Winding Down 2009.... one new item for 2010... one in progress

I am winding down the year....  We arent very exciting....  Chips and Queso dip and soda for dinner... Kiddo in bed early, and I'm in front of the computer in my new work area.   I finished a necklace and earrings yesterday and have another idea forming on the board..... Here is a kinda dark pic of the new necklace.  Its soft and sweet.  A single peach coral rondelle in line with white shell rondelles that have hints of gray and peach.    

We missed the December Downtown Art Market.  Mom and I were both worn out tired from trying to get ready for the holidays,  me worn out from the chaos of my day job and I was feeling pretty under the weather.  I think I was trying to get sick.  That Friday morning we tenetively decided to skip the Moondance Market then later that day decided it was too cold and I was feeling too icky to do the Saturday market.  We havent decided if we will do the January market or not.   

I have an idea on the board now to work on...  maybe tommorow maybe not...  To get the new year off on the right foot I have been hard at decluttering and simplifying my stuff.  I have way too much stuff.... and its bothering me.  I spent 3 days going through every item of clothing that was taking over my closet and bagged up 8 huge garbage bags of clothes for Goodwill.  Now please note some of that belonged to my sweetheart, and some belonged to the kiddo haha.  Those 8 bags filled the back of my full size pickup!   I have a closet again!   I plan to attack the rest of the house for the new year and get some more done before I have to go back to work on Monday.  I started a little today but layed down with the little one to get him to take a nap and ended up taking a 2 hour nap with him!   That killed most of my umph cause hubby got home right after we woke up...   

But its getting late and cold here at the computer.  The love of my life is getting ready for bed.  Me thinks I need to go put my cold feet on him........  

~Gnight!

Serena

LIfes been hectic more than usual....

Apatite and Sunstone Necklace
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

I'm still around.. Managed to make 2 necklaces this weekend the Apatite and Quartz and the Red Rhodocrosite and pink opal. This pretty Apatite and Sunstone necklace isnt quite finished. I need to get silver crimps and caps to finish it. Its gonna have to wait until later this week it looks like. This last week My father in law had major surgery and we've been busy with visiting him after work and this weekend getting everything ready for him to go home and be comfortable. Mix in the usual chaos of a 4 year old and the usual life stuff.... its been exhausting and overwhelming during a time when I am struggling to find some peace in my world....
This evening I did a little bead trading with my mom. I traded a few different beads for some teeeny 2.5mm garnet rounds, 3 mm garnet rounds, 4.5mm carnelian rounds, and 3mm hessonite garnet rounds. I cant wait to figure out what to make with them. I want to shop for beads sooo bad... but I really need to SLOW DOWN! I have been obsessed with aquiring the next pretty set of beads... that gets expensive FAST. Though I have some pretty new things to show for it! But its late and I need to sleep!

Gnight!
~Serena

Apatite and Sunstone Necklace

Apatite and Sunstone Necklace
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Apatite & Quartz Necklace

Apatite & Quartz Necklace
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Red Rhodocrosite and Pink Opal Necklace

Red Rhodocrosite and Pink Opal Necklace
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Red Rhodocrosite and Pink Opal Necklace

Red Rhodocrosite and Pink Opal Necklace
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Finally a few new things to show tonight... Will talk later....

**My 1000 Markets shop is LIVE!**

http://www.1000markets.com/users/serenacoulsondesigns

I just got my aproval email letting me know I am LIVE!   

Time to polish and package my listings for shipping just in case... *grin*   

Now I need to get some items listed on Etsy also...  It will be easier now that my internet provider seems to have corrected our problem... Guess they dont like their customers asking for credits for the DAYS they dont have internet access...  

Another Sunday....

I havent been able to stop running lately.... despite my constant resistance... there is always something that someone ELSE needs to get done... Though some deep discussion with the love of my life has made some changes and has been declining to assist others every time they call.  Yesterday he managed to find the part he needed to repair our riding mower and is doing some much needed mowing(It was a JUNGLE out there...)    Today required a few errands but we made it home and I am playing with some copper ideas.   My latest project has been using older pennies that have the higher copper content..  I have flattened and hammered and dome them today and am trying to decide on a necklace or bracelet.  I got to DOME them!  That new doming block set sure is fun!   Now I have made something new that I really love.  A bracelet with some eyecatching crab agate pillowy shapes, white bamboo coral, carnelian, and red ceramic beads and sterling silver.  I am debating oxidising this one I think it will look nice, but cant decide,  I am thinking of making a second bracelet of similar beads and then oxidising one of them...  

Also today I have been working on my 100 markets shop and finally got it submitted and I am waiting on the approval!      http://www.1000markets.com/users/serenacoulsondesigns

~Serena

 

Sunday... Cloudy... Drizzly...Chilly...Sleepy...

Today is a relax day. Damp cool and sleepy.  A great Sunday to follow a Great Saturday.  

