When all else fails, grab a book! In truth, I would much rather be talking about something crafty today, but I haven’t done a single creative thing since last we spoke. I plan to change that tomorrow afternoon, but until then I really need something to say, so……….

Let’s pull out Wrapped in Gems. The first thing I have to say about this book is that it is simply beautiful. That shouldn’t be very surprising, given the title, but there are some truly stunning pictures in here. Secondly, the book intimidates me. I don’t think I am nearly skilled enough to be working with real stones. Which doesn’t mean that I can’t practice some of these designs with glass stones, while I build my skills!!

One thing I really liked about the book is the explanation of the different stones in the front. For example, did you know that a ruby is a red sapphire? That one and the pink-orange padparadscha are the only ones with separate names, all other colors are just referred to as sapphires.

In the back, you’ll find a tool glossary and all in between you will find patterns and techniques. Since I was beginning to explore wire wrapping when I packed my bead stuff away, this book really appeals to me. Definitely an inspiration to pull out my toys and play a bit. But I must chisel out some space in this crowded house first, LOL! I like to work on beading with all my stuff spread around me

isn’t really much of a report at all. Basically, all I have to say about beading is that all my supplies are at Mama’s, and I haven’t really touched them since the last craft fair. Oops. Christmas came up hard and fast, and I was just busy with other stuff, ykwim? I could pretend I was designing the spring line of Nooka watches, but … I haven’t.

What I have been doing is lots of knitting and lots of reading and lots of puzzling. After all, there’s only one of me. However, once I remember to bring my beads back home, I’ll be doing some beading as well.

Someone certainly knows how to make my eyes light up, huh? Mama bought these things for me, and Daddy got me clothes and shoes. I was thrilled with all of it! Happier than commercial collection agencies after the stock bailout. More excited than GM at the prospect of federal funding for their foul ups. Not to get too political here, and just as an aside, wouldn’t it make better sense for Uncle Sam to just by every person in the US over the age of 18 a new car? That way we could all benefit from this craziness, instead of merely increasing the deficit?

Ok, back to the crafty blog thing: What you see above is 2 books, 2 boxes of beads and 2 calendars. Yes, two. One for my desk and one for my dresser. (And no wonder she didn’t pick up that Never Not Knitting calendar I looked at so piteously) 😛 You can expect a review of the Knitting with Pearls tomorrow.

Also, I picked up the stitches on the button band and around the collar of Sonnet yesterday. I am planning on working that in seed stitch.

That would be me. I know some of you are holding your guffawing sides, reckoning that I would never be more than 23 feet from electircal lighting, kitchen faucets and central heating and air, but you are wrong. I did actually take my plump little self into the woods, and I hiked 2.6 miles with the Cub Scouts. And I had such a good time that I volunteered to go back again with the church youth.

In knitting news, not much–you didn’t have any recommendations, and what with the woods and all, I haven’t had time. Plus, I am almost through with a book, so I want to see how it ends. And the tree is supposed to go up tonight, so I may not knit until sometime later this week.

In beading news, we did better at this weekend’s sale than at our previous sale. IOW, we haven’t given up yet. I was hiking instead of selling, but I am told that someone purchased one stitch marker. Apparently to decorate her cell phone. Yeah, I don’t unsterstand it either, but that’s ok. I don’t have to understand. No one bought any bookmarks, but I did sell a few necklaces in addition to the lone marker.

On a mostly unrelated note, I took my husband to get a cat scan yesterday, as you may already know, if you read my personal blog. I’ll find out if he’s sick or merely crazy on Monday. It’s kinda odd to hope his shunt is messed up, but I do. Mostly because the other alternatives are vastly less pleasant.

ok, so a week or two ago, I had decided that I was never going to let jewelry for sale slide across this front page again. In fact, I was planning to move everything not yarn related over to etsy, and just talk about the craft of beading in general. However, things change. Sometimes, they change pretty drastically, and so, tada– beaded things right on the front page. I’m needing to raise some funds, and by need to raise some funds, I mean now, today, yesterday would have been ever so much better, k thanks. So, I have made these stitch markers, and I would really appreciate it if you’d take a look. At least they are fiber related, right? I’m trying to keep the prices low, because I know times are tight all over, and I haven’t even checked to see what the going rate is on other sites. Christmas is coming, and maybe you have a knitter on your list. Or maybe you are involved in a holiday swap. Or, whatever. Maybe you want them for you. I’m ok with that.

