Keep Calm and Bead On

Kids are amazing. Give them something to do creatively and they're on it.

Elijah Beading

My youngest grand son, Elijah, the liveliest of my three grand children, was visiting from Denver this past weekend. First thing he said when he woke up the next morning was, "Grandma, I want to make something with your beads." Anything to keep this little guy engaged, happy and CALM.   

Back in the day when I was raising the kids, I beaded simply for the calm of it. After they settled in for the night, I went to the dinning room table and beaded. There's a repetition and rhythm in stringing objects on a cord, that gets one meditating, thinking, drifting off into an imaginary place of world leaders beading at summits.
Well, anythings possible! 

So next time you pass the isle in a craft store that holds many a beads, consider picking up a few. You just never know where it'll take you.

"Grandma, you were right. I do feel calm."

Moral of the story:  Never under estimate the power of just being and beading. I make a living at it now.

A TOSS UP: Earrings or Shoes?

 

When I first starting making and selling jewelry, much to my surprise, people came back for more, particularly earrings. I soon realized a good pair of earrings held the same status as a good pair of shoes. You can never really have enough of them. 

As with shoes, which can make or break an outfit, a pair of knock out earrings will do the same. I once left the house with a beautifully tailored dress for a very special event. In my hurry and haste I had forgotten one thing, to note what my feet were wearing. I had arrived with a pair of bright green flip flops and no extra pair of shoes in the trunk to save face. I was, to say the least, mortified. But, I did have a pair of knock out earrings on, so in one sense I did end up saving my face. I believed most people hadn't even noticed my bright green flip flops with my beautifully tailored navy dress. All they noticed, were my lovely silver crafted earrings. Right?

Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of a really good pair of earrings.