On my to do list...

are a million things, and I'm feeling overwhelmed. I'm not even going to mention the To Do's associated with the Feathered Ones, who will be moving out of the house and into their own place in another day or so. I'll share my list with you if you'll share yours with me. Maybe then they won't feel so ominous?

Here's mine, in no particular order, reflecting the state of my poor brain right now.

1. Finish something, anything with seed beads!
2. Get back on the torch and complete my custom orders.
3. Finish taxes.
4. Figure out an inventory system that is more tax friendly (* I think I have an idea, to be shared soon).
5. Fix my friend's broken earring without melting it to pieces.
6. Finish a meanie ring for another friend's Christmas present (yeah, this is pretty bad, huh?).
7. Finish my Riverbed cuff from Kate's book (need to wire wrap lots of components).
8. Plant my potato tower.
9. Address the green moss invading the surfaces in our outdoor living areas, and the wood that has succumbed to dry rot.
10. Finalize summer travel plans.
11. Get cucumber and bean seeds in the ground.
12. Rework several pieces I'm not happy with.
13. Get more work photographed and listed in my Etsy shop.
14. Make ear wires.
15. More torch time to complete several experiments I have in mind.
16. Finalize show plans for later this year.
17. Think of something wonderful to do for my grandmother's 100th birthday celebration this summer.
18. Make more clasps (PMC).
19. My next tutorial.
20. I'm sure I'm forgetting one or twelve things, but you get the picture.

So, what's keeping you awake at night?

For the Love of Cat!

Miss PennyKat.  My sweet little peeners, so lovey-dovey!

You know, it's quite interesting.  I'm not much of a cat person.  OH MY GOSH....I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE SAID THAT!!!  No, it's true.  I used to fantasize of punting cats when they came near me.  That is, until Miss PennyKat.  You see, I rescued her from a friends house in 2000.  My friend's boyfriend hated cats more than me and used to whip Penny up against the wall when she climbed on the bed.  Okay, now I'm not that mean...I was actually furious.  So I took her.  Penny and I have been friends ever since!  I love her so much!  Imagine that...ME!

Which brings me to my point.  Miss PennyKat has this weird, annoying habit when she sees me doing administrative or computer work.  She jumps up on the table, points her tail straight up and vibrates it (yes, she has been spayed!), then proceeds to walk back and forth between me and the computer all the while ramming her side into my face!  She is literally using my face to pet her!

Of course, I can't get a picture of this because her fur would be smashed into the lens!  But she does this all the time!  Here she comes walking up to me to start her thing....

I have to literally put my hand out for her to rub on or I will eventually end up with a face full of *bleep* as she passes!

She is just so silly because she is always off on her own all day long and I don't see her unless she needs food.  But you can bet I will see her on two specific instances:  1) when I am going to bed, she sleeps all night curled up against my tummy and 2) when I am on the computer!

Silly Miss PennyKat!

So, if you have a cat, do they try to get involved in your work day?

Goals: Trying to Avoid the Epic-Fail

Goals.
We all have them.
My goal for this year (and I have said it before)...Taking my blog to it's potential.

How is my progress?
EPIC-FAIL!

It always seems that something gets in the way and I always have an excuse.  Work is busy, the kids are sick, I'm a whiny-poutin'-baby...blah, blah, blah.  This goes for being active in the blog community, too, not just working on my own blog.

I used to have it worked into my daily schedule, however, this has changed somehow.
Presently, my schedule is as follows:
      6am - 7:30am  .....Get up, get ready, take kids to school.
      7:30am - 8:30am  Come home, do an hour of housework and a load of laundry.
      8:30 - 9am ..........Take pictures of products completed the previous day.
      9am - 11am  ........Price said items and fix said pictures for posting.
      11am - 11:30am   List buttons I won't use for work on my button selling site and my destash site.
      11:30am - 3pm ...Creating in the studio.
      3pm - 7pm  .........Dinner, kids homework, family time.
      7pm - 8pm ..........List new items and work on shop.

So you see, I got it down to a science, but now to work in the blog time.

Here's where you come in:
Where is your blog time worked into your schedule?
What do you find that works to keep you on your blog schedule?

Go ahead, don't be bashful....Share!
     

Obstacles

And isn't that oh, so true!

I have hit many obstacles over the last several years of running my own business.  However, of all the obstacles I have hit and over come, I think that the most difficult one is...

