No Really It's a Whine --

So, it's been longer than a week... I had wanted to be able to "Whine" daily, but it seems almost like I have a life. I really don't. I guess I'll be the "Weakly Whine" instead! *laughin*

These are the things I've been "dealing with" in the time I've been away. I've been battling with my "illness", and learned that a good family friend passed away, on top of the fact that my "little sister's" got married and the funeral and the wedding were the same day! So here I am "Whining" about "things" in my life that aren't bold enough to be jewelry! The nerve of me!

NO! Not jewelry! Eegads~! How can that be?!

Alright. Okay... I hear the clamoring. I'll "whine" about my next project, instead!

I just got a TON (maybe a pound and half) of pearl beads, in a rainbow of colors!



Though, I am still waiting on some findings that I ordered to arrive. I order findings and charms and pearls, and chain, from a veritable plethora of places/people. Some get here quicker than others.

For instance, I ordered some things from a mother in Singapore, it took 6 days to arrive, and I had to go to the post office to pick up the parcel. I ordered some things from upstate Washington, it took the same six days to arrive... Is one better than the other? What gives on the whole speed of post, anyway? I have purchased items from a shop in New York, and those arrive in three to four days! Another business in Washington state gets things to me within TWO days! I give up on the whole time thing... and just look for the mail truck, now!

I get very excited to see our postal carrier, I don't even care if it is "our usual" carrier. With as much as I have ordered in the last month, I should have a package or parcel every single day. Ha! So keep watching my posts... I'll have LOTS of stuff show you! And remember to check out my shop on Etsy, and my ArtFire Studio!!

http://AlsoMrsB.etsy.com/
http://AlsoMrsB.artfire.com/




















Help me out by purchasing a bauble!
And send your friends over, too!!
Holidays are coming quickly!

A Girl's Gotta Whine ~

Well, you may have noticed some "new ads", here. A girl's gotta do... anyway. They shouldn't affect (us) much, they are after all, just another way for me to attempt positive influx of $$. I spend entirely too much of my current negative income on beads and findings. So, I decided a little boost couldn't hurt.

Yes, not all of my beads and findings are from asking for free-bies. I do pay some pretty pennies for my pretties. My attempt is for unique, inspiring art, that you can wear. I buy mostly from close-outs, and re-purpose a lot of "old" jewelry to create my entirely unique, and one-of-a-kind's. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that soon, one of you, may want to liberate my precious baubles, to live with you. Everything I craft is built with love, and great attention to detail. You've seen a few of my pieces, you know, what I'm saying.

So, I was requested, when I first joined etsy.com to fashion a "steampunk" piece; as a challenge for stepping out of my"comfort zone"... I found some amazing things to put together, and I think I've finished my first piece. Now, I just need to find the right black velvet cording to finish this as a necklace. I call this piece Summer's Moon: Flight of Freedom. Let me show you...




The pictures here do absolutely no justice to the true beauty of this star! In order to add comfort to the creativity of this, I fixed the back of a pocket watch casing to the back of the piece. There are two very nice 1/2 carat equivelent rhinestones placed into the center points of this star. The dangles are opalite (moonstone), and iolite colored Swarovski crystal. In the center of the larger, darker butterfly is a heart shaped metal bead, that seems to me to show the joy of freedom in flight. And I always find the moon to be a lovely place, for dreaming, for venturing; and the stars are a wonderful mode for transport.

Challenge of life: step out of your comfort zone... ask for something unexpected, do something you've not done, fly freely... to the Summer Moon.

Free Gift ~ No Purchase Necessary!

First let me get the truth out of the way; I have been unavoidably detained from Whine-ing these last few days by a combination of factors; not the least of which was a "broken" computer... I DROPPED it! Then I made plans, hard plans, to write; and wouldn't you know (God) laughed... Then we were off on the family Disneyland trip, and me without a laptop! Finally, here I am... and here's your (not-so) Daily Whine!!

