Thank You and Please

School is officially back in session. So, please blame my inactive blog on my pursuit of higher education. It "be like that sometimes."

I have a lot of overdue thank yous to dole out. Since my last post, Jamilary set it off at the 3rd Art Hop Struts. I'm going to be New York (circa 1998): "My jewelry looked fly on those models, yo." Seriously. The production of both shows was overwhelming. Salon Pure, a full-service salon in Williston, VT, did the make-up and hair, which brought a definitive level of professionalism to the show. (Thank you to Chris and the ladies of Pure!) And the Fusion Management Group provided us with Keith McManis, the shows' director/manager/coordinator, and several professional models. (We couldn't have done it without y'all - thank you!) So, in addition to a couple of friends who volunteered to model (thanks Victoria Marini and Lauren Brush!), Linda, Alex, Lienne, Campbell, and Jill donned Jamilary superbly. Thanks to Vermont Community Access Media (VCAM), VT's public access channel, I've been able to see footage of the show from centerstage. (I was backstage during both shows, so was unable to see how Jamilary looked onstage.) The film's quality isn't perfect, but it was much appreciated. Check out Strut 2008 on VCAM to see when they're airing it, again. And if you took pictures of Jamilary in the show, please send them my way (sales@jamilary.com). Additionally, my mom came through to help keep me stay organized and to run my table while I was backstage. (Thank you, Mami for helping out, and thank you Airtran for having reasonable airfares from ATL to BTV.)

*Click the pic or here to see a news clip about the shows, which includes a short interview with me. Click on the red camera under the headline when you get there. (Thank you WCAX & the interviewer, Jack Thurston, who was also one of the hilarious emcees at the event.)

In other news - next weekend, I will have Jamilary on display and for sale at the Pine Lake Lakefest in a suburb of Atlanta. Please stop by!

Here are the details:

Lakeshore Drive, Pine Lake, GA 30072
Saturday, October 4 - 10am 'til dark
Sunday, October 5 - 10am 'til 6pm


Check out the map here.

Directions: From the North: I-75 or I-85 South to I-285 East to Memorial Drive. Make right onto Rockbridge Road. Follow Rockbridge Road to Clubhouse Drive and make left. Follow Clubhouse Drive to Lakeshore Drive where vendors are lined up along Pine Lake. From the South: I-285 East to Memorial Drive, turn right off ramp and follow Memorial Drive to Rockbridge Road. Make right turn onto Rockbridge Road. Follow Rockbridge Road to Clubhouse Drive in Pine Lake. Turn left onto Clubhouse Drive and go to Lakeshore Drive where vendors are lined along Pine Lake. From the East: 78 West to Mountain Industrial and make left off ramp. Follow Mountain Industrial and it will become North Hairston Road. Cross over Memorial Drive and continue to Rockbridge Road and make a right onto Rockbridge Road. Follow Rockbridge Road to Spruce Drive and make a right. Continue to Lakeshore Drive and make a left. Vendors are lined up on Lakeshore Drive along Pine Lake.

Um, hello

Galaxy Ice on display
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

The school year is approaching fast. While I'm not formally stepping away from Jamilary, I do anticipate being a little bit sluggish as I...well...continue on my path to finishing my program. (I'm halfway there!) In my opinion, fashionable, high-quality jewelry is always a priority. However, research, clinical work, and classes are making their own demands on my time.

In order to try to strike a balance, there are some upcoming events that Jamilary will be a part of. The SEABA Art Hop will be in 2 weeks. From all accounts, the fashion show...or, rather, fashion shows (A.K.A. Struts) are going to be ridiculous. They'll be held on Sept. 5th at 7pm and 9pm. In addition to volunteer models, there will be professional models and hair and makeup stylists. It will be held in a huge Camelot-style tent between Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory (750 Pine Street, Burlington) and the school. The press has been invited, including a "national magazine." (Hey, that's how it was pitched to me.)

Starting next Tuesday, as part of the excitement leading up to the actual Art Hop (Sept. 5th-6th) Jamilary will be on display at Battery Street Jeans (on the corner of Pine Street and Marble Avenue in Burlington's South End). If you haven't had a chance to see it "live," (and even if you have), go check it out!

