Some New Old Things

This last weekend I sat down and forced myself to take some photographs. Not all of the work is brand new - some is actually quite old but that I never quite liked enough to photoraph. Is that weird?

I made this PMC (fine silver) with 22k gold sun pendant ... I don't know ... early last year or maybe even before that. I think it was last year though. For some reason I just never felt motivated to photograh or offer it for sale. I honestly don't know why ... because now I think it's pretty cool looking. Maybe I was in my uber perfectionist stage and didn't like the more rustic "imperfect" look ... now I like it.

Then there's this really cute dragonfly pendant that I made earlier this year. I made another with blue and purple and sold it already. So why didn't I list this one? No idea. I do want to make a couple more with other colors eventually.

Then there's these freshwater pearl Keishi earrings. I totally love these pearls and the earrings are very different - not at all your standard pearl earrings. I have no idea how to describe the color...orangish tan? I've had them made for months - maybe even a year. And I even photographed them once before but never listed them.

Do you ever make things and then put them away? I have a bunch of jewelry that I've made over the last few years that has never been shown the light of day. It's not bad jewelry...it's not necessarily my style anymore but it's still good jewelry.

I guess I need to sit down and force myself to take more photos of these older pieces. It's just way more fun to create new jewelry. =)

Why Am I Banned?

I got banned from Twitter over a month ago. It is beyond frustrating...I have submitted three different tickets asking why and so far NO response. The first two tickets were closed...with no response explaining to me why my account was suspended.

What do I have to do to get back on Twitter and why was I suspended in the first place?

Has anyone else had a problem with being suspended?

I thought maybe it was because my previous website had gotten hacked and I had my site listed in my Twitter account. But the website is fixed and no longer hacked.

Was it because I disagreed with someone? Or someone complained because I offended them somehow? If so that is beyond lame.

Anyway...I'm just frustrated because I really like using Twitter and following people. And now I've been without it for over a month. :(

I Want a New Computer

Well, I could probably make a case for needing a new one.

We got hubby a new one for his 40th birthday. It's pretty neat but it runs with Vista - pure evil and random freeziness.

Right now I use an ancient (can such a term be applied to technology?) laptop that has been knocked over and dropped so many times that the plastic pieces around the edges have literally broken off. Not to mention its double duty as a TV tray. It's a very sad looking machine, but it loyally chugs on (knock on wood) and does my bidding.

For now.

I'm constantly worried that it is going to just up and die. I have everything on that laptop...and yes I know I should invest in some sort of backup but I just haven't done it yet. Mostly I want to save all my photos (literally thousands of them) and files relating to my jewelry.

I've been looking at the ads lately and it looks like we're closer to getting Windows 7. They promote it as an Upgrade, which is funny since Vista was supposed to be the 'best' thing since sliced bread. But I don't want to buy a machine with Vista installed and have to go back later for the upgrade. So I wait.

Then the question becomes...do I want a new super laptop (must play video games) or should I go with a desktop. With two monitors. Yes, two monitors. If I have to work from home more than once a week when the baby comes I have to have the same set up I have at work. Two monitors is divine. SO much easier to work it's not even funny. Having only one feels pathetic to me now.

I hate change though...I know how to use my laptop and get around on it. I'm used to it. It's comfortable. Until it dies. I'm nervous about picking out a new computer. What if I get the wrong kind? What if it's a lemon? What if my files don't transfer over?

It's those kind of fears that help make the Geek Squad of Best Buy money. :) Because I WILL pay to have them fix up a new system and transfer stuff from my old one. So I need to consider those costs in additon to the cost of a machine.

I need to sell a lot more jewelry. =)

Finally!

I've been having major issues with my website getting hacked this year. It's so frustrating, but even more so since I have no clue how to deal with something like that.

My wonderful web designer has just been too busy to really get a fix on it so I went elsewhere.

HUGE thank yous go out to Liz from Zola Bola Studios for taking my website design and shrinking it down to the basics. Which is exactly what I wanted and needed. No more gallery or pages of products...those seemed to be the most vulnerable and hacked.

