J'Adore...le Cirque!

"I adore simple pleasures.
They are the last refuge of the complex."
~Oscar Wilde

Thanks to Gaea for giving me an award. I just purchased the most lovely Mr. Skull necklace that she is surprising me with for a custom color combo as my birthday present to me. And some of her wonderful focal beads. I love the thought of all things French and this is c'est magnifique!

The rules of the award:

Mention the blogger that awarded this to you. (Check!)

Name 5 things you love. (Check!)

Choose 10 blogs to *receive this award. (*Since this is making its way around the blogosphere I will just change it slightly and say this is a list of blogs not to be missed!)

5 things I love...

1. My husband.
   
2. My children.
   
3. A good cup of coffee from Emy Js.
   
4. Anything covered in chocolate.
   
5. A bouquet of fresh from the farm mixed flowers.

10 Blogs that are not to be missed...(I read them every time they post something new...from the fantastic to the talented to the funny to the inspirational...check them out next week!)

1. A Fanciful Twist
2. Andrew Thornton
3. Cake Wrecks
4. Charlie Pratt
5. Etsy Stalker
6. Jennsylvania
7. Ornamental
8. The Jungle of Life
9. Three Beautiful Things
10. Zen Habits

See...it's not all about jewelry for me! Sometimes it is about life and love and laughter. Oh, that and finding a fabulous item on Etsy! This little reading list should keep you occupied while I am gone next week.

Oh...I forgot to tell you where I am going? I will be gone for the next week on a trade show to Las Vegas for my day job. I just didn't want anyone reading out there to be concerned about my lack of posting (although I do have a firm "Blogging Without Obligation" policy, I do try to post at least once per week!). I will likely not have access to my blog or email at that time. I have never been to Las Vegas and even though this will be a business trip, I will certainly have fun. We always do. I am very excited to see everything and hope to take pictures (Russ Troll is coming along for the ride so he will have to tell you all about it when he gets back!).

We are seeing one show while we are there. Cirque du Soleil's Ka. If you have never seen the Cirque du Soleil then by all means you must. See any of the shows out there. You won't be disappointed. Is it expensive? Yes, but it is the best money I have ever spent on any show and stays with me long after I have left. I have been going to Cirque shows since the early 90s when I first saw one in a bright red and white striped tent set up on the Navy Pier in Chicago. I expected a circus under the big top...if that is what you think, you will be blown away. And now I never miss an opportunity, even seeing a show more than once. The music, the costumes, the acrobatics...all are quite amazing. I am sure that I will be crazy inspired to create something from the experience!

My daughter, the Tiny Dancer, tried out for a spot in the special performance group presentation for her dance studio for next May. The shows each year are original creations from the mind and imagination of our talented dance instructor Miss Tori. This year the show is based on the Cirque du Soleil with the costuming and stage makeup and music. It will be fantastic. Tiny Dancer landed a role in a quartet of dancers who will do a spotlight performance. I hope to bring back some inspiration for her to build the excitement for the performance group.

While I do like to have the opportunity to travel and to discover new places, I will miss my family. I am mostly a home-body with the heart of an adventurer! And I will miss the opportunity to work in my studio as well (can you say....buried under bead projects?). I don't mind the air travel, but I dislike the long lines and the waiting. I rather enjoy staying in a hotel, but I miss my own bed. I find it exciting to experience the best a place has to offer, but I feel so buried when I come back to an overwhelming amount of things missed. And did I mention I will miss my family? That is the worst thing about traveling alone...

When you travel, what is the thing that you like the most?
What is the thing that you like the least? Do tell!

Check It Out::Cirque du Soleil KA

And I wanted to post a YouTube but I couldn't get it to work. To see the promo for KA follow this link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvDW4DRj7gc

Enjoy the day!