You can click these pictures to embiggen. I’ll ship the markers first class in a padded envelope, and shipping is included in the price. If you try to buy something that is sold out, I have told paypal to send you back to the jewelry page. I’m just letting you know, because I hate getting redirected myself without knowing why. I’ll be editing the page myself as often as I can.

These markers are made with wire wrapped beads. They will fit up to a size 11 needles. They are $2 each, and I have 28 of them. Just type how many you’d like in the cart, and it will do the math for you.

These markers are made for crocheters. I believe in spreading the fun! The lobster claw closure on these allows you to attach them right to the yarn. A great option for keeping track of your rows! This set is $10 for the five markers.

More crochet markers, this time in purple. There are six in this set, and the price is $12.

This set of six stitch markers will fit up to a size 9 needle. I think these are so cute, but then again, you know I have that pink fetish thing going on, right? The set is $12.

I have eight of these wrapped bead makers that will fit up to a size 9 needle. They are $2 each.

These four markers will fit up to a size 13 needle. The flowers remind me of spring, and so I chose bright colored ebeads to accent the main bead. The set is $10.

This set of five markers will fit up to a 10.5 needle. The set is $12.50.

I just love the words on these markers: Dream, Hope, Peace, Believe and Love. Oh, I guess you can read that. But I did want to type it, so I did 😉 They will fit up to a size 9 needle, and the set is $12.

So, what if you don’t see just what you want? Well, I do plan to make more stitch markers, but I can also do a custom order for you. You can reserve your slot for $10. It may take me a day to get back to you, so please be patient. You can also email me your specifics by clicking the button under my picture in the sidebar OR, using the notes at paypal.

When I had my meetup this past weekend, TripletMom showed me her stitch markers. have you ever just looked at something and said, “oh, duh!”? I know you have, and that is exactly what I did. Because, folks, it never occurred to me to make stitch markers. No, not even as I sat knitting at the craft fair.

So, I have the tools, I have the findings, I have the beads. And soon, I will have stitch markers, too! I’ll show you when I get back online. Of course, my house also needs cleaning, and I do have that reading pile to tackle, but…. you know any time I can think of an excuse to sit and create, that’s what I am going to do. I can’t help it. Whether the medium is words or yarn or beads or musics, it is all creating to me. You know that point in labor when you just have to push, you can’t make yourself not do it anymore? That’s where I am creatively right now.

I can’t decide if that’s a good place or a bad place to be.

Ok, this really is my last post before my unwanted break. Other people may google hotels las vegas to start their off time, but I am scurrying to get the stuff that absolutely-has-to-be-done finished instead. I want to be the “Queen of the Empty Inbox” once again, and I have fallen way behind in that. And several other things as well, LOL!

I suppose that this week’s report will be about the craft show, huh? I’ve mentioned that it did not go well, and that is an understatement. I sold two pieces, and Mama sold one. It was very disappointing, especially considering the fact that I stayed up after a lock-in to do the show. In fact, I fell asleep around 2, I was just so tired. I woke up when I heard Mama say “she was at a lock-in last night”. Hmm, come to think of it, maybe people didn’t buy from us because I looked drunk. Don’t believe me?

Now, I had intended to use the show for some branding, as I believe I had shared with you. But it was too cold to wear my logo t-shirt, at least until we began to be boiled alive, and I was not mentally spry enough to engage people and give them business cards. Which, by the way, is odd for me, because typically I am very gregarious in social situations. I use that to hide my basic insecurities, HA! The point is, I wanted people to have an outgoing, laughing, chatty person in their minds when they looked at my card, and instead, they have a memory of a sleepy zombie and no business card at all. That would be a branding fail. The good news is that if they ever see me again, they probably won’t realize it’s me, LOL!

Back to the show: We were not the only booth that suffered, most people had really slow days. The lady next to us was very encouraging, and gave us a lot of tips. She also assured us that this show was very light and not to take it as a potent of things to come. We did make enough to cover the booth rental, and the materials costs of what we sold, but if the next show isn’t any better, I am thinking etsy/flickr/sidebar/something.

Of course, I have been so busy since the show, what with trying to catch up on my sleep, that I haven’t had a chance to get Mama’s opinions at all.

So, I have hinted that I have been doing more than a spot of beading, right? And that I have a craft show on Saturday? Well, here’s a wee collage I made with Picasa2.

Click to embiggen.

Of course, you can’t see it all, but there are *gulp* 110 pictures there. Not a typo. One hundred and ten pieces. I sure hope I’m not hauling it all back home Saturday evening!