January: I joined a bead club at Scottsdale Bead Supply store. What a great decision that was! Each month I received a kit that pushed me out of my comfort zone, and taught me something new. I've also met a lot of great people, and made some great friends in the club :) I also joined the online bead journal project, which turned out to be wonderful. I wasn't able to complete all my projects, but i am more hopeful for this year!
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| Juliet & Jasmine-- My furry babes :) |
March: March was filled with lots of walks, blooming flowers, and orange blossoms. It is my favorite time of the year here in Arizona. While most are still wrapping up winter, Spring is in full bloom here.
April: April was a full month. Spring was still in full bloom, and I was continuing my walks, and taking photographs of the flowers. I was also full of inspiration. Creating new pieces of jewelry, like my watercolored bird on a branch pendant, and a aqua cuff bracelet. My niece was getting ready for her graduation, so I made her necklace in her class colors. The month also had it's miracles. My brothers house was struck lightening in the middle of the night. He was able to get his family out safely before the entire house was engulfed by the fire. My brother, his wife, and kids lost everything they had ever owned. Every photo, every keepsake. Now I look at my keepsakes, I see them differently. I have less attachments to them. I realize how quickly they could all be gone, and how important it is to be able to disconnect to them, and focus more on the important things, like loved ones.
May: May started off quietly. My niece had her first communion, and I got back to working on my jewelry. However, life likes to keep things interesting, so toward the end of May I found myself in surgery, having my gallbladder removed.
June: Most of June was spent healing, and spending time with my fiance who had come in from New York to help me out through my surgery. I spent a lot of time planning pieces of jewelry.
July: July in Arizona is starting to heat up! And most of the month is a blurr. I had several jewelry projects going on, so most of my time was spent enjoying the creative process and avoiding the outdoor heat :)
August: Arizona is at it's hottest time of the year, so most of it is spent in doors trying to keep from melting in the 115 degree heat. My oldest neice Amanda came to visit from Michigan. It was a quick visit, but we had so much fun! We visited the phoenix zoo, did a ton of craft projects to match her bedroom, and mostly spent time together hanging out in my craft room, laying on the bed chatting and watching movies like two teenage girls at a slumber party. I miss her so much :)
I also participated in Lorelei's shadowbox giveaway and bloghop. Which was a lot of fun.
September: What a month! This was a super creative month with lots of all nighters spent working on my piece for Lori's Blog Hop & Swap party! This was such a fun event. There were so many involved that I still haven't hit everyone's blogs to see their pieces. Lori worked so hard putting organizing the party. I don't know how she pulled it all off. My partner was Marcy, who made me the most amazing glass pieces. I just can't say enough good about both of them. I'm so grateful that I was able to be involved. Due to the high volume of participants Lori is doing a lottery for participation in the next party. So wish me luck!
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| Items sent to Marcy my partner. |
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| Necklace created and inspired by the glass pieces Marcy sent to me. |
October: This month flew by in a blurrr. Halloween is my fiance and mom's favorite holiday. So we always do our best to decorate and celebrate. I had a lot of fun passing out candy to the kiddies this year. So many fun and sweet kids came by. I spent a lot of time finishing up projects that I had been working on over the summer, and a great deal of time taking advantage of the ebay listing sales that were going on.
November: What a month this was. My checking account number had been stolen, and my account emptied, so I had taken my computer into Geek squad just to make sure there wasn't a virus on it. It took a week to get it back. Shortly after getting it back, I tripped over my dog while carrying it, broke it, and had to take it back to geek squad. I was without it for 3 weeks while they fixed it; however, even though I had backed up all my data, but backup drive had mysteriously gotten broken, so I lost all of my photographs and other information.
My aunt had a surgery, which left her immobile. So we had plans to move her in.. A week before she was to move in, we received a call that my cousin, 35 years old, had passed away. Leaving my uncle, and his sisters devastated.
Three days before moving her in, we had a pipe break, which resulted in having to tear out two walls in the living room, and completely tearing out my bathroom. A wonderful friend saved us by doing the work for us at cost, and getting a few of his friends to chip in and get the work done in a rush so that we could still get my aunt moved in.
I had 2 important jewelry orders to complete this month. And so far, finding a creative space was difficult as my bedroom/studio was torn apart for the bathroom remodel.
We made it through this, and were able to get the house ready for Thanksgiving. My fiance flew in the day after Thanksgiving. Thankfully things were starting to calm down.
I was however, fighting terrible mouth pain, and flu like symptoms through all of this. So after things settled down, my fiance took me to my dentist. And shortly after that, I was scheduled for oral surgery, and had plan to remove several teeth that were damaged due to the medication I take.
What I was most thankful for this month, was that through it all, I was still able to find the inner piece, to be creative, and to complete the jewelry orders I had for that month, and that my fiance was able to be off work, and come be with me, and be by my side through all of this.
December: This is my favorite month. We always go crazy during this holiday. Baking cookies and candy, decorating the house. As a kid, my mom installed a deep love for the holiday in me and my siblings. I still remember how it felt to really know that Santa was real, and to wait up staring out my snow covered window, watching for Rudolph's nose. And having friends over to decorate sugar christmas cookies. For me, it is still a very magical time.
It is New years eve. I am pretty much healed up from my oral surgery. I am still fighting the flu like symtoms, which turned out to be severe anemia. Now that we know what we are dealing with I am looking forward to getting better, and getting my energy back.
I am really just bursting with excitement about the year to come. I have a lot of new and exciting things happening with my jewelry, and am looking forward to get moving on them. My fiance is taking some time from his work and staying here with me while I get my heath back. So I am also very excited to have this time with him.
I can't wait to get moving on the projects I have planned, and sharing them with you, my friends here.
So let me share one of the exiciting things with you now. I am currently selling my pieces in a boutique in Bisbee Arizona, called Bliss Bee. It is a wonderful little store!! They specialize in mixed media, folk art, vintage finds, unique clothing, and art classes. I am just so thrilled and grateful that she is selling my jewelry with all the amazing art she sells in her shop.
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| My peacock necklace on some of the wonderful clothing sold in Bliss Bee. |
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| My sea breeze necklace. Aren't these just the sweetest clothes ever!! |
HAPPY NEW YEAR all my dear friends! I am so excited for what is in store this coming year. My most sincere wishes that all of us have an amazingly blessed year, and that our troubles be behind us.
(HUGS) & Blessings.
LissC
