Is “Depth” what matters?  We are taught that what we are on the inside means more than the outside.  We are taught that our character will take us further than our outward appearances.  We have read “The Ugly Duckling” as kids and have seen every other kind of book and/or movie like that!  I know that he turned into a beautiful swan on the outside BUT i feel it was the character building and trauma he went through that led to his “depth” of real beauty!  I am not sure they really got that story right since he did not remain broken from his outward appearance by perservering through it, just that he finally became a beautiful swan.  Soooo, in my ramblings I created a bead that is different on both sides and it has true beauty within, encased inside of a bright layer of crystal clear glass!  Enjoy!  I wore this to my daughters volleyball banquet the other night after i got it out of the kiln!  I had a lot of people stop me and say “Is that one that you made”?  and “wow, i did not think you were THAT good”, and i respond “Please child, never underestimate a woman who eats chocolate while torching”!!!! Ha ha ha!

 Oh, and you really need to see this in person because I STILL cannot capture some of the goings on in this bead, ugh!!!

  (Who is that vision of beauty???)

So you all know that really i am quite crazy, and apparently not looking too great in this photo op!!  Ha Ha!  I was reading it (i love the Ellen show), and it just spoke to me when i read the interview with Ellen and Oprah!  You know, Ellen seems like such a genuine person and she has always been someone i love since i have such a love for animals as well.  The reason i had to run to the computer and write this little ditty (well, not a ditty, but it sounded good) is because there were two quotes in this article that really spoke to my heart.  We have all had ups and downs in our lifetime and some of them not so good.  I have had some personal struggles from some really horrible incidents in my lifetime and I have always tried to remember that they have built character in me and have made me the person i am today whether it was hard or not.  Soooo (there’s a point to all of this), when i saw these two quips, i had to share!!!!

 The first one is on page 225 of the December Issue:

“Personality can open doors but only character can keep them open!”  ~  author unknown to me

The second one is on page 276:

“Cracks in your heart let the sun shine through”  ~  a quip from Diane Sawyer to Ellen (Diane read it somewhere)

Soooo, what can we learn from this?  That we are all human and our journey is not complete without ALL of the ups and the downs?  That we should always stay true to who we are (this is what i think about the first one), or that people know when they see truth from people and shy away from the fakeness?  What about the cracks, wow, that is just soooo true! 

 Hey, on another front I want to take a poll of my readers here in Cincinnati Ohio!!  How many of you would love to order beads and then see me make it right in front of you???  Just a poll, nothing organized or anything, just wondering!!!!!  Or, how about if you bought a present (a bead of course) for someone and then they get to come with you and see me make it for them, maybe even a bead for them and the same bead for you, a connection between the two of you…… I don’t know, just wondering again!!  Ok people, i have to stop wondering and get my behind to the studio and make beads for “The Good Life” in Surf city New Jersey!!!  Have a great week!  More pics at the end or maybe even the middle of the week!!!!  Oh, and anyone who wants to be my friend on facebook, sign up and look for me so i can chat with you and also know what you would like to see!

Here are a few of the beads leaving out today for the Silver Rabbit in Michigan!!  There are single beads as well i just did not feel like taking snaps of them.  If you are familiar with my beads, you are aware of their size, lol!  The showstopper bead (black white and pink triangles) is quite large and will look awesome with a black outfit, or white, oh my!!  I almost kept it, ha!!  So is the “Spartan country” set with green/dichro/and flowers in the bottom one.  I am off to get oxygen for the torch, go to the bank and pick of the kids, well the teenagers that inhabit my car AND my house all the time!!  I guess i am happy that they all choose to hang at my house with Anna than her being gone all the time.  There is a visitation tonight for one of Anna’s classmates who died this week.  It was a very sad situation and make sure you hug your children and always give them hope no matter what!!! 

I hope the day is finding you all well and happy!!  I have been in the basement working on my next batch of beads for the Silver Rabbit in Michigan.  I will soon be working on beads for The Good Life in Surf City New Jersey.  They are open through December!  They will then go on hiatus through the winter and early spring and will reopen in May.  I will then start sending them a lot of beads since it is a busy time for them. 

The Yelton’s Grand Opening went absolutely wonderful and there were many people who came out in support of the new store.  It is amazing how much they did to get ready for that on the heels of a very mentally and physically exhausting month and the loss of their owner and patriarch family member Roy Yelton!  He would have been soooo proud and i just know he had the best seat in the house in heaven. 

Here are some of the beads that were in the case (some still are) for the opening!