Build a Strong Foundation

"There aren't enough days in the weekend."

~Rob Schmidt

Ain't that the truth!

My days are so packed during the week, the last thing I want to do is rush about on the weekends. But that is, unfortunately, what happens for me. So when it should seem that life takes a breather, it is actually more accelerated, and I can see no difference between the weekdays and the weekends, except that I get to linger in my bed a bit longer.

Two weekends ago it was actually more hectic than usual. Our annual Pacelli Panacea fundraiser was that weekend. This is like a county fair, on the grounds of our Catholic high school complete with a midway with overpriced games {like pick a duck}, the chance to win a fish {for no less than $5, and I could have purchase three for that price at Petco, and that will promptly die of bliss once it has escaped the confines of it's plastic bubble o' solitary confinement}, yummy treats {I think I ate my yearly quota of cheese curds, cotton candy and funnel cakes}, and raffles galore {I really wanted that laptop...iPod touch...or the bright cherry red Chevy Camaro...I got none of it....but I made a great donation to the school system!}. My husband and I worked the beer tent on Friday night.

Lest you think that was all we did, my son, Sport-O, played his first football game of the season {he is a quarterback...and we won!} and my daughter, Tiny Dancer, had her first Saturday morning "Power Hour" at dance. And I had to sing at church that night. And the next day I had to work the Silent Auction {that I had set up on both Thursday and Friday that week}.

So, yeah...we had one busy weekend. {Can anyone else relate to that?}

And to top it all off, we were procrastinators as well. We had to make a brick for Sport-O's school Social Studies project.

Yes. A brick.

We could only use materials that primitive peoples would use. And a lot of manual labor. Since we of course waited until the last minute {due Tuesday} we had to accelerate the usually 2 week sun-curing time. That is where the grill comes in.........

{I wrote about our experience for Watch Me Create. I invite you to read all about it here.}

This weekend was not much different. But I actually had time to create. {In between trying to tidy up my work space and suck up deceased buzzers with the vacuum...thank you Bee Whisperer!}

I am working on a bunch of pendant necklaces for my one show a year coming up in October {I don't think that I can pull this off in one month, but maybe I will surprise myself!}

I received a package of goodies from Rings & Things this week for my Blog Partner program. This month they gave us a gift certificate to purchase what we would like {Thanks, Dave!}. I bought components that are essential for building a strong foundation in any jewelry design.

I have spools of chain from Rings & Things that I purchased over a year ago. {It is about time that I start using them! I am an e-tailer's ideal customer because I always buy things and then it takes me some time to use them...} I bought 6 spools in different finishes like gunmetal and antique copper and bright copper. Now that I am making my "Seeds of Inspiration" pendants, I have the perfect use for these chains.

I bought gunmetal trigger clasps and a full gross of these really great hook & eye clasps {my new favorite}, assorted sizes of gunmetal jump rings, headpins and eyepins, assorted Beadalon crimp tubes in silver, gold, copper and gunmetal {can you see a color trend here?}. I also bought a strand of yellow jade faceted rondelles and hematite faceted rondelles. I plan to use them in my bee-yootiful bee-themed jewelry piece. {Still catching the bees, but they are slowing down....}


I love the look of mixtures of metal. I particularly love the patina on Vintaj components. But I am also partial to antique copper, and gunmetal really makes things pop. I love the contrast and the grungy nature of mixed metals and I am not afraid to pair copper with silver and gunmetal and all sorts of patinas. I like things that look old and worn out {I just don't like to look old and worn out...finally rescheduled my hair appointment that was supposed to be on August 25! Those "witch hairs" have got to go!}

Here is an example of a mixed media pendant that I created. I am making bunches of these to be sold at that one event {A.R.T.S. Night... A Reason To Shop... a fundraiser for the Women's Fund of Portage County}. What do you think?

{Vintaj stamping blank and eyepins, dapped in a bowl shape, stamped with Staz-on ink in black, embossed with hematite powder, Swarovski crystals (in olivine, copper and watermelon) from FusionBeads, gunmetal curb chain and trigger clasp from Rings & Things}

What does your ideal weekend look like....and what does your actual weekend look like? Do tell!

Check It Out::Watch Me Create

Enjoy the day!