Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I can't remember what I ordered!

Well, I was in a complete state of craziness over the weekend. It seems that everytime I am utterly ingrossed in ordering beads, or findings, my husband has to come into the room and interrupt my train of thought. He is on the stand alone computer I am on the laptop. (where are my headphones to my iPOD!} Ok. We are networked. So, we share a printer. If he is "playing a game" and I print out my invoice. I blow him out of his page. So then he knows I am buying something and we end up going back to the same questions "why do you need more stuff?"

I am at the point that I want to scream. We need more stuff because not everything is working the way we thought it would when we ordered it and it looked purple on the monitor when in fact it was some weird shade of magenta and it is NOT WORKING for me! I am ordering another COLOR!

I truly adore this man. But, my independent, rebellious, "bite me" side starts to come out when I hear those words "why do you need more stuff?"

I truly have tried to breathe deeply and count to 10 before I answer. Really, I have. But, why should a grown person have to tell another grown person WHY everytime?

If he is going to play "Fantasy Football" and he is griping and moaning about who is sitting on the bench and he lost 10000000 points because of this, and remember people it is "fantasy" football, and I am actually trying to work, I have to leave the room! Fur is gonna fly, guys!

Oh I am just losing it.

My second option to this whole thing is to take a nap, which for someone like me is not hard, in the afternoon, and then stay up past his bedtime to take care of my business. Duh. What if I have something planned for tomorrow and need to get to bed early? What is it with men?

OK, I have ground my teeth and stomped back into the room to say "I need to print an invoice" the whole time knowing what he is going to say. Well, the invoice prints, he looks at me and I say "DON'T SAY IT!" He looks at me and says "What?" I start to say the words that send me into orbit and he says to me "It is printing in weird colored ink, do you think we need to change the catridge?" Oh............ I just snatch the invoice from his hand and say "whatever,dear"!

Just when I am prepared for the inquisition, he throws me a "curve" ball! I am sure all the stomping and snorting and muttering under my breath had nothing to do with him changing his tactics! We have had this conversation so many times I think I have an ulcer. I have bit my tongue until there is a permanent groove in it.

Well, needless to say I inflicted all that pain on myself, and tomorrow will arrive the shipment of 5 boxes of beads that I have no idea what I am going to do with but they were on sale and the one thing I was trying to buy is on the "wait list." What can I say? The beads were on sale!

This was the last day to purchase them. I put in the code that gave me the sale price. It was exhilarating to watch the numbers go down and the prices change. Oh I do so love those sales!

Hot pink shell beads. Hmmm. Are we thinking next spring or summer? I will have to let you kinow. I did order them in every size they had just to be sure I would have a lot to work with.

Well, now I must go and take pictures of other things I have made recently. This is probably the only time he understands anything about me. While he watches me photograph my creations.

Then he is happy for me and comes and helps me set everything up. Maybe I should just take up photography? Ta-Ta for now. Please Mr. UPS come before 6 p.m. tomorrow!!!!!!

Now I have something else to worry about! Your crazed beadaholic friend, Sophie

Friday, October 9, 2009

"Where did you get so much inventory?"

"Where did you get so much inventory?" my accountant/husband asked me a few days ago, while he is dragging me down the hall to my so-called "Jewelry Room."

Well, this question is a hard one for me because I am biting my tongue to keep from asking a question like "Why do you have a Harley Davidson motorcycle in the garage that cost a ton of money that you never ride - and out of 8 years you have probably ridden it 5 times?" The smart woman knows when not to bring up an issue like that.

Our dear, sweet, adorable husbands "need" toys after they raise children. All the things they did without while putting them through college and the the weddings, and the wedding gifts. These guys have worked hard to support their children and they should be able to have a toy or two? Right?

Well, some of us women worked and did without the things we wanted, as well. I could no longer justify my shoe obsession when I went into jewelry design, because you just can't be caught wearing expensive designer shoes with sweats and a t-shirt, no make-up and your hair in a pony tail. Something had to give. Actually beads are cheaper when bought in small lots. So, I consoled myself that everytime I bought some new beads it was still cheaper than some of my favorite Jimmy Choo's, right? I could feel better just buying $40 worth of beads, or findings, as opposed to a pair of shoes that cost several hundred dollars.

