Let it snow!

Wish the snow would have arrived Christmas, but it has been snowing all day now. The weather forecast says 3 inches, I think we will get more. It rained here all day yesterday and melted all the previous snow we received. I love watching it fall as I sit cozy and warm in my house, but hate it when I have to travel in it.

What is your weather like?

My daughter Jenny Chrismas Eve

We enjoyed Christmas Eve at my daughters new home! We took this picture of proof she does cook after all!
We all had a wonderful evening with family and friends.

My beaded garland

had to show a picture of the garland in case anyone gets ideas to create!

The tree is up!

Finally after many days of promising myself I managed to put my tree up. 5 hours to complete. Most of the time spent unwrapping ornaments from all the years I have accumulated the memories. It's funny how certain ornamnets you can remember exactly where you purchased and what that day was like. Then there are the ornamnets you have received as presents in previous years.

My tree has beaded garland on it! Of course I needed to have beads on my tree. That took 2 hours itself to unravel and place perfectly on the tree.

Now I can sit and enjoy my tree and can't wait for new ornaments to add to my memories.

Back in the day when I was a stay at home Mom, I decided to embark on the project from hell... I saw this pattern for a bead tree to make and I had never worked with beads at that time. I love miniature's and thought this was something I must have. Each branch is beaded with hundreds of seed beads and they shaped to look like a branch. Then all the branches were attached to the trunk. I also added beaded garland. Miniature ornaments added. They were difficult to find. This tree took me over 6 months to complete. I thought I would never finish it. Under the tree I placed miniature packages that are wrapped and miniature toys. A few years ago I found miniature lights that actually work and strung those on also.

This is a treasure of mine that I put out each year and will pass on to my daughter some day. I actually made it to be hers someday.

earrings

earrings
Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

My beautiful flowers my husband sent to me today at work on my birthday! Definite way to brighten your day...

Running a test to make sure pictures can be uploaded

Rainbows

DSCN7489
Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

Guarantee to make you smile!

Another exciting adventure

Had a custome order from another Etsy artist "Shanti". She ordered the Burberrylicious beads. Tonight she has ordered more and sent a picture of her creation with my beads.
Nothing brings me more pleasure than my beads in a artists jewelry creation.

You know you're loosing it when...

Had to share this story. I received a custom order from a great customer. She wanted me to reserve a specific set of beads for her while she put together the other beads she wanted. So, I said sure no problem I will reserve them for you. At that moment I got the beads and pulled them out of my inventory and place them in a safe place. You all know where this is going right?

Today I get the final order and as I am putting the beads together to ship, I can't Fin the 4 she wanted that I had reserved for her. Frantic now because I thought oh my gosh, the clay robbers got them. I am frantically looking through all the bead sets, all the containers of beads, all the small bags of beads, the floor in the closet where I store more beads. Scratching my head, I looked through all the sold listings on Etsy, figuring I sold them and don't remember when...

One more thought enters my brain, check for more clay cane and make them. Now I am on the floor in my studio with the basket of clay cane ends praying I have a small piece to work with. Nope! Almost in tears because I told her I have them, and she has a custom orders for earrings with them and she needs then ASAP.

Take a deep breath I say and email her to explain what has happened. So, I go over to my laptop in my living room to email her, I glance at the end table along side the computer and guess what is sitting there? THE BEADS!!!!!

A senior moment for sure! Whew, I am excited that I can fulfill the order. Guess I have learned a lesson, never put beads on end table, put in a safe place marked sold.
Or get a memory...

Yummy

DSCN7401
Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

One of my newest designs! Love the rich colors in these

What happened?

So I sign in to look at the blogs I am following and it says you currently are not following any blogs! What! I am too. What happened, does anyone else know? Arghhhh, I won't find all the people I am following again. Help!