I have to say that there is nothing wrong with asking for "free stuff", and there is certainly nothing wrong with getting "free stuff" ~ Especially when there are no "strings" attached. But I'm a BEAD-ER! I have LOTS of strings, and stringing material, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Case in point; I have a friend on Twitter, that happens to work at/for Rings & Things. He was 'tweeting' about his day at work, that he was mailing out orders to customers, and I teasingly let him know that he could "mail me some beads, too". The next thing I know, I have this GROOVY compilation of findings and beads from Rings & Things and some great ideas (in the works) from looking at these NEW components!! Here is just one piece that I have already put together...

And I've only just begun...

"Christmas in July" is coming up on ArtFire.com and I am taking part in it! I just need six more hands (that know what they're doing!!) and maybe 20 hours to CREATE! You can look through ArtFire.com and find all kinds of things for "early shopping" or purchase for yourself. Wander over to ArtFire.com and search for "Christmas in July Sale" or "CJIS" in the tags... You may find your lucky star!

More Whine, Anyone?

And I will very often put this link into my posts... Why? Well, I'm an Art Fire MAVEN! It basically means I love Artfire enough to bear their children and scream it at the top of my lungs. Though birth does induce one to screaming, this would be an equally ecstatic hollering. And for further clarification on induce, please see Roget's II: The New Thesaurus for this: To be the cause of: bring, bring about, bring on, cause, effect, effectuate, generate, ingenerate, lead to, make, occasion, result in, secure, set off, stir ¹ (up), touch off, trigger. Idioms: bring to pass (or effect), give rise to. See start

Artfire does not whine. Though I have heard a rumor, a few of the staff reads this blog. I, myself, am very happy to have no whining from Artfire.com... not sellers, not staff, I don't think partners whine at Artfire.com... And Artfire is inspirational. Another great reason to NOT whine.

So, while I'm not whining tonight, (it is early ~ only midnight-ish) I want to celebrate some NOT WHINE-RS; Artfire being my *first favorite*! If you are an active handmade seller, and you'd like to DROP your listing and selling fees, all together... here's the direct address; http://www.artfire.com/ ~and~ if you'd like to LEND ME A HAND on the FREE RIDE PROGRAM; Register on ArtFire.com (with/through me) and earn the possibility of a verified account FREE FOR LIFE!!

You see, with Artfire.com I have a legitimate inducement to holler, scream, dance, jump for joy, sing a the top of my lungs... they aren't whine-rs... they are creating winners. I have been inspired. I am creating more jewelry. I am utilizing my basic membership to propel me to verified member status. And if I have my way... I'm dragging some friends along, who aren't whine-rs either! We'll see you there, at Artfire.

Next post will be all about the loves of my life regarding jewelry making supplies

To see my current listings of jewelry visit:
my Artfire studio here: AlsoMrsB's beads & baubles on ArtFire.com
~ OR ~
my etsy shop here: AlsoMrsB's beads & baubles on Etsy

Whine Time is it Late or is it Early?

For me the best time to be at ease (in my own home!) is LATE at night, when everyone is in bed; hopefully fast asleep. Now when you look at the clock, for the time that I actually post "the Whine" it is after 2:30am. Is this LATE or is this EARLY? And when does the change differentiate? Does it matter if I'm on a different coast, or in the mid-west? And does it involve complex math? Today I don't give a hoonanny... I'm up and I'm writing! (this was July 5th sometime after 3am)

(this is July 6th sometime after 3am PDT)
Today's "Whine" is about Peaceful Freedom...

I recently got introduced to a quote from Malcolm X, "You cannot separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has freedom."

And on this holiday weekend(ed) that our country celebrates it's freedom from Monarchy, we are fighting (a war) for peace and freedom, in yet another country, still.

This brings me to many more rhetorical questions... only a couple of which are truly tongue-in-cheek... and by now it's too late to remember them...

