Here is the favorite bead of the most recent ones I have made, I call her "Mango Mamma:"The hours in the antique mall get extended from 11-5 to 10-6 which takes a big hunk out of my days, not to mention making me get up an hour earlier. That might not sounds like much to those of you who only have to get yourself ready to face the day, but those of you with small children or elderly parents like me have another person or persons to prep, too. I get up at least two hours before I have to leave the house just to factor in time for getting my dad up and going in the morning. And of course factor in my daughter getting married this coming Sunday, and you pretty much have the picture of my life lately.
Some days it only takes a half an hour and those mornings are a blessing, actually allowing me the time to shower and take care of me. Other mornings I am still running back and forth like a maniac and tossing him PB&J on my way out the door, praying the traffic won't be too bad and I make it the four miles to work in time to open the door at 10. Well, not only have I not been updating this for a bit, but I haven't had many beads to add either. 
And here is a new photo of me in my new Ghost Trappers T-Shirt. I won it in a raffle on The Gamers Force website. Ghost Trappers is a Facebook game, which has a huge following and tons of special events players can participate in. Obviously I love it!!Obviously I haven't made too many beads this summer yet, but I haven't given it up nor do I plan to. I am awaiting the delivery of my oxygen concentrator (which I think will occur in about two weeks time), and then will upgrade to a bigger torch with more flame control, as well as more heat and the ability to create far more beads in less time. I actually have put in a few torching sessions since the last post, but not many. Let me start back at the beginning . . . of summer that is. I hurt my back and then my shoulders, so obviously I took a few weeks off, and have been crazy busy with wedding plans ever since. Not to mention (okay I am mentioning it) the gem / bead shows I have been to and the one I was a vendor at. I have also been to a farmer's market as a vendor. It was awesome!!! I have had a lot of fun, learned even more and even figured out what sort of displays work and don't work for selling lampwork beads. Yay!!!
Hopefully once the wedding is over (this Sunday) I will find more free time and a bit more energy again. Plans are also in the works for me to reduce my days at work to four, which would benefit both my dad and me.
