Days Off

I always go into my days off thinking "I'm just going to sit around, relax and do what I want" then by the end of them I'll be ready to put in another 21 days.  However, "doing what I want" takes up too much time and I don't get nearly enough naps and baths and sleep-ins.  I also don't get in enough visiting of friends and family.  It's too bad because there are some great people out there for me to visit with and it doesn't happen often enough.  That makes me feel like the napping and bathing is a waste of time and I end up dis-satisfied and feeling unaccomplished on my days off.  It's a no win situation.

This time I had planned to pack up my room at camp, do some beading, finish off three different courses that I've be procrastinating at (four actually) and get at least one massage.  Go visit a dear friend who has a quickly growing baby that I don't get to spend nearly enough time with and another new friend as well.

Here's what I have gotten accomplished;

I've been able to visit with my son.  That was nice.  We don't get to visit much anymore.  Me working up north and him being 19 (yikes!) now and with a girlfriend.  He doesn't "need" me around as much anymore.  (I'm pouting here.)  I've also been housebound due to bad winter weather but, decided to be a rebel and go out anyway after all I grew up in the Mountains, what's a little Prairie weather right?   We emptied my storage space.  Then I sent my son packing it all back "home".  I've had two baths. One I couldn't enjoy because I was so tired I passed out and decided to go have a nap.  Then last night I was exhausted but, couldn't sleep.  Ended up keeping both me and my friend awake all night...and no fun was had!

This morning I needed to be up to go to the craft store because I had a coupon.  Anyone who knows me knows that night time is my time NOT mornings so, no sleep all night and up and on the go in the morning without washing or showering because the pipes were frozen in the trailer (the very same one I fell out of last days off).

So, there I was with my mini  cart full of stuff that I absolutely HAD to have at the till and ...where's my card?  I knew I'd used it this morning.  I was almost certain I'd gotten it back.  Ack!!  So, left my things (of course I'd have to line up again....sigh) and went to the car.  Not there.  Still not in my pockets.  Came back in.  Checked my pockets again.  Called a friend...can I borrow some $$ until I find it or replace it?  No answer.  Called another friend.  He could help...but, could he get there in time?  This coupon was ending in less than an hour.  Thankfully during that phone call they announced that they were going to extend the coupon by one more hour.  Relief!  So, I decided to run back to the drive-thru that I got my breakfast of champions at and see if they had it.  You never saw two kids move so slowly...my goodness I wanted to go back and check myself!  lol  It wasn't there.  On my way back my friend called.  He was half way there when he realized that he had forgotten all of his cards and cash in his rush to my aid (such a sweetie!) and had to go back.  As I was turning back into the parking lot of the store I noticed that my bank was right there on the corner....and it was OPEN...on a Saturday?!?!?  I must be "small town".  lol  Don't even ask why I didn't notice it before.  I've been to that store so many times.

Anyway, problem solved, get a new card.  Just now to hope that there wasn't such a great line that it would take to long.  It didn't.  It was close.  So, back to the store with 15 minutes to spare.  Got the extra 40% off the uber expensive lamp that I SO needed plus the 25% off my entire purchase including sale items and still beat the $300 mark.  It's amazing the damage that can be done in an hour and still fit in two little bags...

It's ok though.  There is a craft fair in my home town for Christmas and my Sister and Mom are going to get a table.  All I have to do is pay for it and help to fill it up.  No problem right?  Except that I haven't gotten a damn thing done for my beading. Well, not entirely true.  I've gotten a few of the beaded beads done.  I think those are going to officially be "Gilly Bean's Gems"  I can't believe that I enjoy making something that can be so bloody frustrating.

I'll have to tell you the story of the "Chakra Bead" I still get all riled up just thinking about it.  It was a trial from begining to end.  It turned out beautifully though.  I'm going to have to start taking pictures of things at different stages.  It would make it easier to tell a story...and more interesting.

Anyway, after sleeping the afternoon away I'm off to have some dinner and then ... I don't know. Hopefully finish the bead that I got frustrated with lastnight and do one more.  ...and A BATH!!  Time will tell.

Have a FABULOUS weekend everyone!!

Stay warm.

~<3 GillyBean.

My Creativity

I never realized how much I had taken my creativity for granted until I didn't have it anymore.

Recently, I've been having trouble at work.  There are many things that are just not working for many different reasons.  Because of that I have been wanting to leave, take time off...just about anything to get away and have time for me and the things that I want to do.  However, finances being what they are it's just not feasible.  With that came anger and frustration and loathing and all those unhealthy things that seem to build up when you are in a situation that you can't seem to see your way out of.  It lead to me not caring about the quality of work I did which lead to guilt for putting more on my co-workers who were already maxed out on their stress limits as well.

We are a very tight knit group and the whole lot of us are just a bunch of frayed nerves with everything that has been going on at work and personally these last few months.  Anyway, I was in a car accident in the summer.  Not a bad one but, it was stupid error that lead to it.  I went to see my doctor about that and he said that my problem could be depression resulting from stress, which can cause you to make these foolish mistakes. I was appropriately shocked at this declaration.  He proceeded to give me a dvd on how to deal with it.  Well, I was 5 minutes into it when I realized that my problem isn't that I don't look at the world in a positive way.  That was what the dvd wanted me to address.

Well, it was another month before I could go see him again.  I told him this time that my moods seem to get worse depending on where I am in my "cycle".  So, he thought, maybe it's hormonal and put me on Birth Control pills.  I haven't taken them for years!!  I take as few chemicals as I possibly can.  I just don't like putting them into my body. I get enough from the food that I'm forced to eat while I'm at work....but that's another rant......

