respond and rework

THE RULES:

Rules of the meme: Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your own blog; replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention; add one more question of your own.
THE QUESTIONS:

What is your current obsession? I'm still pretty obsessed with swine flu and and rhumatic fever. I'm still feeling pretty horrible and I've always had a touch of melodramatic hypochondria when I'm unwell.
Which item from your closet are you wearing most lately?A toss up. My bathrobe and my ubiquitous purple jacket. An oversized velveteen pea jacket that I've had for a very, very long time.

What was the last thing you bought?

Sea Urchin spines-- 2 pounds!

What are you listening to right now? Breaking Dawn.

What are you reading?

I just finished Catfantastic III again-- a collection of short kitty fantasy.

What 4 words would you use to describe yourself?

Does sick, sick, sick, sick count?

What is your current guilty pleasure?

I"ve taken to laying in bed for half an hour or more after I wake up. Oddish. Like I haven't got anything better to do?

What would you do if the internet was irreparably damaged and you had to find another way to connect?

Do I really have to? I used to write letters all the time.

Where are you planning to travel next?

We're headed to Columbia SC in July for a weekend. And I'm planning a week and half in Hawaii in November.

What was the best thing you ate or drank recently?

I just ate Combos for dinner. I don't usually do junk food. It seems like the worse I feel the more garbage I want to eat. I think it was the salt I was really after . . . *delicate shudder*

What flower are you most anxious to see bloom this spring?

Wisteria and azaleas are already out. And poppies! I haven't seen many dogwoods yet though . . .

What are you most happy doing?

Right now? Sleeping.

Care to share some wisdom?

Google is an amazing tool.

If I walked into your work space today what would you want to show me? What would you want to hide?

Two things. I'm working on my Haidee collar and I'm beading a T-rex skull replica. I'm pretty into both projects!

Can I hide the mess? I mean seriously-- stuff is *everywhere* and it's pretty ridiculous.

what's on my beading board?

monday's picture post

To close out April and welcome May, twelve Bead Art Originals artists are offering specials this week. Check out the details on the Bead Art Originals Blog!

Also, some picks from this weeks treasury curators!

kathiroussel

ThesePreciousThings

Amelias's shop

pinkparchmentsoaps

FiberFancy

enchantedbeads

LinenMe

Sorry about yesterday-- I was pretty sick. It's pretty much passed now I'm just left feeling kitten weak . . . Tomorrow is another day.

the haze clears

So I've got more challenges looming on the horizon!

I just finished my entry into the Etsy BeadWeaver's Red Carpet challenge.

Then the Bead Art Originals group decided to also have the occasional challenge. We're really still organizing it. I voted on the theme and we picked the one I voted for, but once it was announced my mind blanked.

I wanted to design a piece for a fictional character but I had *horrible* time picking one. I finally realized that my preferences gravitate toward folks who just can't wear much jewelry-- maybe it clashes with their swords, guns, blasters, et al?

Anyway, yesterday in a fit of desperation I re-read chapter 49 of 'The Count of Monte Cristo". If Haidee kept a knife, and I imagine she did, she did so discreetly. I'd actually thought of her before, but envisioned her in rubies, diamonds and gold on a night at the opera. And my first design efforts left something to be desired.

In chapter 49 the Count calls on her at home. She wears white satin trousers embroidered with pink roses and a blue (I envision the shade on the violet side) and white vest trimmed with silver and pearls over a diamond clasped bodice. Her slippers and cap are covered in gold and pearls, her sash is a riot of colored scarves.

I had wanted to design something with pink opal and pink Botswana agate and yesterday I got a bunch of sea urchin spines. Last night I gathered a selection of pink, violet and wine seed beads and started in on a collar for Haidee. (I'm going to repeat from a much older post that she was so much cooler than Mercedes. The whole Hollywood-refusing-to-get-that-right-thing really bugs me. I once put up with about 6 hours of Gerard Depardieu because I figured they'd taken so long because they were going to do it right. Wrong. Ick. Irk. Eep. I'm scarred for life. Blech.)