Finding a Balance between Family and Business

This is a tough one.  Without my family, I am nothing.  Without my business, I'm working for Big Corporate America again.  Sheesh.  

The first step in finding that balance was gaining support from my family and coaxing them to believe that my business is more than a hobby.   I used to be asked to babysit during the day all the time.  I used to be asked to be the family taxi.  I used to be asked to do all the errands.  While I did all these things in the beginning, I still attempted to put in an 8 hour day with my business at the very least...many times, a few hours more.  Soon, my family saw that my life was full of errands, babysitting and work with not much time for anything else.  I had to stay firm with my discipline in getting work done and they saw this.

The second step was to stick with my discipline.  I only get asked to babysit when it is an absolute emergency now.  My husband has taken over the stupid errand running on the weekends.  And I am not asked to taxi everyone around unless it is a serious medical condition.  I drew the line in the sand and firmly planted my feet just behind that line.  Now, I don't let anyone cross the line again.

The benefits?  I saw a profit in my second year.  Last year's profit was even better, and isn't that the goal of every business?  To make a profit?  My accountant was impressed that I pulled a profit in my second year.  I do strive to keep overhead down, which does help.  But the bottom line is that I stuck to my guns and continue to yield them on a daily basis.  

I do all this because I believe my business is definitely worth fighting for!

from the depths of your experience

mary jane dodd

life is bitter sweet - a beautiful struggle... and it seems to be intensified by the holidays... i have been musing upon this, needing to put my hands on these words to fully embrace both sides... cutting antique paper that has been touched by others... finding the balance... 


it is our humanity that is universal - we share these things... one year may be filled with more of one than the other, but it evens out over time... for one, for all... 


so if it is more of a struggle year for you, a wish to find some of the beauty is being sent your way - it is there, just stay open... 

'only from the heart

can you touch the sky.'

~ rumi

deep places, private spaces

this week i seemed to spend a lot of time translating the deep places i wander into my work... 

'on faerie's wings' is an exploration of light that comes from within, of wishes we have and wishes we make, sending them out into the universe on the wings of faeries...

'you create your universe' is about the power of thoughts... how one beautiful thought can touch so many, creating a ripple effect... the earrings make a slight jingling noise... i rather like that... 

'inner sanctum' is about my most personal space... where i retreat to when i need to reconnect  with my Self...  it is an ancient place, a clearing in the forest with lichen covered stumps... winds rustle the leaves... and thin shafts of light enter through trees... 


where did your work lead you this week? or where did you lead your work?


*thank you so much for the really wonderful birthday wishes & please note that i answered any questions left in the comments section if i could not find your email address*

RIP, Gregg, Dear...

Gregg and his wife, Jamie

Yesterday was my brother's 5th anniversary.  He died from melanoma cancer August 6, 2005. 

Gregg and I were best friends from the time we were children.  He was held back a grade in 1st grade (before dyslexia was given a term...yes, I have it, too), so we went through our remaining school years together in the same grade. We look so much alike and were inseparable, everyone thought we were twins.  We played the game and made most everyone believe it.  Sure, we went through a phase when he was 11 and I was 10 that made us hate each other, but by the time I hit 13, we were best friends again.  Gregg left New York in the mid 90's to move to Florida.  We didn't get to see much of each other after that, but we were on the phone all the time!

Gregg, me and Bob when we were little, prolly 1970

So, I spent my day in the studio sewing skirts and cranking bands we used to listed to together:  Suicidal Tendencies, Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica....the house was filled with sounds of memories of Gregg.  He played bass guitar for a band for over 10 years and I kept imagining him standing in the studio....air-bassing!

After he passed, I got tattoo for him on my left shoulder.  It's an ankh with lotus flowers coming out of the arms, above that a cartouche with his name written in hieroglyphics and an Eye of Horus over that.  On either side of the tattoo is his birth year and death year:  66 - 05.  I'll have to post a pic one of these days.

