, then slept. I woke up for a couple of hours then went back to bed. I woke up for church Sunday morning, got home, and went to bed. I woke up for about 2 hours then went back to bed. Now here I am. I don't feel any better. I feel like a small person is sitting on my chest. I dreamed all night of things I am not proud of. I awoke to the most fierce cigarette cravings ever! Ask me what is keeping me from smoking right now....... God. I quit smoking some time ago but the cravings still rear their ugly head and it is torture. I really don't understand why I still have these cravings but I do. I felt constantly ashamed when I used to smoke. I never smoked in the house, always on the back deck..... always hiding. It is no way to live. Is this the existence I am currently craving?????? I think of how a cigarette would taste in my mouth right now and I shudder. The first cigarette you take after having gone a long period of time without smoking tastes exactly as it you licked an ash tray. BUT the second one, not so bad...... and the third one HALLELUYA we have a winner. After about a day you don't even smell the smoke on your clothes or taste it on your breath. It is a nasty addiction. I can justify it in my head so fast it is scary. I had no intention of talking about smoking this morning, sometimes things just pop into my head while I am typing and you all are the lucky recipients of my garbled thoughts.

Sick or not, I have a boat load (that's a lot) of work to do today. I have to finish the pieces on my bench...

I love all of that midnight blue turquoise!!! Most of what you see are custom orders. One ring and pair of earrings are not. They will be in my shop in the next day or 2. I also have lists or orders to complete. I was planning on working over the weekend, but my body had other plans.

It has been rather warm here in NH the past couple of days 45-58 degrees! Today it is back to "normal".... 28 degrees and snowing.

I suppose I better get moving. I have a feeling I will feel better as the day progresses. If not, I will return to my slumber. Someone wake me up by Wednesday, okay?

Thanks

Thanks for all of the Happy Birthday Wishes! I am coming down with a nasty cold so that's it for now. I hope your weekend is lovely....

It's my birthday

This is my breakfast...

It is a Reeses Peanut Butter cake :)

I don't have anything special going on, just a regular day working in the studio and hopefully picking Chris's truck up from the shop. It has been having body work done for the past 2 weeks from damage that occurred due to falling tree branches during the ice storm in December. I did manage to create 3 new rings yesterday...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21880799

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21881300

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21881841

ttfn!