2009 is coming to a close!

I can hardly believe that 2009 is almost over.  It has a been an eventful year, some good, some bad, some sad, some happy. It has been a time of transition both personally and professionally.  Next year I am expecting great things to happen!  2010 is going to be a fantastic year for Maudies and my family.  I can feel it! There is an energy in the air that you can almost feel!  The children both have great things on the horizon for them as do my husband and I. 

I am currently clearing out some of my Maudies inventory.  Check it out http://www.maudies.net/- 40% off jewelry, scarves and purses!  I am serious about finding new homes for some of my creations so I can have more space for the new!

This week between Christmas and New Years is a week I use to get rid of some of my clutter, make goals, think about what I want to create and enjoy family time.

So, my new spring jewelry collection is in the works, I haven't actually made anything yet, but I have some sketches done and my little brain is just full of ideas!  I also will be back at my torch in the next couple weeks.  Unfortunately the store that sold my lampwork here locally is going to have to shut it's doors next month.  They have not faired well in the economic situation.  So, I have lots of lampwork beads to use in my designs and to offer other creative types for their jewelry needs!  I am in the process of posting them as we speak (or write or read whichever fits)! 

I am also toying with an idea.  In addition to my jewelry and lampwork which I love, I also have a passion or obsession if you will for purses!  I absolutely LOVE them!  I have made and sold many knitted ones and some fabric ones.  They are very time consuming so I haven't done alot with them but with the new year, comes new ideas.  I am going to make a limited edition purse collection of a small number of handbags which are unique and made from a variety of materials.  My special project for the year! 

All my goals inspired me to get my studio together and fix it up, so that is what I have been doing for the past few days.  And to tell you the truth, it has turned out better than I had expected.  My studio is in the basement, so light is in short supply.  To remedy that situation, I painted a couple walls and cabinets and the difference is huge.  I also have nasty carpet from the 70's.  Orange and avocado green if you can imagine!  Well, now is not the time to recarpet so I bought a pretty area rug to put down and now I just pretend that the yucky carpet is not there.  I now have an office area (where I am working right now) and around the corner, my workspace for jewelry, then into another room for my torch and glass work.  I am set now! 
Mine may not look like those in the Where Women Create magazine, but for now it works for me.

Happy New Year and Happy Creating!
Ann

Rosaries

Last year I made a couple rosaries for a friend of my father, and have started making them again. I think they are turning out very nicely if I do say so myself.

Season End

Today was my son's last soccer game of the season. It was cold, muddy, windy and gray! Unfortunately we lost, but they played pretty well. We left this morning at 9:30 am and here it is after 4:00pm and we just got back! Those away games really eat up your day! I am spending the rest of the day in my studio creating!!!! I just got a lot of new goodies yesterday and I am excited to get some things made. I also am so excited about my new logo. A friend of mine has a daughter who is an artist and she designed it for me. I am so pleased. Well off I go!

And here's my new logo!!!! Isn't she fabulous.

Fall Break

Today is the start of fall break for my kids and it hasn't started off so well. Our seventh grade son did not make the basketball team and he is devastated! He worked so hard and the coach didn't really give him much on why he didn't make the team. He is going through a life lesson stage and it is hard to watch. I just have to make sure that this passes and doesn't linger.

We are going to Bloomington to pick up some glass I ordered and have dinner with our nephew who is attending I.U. Our daughter wants to check out the campus also. It should be a wonderful day. The rain is supposed to hold off until this evening, so we are keeping our fingers crossed!

Christmas is Coming!

I know, I know. I shouldn't be talking about Christmas yet, for heavens sakes, it is not even Halloween yet. But those of you who make things to sell for the holidays know that we have to start months ahead. I am really behind, but will try to catch up. I wanted to share my latest holiday creation that I took to Sanddollar Beads today.

I am also in the process of making little peppermint candies and light bulbs and trying my hand at snowmen. I usually don't do the holiday beads but they are awfully fun to do.

New Online Store and New Lampwork Vessels

I have spent quite abit of time today on the computer. I have a new online store http://www.artfire.com/users/Maudies. I am hoping that it is successful. Any comments, concerns, suggestion, etc are greatly appreciated.

I am currently in a vessel making mood with my lampwork. These are my latest.

Look like I am in a BLUE mood also. I guess I didn't realize it until I see them all together. Oh well, I still like them.

Starting New Year Early

Everyone has New Year's resolutions or at least they talk about them, most don't do much else with them, present company included. I have decided that I am not waiting until the new year to change the way I do some things. One of the things I am going to do is to post on my blog regularly, not every few months. Also I am going to make a few beads each day I am not at my day job, not doing tons once a week or so. I am going to make some jewelry each day I am not at my day job, instead of marathon creating.

