Endings, Changes and New Horizons

It's the last day of the year and as 2013 comes to a close, I'm reminded of my "Word" for the year that Sally, over at The Studio Sublime, prompted us to choose (and photograph) for the Focus on Life: 52 Photos weekly photo challenge back in January.

The word I chose for 2013 was "READY". 

You can read the Original Post Here. 

I truly felt I 'ready' for so many things on various levels, but could have never guessed what would transpire this year.
 

Magazines that I was fortunate enough to be featured in this year!

It was not a bad year; to the contrary, it was quite good overall, and for this I am grateful and feel very blessed.

However, when I chose the word 'ready', I was thinking more along the lines of my jewelry making, of my creative side and of nurturing and taking better care of my family and things of this nature. 

As I was 'ready' for all those things and prepared for them in my life, something else came along and smacked me upside of the head.

You gotta be really careful what word(s) you choose for yourself, that's for sure. I'm a bit apprehensive to say I've learned my lesson, but I think this might be the case. 
(I am a bit hard-headed though, so we'll wait and see!)

There's a shift brewing.

We're taking the company that I co-own and run with my husband, RespirCare Analytical, in some new directions and there's potential growth to prepare for.  

In order to be "ready" for this shift and take on added business roles I have attended classes in preparation for some environmental certifications and am helping to formulate the plans of growth for our future endeavors.  I will have a more active role in our company vs. working on my jewelry business while just answering the business phones, fielding questions and doing front office work.

With that being said, I am 'ready' to move forward.
Which brings me to the title of this post.

Endings, Changes and New Horizons.

All things come to an end. Or they change and become something different. And with endings and change comes new horizons; new things to focus upon and look towards. 

Whether these endings or changes have a positive or negative impact on our lives is up to each of us.

I'm choosing positive.

 

 

 

Although I will not be stepping entirely out of my jewelry business, I will be scaling back on designs and online sales. 

Not to say that I'll stop creating jewelry - oh no!
If I couldn't be creating something, I'd freak out!
(Or become extremely grumpy - just ask my hubby!!)

I would like to shift my focus instead towards a few things more in line with my heart's desire/passion such as teaching classes and helping people, writing tutorials, jewelry articles and things of this nature. 
 

It will not be the same. It will be different. And ending of some sorts. A change for certain. A positive I am confident!

And yes, you can be assured that I will not write about moldy houses or EPA guidelines or things of this nature here on the blog!  (Unless of course, I can tie it into jewelry somehow!)

I will still be sharing jewelry info in some form or fashion with you along with all the other 'norms' I've shared through the years. You know, like info on Pearls (yeah!!), blog challenges and hops, photographs that I snap and different kinds of fun things.

Tomorrow is January 1st, 2014
and a new year will be upon us. 

I'm excited moving forward and so tomorrow I will share with you my "Word" for the year! 

Do you choose a word for the year? A mantra of sort? Something you consciously focus upon?

I didn't, as I mentioned above, until 2013.

This year (2014), my word found me.
So come back tomorrow and see what it is! 

Until Next Time,
 

Peace, Love and Happy New Year's Eve Everyone!!
 

Be Safe and Enjoy The Last Day of 2013!
 

Cheers,

~Shel~

 

Laughter Really Is,.....

It's been a hard week for me since the tragedy last Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I know it really affected a lot of people all over the world. 

 

I haven't been able to watch any of the news reports on the victims, their families or any of the 'goings on' since a couple of days afterwards. The hubby's a heart attack survivor with a defib in his chest, so he can't watch either - it hurts his heart and that's not a good thing.  

Plus, we've got a teenage son whose own high school was on the news this week with word spreading of a possible threat to the school and/or students (they beefed up police patrol/security and every one's assured us things will be fine) and so tuning out most of the media do-da has been a priority.

 

I did make an effort - socially - to do a few FB posts, to comment on people's blogs and their FB posts and things like that, but it just felt so trivial.

 

I realized as I went about finishing up my Christmas card writing and packaging up things to mail off to family who live out of state, that I was completely engulfed in a total 'funk' if you will, of doom, gloom and sadness. Not to say that it wasn't appropriate given all the beautiful lives that were taken recently, but being depressed and 'out of it' wasn't helping anyone, especially my family and those I care about.

And, as the fates would have it, as I pushed forward and was editing some pics to get my next blog post ready, the photos I was working on brought back some wonderful memories and an excellent reminder.

