Thanks to everyone who came to my sale… over two weeks ago! Sheesh. That’s how busy and distracted I’ve been. There are a few things still available in case you missed the premier, so have a look at my shop if you’re so inclined. It really made my weekend and I turned a little bit of some of that into a big, fat calzone feast. I had a couple of sales last year, but they didn’t feel like quite the accomplishment this one did… I think it was because I listed 13 items rather than the usual 4 or 5. Also, maybe it was because it was the first sale after the big uproot. Getting back to business, which naturally included some much-needed creativity, has helped me feel more settled. I’m about to get back on the burners full time… I’ve got most of the glass where it goes, the tools are laid out, the bead room is somewhat organized and comfy and the end of summer is near.
This sale was also a good gauge for what everyone was most interested in, and will help me decide what to focus on. Obviously, lampwork sets and focal beads – I know you guys have been itching for some of that. I’ve been told that so many other lampwork bead makers have stopped producing, and I’ve considered doing that myself a time or two over the last few years, due mainly to difficult life circumstances. I decided it would be even more of a hassle to sell it, and I’m glad I was in a too much of a hazy and confused state of mind to go through with it.
I’ve felt pretty down these last several months, as you can probably understand. Avoiding shops and restaurants and pretty much everything fun, added to the stress of moving and not being able to find things, and just the state of the whole world in general was really getting to me. My frustration had reached critical mass at the beginning of last week, and I know I was not pleasant to be around and was trying to keep to myself, but I needed laundry soap. My favorite thrift store was close by so I decided to stop in and immediately spotted a highly sought-after perfume in the display case. The lady behind the counter approached me and asked if I needed to see anything, and I pointed to the Miss Dior Cherie (!) and said “I’mma need this.” Then I found a big bag of vintage sewing things, including old zippers, threads on wooden spools, and carded colorful lucite buttons, and a random package of luggage locks. All of it, including the perfume, was $11. Since my luck seemed to be up, I went to another thrift store and found a bag of vintage sequins and beads, and a bag of vintage colorful DMC crochet thread, again, for about $11. THEN I went to the Goodwill by my house and found a shirt I tried to buy at Target two years ago. I couldn’t even believe it. Mom and I went to 4 different Targets and NONE of them had this shirt in my size… but lo and behold, there it was, in MY size, hanging on the visible side of a gap on a rack… that heavy, velvety, chartreusey olive green thing I agonized over for a couple of days and finally gave up on, but still thought about wistfully from time to time. And for $6. What a day! I needed it. The next day Mom and I hit a few shops and I spotted a pair of sweater Uggs just like the ones my sister bought several years ago, and I really liked them but at the time I couldn’t possibly justify the new Ugg price for a pair of sweaters to wear on my legs, but for $15 in good condition, that decision was easy to make.
But enough of that kind of fun, back to the grind, can’t spend any more money or acquire more things… Rona rages on, so no more of that for a while until I can’t stand it anymore. I’ve always been perfectly happy to not leave the house for days at a time, but I do enjoy my thrift stores and mall walks and perfume sniffing marathons, and I’d rather be confined by choice rather than by necessity. Good thing I have plenty of sparkly things to play with and my own perfume to sniff and beads to make and cats to dote on and food to peck at.
Toodles for a short while, beads are being made, and more sale fun will be had very soon. Thanks for visiting!!!
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