It's a new simple and clean design ... and she even made a VIDEO tutorial for me - showing how to edit my pages. Above and beyond my expectations.

So now people should be able to visit my site with no scary warnings or big red pages popping up saying that the site is dangerous. Maybe this will help get me back on Twitter...my account has been suspended for a few weeks now and I'm just hoping it had to do with the website link.

My next goal is to clean up some of the pages on my site ... especially the press page and the policies page. But one thing at a time. I'm just thankful that it's hacker free. :)

Exhaustion Ensues

Holy cow what a few days I've had.

Starting Thursday I've been huddled in classrooms at the Puget Sound Bead Festival. Seriously...it ROCKS.

Four classes down, one to go. And so far I'm thrilled with two of the four.

The first was a Bronze Clay class. My pieces turned out really neat and I like them, but working with the substance itself is not going to be for me. I gave the rest of the clay I got in class to another student. It is a ridiculously messy substance. And VERY finicky. I am looking forward to taking photos of the pieces I did make...they'll be the only ones I make for a long time. At least until I get a kiln.

The class did give me lots of new ideas for use with PMC, which I haven't played with in awhile so it was definitely worth it.

That was Thursday's class. An all day affair.

Friday started out miserably. I had to take Timber to daycare, which took some time since I needed someone to help me get him inside (he can pull me down and that would be bad). By the time I got to Tacoma I had about 10 minutes to get to class. Which would have been plenty if ... A) I could have found any parking and B) I didn't have to waddle like a fat duck.

I finally found an open parking space and waddled down about 6 flights of stairs, WITH my suitcase full of supplies, to get to my classroom. I was near tears.

Walked into class and it had already started, of course. So I was pissed off to begin with and then the class just wasn't holding my attention. It was a class on how to polish / grind metal using a Flex Shaft (or Dremmel) ... I don't think it's something I'll do a ton of for awhile. Besides that I don't have a Flex Shaft...though I do want one.

The second class of the day ROCKED. It was enameling with a torch and I'm SO excited to buy enamel and get started making new pieces.

Today's class though...so far my most exciting. It was Tube Setting. One of the most technical classes I've taken in a long time.But there are SO many options and ways to use this technique. I just need to get a Flex Shaft. And clean my work space area...at least organize it better.

Tomorrow's class sounds like a fun one...probably a bit more of a 'project' class for me. It's called "Stack Rings" and I'm sure I'll learn new things. But I do know how to make rings...at a basic level. So hopefully I'll catch on quickly.

Thank goodness I took Monday off to recover. I'm already exhausted. I've done more walking in the last three days than the last three months. :) My legs are killing me. Surprisingly my back isn't in too much pain...at least not the sharp stabbing pain I had been having before I started taking water aerobics. It must be helping.

I look forward to finding time to take photos of the results of my classes. The piece I almost finished today is probably going to be my mom's birthday present. :) It's going to ROCK. If I do say so myself.

Oh yeah...I did manage to find an hour to browse through some of the vendors. Nothing spectacularly different but I did snag some incredible Czech glass beads. I know...glass...not my normal purchase. But they're really different and gorgeous beads. Some of them are more expensive than gemstones.

Small Update

It's been a very crazy few weeks. I haven't gotten a lot done jewelry wise.

First I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Then a tumor on my placenta. Don't worry... it's not as bad as we first thought.

I'm a little tired and stressed.

The good news is that my mother in law's last bone marrow biopsy showed no cancer cells! They aren't calling it remission yet, but it's looking good. She's still tired and has a few other issues but we're very hopeful.

I'm basically just updating my Etsy shop by renewing expired listings. Kind of lame, I know. And I have a couple of new pieces to post but haven't found time or energy.

And I have classes all day, 9 to 5, starting Thursday going through Sunday.

I sort of doubt that blogging will take a high priority in the coming months. They're going to be monitoring me pretty closely and I may even have to be induced. :( Which I don't want so I'm trying to be as careful as possible.

So I thank all of you who keep visiting! And those who have checked in and offered your thoughts and prayers. They are all welcome and I am grateful!!! =)