How Come I'm Tired Already?

And it's only 5 days into the New Year?


I mean, you'd think that laying around on my butt eating pecan pie and leftover Christmas candy (and, okay, cookie frosting directly out of the can) wouldn't be that difficult or exhausting.


Except, oh wait, that's what I only DREAMED about doing (all right, all right, so the frosting thing is true).


In reality, I...


-Took down Xmas lights


-Stood in line at Best Buy for an hour to redeem my gift certificates for a Wii (and all the a la carte components that go with it)


-Set up the Wii


-Screwed up setting up the Wii and had to get a neighbor to help me


-Played the Wii ad nauseum with the kid


-Took the kid to two Cub Scout events


-Took my mom out for lunch a movie and a visit to the cemetery on her wedding anniversary (yay! that was fun!)


-Paid bills


-Cleaned out the kid's room


-Bagged up 7 bags of crap to give away


-Made several sales which I then had to package up and ship out which required a trip to the UPS store (my town doesn't have a post office - hicksville right smack dab in the middle of the OC)

-Updated my web site


-Wrote up 5 sets of directions for "Stringing" magazine in hopes of getting something published


-Took jewelry photos


-Cleaned the crabitat

-Confirmed all three crabs are still alive (despite all appearances to the contrary)


-Did umptyzillion (it's a real number...look it up) loads of laundry and...


...that's where I drew the line.


I only put half of the laundry away because I wanted time to actually MAKE some jewelry.


So, here are my first designs for the new year:







Nothing brings lampwork to life like Swarovski! And since I'm always tempted to bring out the purples or pinks or blues in the lampwork, I decided to be different this time and bring out the green.






I love long earrings. The longer, the better. I thought the drama of these gorgeous boro beads deserved some dramatic lengths of gold chain studded with tiny gold beads and more crystals.

I'm still having fun playing with all the bright, crayon-like colors I got at the last bead show.

Apple green howlite with some red and aqua Czech glass.

I added some dark blue Chinese glass and green howlite rondelles.

Gotta have a splash of color at the clasp, too.

I can just see this necklace with a crisp white shirt and a jean jacket - what a great way to add some fun to a classic outfit.

Okay, I definitely need a nap now...except I have to go back to work. Unless the laundry police get me first.

Of course, maybe I can get a nap in jail. Wonder if they have any pecan pie there?

KJ