Then this morning I woke up and was immediately struck with an idea for the New Horizons Challenge for the Beadweaving Emporium over at 1000Markets. A new horizon for me, as I've yet to bead anything except jewelry. Again, it's something I've had on my mind for awhile, so I'm surprised it took me so long to make the connection with the Challenge.

I'm not usually so well stocked with larger projects. I'm kind of excited!

back in time

Heather over at Humblebeads wrote a post about the music we listened to in high school. Curious, I went and looked up the top 100 hits from 1996.

Songs I loved in no particular order:
It's All Coming Back to Me Now-- Celine Dion-- syrupy sweet or no, the chick can sing.
Nobody Knows-- Tony Rich Project-- again with the voice. Loved.
Give Me One Reason-- Tracey Chapman-- Her voice was so cool. I liked Fast Car better though.
I Love You Always Forever-- Donna Lewis-- I actually knew the words.
Missing-- Everything But the Girl-- one of my favorites.
Ironic-- Alanis Morrissette. Didn't everyone?
Follow You Down-- Gin Blossoms. I still like their music.
Sittin' Up in My Room-- Brandy. Though I find it slightly painful to admit.
Change the World-- Eric Clapton. Still love that song.
Insensitive-- Jan Arden. More chick music. *grin*
Name-- Goo Goo Dolls. Flipped over them. Still love their stuff.
Breakfast at Tiffany's-- Deep Blue Something-- knew the words.
Wonderwall-- Oasis-- just plain fun!
Just A Girl-- No Doubt. That's a classic isn't it?
Key West Intermezzo-- John Mellencamp. Still a favorite.
If It Makes You Happy-- Sheryl Crow. Fed the inner rebel. *tsk, tsk*
As I Lay Me Down-- Sophie B. Hawkins-- loved it then, still like it.


Most Hated: Toni Braxton's Un-Break My Heart-- I was rabid about it. I hated her, the song, her voice and every skimpy thread she wore to any awards show. (I watched them back then.) Ugh. I mean I was dizzy with loathing here!


Other songs I hated:
Macarena by los del rio-- how annoying could you get?
One Sweet Day-- possibly the worst of all Mariah Carey songs. It didn't help that I actually like BoyzIIMen.
Exhale (shoop, shoop)-- Whitney Houston-- um, how lame can you get. Shoop. Shoop. Really.
Jealousy-- Natalie Merchant. I find it so annoying. Not sure why.

Interesting. I liked more than I didn't-- but what I didn't like-- boy-- I *really* didn't like.
Well that was fun-- for me anyway.

Be sure to check out Heather's post to enter to win beads!

Blue Hawaii

Blue Hawaii
Originally uploaded by littlelakey

I spent a few hours today tracking down flight fare to Hawaii for November.

Looking forward to it now:)

Beadweaving Emporium

Fabulous work from The Beadweaving Emporium at 1000Markets!

how to be a rock star

Dress the part of course!

The Red Carpet Challenge actually proved to open up a couple things I'd been thinking about for awhile.
I've been craving the polymer clay bird skulls by Malodora since I laid eyes on them *months* ago.


I've also frequently toyed with the idea of designing a beadwoven piece for a guy-- easier said than done!

The Red Carpet Challenge allowed me to think along the lines of designing for a guy, while working with-in my comfort zone.

Which happens to be designing outrageous over the top pieces that most men wouldn't be caught dead in.

I was initially thinking along the lines of pirates and Johny Depp.

But it quicky morphed into something more like a rock star would wear-- think Steven Tyler in leapord print or Keith Richards in silver monotones-- and this of course!

--

No, that's not my arm, in case you're wondering.

--

And yes, it is up for grabs, in case you're wondering!

monday's picture post

Bead Art Originals Items of the Week-- check out this weeks BAO deals!

And some lovelies from this week's Treasury Curators!

