Summertime Fun

This summer is flying by and Bead Fest is right around the corner.  I still have a TON of beads to make in order to have inventory for the show.  

However, it sure has been nice to have time with the family.  I will take last minute crazy preparations in order to have days like these 

(art by Rochelle Carr)

https://rochellecarr.wordpress.com/

Last week we spent a day at a water park with my Mom.  Justin had to work, but it was nice to have some quality time with my mom and the kids.

It was a long day, and it was a blast!

The next day the kids and I all went to Crystal Cave with both my parents.  That was really cool, and you can read more about it here if you want.

After two day trips, I was REALLY feeling behind in the studio- though my soul was refreshed for sure.

So then the hubs (aka Justin) says to me, lets do a day trip to the shore this weekend.

Ummmm.......ok.  

You see, its hard for us to plan vacations with him being self employed.  This is the busy time of year and he needs to work when the work is there.  So, we do a lot of last minute things.

So, yesterday we went to LBI (long beach island NJ) for the day.  We got up early and were on the road before 9.  

We hiked the rocks at the lighthouse, we at lunch by the bay, we had hours and hours of perfect ocean time, had a nice dinner, walked around bay village, got ice cream and came home.  The day was packed, but it was nothing short of perfect.

This is the end of the jetty at the lighthouse- right off Barnagat Inlet

Lunch by the bay

The ocean was gorgeous.  I even went in !!!  It was deep right off the beach and then got shallow further out, so I could literally swim, right off the beach, which was nice for me, cause I don't go out far.  This picture is zoomed, they are out pretty far in it

 Hubs and I in our happy place

 I scream you Scream- we LOVE Iceberg Ice Cream (in Brant Beach?)  BEST ice cream on the island- all homemade.  There is always a line, but it is sooo worth it.

So now, I am back to the grindstone.  

I have set some goals for myself this week.  I want to make at least three ovens full of polymer beads and get ONE bronze firing started if not finished.................................by Thursday.

IF I meet my goal, I will celebrate by marking down some newer and favorite jewelry and doing a summer destash event on Facebook.  I will also list some items in my shop and do a sale in there for those not on Facebook.  So fingers crossed.  I need to make beads or I will be selling HUGS at Bead Fest.

Like I said, there are worse reasons I could be behind.  I have had the best time with the kids and I am glad we had the chance for some REALLY fun day trips.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing like the mountains to refresh the spirit

My family looks forward to this trip all year long.  We venture up and over to Tioga County PA, to stay on the Pine Creek.  The last two years we have gone with my parents and my best friend and her family.  Its a great, and relaxing trip.  

This year we had a small monsoon come through, and it rained about half the time we were there, but we still tried to have a great time.  I could sit by the creek, or just stand in the middle of it with the water washing around me all day.  

Here are some pics of the fun we had, the kids were in heaven, their happy place!!!  

fun in the creek before the rains came

campfire- best buddies

rainy day rock hunters- lookin for fossils

 found some!

 some of our hard core fishermen

 when you have 9 peoples wet clothes in a cabin and no dryer

my girl, collecting bugs, larvae and tadpoles

collin and his fish!  his favorite part of the mountains

 Mmmmmmmmm!!!!

My BFF and I with our hubs!!!!

So now we are home, and drying out and catching up on everything.  Hard to get back into the swing of things.  I am happy to see my fur babies though!  I always miss them when we go away.

Well, into the studio I go.  Maybe some new fossil beads coming up soon!  Inspiration from the mountains..........

Keeping Busy

If you follow Love my Art Jewelry, this is going to be mostly the same post.  

Last weekend I got to go up to the Grand Canyon of PA for the weekend with my family, my parents and my best friends family.

It was amazing.  I love being surrounded by nature, hearing the running water of the creek constantly, and smelling the fresh mountain air.

The first thing we do when we get there each year is to head up to the lookout over the canyon.  I never get tired of the beauty!

Then we checked into the cabin and unloaded.  It was right down to the creek with the kids and they wasted no time getting wet and muddy.

The next day we got out the tubes, and had fun tubing with the kids

we played on the huge lawn

and had fun just hanging out with each other

The boys caught dinner

I wish I had gotten more pictures, but really, I was too busy having fun.

I already can't wait until next year.

It was a much needed time away, since balancing the kids summer fun, and my work during my busiest time, can be rather difficult.

