Simple Truths Winners and Busy-ness

Thank you for everyone who participated in the Simple Truths Celebration blog hop last week. I commented to several people that it was as though I was seeing an old friend again when I saw the charms and pendants that were popping up. Often I make them in small batches and just experiment with ideas. Some were ones that I had a hard time giving up! But to see them all grown up and in such pretty finery really made me feel like a proud mama hen watching her chicks fly for the first time!

I also want to thank all the people who stopped by with such nice comments. I really meant this as more of a sharing of those who are creating with Simple Truths, but it was nice to get such validation that what I am doing is making a difference to others.

I have pinned all the images that you shared in the hop onto my Pinterest board for Designs Using Simple Truths. If you ever make something with one, be sure to share and I will add a link there!

I promised you some winners and here they are:

Winner of the Simple Truths Sampler 3-month subscription (for the hop participants): Cynthia Riggs

Winner of the Simple Truths Sampler 3-month subscription (for the commenters): Susan Lloyd

I have to say that the ideas that you shared with me for a custom limited edition Simple Truth pendant were so awesome, I just couldn't choose one. So I have selected two. That's how I roll ;-)

1st Winner of a Custom made Simple Truth created as a limited edition: Kim Stevens who said this: 
"I would love to see a simple truth that said - Finding my wings, learning to fly. It was my 6 word memoir for a challenge in a class with Kim Klassen (Beyond Layers). The 6 word memoir originated with Smith Magazine in the thoughts that although our story could fill hundreds upon hundreds of pages, sometimes all we need are a few words. Those were the six words that rolled off my pen to paper and I would love to see those on a simple truths pendant as a reminder for myself that in order to fly I need to leave the safety of the cocoon. It could be rectangular in shape, horizontal in orientation, and I do love pink."

2nd Winner of a Custom made Simple Truth created as a limited edition: Holly Sommerville who said this:  
"Erin, It's wonderful to see all the beautiful collaborations of like-minded artists, words, and visual images. It seems to me that all of the best art connects images and words and people... even across generations. I've been thinking about this challenge for the last few days. I've been thinking about how our role as "mothers" has changed over the years. A few years ago, I chose in the face of ridicule to be a full-time mama to my daughter for a few years. Women seem to always struggle with notions of perfection and expectation. We're perfectionists by nature... We worry about being a good mama, wife, daughter, and employee. We have so many roles... Sometimes keeping hold of all the pieces is a real struggle. We give everything... Sometimes, we give too much of ourselves away and then feel spent. Sometimes, we can't live up to our expectations and those of others.  Yesterday, while all of this was swirling about in my mind, I was sweeping and scrubbing and grumbling. I was preparing for a visit from someone, who always seems to point out my imperfections. I really thought that my house was acceptable; however, I had forgotten about the gigantic cobweb lurking above my rocking chair... above my creative space. As soon as she walked in my house, she noticed the spider's web and was appalled! hehehe... I couldn't help but laugh at her and I. I had just been reading Issa's poem:
"Don't worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually."
What I had forgotten in all of my antibacterial haste to be perfect was that yesterday, I also read poetry (for the first time in a long time) and watched the perfection of my little girl fall asleep. I realized that I'm a good mama even if my house isn't always perfect :)  So, my simple truth pendant would have a cobweb in the upper corner with a little joyous spider to remind me that "some moments are worth owning a little imperfection. Blessings to all the mamas out there."
 
CONGRATULATIONS!

I just love the thoughts and the messages behind each of these and I am excited to get started working with you to create something special! I will be in touch with you both to start the process and to work with you to get the feel of it right and reveal them as limited editions in my Etsy store as soon as I can! As for the others - it was so hard to choose! - I made a little chart of the remaining ideas. If I decide to pursue them I will be in contact to arrange a special limited edition just for you!

Life continues to march on. I can't believe that summer is half over! Gah!

This past weekend Rocket and his Nationals baseball team were on the road to Fond du Lac where we continued the winning streak. We won the tournament (redemption for last year when we lost our only game all season there to take our only 2nd place trophy) which brings our record to 21-0 and 1st place in all five tournaments we have played in. Our last one is the last weekend in July. Our home tournament. Hoping to finish with a BANG!

Tiny Dancer is starting up the dance lessons again and will be in the Point Tap Festival in early August learning from masters in tap from across the country and working with students in college and beyond. So happy that she can do this. But in the meantime she also plays softball. Her team took 3rd in the league, and she is becoming a really good pitcher and first baseman. She stays cool under pressure and doesn't let the calls get her down (unlike her brother who can't handle the heat on the mound but is more perfectly suited to calling the shots as catcher behind the plate). She was selected to play on the All Star team and last night they were ahead, but it had to be called due to lightning. I love the summer ball season, but I will be happy to get some nights away from ballpark food!

I am excited that I will be traveling to the Valley Ridge Art Studio in Muscoda, WI on Friday to take a class with Richard Salley. I am not even sure what I will be learning, and I am not even sure that I have all the right materials, but I am just so happy to be traveling to this little jewel in Southern Wisconsin and to soak up all that Mr. Salley has to offer. (Seems that every class I ever take is geared toward metals in some way. Have you noticed that? I wonder if I am trying to tell myself something...) I will let you know all about it when I return!
 
Next week will be full of finishing some design team work, starting jewelry for a wedding, the reveal of the Echo Creative Club on 7/25 (I got a pretty green Gin Blossom to play with), my day as the Studio Saturday on Art Bead Scene 7/28, preparing the end of the month blog tour for our ABS challenge (have you made a blue bracelet for the 7000 Bracelets project?) and the reveal of the 6th Bead Soup Blog Hop on 7/28 with my fabulous partner Eni Fabian from Austria! I hope you will come back and join me! Whew! I am tired just thinking of all this. There is no danger of standing still in my world. Now you see why I don't sleep! ;-)

What is keeping you busy this week?