Random thoughts

Next weekend is my annual journey to South Dakota to visit my good buddies Sue and Cathie. I know, traveling to south Dakota in Winter seems **insane**! but they are worth it.

For the last several years I've either gone to South Dakota or met them Mid-way in Omaha or Minneapolis and we spend our time together gabbing, eating, and making jewelry.

I always bring lots of beads and jewelry components to play with, but I always try to plan out specific projects to work on. I can't bring my whole workroom (though hubby, who carries it all out to the car, thinks I do) so if I don't plan things out I will get down there and get excited about a piece and not have that perfect finding or bead to finish it. While my buddies are very good at sharing, we all have different stashes and tools. It still happens of course, because sometimes your design changes in mid-creation.

That's one of the things I'm doing today... pulling out my idea files and making up "kits" to work on while we visit, gab and sing along to our favorite songs.

I never get everything done that I pull, but that's OK.. sometimes it's nice to have something ready to work on when you aren't feeling the inspiration.

I've also been working on round 2 of applications.

This summer is going to be strange as I've had to block out 6 weekends in a row. We are planning on a huge summer trip, but the timing isn't completely nailed down, so I'm leaving those weekends free for now to be flexible as possible for the trip.

This means that I will be doing fewer shows this year. Even once we have vacation plans firmly fixed, I will have missed my window on most show applications for those dates.

While I might be able to find a pick up show here or there, it feels strange that I might be taking such a huge break in the summer.. it would be the first time in probably 10 years to have such a gap during show season.

Course since most of what I apply to is juried, there is always a chance I won't get into anything!! and boy wouldn't that leave a gap! LOL

OK, I"m not that pessimistic about juries, but you can't count on a show until they send you a letter of acceptance, even if you have been in that show before. You can do things to increase the likelihood of getting into a show ( good professional slides, follow the directions exactly, etc) but it's really a crap shoot.

Little Girl and Jerry are gone this weekend, so I've declared it a PJ day.. all weekend! I also get to cook foods they don't like but I love and never get when they are around. (I'm baking oatmeal scotches later this afternoon.. doesn't that sound yummy?? )

I just got a huge order of brass stampings in..... and I'm sorting them by color and subject. I love organizing components!! I've got my sketch book handy and I've jotted down a couple of ideas as they occur... and at least 2 of them are in my pile for Girls' weekend projects.

I have another pound to sort through .... I'm guessing I'll be adding another project or two!

And I'm reading off and on my newest Georgette Heyer, "A Civil Contract". It's not as funny as some of her works but it's been a very good read so far.

I am currently working on another fused glass cab / brass etched plate combo, among other projects. What I don't work on this weekend will most likely end up in the trip pile.