Marie Antoinette Collar by nemeton

 Bold, Ethnic Style,Turquoise and Red Necklace by SmadarsTreasure

Beadwoven and Embroidered Pendant Black Necklace by SmadarsTreasure

Romantic Ruffles Peyote Cuff Bracelet by SandFibers

TOTEMS - Large Wheel Thrown Painted Raven and Wolf Vase by loveartworks

Large Vintage Linen Lavender Sachet by missgaylee

day 7-- Bead Art Originals Welcomes Spring Sale and Giveaway!

Day Seven is the last day of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, and it may be the best day yet!

We hope you've enjoyed browsing our members' shops, visiting the Bead Art Gifts blog; and we hope you were able to take advantage of some of the fabulous sales in the shops! There's just one day left in our BAO Welcomes Spring Sale, so there's still time for you to find something fabulous and get a great deal at the same time.

On Thursday, April 23, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of ALL FOUR of these beautiful pieces:
...A spring-themed bangle bracelet by Anne (arosebyname)
...A colorful beaded bracelet by Sarah (thebeadedlily)
...A beadwoven star keyring by Smadar (SmadarsTreasure)
...And a colorful peyote triangle necklace by MaryLou (time2cre8)

Just checkout the Bead Art Originals Day 7 Post for details!

Be sure to check some of the previous days' posts as well-- there are more prizes to be had!

day 6 of the BAO welcomes spring sale and giveaway

For Day Six of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, we'd like you to browse the BAO members' shops and find something you'd love to wear out to a Friday night after-work party.


Then, leave a comment on this BAO blog post between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Sunday, April 19.


That will give you a chance to see some really bead art beauties and put you in the running to win this gorgeous piece from MAKUstudio!

day 5 giveaway-- Orange and Black Ear Threads

Want a chance to win these Orange and Black Ear Threads from Maladora?

Visit the Bead Art Originals Blog and find out how!

Enter to win a pair of Triz earrings and a bracelet by LisaPetersArt while you're there!

The Bead Art Originals Welcomes Spring Sale and Giveaway is almost over already!

Do check out thebeadedlily on Etsy for details about my sale section!

Oh-- and in case you're wondering CAT time supercedes EST everytime. Just ask yours.

day 4 of the BAO welcomes spring sale and giveaway

Tax day. I took care of my personal taxes back in February. And my quarterly sales taxes early this month. So tell me-- why does today being the tax deadline bug me so much? Maybe it's the system-- I don't mind paying taxes, but surely there's a better way to go about it?

Enough of that!

Check out this beauty by LisaPetersArt!

Visit the Bead Art Originals blog to enter to win this and a pair of Triz earrings and a SandFibers pendant! But hurry! The deadline cometh!

Speaking of deadlines . . . the sale is still going on in my Etsy shop! Be sure to check it out!

And there are still 14 hours left in which to log your vote in the Etsy Beadweavers Time Machine Challenge. Pretty stuff! Don't miss looking!

Check out the new Beadweaving Emporium at 1000Markets too. Gorgeous site!

day 3 of the BAO welcomes spring sale and giveaway

For Day Three of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways, we'd like you to find your favorite white or mostly white creation by one of our members, in remembrance of the day the Titanic struck the iceberg that caused the ship to sink.


Go to the Bead Art Originals blog to enter!
 
You could win these gorgeous earrings by Triz!
 

There's still time to enter to win the Day 1 and 2 giveaways too-- so don't miss out!

The sale is still going strong at thebeadedlily on etsy! Check out the details in my shop announcment!

The Etsy Beadweavers Time Machine Challenge is drawing to a close, but there's still time to get your vote in!

If you're up for it you should read The Titanic by June Robertson Beisch-- it ends with the line "love is the most beautiful of absolute disasters."

day 2 of the BAO welcomes spring sale and giveaway

Theres still time to enter to win the CieloDesigns bracelet in yesterdays post!

And on Thursday, April 16, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this stylish triangle pendant created by Carol Dean (SandFibers).

Checkout the Bead Art Originals blog for details!

There's still time to VOTE in the EBW Time Machine Challenge.

