Tangible Tidbits 2012 #17: From Scholarships to Softball

Hi, everyone! Can you believe April has come and gone already? Where does the time go? :O

Thanks to one of our readers who previously worked in a university financial aid office, I now know what a Student Aid Report (SAR) is and where to get it! :) Luckily, I'd already started the application for it through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website, but I was stalled because it required my 2011 income tax figures and I hadn't done my taxes yet. I completed the application this week, and have received and uploaded my SAR to my MJSA Education Foundation Jewelry Scholarship application. Two items down! ;) Now, I have to concentrate on getting photos taken of someone wearing my metalwork pieces for the 3-5 Work Samples, and the Letter of Recommendation. I will worry about the Work Sample List (obviously, it depends on the pictures I can get), Essay and filling in the Financial Information Worksheet later...hopefully the worksheet won't be too difficult.

Earlier this week, I was inspired to start my BSNJ Bead Challenge project, which will be due at the June meeting. I was taking a late afternoon nap one day -- I do that a lot because it gives me the energy to work later at night -- and an idea popped into my head. I'd had a different idea in mind, but this new idea is much more creative...and, hopefully, unique! :D Although I've started working on the focal piece, I haven't decided yet how to present it. Maybe that will come to me in another dream? LOL

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I've signed up to be a vendor at a Network Charity Brunch Image Forum on Sunday, May 20 in Denville, NJ. I received a call today asking how many people I was planning to bring, as it "is expected" that vendors will bring people for the networking aspect. Considering the host is a plastic surgeon and the presentations include permanent make-up and Botox, I don't see too many people I know being interested. If she is more concerned with networking with my friends than offering shopping opportunities for attendees, this may be a one-time gig for me. These events are held two to three times a year, but I would only participate again if it is in my own best interest. Considering I am one of the LEAST likely people you will ever see getting cosmetic work done, I have a feeling these people may not be my cuppa tea. :|

For the third consecutive year, the Rumson Oceanic Library in Rumson, NJ will be featuring BSNJ members' work in their display case throughout May. I have to pull together a collection of items I think their patrons may like by Tuesday. As it's a fundraiser for the Library, the items are for sale and 20 percent of the sales go to the Library. I didn't sell anything last year, but I think I sold two or three items the year before. Now that I've had some experience, I am better equipped to select items that are more in their price range. Most of the items I choose to display are beaded, naturally, as that is the main focus of the Society. ;)

I spent the afternoon with my older niece today for her birthday outing. We went to Earth, Paint and Fire as I did with her sister in January. Of course, this activity was preceded by bagels for lunch and frozen yogurt afterward. Let me tell you, these girls are NOT cheap dates! LOL

Sadly, my younger niece is sporting (no pun intended) a black eye since Friday evening. A softball tipped off her glove and right into her face while playing catch at practice. Her eye is kind of purple now, but it seems to be much better than it was. She's taking pictures daily to keep us updated. ;)

Mom and I went to one of their softball games on Thursday evening (before the black eye incident) and saw them each pitch an inning. It was not exactly drizzling...more like misting...but everything was still wet. Luckily for the spectators, the game was called after three innings -- they usually play six -- because the game started late due to the umpire's late arrival. As there is another league that plays on the same fields at 8:00 p.m., they are not allowed to start a new inning after 7:45 p.m. We'll try to see another game in May, hopefully in more cooperative weather. :)

Well, it's almost time for Once Upon a Time, so I will sign off now. Take care and have a great week! :)

Tangible Tidbits 2011 #27: Happy Independence Day, USA!

Hi, everyone! I've been a bit lazy for the past couple of days. It's been unbelievably muggy and today was gray and rainy all day, so I had no energy to do much. I caught a head cold in the middle of the week because I slept with the air conditioning on, so that knocked me for a bit of a loop. I had switched from the name brand Allegra-D over-the-counter medication to a pharmacy store brand, and it did NOT work! I had to go get the name brand...and I felt better within an hour of taking it! Who'd think a minor change in the inactive ingredients would make such a difference? :p

As promised, the new Focal Piece of the Month is up. Chime in and let me know what you think of the modified writing different style!

