Sorta Daily Ramblings

Yeah, yeah, it's been forever since I've updated my little blog here, but man things have been busy. I'm teaching full time, all day, with no breaks except 25 minutes for lunch, and honestly, when I get home I'm exhausted! This woman is getting older and older!

First Order OF Business! I need to say happy birthday to my wonderful son, who is 24 today! He's in the Marines, so I don't have the pleasure of having him home for the first time in 24 years for his birthday, but he knows I love him and appreciated and honor his commitment to serving! I love you Kenny! I will hopefully be able to talk to him this afternoon for a few seconds to wish him a happy birthday!

New News! Oldest son is getting married! The wedding is in May of this year, so things have been crazy getting read for it. Thank God he's marrying someone that has her act together and amazingly she's pulled it all together and has everything set to go. All we need is the groom, and we are praying that the United States Marine Corps will allow him to come home that weekend! The green machine has it's own way of doing things, but we're praying they understand this special, once in a lifetime event!

The grandbaby is growing rapidly and I've been fortunate enough to have her on several weekends. She's still going through all that little baby stuff, you know, crying, and can't tell me what's wrong, so it's frustrating. Now I know why God actually stops the reproductive process at a given age for women, it's too hard at this age to do it all the time. I love it when I have her, but it's nice to take her back to her mom after a couple days! One of these days she'll be walking and talking, and it will be easier for this old grandma to keep up.

I have been in the studio making beads when I'm able, so go check them out on Etsy when you get time. I have an account over at ArtFire but haven't had much time to figure out the listing process. This summer I'll get it together and figure it out. In the meantime, only selling here, through Etsy and of course my shows. The 2009 Show Schedule is up and going, so check it out here.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring. The northland is still under a few dirty snowpiles, but for the most part, it's over with. Gotta love Michigan, two seasons, Winter and July!

Updates on the site are underway. Make sure you check back in next weekend for the Sale! Lots of pretty things at basement prices! Just In Time For Christmas Shopping!

The show at the Wex was great and I have lots of updates to make. Most have been made with sold out items. Over the course of the next week or so, I'm going to be totally updating my site, so watch for new items, ready for Christmas shopping.

I'll be running a HUGE sale the weekend after Thanksgiving, starting on Friday, November 28th, so make sure you sign up for the newsletter if you haven't already, so you get the scoop on the sale! Everything on the site will be on sale, except for the sterling silver large hole beads.

Finally heard from my Marine recruit son! He's safe and sound and making it through bootcamp. Thursday, his daughter was born, and he wasn't here for that, but I was there, helping to deliver her! She's gorgeous and her name is Raleigh! Here's a picture of her just a few minutes old, with grandma! I'm a little exhausted from helping out here, so give me a break on the lack of makeup and bags under the eyes! It's bittersweet, since son won't get to see or hold her until he returns in January. She'll be almost 3 months old by then!

Life has been busy! The oldest son leaves on Sunday for boot camp and I'm just trying to hold it together.

I have another new website to sell my beads, so I hope you'll take a look. If you'd like a custom order, please let me know. I love a challenge!

I received the nicest e-mail from one of my new customers. She ordered 4 of the green and blue twistie big hole beads and had this to say about her purchase:

Chris I received my beads and they are beautiful, they put the finishing touch on my bracelet, thanks so much for the extra silver bead too. I have attached a photo of the bracelet with the 4 glass beads and the silver one as well. Feel free to use it on your website, to show what a beautiful finished bracelet your beads contributed to. Thanks again Laurie

Thank you for the nice e-mail Laurie, you are most welcome! What a nice collection of beads you have! Hope to see you back again soon.

Back from a lovely vacation and great show at Art On The Rocks! Thanks to everyone that came by my booth. Now it's time to get back to thinking about the beginning of school! Ugggh! While I was gone my daughter got a tatoo, and my son joined the Marines! Makes me wonder about taking vacations. Life is always interesting!

