Archive for 2007

I swiped this from Heidi. If you haven’t played but would like to, leave me a comment so I can be sure to read it!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I like wrapped gifts under the tree because they’re so puuurdy, but gift bags are cool otherwise. Very easy and nice looking. Plus, you can often reuse them! Gotta love that.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. I prefer the look and smell of a real one, but am too cheap. Plus, they’re a little messy. Our artificial one is really nice though.

3. When do you put up the tree? To be honest, this is only the second year we’ve had a tree. I resisted it up until last year. Christmas was too depressing to celebrate much. But last year I decided to try to break out of my humbug-iocity and we bought a tree. We did it almost last minute though. This year we plan to put it up this weekend. I wanted to do it last weekend, but the opportunity did not present itself.

4. When do you take the tree down? Last year we waited a bit since we put it up so late. This year I imagine it will come down around New Years. It’s a big tree and I will miss that valuable space in my living room!

5. Do you like eggnog? Uhh, *gag*

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmm, let’s see. I don’t remember a lot of what I received, but I loved the bike I got one year. I think my favorite of all had to be either the CD player my parents got me (I think I was a teen by then though) and the birth stone ring they gave me. The ring was awesome. Ooh, or these adorable earrings my granny gave me. They are little gold bows with mother of pearl hearts dangling from them. SO tiny but so beautiful. I loved those. I miss granny.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I do! My parents gave it to me. It’s very lovely. I don’t know where it is. *LOL*

8. Hardest person to buy for? My MOM. Boy is she hard!

9. Easiest person to buy for? My dad. In fact, he’s so easy I’m willing to bet he already knows what he’s getting…

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably a dollar store toy… when I was about 15 or 16 and had long stopped playing with toys.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail! I’m so bad this year. We haven’t taken our Christmas picture, nor have we written our Christmas letter. Oops.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? *singing* “You’re a mean one… Mr. Grinch!” Aww, that reminds me of granny too. Big Grinch fan, she was.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? November-ish.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think I’ve ever recycled any gift as a gift to someone else. A gift we gave to a coworker, however, was recycled… as a white elephant gift… at the following year’s company Christmas party! Thankfully my husband and I share an awesome sense of humor and got a HUGE chuckle out of that.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Oooh… pumpkin bread, apple bread, pecan pie, cookies, gingerbread… aww, heck. If it has sugar and/or a carb, I’m THERE. BTW, if you have a great gingerbread cookie recipe (SOFT cookie recipe), please share! I’m on a hunt…

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? All clear. I’m very picky about this! Our tree has white lights and simple decorations that are all silver or red. Boring? Perhaps. But beautiful? No doubt.

17. Favorite Christmas song? When I was growing up, “O Holy Night” was my favorite carol. I’m not sure I have a favorite today, but I like the ones that make me giggle. Like “Baby It’s Cold Outside” or “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”. But I also like a good version of “Carol of the Bells”. (FYI: you know you’ve been in the jewelry business too long when you CAN.NOT. type “bells” without redoing it about three times because you keep typing “belles” instead.)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at home. I’m not fond of traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Well there’s Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. But do I recall the most famous reindeer of all? Umm, he’s the one with the red nose, right? Shoot. What’s his name? I can also name all of Snow White’s Six Dwarves. Ok, show of hands: how many of you, whether in your head or out loud, frantically corrected me? “Seven! There are SE-VEN dwarves!!”

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither, actually. We have a big silver bow. Boring? Yes, perhaps. But Martha would be proud!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning!!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Big crowds. My goodness, I hate the big crowds. They make me so nervous. And all the commercialism. But not all the commercialism because it helps our business make $$. So I’m just partially a hypocrite then, right?

23. What I love most about Christmas? Family and umm, see question #15.

You want some jewelry with that?

Apparently, you do!

We made our first drop of earrings at the salon on Wednesday. Almost half of it was gone before we left. We had to make a second drop today! Apparently the locals love our stuff! All of this started because of our Open House party. We had no idea that little thing would turn into this huge deal! But my oh my, are we thankful.

We’ve been officially “in business” for less than a year. Most businesses don’t take off this fast in less than a year. Our website gets regular orders and we’re always working on new pieces. I’m not saying this to brag (although I can’t help but be a little proud that people appreciate our work!) but instead I’m saying it because we are BLESSED.

People have been praying over our efforts since before we even started. You all know who you are. Thank you. But, umm, keep on praying. I feel the need for a rolling mill and I’ll need to sell a lot more earrings to buy one of those. *giggle*

Here are some of our newest (and apparently very popular!) pieces:

I have most of my Christmas shopping done now. I don’t even like waiting this long, but most of it was done online so it’s not so bad. I just need to buy for one more person and a few more stocking stuffers for the hubby and I’ll be through. That’s a huge load off. I think we will be putting up the tree this weekend.

How are you coming along with your shopping and decorating?

I had a PANIC ATTACK in the health food store tonight and had to call my husband on my cell and have him help talk me down.