The Art Market.. ended very well after a little chaos.  It was chilly (me huddled in blanket...brrr) and cloudy and the sky decided to open up and get us wet...  we thought it would be the end of our day (and it hadnt been productive at ALL.)  but we rode it out and it cleared up and people showed up!  It drizzled a little more but the vendors and customers were determined :-) .  The cooler weather made it soo much nicer!  I didnt do as well as the last two markets, but it was enough that I packed up happy. My custom earrings were picked up and some of my favorite peices found loving homes.   After everone disperesed some late comers showed up that barely missed everyone... I think next time we need to lollygag some more and hang around for latecomers.  We packed up and went to Gemstone Junction on our usual route home.  Did a little restocking of supplies and lots of laughing and carrying on with Debbie another Jewelry vendor that was at the Market.  

Red Coral Drops

Dalmation Jasper Rondelles and Heishi

Pink  Rounds  (Possibly Pink Opal.)Amazonite RondellesRough Quartz

Quartz Slices

Mookite Rondelles and Yellow oval (I forgot the name)

Brown Zebra Jasper

Now before everyone headed out I snuck off to another booth for some yummy smelling handmade soap from Shawna Kelly I also got a bottle of her Sinus Savers Spray .  Neat stuff!  I had been looking forward to checking it out in person.  A little stock up for cold season that hits our house HARD.   

Now today we packed the kid of to Church with his Papa ( he loves going to church with Papa. ) and ran a few errands..  I convinced hubby to stop by the tool store that was open and I splurged some booth money on a (new toy)  Doming block set!  

I cant wait to get something made with this lovely!  I tried it out on a penny earlier hehe.  My plan is some sterling end caps from recycled silver.  

First I have some housework to get done and then I will play!

~Serena

Tommorow is the Downtown Art Market!

Getting ready...  Not enough hours in the day to get done everything I wanted done!  

Just got the tables loaded up and will load the rest in the morning.  Hoping we dont get rained out!  

I need to get to bed now so I'm rested!

~night!

Oxidising silver....the nontoxic succes! (and a necklace finished!)

Today was oxidising day... haha...  I have three pieces that needed to be oxidised that I kept putting off since I didnt have any LOS.  Today I got brave and boiled an egg... the first one was a failure.... I let it cool some first not knowing it needed to be hot...  So I boiled some more and plopped them in a baggy with the jewelry and smashed them up.  Worked like a charm!  The pieces are now healthily oxided AND were easy to polish of what I wanted polished.  Perfection!  

Amazingly today has been pretty productive!  Even though I slept until almost noon....haha..  the boys slipped out to go fishing this morning and without the interuption I was able to sleep!  We went to lunch with my brother in law who was in town visiting and leaving today and then came home.  I finished a rustic amethst necklace, it was supposed to be the match for the bracelet I just oxidized, but I am not sure if I want to oxides it....  I like it the way it is.... 

~Serena

Labor day weekend lazies....

I have had the hardest time getting in the creating mood and I am counting down the days to the next market!  My distractions:

~I need teeny tiny sterling beads that I cant find

~we just bought fishing liscences and the boys want to go fishing constantly now.

~and shopping for fishing stuff~

~my house is a disaster and I need to clean it

~the man is blaring the television so I cant concentrate.

Now I have a few things done...  today I did a pretty labradorite and crystal quartz pendant.  I am plotting to do a pendant with my pretty white keishi pearls and the itty teeny weeny bitty sleeping beauty turqouise rounds I have, I put them together and they make each other scream!  I cant wait to get something made.... but the distractions!!!  YIKES....  

BUT I am working on it and I have one whole day left! I think I will encourage those boys to go fishing and do some bonding without me....    

~Serena

Bridal Necklace #3

100_7113
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Bridal Necklace pic#2

100_7112
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Custom Order Bridal Necklace

100_7110
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Simple sweet and perfect. I was excited to get this necklace finished today. It turned out perfect and she loved it.

Custom Order

Tonight I am starting my first custom wedding order!   

Its a simple three strand pearl design for the wife-to-be of Mikes old sidekick from high school.  There's a lot of history and escapades there!    I need to charge my camera battery and then I will take pictures of the finished necklace.   It late so I plan to start tommorow night.

G-night!

~Serena

Found it!

I found the setting that wouldnt let me log in.  Amazingly reading some help topics on flickr and changed the settings to see if it would work and voila!  Here I am!     So here are pics:

Carnelian Cluster Pendant  $25

Amazonite Peruvian Opal and Hessonite Garnet $25

Graduated Mosiac Turqouise Necklace $22

Amethyst Cross Necklace $30

Amazonite Bracelet $30

Okay thats all for tonight....

~Serena

Cant login again... So blogging from FLickr...

100_7056
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

So once again I cant login. Even trying a different browser. Grrr...

Why I think? The dang cat trompled on the laptop the other day. She has a habit of that. Messes things up bad. I spend months putting settings back in place to get things working properly. So I wanted to post a bunch of new pictures. I like this one. See my yard rats aka chickens in the background? It tickled the heck out of me taking this pic. Kinda hard to take pictures with a pack of chickens pecking at your toes... I bet people wonder what the heck when they drive by and see me dancing around kicking holding a camera trying to take pictures with a bunch of chickens and a pair of turkeys at/on/around my feet.  Those dang birds are like dogs waiting for you to drop a crumb on the floor.  Except they get impatient and try to EAT YOU while they wait. Wearing flip flops can get kind of interesting at my house.  