The end of the school year, daughter graduating and lots of custom orders have kept me from updating. I also had a nasty neck thing going on, which was probably caused from moving furniture in my classroom, posting semester grades, and working on my daughters scrapbook for her open house. Anyway, I'm almost back to normal after 5 trips to the chiropractor and a massage therapist. Still have some nasty basal headaches, but living with that, hopefully not for long, the headaches part, not the living part! It's almost like a migraine, but the noise doesn't bother me, and I'm having no problems eating. It's hell getting old sometimes.

Anywaysy, I've been working on some new animal critters for the large hole european bracelets, like Pandora, Biagi, AYU, WOW, Troll and the like. Here's some of the new stuff:

If you're interested, please either visit my Etsy store, or e-mail me with your order. If I don't have them in stock, give me a couple weeks and they will be done special for you.

I had to finally put my Grub down tonight. He has been a faithful companion to me for the last 16 years, and it was so hard to do. He's been having seizures since the last time I thought we would lose him. The past couple of days were very difficult for him, and he couldn't stand or control himself. We've put up a valiant effort with him, and I know this is for the best, but it doesn't make it any easier. I only wish I could have held him for longer, it happened so fast.

Here's a picture just so I can share with you the eyes I miss so much already.

Whew! What a day! Oldest daughter graduated from college today, youngest daughter had her prom! Lots of traveling, pictures, craziness. I even chaperoned the prom, much to daughter's dismay. No, she was cool with it, but kept her distance most of the night. Heck, I couldn't even get into the center of the dance floor anyway!

Running a special. Buy three scrabble tile pendants from my Etsy shop, and get one free. Here's how it works.....

Go to Etsy, or here on my website, purchase three scrabble pendants, and then send me an e-mail or a convo from Etsy, and tell me which pendant you want free from this page (click on it to see what you get to choose from, or click on the link Scrabble Tile Pendants from the left column on this page). Make sure you put the number of the pendant you want, and if it's available, it's yours. Better send your number 1, 2 and 3 choice, just in case.

Here's a sample of the pendants. They are all one of a kind, with a handpainted watercolor adhered to a scrabble tile, then made into a pendant. Very cool and hip!


One on the Right is On Etsy, One of the left is sold!	All Available In My Etsy Store!

The end of the school year is fast approaching. My daughter will be graduating, and soon, we will become official empty nesters. The thought just makes me sad. She's busy with Prom plans, graduation plans, open house plans, and we still need to find a college! YIKES!

I've been making a few beads lately and put some new ones up on Etsy. Here they are, and a couple of them are not for sale yet, but soon. The cow was a special order, and this one cracked right above his front legs. The new ones are coming, and I hope to get them up tomorrow night. They ARE adorable if I do say so myself.

Well, some of these didn't last long, but I thought I'd show you anyway. I had a special request for a skunk bead, and it turned out adorable. Here's a couple more too. Too cute!

Wish I had spring break this week. It's gorgeous here in Michigan, finally. I made a few more big hole beads and couple of vessels yesterday. All in my Etsy shop.

Whew! What a week. Full of meetings, and responsibilities. I came home tonight and took a nap!

My students are working on some stained glass projects at work, and I took the opportunity to finish some pendants I did a few years back that had just been sitting, waiting for the final touches. I've put them in my Etsy Shop, so go take a look, or send me an e-mail if you're interested in buying one.


Spontaneous - $18	Chihuly - $15	Choose - $18

Flexibility - $18	Stinky - $15	Substitute - $15
		All Available In My Etsy Store!
Suit Yourself -$18	Woosy! - $18

More large hole beads and one set of beads out of the kiln today, and some of them just make me laugh! Here they are and fortunately for me, some already sold on Etsy, but watch for more. I have all kinds of ideas for these little critters.

Happy Sunday! Great show yesterday, and finally all the updates are on the site and in my Etsy shop. Here's some of the new stuff I listed today, so go have some fun and browze and purchase at will! Thanks everyone that helped support me with your purchases! Hope to see you again, either here or at another bead show.

