Don't BLINK

SO here's how it goes...  Every year I sign up for the Bead Soup Blog Party..   I go shop at the Intergem show. I bring home more item's than I can possibly use because I am just always busy, busy with "things".   I select my items..  I take a photo that looks like this

  Then I pack it all up and send it off to the recipient Beth Petricom ..
As I am trying to get this all together this year, I get a call from my husband while I am at work.  My Brother In Law was working as a motorcycle escort for a funeral in Boise, ID.  Someone decided that waiting for the procession to finish wasn't on his game plan.  Pushed his way into the traffic and tore the front of Micheal's cycle right off.  He ended up under the cycle, crushed his hands, pelvis and there was some internal bleeding.   I wanted to run to her side RIGHT then.  I mean this is the most LIFE altering moment since her daughter's birth!!  For a change I am in the States, I can GO!  Everything in me said GO!!  She said 'STAY!!"  I have this.  so for 2 weeks, I stayed. I worried, I fretted.  I am really good at these things as most people know..
  Things were looking better.   He was having some surgeries.  They might have all the bill's paid for.  He may never have full use of his hands, but hey what's a bunch of hard ware among friends right??? Don't mind those metal bit's in his pelvis and the fact that he has to use a specially modified walker to get around.  I truly hope what ever he was in a hurry for, while flipping people off was worth what happened.
   Then it came.   My niece is home schooled, usually monitored by??  You guessed it. Michael.  Teresa had to start working full time a bit ago to get health care (OMG was that not lucky???) and they have a home business that supports it's self ( the most amazing luggage tag's, name tag's you could ever want) Crew Tags but needed her attention in the evenings for a bit when she got home. WHAT to do?  I called work, told them I was going to be gone for 3 weeks, slapped a Dean R. Koontz book in the player and off I went.
   Now in a corner of your mind I am sure your thinking "what the heck does this have to do with Bead Soup Blog Party!!" ...   Well while all this was going down, I realized that my box hadn't gotten mailed!!  So as I am packing to go I am throwing the box in the mail and not EVEN thinking "WAIT what about MY BOX!!"
   I  get to Boise, and settle into a routine with Sydney Ann..   Let's review it ok?? Aunt Arlene when mom get's home can we go to "Hobby Lobby"??  What is Hobby Lobby Sydney Ann??  Oh YOU'LL see!!    So off we went..

 And I found this! Wow the stand up dohicky is perfect for all the ribbon, soft flex and a couple other odds and ends we have been getting together for a project.  Of course the note book with a clip will be PERFECT for making said bracelets on!  RIGHT!! :)

Then I bought this stuff to make brass look like enamel.  Well silly me I thought I only needed the powder.   So we ended up having to go back so we could get the REST of the stuff for it.  Thank you Ice Resin and Iced Enamels.  WELL DONE!!  Which of course meant we had to make sure we had stuff to do it WITH as well.





Then of course Miss Sydney Ann needed a box like mine, a notebook for her bracelets, scissors, a note pad mouse pad and some beads to make some really adorable cassette tape earrings


Now, I love my sister. I really REALLY do..  But you know she always thought it was so hard to follow behind me..   She never EVER realized how hard it was to grow up knowing she was behind me.  You see how nice and neat poor Sydney's messes work area is??

Now look at mine!!  This is after 4 days of sorting organizing and cleaning out all the stuff I brought over.   It's lovely to be down to way less (you'll have to wait to see that photo later!!)   Her whole HOUSE looks like something on a T.V. show clean wise..  Mine?? NOT so much!!!


   She does have me pegged though  Here's the ending thought for the day!!  You never know what will happen in any given day, week, month or year.   I have lost several good friends in the last year with little to know warning.  As I left to come here? I hugged a good friend who was really sick with lung problems and general crappy health.  She was sent home with 6 months to a year.   4 days after I arrived, I was notified there would be no happy reunion in three weeks.  She had passed.   She is in SUCH a happier spot for now.  I pray daily for her husband and kids though.  It's so hard to lose a parent no matter if it is time or not!.  Why some are spared when others are not is a big mystery that one day we will get answers to..
in the mean time...

Bead Soup Blog 2014

       So every year I do the same thing here.  I sign up for Bead Soup Blog Party  I am really super excited, I start planning..  I start looking at what I have, What they have... What should I send? What shouldn't I send?  What if they hate what I send?? What if everyone else get's amazing stuff and I just sent "ok" stuff..

      WHAT what WHAT to do???  Do I find really unusual stuff I keep meaning to use, but never get around to (yes yes I know that you can tell by my blog, that of late there is very little I have been trying..) or do I find stuff that she's used before.....


      URGH!!!  So what is it that can fix it..    I know!!  THANK YOU INTERGEM!!!  Once more my friend Leila of MaeBeads went off to Seattle with me so we could check out the Intergem show.   WOO HOO!!  Day off work and a day with someone I miss being able to spend more time with!!!  Lucky me~
 There is always all sorts of stuff to pick up and some of it you look at and go HMMM  if I can't figure it out, could they???  I mean these are just cool no??   I ended up not getting them.. Now I sorta wish I had...

      So here it is.  What's worse is every year I walk away wishing I had bought something after all or that I bought more of something.  This year it was some just funky pearls.  I think you can barely see those tropical pearls running in there.  A friend said "oh make me a necklace!!"  I was like "um I only bought one strand (what the heck WAS I THINKING)"  and after much inner hoarder turmoil, I am working on that necklace for her.  It would have been a lot better if I had bought 3 strands.. But she'll like it or I get to keep it right!!  :) Win WIN!!
       These are all the goodies  I have added  to the mess of things I need to choose from!!  Here they are!!  The things I picked up are interesting and way not unusual, but I still am not any closer to picking out what I am going to send to my new partner for this year's Bead Soup Blog Party . 

      I am going to have to post this post..  Figure out what my lovely partner needs to get to stimulate HER for the next year!!  I mean really!! Beth Petricoin does incredible work.  LOOK at some of the amazing things Beth's done with NOTHING.  I mean really this is all the stuff  WE throw away!! One More Use (Etsy) and Create My World Designs and on top of that is Create My World.....  

So here it is..  This is some of the stuff I am trying to choose between!!  What to do!!


Another year of stress that I obviously must really need cause I keep doing it.