Anyway, I also don't take the BCPills because they make me ill.  The last time I tried them I ended up with a bleeding ulcer.  I don't need them for the traditional reasons so, I never bothered with them.  There are always other methods that can be used if needed.  However, I decided to give them a try to see if they would help.  Well, all they did was turn me from a moody bitch into an emotional moody bitch.    Neither of which I like to be.  I decided to stick it out though until I could get back to my doctor and never thought that there were other side effects.  Now that I've taken myself off of them I realize that they took away my "creative juices" too.  I never would have thought that to be a side effect but, the timing is right. The creativity stopped flowing shortly after I started taking them and has started again now that I've stopped.  Since I've gone off of them I'm back to making things and the drive to continue creating is even stronger.  As is my desire to get the heck out of this God Forsaken wasteland that I work in.  The need to do it quicker and the many different ways keep flowing too.

Also, I feel better.  Less moods, more calm.

One of the things I`ve been looking into is to become a Life/Career Coach.  I figure I've been through enough to be sympathetic to most people and have enough empathy for the rest.  I've always been passionate about empowering people too.  I think that above anything is what I enjoy most.

So, to all of you who have had lull's in your creativity, maybe take a look at your medication.  Odd that it might have that type of  influence but, I believe it completely.  It makes sense to me because in Reiki your Sacral Chakra is connected to anything sexual or creative.  So, if you turn off part of that chakra you are likely going to turn off more than you expected.  It really don't recommend it.  However, I`m not a doctor by any stretch.

Have a great weekend everyone.

I hope to get a chance to see some more bead soup soon.  I am embarrassed to say that I've seen very few of them but, those I have seen are incredible!!

~<3 GillyBean.

What I`ve been up to.

Chain Maille Jewelry.

Who ever thought that chain maille would be used in such a way when they started making armour with it?

What a simple looking thing...who ever thought I would have enough patience to make something so friggity nit picky?  LoL.  Certainly not me!

This all started at the beginning of 2011 (nearly a year ago!  YIKES)  when  co-worker of mine and I were talking and realized that we both had a passion for beading.  She had mentioned that she'd heard of something called wire knitting.  Something like that anyway.  So, the search was on for videos or just about anything to do with that.  That's when I came across M.A.I.L. Maille Artisans International League.  It's a great little source of information if you are interested at all. (Incidently, this is nothing anywhere close to what we were looking for, she later found a video it's actual knitting with wire...who knew?!?)

I continued on to search for patterns and such that I liked and thought I could do.  Finally I made one.  The pic of it is posted on my fb.  (There's a link on the side of this blog to my albums there.)  It looked good but didn't quite turn out right.  I also started on another one.  I don't even at this moment remember what weave it was but, it very quickly frustrated me and I have left it in my "experiments to be finished at a later date" box.

Am I the only one that has one of those?

Anyway, my desire to master this field (is that the right word?) didn't die.  I found a web site.  I'm pretty sure it was M.A.I.L. that sent me there actually.  It has all sorts of supplies  and kits and books and information.  I highly recommend the instructions.  The way they're written is like being in a class.  I have finally purchased five. The first two I've completed are below.  The next three will follow quite soon I think.  It is amazing how much easier it is to use a kit than it is to try to figure out the AR make your own rings and find the right metal and everything else.  I feel a bit like a Chef following someone else's recipe but, how else will I learn?  There's just not alot of creativity involved.  However, now that I've got a few kits and am confident that I CAN make something that works I will try doing it all from "scratch" again I'm sure.  I also think I'll soon start to experiment with my own weaves.  Much like the people on M.A.I.L. have done.  The website that I purchased everything from is The Blue Buddha Boutique.  It's another great resource.

Here is my Japanese Lace 3 row.  What a pretty weave.  I bought it with my Dad in mind.  He had a car back in the days before me that was yellow with a black stripe.  I'm a terrible daughter and can never remember what it was...but, it was a muscle car and all the stories I ever hear about it are filled with love.  Anyway, I made it for him knowing that he would never wear it.  He's too tough for pretty jewelry!  lol   So, it's my Mom's now. I will probably make her a pair of earrings to match.  Sorry about the poor pictures.  I was at home when I did them and the good camera was in Camp and the people they are for are at home.

There is no picture of the actual finished product.  I had to add a clasp.  The kit does come with one but, it was silver...and that just wouldn't work for me.  I found a semi-suitable one and put that on but, will keep looking for "the right one" to change it to.  I'm picky that way.  I'm sure at least some of you understand.

Here is my Dragonscale.  I made this one for my son out of his favourite colours.  He is an odd boy.   LoL.  Ultra Blue and Bright Orange.  It's an odd mix but, it works, especially on him.  He's actually got a tattoo in these colours.  (I admit that I helped to design that.  I thought with the things he was planning if I didn't step in we'd BOTH end up regretting the decision he made.  It's a pretty cool tattoo.)  So, I also picked the weave for the name.  I thought it would be something that was right up his ally.  Dragonscale, Dungeons and Dragons, Harry Potter, ...all that stuff.   We're a very magical household.  hehehe

These pictures really don't do it justice.  It is an amazing looking weave and it moves like you would imagine dragon's scales would look like if you saw them.  I'm told that I've missed some rings.  It will be fixed next time I can get my hands on it.  I was cross-eyed by the time I finished so, I'm not surprised I missed some.  I also had a few sitting backwards to what they should have been.  That was a pain to fix.  My sister's innocent off-hand suggestion of "why can't you take just those rings out and switch them" produced an initial reaction of me wanting to toss the thing at her head (I resisted!) and it later turned out to be the best way after all.  However, it is much easier to do it right the first time!!

Next I will be working on two different variations of Byzantine and some quite adorable little Christmas Trees.

Have a fabulous week fellow artists. I hope to be here more often now that I`m feeling creative again.

Until next time
~<3 GillyBean.