So, as I am being asked this question that I hear on a regular basis, I just draw a complete blank.
I can actually feel myself getting that "deer in the headlights" stare coming across my face. When asked about my other obssession of shoe buying, I was working in a professional setting and making money to cover one shoe so, of course the full price was never disclosed!

Now that is not good. I need a snappy come back, ladies! Something to redeem myself with, but all I can think about is the large bag in the trunk of my car that I have not even brought into the house yet, and believe me it is going into hiding for a few months.

The truth is, that beads, like anything you are addicted to, just draw you into that place where you cannot say NO. I am telling you we need a 12 step program. But, am I willing to stand up in front of all my peeps and actually admit I have a problem? They say, until you admit you have one, you will not get better. Hmmm.

I actually start to feel bad, that I have enough inventory to feed a family of 4 in my possession. But, once again, the mail comes, and along with it is the newest copy of Sundance catalog. Oh...I have to be alone when I look at the jewelry designs. Sounds coming from my mouth may draw attention to me and the EMS may be on its way before I have a chance to explain I am merely oooing and awing over the new designs, and not having some sort of seizure. I literally wipe the drool off my mouth, as I stare at the newest designs of some of my favorite designers.

I come out of our bedroom and my husband is still standing there waiting for an answer -- but he looks in my hand and sees the catalog. With a shake of his head, he heads back to the office to balance the accounts. I know he knows, he will not get an intelligent answer out of me until I have digested my latest catalog and tried to figure out how everything was made and whether I have some Labradorite beads to make something similar to a necklace I saw in that book. I am once again, off in my little land of creating, and I block out the world and just enjoy what I do.

Do you ever have these "bead confrontations?" Or are you sneaky and hide your stash? I always wonder which works better.
Till next time, happy beading and don't get caught with a bag of beads in the trunk of your car and if you do, tell me what excuse you used, don't know how much longer that "deer in the headlights" thing is going to work.
Ciao, Sophie

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Introduction to My Bead Obsession or "I need a 12 Step Program!"

A big hello to anyone who actually share's my addiction. You are welcome to come and let out you feelings here -- you are among friends. And as in any 12 Step Program, we shall not use our real names. Just call me Sophie.

I think it started years ago [we shall be polite and not indicate the exact number of years, in order not to humiliate the writer], when I first saw my Mom put on rhinestone earrings. I was quite young so "rhinestone" earrings looked like diamonds to me. I loved the flash [which we now lovingly call bling] and the way the light hit them just the right way so that everything seemed bright and shiny. [I am now reminded of other creatures that are attracted to bright and shiny objects and that could be quite frightening...... but I digress.]

There, right then, began my love and obsession for jewelry. Of course, in those days no one was obsessing over how many beads, they could buy, and hoard, on the pretense that it was a "business" and that they NEEDED them because they were on sale.

And then it hits me ! Since I stopped working in a professional office, oh my God, I have traded my shoe obsession for BEADS! How could this have happened to me. I loved my Prada, my Gucci, the smell of the leather of a new pair of Jimmy Choo strappy little heels, or boots by Marc Jacobs....what has happened to me.

And right in the middle of my distracted state wondering what happened to my shoe obsession came in the mail a new "Bead Catalog"! I could not turn the pages fast enough trying to see what was "in" and what was "out". Was I going to have to buy more of something because I didn't have the right colors?? Oh, I am just wringing my hand, as I think of all the things I need to create my latest design with.

No one understands us. This obsessive desire to obtain every bead available that you just have to have at the moment, and a month later you look at and say "what was I thinking"? That is when you throw those beads into a pile you humbly call your "destash" to list on your on-line shopping venue. You feel sad, but whatever money you can get for those babies goes for more beads! Ahhhh. There is a sense of poetic justice after all.

Join me. Tell me your obsessions with beads. Let me in on your last big trade-off "food for the children" or "beads". "Paying the light bill on time" or "beads". I know you are out there. I am not alone in this place where I cannot control myself. I have heard women in the bead store talking to the telephone company trying to pay partial amounts on their bills because they have found a "once in a lifetime" deal on some special beads.

Oh - have to go - someone has a 60% off sale on line. I might miss something I need right now. I will be back tomorrow to share with you what I bought.

Ciao, Sophie