This is an Amethyst cross necklace that I love. Simple and sweet. I have more pictures on Flickr of course... Along with a couple other new items. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wyndfyredesigns/sets/72157622011214869/

Something new with pictures!

100_6994
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Got this done this weekend, amethyst bracelet, also working on a carnelian version. Going to oxidise it all dark and polish it up when I have time. Ran out of closed rings and have to go pick some up this week to finish the other one, thinking of a necklace also. Have a few different ideas rattling in my head. Im on a bracelet kick. Had a wonderful relaxing weekend and hope this week is the same. ITs back to school week so work will be a madhouse though I bet. I've got more pics of this bracelet on FLickr so bop on over if you want. Its late late late so sorry I cant think of much more to blabble about.
GNight!
~Serena

Not so exciting....

Well I am crossing my fingers Xanadoo stays up today. 3 days of no reliable internet makes me panicky. Though Hubby wondered if I was sick since I left my desk to sit and watch TV with him(ME sit and Watch TV! The horror...). I've got a dozen different peices sitting half done, I keep losing focus half way through. Trying to clean house too.. these boys can sure do a number on this house if I dont keep at it. I am almost done witha special order set ofearrings. I hope she likes them, they are a little late, I hoped to get them done earlier in the week but my crazy life put the stops on that... 2 days of searching for my purse with all the money from our booth in it... finally rememebering I set it down SUNDAY IN TRACTOR SUPPLY! It was located untouched(amazing!) in the spot of left it on Tuesday! Then I promptly lost my phone and spent the week phoneless among other chaoses. I have been BEGGING to just come home and relax and work on jewelry. I am hoping for some peace and quiet and focus today.... I moved my work bench into a dead zone of the living room, dead zone as in ...the side of the living room that seem to catch the clutter and no one sat on the chair there so it collected toys and things that arent supposed to live in the living room. Gotta figure out where to put that chair now but my dining area is back to being a dining area and hubby is a little happier about that and that I am in the living room with the family at least. Though he snarled once I got it all moved because he discovered I like usual am death to the TV reception... So much snarling and relocation of the antenae resulted. I hate the new digital TV....
But I ramble...
If I can find where I set my camera yesterday... I will take some pics of a few new pieces and try to upload them... I hope. Right now I have to go roast some chicken for dinner tonight.... You know... be Mom for a while.
~Serena

FINALLY ABLE TO LOG IN!

Whew... withdrawels. I couldnt log in for some reason, been trouble shooting and not able to figure it out. Tinkered with some settings after days of frustration and finally got it to let me log in! (I really think the stupid cat slept on the keyboard the other day and "adjusted things"
So here I am trying to remember all the things I was going to post about before now! The August Downtown Art Market was yesterday and was a success. Two new jewelry vendors, a new gal EagleWings Designs I think it was called. Sweet lady helped us figure out our new tent and helped chase down our stuff that kept blowing away since it decided to be windy for the first time in a looong time. We visited most of the day and both are looking forward to the next market and hoping to be next to each other again, we booth sat for each other and our designs are totally different, makes it fun and challenging! The other new booth was some jewelry friends of mine, Anne and Debbie and their own totally different designs! Made it kinda nice to have someone to wander down and chatter with. It was a wonderful day, my mom did really well this time and had a blast! It wasnt as hot and there were hoards of people. I totally love the flair of this market and heard mention that a city official wandered in to check it out and said that next time they really would need to start shutting the street down.! Its expanding! I sold anough that I am worried about getting stuff made to replace it in time for the next one. I have already been hard at it today. Got a pretty Mosiac Turqouise necklace made witha concho focal. I am in LOVE with my drill press..(have a I mentioned we drug home the drill press from where it was stored.. looks oh so styling in my kitchen haha. I was kind of discouraged this time with some of my pieces though. I got numerous compliments and raves on my moonstone necklace, but no one ever even picked it up. Now Im disapointed and relieved both. To have sold it would have ment it woul be going home with someone that loved it, but I adore it so much myself it was a struggle to put it on display and put a price on it. Also I have a dilema of the heart.... I was told more than once by customers that I was undercharging for some of my stuff... I try really hard to sell them affordably, I want people to look at them and love them AND be able to afford to take them home, but some of them I dont really make any kind of profit and without SOME profit I run into making it affordable for ME to continue. How the heck do I mesh both? Plus I have a hard time making enough stuff to keep the booth full, I am soo particular on look and design, I dont want to just mass produce stuff. But I think it will all come together. This once a month market sure makes the days fly by! We did decide that we need to compact our setup, we are trading our full size tables for ones that will fold up and fit in the car, our goal is to be able to pack it all in the car and not have an entire pickup load to haul. It sure is a pain to unload and set up with what we have now! Poor hubby will have to remove the stereo equipment in the car though...lol and take his thumpy box thingy out of the trunk.... I told him it wasnt worth going to all the trouble to begin with! (I hate thumpy stereo! ) Well... I really need to get back to a few designs... I have one in progress that needs some tweaking and need to work on some others. Also I have a special order to work on AND a couple of requests....
~Serena

Not enough time!