Most of he Site is Down Until Sunday. Any links with loose beads are currently not available. Finished jewelry and sterling silver large hole beads are still available for purchase. I have a show tomorrow in Traverse City. I'll be back with site updates on Sunday. Even if you find something you'd like, wait until I get back to see if it's in stock or not! No guarantees until I return!

And of course, you can check my Etsy shop to see if you find something you like there. That will also be restocked on Sunday.

Uggggggggggg! Tomorrow I have to go back to school. Spring break is over. It's been a wonderful week for the business, and I thank everyone for their purchases. You'll never know how very helpful your support has been. I hope you enjoy everything you purchased and will come back again soon.

Friday, the store will be down as I have a show on Saturday, April 12th in Traverse City. If you're in the areas, come on in to see lots of wonderful people that sell lots of wonderful beading materials. See my show schedule for more information about where and when.

So for now, here's the latest from the kiln, all available in my Etsy Shop! Happy Spring!

Got a couple more vessels made that turned out pretty nice, if I do say so myself. Also, I have almost 200 items up on Etsy right now, so go take a tour when you get some time.

Daughter made it home from Cancun and went on and on about all her adventures. It was so great to see her so excited about experiencing other cultures. I do believe she's caught the travel bug, so possibly she could be my travel companion in the future. So great to have her home though.

Spring break has been busy, but I still don't feel like I've gotten much done. Oh well, only so many hours in a day. I did go over to Karen's and learn how to blow vessels. A couple I attempted are coming in the mail. I'll show them off when they arrive.

A few new large hole sterling beads for your Biagi, Pandora, Troll, AYU and other euro style bracelets are available. Go Check them out here. I sure do wish sterling prices would come down though.

Wahoooooooooooooo! Spring Break ~ Finally! It sure started out fun! Two more addicts committed to the lampwork addiction! Carol and Tina came from Midland for a Weekend Beadaway this weekend, and we had a ton of fun. Check out their weekend by clicking here.

Daughter is in Cancun on spring break and having an "awesome time"! This is her first time out of the country, and I'm so happy she was able to go. There's nothing like experiencing a new culture and country. Can't wait until she returns with all her stories!

I don't have anything specific planned for break, but with a show coming up in April, I do need to make more beads (like I don't have enough just laying around the house!)

You all take care, and here's to hoping all this snow melts this week, and the daffodils finally creep up from the warm earth!

Happy Easter to All! We spent the day traveling to see our son and his girlfriend away at college to have dinner. Ponderosa in Big Rapids isn't the best I've been to. We always go to Ponderosa since that's where hubby's mom always liked to go, and since dad is still with us, that's where he likes to go too. Memories.

I listed more beads on Etsy, so go take a gander and see if something tickles your fancy.

$8.95	$8.95	$8.95	$4.99
$11.99	$23.99		All Available In My Etsy Shop!

Well, spring is almost here. The sun has been shining quite a bit here in Northern Michigan, which makes all the other stuff* of the world a bit easier to handle. I have a few new large hole lampwork beads and some new jewelry up on Etsy, so go take a peek.

I had someone write me asking why I don't put silver in the middle of my large hole lampwork beads. Here's a few thoughts on that subject:

Even though I think they look wonderful WITH silver in them, they also work and look wonderful WITHOUT the silver. I do have a few large hole sliders that I have lined with silver, and even though they are priced to sell, they haven't budged.


$25.00	$25.00	$25.00	$25.00

$25.00	$25.00	$25.00	$17.00
All In Finished Pendants On My Website! Click here!

Regarding the large hole beads for the Euro Bracelets that I have lined, one out of 5 would crack or break during the process, wasting the time used to make the bead, the glass, and the silver, which is the more expensive of the three.

In case you haven't looked lately, or been listening to the news, silver prices are soaring.. The current market price for an ounce of silver is $20.92. Gold is $1008 an ounce! You can follow the prices here. Now, as a single income family of 5 on a teacher's salary, I simply can't afford those prices, especially with the error rate. I've practiced with copper tubing, which is a harder metal, and even then, the error rate was high.

