I got to make my first Treasury List on Etsy...I named it Carolina Girls! It contains items from NC and SC female artist! I didn't realize it posted immediately...I should've had my items ready picked out first. There are sooooo many beautiful things and talented artist...it is really hard to pick, but I did finally fill it up! My first pick was one of Ginger's pieces! She makes jewelry too. It is beautiful! I love all of her pieces! She lives in Charlotte too....very close to where I work! I have enjoyed talking to her via 360 and email, I would love to meet more local artist! I think we should all get together and open a shop that features all of our work!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?id=1174358851962U70069

So, you know, I had to include some photography too...I came across 2 artist from the Wilmington area...one had some pictures from Southport! I want to live there! Also, I came across a artist named Muddymuse...we met her last year in Long Beach at an art festival...my mom bought a set of her house numbers...the pictures on etsy really don't do these justice! They are gorgeous! I may swap out some of my items periodically...I'm not sure if you are supposed to do that or not, but hey...I'm the curator! LOL

I'm not sure if I have ever been featured in a Treasury, at least I have never seen me there! LOL So, if any of you read this, pick me! LOL ;)

....2 more days!!! Long Beach here I come! YAY!!! :)

I leave Wednesday!!!!

The last few weeks, I have been making jewelry like crazy! LOL Sometimes I feel like I can't make it fast enough to keep up with my ideas! LOL I made this pair of earrings yesterday at work! I was really pleased with how they turned out! YAY me! LOL :)

The hardest thing for me is to take pictures and post it on my website or Etsy! I don't mind writing the descriptions, it is just the pictures that give me such a time! I have the hardest time getting them to come out clear and detailed...I mean they are always too dark, or the silver reflects too much, or something like that! Then, I have a kodak easy share docking station...it never wants to sync, and transfer the pictures to my computer! It is like an all day ordeal, just to take the pictures and get them on the computer. Finally, yesterday, I bought a SD card reader that just plugs into the USB port...I had to go get supplies for work and I picked one up while I was there. I used it this morning, it works much better and was much easier! My uncle had on of those docks too, he said his quit working after about a year. I like the camera though! It is very user friendly.

I had to go get my cell phone fix yesterday too...It stopped working! (AGAIN!) I have one of the LG Mint Chocolates. I got it just before Christmas...honestly, it hasn't work very well since I got it! I think I just got a lemon! They gave me a new one...it seems to work much better! WOW...this most be "everything break week!" The last 2 weeks have been crazy! One day last week, the ceiling clapsed in our back office (it was my daddy's private office...he had a couch and TV, and a private bathroom with a shower...it is where he used to keep his toys for hunting and fishing!) , evidently, there was a leak in the roof and the installion sopped up the water (we had a BAD rain the other week) and the weight was too heavy! Thank God, nobody was in there...it didn't really hurt anything, they have already fixed it, it just made a huge mess.

Last Monday, I went to mow the yard and the battery was dead. Tuesday night, the fiber optic lighting quit working in our pool. Yesterday my phone broke. I got gas for my car last week and it had water in it, it is acting up now. My cousin lost her job yesterday....and it goes on and on! That isn't the half of it! I sware, it is soooo great that I take after my dad, he was always so calm and layed back, nothing seemed to phase him, he would just deal with it and move on!!! Things like this happen all the time...a lot people would go crazy, but I just laugh and go on! I mean, what else can you do! Shit happens! LOL Deal with the problem and move on! Like one of my professors used to say, "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions!" (But, the last 2 weeks has been exceptionally trying! LOL)

Anyway, I better go for now, I have things to do!!! LOL

If you need me...this is where I'll be! (Next week)

This house is a little fancier than we usually get...it has formal Mahogony furniture...who puts Mahogony furniture in a beach house??? (Sorry! If this is your house, I'm sorry, it is pretty, it's just a little more formal than my taste... I'm artsy and I like the lived in look!...but hey, to each there own! It is a wonderful house and we are thankful for owners like you who let us rent your houses for vacations! Thank you!)

Talk to you soon!

One week left and I get to wake up to this sight!!! I'm so excited!!! We are leaving for the beach next Wednesday. You would think by the way I'm acting, I never get to go...I'm like this every time! I'm like a little kid on a snow day! LOL

The whole family is going...except Cameron and Josh...this should be interesting! It seems like since grandpa(2001) and my dad (2004) died, that has been a lot of tension between all of us...not sure why! We fight a lot! Which sucks, because I love them all! You know, that has always been one thing I was grateful for, having such a large, close family...but now, it almost feels like we are falling apart!

Anyway, Diane from Maddi's Gallery called...she wants to display my jewelry in her gallery! (It's more exciting than the fact that I'm going to the beach! LOL) I'm supposed to meet with her in about 2 weeks and she is going to pick the pieces she wants to display! She said she loved my jewelry, that "it just really stands out!" That made me feel really good! I really do love making it! She said they had a ton of applications this time... and that they had picked only 2 jewelry artist. That made me feel really good too! It is always nice to hear people's reactions to your "creations." Although complements are great...honestly, it is great just to know someone has seen it and took the time to let you know what they thought about it! Any response is good!

Yesterday I got to go swimming! We heated the pool up Friday night. It is soooo weird being able to swim outside this time of year. It felt sooo good! Actually, it was almost too hot! We used the pool up until about November, and then our heater malfunctioned! It freaked me out, I went outside and flames were shooting a foot or more high out of the top of the heater...They finally fixed it in January. Yeah, it took them forever to even come out and look at it. Then they tried to give us the run around. We have had a hell of a time with that company...we still haven't had the final inspections. Now, last night, the fiber optic lighting stopped working. It seems like everthing that could go wrong, has gone wrong. I love the pool, but I am very unhappy with the way the company has handled the installation. I would never recommend them to anyone!!!! They started the job in May, and said it would be finished in about 2 weeks, no longer than 3...it has almost been a year and we haven't had the final inspection! Honestly, the way they handled everything was very unprofessional. I know stuff happens that is uncontrollable, but it was more along the lines of uncalled for! The funny part is, his reference were great...it is an established business...he has installed these pools at houses in very prestigious neighborhoods...honestly, it was my impression that we were put on the back burner because of where we live and because we don't live in one of these prestigious areas. Seriously! Anyway, enough of my venting for the day!!!! So, we started heating it again the end of February. It feels good while you are in there, but BOY...when you get out, you freeze! We have found that the trick is to have a big thick robe near the pool...it really keeps you from freezing! It keeps the cold air off of you!

Well, I guess I'm going to go to bed now! Keep your fingers crossed for me...I will keep you posted on how it goes at Maddi's!