This week I am right back into bead making and already got a batch of carved beads and cabs done.  Hopefully I will get started on some bronze this afternoon.  If you didn't already know, there will be a tray sale on my Facebook page today at 2pm.  All beads are reduced to make room for new inventory.  If you would like to be on my email list so you can hear about these events - you can sign up on my main website welcome page www.stacilouiseoriginals.com 

I hope you are enjoying your summer!  After the winter we had this year, this is all much needed outside playtime!

Family Time - a Refreshing Break

If you are fairly new to my blog, then I will fill you in a bit.  Making jewelry is my full time job, but it always comes second to these guys. 

 

(the lookout over the Grand Canyon of PA or Pine Creek Gorge- my hubs and three kids)

 

We took a little break to spend some time up north in Tioga County with my parents and in- laws last weekend.  It was some great family time, and I really needed that mental re-fresher.  Suddenly the kids are at an age, where I feel like they need me a lot more- not to take care of them like when they were smaller, but emotionally, and to teach them about stuff.......

 

It's had me a bit frazzled, since I have a lot on my plate business wise.  Sorry if I've been two weeks behind on everything (for those of you waiting for stuff)......this trip was just what I needed to jump back into work full force- kids allowing that is.

 

My husband has been going to Tioga since he was a boy.  He'd go with his Dad and hunt and fish, and go with the family for lots and lots of vacations.  They have family friends up there and know it like the back of their hands.  I had gone up with him a few times before we had kids, but last weekend was the first we got to go as a family, and had all our parents with us to boot. 

 

It turned out to be a great Fathers Day weekend, spent with my three favorite Dad's.  Here are my kids handing out the cards they made to Justin.

 

 

We stayed at a place called the Rough Cut Lodge, and we can't recommend it enough.  It sits right on the Pine Creek.  The cabins are up a small hill and overlook a field that goes to the creek side.  The kids just ran around the field, and we could watch them from the covered porch (and each one has a porch swing too).  The cabins were great!  I don't' mind roughing it a bit, but you don't rough it in these!  They have fire pits, volley ball nets, picnic tables by the creek and nice benches so you can watch the kids play in the creek. 

 

Julia and My Mom aka: gram

kids at the huge table inside the cabin

 Aiden in the little creek that runs into the bigger Pine Creek

 

Julia and Collin collecting bugs and stuff

None of us could keep out of the water for very long, soooo inviting

Me and the Hubs

 

Look at that backdrop!!!

 

Collin found a skull while hiking in the canyon- of course!

in the canyon, water pours down all over the place!

The kids, they did a long hike with us, about 6 miles

Julia, always in the water

On our snack break - she is my girl!!!!

I am sure Collin would have just wandered off in a daze of collecting things if I let him...he kept creeping further and further, not even caring where we were

 

Rarely seen picture of brother love, no brothers were harmed during the taking of this picture

 

This was Collins first time really fishing, and he did great!  He brought home the biggest fish!  The boys said they would bring home dinner, and they sure delivered!

 

They were yummy!!!!!

 

Collin ate the whole thing!!!!

 

 This was our backyard for the weekend.  Can't beat that.

 

 There were other families there too, so the kids found friends to play with

 

 Julia grabbing a snuggle with my parents

 

 

Our porch hangout for the weekend!!!!

 

This is a shot from the lookout again- such a beautiful view

 

and we saw this guy the first day on the way down the mountain from the lookout.  He wasn't too happy we disturbed him...he was happily munching on something, but slowly walked away when we stopped to get a picture (from the car of course)

 

We had a great time.  Best of all, there are tons of fossils there.  The kids and I collected tons of them from along the Pine Creek.

 

This run of rocks stretched on and on.  You just had to flip them over to find if they were fossils.  Since they have been in the creek for who knows how long, many are worn on one side, or the fossils themselves are being worn away...which was kinda cool too. I came home with a lot of rocks.  A LOT!

Here you can see some of the little marine life impressions that were common

I even found small ones that would fit perfectly in a bezel.

 

 These are all fossils on them- some are better then others, but they will all make some sort of interesting jewelry

 

 

And I just could not pass up all the perfectly rounded stones!  These will be getting drilled for jewelry use, and if I have time, to sell as sets for bead fest.  I washed them last night, and need to drill them through the next few weeks.

 

So that is where I was for a long weekend last week.  The kids had their last day of school Thursday and we left early Friday.  I am jumping into the studio - starting now- to make a lot of jewelry this week for a very exciting secret project!

 

Then its onto beads and jewelry for The Tinicum Arts Festival in July and Bead Fest Philly in August.