Woo-hoo over 600 sales in Etsy shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another goal reached in my Etsy store. Today I surpassed my 600th sale in my store!
A great huge order from a new customer. When I received the email notification, I thought it was a joke. Sometimes sales are so slow and then all of a sudden it seems like everyone gets on a bus and stops at my store. I love it! Many years ago when I did the art fairs by dear father would stand in front of my display and touch the items. He swore that people will stop to see what he was lookng at. Well, he was right, each and every time a crowd would come. That's when I said oh, the bus stopped again. He must be watching from heaven sending customers my way again!
So if I'm not posting for awhile, I must be busy in my studio making more beads for inventory. Now that my muse has returned.

Bead of the week

Thought I would start something new for my blog. Instead of posting all my beads I will choose one of my favorites and post it. This weeks bead I am pleased with the colors. What do you think?

A productive rainbow day!

After completing my housework for the day I managed to create more rainbow designs. These are truly beautiful! Rich in color.
Rainbow designs always do well in my Etsy store. You would never know it is a dreary day here in Illinois. Fall has definetly arrived. High of 50, cloudy and rainy. All the leaves are falling from the trees . Winter around the corner.

When you get that creative juice flowing

There are some days when I can go in my studio and just sit there not knowing what I want to make. Should I make skinner blends, and what colors? I will sit and think and nothing happens. So I will play a little and quit. Then there are days when I have so many ideas I don't know what to do first. I'll have so many thoughts in my brain and then they leave.
This weekend was one of those creative spurts! I played with clay all weekend and listed on Etsy and had gangbuster sales! My canes are small and usually one of a kind so my customers must know this and snatch them up! It's probably that in mind which keeps me going.
I has a custom order for Burberrylicious beads and that is a precision cane which I extrude from a clay gun. By the time I had finished my arm hurt. I need to find an easier way to do that. Carpal tunnel here I come.

Custom Order

Received another custom order from Etsy. They are called Burberylicious. Fun to make and eye appealing.

Treasury West

I am so excited to be included in Treasury West on Etsy!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=69569

Wish I made more

Listed these yesterday on Etsy. Sometimes I am not sure about a design, but these turned out better than expected. This morning I get 2 emails from customers who saw them in the morning and they sold by the afternoon. Disappointing I know. My designs are very limited, I make small canes so that my inventory is always new and exciting. Wish I could recreate for them exactly. Then again maybe what will replace them someone may enjoy more. I just love polymer clay and my GREAT CUSTOMERS!

Passed the 500th mark on Etsy!

Today I passed the 500 mark on Etsy! I wish to thank all of my great customers that have been such a pleasure to work with. My beads are going to several different countries now! I may never see Sweden or Australia, but my beads have.

Etsy jewelry artist Mindielee

In an earlier post I mentioned that I had purchased my shipping envelopes from Mindielee. She later purchased beads from me, this morning I get an email waith a picture of what she made from my beads! I love them. Nothing thrills me more than seeing my beads in someones creations. Thanks Mindielee.

Tropical

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Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

New in my Etsy Store

LANYARDLADY

LANYARDLADY

Then I see this! Fabulous work Cherin!

Charmed Design Jewelry

Today I was browsing thru some of the blogs I follow and suddenly I recognize the beads! Thrilled each time I see my beads somewhere on the internet by a jewelry artist. I imagine them on someone's arm bringing happiness.
Guess that's what it's all about!

Surprise in a design

When I first made this cane, I was not happy with the original design. The cane sat there on my bench for a few weeks. Looking at it the other night, I cut in several different angles and surprise I liked it!
Polymer clay is amazing!

Finches

One way to brightem my day is to open the blind in the morning and see these finches feeding in my yard! Such small things in life that can make you smile. I've been told they are stocking up for the winter. At times I may see 4 or more in the yard.
Once in awhile a red cardinal appears along with robins and dove's.