Ive been on vacation... not that its been very restful,  we didnt have any plans other than the birthday party for the kidlet.  But it seems we never stopped running around.  I did one necklace Saturday.  Havent taken pictures yet. Didnt do anything I really wanted to do at all other than clean out the kidlets room and sort toys to get rid of.  I go back to the day job tommorow...  I am contemplating getting SOMETHING made today.  Ideas flit through my head and right back out.  I may just go back to bed and take a nap since no one else in my world is awake yet.    YAWN......  

Oh yeah I almost forgot...  Saturday is the Downtown Art Market.  I need to see if I can find a Mondays paper(on Tuesday)  I caught a glimpse of the front page Article being about the Art Market. I sure hope that means a great turn out!  Now I really have to get on makeing some new items for our booth!

Pics on Flickr...

No time to chat...

Posted new pics on FLickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wyndfyredesigns/

Got a new necklace ont here... pretty pretty....  Need to take pics of the other stuff tommorow..... busy busy!

Gnight!

~Serena

Saturday goes by fast...

Got my metal stamps... also found some more pink opal  and sodalite briolettes.  Grabbed a strand of Amazonite Ovals...  just before someone snapped up every strand that was left.  The Labradorite ovals I got yesterday... all but one strand sold by today and I happened to show them to someone that I was visiting with and she snapped them up.. Im glad I got them when I did! Talked to a bunch of different people today.  Two experienced jewelrymakers,  and 3 learning....  Gave my email and phone number to one girl and offered to teach her and also reffered all three to my favorite store...  Gemstone Junction.     It was a fun productive day.  My Peruvian opal rondelles arrived today, they are delicious.   Tommorow I need to get some stuff done and quit buying supplies...   Well... I have made the decision that if I can get those peruvian opal rondelles for that price again I am going to buy all I can!   But thts it... I hope.     I am trying  another silver pickle out...  My vinegar just isnt cutting it lately so I am trying ALUM.   Will be doing heapins in the morning and will see how well it works.   

Well gnight for now!

~Serena

Saturday....

To do list for today....

Academy- Tent/Awning...

Friendze -  metal stamps

Gemstone Junction - because I cant resist...

Hobby Lobby - not sure.

Yesterday,  sold a pair of earrings...  so was able to buy more supplies...

-Labradorite ovals (YUM!)

-XL Chrysophase nuggets.. hal strand

-XL Rondelles of Rhodonite (WOW) half strand

-1 strand of crazy horse rounds that I have been intending to buy for a while.

-1 strand of Amethyst crosses that I have been eyeballing for a year...  at a reduced to sell price!

Off to get things done!

~Serena

Blam... importing the old blog into the new one...

I did it! I just got my old blog imported into the new one!!

All my old posts and pictures and useless rambling transfered over without a hitch.

Picking up some supplies today. PRETTY PRETTY THINGS.... Thinking of pretties to get done for the next Art Market. Contemplating going in with some friends for a booth at Petersburg. Short notice and I have to get ready for Wy's birthday party the day after the booth. Not sure if its worth it or not. I need to get out there and do more, but man is it a lot of WORK haha....

Plus Mike still has doctors appts and stuff and hopefully clearance to go back to work. I just dont know... I had picked out a bunch of stuff at GJ that I wanted but she got some really nice stuff in and now I think I will have to change my mind and get different things... Two weeks until the next Art Market! I have a lot to get done!

~Serena

Boro lampwork

Boro lampwork
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Added a few things to Flickr tonight. Managed to grab a few minutes of decent light. Not to cloudy not too bright. These earrings arent finished yet, my plan is a pretty cluster of colors on the top. But in the sun they just begged to be photographed. The perspective on this pic just keeps grabbing my eye. I sure do love that encased boro lampwork. After taking this photo I am wondering if I should do anything else to them. Fun colors!

I'm working a a few ideas finally. Finding a bit of groove. Made a simple pair of sunstone drop earrings tonight. Kinda trying to keep things simple. Mike is doing quite a bit better for now, I'm afraid to hope that that means that this ordeal is almost over... Hes still hurting, but it seems to be getting less and less today. I sure hope so.

~Serena

~Serena

Ho Humm.....

SO I wanted to make SOMETHING this weekend...  but I just cant get anything to work out.   Bought some red/multicolor onyx heishi and green adventurine heishi yesterday.  Thougt I would do somthing with them but just cant figure it out.   I ordered silver Friday night,  Im itching to get it in so I can make a zillion headpins to work with and make a couple pairs of earrings I have planned.  Need earwires and stuff.  Tempted to bang on some copper.   Need to clean house some and tackle a mountain of laundry.   We picked up our newish car yesterday.  A little Ford Escort 2000ish something.. not sure of the year..  Filled it up from empty and it took $20.  Thats just tooo weird..... I rejoiced when gas was cheap enough that I would fill my truck for $42...  This little gal has a zillion miles on her,  but is still pretty zippy and doesnt use much gas zipping!   Best of all is the 4 doors and BACK SEAT!!! yay!   A family of three with one poky noisy 3 almost 4 year old in a single cab pickup is not fun.     

