Past, Present and Future

by MaryAnn Carroll

I thought I would share my Saturday adventures.  I am fortunate enough to have 3 beautiful grandchildren.  My oldest grandchild Lacey had her first sleep over with us on Friday.  She and I had a big day planned for Saturday.  First, on the agenda was making jewelry!  Encouraging creativity while they're young, hopefully, will carry over into adult life.  Since we were headed to the bead store, we took along the latest beads that she and her cousin Kim glazed the last time they were over...

...Since I'm all about 'creating handmade with handmade' I encouraged her to bring her own glazed beads along in hopes that she might be able to combine them with the lady bugs that she wanted to find at the bead store....

We arrived at our destination Beads and Beyond in Cortland, NY.  Carol, the owner, is always so pleasant, friendly and also.... helpful!  Soon after Carol purchased a small bead shop, she packed up and moved into the old factory along with other small businesses.

I live in an area that is close to many large craft supply stores, but I prefer to support our local small businesses.....

 And Carol carries a tremendous variety of beads.  One of the many things I like about her shop is that there are soooo many beads that you can purchase individually rather than having to purchase entire strands....

Then, there is the cozy spot in the back where all customers are welcome to sit and create.  Carol offers assistance to newbies......

And here is one newbie.... A FUTURE designer :O)

...who was once on a mission for a ladybug, but is now having a hard time deciding once faced with so many choices....  I think we can all relate to that!

Choice made.... interest redirected to the tables of beads and...

Nonnie (that's me ;o) makes the charm bracelet!

Now, it is off to visit the PAST....

That is the PAST, alright!

It is the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, NY.

This is AMAZING!!!

Look at all of these!  Trying to find the right fossil is like trying to find the right bead....

Got it!!!  Let me investigate a little further!

Hmmm.....  I think those might be some sort of shell imprint....

It was then time to say good-bye to one of the many dogs that were in the museum visiting from the dog rescue organization in Tompkins County.

Now...  I'm going to quickly move on to the PRESENT... since I'm losing steam ;o)

 Well... this was Lacey after yesterday's trip. 

I'm sure she has quickly recovered and is up and running around today.

Me, however....  I'm still looking similiar to the picture above.  I think I'll have a low key day and glaze some more beads!

What are your current creative plans for today or tomorrow or perhaps, some other time in the future?

Balance...

by MaryAnn Carroll

After reading Mary Jane's post yesterday, it made me think about balance in my own life.  Depending on what area of my life I'm thinking about, balance means many different things to me, but the most important need for balance in my life is with my family.  My usual routine is to go to work every day as a resource middle school teacher, come home, sometimes exercise and then either work on computer related bead business or make beads or jewelry related to that business.  I guess in some ways, I'm a workaholic.  I do, however, know that family is extremely important to me, so I also always try to find the time on weekends to be with family.  This little family member, my first born granddaughter Lacey brings me incredible joy!  Actually, just writing this makes me get a little emotional thinking about her.  It seems like not too long ago her Dad (my oldest) was this age.  For those of you who are young, with young children, remember that time goes by very fast so enjoy the time that you have with them.

Lacey is already over 3 years old and it seems just yesterday she was that 3 1/2 pound premie born 6 weeks early.  I can't remember how many weeks she spent in the the hospital before coming home with a monitor, but today, you wouldn't know it.  She is lively, bright and of course.....ADORABLE!!  I do my best to take the time out on weekends a couple of times a month to spend with her.   Here she is yesterday getting ready for the 3D version of Rapunzel (Tangled) which, by the way,
I would definitely recommend. 

And then it was off to the Build-a-Bear Workshop.  Here' Rudolph prior to being stuffed...

And right before being give his heart.... 

That's the heart that she is rubbing on her head before it goes into the reindeer :O)

And....ready to go home....his nose even lights up!!!  Next to her is her cousin Richie. 

 He often joins us on our outtings....  I love taking him along :O)

And some more Lacey news.....I make jewelry for everyone as Christmas gifts.  I try to make something that would work just right for them.  Erika, Lacey's Mom, loves pink.  Pink is just not one of my favorites so I always have a little more trouble coming up with something handmade and pink!  A few months ago Little Lacey glazed these wonderful beads.  Actually, the first group is her own design.  If you are interested, you can read a little more about that by clicking HERE.

And she also glazed this group that my son Ben made...

And for the Pink.....  This is week two of experimenting with enamel fired beads that I purchased from Barbara Lewis.....  I ordered PINK!!!  I still need practice, but I'm getting better at it :O)

And the necklace for Erika....I hope she likes it!  How could she not, it's pink and it has her daughter's own work on it :O)

Before closing, here are a couple of pics of my other two precious grandchildren. 

There still a little young to be heading out on our adventures.

Benny

Chloe

Awwwwwww!

Don't forget the drawing for tomorrow's giveaway. 

Click HERE to win these fabulous fired enameled earrings.

My Double Life...

First of all, I would like to say that I am thrilled to be a part of this group with an amazing group of artists. I am looking forward to see all of the possibilities that can happen with our new blog and website.

Hmmmmm...a double life....Well...It's not really all that juicy...just wanted to get your attention ;o).

You won't see it in the upcoming movie of the week or a new reality show (although there was a time in my life that I think I could have made millions during the years I was raising teenagers), but my double life today is pretty common in the world of jewelry.

I have been a special education teacher for 26 years which means I'm no spring chicken anymore!  Although I really do love my job and feel very fortunate to have some special friends that I work with, I do hope to retire one day.  It's the hope that my husband Bill, also a teacher and artist and I can retire and spend the golden years creating with clay.  He is a wood-fire potter and I am a ceramic bead artist.  I love creating with clay.  I love clay because there are so many choices in terms of shapes, size, styles and glazes that makes this form of creating something I don't think I will ever tire of. 

Okay...I'm going to cut myself off here since I need some material for my next post ;o)

Here are some beads that are a definite favorite.  There is a little story that goes along with these....

The above pictures are the original Lacey Beads....made right from the little artist herself!!!

My granddaughters...Lacey and Chloe

One day approx. 1.5 years ago when my then 2 year old adorable granddaughter Lacey was starting to show an interest in bead making, I tried to teach her to roll a little ball.  Each time I rolled one and tried to get her to do the same by putting it in front of her, she poked her little finger in it.  I'd say, "Look Honey, Watch Nonnie...."

I'd roll again....She would poke again...

This went on until we had about 50 or so squished beads.  I decided that it was her design so I would make the most of it even though it wasn't the plan.  I had so many of them that I decided to put a bunch aside for her to glaze in primary colors and glaze the rest with some adult colors.  Well, I listed my first group on Etsy and they sold in less that 2 hours!!!  Yay, Lacey!  Lacey beads have been re-created many, many times since.

Lacey Beads today... A replication of the original :O)