It's been a FULL twenty-four hours since I started this particular post, until now... So I will simply tell you a little bit about my peacefully free weekend. I have been pretty busy with the family branches.

Husband has been sullen since I stated that I did NOT want a bicycle because my finances are non-compliant. (I currently have a little bit of reverse cash flow in my life...) He, however, feels that the quality family time would out weigh the financial 'burden'... it would have been on HIS credit card. Call me crazy; but this phrase is one I constantly hear from him, "NOTHING GOES ON THE CREDIT CARD!" So I thought that I stepped up by opting out of another debt for our household. Apparently not. He hasn't spoken to me in days. And, although it's peaceful, it certainly is not free.

I've spent ample time with my children over this weekend, (not that I don't have them with me every day...) but we've actually LEFT THE HOUSE. The entire family, including Grandma, (my Mom) participated in a community event, today. We thoroughly enjoyed the sunny weather, with a touch of breeze at the San Diego Embarcadero, while taking in a special performance of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra (directed by Marvin Hamlisch) there were some musical guests and bonuses, as well. It was a beautiful day with beautiful music, and it was FREE though not totally peaceful. Because just before the concert started there was an entire squadron of helicopters that flew over our venue. It was truly awesome... I caught someone's passing comment; it was very relieving to know that this particular squadron was not just ON our team BUT WAS OUR TEAM.

The comment was fleeting, but hit a nerve, for sure... "Isn't it a blessing to know that those are "our troops" and they are waving only to say "hello"." Wow. I had to catch my breath and realize that this person had been in war zones, and seen it the other way, at least once. And I did say a prayerful note of thanks, out loud, for my (our) freedom. To assemble (peaceably) with my (whole) family, to speak (freely) with others and not worry about what is said, to be listening to (several types) of music played by all types of musicians on many instruments, (and to be 'allowed' to dance badly). It was truly an amazing day. Again, let me state, it was FREE but not totally peaceful.

I believe that I have completely understood what Malcolm X meant by his words. I believe that it only took me a nano-second as I watched those helicopters fly over; those people are PROTECTING my freedom, so I can be at PEACE fully. Know freedom, know peace. No freedom, no peace.

Bright blessings, to all. May your day today be peaceful and free.

Find my One-of-a-Kind jewelry here
http://AlsoMrsB.artfire.com/
~AND~
http://AlsoMrsB.etsy.com/

The First of Daily Whine

So, actually the reason I finally started this "little adventure" was because of a contest...

Contests usually catch my eye, and when they involve my favorite handcraft-ing sellers and $100 shopping sprees; well, it's a sure thing, I'm in. So, here it is, The Daily Whine, all thanks to Artfire.com and their facebook fan page contest for a $100 shopping spree.

I'm gonna let you all in on my secret; I LOVE TO SHOP! Did you catch that? I am absolutely a fanatic about looking at and for things on the internet. I very rarely have moeny to purchase the things I covet, but I will spend DAYS looking in shops and studios, dreaming of holding the items before my eyes.

I'm going to take you on a short trip. I promise you'll enjoy it... we're going to SHOP at Art Fire! We are going to browse, together, through one of my MOST FAVORITE studios: Gypsy Lady Hats. Click this: http://gypsyladyhats.artfire.com/

Let me see if I can link in a couple of pics for you to oggle;

You see, that wasn't so bad... Now, if you'd like the chance to ACTUALLY SHOP with me on Artfire.com, then go to their facebook fanpage here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/artfire and tell them you're a FAN!! At the end of the month of July, one lucky blog posting fan and one even luckier, "like-er" will be chosen to have $100 shopping sprees. There's more... but you'll have to check it out for yourself. And, please, if you're on my friends list, and you're reading this post; PLEASE FOR PETE'S SAKE, "like" my post on the facebook fanpage at artfire.com

A girl's gotta have a dream.

Today, my dream is a little bitty shopping spree on Artfire.com for $100... 

I could dream a little dream for a day or two.

More Whin-ing later... now is time for sleeping!