For now I am going to tackle housework... maybe Ill get soem jewelry done and update this later today....

~Serena

Yikes....

So I thought the week couldnt possibly be any more horribly stressful...  HAHAHA... was I wrong. My hubby has been sick(hurt/ sick... kinda both long story) and was doing better after an ER trip Friday and a visit to the quack shack Tuesday...  Wednesday we attended a funeral and though he was hurting he was doing ok...  Felt ok Wednesday night also.. hurting abit around 10ish but was planning on going to work Today...  Yeah right...  He woke me up at 1:30pm to inform me he needed to go to the Emergency room.  The pain was unbearable.   So our entire day was spent in the hospital.   Now we are looking at him being out of work for two weeks and he is on adamant instructions to do NOTHING... "no lifting no pulling, no bending, no manual labor, no straining, and NO WORK"   They covered it all on the note.. So I pack him up and drive him home leaving his truck at the hospital since he was pretty hopped up on painkillers when he was released. His Dad goes to bring the truck home for us and it dies on the way and wont start...  so on top of the medical bills, prescriptions,  and getting to look forward to two weeks without pay we now add truck repairs to the list... I cant take much more before I crack.   If he could at least start feeling better I could have some hope.  I cant stand him hurting and miserable and not being able to do anything to make it better!       I dont even have the energy to beat the heck out of some copper for a necklace I have in mind....  

~Serena 

Stress relief and making something cool!

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Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

I was compelled to pull out my copper and relieve some tension this evening.... Its been a long 6 days of stress and worry and sad news, and I needed something... So I pulled out my trusty autobody hammer that the love of my life bought for me. and some heavy gauge copperwire (I think is 12 guage) and created these pretties. Suspended on sterling silver rings and hung on my sterling silver earwires. They are tough but still kinda dainty. I also made another longer pair too that are in the tumbler... I will have to wait for some daylight to photograph more, I was having to hurry and take this picture while I still had light. I changed up the moonstone necklace a litle too. to me missing something... I will finish it up and rephotograph it later too.

~Serena

Getting the hang of this!

Moonstone and name
Originally uploaded by Serena Coulson Designs

Here is the moonstone necklace in all its finished glory....

Uploading pics.....

ok I am adding updated nice pics of the moonstone necklace and the green and pink jade pendant to Flikr.   Then I am giving up for the night. I might put them up on here tommorow....  I rounded up about three quarters of our chickens and gifted the garden detroying monsters to my best friend T.  Two of the ducks too.  Now my barn yard should be a little more manageable.  My feed bill too~  But  catching 30 or so chickens to sort them all out is exhausting work.  So I dont have the energy to do much else....   

~Serena

Changing over to the new blog site!

I have the new blog setup and started.

http://serenacoulsondesigns.blogspot.com/

I will try to keep this site updated while working on getting it all up and running. Had my first booth at the Downtown Art Market this past weekend and did well. Looking forward to the August market. I even have a custom order for a pair of earrings to match a pendant I sold.

~Serena

Slowly changing things over...

I got my Flickr badge added just now. Still working on getting this up and running. Still have alot of things to do and very little time to do it. I need to work on getting my Etsy shop badge on here next. Of course I dont have anything listed on Etsy right now. Since I am planning on returning to the Downtown Art Market in August I'm not sure if I should put anything in my Etsy shop or not.

The peach moonstone necklace posted yesterday is emerging and possibly complete. I am itching to get it done and start some earrings. I need to make a few more pairs of earrings to replace what was sold this past weekend. I also need to work on another horse bracelet and coiled copper bracelet, both sold. Quite a few things I havent had time to photograph sold! The sun is shining today so this evening I plan to take pictures of quite a few pieces. I want to make sure I have photos before anything sells now! After that I need to make quite a few more headpins to get started on some more pieces. The August market is Saturday the 8th so I have to get a lot done! Plus plan and get Wyatts birthday party done! The chaos never stops! But I love it!
~Serena

Getting a groove on!

WOW!  The Lubbock Downtown Art Market went amazingly awesomely well yesterday!  For me at least!   I sold about half my pieces!   Even sold a piece I had made for myself that I really didnt intend to sell....  I will have to work on recreating it though...  I had been thinking lately that it I needed to make a similar piece but more earthy for me.    My mom only sold two peices.  She was kind of dissapointed,  but she is running with it and going to try new designs like the ones she sold.    It was miserably hot though.  I considered skipping August except a few people that came by and bought from us, requested we come back so they could come buy more...  cant skip now!!   We had a cheapy awning and it was a royal PIA.. we are planning to invest in a nicer one AND folding tables.  My big tables are horrible to load and unload.  The wind kicked up just a bit and our awning tried tobecome a kite... even tied down.  We are learning from every bit of it though!    When it was over we headed to restock some supplies for some designs I had and I was on cloud nine,  sadly though while we were there I got a phone call from a friend of my husbands that his mother had died.  He was trying to contact my husband to let him know.  It was expected,  but still hard on them of course .   We watched their youngest two kids today while they were making arrangments.   Those two kiddos are real sweethearts and I laughed when they picked them up because my husband didnt want to give there little 9 month old girl back...  he wanted to keep her lol.   He is such a softy and loves babies.  I forgot how much FUN babies are and how snuggly.  If they werent soo expensive I would want a couple more haha.   

