Life is sure different now

by bevludlow on July 16, 2009

Clay Ludlow 4/24/1920-6/8/2009

Clay Ludlow 4/24/1920-6/8/2009

My husband, Clay, died on June 8, 2009, and my life has changed forever; I miss him so dreadfully. Except for a few orders from the web site, and some new custom wholesale work, I’ve barely touched my tools since April. Luckily, I did get some new things made before we realized he wasn’t likely to come home from ICU. Here’s one that was fun to do; an adaptation of a tutorial by Abby Hook.

Fancy coiled and bead necklace

Fancy coiled and bead necklace

Seems nowadays when I try to make jewelry I make more scrap wire than ever before; so hard to concentrate on being “creative.” I’m really thankful for the two new wholesale orders because they’ve made me get back to work. Both are for setting very large stones, something I’ve not done in awhile, so it is a good lesson in concentration. I have a show coming up in mid August and really must get some things made, so hopefully, this is the start of productivity.

Custom setting for 25 mm stone

Custom setting for 25 mm stone

There are so many things that need doing now that I’m on my own, not to mention all the stuff dealing with Clay’s passing, that I find it incredibly easy to procrastinate; after all, these things need doing, so it isn’t really procrastinating, right? I must, must, must get that order out today. Three more stones to set. There, now that it’s written down, it will get done.

Since this blog is “Not enough time in a day…,” my idea for the day is to first wrap those three stones, get them to the Post Office after loading up the truck for yet another dump run, get some food in the house that isn’t fats and carbohydrates, and finally, begin on my second quarter’s business books so I can do the sales tax form due at the end of the month.

Life is sad, but it’s still good.

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bevludlow

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What a start to the year!

by bevludlow on April 20, 2009

Wow, what a start to the year! First, Granddaughter’s Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma recurred, and she’s currently undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Next my husband was diagnosed with a mysenteric sarcoma, and has just returned home after having a 7 pound (no exaggeration) tumor removed, and is cancer free, but very weak. Needless to say, jewelry has been a bit low on my screen so far, but now we’re “normalizing,” whatever that is, and it’s time to get back to work.

Cute little thing with lots of possibilities

Cute little thing with lots of possibilities

This is the first thing I made this year. I’m trying to gear toward the under $35 market this year. I’m also thinking of doing simpler 18-20 inch necklaces with handmade chain. Since I reorganized my bead drawers, I’ve discovered that I really need to start making things with all those pearls. I have 9 trays of them in all sorts of colors and sizes! I’m just going to pull them all out, and see what happens. 
I love working with wire. It’s fun to figure out how to put things together without solder, especially, as I am very bad at soldering. People tell me that when soldering, more is not better, but I just can’t seem to get it. 

After I work a bit with this style, I want to work with the new beads I bought at the San Mateo International Gem Show; I just wish I’d written down what they were! Pricey little things, and the name was so common (perhaps topaz?) I thought surely I’d remember. I got the supplier’s card, but no joy from either their web site or email. Any one heard of Bead Palace?

Anyone know what these are?

Anyone know what these are?

I also found some beautiful faceted Beryl beads, and Just received an order for a necklace using them. Now that’s how it’s supposed to work!

Now, back to the jewelry bench….

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bevludlow

bevludlow

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