First off, thanks to everyone who e-mailed me about one of the projects in the latest issue of "Bead Style" magazine being a rip-off of my Shimmering Leaves designs. I appreciate the heads-up, really. However, after checking out the project in the magazine, I don't really think it was an intentional theft - simply a matter of two designers having access to the same beads. The magazine design is also a lariat style instead of a multi-strand necklace like mine and it also features wire and crystal charms which are not part of my design. Lastly, the magazine design is done on either an antiqued gold or a copper chain/wire and mine is done on gold-filled chain. But again, I do appreciate everyone who took the time to alert me!
Next, I'm sorry there haven't been any new pictures for a while. I'm still struggling with that same pair of $()%&*#! embroidered earrings. The tops are finally done and I just need to do the fringe to finish them off. I'm afraid they are not my best work and you'll see why when I finally can post a picture here. I just could never get the color combination quite right and honestly I finally got tired of ripping out beads and re-doing them. So, I just went with the last combination I came up with and while it's "okay," it's not spectacular. I don't have so much beading time that I can afford to keep fiddling with one project (and yeah, okay, so I'm just impatient, too). I hope to get them finished this weekend and get them posted. However, I also have a custom order that I've been working on for about a month now that HAS to get done this weekend and I'll TRY to get a pic of that one before it ships, too.
It's going to be a busy weekend at our house. Of course there's Ryan to be watched/entertained/parented and the grocery shopping/laundry/errands to be done. I have the two projects mentioned above, and also have a customer coming to the house tomorrow morning to pick up a repair and (hopefully!) order some more things. She's bringing some clothes to match - let's just hope the "right" beads are on hand! It's also a bead show weekend so I've got to find time to run up to the OC Fairgrounds to pick up some things I'm out of (and maybe more if things go REALLY well with the customer that morning LOL). Then Sunday, Dean has to go help my brother and my sister-in-law paint the nursery at their house for the baby they're expecting. I'm going to be an aunt in November! Then there's church and our usual Sunday night dinner with my parents and I'm sure there are several other things I'm forgetting, too.
Which brings me to this week's book review of Julie Kenner's Carpe Demon : Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom It's billed as what would happen if Buffy got married, moved to the suburbs and became a mom. It's also a disturbingly accurate portrayal of what it's like to be a mom to a 2 year old including the mentions of "Dora the Explorer" and dealing with poopy pants while shopping at Wal-Mart. While I enjoyed those aspects of the book, I'm afraid I can't give it a top-level endorsement because the plot and writing style are quite simplistic. They aren't bad - just not very sophisticated. I'm not sure if this is Ms. Kenner's first book or not, but it sure reads that way. It also really bugged me that Kate (the main character)'s husband is IMO kind of a creep. I would absolutely go nuts if my husband called me at 4 PM to have a cocktail party ready by 6:30 the same night. Not to mention the fact that I'd never agree to do it (and he'd never ask me to begin with because he KNOWS I'd never agree to do it). I was also somewhat disturbed by how blithely Kate drops her toddler into the first daycare that has a spot open...just because it's the only open spot. I didn't find that realistic from someone who's always been a full-time, stay-at-home mom up to that point. I also didn't find the save-the-day, watch-the-kid-and-have-my-back portrayal of the best friend (who conveniently lives in the house behind Kate) to be even remotely believable. I just don't know anyone who can drop their entire life at a moment's notice to watch someone else's toddler for a day (much less for three or four days). Apparently, Laura (the BF/neighbor) has no other life except to be around when Kate needs to free herself of her family responsibilities so she can go demon-hunting.
Still, it is quite humorous and, as I mentioned, the "day-in-the-life-of-a-mom" moments are dead on. I loved the 14 year old daughter and her sarcastic dialogue! So, all-in-all, I'd put this in the category of beach reading. It's light, funny and appropriate for a time when you're not going to be overly picky about perfect plotting and characterization.
Happy weekend, all!
KJ