I worked on a new piece during the market and got it complete,  A green Jade pendant with a cluster of pink and green jade at the top.(The colors came out a little dark in the pictures.)  Today I started on a peach and rainbow moonstone necklace that is really coming together....   My pics are a little sucky because the camera battery was pretty much dead.  I tore the house apart and FINALLY found the charger... did I mention I destroyed the house Friday night looking for the charger too...  Today I cleaned up THAT mess haha.    This pic might be a little more close to real colors:

Counting down until the Art Market....

Wow...  2 more days to go until the Lubbock Art Market.   

I've been working on my earring cards and packaging.  Decided on a logo to use for now. Simple and sweet.   Ill be working on incorporating it into my blog header soon if I can get the time.  Im worried about the weather this weekend... we are in the middle of a horrible heatwave.   The bank signs were reading 106 on the way home... Im hearing different forcasted highs for tommorow... 106,  109...etc...  scary hot.   Of course the blower motor on our house ac chose this evening to die... Mike is planning on taking it in tommorow and getting a new one... hopefully quickly!  I planned to keep the dogs inside tommorow... now Im not sure what to do.  Luckily we have a small window unit in our bedroom(we like it COLD at night)  so will stay cool to sleep.   Might have to drag the dog crates in there tommorow and hope they all fit(uggg... Im dreading dog HAIR in my bedroom). I wrenched by back this weekend and its still bothering me horribly...  Sitting is misery... so I'm not going to linger much longer.... I've been sitting for a couple hours already working on stuff.   I DO plant to start posting pictures soon,  just need to find the charger for the camera darn it and figure out where I put the picture cards....   Hopefully we dont roast this weekend... 

~Serena

Getting started!

So here I am!  If you are wondering who the heck I am check out my old blog at Wynd Fyre Designs 

I will be trying to move some of those old blogs over to this one and a ton of other things.   So bear with me.   It seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done.    July 11th I have my first booth at Lubbock  Downtown Art Market.   I am hoping it goes well.    I still have packaging to get done and a zillion other things... so I better get moving!

~Serena

Changes.....

I have been contemplating where to go with this adventure.....
When I started out I wanted a name that looked and sounded "catching" I have always used Wind Fire when doing things.... Farm name... Wind Fire Farm... why... because the wind seems to shape a lot of our lives where we live. Fire.... , though we are in a sheltered area and grassfires arent too much of a danger... smoke on the horizon catches our eye and puts us on the alert. Fires have come close to us too, grass fire directly across our road, a home 3 houses down burned, then 5 houses down..... But lately I have felt a need to take this further.. to make it more ME... I am contemplating changing my blog/shop over to my own name instead of a "shop" name. This is MY art... so I am wanting to make it more MINE. I may have to recreate this blog to change it. I'm not quite sure yet what I want to do.

Just a blip for today...

Im here.... somewhere!

It seems like I havent sat down long enough lately to post anything... really I have I just havent been able to articulate anything. I'm always distracted by other things.  I've made a few things and if it keeps raining today I might just get some pics uploaded...  I sold two pairs of earrings today.  Both I made for myself and one was my best piece yet.  My Mom freaked out on them and insisted on buying them.   I thought about it and gave in... Named a price for her I thought was "MOM Fair".    It gave me some spending money today and since I bought myself a delicious set of Lapis beads and a few others that called to me and asked to be something.    Todays purchases were the Lapis,  two different strands of a pretty pink jade coins and faceted rectangles and some rose quartz heishi and 3 strands of smooth pale pale amethyst  drops that the price was right on.    The coins are asking to be a bracelet.  The Lapis is too I think.. Though I cant decide if a necklace is more in order or not.    I also bought sterling earring backs with the intention of making another pair of my molten silver studs,  I really need to to more solder work and get comfortable again...  The gem show last weekend left town with me now owning a soldering stand, pickling tongs, soldering tweezers and bezel tools and a ring mandrel.... I need to use them! I'm finally working with REAL tools,  not makeshift stuff!    Im also going to try to take some pictures of the  little pyrite ammonites I bought.    It was a wonderful mothers day weekend.  Today wasnt so bad either!   Its cloudy and rainy now and pretty relaxing.  The kiddo should be having his grandma and grandpa time tonight so I hope to sleep late and relax in peace and quiet tommorow and maybe make something.

I almost forgot WHY I even posted...  I got bit by the really crazy rearranging bug and took over part of the kitchen/dining area for a work bench...  We have some of the garage sale(What the HECK are they really called) tables in storage,  I grabbed a short one and moved the mitche table out and took over the wall and window area.  NOW I have LOTs of room to work and put the computer AND room to pull another chair if hubby wants the computer while Im working AND Im going to rearrange more I think and move our big 55 gallon fishtank if hubby will cooperate(I dont blame him for NOT wanting to though...)  Move a shelf, put the tank next to the sectional,  and our freezer in its place and our breakfast table more in the kitchen area... Yeah I know needs pictures... Ill work on that too!.   

