money costs a lot

tonight i took my daughter to her ice hockey practice. 

not a big deal, but when questioned about the location of her coat, 

she said she didn't have one. 

HOW on EARTH did I miss THAT?

the kids have about 40 bazillion things for wear at rinks. 

they never suggest that they are cold anywhere other than in the house. 

lest you think i am truly checked out, 

our house thermometer is set at 68 degrees. 

it never feels like it is cold here. 

we keep it so horridly warm because my husband is always cold. 

it used to be that i was always too cold and wore thick sweaters inside. 

socks. second pairs of socks and boots. 

what happened?

well i am of that stage in life where i am in a tropical location on and off all day long. 

it is horrible. 

i never used to be sweaty even when i was working out. 

now, only the slightest movement makes me feel like the sweaty guy 

from SNL.

i am also oblivious as to how cold it is out, if there is no snow on the ground 

or biting wind chill. 

so i am a bad mom. 

i recognize this and try to cope with my guilt over it. 

come on, you all know i am guilt ridden for everything. 

i am sure that you all shoulder a subjective load of guilt as well. 

i spent the time that my daughter was on the ice in the search for a coat for her. 

i also seem to have missed that it was now mid january and all of the past 

few weeks have been dedicated to the local stores selling as much of their remaining stock 

as was possible. 

this all happened last week. 

so not only did i miss the sales, 

but it was for stuff we really could have used. 

when i went to look for a reasonable jacket, 

the local stores had $200.00 inventory available. 

seriously? 

a $200.00 jacket that will most likely be outgrown in a season?

and get grubby enough not to resell or hand down to some other child?

how is this all humanly possible i re-ask. 

my son all the way in maine, was included in this search. 

i sent him photos of jackets that the girl might like. 

now of course i was doing this without her

in order to make some actual progress, 

select without drama, 

and deliver at the end of her practice like a magical 

non-guilt ridden super mama. 

did not happen. 

i put two jackets on hold in two locations. 

we were planning to visit both stores to investigate both choices. 

when we returned home

i tried to find photos on line of the two styles i selected for her. 

she was not against either one. 

she just wanted to see what could be coming her way. 

i went to the kitchen and made dinner. 

while in there, she found a perfect 3rd choice. 

it is a great non-dirt-showing color, 

the right price point(much lower than in the stores),

the right cool brand, 

sturdily made, 

warm, 

and 

free shipping was part of the deal. 

who could ask for anything more?

so the girl helped me get over my ridiculous ever-present guilt pangs. 

she got a chance to get just what she wants. 

and i just have to pay for it. 

that is the easy part of the puzzle. 

ha ha ha. 

anyways, it frees me up to think about other things instead now. 

i made this little black and raw flowery necklace in a rash, half baked way. 

that was in early december. 

i never finished it fully, so i just kept moving it around. 

earlier this week i applied my interest to completing it. 

simple enough. 

how come i take forever to do these things? 

considering how many over the top designs i tend to invest in, 

this is a quickie and it is not lacking in flavor. 

this is a very good thing to keep in mind as an inventory restocking effort. 

also this week, i have spent a little overdue time recreating a necklace

for a dear friend. 

she purchased it about a decade ago and it either stretched 

or was too long to begin with. 

now is as good a time as any to reconstruct it for my very patient pal. 

this style is my oldest and most consistently sold style. 

i call it bubblemania or a party on your neck. 

there is no record of how many of this style have been made, gifted or sold. 

when it sits along your neck, 

it just has a happiness quotient all on its own. 

this little one will be sent home to roost with its true mama. 

also 

this pretty bracelet was made in a style i popped together a couple of years ago. 

she shed a few charms over time. 

not making me happy to hear this, 

i had her owner send her back to me for some 

TLC.

she was completely taken apart and remade as i would do so now. 

it is good to grow and come to some better mechanical developments

over time and experimentation. 

growth is always a good thing. 

i sent her back to her mama for some more party time and appreciations. 

she was a looker in the beginning. 

now she has vintage appeal and patina of wisdom. 

i hope she is happy going home.

she is surely more venerable now. 

finally, 

i had the chance to try to fit up an artistic friend that needed a little something. 

her plans were to go for an away game someplace. 

perhaps it will be sunny and warm? 

i neglected to ask. 

she saw a bracelet at a show we were both working at during the holiday season. 

it was retrofitted to hold a few blossoms 

to lend credence to the idea that spring will again visit... 

and that she is a very feminine woman. 

it was perhaps a mote under doubt, since she has 4 sons and her husband. 

sometimes it is harder to hang onto your feminine side

when identifying or empathizing with so many 

that have a larger amount of testosterone than you do yourself. 

this is her bracelet under construction. 

to offset my inane inability to post things quickly enough, 

i wrapped this up as soon as i finished it. 

there is no good reason to let her hang around here while i try to figure out 

shipping protocols on each individual piece to go. 

i hate shipping and surely, it hates me. 

best to move quickly and not get bogged down, trying to do the perfect thing. 

it is easy for me to do just this. 

in progresso...

rhinestones have been inserted, and the flowers have been attached. 

all is well with the world again. 

so now you see what i have been up to for the most part for a few days. 

in addition to this, i think tomorrow there will be a fresh crop of pastel 

rings, brooches, chain bracelets, floral earrings 

and necklaces. 

spring is coming, 

but valentine's day is coming sooner. 

i will regale you all with the st. valentine's day massacre that i know and love. 

surely it will bind spells and such. 

now back to my addiction to pre-bed time pinning on pinterest 

as well as finishing a necklace for a lucky beloved 

for the big Vee-day. 

love and hugs, sleep well...

xoxo. 

W.