Oh My Goodness,

So much has happened since I last posted on here.  I have stitched as much as I have been around in the last couple of years.  Not long after my last post on here, we learned some very heart breaking things that had happened in our family and had to put everything on hold to deal with that.  During my absence I have also lost two family members that were dear to my heart my grandfather and my great-aunt. On a positive note, we as a family are on the mend, and all of us are back in the home again after a very long 5 years of my oldest being out for treatment. I hope to be able to be around more often now.

Where oh Where did time go

Wow, I did not realize that it had been almost a month since I lasted posted anything on here.  I do apologize, to my loyal followers and any visitors, for my absence.  The past several weeks has seen many things but stitching was not one of them, unfortunately. 

Some of you may recall that in my last post I had finally figured out what I wanted to be when I groi up.  Well, I have since then opened up two online shops.  One is an etsy.com shop and the other is one i purchased.  I am excited to have them up and running, but really discouraged with the lack of visits or sales.

 Long story short, I had been hoping that this would take off and I could quit working and concentrate on jewelry making and stitching until I could actually get a brick and mortar store up and going.  I do not mind working, but when you wake up everyday and dread going to work, it's time to do something different.  I used to love my job, but recently with all that has gone on with my children, the added stress from my job is almost overwhelming.  I ended up having to take some time off just to keep from going postal on someone.  I do not want to sound like I am whining or complaining, so forgive me if I do.  I would greatly appreciate it if you all would just visit each of my sites and let me know what you think.  I would love some honest opinions on the layout of my personal site and the of the jewelry itself.  I am not asking you guys to buy anything so please do not feel pressured, of course, I will not be upset if you do.  I really want this to take off and turn into something I could do full time.  Please let me know if you think I have what it takes in regards to the jewelry designing.  I am going to attempt my first ever craft show mid june.

I am sorry that my stitching blog has turned into something other than a stitchy blog.  Once I get enough product built up I will once again go back to stitching.  Maybe since I am off on Sunday and this is IHSW I will stitch the day away on Sunday.

Until next time, happy stitching to those of you who are stitching.

Oops, I guess you guys might need some websites huh.   http://www.rabeadsdesign.com/ and at etsy.com the shop is listed under rabeadcreations or raggedde ann's bead designs
Thanks again to all of you

Amanda

So, I finally know...

So, at long last, I have finally decided what I want to do when I grow up.  I mentioned in my last post a couple of weeks ago that I was taking a stitching break to work on some beading.  Well, I have discovered that I absolutely love making jewelery and the ideas come so easily.  I have decided that I am going to try to open my own business making and selling beaded jewelery and other beaded items.

  I have several design ideas in mind for some christmas ornaments and a couple of support ribbon necklaces.  I can not wait for the time to sit down and actually draw the designs out in a beaded pattern.  Right now I have been busy making earrings, braclets, and necklaces.  Tonight, I bought a display to put some of the finished products on so that I can get some better quality pictures without my "work" mess in the background.  I can't decide whether or not I should go ahead and post the pictures I have so far here or wait until I have some better ones so that I can show my work off here. 

I am trying to decide how to start out, if I want to start out online or just at flea markets and local beauty shops and maybe try to work some craft shows.  Do any of you have any suggestions or helpful information.  I would appreciate any feedback or ideas you all have to offer. 

Ok, so I can't stand it.  I know you all like pictures so I will show a few just remember they are not good pictures, they are just the ones I snapped to send to my husband when I would finish somethhing or have a question about a certain piece. 

This is what I call blue teardrop set this is before I actually put it together.  This is the final version of this particular design

This is what I referr to as my green earrings.  I think this is my favorite pair so far

This is another version of the blue teardrop necklace before I made my mind up which one I liked best.  With this version there was not enough of the blue teardrop beads to make the bracelet or

 earrings I wanted without going back out to town to get more.

So there you have a preview of what i've been working on.  I plan on having a website set up in the next few days and I have an email that I will be using strictly for this purpose, rabeadcreations@live.com feel free to let your friends know.  I will let you know when I have the website up and running. 

I did not mean for this to become such a runaway post, I just had a lot I felt the need to share with you all tonight.

I will be back in a couple of weeks with some stitching updates and pictures.

Until next time happy stitching and have an enjoyable weekend.

Amanda

Busy...Busy..Busy

It seems like I am always busy, but feels like nothing ever gets accomplished.  I have set my stitching aside for a few weeks to pursue beading.  I've beaded a few small project before, but I am currently working on a braclet that seems to be taking forever to get anything done on, but I guess that is okay since I am teaching myself as I go.  It seems I never start any new project or hobby the easy way I always dive in head first so, it's either sink or swim.  I will try to upload some progress pictures later, I can't find the battery charger cord for my camera and it's just a pain to get pictures from my phone to the computer.  I guess ultimately I am just too lazy to do it. 

