I’ve updated my banner! I even put the MONTH on there instead of a generic season. Because I plan on updating it again NEXT MONTH!

I know. Shocking. I hope you were sitting down. Here it is:
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It occurred to me that a lot of the time I struggle to do all the things I WANT to do because I don’t think I have enough TIME.

I don’t blog as much as I want to — not enough time.

I don’t create NEW jewelry as much as I want to – not enough time.

I don’t stop and play with my kids as much as I want to should – not enough time!

I know this is really all bullshit. I have plenty of time if I would just DO IT ALREADY. It’s this mindset of — but I work full time, but I have a husband and 2 kids, but I need to clean the kitchen, but I really want to watch old episodes of Doctor Who while I sit here and make copies of jewelry I’ve already made — it really is bullshit. Just clutter in my head that I need to clear out to make room to DO IT ALREADY.

So this is a new years resolution. There’s lots I can do — even if I don’t have hours of time at my disposal. If I have 10 minutes – I can jot my thoughts right here in this blog. I can doodle in my sketchbook. I can grab a nerf gun and/or barbie doll and fire away/braid away.

Here’s to getting past all the stuff I need to do to the stuff I WANT to do — 10 minutes at a time.

And that’s 10 minutes. I’m off to my first enameling class of the term now! Can’t wait!

-amy

It’s national Delurking day! And what better way to celebrate than to stop lurking about on my own blog?

Today is the day to come on out of the woodwork and make yourself heard — comment away — all 2 of you who still have this old blog in your google reader 🙂

I know vague directives to “comment away” makes me want to just click away, so how about this — tell me what name you WISHED you had been given by your parents. Either now, or maybe when you were a kid, or whatever. I’ll go first.

When I was eight and me and my best friend pretended to be princesses/ pirates/ mermaids/ stowaways/ treasure hunters/ horses/ unicorns/ pegasus/ flying unicorn pegasus/ enter-your-chosen-pretend-personae-here, I always wanted to be named Alexa, Alexia, Alexandria, or Diana. I thought they were just the most beautiful names in the world.

I’m fine with Amy now though 🙂

As you may or may not know, James and I will be moving our family to Denver, CO this summer. (ahem. I haven’t been that prolific on this here blog, of late, so if you didn’t know, uhh…. now you know! We’re plannin’ a move, and are very excited about it!)

Which means this will be my last term teaching at Stars Beads in the Washington DC metro area! (Northern VA to be exact.)

I decided to make my very last class at Stars, a project that is very near to my heart, and also one of my best selling kits – the Shenandoah pendant. In every one of my classes, there is always someone that spots this piece and asks when it will be taught in a class. For some reason, I’ve always held back on making a class for it, but if you are one of these folks who have begged me for it — now’s your chance! I decided I might as well go out with a bang for my very last class at Stars — my “going away” class, if you will, we will be making the Shenandoah Pendant.

I’ve also added another new class – full persian. This one will be lots of fun, I just love this weave, it’s so slinky and SEXY!

I’m also doing some old favorites — Celtic Visions bracelet, and the Celtic Visions Star Pendant, and Byzantine Love Knot bracelet.

With the price of sterling silver reaching for the sky, I will be bringing project kits in sterling, copper, and jewelry brass to all my classes so that you can pick whatever metal you like, and even mix them up.

Hope to see you there!!

Saturday, January 22, 10-2pm Byzantine Love Knots Bracelet class Stars Beads Vienna, VA	Saturday, January 29, 10-2pm Celtic Visions Bracelet class Stars Beads Vienna, VA	Saturday, February 12, 10-2pm Full Persian Bracelet class Stars Beads Vienna, VA
Sunday, February 13, 12-4pm Celtic Visions Star Pendant class Stars Beads Vienna, VA	Last Going Away Class! Sunday, April 3, 12-4pm Shenandoah Pendant class Stars Beads Vienna, VA