OK PICTURES ADDED!:

The new work area:

The earrings I love so much:

Pink Opal, keishi pearls and pink tourmaline on twisted earwires.

Happy Mothers day!

Happy Mothers day moms....

I am half sleep and contemplating going back to bed and snuggling under the covers for a few minutes.    I organized a lot of beads last night by color.   That made bedtime almost midnight... eek.  I have a LOT of beads.  I need more bead containers.  

I have 2 designs in the works and cant quite get them going.  I had another idea last night and I need my little sterling silver cones!!!  Of course I cant find them!  I am not pleased.  I am meticulous about my sterling silver stuff.  Why arent they where they should be????  grrr........

My boys just wandered outside.  Mmm.... if the tv were off it would be sooo peaeful...  I hope hubby is reading my mind and moving his hideously fugly offroading truck out of the driveway... its been parked in MY space for a few days while he finishes some stuff up in anticipation of a trip to Post next weekend... But it makes my SKIN CRAWL... its sooo ugly!   

Well I better check it out and see what they are plotting...

Checking in!

I AM still here...  some.   Been spending most of my time outside.  

I've gotten a couple things done lately but no pictures. i'm going to try to get going on that soon.  I've bought some awesome beads lately.  LOTS and LOTS of beads!  Been trying to get some necklaces done.  Working on a Peach Blossom Jasper necklace with pink coral and possibly pink opal clusters.  Also working on a Amazonite and Brone pearl necklace with a Aqua Terra Jasper pendant.  I've been eyeballing the conchoed western flip flops that are the big thing,  thinking I will make me a set if I get the chance.  I'm trying to get moving on getting back into my jewelry making mode....  Broke down today and made headpins and pulled out the pickle and warmer and tumbler and everything...  Guess I better use them all!   We stopped by Harbor Freight this morning and I bought a HUGE set of cable cutters that hubby said should be able to cut my super thick copper that I want to work with.  Got home nad dug them out and now I can find ANY of my copper!  What the heck?    They have a rolling mill we looked at  and I informed the hub that I want it too.. has to wait though its $200.   

Today was the first date for the Lubbock Art Market.   I am thinking of trying out a booth.   We checked it out today and it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be,  but I think it might be pretty nice if they get the word out.  Its restricted to handmade goods and includes produce and stuff from what I understand.   I dont think the word got out to much more than the artsy crowd.  I think there would be a great turnout if they geared it more towards the crafters also.   I met a gal that was really chatty about silversmithing and encouraging,  asking me what all I've learned...  stupid me clammed up.  Ugghh.... I hate it when I do that.  I cant do anything more than mumble polite mumbo...  I would have loved to talk to her.   I've moved past being a shy person so much that its extra weird when I cant make myself talk and chat.  So just in case she ever stumbles on this blog.... I REALLY wanted to talk to you,  but I could barely choke out the few answers I gave you....   Yeah... ME shy... seems weird I know... but it is what it is.    

Its late and I need to pull the headpins out of the tumbler and get my booty to bed.  Tommorow is mothers day.  We are taking my mom to Baskin Robbins for Daquiri Ice... She doesnt know it yet.   I just confirmed that they have it for the summer... hehe...  she loves it and they NEVER have it...    

Gnight all!

CUTENESS WARNING!

13 more chickies... mostly cochins,  2 mysteries. 

AND

Drumroll please!!!!!

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5 little bitty cute cuddly poopin stinkin ducklings...

Bad bad bad ....cuteness overload......

What do you get when you combine one indulgent loving marshmallow of a husband with one overlyspoiled no self control wife?????  

WARNING!  DO NOT GO TO TRACTOR SUPPLY, GEBOS, OR ANY FEEDSTORE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE SUCKED IN!!!!!

There are 10 little teeny tiny bantam fluffballs!   3 possibly 4 silkies, a handful that look like cochins and one little strawberry blond teeny tiny little thing that I have no clue what it is.  

This last weekend I bought two fully feathered Americauna chicks and intended to get some more this weekend... but when I stopped to get chicken food tonight TRactor supply had these guys... I couldnt resist... of course I am married to a man that is SUPPOSED to say NO!!! BUT instead he was scooping them out of there as fast as I was.....      

I am still considering getting out the incubator and getting some hatching eggs.... but at least I can start with these little buggers and get used to raising teensy weensy chicklets!!!

OH YEAH... I AM LOOKING FOR SOME TURKEYS TOO!!!!  MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Spring is almost here.... so Im not!!!

Its been unseasonably warm(except for that snow on Friday bleck...).
everything is turning green, the birds are on the prowl! The feed stores are getting in baby chicks! (WHY is this pertinent you ask????Muahahaha!!!! Cause I am getting some!!! So far I have 2 little Americauna pullets(young girl chickens.) and the plan is to take Wyatt to see the itty bitty baby chicks.... and probably bring some home(thinking barred rocks there...) I cant decide if I should go get a few more of the Americana pullets or not) Why Americanas??? Becuase instead of your boring white, or the pretty brown... they lay light blue or light green colored eggs... My only downfall will be ducklings! I must resist the ducklings!
Husband of mine is not too pleased... see once before we raised chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys you name it I had it.... until wandering dogs decided they were a tasty fun self propelled flock of cool toys.... Chainlink fences didnt even slow them down.... But I am trying again!