So, if you've made it through this trivial explanation, I don't line my large hole beads with silver. That keeps the price of the bead down, which in this economy is also easier on the consumer, and my customers keep coming back, so I suppose I'm doing something right. After all, when they slide on the euro bracelets, you can't even see the silver!

I believe my large hole lampwork beads to be of the highest quality. Depending on the style, the holes are dimpled, and a perfect size for all the euro bracelets I've tried them on.

Also, the question has been asked why I don't make my own silver beads. The answer is the same, just too expensive for silver. I would LOVE to make them all the time, and have true artisan silver sliders, but unless the market eases, this won't happen.

I do have a pendant with handmade silver beads for sale on my site. These are made of PMC, a by-product of Black and White Photography, which when fired, leaves a final product of .999 silver content. I LOVE this stuff, but again, the price of PMC is now up to $52 for 50 grams. (26 grams in an ounce, so that's MORE than the current market price for silver).

Unless I win the lottery, silver is not in my cards for the moment. The prices I charge for my jewelry with sterling silver have remained the same as when the market was down, because that's the price I paid for the silver. Suggestions have been made to raise my prices to affect this change, but there is a method to my madness.

I truly am not in this business to get rich. I am just trying to get by in this economy like everyone else and I enjoy what I do. I see no reason to raise my prices to make it more difficult for my customers to enjoy my work. I'd rather move product, than keep it because I feel it's worth more than people are willing to pay.

I'm going to go play with my copper and brass. Copper is down, so it's more affordable for everyone, and it's so pretty mixed with brass.


Green Agate	Green Tree Agate	Lake Superior Agate	Lake Superior Nugget Agate

Mooka Jasper	Ocean Jasper	Michigan Petoskey Stone	Picture Jasper
	Zolite	Sodalite
All Available In My Etsy Shop!

Still suffering with the winter blues, but if I keep counting the days until March 1st, I know spring is just around the corner! It can't come fast enough.

I've been working on some new jewelry lately, and have made a few beads. Here are my humble offerings of the day, available in my Etsy Shop! Come and visit!

Well, I'm getting sick of this weather in the Northland. Fresh air a warmer climate and lots of sunshine sounds so good right now. We have about 1/4 inch of ice on everything at the moment, and the cars going by our house (which is on a hill), are having a difficult time stopping to turn the corner. I don't know what's so important that people have to travel.

I've been having a bit of a creative slump lately, so I decided to make some sets of basic beads. These are available in any color, so if you want a color you don't see finished, just let me know. There are 13 beads in the set for $20, quite a deal. These are all currently listed on Etsy.


Available In My Shop on Etsy!

Available In My Shop on Etsy!

I've been out of the loop for about a week now. This flu/cold/cough bug took me by the horns! Nasty stuff.

Anyway, I managed to get on the torch a bit yesterday and here are my offerings from the event. All of these are available on Etsy or e-mail me.

A snow/ice day for me today, so I have time to list a few things on Etsy and on the website.


12.99	$48.00	$48.00	$48.00
	On Website		On Website
On Website $48.00

HUGE 15% OFF SALE ON ORPHANS, ANYTHING IN THE CLEARANCE SECTION! ALL ITEMS ARE ALREADY MARKED WITH THE DISCOUNT!

Remember, you can purchase safely through my website with your credit card! And you don't need a pay pal account to use your credit card. A screen will come up to pay through Pay Pal, but you can select not to sign up for a Pay Pal account and use your credit card.

The website is now officially finished (I think*). I know I'll look around in nooks and crannies of the jewelry and bead storage area and find more though. It's kind of like when you put away all the Christmas decorations, and a week later, you find some little trinket that was missed. I always figure, it's good to keep a little spirit of Christmas around all year 'round. This year we found an angel and a painted bucket that was left out, easy enough to shove into a storage box.

Anyway, lots and lots of items for sale, both finished jewelry and beads, so shop 'til you drop and remember, Pay Pal is always accepted, which is a secure and easy way to shop on line.