I once had a HUGE panic attack in the middle of the grocery store. A couple of years ago, I guess. I had to run out of the store and leave my half full grocery cart there. I’m very embarrassed by that. I did call them as soon as I got home to let them know (I said I had “an emergency” and had to leave right away – if you’ve ever had a huge panic attack you know that’s true) but to make matters worse they were rude to me about it. Sadly, I’ve found more people are rude than are understanding these days. If I had another choice, I would have taken it. But if I hadn’t gotten out of there when I did, I would have passed out, and I’m not joking. I couldn’t catch my breath and my heart was pounding harder than it ever has in my life. I was faint and nauseated, and it was one of the most terrifying things EVER. That day I finally understood why people go to the ER during a panic episode. After that experience, I had a very hard time going out and doing things by myself because my mind/body connected store = deathly panic attack and I’d start to uncontrollably panic. A panic attack is a natural and healthy physical response to something the body perceives to be a life threatening situation. It’s the same concept as the “fight or flight” response, only it’s usually attached to something that’s not really life threatening. If it’s a true panic attack from a phobia, you can’t just “get over it” or “ignore it”. It’s not a spiritual thing (not that it can’t be, but it’s not a given). It’s a natural and healthy God-given response that is amplified and assigned (beyond your control) to something it shouldn’t be assigned to. And it really, really sucks and is very exhausting and embarrassing.

After that huge grocery store incident, it was so very bad for a long time. I had to drag someone out with me anytime I shopped, unless it was a very very short trip to, say, the pharmacy or something. Then I finally worked my way out of it and was able to go shopping alone for hours. Until today. Being sick all last week has completely shot my nerves.

But I didn’t run out of this store (though I wanted to SOO badly). My hubby wasn’t really able to calm me down, but he kept me grounded enough to where I could get the few items I needed and get out without too much damage. The poor cashier probably thought I was trying to shop lift or something, with as nervous and terrified as I had to look. He kept looking at me funny.

I haven’t had to call and have him talk me through something like this in so long! I hope this is a one time thing and doesn’t mean I have to work through all this stuff again. It was really hard and really stressful and I still struggle with it sometimes, especially on days where I’m not feeling very well.

1 step forward, 2 back. That’s the life of a socially anxious phobic.

This is the first year I have made this recipe, but my old one is on my other hard drive and I was in a big hurry on T-day!

So, I hopped onto my favorite recipe site, www.recipezaar.com, and printed out this one. I used a whole can of pumpkin (didn’t measure it, so I don’t know if it was the “right” amount or not) and substituted unsweetened granny smith apple sauce for 1/2 the oil, mostly for flavor. I also left out the nuts because I did not have any. I’m not sure I could taste a difference between this recipe (even with my modifications which are ones that I don’t normally do) and the recipe I usually make, but the bread is really most and it got compliments from everyone that tried it.

http://www.recipezaar.com/13391

Enjoy! )

Whatcha think of my blog’s new face lift? Be honest!

And I’m still not feeling all that great. I thought I was all better, but not so much.

I have several jewelry items to make in the next couple days to fill a large order. That’s fun. So long as I don’t melt things again.

I’ve been in a horrible mood all day, so watch out! ;o) I don’t know why, I’m a woman. Do I need a reason?

Something that bugs me this week: copyright infringement. I’m an artist on many fronts, and as such, I own legal rights to my intellectual and otherwise artistic property, no? I’m sure all of you respect those rights and obey the law when you read the pieces I have shared here on my blog. Now when I share something with you and give you permission to read it and perhaps own a copy (whether I give it to you freely or sell it to you) that does not give you license to do anything you want with it. Sure, you can do a lot with it… for your personal use. You can read it or listen to it all you want. You can NOT read it or listen to it all you want. You can drool over it, use it as toilet paper, or smash little bitty bug parts into it, frame it and hang it on your wall declaring it as “modern art”. These are all fine (so long as my name is not removed from your “modern art”, anyway). What isn’t fine is making copies of my work and distributing it without my permission. What REALLY isn’t fine is using my name or work or graphic or anything else that is solely my property for your financial gain.

We’re all in agreement of this, no? I thought so. So then, my question is, why is it so wrong to steal from a starving artist but it suddenly becomes “okay” when the artist is rich or when the owner of that property is a large corporation? Because “it’s not hurting anyone”? Wrong. It IS hurting someone. It hurts me, as an artist, because it breaks the very law that is in place to protect me. Now I’m not all about big government, in fact, I hate big government and in most places just wish it would stay the yahoo out of my life. However, the laws that are in place to protect me (and rich artists alike) I ask you (collective “you” as in every person in this country, as if more than 10 of “you” actually read this blog) to please respect.

I feel like a broken record with this topic because so many people are either ignorant or uncaring about the copyright laws. This really disturbs me, especially when these people are teaching their children that this is an okay practice. Stealing someone else’s property is always a crime. Don’t make it about who has more.

*Steps off soapox*

*Made lots of jewelry, but melted something that shouldn’t have been melted and now have to start all over.

