Feeling Guilty on the First Days of Spring

This time of year -- March and April, are when there are big Gem and Jewelry shows I go to with my Mom and sometimes the kids (not as often anymore as they are all entering the teen years and want more freedom).  I love the shows most of the time -- but sometimes I am a bit disappointed.  It used to be November (just before the holidays) was my big purchase time, but I have found that the November shows up here in Seattle are just not quite as big and full of diverse venders than March and April.

I know -- kind of a little rant up there, right?

So, this time of year -- right around the first days of spring I am often so far into my shop that I seem to be barely coming up for air.  Also -- as my mother says -- like clockwork, I start looking for a house. Yes, we still live in an apartment up here -- and so my home studio is teeny tiny compared to what I would like.

Enter a house I have been drooling over (well the yard more so than the house -- plenty big for fabulous gardening, tiny little house so I won't be spending the bulk of my days vacuuming rather than creating) dropping in price a few weeks ago.

As a joke, because I know I can't technically count my income from my shop yet (there are not enough years to average my income in my mind) I clicked the little "contact realtor for a showing" button on the Zillow app.

That afternoon -- Hubby and I were touring the house (he had to put those little slippers over hit Army boots to view, making me laugh hysterically) and falling in love. With the house -- not each other, we've got that covered.

In the subsequent weeks we've been doing preliminary work to purchase the house -- which is some stressful stuff I must say.

Because of that stress I have been such a bad business person I want to slap myself silly.  I haven't been updating my facebook page, or engaging as much as I should, my son and I making videos for the shop have kind of ceased for the time being.  It's a lot of paperwork -- and daunting stuff for someone who, in this Army life has never purchased a house before.

I have even barely been creating with all the wonderful things I got at the show recently.  It's some beautiful and inviting stuff in fact.  And kind of a bummer that I have barely been making -- let alone listing the stuff I have made.

Deep Burnt Orange Sunstone Briolettes I still have to make.

Ethiopian Welo Opal Briolettes I have made into a few things -- a pair of earrings (found here) and a necklace I still have to list, sigh.

I made these gorgeous wine Garnet Briolettes into a pair of simple earrings -- and haven't listed them yet.

This is Moss padparadscha sapphire -- I also made these into earrings, dainty and lovely -- but still not listed either. 

I feel like I am just so far behind -- and now the spring cleaning bug has arrived after the long, cold winter.

Here's hoping for brighter days.

~Maggie~

Waiting for Spring

I am sitting in my room / studio, my legs propped up, my back aching, and the guys outside my window cleaning the heavily clogged gutters.  It's a fine way to start a Monday, along with running out of coffee creamer on Friday from my husbands obsession with coffee at all hours of the night.  I also went to the store numerous times this weekend forgetting creamer each and every time.

So, I suppose this is the universe telling me it's time to cut back on my creamer / coffee concoctions each morning?  Maybe.  But, I'll likely not listen.

I've been trying to figure out where the tension in my back / neck is coming from of late.  Sure, I have old Army injuries that often flare up during Seattle's cold and rainy winters -- but this feels differently. Normally, I could go get a massage and feel like a million bucks after the guys in the Mall do everything short of ripping off both my arms and beating the rest of my back with them.

That just didn't help this weekend.

I could be irritated with hubby going away for a few days -- across the mountains, through heavy snow and blizzard conditions to train soldiers yet again.   I could be stressed because therapy is particularly difficult this month.  It could be a fear of writing a true story in three different "tones" like I am required for my Veteran's Writing Class -- hosted by my local Vet Center and put together by the wonderful folks at the "Red Badge Project"  (Seriously, check this organization out).

But more likely than not -- it's the stress of waiting for my VA claim to be complete.  It's a long and tedious process, and you never really know how it's going.  You can call the 1800 number, getting "Peggy" but really you never really get any information.  You can check your status online -- but again, you just leave the website more confused than before.

So, I listen to the rain, in its abundance here south of Seattle.  I try to enjoy it.  I contemplate making an appointment to see about my back and that one weak knee that just wont get better.

And -- I am grateful that I thought ahead a couple of years ago and created a portable box -- so that my studio could go anywhere with me.  So, even though I sit here, uncomfortable, waiting for tylenol to work -- I can still create, and calm my weary nerves.

Vesuvianite Earrings in 14k Gold Filled

Peridot Earrings in Sterling Silver

London Blue Topaz in Sterling Silver Necklace

Crystal Quartz Earrings in Sterling Silver -- April Birthstone

Radiant Orchid Pearl Earrings

Lilac and Mint (or for this year: Violet Tulip and Hemlock)

Lilac and Mint: Memories of Spring by Tessa of TessasAssets

Lilac and Mint -- What a perfect way to dream of spring during these last, gray and dreary vestiges of Winter.