Funny how things happen

I noticed that I was running low on packing envelopes and I would never buy them locally retail because they are too expensive. So I figured that I should buy from a local Etsy person. While searching for the best price I came across Mindilee, and I decided to buy from her shop because she is a beader too. What a delightful seller! Sent immediately even though she did not charge enough for the shipping. When I receive the package, she sends a cute little bear as a Thank You! Such a small thing but put a huge smile on my face knowing there are still nice people out there in this crazy world of ours.
This morning I get a email from her and she is purchasing beads from me! Life works in mysterious ways. I will have to send her something to put that smile on her face!
I love Etsy!

New in my shop

Good Morning!

A beautiful day here in Illinois. Temperature 55 degrees now and may warm up to 70. A fall day definitely.

I am beginning to wonder if we will have a bad winter here. We did not have much of a summer. Alot of rain and cooler than usual. What I have seen daily is alot of yellow finches at my feeder all day and night. At times we have 4 or more on there. So are they stocking uo for a bad winter?

Been busy working on new designs in the last week, guess I got a burst of creativity so I took advantage of it.

Going to a huge art fair today in Highland Park, IL. Over 250 exhibitors and a highly juried fair. The best of the best. Better leave my wallet at home!

Hope Today is the day!

Today is the drawing here in Illinois for the "Mega Million" Lottery. It's a mere $252 million dollars! So I sit here and say " What would I do with all that money?"
I can think of alot of things I want or would share with other people in my life.
I know for a fact that I would quit my day job and save my feet. Then I would definetly buy a house on the beach in Sanibel Island, Florida. Then there are
beads! Can you imagine what I could buy with that? Or better yet, I would buy Etsy.
Just the thought I have a ticket makes me think maybe I would win! That would be sweet.
What would you do?

On the way to Sweden!

I was hoping at some point in my life to be a world traveler. My parents decided in their 50's that they were going to see the world. Now this was from the man that when I was a teenager, would not get on a plane! Then in 1983 he tells me that they are going to China! I was in shock. That trip went so well that each year they went to another country. I'm still hoping that I may become brave someday and do the same.

Since my body can't get there, my beads are! I opened my shop to ship internationally and my beads are traveling to Sweden, Paris, Canada and Australia.
Now if I could only figure out a way to pack myself along!

Winston

"Winston" Our 4 1/2 pound Maltese who is spoiled rotten to the core!

More new designs

Please be sure to visit my Etsy Store:
www.tlsclaydesign.etsy

Flower Power

My new rainbow flower, love how the colors pop out.

New Design in my Etsy Store

It's funny sometimes how I will to my studio and not having a clue with what I will create and then the light goes on and presto!
I make alot of small canes compared to other polymer clay artists, I sit among over 70 different canes and ponder what I want to create. Then I will make a skinner blend of the colors in the cane and wrap the cane for a border. Sometimes I am not sure and wait a few days before I make the decision.
Everday I see patterns and colors and want to make a cane to resemble them. One day my daughter came over for a visit and the shirt she was wearing was so colorful, I ofhad to snap a picture of it and then run to my studio to copy it! She thought I was insane.
Speaking of colors, I love these beads.

Still in the learning process

I am really trying to learn all I can about blogging. This is all new to me and as I look at other blogs, they are so creative. Guess I will experiment for awhile and decide what I want to accomplish.
I hope to do a tutorial for polymer clay people. I have had alot of requests just no time. Need to make the time.
Listed more new items in my Etsy shop and worked all weekend on new designs in my canes and will be working the rest of the evening on them.
Off to work I go. Need to relax and make clay!

Polymer clay earrings

Polymer clay earrings
Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

New Design in my Etsy Store

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Originally uploaded by TLS Clay Design

Going to join the crowd

It seems that everyone is blogging for fun. I love reading certain blogs each day and follow quite a few. My day is never complete without reading some of my favorite bloggers. Now all I have to do is figure out how to add them to my blog.

New Design in my Etsy Store

Tube earrings

Tube earrings
Originally uploaded by beadingmommy

Created with my beads from an Etsy artist

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