Caught a Fever

I am doing a "Five Minute Friday" post inspired by TheGypsyMama.com.  Her word for today is "Catch."

I've definitely caught a fever - a fever for jewelry and creativity!  I am excited about my "job" that I have created for myself with this little hobby turned home business.  It began trying to find pretty jewelry for my sensitive ears and turned into the thought that maybe I could try making my own.  From there it spawned and spawned...  The more I learn, the more I want to learn and discover and explore the materials and processes.  I've got more ideas than I have time for!  And it's a marvelous feeling!  Some things I'm meaning to get to include: resin bead / cabachon making using silicon molds and dyes (for my hypoallergenic niobium post earrings and surgical steel post earrings), wire wrapping of gemstones I've put through my rock tumbler, experimenting with my dremel tool so I can get comfortable with using it, and working with the titanium wire I ordered in order to also offer it as another hypoallergenic option.  And there's more buzzing around in my head!  I try to write it down and pin it up on my inspiration board.  So, I've definitely caught a fever - and I think the only cure is to feed it!  ;)

Thank you for visiting!

Amanda J ~ Pretty Sensitive Ears

If interested in checking out my latest styles in my etsy shop, including the crystal faced niobium post earrings that I'm so excited about, please visit:  http://www.prettysensitive.etsy.com

Also, you can visit my facebook page to find a special discount offer valid for the remainder of October for fans of my page:  http://www.facebook.com/PrettySensitiveEars

Dremel & Bloggie

My 30th birthday has arrived!  And I have to say, I feel just fine.  ;) 

My parents gave to me this birthday a gift of a Dremel tool which I have long wanted!  I am so excited (and also a little intimidated!)  I perused the owner's manual and took a look through all of the various attachments and am now working on dreaming up its inaugural project!  I think that once I can start playing around with it I will learn quickly what I can do with it.  (hopefully without doing much damage to any of the attachments!  but, you know, sometimes you just gotta learn by making mistakes!)

My husband gave me an amazing little techie device called a Sony Bloggie.  It is a small digital video camera with dual screens:  one on the back as we've all typically seen with digital cameras, and another screen on the front!  It's so I can set it up on a tripod and video myself and be able to see what I'm recording (my kids love this feature - lol)  He got it so I can record videos of earring making to share online!  I think it's going to be sort of fun - whether it's for making brief tutorials or for sharing the inspiration and work behind a particular pair that I've made.  This camera is so sleek too - and can take still pictures while video recording too. 

A few more sentimental thoughts on turning 30 before I end this blog post...

I have had my dearest family and friends nearby to help me welcome this new decade of my life - and it really means a lot to me.  I've always been a "quality" not "quantity" type of girl when it comes to friends, and I feel really blessed to have the real, supportive, quality friendships that I do.  In general the last few months have been ones filled with thought and reflection on life thus far and onward, and I am sincerely thankful to be where I am in my life.  Each day I grow more and more comfortable in my own skin, I keep learning more and more, and gain more and more wisdom.  There's nothing quite like experience to help you truly understand the wisdom our elders try to pass on to us at a young age.  I see this quite simply with my own children, and feel it myself when I have an 'ah-ha!' moment of realization about advice given to me by elder loved ones since passed. 

Sentimentality aside, I know my 30's are going to be grand!  :) 

And back on the topic of Pretty Sensitive Ears...  ;)  I have really enjoyed so far the handful of feedback I have received from customers who are having great success with earrings they've purchased from me.  It's a great feeling to help people out.  Thanks for the feedback and support.  I am enjoying this "job" much more than any other I've ever had!