 Gregg with his bass

Gregg opted to be cremated - half his ashes in the Gulf of Mexico and the other half buried up here in NY. One of the songs we used to listen to was Heaven by Suicidal Tendencies, so I wrote the lyrics down and put them on his box along with a couple David Austin roses from my garden when we buried him.  Read them....little did I know the foreshadowing of these lyrics:

I'm so excited today I'm gonna die
But I'm going to heaven so there's no reason to cry
God says he loves me and I love him too
Yes I have struggled, but but now suffering's through

I don't want you to cry
I just wanna say
I'm so excited today I'm gonna die
But I'll live forever so it's not really goodbye
God has a plan for me and a plan for you

So there's no reason to cry
There's no reason to cry
Cause I'm going to heaven
I'm going to heaven
Yes I'm going to heaven
I'm going to heaven

Over head such a shinning light
As playful angels hover in flight
In the blindingly brilliant pure white
A sensation so peacefully
My soul rises separates from my body
The pearly gates I can now clearly see
I've gone to heaven
Hallelujah
I'm so excited again I'll never die
I'm up heaven so there's no reason to cry

It was very difficult the first year, but things get easier and easier.  Now, when his anniversary rolls around, I don't get sad anymore.  I celebrate the time I had with him.  I will always miss him, but am convinced that he is always with me, even though he is not here. 

I Won...I Won!

I don't enter in many giveaways on blogs unless it is something I know I really, really want.  Jennifer of Glass Addictions (a blog I follow) was giving away an art charm book, Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry, and I simply had to try for it.  Well....I Won!!!

I'm so sorry I will be on my vacation when the book comes in, so I will just have to scour the beach while on Oak Island to find cool things to use with the book when I get back.  I will definitely post a review about the book after I have had some time with it, so stay tuned.

I am coming down to the wire on leaving - whew there is so much to get ready for!  I don't leave on vacation hardly ever, so I forget what it is like to prepare to leave.  The last vacation I took was three days in Cleveland, Ohio to see the Titanic Exhibit with my kids - that was in 2003 I think?  Long time.  Work is almost wrapped up and I'm putting the finishing touches on my dresses.  I plan to photographing them on Saturday, so hopefully I will be able to share them with you!

Okay...back to work before the kids wake up and steal my time!

5 Days and Counting....

(photo credit)

5 more days till we leave for North Carolina!  Spend a week with Mom and Dad, then it's off to the ocean for another week!  Can't wait!  Hubby is not going, and he is not too thrilled with the ocean part.  He is insisting that me and the kids are going to get eaten by sharks!  Really?  REALLY?  I have told him to keep his mouth shut to the kids about it.  If we get to the ocean and the kids don't want to go in (because of sharks) I am going to kill him!  Thousands of people swim the waters off Oak Island and only a handful get bit.  A handful.  Not only that, but they get bit by baby tiger sharks.

(photo credit)

Now, I'm sure a baby tiger shark bite is pretty nasty, but it's not like the darn thing is going to swallow you whole!  Mom said you can't even get out far enough for the sharks....the sand bar is super long and when you do get up to your waist, the waves are so strong they prevent you from going much farther.

Of course there is going to be sharks.  It's the ocean!  I'm not worried about a couple little tiger sharks.  But you know what would make me crap my pants if I saw in the ocean?

(photo credit)

Now, that tiger shark would definitely keep me out of the water!

Other than obsessing over sharks (well, hubby is...) I have been so busy sewing dresses for the trip.  I hope to post a few pics before I leave for you to drool over.  You should see my studio....MESSY!  In addition, I finished up some custom orders and have doubled my production.  I figured since I won't be making things while I'm away, I can at least have things already made to keep listing.  No need to close the shop...it's all coming with me!  All the finished product, anyway.  That way, if orders come in, I can keep the momentum!

I need this trip so bad :)

A View from the Garden......

My Passionflower is finally shooting blooms!

I love roses...but I am so particular about them.   If they are not David Austin roses, I don't want to grow them!   He specializes in old, antique varieties...my favorite!

Unfortunately, even David Austin roses are not immune to those horrible Japanese Beetles!  I keep spraying them with garlic juice (they hate garlic juice), but if I don't get them re-sprayed after it rains right away, the beetles come back to much away....

Evidence of more beetle damage...

My victory garden....the peas are gone, the yellow and green beans are just about done, the cukes are going.  Waiting for the peppers, tomatoes, red and white onion and my son's jalepenos!

Black hollyhocks....

My favorite wildflower (outside of Queen Anne's Lace, which is really considered a weed)....Black-Eyed Susans!

The frog pond...completely loaded with frogs and tadpoles....

Pink Phlox...