Some new finished focals pendants and necklaces and a couple of bracelet and earring sets if you're interested. I don't have the buy it now buttons on yet, hopefully tomorrow. If you really, really, really want one of them, stare at the larger images, then check back tomorrow night.

I've spent most of the last week doing all the updates on my site. There are now items in every section.

Please rest assured that your purchases are safe, as I take Pay Pal, which is a secure site for payment. You can pay by credit card or cash from your Pay Pal account.

Christmas Eve at the Fisher's involves, family, oyster stew, candy making (peanut brittle, chex mix, caramel corn and fudge), yummy! The kids always open one gift.

I did some last minute Christmas shopping this morning. It's become a yearly ritual. For some reason I love that last minute stuff, when the shelves appear almost empty, and I have my list, and everything I need is actually in stock.

Father in law continues to recover from his surgery. We have so much to be thankful for this year.

Son will be on his way home in a couple hours, and I'm praying the snowstorm waits until he arrives.

I did get more focals, earring pairs and finished earrings up on the website, and there are lots of orphan beads in tubes that are a truly good deal in the clearance section. Some lots have plenty of my heart beads, so if you choose the right tube, you'll have a great bracelet for Valentine's day. Hint Hint!

Christmas Break! Wahooooooooooo! My plan is to sleep in tomorrow morning. It's been a long few weeks.

There are quite a few beads and jewelry up on Etsy, if you're still shopping. A really cute large hole lampwork bead for the Euro bracelets fitting for Valentine's Day done in white with red hearts is only $7.99. I also did a special order for some large hole encased florals last week, and it took me about 21 beads to get 6 that were the same size for her, so I have a few extra. A pair for $18.99 or a single for $9.50. These fit the Biagi, Pandora, and other Euro bracelets. Very pretty and also perfect for Valentine's Day. There are also some other large hole beads and don't forget my dancer beads, also on sale through Etsy.

Check out the new clearance beads Up today! Tubes of Beads, Orphans that need a home!

Join my mailing list and get updates on new listings on Etsy and new products on my website! Add your e-mail to the list through the link on the bottom left of this page!

Have a great holiday, I wish you peace, love, joy and many new memories to share with your family and friends.

I did it. For the most part the new* website is up. I still have to add a lot of stuff, but for now, it's working (crossing my fingers).

December 8, 2007 Change is good, change is good, change is good...... Website design is my nemesis. I WANT to be really good at it, and I TRY to be really good at it, but my left brain and my right brain argue so much with each other. They both are the irritating, annoying parts of my anatomy that I'd like to merge into one. I wonder what that would do to ones brain function. I want to take a class in web design, but then, I WANT to do a lot of things.

Truth be told, I have probably 15 website designs on my computer. Obviously, not all of them are published, but there they sit, unattended, lonely and taking up valuable space in the memory. I keep saying, someday, someday, but I don't. I also purchased a new program, Web Expressions, after a friend of mine exclaimed how wonderfully easy it is. Yeah, Right. It's collecting dust over there in the corner, see it?.

I'm reading a new book, Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. She was on Oprah last week for the second time, and I was equally impressed with her the second time. Like Oprah picks up dialects as she interviews people, I start thinking and even writing in the style of whomever I'm reading. I like her style of prose, what can I say.

Teaching, ahhhhhhhhhh. That "ahhhhhhhhh" was not a good "ahhhhhhhh". I find myself counting not only the years, but the days, hours, minutes and seconds until I retire. There are days when I'd like to just leave, and never look back. I'm not sure what bugs me the most. I mean, I LOVE to teach, as much as I love to breathe, but it's the crap that goes with teaching that has me by the horns. The obstinate children of parents that are trying their absolute best to raise them, but within the walls of that thing called school, they turn into something indescribable. I wish I could figure it all out. You'd think after all these years I would have done that, but I confess, I haven't. I haven't even come close.

Images I have of me, getting into some insane battle with a kid over something as petty as throwing a piece of clay around the room, haunt me. I shudder when I look back at myself. The contortions of my face, the tone of my voice, the shaking of my entire body, must be the only memory some children have of me. And parents too. What an awful thing.