Upcoming Jamilary Events

My biggest support
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

As previously mentioned, Jamilary will be featured at the South End Art Hop's fashion show (a.k.a. Strut) on Sept. 5th in Burlington, VT.
I'm still on the look out for people who would like to model Jamilary.
Models will receive a complimentary pair of Jamilary earrings for their participation.
Additionally, Jamilary will be vended at the 2008 Pine Lake Lakefest in Pine Lake, GA (outside of Atlanta). The Lakefest will be taking place on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 from 10am to 6pm.

As always, if you're interested in a private viewing (especially Aug. 30 - Sept. 1 when I'll be back in Atlanta) or hosting a Jamilary party, please let me know!

Art Hop Strut Models Needed!

Originally uploaded by Jamilary

I'm looking for 4-5 volunteers to model Jamilary in the 2008 South End Art Hop Strut (fashion show).

The Art Hop is going to be on September 5th & 6th, with the fashion show tentatively scheduled for the 5th in Burlington.

From the South End Arts + Business Association(SEABA) website: "The Art Hop is Vermont's largest visual arts celebration. Over 90 sites in Burlington's South End open their doors to display the work of more than 400 artists for the month of September. Special events include live fashion shows, a juried art exhibit, outdoor sculpture, artist-designed mini-golf, music, dancing, and more!"

Last year's models said that they had a great time and a lot of fun on the catwalk.

All models will receive their choice of some Jamilary earrings.

Please let me know if you're interested.

Go Ahead and Vent!!

My crafts show banner
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

On Sunday (07.27.08)

Creative Visions Productions presents...

Go Ahead and Vent!!

...a play written and directed by Cheryl Hall Horne.

A witty, intelligent play with hints of truths and untruths for you to decide. "Go Ahead and Vent!!" is fun and provoking with all the "hot topics" of today. Clashing Singles, Independent Ladies, Angry Seniors and others voice their points of view without caution. They simply get it out among themselves and with you in a delightful play of the year.

There will be 2 shows - 3pm & 5pm.

Location:
Sketchworks Theatre
3041 N. Decatur Rd
Scottsdale, GA 30079

Need directions? Click here.

Tickets are $15 in advance & $20 at the door.

For more information, call 404.298.0437.

Jamilary will be available for purchase at both shows.

And the winner is...

Brown Mother of Pearl earrings with Tigers Eye
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

Thank you, everyone, for participating in my first ever Blog Promo/Giveaway! The winning name is Eye of the Tiger. Congrats to Julia McQuade for suggesting this simple, yet fitting, name. For her help in naming the earrings, she will receive a complimentary pair of the Eye of the Tiger earrings.

Be sure to tune in frequently to this blog, as I will be making this a "regular" feature.

You can still own a pair of these earrings. They are available in my etsy shop.

Want to Host a Jamilary Party?

Stone Mountain Arts and Crafts Festival 2008
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

Among the most common reasons to host a Jamilary party--because you love me, because you want to support me, because you love to entertain--one of the least commonly mentioned is because you want free jewelry out of the bargain. But, it's okay. You can want free jewelry out of the bargain. And, following the simple guidelines below, there's a lot of free jewelry to be had.

~A party consists of at least four people besides the hostess purchasing jewelry.
~The combined guest total must be at least $150 for the hostess to earn free / discounted jewelry.

If the above conditions are met, then the hostess receives a $25 gift certificate to spend at her jewelry home party or to use towards a custom order.
In addition, the hostess receives discounted / free jewelry equaling 10% of her guests’ pre-sales tax total of $250 to $799, or 15% of her guests’ pre-sales tax total of $800+. Totals do not include the hostess’s purchases.
The hostess receives another $10 of discounted / free jewelry for each party booked that night from her jewelry party (these $10 certificates are redeemable at or after these parties).
The hostess receives an additional $10 of discounted / free jewelry if she has 20 or more guests.

Please contact me to book your Jamilary party. Either post here, or contact me at sales@jamilary.com


**Don't forget to enter the contest for a free pair of earrings. The contest ends Saturday (tomorrow!) at 12 noon EST.

Name these earrings. Win these earrings.

Brown Mother of Pearl earrings with Tigers Eye
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

The names I assign to Jamilary pieces can be silly (Chain Hangs Low), descriptive (Funky, Chunky, Turquoise), inspired by friends (Cheria; Carmen; Realenn), and inspired by music (Midnight Marauders; Sonata; Bella Fleck). Despite all of the categories I pull from, I'm just having the hardest time coming up with a name for these simple brown mother of pearl earrings. A small, round Tiger's Eye bead hangs on the MOP via a gold-filled chain. I'd love to hear your suggestions...in fact, I'll pay you (in jewelry) for your suggestions.

