Is there anything better than waking up to a sale? If your life revolves around art and ETSY, then the answer is probably No. I sold Speed Racer this morning, and it made my Friday :)

It's strange that when I become discouraged about my jewelry, that's usually when I sell something. Yesterday, and all this week really, I was down and out and not feeling creative in the least. I refused to get my supplies out because I felt like it was just a waste of time. I hate that I allow myself to feel that way, but I suppose it's just a part of life. I let my lack of confidence get in the way of doing something that I really love, something that makes me very happy and proud of myself. Creating becomes a chore when I'm in my discouraged moods, and that's not how it should be!

The sale of one necklace is enough to keep me going though, and now I want to create more! On average, I make 5 new necklaces for every 1 I sell, which is a pretty good system!

Lesson to learn: Keep that confidence up and NEVER let creativity become a chore. Use your God-given talents to create and appreciate the wonderful world of art!

TGI Friday's

Just a helpful tip during this time of economic difficulty....

If you love TGI Friday's, here's a link to a great coupon that you should take advantage of! My husband and I used it this weekend and it was fabulous!

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dq9z384_38fwdptmfs

Just print it out, take it in, and then ENJOY!

*Just to be on the safe side, check with your waitor/waitress before using. There shouldn't be a problem, but just play it safe :)*

Bah. It's time to start prepping for the GRE yet again. I hate that test so much! The first time around I hardly studied as much as I should have ( I can admit that now), and this time I want to do it up right. If only it were that easy...

If you've ever taken the GRE, any advice/tips/prayers would be appreciated.

Spread Awareness and Rock the Red Pump!

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is Tuesday, March 10th. It's a nationwide initiative to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women & girls and encourages ladies to take action. The concept is simple: Rock the Red Pump on your blog to represent the strength and courage of women fighting HIV/AIDS or affected by the disease both directly and indirectly.

To find out more information and how you can help, visit: http://www.theredpumpproject.com/

14 Inches of Snow

Well, we got a total of 14 inches of snow on Sunday night, thus shutting down the entire county and giving me a day off! I spent the day making jewelry and posting it on my etsy site. Time consuming and somewhat dull, but it needed to be done. The one great thing that came from all of the snow was seeing my Dachshund, Alfie, playing in it :) He's so light that he didn't even fall through the snow! Here's a picture of my little handsome man playing outside :)

Hello World!

Well, I finally did it. I got a Blog, and although I’m excited, I honestly have no idea how to write and/or manage a Blog. I suppose trial and error with aid me through this process.

A little about me….I am an independent jewelry designer from New York. I enjoy being creative (through any means), but lately jewelry has been my passion. I usually dream up all of my pieces and then make them the next day. I never thought that I would actually dream about making jewelry, but there is something so very exciting about beads! I sound like a crazy person, but beads are the most exciting thing to me at this time in my life. They might be small and insignificant to some, but to me, the colors and patterns spark my creativity and I get inspired daily! Constant inspiration is pretty wonderful if i do say so myself.

See what I mean about the colors? Simply gorgeous.

Last night my husband and I travled into Brooklyn to see Mabou Mines performance of Ibsen’s “Dollhouse.” Now, if you are reading this and you plan on seeing this production, I warn you that I will most likely spoil it for you…so read or don’t read, it’s up to you.

The venue, St. Ann’s Warehouse, was really amazing. It is an actual warehouse that sits between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The area of Brooklyn, called DUMBO, was amazing! I highly suggest visiting if you have a chance. The area is filled with cute brownstone’s, quirky restaurants, and the view! The view of Manhattan is breathtaking! Just walking down the sidestreets is an adventure that one shouldn’t miss.

The play….well, the play was avant-garde and unapologetic. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this play (as I was before seeing it), it is about a woman who gets herself into trouble over money. Her husband finds out what she has done, rebukes her, and then the woman leaves him and their children. Can you catch the feminist undertones?

The production was beautifully done, from the costumes and the set to the gorgeous red curtains that engulfed the entire audience. The actors were amazing! The male actors were all between 40 to 53 inches tall, and the women were almost 6 feet tall. However, the women stayed on their knees or seated for the majority of the play. Still, the images they created just with their body language and poses were unforgettable. One scene in particular had a young girl (a primordial dwarf who only weighs 25 pounds), gazing up at a skeletal-like woman who was on stilts! This woman must have been 12 to 15 feet in the air, and the young girl stood only 37 inches tall. I can’t even describe how powerful of an image that was! The director was absolutley brilliant at creating all sorts of visual effects with his actors. I loved it!

A few things I could have done without, but I do see the artistic/theatrical necessity in them….Nudity. I could have done without the nudity. I realize that this is avant-garde and is supposed to make you uncomfortable, but I still didn’t like it. I can appreciate it… but not like it. Going to this play, I was not hoping to see a naked man, let alone a naked woman. Full frontal naked lady was not on my agenda, but again, I can appreciate the artistic value. There was also some very awkward lip-synching that I think the play could have done without, but it was still entertaining. All in all….I think this was a great play, but I would not suggest it to everyone. If you dig avant-garde, go for it! If you’re tired of classic Broadway shows, go for it! If, however, you prefer to not look outside of the box, and not to be artistically challanged/made uncomfortable, don’t go for it!

What I took from this experience….Don’t be afraid of your art. As of late I have doubted my art and felt that it was useless and no good. I constantly go up and down with how I feel about what I’ve created…I wonder if anyone else will appreciate the time and creativity I have put in to every piece. After seeing this production, I really admire the (for lack of a better word) balls it takes to trust your art and not care what others think. It definitely encouraged me to continue with my art and not concern myself with petty doubts.