I submitted a few pieces for consideration in the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council's Wearable Art for women, Men & Children fundraiser in November. One of the BSNJ members is active on the council and forwarded the information to us. Atlantic Highlands is pretty far south of me, but it would be worth it for the exposure and to hopefully sell some of my inventory. :)

In addition, I sent eight pieces for inclusion in the Bead Society's display at the Rumson Oceanic Library this month. Just like last year, it's a fundraiser for the Library, with 20 percent of the proceeds benefiting the facility. I sold a few pieces there last year, so I'm hoping to do so again this year! Ideally, I would like to submit pieces to shows that do not require my presence at a table all day. Less work for me and I can also take advantage of more opportunities, since I can't be in two places at once. ;)

We have our final wrap-up Board meeting for BSNJ this week, and I am attending an all-day wire workshop on Saturday, as I mentioned last week. Things at the office are going to be quite busy as well, with people taking summer vacations and the rest of us being shuffled around to fill in the gaps. July is going to be a crazy month! :o

I hope everyone celebrating the 4th of July enjoys the three-day weekend!

Click here to Tweet this message to your Twitter Followers!

Tangible Tidbits 2010 #20: This Is It!

Well, the deed is done. I am now a full-time entrepreneur, for better or worse. My last day at Registrar and Transfer Company was this past Friday. I will miss many friends and coworkers...I worked there just shy of four years. It will be a major adjustment for me not having to get up and leave the house to get to the office by 8:00 a.m. anymore, but I think this is a positive change for me overall. I'll just have to discipline myself to treat this new endeavor like a "real" job and not slack off like I'm on an extended vacation! :o

Speaking of my new endeavor, I delivered seven pieces today to go on display at the Oceanic Free Library in Rumson as part of the Bead Society of New Jersey (BSNJ) fundraiser for the Library throughout June. The not-for-profit Library will receive 20% of all sales, so if you are within traveling distance, go check it out! :)

There are quite a few projects I had put on the back burner due to time constraints, so my first goal is to get those completed. Anyone still waiting on me about a project that did not have a predetermined delivery date, expect to hear from me soon! :)

I just purchased a book called Beautiful Beaded Bags from Amazon.com...for only $4! It will be a while before I get to take a good look at it, but at first glance, it seems like there are lots of kewl projects in there! ;) I also have three DVD sets on wire jewelry techniques and a number of kits that I have purchased from guest speakers at recent BSNJ meetings, which I will be exploring this summer before school starts back up again. Be on the lookout for a bunch of new and different projects soon!

For anyone interested in learning more about steampunk, we've added the PowerPoint presentation I created for school to the website. You can click on the "What is Steampunk?" box on the Home, Artist Bio and Blog pages of the Something Tangible website. Not bad for my first attempt at a PowerPoint presentation, if I do say so myself! ;)

On the personal front, I'm coming out of a very emotional period...or at least attempting to come out of it. Lots of sudden changes, and not all pleasant ones. I still have some "unfinished business" to address, which I hope to take care of this week with a visit to the cemetery. I'm not a big cemetery goer in general...I kind of think I can talk to my loved ones on the other side from anywhere and they will (hopefully) hear me. However, friends from the "La Femme Nikita" fandom will recall that I went to a good friend's grave a couple of years ago with a few others. We "decorated" it with a bunch of items that represented our collective relationship(s) and had a toast with Mudslides, her favorite drink. It was a good way for us to say our own private good-bye, especially since we couldn't attend the funeral. Anyway, I feel the need to visit another friend, probably because his death was so sudden and very hard for me to accept. I came to learn a long time ago that I never really "get over" someone's death. I just learn to "get through" it and live with the loss. :\

On a brighter note, I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend! It's unusually warm again here in New Jersey. :p My two nieces are both in the Memorial Day Parade tomorrow in Warren, NJ; one with the Girl Scouts and the other with her Daisy Troop. Mom and I will go cheer them on.

Stay cool and be safe! :)