Enter your idea for a name in a comment here in this blog entry by noon EST on Saturday, July 19th. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you (i.e., your email address). I will also post who the winner on the blog. I will pick from the names given, and the winner will receieve a complimentary pair. (Free shipping to US addresses, only.) Each person can enter only once, so choose wisely. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

Thank you for entering, and good luck!

July 10, 2007

Road Race Proof
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

Um, today's my MS anniversary.

I knew there was something weird going on this morning, but not until I stepped foot into my office did I realize what was up. I had to take my car back to the dealership this morning. When they serviced my car yesterday, they forgot to reattach the mudflap correctly. On my way there, someone almost hit the hell out of me. Note to all the careless drivers: when making a left turn, it is just as important to look, ahem, left as it is to look right. I was really thinking that I needed to just go home and start the day over again. Once I finally got to the psych department and began thinking about everything that I needed to get done today, it dawned on me. Today is July 10th.

On July 9, 2007, I returned to VT after running in my 3rd Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. Yes, I'm always trying to find an excuse to go home (e.g., Thanksgiving, my birthday, Flag Day, Groundhog's Day...), but the 4th of July has been really special to me, especially in the last few years. Tens of thousands of people sweat it out down 6.2 miles of Atlanta's most major trafficways, all for a t-shirt and the glory of saying that they finished the Peachtree Road Race. Well, I've never actually worn any of the t-shirts I've gotten over the course of the races I've ran. My satisfaction has come from setting and completing a physical goal for myself. I've been good about setting goals at the workplace and at school, but physical goals...not so much. So, in returning to VT that day last year, I felt so accomplished and proud of myself.

Well, the day after I returned to VT, I had a doctor's appointment. I was going to receive the results of my MRI and tests that I did with a neurologist. After finishing the race a few days prior, I noticed that it was the first day that I had been symptom-free. No tingling, no hotspots, no out-of-the-ordinary fatigue. I mean, other than a little vision problem, I felt great! So, imagine my surprise when I, at my healthiest, was told, "your test results and MRI are consistent with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis." I wanted to sucker punch the doc. Obviously, he had no clue. I was healthy. All the previous symptoms experienced were a fluke. They went away, and they were going to stay away. Well, I like to think that I'm a pretty rational person, so all my aggressive/angry thoughts were quickly overtaken by (another) natural response, which was a flood of tears. Underneath it all, I kind of suspected it. I mean, I had spent hours on webmd.com, entering my symptoms in order to see a list of the possibilities. Hearing it confirmed by a specialist, though, was a bitter pill to swallow. I sat in that funk for several weeks afterwards. Even though I was in the middle of the 6 months when it's actually warm in VT, I sat on my sofa, just not in the mood to continue running.

Fastforwarding a year later, to today, I realize how far I've come. Now, I (can sometimes) find humor in going to the doctor's office now. I oftentimes sit amongst many grayhaired individuals who look at me wondering, "What in the hell are you doing here?" Now, I can give myself a shot everyday. In my latest trip to Atlanta, I actually gave myself a shot (discretely) while sitting at an airport terminal. I used to feel like I had to excuse myself to the bathroom out of embarassment. It is what it is. No one feels awkward about popping a pill in front of other people. Now, I'm at a point where I can say, "I have MS," without breaking down into tears. And, as a way to really identify myself as healthy, I ran in another Peachtree Road Race this year. It was my 4th and fastest one, yet! I finished in an hour, which is breathtakingly fast for me. (Want to see pictures? Go to marathonfoto.com. Select Race: "Peachtree Road Race 2008"
Last Name: Thomas
Bib Number: 92944)

So, in short, I have MS. I've had the diagnosis for a year. But I look and feel better than ever. (Um, don't take the pics from the Road Race as your evidence.)

Today, I'm donating 25% of proceeds from the sale of my MS Awareness bracelet to the National MS Society

Chantilly Lace

Lace Agate set
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

I just posted my lace agate set to my Etsy shop. It's been posted to my Flickr account for a minute, and it seems somebody out there likes it. So, we'll see.

Well, that's about all the moonlighting my schedule is allowing for today. I need to make some more headway on my thesis this week, since I'm on the four year plan out of Vermont/UVM. And, I'll be headed back to Atlanta next week to run my 4th consecutive Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, so I need to make moves before I go. I should probably get a cute lil running outfit together, though. It's the least I can do. I don't know how it's come to be that people associate being wet with sexiness. I think highly of myself and all, but being sweaty from the Atlanta heat and humidity is not a good look. I don't care how skimpy the outfit. And add to that the sprinklers that they set off during the race...yikes!

