Decisions, decisions, decisions...

There are too many decisions to be made in the course of a day. Decisions related to work and play. Major life decisions and everyday basic survival decisions. Deciding things like what to eat, when to sleep, what to wear, how to accessorize an outfit...most of these decisions we make in the blink of an eye, without even thinking about them or the consequences. Then there are "big" decisions like choosing a spouse, buying a home, picking out a washer and dryer, and accessorizing an outfit. Ha!

For me, starting a blog about the jewelry I make was a "big" decision. It's one more thing, in an already bustling, industrious, somewhat harried lifestyle, that takes time away from making jewelry. I don't have a Facebook account for the same reason (gasp! I hear all the shocked whispers out there. I do realize that I belong to a soon-to-be extinct group of Facebook holdouts).

It's not that I don't want to participate in these new millenium social networks. I visit a lot of jewelry websites. I love etsy.com. I read your blogs. I wish I had just a smidgen of the talent I encounter in cyberspace. It's just been easier to be on the beading fringe and have extra time to do other things like hang out with my family and friends, run with my dogs, write obscure articles about raw material package size, practice my guitar, and work in my yard.

But my good friend Heidi (http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com/) recently pointed out to me that if I don't have a blog, I can't participate in the 2011 Bead Soup Blog Hop (sign-up is August 1st-3rd at http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com). After witnessing the outcome of Heidi's involvement last year---she sent and received really wonderful beads, and created a fabulous necklace from her swag---I really didn't want a small thing like the lack of a blog to hold me back from all the potential fun.

So, I've started a blog. My title says it all...well, almost...the truth is, I'm an infrequent beader, therefore I'm going to be an infrequent blogger. Sigh...

But I'm excited about Bead Soup! It sort of reminds me of a dish-towel chain letter that my grandmother sweetly pressured me into back in the late 90's. I was really resistant at first; "chain mail" is a dirty word(s) to me and I had just started grad school at Texas A&M, so life was hectic. Who can tell a grandmother 'No'? Not me. I sent out my white flour-sack kitchen towel (boring, but practical) and got 10 ecclectic offerings in return. Hello? Anyone else remember this trend?

I think the bead soup exchange is even better! It's a neat idea because for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it's going to force me out of my jewlery 'box', so to speak, and require that I examine color, shape, and texture in a whole new way (I'm mostly left-brained, remember? This can sometimes equate to boring and routine).

We'll see how much I grow as a beader as time passes. When I can, I'll post some pictures of recent things I've made---a basis for comparison, if you will. Also, Heidi and I hit the jewelry show here in NOLA a few weeks ago pretty hard...we got some really lovely beads. I'll try to get photos of those posted as well. But if I post a photo of a stone spear point instead, don't hold it against me.