Life gets kind of hairy sometimes and I feel that I am losing myself at times. Too many distractions. Ahhh, something shiny. . . . .Follow through has not been my strong point of my life, but I am going to change that. I see my son struggles with that also. Is it nature or nurture? Who knows, don't care, just need to work to resolve it.

Ok so to start off 3 things -- post every day, lampwork & jewelry each day when I am not working at the office. Sounds simple enough.

So today, blog-check, lampwork-check, jewelry-NEXT ON LIST!!!

Well now that I have kicked myself in the bum, I will share some things that are going on in my life.

We have a new addition to our family. It is yet another dog! Now we are up to 3 and have topped out on the animal limit. Daisy, the princess minature dauschund and Bentley, the proud pomeranian have a new roommate named Ducati (Duke, for short). We live close to the Indianapolis 500 and on the weekend of the Moto GP motorcycle race, my husband and kids found a stray 9 week old boxer puppy running around a busy intersection. They brought him home and we tried to find his owner for the week or so but none was found, so . . . . . needless to say, he is now part of our family. I do have to say he is the best puppy we have had so far. When we first got him at 9 weeks he weighed 16lbs, right now he is around 27 lbs at 15 weeks so he is on track to be a big boy!

These were taken right after he came to us. Sorry about the quality, they are a bit blurry. (my husband, the camera guy, would be appalled if he knew I was posting these!) Anyway, better ones to come when I download them to my computer. But this will give you an idea of our new beasty's precious face!

Long Time Gone

Hello again! Yes, I have been gone a long time but I will be back very soon with a whole new look! I am in the process of making a bunch of changes and posting regularly. I hope to catch up with the bloggers I have lost track of and have ignored all these months. I am so sorry.
Look for me soon!
Ann

Sad but Happy

I just got home from putting my 16 year old daughter on a plane to London, England!
She will be there for 2 days then off to France for 10 days and then to Italy for the final 5 days then returning home!
I am so happy she has the opportunity to do this but OH MY is this hard! Fortunately I know one of the other parents pretty well and have had almost 9 months to became acquainted with the other students and parents. But this is going to be very, very difficult!
I am left with my 12 year old son (who seems to need constant interaction) and my wonderful husband (who is having an even more difficult time letting his daughter go than I am!)
I will let you know how it goes. I have a feeling that the next 19 days will be like none other!

Another Step in Success

I know it has been a while since my last post - I am going to get better at this!

As you know, I knit purses, create unique pieces of jewelry and make glass lampwork beads. Well, I am fortunate to say that all three of those endeavors have been going quite well. As of today, (well, technically tomorrow since they are closed Mondays) I will be selling my lampwork beads out of a local bead shop!

They have been gracious enough to give me a case to display and sell my little creations. I am so excited.

There is so much more to do!!! It is amazing how BIG that case is!

I also will be doing a local gallery walk fair in a great small town around here so that should be fun and I have a couple orders for my freeform purses.

I think that God is looking out for me and keeping me occupied since our daughter leaves for Europe in less than a week and will be gone for almost 3 weeks! I am excited for her, but also a little apprehensive. I think it has something to do with control issues and that parent thing!

Well off I go and hope that all is well with everyone out there in bloggerland. I haven't even checked in with anyone else's blogs lately either. Barbra Joan was so sweet and sent me an email to check up on me. Bloggers are great!

Will post again soon!

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful day. I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful family. I received some beautiful flowers and I got a new wedding ring! It was a very good day.

I do miss my mom & mother-in-law even more on Mother's Day, but I just have to look at my kids to see both of them!

Just had to share the Jungle Cat!

Greeting Cards

I found these greeeting cards I made back in 1999. I had completely forgotten about them. Thought I would share them. Maybe I will try my hand at doing these again. Now there are so many new products!


This card was made with stamps and colored pencils.


This one was made by freehand drawing leaves with a fine tip marker then filling in the colors on mulberry paper.
The stroller was made from paper I had made and cut out in the stroller shape.

The following two cards were made with magazine pictures, stamps, inks, you name it, then trimmed with copper strips.

Old Items Found

About 4 years ago, when my parents moved into a retirement village, my husband and I bought their house from them. They were in their late 80's at the time and left everything that wasn't going with them. I wanted to share a few of the items I found back in some cabinets in the basement and in my mom's sewing cabinet.