I'm thankful for...

Stone Mountain with my Daddy 1
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

-trips home to my city.
-the knowledge that grad school is a temporary situation.
-meeting new people with whom I can completely be myself.
-my family and their health.

ICE Atlanta

My crafts show banner
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

One show down and one (two-day show) to go. I'm going to be testing my endurance at the Stone Mountain Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend. The Indie Craft Experience took a lot out of me, but I have to say I learned a lot about how to do an outdoor crafts show.

Here's my synopsis:

The Good:
-The event was very well organized (especially the loading/unloading areas, the cooperation of the Atlanta Police Dept, the layout and identification of the booth area). This was my first outdoor show, and I'm really looking forward to doing more thanks to the ICE's organization.
-The location meant that in addition to people who had been notified via advertising and word-of-mouth, we had some buyers/viewers attend who may have just been hanging out in Centennial Olympic Park that day.
-The ICE organizers picked some talented (and friendly) vendors to represent indie crafters. It was an honor to be among them.

The Bad:
-There was a lot of construction on the highways around the city. I wasn't affected, but I imagine others were. Coupled with the heat (see "The Ugly" listed below), I'm left to wonder if I would've made more sales on a cooler day with a more direct route into the city. Fortunately/unfortunately this wasn't the fault of the ICE organizers. I say unfortunately because it means that they can't "fix" the problem in the future.

The Ugly:
-It was hot as hell - literally. There were a few, uh, "tart" smells looming among the booths as the heat mixed with sweat. The last time I sweated that hard, I was running in the Peachtree Road Race (a 10K in Atlanta). In short, people may have just been too uncomfortable to shop like they would have with a better temperature. Again, it's unfortunate that this isn't a solvable problem in Atlanta in June. At the same time, though, at least it wasn't raining.

With all of that said, I would participate again next year, if I was juried in. I made my booth fee with some to spare. As this was my first outdoor show, hoping for big bucks was a goal but not an expectation. This was a learning experience for me.

In the future, I would hope to see more media exposure (i.e., on the news, in Creative Loafing, in the paper) to draw larger crowds. It would've been great to see news cameras out there. Also, I think there could have been a little more space between the booths, so that the walkway was more open.

I hope to incorporate what I learned about setting up my booth at next weekend's show. Come check me out!

Baby I'm a Star!

Storque Article
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

Thanks to FluffyFlowers, another member of the Georgia Street Team on Etsy, I became aware of an Etsy Storque article that included information about the Indie Craft Experience this Saturday...

Storque Article
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

...and unbeknownst to me, they included a pair of my Blue Magic earrings. Yay!

And, in other news, I was interviewed at the premiere of Sex and the City here in Burlington. (And I should mention, the first quote should be attributed to me, as well.) I hear that they used clips from my interview on the 11:00 news, but I missed it.

Oh, yeah...

White Sea Necklace
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

...and my online biz is picking up a little bit. I've had quite a bit of interest lately, including lots of Etsy conversations sent to me. Here's the necklace I just sold to a customer in CA for her June wedding. I added some pearls to a design that I had already (and shortened it) in order to meet her needs. I love to make custom items, by the way. In fact, her request has made me rethink the original design.

Back, Back, Forth and Forth

Centennial Olympic Park - you're so pretty!
Originally uploaded by Indie Craft Experience

Well I touched down in Burlington a few hours ago. Whoop-di-do. I think there's a frost advisory tonight.

The only consolation is that I'll be headed back home to Atlanta...
next Thursday.

Yes, the summer craft show season is fast approaching. Next Saturday (June 7th) I'll be in Centennial Olympic Park for the Indie Craft Experience. And the Stone Mountain Village Arts and Crafts Festival While I was at home, I was ticking things off of my to-do list.

Get a canopy/tent - check
Figure out how to stake said tent - check
Order more biz cards - check
Send items for the swag bags to ICE - check
Make more jewelry - check

I still need to get a way to process credit cards. I've heard of Propay, which can be done over the phone. I'm just not sure how my customers will feel about me entering their credit card info into my cell phone. So, I'm still researching. I also have to get some signs made, but that shouldn't be a problem.