Oh, and my hens and chicks made this crazy flower stalk!  I have had them in my memory garden for about 7 years and I have never seen them do this before :)

Balloon flower...I know, I need to dead-head....

hydrangeas....

rose of sharon....

 and finally, Bee Balm....

(a bee balm flower just opening....)

Thank you for joining me for a stroll through my gardens!  There is so much more to see, but I just wanted to share with you my favorites :)

Have a great weekend....and spend some time in your gardens....

Side-Tracked Again....

Just when life started getting back to normal after Mom left, my daughter Ashlee drove up from Charlotte to visit for a few days.  We spent the day together yesterday and had our fill of movies last night under a fan to beat this horrible heat-wave!  She lives in N. Carolina, so she is used to the heat.  We just don't get this kind of heat here in New York!!!

She will be visiting her friends today and tomorrow and will be back on Sunday for one more day with her Momma (that's me!).  As she will be leaving early Monday morning, I am projecting that next week will be back to normal!  Have so much to share :)

Happy July 4th!

Mom left for home yesterday.  I had such a good time with her and will miss her dearly.  Now we are back to the everyday phone calls for another year :(

I have so much catching up to do as I didn't want to waste a moment on anything other than her, therefore, I will be back next week to resume my normal schedule as well as fill you all in with the fun we had, Paige and her cover, etc.

I am still waiting for Laurel to contact me with the Bead Soup Blog Party prize.  If I do not hear from her in another day or two, I will be drawing another winner.  Stay tuned...you may still have a chance!

Have a safe weekend and

God Bless America!

My Creative Space and Sneak Peak for Next Week

My Creative Space is filled with ribbon flowers and more of my cool handmade stamens.  I hand dyed all the ribbons used which was a super-messy process, but it was fun because you can get so creative in the dying process with different textures and combinations.  Above is a wild rose and fuchsia.  Don't let the zoom fool you - they were made with 1/2" ribbon....super tiny!

I have a lot planned for this coming week.  On Monday, I will be revealing my Bead Soup Blog Party piece.  Remember the components I posted that I received from my partner Vintage Blue Studio?  Well, here is a sneak peak at what I designed:

To see all the participants, visit Lori's blog, and make sure you follow her so that you don't miss the next bead soup party!

Since I will be unveiling my piece on Monday, I am planning a giveaway of a piece I made with the leftover components of my bead soup.  I will probably be posting this early Monday morning and the giveaway will more than likely last the week to celebrate the blog party!

Later this week, Paige will finally be getting her cover fitted...lots of pics will be posted of that tedious event.  And don't forget the last minute get together I planned for Mom.  I promise tons of pictures!  It is actually working out quite nicely...only about 15 will be able to make it and everyone offered to bring something to the table.  Whew...makes my job so much easier.  Mom was so happy when I told her this morning.

Have a great weekend, and Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!  My hubby will be getting a home made Black Forest Cake for Father's Day this year!  Mmmmmmm!

What Have I Gotten Myself Into???

Okay...I think I need to be committed....

As you know, Mom will be up visiting next week, which I truly cannot wait for!  Paige will finally get some clothes, I will get to spend time with Mom and we'll be going just about everywhere!  Every year, Uncle Del has a little Meyerhoefer get-together so Mom can visit with her siblings, but this year he isn't.  Of course, Mom is a little sad about that.  So, I came up with an idea...

I will host the get-together this year!

Now, if you knew my family, you would think I was absolutely crazy!  Do you have any idea how many Meyerhoefer's there are in this family?!  As if I don't have enough to do, right?  Well, Mom WILL be helping me out on this one :)

So, now I sit here asking myself...

What did I get myself into?!

Happy Birthday, Boo!

My baby turns 14 today! I'm happy for Jacy, but sad for me. He's my baby, after all. He'll be driving in two years...sheesh! Where does the time go?


I am actually very lucky to have him. When I was four months pregnant, a young woman side-swiped my car. I barreled out of the car so fast, yelling at her that I am pregnant. Well, I must have scared her because she drove away. I was so pissed! Later that night, her father shows up at my door yelling at me for yelling at her and insisting the accident was my fault. I explained that she passed me on the left just as I was getting ready to turn left into my driveway, then the kids' father comes storming in the room telling the father he was going to sue them because it was clearly his daughter's fault and I am pregnant. The father apologized and somehow managed to leave without leaving insurance or contact information. I started hemorrhaging the next day.