I'm not one to back down when I know I'm right. I slither away if I'm wrong. There seems to be some new generation of child that actually believes if they argue long enough, I will change the way I teach, and my entire teaching philosophy. I swear they will argue about the fact that we actually breathe to stay alive, just to argue. I find myself more and more these days, just looking them square in the eyes, and saying, "This conversation is over, next.......". I mean, I cannot be responsible for every child's self esteem. If they'd work, I am absolutely positive there would never be a problem. Confession: I don't like to be around lazy people. Confession Two: I don't like to be around people that can't take criticism, especially when it comes to their artwork. Confession Three: I don't like to be around people that only want me to make them feel good all the time, I can't do that.

Next year, we are switching to a trimester schedule. This is supposed to afford kids more opportunities to take elective classes, such as art and photography. I proposed to my boss that a new class could be developed in the department. This class would be called "Only Make Me Feel Good Art". It would not allow a student a grade or credit, but they could come in, make art, and no matter what they made, I would tell them it was GREAT! Not just good, but GREAT! I would hang it up on the walls, put a gold star on and in big red letters, write "GREAT JOB! KEEP IT UP!" Oh, and add a smiley face! That way, I could always make sure that kid felt good. They wouldn't learn anything about art in the true sense of the word, but damnit, they'd feel good. He didn't like the idea. I don't either.

My requirements in my classroom are simple. Work. Ask for help, but only after you have tried. Don't expect me or anyone else to do it for you. You signed up for the class, and you are in the public school system, so take what goes with it. If you think you know everything there is to know before you walk into my classroom, then don't walk in. I am a teacher. I teach. I teach you things you've never heard of before, or from a different perspective. I'm not making this stuff up. I'm relaying information to you. Don't argue with me about whether it's right or wrong information. Go prove it to be wrong, then come back and show me. Don't waste my time. I don't like to debate facts that have been proven to be right. I want you to be creative, but there are still certain elements and principles that should be followed, or else you look stupid. I don't want you to look stupid.

Oh, and parents, don't try to save your kids all the time. Just because they come home in tears, don't assume that a teacher woke up that morning with a vengeance in their soul to get your child, and get them good! Assume that your child has a problem dealing with something, and work through that with them. Ask your child this question, "What happened?". When they say something like, "She hates, me. She embarrasses me. She never likes anything I do." After listening to all that, ask them exactly what happened, and please, listen. Don't automatically take their side and try to save them. More than likely they only heard what they wanted to hear. Their sensitivity to criticism is their biggest fault. They only hear what was said about the negative parts of their work, and completely excluded anything positive. After you've listened to them, call the office, set up an appointment, and speak with the teacher. Get all the facts before you come out with both swords blazing. Never, ever storm into a teacher's classroom unannounced, ready for a fight. Wait 24 hours before you respond to anything, and during that 24 hours, think with your head, not your heart.

Your child is going to deal with bosses or instructors at college that are much more abrupt and less willing to spare your child's feelings that I am. High school prepares them for that next step in life. High school teachers are not always the sort that teach middle school. They are less tolerant of inappropriate behaviors. They expect students to work, learn and improve. Believe it or not, some students in that classroom actually want to go onto a college or university that will expect the best out of them. Don't let your child interfere with that. Anything less would be an injustice. We all want the best for each and every child that walks through our classroom.

And yes, unfortunately, there are some kids that are absolutely, undeniably unteachable. They are so obstinate, rude, and hard headed, that no matter what a teacher does, they will not give. They get it in their immature heads that they were put on this earth to do and say whatever they want, whenever they want. What to do with them? Well, I'm not a diagnostician or a counselor, so don't ask me to figure that out. I do know, these kids need serious therapy. Since we don't have an island for them to live on together, we are forced to suffer with their negativity and argumentative nature, at the expense of a quality education for others in our care. I wish they would just stay home. Obviously, they don't want to be in school, and certainly not in my classroom.

As the old adage goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink", well, "You can lead a child to school, but you cannot make them think".