ACCOUNTABILITY!

Okay, so, here we are AGAIN. I need a dose of accountability! I am getting out of control again. Too many to-do lists!  I have been found in my PJ's out in the yard, wandering in circles!  

Google Earth photo of the yard...it IS art though!

Better do SOMETHING before it gets worse(and I make the 10 o'clock News!)

These are things I tend to do when I am overwhelmed. And of course, AS USUAL, I only have myself to blame.

So as I lay in bed this morning, swimming in design ideas,

 which I just KNEW I'd remember, 

OF COURSE I would as they were so fabulous!

 Yup, I lost them. 

Don't fret, they will wander back through.

 Probably during another RARE calm moment.

Oh, I was saying..swimmming in ideas while in bed. Yes, um, what was I talking about again?

OH YEAH, and I decided to get back on my schedule. A very well thought out schedule, mind you, with charts and everything! 

What a sick mind!

 What can I say in my defense? 

It's just the accountant in me!

Anyways....I am trying to start being ACCOUNTABLE as of today, August 21, 2014. I need to work my way up to following the schedule to the "t".SLOWLY! For instance,  the SCHEDULE says check email and social media at 7AM, 12PM and then again at 5PM, and only for 30 minutes! Oh hell, I really need to work on that! So I will jossle (juggle + toss) it around a bit this first week.

Like I tell my kids - BABY STEPS!

Of course I can NOT function in the current state of my studio space. So that's my first task. AND, just to make myself ACCOUNTABLE I am showing photos! Here goes. 

DON'T Judge!!

Just like you (come clean!), I HAVE been down this road before. Here was how it looked back in March of this year.

Took me almost a whole month to get everything sorted and back in there.(this is just one view of the mess I had then)


AND here is TODAY,

                
                 DON'T Judge!!


Here are the highlights for you,

And just to torture myself in hopes it will get my butt in gear I leave this on my chair when I leave for the day!

Um, it's NOT working.

So there it tis, my dirty little secret! FEELS GREAT to out myself and come CLEAN!

 (oh, did I show you the piles in the living room?!)

I will keep you updated 

(well, if I am successful AND 

if I can fit it in my schedule!)

Smooches,

Shelley

New DESTASH group started!

As I change TORI SOPHIA Designs over from ceramics to mixed media art I decided to share the ceramic components and jewelry pieces I still have available with my friends. So I opened a destash group on Facebook. It works a little differently than most destash groups I have been a part of in the past. I will post only a small amount of items per week, and to begin, just one day a week. I will post the items for PREVIEW on Saturday but won't start the SALE until Sundays at 7pm EST. This will keep people from impulse buying* as well as make it fair to all. If everyone has a chance to look it over, before the feeding frenzy starts - that's better in my view.

* YOU know we are ALL impulsive bead hoarders! - "Ooooh, SHINY, want!" - sound familiar?! LOL

A few of this week's offerings:

It's my wish that my pieces NOT be purchased for resale purposes (other than in your own designs) so I have made the decision not to sell in bulk or wholesale to resellers. I don't care if people buy my jewelry and then take it apart and repurpose it, to me that's art and I can only HOPE to be a part of their process. But to buy with the intent to turn around and sell them, even in bead soups, that doesn't appeal to me. And these are my babies! :) 

I hope people understand and aren't offended. These pieces are apart of me. I never mass produced any of my pieces, except in limited number or as part of a series. WITH THAT SAID, if you would like to become a member please stop by....Viewings start Saturdays with SALE beginning Sundays at 7PM EST. Thanks!

CLICK HERE to join the 

TORI SOPHIA Designs Destash Group.

July 2014 Blog Giveaway Winner!!

My July giveaway has ended...and the winner is -

Yup, that's right, 

it's LORI JEAN POPPE!!

Lori won a $25 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

If you have 4 minutes to spare, check out this QUIK CLIP TIP: "Heat Embossing for Your Hand Drawings, Photos or Writing" -

Thanks for tuning in!

July in review, my plans for August AND a GIVEAWAY!!

Back in June I told you about my plan - because I consider this year a turning point in my life, I wanted to challenge myself,  ALL. YEAR. LONG. 

For the month of July I challenged myself to create an ICAD (Index Card a Day) for every day of the month. I had a hard time in the beginning but once I made the decision to share my ICADs, or heART cards as I call them, the ideas just flowed. I admit the daily video was a lot of work, editing takes loads of time. It isn't easy taking 30-60 minutes and getting it down to around 5 minutes! But I learned so much I don't regret it,  PLUS,  I have met quite a few new friends from all around the globe. I love that!

Okay so that's checked off my list!







Now for the month of August... I came across this pin on Pinterest. It was a blog entry by Melissa Speelman of FrecklePhoto where she explains a collaborative project she did with her art students. Together they created a giant color wheel using cutouts from magazines. I loved the whole idea and especially loved the end result. 

See, besides texture, I LOVE color! I of course have a Pinterest board for color, I call it "Color-licious".   I also love a good group effort so I decided to invite my friends to take part by asking them to trade  bright colored paper with me. Small scraps are all I need. They can be painted papers, gelli prints, wrappers, junk mail, patterned paper from their stashes, even a small found object - whatever! As long as it's colorful.  

I am planning to get a large piece of mdf and cut it in a circle, then I will just go to town creating. HOPEFULLY this will all be complete by the end of the month. I will then have another challenge completed PLUS a beautiful piece of art for my studio.  Of course the best part will be that all my friends took part in it! 

Do you want in too? Here are the guidelines:

• Send up to 5 small pieces of paper (painted paper, gelli print, wrappers and/or patterned papers) OR a small found object.
• Suggested size is 3.5" x 2.5" (ATC size)
• Take your favorite piece and write your name and contact info on it.
• Mail to me at PO Box 583, Rome NY 13442
• I will in turn send you 5 of my papers which I have made. 

(Please,  no extra goodies. In order for this to go smoothly for me I need to prepack  my papers to be ready to mail out when yours arrive. If you send me goodies I will feel badly that I haven't included anything extra...5 small scraps is all I ask. I KNOW how generous my friends can be, but this one time please hold yourself back. LOL! Remember the purple bead avalanche?!)

NOW for my July giveaway...here's the scoop:
                 
                        Prize :  $25 gift card for Amazon.com
                          Contest ends Thursday, August 7, 2014 at midnight 
    MY APOLOGIES I set the deadline for 12:01 AM but 8/8 sooo it's ended. :(


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are the July ICADs for your to choose from:

 For a better view of the cards here is a video review:

Check back on August 9th to see if you are the winner.  And as always I thank you for stopping by,  for all your kind words and feedback. ~ Shelley