Update in the life of the St.Jeans through random ramblings.

Well, it is once again fall. I can't believe yet another year is spinning down to a close. So much happened this year it should have been spread out over at least two years, but no, we St. Jeans cram as much in as we can. Let's see, book 2 is with the publishers and being edited and they are doing the magic that they do. The title is Metal Magic- Etch, Enamel, Pierce and Set Stunning Jewelry. It is going to be debuted at the Bead and Button 2012 show. We are on our way to the last two National shows of the year, Beadfest Arlington and Wire Masters Laguna Beach. We are driving so that we can haul all of the tools, so we are dissecting the U.S. out and back in a 3 week jaunt. Chase is not with us this year, we found an awesome private school for him to attend at our new home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He loves it and is blooming! Unfortunately that means he has to stay with his grandparents while we are on the road, or that I have to do them without Norm. Norm has really stepped up and become the best Mr. Mom on Earth. This spring and next fall I will probably be enlisting an intern or assistant. We just can't stand both of us being away from Chase for too long. So if you like to travel all over the US let me know, there's no pay, but I'm a lot of fun! Ha Don't everyone apply at once. On a happy note, our daughter decided to marry her long time boyfriend...they've been dating on and off since they were in about the 7th grade. They got back together about 3 years ago and decided to make it permanent. Their wedding was on the same day that my book was due, so it was like I gave birth and gave away my oldest all on the same day! The wedding was perfect due to Nora's fabulous new Mother-in-law whom is also named Kim. My family keeps it simple for me, I have a very difficult time remembering names so my mom and my mother in law are both named Patricia, my son and my son in law are both named Chase, and my daughters mother (me) and her mother in law are both named Kim. How's that for accommodating!? We've moved permanently to our beach cabin....well....ok...trailer! All right I've said it, I now live in a trailer, but it is on THE BEACH! It's cute and we're lovin' it. No more mortgage or hassle. It does take longer to get EVERY WHERE. We have to drive 2 hours just to get to the interstate. But it is worth it. We have a studio in Little River, which is just another section of Myrtle Beach. It's known for it's shrimp and crabs. Of coarse Norm won't eat either one! We haven't had time to unpack the boxes and set it up yet, but it's going to be great once we do. We are in a strip with two pottery studios and a little cafe'. They even have a raku pit and have a big firing party every quarter, of course I've missed two already, but I get to one eventually. When my daughter was little she used to say, "I hate ebentually?" I think I'll go take my A. D. D. medication now and let you be! Bye.

Busy, busy, busy...so where do I begin. Okay, we're moving to Myrtle Beach. We are down sizing yet again, and moving into our little beach get-a-way full time. We travel so much that we are hardly ever home, so we decided to just move to our vacation spot! Makes since don't you think, cause when we're not on the road that's where we want to be. Gotta be out of the apartment by July 31, gotta be out of the studio by August 31. In the mean time, I'm schedules to film 2 episodes of Beads, Baubles and Jewels in Cleveland on Tuesday, go to my 30th high school class reunion in the middle of July, write instructions for a Bead and Button project for Octobers issue, work on my project proposals for Beadfest Santa Fe, Beadfest Wire, and Bead and Button 2012, and I also found out today that I may have a late September deadline for book #2 in which I haven't even started yet. In the mean time I'm keeping up with my 2011 teaching schedule which includes 5 more weeks of William Holland, Beadfest Bead, CREATE in Chicago, Beadfest Houston and Wire Masters in Laguna, Beach. Some where in there I have to set up the new studio! Can I do it? Yes I can!

My Week filming with Beaducation

The week before last, Beaducation flew me and my husband, Norm out to San Carlos, Californian to film classes for their on line store. We had a good flight leaving cold weather in Charlotte, North Carolina, despite having a 2 hour snow/ice delay in Detroit, Michigan. But I had the best Udon soup I've ever had while waiting for our flight, so I didn't complain. The flights were pleasant, we flew Delta. We were met at the airport by the wonderful and charming Kate Richbourg. She whisked us off to the Beaducation office to drop off my tools and go over the schedule for the next day. It's 8:00ish her time, but 11:00ish our time, so I'm like a zombie. Then we go to a cute new pub for dinner. It's now 12:00ish in my mind. Great food though!

The next day I was picked up by Kate leaving Norm with a peck on the cheek and on his own to occupy his day. We were in a great location for him to walk around and explore and the weather was gorgeous. All the Beaducation staff were great! Especially Rocko! The French Bull dog! Filming went well, I was a little nervous and giggled through the front shots, which they say they will black mail me with in a blooper series. But when the day was over, I felt good, everyone made me fell special. I was treated like a star! All three days or filming were a blast. I was made to feel very comfortable, it was very laid back, I truly enjoyed myself.

Let's talk about the food...the first night was good, but the food just got better as the week went on. We had Thai, Mexican, English Pub, Sushi, and Mediterranean. Needless to say it was very difficult to stay on my New Years Diet, but I wasn't too bad. I came home only 3lbs heavier than I went, and I had it back off in one week. Norm and I had a great time, and I would love to be invited back some time, next time we'll take Chase, so he and Norm can ride the train into San Fransisco!

Snow Days

When snow days come about, we all revert back to our childhoods when we used to patiently wait for the announcement that school was canceled. We plan all the things we are going to do on our unexpected day off. Catch up on unread books, tackle the unorganized closet, get caught up on just about everything you've procrastinated on for the last year! And before you know it the day is over and you've done nothing but cruise facebook and read jokes people have been e-mailing you for the last month. Now I need another snow day to do the things I was supposed to do before this was proclaimed a snow day!