I almost lost him and was on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, continuing to hemorrhage. So, you see, when Jacy has a birthday, it really is a special event for me (and him!). I almost didn't have the opportunity to celebrate his birthday every year :)

Nekked Mannequins....

Yup...Paige is still nekked.
Poor Paige.
She's getting cold....and self conscious...

I had scheduled time on Saturday to fit her cover and guess what happens Friday. I'm sitting at my computer, eating lunch, dropping EC cards when all the sudden my right cheek blows up like a balloon. Pain! Mike takes a look and insists that I got bitten or stung by something that I'm allergic to. So I retreat to the bathroom to take two Bendryl. About an hour later, it goes down. Cool! Out of the woods!

Later, I grab some munchies and start munching away. Bam! There goes the balloon in my cheek again. Along with some pretty uncomfortable pain.

Long story short...I get to my dentist (doctor wouldn't see me until dental issues were ruled out) who informs me that I have a stone in my salivary gland. Nothing really you can do, you have to wait for it to pass. (since when do I have a kidney in my face?!)

What?!
Who gets that?!

Apparently me....

It finally passed, very painfully, today.

So as you can see, my weekend was pretty much shot. I'm probably going to just wait until my mom comes up from North Carolina next month. See, Mike was going to help me with the pinning and fitting, but the more I think about it...He Has No Idea How To Pin and Sew!!! I'm thinking that things keep getting in the way because someone is trying to scream to me "DON'T LET MIKE HELP YOU!!!!!

So Paige will remain nekked for a little longer. I do have a sweater on her, though....

Oh, and if you have no idea who Paige is, read the original post.

Introducing....Paige!

She's Finally Here!!!

Just came today. UPS. I have waited almost a week to get this...my Mother's Day present! Mike ordered it two weeks ago so I could get it before last Sunday, but he didn't see the drop-down box where you order the size cover you want in his online cart before he checked out We didn't get a shipping confirmation by last Friday, so Mike called. That's when they said they were waiting to find out what size cover was needed. Hmmmm....if they don't call us to let us know, how do we know they are waiting?! I spoke to them on the phone and ordered the small cover. Will be mailed that day.

Monday comes (the day after Mother's Day) and still no confirmation email. For some reason, it didn't ship Friday as promised, so it will go in the mail that day.

So today, she finally came!

I carefully open the box and peek inside:

There she is in all her stark-white glory!

Mike helped me to settle her name...Paige. I wanted to name her Bettie. I just love Bettie Page (I got BP t-shirts, lunchboxes, stickers, a ring, books, key chain, etc), and I thought it would be so fitting to name her after Bettie Page as Bettie used to make all her own clothes she used to model in. Way cool...my kinda girl! Here is the conversation:

Lisa: I'm going to name her Bettie.

Mike: You can't name her Bettie, you already have a Bettie! You can't have two Betties!

(I named my black Jeep after Bettie years ago...)

Lisa: I can have two Betties! One in the house, one in the garage.

Mike: And are you going to deal with Bettie pouting in the garage when she finds out you named a doll the same name as her?

Me...thinking... *hmmm....good point*

Lisa: Well, then if I can't name her Bettie, I'll name her Page but spell it P-A-I-G-E. Paige is a girl's name.

I put the frame together, got her on it and Mike just had to give her the official welcoming to the family! You don't want to see the other pictures of Mike and Paige....trust me.... Yea, I know, he just couldn't control himself....


I love her and can't wait to alter the cover and start using her, but one thing disturbs me.....

That's quite a rack she has!


How the heck am I gonna jam those......


in this?!


So I waited for Mike to get done with his conference calls so he could help me alter the cover, but he sidetracked me by taking me to Tantalus for dinner:


Yea, it's obviously a cell phone picture! Tantalus is in the heart of East Aurora, NY. It is has an artsy, warehouse feel with jazz fusion and eclectic decor...my kind of place!

What did I blow Paige off for? The most delicious seared duck with fresh strawberries, goat cheese and brown sugar encrusted walnuts over a fresh bed of baby greens served with a brown sugar balsamic dressing. Out of this world! Wish I would have taken a picture of it...it was so pretty:(

So, Paige will have to wait until tomorrow as I couldn't take a normal measurement of myself if I tried right now. I will post another log of the fun I have trying to squeeze that tiny cover on her massive body!