*Had turkey day here with the fam. Put the turkey in the roaster oven upside down. Couldn’t find can of pumpkin for pumpkin bread. Discovered that I do not have the things you put under pots so you don’t burn your table, a turkey baster, or a serving set (though the table isn’t burned, the turkey browned, and the people were served just fine with the utensils I DO have. Life goes on.)

*Got to meet new members of the family, including new baby girl cousin. Cuuuute little thing, she is!

*Got sick, almost puked. Hovered over trash can for hour and a half. Not fun. Esp for the vegetarian pukeaphobic who hasn’t been that sick in 8 years.

*Dogs ate: dead snake segment found in yard, leather finger guard (and threw it up three days later – though not the snake. Thank goodness for small favors.)

*Had lots of fun with new camera. Learned that taking pictures of inanimate shiny things is easier than taking pictures of moving, drooling things.

*Made deeeelicious pumpkin bread, but only got to eat two slices before the night of sickness. Will never eat anything EVER again.

*Discovered I do not care much for pomegranate 7-up.

*Had lots of fun while shopping cart on our website decided to stop working right IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR HUGE SALE.

*Was very thankful for understanding, patient customers who still love us despite our moody shopping cart. Was also very thankful for the tech support team that fixed moody shopping cart really quickly.

*Felt bad about not blogging for a week, so stayed up until 6am this morning reading blogs and figuring out what to say in mine.

Good night morning!

8 things I’m passionate about:

*My husband
*My art (metal/gemstones/jewelry)
*My music
*My camera/photography
*Healthy and all natural things – the stuff “we” put in and on “our” bodies is scary!
*Children and treating them well (parents these days disturb me…)
*Chocolate
*Educating people about phobias – people are so ignorant and rude, it’s sickening.

8 things I say often:

*”What the frick/heck/yahoo/that place down there with fire and brimstone?” (YES, I say that word. It’s in the Bible, for pete’s sake.)
*”Oh, for pete’s sake!”
*”Love you. Bye. Love you.”
*”Did you wash your hands?”
*”Sick freak.”
*”_____ (insert name of dog here), gitcher butt in here!!”
*”Are you freaking kidding me?” (Said when someone says or does something stupid… which… is often.)
*”I mean, who does that?” (Said when *I* say or do something stupid… which… is often.)

8 books I’ve read recently:

I haven’t read any books lately, much less 8. The only ones I’ve picked up recently are books on jewelry design. Sorry.

8 things I want to do before I die:

*Adopt a couple of children and see them raise their own children.
*Melt glass and cut gemstones.
*Master photography skills.
*Master silver smithing skills.
*Find a cure for my phobias.
*Record an album.
*Bless more people with my music.
*Get published.

8 songs I could listen to over and over again:

I get bored easily… not sure I like to listen to songs over and over again… but… I guess there are a few…

*Breath by Faith Hill
*It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
*My Immortal by Evanescense (sp?)

That’s about it.

8 things that attract me to my friends:

*When someone treats their spouse with respect. I can’t stand it when people talk down about or to their spouses all the time. It’s SO unattractive.
*When someone is understanding even when they don’t understand and listens even though it’s something that’s hard to hear.
*Good sense of humor… you have to have one to hang with me. I’m quirky like that.
*Strong convictions and morals.
*Intelligence… it’s not like they need to be rocket scientists, but having a good head on their shoulders is a plus.
*Being able to go through their day without creating needless drama. I.Hate.Drama. and don’t really have time for people who feel the need for it.
*Compassion and acceptance. I don’t like people who are too judgy. We don’t all have to be the same to get along.

8 things I’ve learned in the last year:

*Infertility sucks, but
*Permanent infertility sucks even more.
*God is good all the time, but
*His ways are not our own.
*Phobias are impossibly difficult, but
*The feeling you get after facing one and surviving it is indescribable.
*God DOES give us more than we can handle, but
*His grace is sufficient.

8 people to tag:

I think most everyone has already been tagged, but if you haven’t and want to play along, feel free, but leave a comment. I luuuurve me some comments! *grin*

Well, I was really disappointed again because the show last night was a bust. It was very, very odd. It was a very small show with very few people that showed up. It was on a military base and only open to people with base access. It was to benefit charity. It seemed like people went to talk to their clique buddies and not really to buy stuff.

Sooo, we sold one thing but passed out a lot of business cards.

But today, my mom made an appointment for a private showing for the ladies that work in her hair salon. We’re doing that tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll also be talking about leaving some pieces for sale on consignment! This is another new thing for us that we’ve talked about doing but haven’t worked at yet. Well, this time we didn’t have to do any of the work… her stylist brought it all up and set it all up. She called my mom before her hair appointment this morning and asked her to bring some jewelry (she was invited to the party but was out of town). My mom took some and sold a piece. She was really impressed with our pieces and our prices and that’s how it all started.

Pray it goes well! (And pray my migraine goes away before then!)

The Belles are going to have a crazy post-Thanksgiving sale to say thanks to all of our wonderful customers. But it’s newsletter member only… are you on the list? The announcement is going out really soon. You won’t want to miss this!

http://www.2bellesandabead.com/newsletter.html