Of course with all the pretty weather I havent even tried to get anything done jewelry wise, I am to busy enjoying the outdoors.... so I am giving it up for a while. Ill get back to it eventually. I just need some time to be and outdoorsy farm girl for a while. I have a garden to get going (Brand new Raised beds with irrigation systems!!!!) Pretty soon if everything worked out like i hope I will be busy with a litter of Aussie puppies! My friend Stephanie is expecting Corgi puppies and I cant wait until they arrive. Life is just crammed packed full! With all the good comes bad too.... The CAR decided it doesnt like me and the overdrive went out on the tranny so we arent driving it... we are a single cab pickup family for a while.... which drives me INSANE!!! This comes a week AFTER the rear end on Mikes pickup died a loud screaming death... luckily his generosity towards the world was returned and instead of a $500 rebuild or a $100 complete rear end swap, a guy he recently helped out popped up with the parts he needed and he ended up spending $15 on seals. Happy dance! Just in time for the car to go caput.... at least they werent allat the same time... Cause sharing ONE pickup just wont work. we would KILL each other... So now we start pricing transmissions and deciding what to do.... I cant gripe too much cause all of our vehicles are paid for.
Lots of other stuff has gone on lately and I really need to take some pictures and upload others, but the sun shines and calls me outside to play in the dirt!!!!!

Of course...

So I took a picture of some actual jewelry making...
Of course My dear sweet loving honey brought me lunch
Of course My dear sweet loving honey asked for the picture card and the reader thingy...
Of course I didnt blink and eye and handed it to him.
Of course I totally forgot my intentions to post the pic I took.
Of course I hate posting pictures from the laptop at home.
Of course I will have to wait 3 extra hours for hubby to get home after I do tonight...
Of course I will have to call him 15 times to remind him to bring it home.
I just hope I wont be coming back to say:
Of course he forgot to bring it home....
he better not forget!

I have a pair of earring under construction that I am in love with....
pictures to come soon... possibly to be posted in my Etsy shop...
Of course..... I am pretty slow about all of that.
So of course no promises....

Happy Valentines Day!

Ok I have a rare few minutes of time to post while my hubby is gone dropping Wy off at my inlaws house for the night(yaay!).  I know I havent posted in a while but its been soooo busy.   Since my last post we have ripped all the carpet out of the living  room.  Installed a gorgeous new laminate wood floor(still finishing the kitchen area a little at a time) I got rid of tons of clutter stuff AND we bought a new(used) sectional couch that is just gorgeous and the price was perfect!  Im busting but going through tons of stuff and clearing out the excess..  We are such packrats!  I want a pretty uncluttered house.  We still have to paint,  and get quite a bit of stuff put up but its getting there.  ALready I can tell a difference in the ALLERGENS! without carpet!  Carpet holds so much dust and dander and heebiegeebies!  I am so relived to have it gone... Next when budget allows is removing the carpet in Wyatts room.   I havent made ANY jewelry in forever, but I have been stocking up on all the awesome beads I am always craving... green onyx, tourmaline, moonstone.... lampwork and more...   I just got a small order of silver so am hoping to stop running full blst long enough to make something tommorow.  Designs are rattling in my head like crazy.    

Today.. for Valentines... my dear hubby and I spent the day Offroading at the ranch in post with the 4X4 club.  Talk about COLD!  We even had a rumbly thunderstorm that iced on us... Not Rain.. ICE pellets!  It looked like it has snowed.  I have TONS of pics but of course no time to load them.     It was fun but exhausting.  

but Im am done blabbing for now and going to go wash trail dust off of me and relax... until tommorow.  Lots to get done!

Adventures in meatloaf with the new toy...

Here she is... My pretty new Kitchenaid Artisan Mixer

Our first adventure with the new toy... The one food I love... but hate the mixing part

MEATLOAF!

A little bread to start it off and make it moist... some mile and seasoning

goes in next but looks yucky so no pictures of that....

and we start putting in the hamburger.

and here it starts to go together and is about ready to go in the pan

In the pan ready to go in the oven.

And sooooooo tasty once it was done!

I hate hate hate making meatloaf! Mixing the meat is my least favorite thing in the world. This little baby made it soo easy though. The mixer washed clean with little more than a rinse. Everything washed up easily and I moved on to cake mix cookies(SOSO Easy) but I was getting tired and the kid was spazzing over cookie dough begging and the kitchen started to get messy like it always seems to when baking so I didnt manage to get any pictures. The cookies were sooo good though! Cake mix, oil, water and an egg I think it was and wala cookies to die for. I love making cookies from scratch, but sometimes you just need an easy mix type to get you buy in a pinch and this is it. I made mine with a Strawberry cake mix. Yum. Next time I want to try pinapple and a few others.. Lemon maybe.