And thebeadedlily on Etsy still has some awesome art up for sale-- this week only! And I nabbed a treasury and featured some of the other BAO peeps who are having sales! Check it out here!

day 1 giveaway-- Stars within the Tropics bracelet

For Day One of the BAO Welcomes Spring Giveaways we'd like you to visit the Bead Art Gifts Blog, where we showcase some of our special pieces, and find the piece that most speaks to you of spring.

Then, leave a comment on the Bead Art Originals Blog between now and midnight Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, April 14, including:

1. which Gift Guide creation speaks to you of spring and

2. a way for us to contact you (your Etsy shop name or your email address) if you win.

On Wednesday, April 15, we will use a random number generator to select the winner of this beautiful bracelet created by Miriam (CieloDesign).
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Thebeadedlily is participating with a fantastic SALE section and your choice of FREE Shipping or a $25 thebeadedlily gift certificate for yourself or a friend! Please check my Etsy shop announcement for details!

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Please also take a second and vote on the Etsy Beadweavers Time Machine Challenge!

red carpet maybe, + sales and giveways

OK-- so here's the progress so far. I can never tell if these are going to work out or not. I do love the texture though.

The board is a BeadBuddy with these cool little covered compartments-- love it!

Tomorrow thebeadedlily is going to start a sale! YAY!

And I'm not alone either.

Shop at the Bead Art Originals
Welcome Spring Sale!
April 12 - 18, 2009

Seventeen of our members are participating in this huge BAO sales event.

Visit the Bead Art Originals blog for more information and check back here tomorrow and every day next week for some great giveaways!

Please be sure to vote in the EBW Time Travel Challenge too!

Meditation on Ruin by Jay Hopler

I've been contemplating this one since I first read it, a few days ago. Things build up-- it's no wonder we get tired sometimes. We carry so much and never, ever put it down. There's a straw out there for all of us camels I think.

Fortunately, the human spirit seems virtually indestructable. We recover, at least partially, at least enough, eventually.


Meditation on Ruin
by Jay Hopler

It's not the lost lover that brings us to ruin, or the barroom brawl,

----------or the con game gone bad, or the beating
Taken in the alleyway. But the lost car keys,
The broken shoelace,
The overcharge at the gas pump
Which we broach without comment — these are the things that
----------eat away at life, these constant vibrations
In the web of the unremarkable.

The death of a father — the death of the mother —
The sudden loss shocks the living flesh alive! But the broken
----------pair of glasses,
The tear in the trousers,
These begin an ache behind the eyes.
And it's this ache to which we will ourselves
Oblivious. We are oblivious. Then, one morning—there's a
crack in the water glass —we wake to find ourselves undone.
"Meditation on Ruin" by Jay Hopler from Green Squall

voting up on time machine challenge

Go vote for your favorite on the Etsy Beadweaver's Blog.

ebw may challenge theme announced

The March EBW Challenge was won by Rachele of RachelesOriginals. Her prize, as always, is getting to choose the next Challenge Theme.

Here is what Rachele had to say: "I was thinking about Hollywood Red Carpet Creations, past, present, or future. What do you think? If you had the opportunity to create a piece of jewelry that your favorite movie star would wear to a red carpet event, what would it be? This movie star can be real or imagined, and it can be at any time period, well at least, since their have been movies."

Passion Fire Woven Necklace

I've been awaiting the theme, but I have no idea what to do here as I'm not much into the red carpet scene. hmmmm.

an arguement for quality tools

I was trying to cut 6 gauge niobium . . .

monday's picture post

BAO Items of the Week (April 6 - 12)
Here are eleven great Items of the Week to tempt you! For details on the deals check the BAO blog!

And from this weeks Treasury Curators I pulled these fabulous pieces!

Green Gold Temptation by binkaminka

Turquoise Blue Crackle Necklace by Naftali

A Magical Journey by enchantedbeads

Golden Giverney by Jan Eleven

For the Women of the Future by SmadarsTreasure