The Sun is out, and well, it's pretty hot...

OMG, what a summer it has been -- I mean roller-coaster hot weather,  a shocking minor surgery, job search, job search, job search.  I have barely had time to look at my jewels let alone make the new ones I have had designed in my head for months now.

I have done a lot of soul searching in the midst of my insane couponing to make ends meet this year off (not by choice, mind you) and I keep seeing "if you don't love it, don't chase after it."  That really resonates with me as the summer winds down and I get ready to send the hellions (I mean my wonderful, darling children) back to school.  (Will that day ever really come?  I am one terrible stay-at-home mom.).

I keep thinking about my jobs I have done -- you know, in PR, Marketing, etc.  And while I like it enough to get out of bed with a smile on every morning  there are really two places in those job descriptions I love:

1) Research.   I am really more of a balanced individual when I research almost anything.  The last year I spent a lot of time researching theory of leadership as it relates to the military rank structure and how the federal government hires who they hire and why -- plus the impact those things have on current operations during the pending draw-down.   I know I know, from a stay at home mom/ jewelry designer who is really bad about updating her store and blog.  Makes absolutely no sense, right?  But, it makes my blood really move with passion when I look into not only what is going on, but how to make it better, ya know?

2) Relationship Building.   I love to build community and relationships online and offline.  There can be no real reason for a relationship to form -- for example, one of my neighbors who is also unemployed during the 'recession' (let's be honest, this really is a depression that has been faked to look like a lingering 'recession') is also suddenly into couponing to make ends meet.  So who was the first person I told about the insane deal on Vitamin Water I found (after my mom)...the neighbor lady in the same situation as me.

Now -- what does this have to do with jewelry making?  Absolutely nothing, I just thought maybe I would open up a bit and give a glimpse of my real personality. Which, by the way, is a bit neurotic.

But, the sun is out -- its not as warm today...so finally I got off my but, out of my room, left the fan for a few minutes and didn't break out a single coupon to take some pictures of some new and older jewels.  They are up on the site now, after I showed my kiddos how to take close ups and edit in Picasa, you know so I can pay them to take pictures later on in the year.

Yeah, it's a family thing, this Etsy thing.