Been Gone

Spring is so busy around my house! I have not had time to do much computering at all. It may have to do with my time management skills also, but I am working on those.
I have been busy at my torch making beads, creating new pieces of jewelry, knitting up bags and baby clothes, along with scuttling kids back and forth to all their events, along with working at the dental office. Life is full and we are so fortunate.

Today is going to be a catch up day. I am going to take some pictures to post and visit all the blogs I have ignored for the past month. I am looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things everyone has been up to.

The Latest

I am back! I have finally caught up after being sick and am so glad that is over! Thanks for the well wishes. You bloggers are great.

I have a new fasination called freeform knitting. I have seen it but wasn't sure how to do it but I ran across a book in a craft store called "Freeformations" by Jenny Dowde and now am hooked. I haven't had much time with it, but I will share what I have done so far.

Been down, but I'm back

I have been dealing with a kidney infection. Yikes. I had no idea how bad that could be. Glad I am on the road to recovery. I will have new things up soon.

New Lampwork Necklace

I have been asked to make a couple rosaries lately and that got me thinking. I took some single color beads I had made and created this 3 strand necklace. The beads are all made from different glass and I did not lay the beads out ahead of time. I just started putting things together and I think it came out pretty nice. I think it will look great with a simple white T.

I am also playing around with different ways to display my jewelry. I used a plain vase for this.

My first published piece

Currently I am fortunate enough to have a project in Bead Unique Magazine, Spring 2009. It is my first project that I have had published and I hope it is not the last.

Life Guidelines for My Children

When my daughter Victoria was born, I decided to start a list of things I wanted to teach her and share with her and put them into a journal for her when she graduated from high school. She is now coming to the end of her sophomore year and we have a 12 year old son now also and I have not even started that book! So, I got the list out and decided to post it and then start a journal. I have been so inspired by everyone's artwork I have seen. I think I need to finish my list first so I know who big a journal to get. My goal was to have 100, but I think that any number will be fine. I usually am not an even number person anyway, so 87 or 93 might work out just fine! I think I have 80 so far. I will be adding more to the online list as time permits. Please feel free to share any advice on my guidelines or on making the journal. I can use the help.

Sweater

I am going to attempt to make a sweater for myself! I usually make small knit items that don't really call for a pattern. But I found a pattern and some yarn that is very nice, so I am going to try. I will post pics of my progress!

New Look

Well, I decided to do a little customizing! Who knows, maybe I will decide to add a music gadget and get crazy.

Refurbished Jewelry & Purses in Progress

Here is a few items I have been working on.

My friend wanted me to convert a pair of clip earrings

into a necklace and this is what I have come up with.

I am ready for spring and so are my purses! They will be ready soon and hopefully spring will be here soon!

Mom's Painting

My mom passed away over a year and a half ago and I have really been missing her recently, more than normal. I think about her every day, but for the past few days, it has been making me sad. My mom was very creative and when I was little, she did some oil painting. My father has her favorite one but I was fortunate to find to find one stuck away in a closet after she passed away. It fits perfectly in our kitchen. Every day, I get to see something that she made with her own hands and that has a bit of her in it. I hope that when my children are all grown up and I am gone, they have something that I put a bit of myself in.

Lampwork Beads

I am sharing another passion of mine, Lampwork bead making. I make glass beads with a torch and glass rods. It is so addicting and fun! It takes total concentration when I sit at my torch, I get totally absorbed in it. Currently I have a lampwork necklace in Bead Unique magazine Spring 2009. I was very fortunate to be included. I am posting some photos of some of my beads.

Cancer Cap

I have made decision to post more frequently. I have been very sporadic and that is going to end. I enjoy the interactions too much to let it go by the wayside.
So........for the latest........
I started making a very soft hat for a gentleman that is going through chemo right now and is having trouble staying warm. When I started my business several years ago, I named it after my mother-in-law who passed away from ovarian cancer. So this will let me get started helping others who are going through that terrible disease.
I have never knitted with double pointed needles and have had some trouble. If any one has any tips I would greatly appreciate it!.
Anyway, I will let you know how it goes. If anyone has any easy caps patterns, I would be interested in them also.
Off to knit again.

Life is Good!

I have been so busy lately running around, going to soccer games, meetings, selling jewelry, making purses, posting new items on my website and trying to get some laundry done. We have been crazy busy. I had my father over for dinner tonight and it made realize how good my life is. I am so thankful for all the good things in my life and all my family and friends. I am also so glad to be able to be busy. I wish the same for everyone else.

New A.R.T. Pendants

Well I am having so much fun making my little pendants from my "junk"! Thought I would share my latest. Hope you like them!