It reminded me that even in the wake of change, whether that change is something we find negative, neutral or strange, hard to grasp, or what ever, laughter and humor are the best way to recover and carry on.

 

To 'adjust our sails', as I like to think of it.

I'm talking humor that makes you roll with laughter - true, tickle your belly, gasp for air, laughter!!

Like what you see here.

 

Jen, Denise, Shelly and Kathy
Creative U Holiday Party - December 2012

 

It's pretty obvious that Jen and I are on our own little "planet" in the photos here,...well, Kathy eventually gets our humor a bit, too, but Denise is the only one even remotely concerned that my hubby's standing around, some what patiently, trying to snap a good pic of us (at our request!),...to no avail! LOL!!

This was a fun night filled with tons of laughter, great moments and wonderful energy!

These photos represent some change as well. This was the Creative U Holiday Party and Gift Exchange (Jen's holding one of Mike's 'Stash Sticks' from the White Elephant Swap) last week and it's the last one we're having because Kathy has announced that she's closing Creative U as of December 31st, 2012.   :-(

So, no more fun classes, no more laughter in the studio, no more exploding kilns (unless Jen comes to my house and has fun with mine!), no more yummy chocolate breaks in the middle of teaching class,...it's the end of an amazingly creative and fun place.

 

But, where there's laughter among friends and creative spirits, memories to share, hugs to give and love to bind,....there's always more adventures on the horizon!

Thinking of the fun times refreshed my spirit and reminded me that it's okay to go on and not feel guilty for things I'm blessed to have in my life,...like my child, my husband and my wonderful family and friends. And that sending love and prayers out to those who are hurting is needed, but to laugh is to heal. I believe it's also a way to honor those who've gone before us, for I think they'd want us to be happy and laugh instead of cry!

 

So I wish you all much love and laughter,.....healing laughter that tickles your tummy and immerses you in those wonderfully fun moments you will cherish for a life time!

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Letting Laughter Heal Your Soul!

Cheers,

~Shel~

More Beading Fun And Time For Another Class!

October has dropped in with a bang! 
(Oh, where did September go??!!) 

I've got a ton of things on my bead table this month!
(Fun things - yippee!)

 

I'm going to have a few posts over the next week or so to tell you about some of them but today I want to tell you about "My Bead Table Blog Hop" sponsored by Lisa Lodge of Pine Ridge Treasures that's going to be taking place on October 13th.  

 

 

 

Check out the lovely (and huge!!) stash of beads that Lisa so graciously sent for the blog hop.  

 

Ohhh,...just look at all these lovely goodies!! Thank you Lisa!!

 

Other than a few things here, these are beads and components that I don't regularly carry in my bead stash and so the challenge is definitely on for me! 

I'm excited because I love that this will challenge me to step outside my comfort zone and the colors Lisa's given me to start with (we can add from our own stash, too!) are ones I find really pleasing to work with!

Be sure to hop back over here on Saturday the 13th and see what all the participants have created (me included)!

 

 

I also wanted to let you know that I'm teaching another class over at Creative U in Carefree next week, too.

 

 

 

Come join me on Friday, the 12th of October

at 2:00p.m. for the

Fun and Easy Earwire Class!

 

It still shows up on their calendar as Jen Hanscom teaching the class but I'm helping them out this month, so come on over and join in the fun with me, won't you?!

 

There's never a dull moment at Creative U - trust me!

 

Well, maybe Lasso gets a bit bored at times, but we sure don't!!

 

 

Oh, and on a side note, I
 think I've finally gotten over the jet-lag from my trip.

 

 

I was fortunate enough to go to Italy in September!



 

 

I really thought I had my body fooled with setting my watch (and my brain) to whatever local time I was headed to but although it truly did help a bit, I still was kind of out of it from last Thursday until this Monday. 

Now I think a form of normalcy and a routine of some sorts is setting back in. Thank goodness, because the 3:30a.m. wake up calls my brain kept giving my body every morning was getting a bit old!

 

What have you got cooking for October? 

 

Are you in the Autumn mood?

 

Dreaming of Autumn!

 

Are you decorating and creating things and making goodies for Halloween and all the other Holidays that are coming up?

 

Be sure to drop me a line and let me know what's going on!

 

Until Next Time,

 

Peace, Love and The October Rush!

 

Cheers,

~Shel~