Happy Thoughts..... instead....

by MaryAnn Carroll

I was going to write a blog post with another one of my pet peeves, which happens to be pricing way too low just to get sales, along with what I think is a little dishonesty when selling. But since life has been exceptionally difficult for the past couple of months, I decided to keep it light and share the things that make me happy.  I'll save my pet peeves for another day...

So....  here is my happiness....  my family..... My sister lives about four hours away and we don't get together as often as we should, but when we do, it is always special.....  Here is a little tour of that week.... not quite in order.

Here is my first born granddaughter Lacey getting a ceramic bead making lesson......

That's right, sweety..... you roll it up in a ball.....

and now you are going to roll the ball into a snake.... she loves snakes!!!

see what I mean....

and then, we will cut the snake up in sections as evenly as possible.... or not so even if you are like Nonnie.....

and there you have it.....  She IS like Nonnie ;o)

I did manage to save a few before I noticed that she re-started the ball rolling process with the completed beads ....

My present and future bead makers..... my son Ben who helps me with my bead  making, his son Benny and my granddaughter Chole, Lacey's sister.....

We definitely were focusing on our creative side this week...   My nieces Juls and Izzy were getting their hair done by my daughter Theresa while they glazed bisqued molds.

We also took a trip to the bead store....

The girls decided that they would rather learn how to make charm bracelets rather than stringing beads...

Looking like professionals with the jewelry tools.....

Juls..... almost done....

and Izzy making sure she counts the correct number of links before adding the next charm....

My niece Nat had more fun browsing....

Then we all got together at the end of the week.....

After the photo shoot,  I decided it was probably a better idea to leave the picture taking to a professional..... As you can see we have some squirmers, some not putting their best faces on, etc.,.....

but what I do have is my family.... and I am thankful for the time that I have with them....

My sons, my daughters-in-law, my sister, my husband, my nieces and grandchildren.....

Before they left to head home, I gave Izzy a quick lesson on how to make a link from a bead so that she could create her own charms....  As soon as she arrived home, she did exactly that....  Colleen sent me this picture that evening with Izzy (age 9)  modeling the charm necklace that she created ENTIRELY by herself!

Impressed?  I was.....  I'm pretty sure her future holds a career in fashion.....

Hey, Maire!  I am wearing the necklace that you made :O)   ....  LOVE IT!!!!

If you are ever in the area of Cortland, NY.....check out a great little bead store called Beads and Beyond. 

Click HERE for the website.