Recovering From My Broken Fingers

So about a month ago, I broke three of my fingers on my right hand. Not conducive to jewelry making or blogging. However, they are starting to feel a little better and I'm hoping to be able to use them a little more soon.

I am suffering serious Bead & Button show envy. I went to the Tucson shows a few months ago, but I really wish I could have gone to B&B too! Does anyone know if you have to be a wholesale buyer for B&B or can you go as a retail buyer? I don't have a wholesale license and I don't sell my stuff - it's just a hobby/obsession.

For now, I'm going to tell you about some giveaways.

Andrew Thornton is having a serious giveaway of some of his B&B treasures.  Go here to enter.

So is Cindy - go here to enter.

And so is Lori, the Bead Soup Blog Party creator and genius. Go here to enter.

Copper Diem is also hopping on the giveaway bandwagon. Go here to enter.

And last, but definitely not least! Lana is having a giveaway and I've only recently found her blog, but I'm already hooked! You can enter here.

So...go and enter - hurry!

I've Been Trapped Under Something Heavy...

Hi! Wow - I didn't realize it had been soooooo long since I've been here! I was buried under a pile of pre-calculus textbooks and my TI-83 calculator.

I may or may not have overloaded my school schedule this past semester. I took a pre-calculus class, along with American history and accounting. I was not prepared for the toll it would take on my time and mental state. I'm done with everything but history at this point and I couldn't be happier. Next semester I'm taking a calculus class and that's it. Too much school is too much sometimes. I need to be kinder to myself.

So have I made any jewelry recently? Yes, a little ,but I don't have pictures. I'll work on getting pictures but I've been working so many hours that I keep missing the sunlight. Never fear, though - I live in Phoenix and sun is abundant here!

I also wanted to tell you about some giveaways.  There is the Sisterhood of the Traveling Bead Box.

I've been keeping track of the progress of the box as it's flown all over the country. People put beads in the box and take others out. Right now, the box is with Lois at Que Onda Q'town. All you have to do is leave a comment on her blog to be entered. Hurry, though - the deadline is coming up fast!

And then there's the big giveaway. The Mac-Daddy of giveaways. The biggest, baddest giveaway of all time. Let me start by asking a question - have you gotten your copy of Beads 2011 yet?

I got mine at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago and I've since added about a million links to my "favorites" for bead shops. Art Bead Scene is having a huge giveaway of a TON of beads that were featured in the issue!  Look at these!

Wipe the drool off your chins and get over there and enter! You've still got time!

As for me, now that school is almost over, I'll be back more often and I'll show you a little bit of what I've been working on!

Couple of Giveaways

Has anyone else come down with the ick that's been going around?  My boss got it, she gave it to our department assistant, and then they both gave it to me. I'm on my third day off work and going just a little bit crazy.  Acute viral laryngitis and bronchitis. Yuck!

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about some giveaways that are going on in the blog world.

First, Shea from gr8findings is having a giveaway of some of her fine silver components.  Shea actually won my giveaway from the Bead Soup Blog Party, so I was excited to enter her giveaway too! 

 (Picture taken from Shea's blog)

These are handmade by her! Aren't they yummy!  I've never worked with fine silver before (is it different from sterling?)  As you can tell, I'm clueless. The only thing I really know about silver is that it's extra super expensive right now and that it's pretty and sparkly!  :)


The other giveaway is by our Bead Soup hostess herself, Lori Anderson.  Check out her post here to enter.  She's giving away seed beads.  (I say those words in a whisper because I'm afraid of them. I've always admired seed beaders, but have been too afraid to try.)  I was sent seed beads with my bead soup, but I use them pretty much as spacers, etc.

(Picture from Lori's blog)

Hop over to Shea and Lori's blogs and enter.  Although, why bother - I'm going to win them both!  ;)

Look How Pretty!

I mean, seriously! Can you even STAND those colors?!  Head over to Laura's blog and enter for your chance to win!

Coolest Giveaway Ever!

Look how pretty!  This is one of Maria Grimes' "Tide Pool" pendants! I love them so much, I can't even tell you! I haven't purchased one yet because every time I go to her website, they're all sold!  Anyway, she is having a way cool giveaway and you should probably click here to go read all about it. She is going to let the winner pick one word and she will create a set of beads based on that word. My go-to word in these situations is "beach" because I love the color palate and anything near water is a happy place.

ANOTHER Giveaway!

The beading community is so generous!  Here's a giveaway on Copper Diem.  Check out these beauties!  Seriously, head over there and enter to win!

Giveaway!

Tish is having a giveaway, y'all!  It's so easy to enter - just leave a comment on this post and tell her your favorite subject in school.  The giveaway is for a pendant - just take a look at this one she posted: 

Look at that wire work!  I'm in awe! Someday I want to be able to do wire work like that!

What are you doing still hanging around here? Click and comment!  On the other hand, don't - I want to win!

Big Giveaway!

This is going to sound like I'm sucking up, but I'm really not.

When I first started making jewelry, I went in search of jewelry blogs. I am also a huge fan of food blogs and I know from that experience that you can get a lot of great ideas from other people.  The very first blog I found was Silver Parrot.  I thought she might be my twin!  She loves all the same colors I do - whatever reminds her of the beach! She also has a love of lampwork and so do I.  Then there's the Bead Porn she does every Friday!  It's literally the high point of my week!  The night I found her blog, I literally spent HOURS reading the whole thing all the way back to the first post.

She started blogging six years ago and to celebrate, she is having a giveaway.  You really should go over to her post and find out how to enter!  She's been sick with a summer cold so I don't have a picture of what she's giving away, but when she posts one, I'll show you!