I have stitched some since my last post a couple of weeks ago. I worked mainly on the nutcracker stocking for all of Feb and a couple of days in March.  I will post my official updates for everything once I find my cord or buy a new one. 

In other areas my youngest son is a very sick little man right now.  He has been running a fever and has a horrible cough.  I have been debating all evening on wether or not to take him to the emergency room.  Since he is finally sleeping and not coughing I think I will take him to an urgent care clinic in the morning. 

Happy St. Patrick's day to everyone.  Have a wonderful stitch filled weekend.

Amanda

Finally the weekend and a question

I hope everyone had a productive week this past week. I had a long week at work and a short week at home this past week.  I think today was the first day I've had off in a while where I have not had a long list of appointments and obligations to fulfill.  I did clean house a bit today, not nearly as much as needed to be done, but enough.  For the first time in who-knows-how-long I felt like cooking a meal and having company.  Tonight I plan on sitting in my happy chair and stitching until I fall asleep.  I have not been able to pick up a needle and thread in a couple of weeks now, so I am beginning to think that maybe my mojo is leaving again. 

Now I have a stitchy related question.  I have never really used any particular rotation system, but I have a lot of things I need and want to work on and can not come up with a way to work on all of them.  How do you make it work for you?  Do you stitch on one until its done, especially if it's an obligaiton stitch,? do you rotate out weekly, monthly? or as the mood hits?  I would really like to know what some of you have found that works for you.  I just can't seem to find anything I am happy with and spend more time trying to decide what to stitch on than actually stitching. 

Hopefully, by the end of tomorrow or Sunday before I go to work I will have some stitchy pictures to share with everyone, but until then happy stitching and enjoy your weekend.

Amanda

Nonstitch related post

I want to thank you all for the get well wishes over the past few days.  They have certainly paid off.  I was finally able to go see my son this past weekend.  The drive to the new facility was a much better drive than the previous one had been.  I do not know how long he will be gone, but at least the trip will be much more pleasant. 

I had planned on stitching in the motel room friday night, but by the time my mom and I actually got to spend any time in the room we were both so tired we just went to bed early.  Saturday was the drive home and a long night at work. Sunday was spent sleeping and working and a dinner date with my husband and younger son. 

I think this week, I have nothing that has to be done on my days off.  I am gratefully looking forward to a couple of days of lazing around in my stitchy chair.

Until next time happy stitching.

Amanda

Another update and some pictures

Hello everyone, I hope each of you are well.  It has been another crazy few days around here.  I am mostly over the bronchitus I had, I still have a bit of a cough.  I am hour number 36 without sleep, so I am beginning to feel a little sleep deprived, only a few more hours worth of work to get done then I can go to bed.  So please forgive me if I wander and am not very coherent tonight.

As for my IHSW,  I do not have much progress to show. I am so upset with myself I haven't even taken very many pictures.  I did manage last weekend while I was so sick to get the face of a nutcracker backstitched, but that is really all of the stitching I did on the official weekend of hermitting.  I had planned on using this week's days off which were today and tomorrow to do more hermitting, but as it turns out I spent today working on stuff for work, and I spent many hours on the phone dealing with stuff.  Tomorrow morning I am heading to Springdale AR, to see my son.  I am hoping that I will have a little time tomorrow evening to stitch  in the motel room.  Rest assured now that I am mostly caught up on work stuff, I will be stitching after work instead of working more.  I have my fingers and toes crossed that by Monday afternoon I will have more pictures to share.





As for my TUSAL update, I did not take a new picture of my ort jar for the simple reason it doesn't really look any different than it did last month. 

In other news, I did get Holiday Highlights back from being framed and have a picture of the finished product to show off.  That is one UFO I can mark off my list completely now.  Sorry, this is not the best picture I have taken.

I thought I would post a picture of my son.  This was taken several months ago. I can not believe how tall he is, especially since I am so short and round.  Due to the circumstances of why he is in treatment I really have mixed emotions about the trip tomorrow. Overall, I am looking forward to seeing him again.  This past year has been really hard on me only seeing him once a month and sometimes not even that.  There were even times when only seeing him that often was too much.  I wish I felt more comfortable talking about what is going on, but I just can't publically yet. 

I guess I have rambled long enough tonight, time to get some more work done so I can take a nap.  Until next time happy stitching.

Amanda