And in terms of my birthday, the Sky Hike's opening was delayed until the 31st. I'll have to see about going when I go back. So, instead we went out, drank, ate, and were merry...not exactly in that order. All I needed was my city, anyway.

starlight starBRIGHT treasury

I made an Etsy treasury tonight.

New Items Posted

Alternative Cheria Earrings
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

There's a lot going on in the world of Jamilary. I've posted a few new items in my shop today, including these earrings (listed in the posting for the Cheria set), the MS Awareness bracelet (finally!) and a few others. Go check 'em out!

Birthday Wishes

Sooo, my birthday is next Saturday (well, actually, my mom's birthday is that day, too (see #3)), and I have no idea what I want to do for it. Suggestions, please.

I think part of the problem is that since moving to Vermont for school, my gift to myself has been going home to Atlanta to celebrate my birthday...and Thanksgiving...and Christmas...and New Year's...and Flag Day...and Boxing Day...I'm just content to be home. But now one of my friends (and she knows who she is) is stressing me to make some concrete plans. I guess since my birthday falls on or around Memorial Day (a fact that up until a couple of years ago, hadn't dawned on me - ha! I can be so self-centered), in the past, the agenda has been pretty much set. No work on Monday, so it's usually been all about running the streets! I mean birthdays are really important to me, but I just have no idea this year. Last year, we had a Memorial Day/birthday BBQ, which was fun, but I just didn't want to stress getting all of that together this year.

I actually like the idea of something out of the ordinary. I just found out about a new attraction at Stone Mountain Park.



The Sky Hike, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution "includes bouncing across suspended wooden bridges, scaling nets and scooting along narrow logs...[as well as] a vertical climbing wall and a winding slide." Call me crazy, but that sounds like fun. At the very least, it would be memorable...and afterwards we could get still get out in the streets...

Etcetera, etcetera

So, I'm starting my first full week without classes. On the one hand, I can't believe that I just completed my 2nd year of grad school, but on the other hand, I feel like I could describe every second. Long story short - grad school makes life hard, but the truth is, when I make myself think about it, I'm grateful to have the difficulties I do. I chose this path, and there are many people who wish they had this opportunity. So with classes out of the way, I can focus more on my research (i.e., mechanisms underlying substance use in kids with psychopathic traits..."psychopathic traits" is so not PC (and not 100% accurate), but it's probably means more to most people than "callous-unemotional traits") and my clients. I conduct individual and group psychotherapy in the community and at a women's correctional facility, and I love it. Being a therapist has made me become so aware of how common psychological problems are, and, at the same time, it has allowed me to see past my clients' problems. I sure would want someone else to do the same for me. Check this out, for example, for the forgotten moms in jail in Vermont.

I'm also on to ticking items off of my Jamilary to-do list. The 7th Indie Craft Experience (ICE) is in less than a month (June 7th), and I found out that I'm also in the 36th Annual Stone Mountain Village Arts and Crafts Festival the following weekend (June 14th and 15th). Coincididentally, I've just had 4 sales in my etsy shop in the last 24 hours, so I'm feeling quite encouraged. But, there's much to do, like buying a tent and sign for the shows, making a lot more jewelry, and deciding on items for the ICE swag bags. Yes, that's right, the first 500 shoppers receive swag bags filled with items/coupons/deals from the vendors.

And of course, regularly updating this blog is also on my eternal to-do list. I've made a decision to not apologize when I haven't posted in a while. I see other bloggers do it all the time. I don't want to turn this into a chore, though. When I have something to say (or more importantly, the time to say it), I'll write. I anticipate having both now that classes are out of the way, but I make no promises.

And while I'm on the subject, I just wanted to "speak" (a.k.a write) about my purpose in creating a blog. This is all for me. It's not some desperate attempt to be the center of (your) attention. It's a selfish move. I'm using this as a forum to promote my biz, and then I'm not. Occasionally, I'll write about other things like having MS or things that piss me off. Again, you can consider those posts to be selfish because they are my attempts to bring your attention to things that I'm thinking about. Thought you didn't know someone with MS? Don't really know what it is? Well, at least I got you thinking about it. Curiousity and interest are what lead to researchers finding a cure and funds being appropriated to the cause. Research and money lead to a cure; your sympathy does not (although support and consideration go a long way and are appreciated).

So, I'm off to take and upload more pics to the etsy shop. Here's a start:

Kinda Disgusted

"'There are no winners in a trial like this,'" [NY Mayor Michael] Bloomberg said in a statement. "'An innocent man lost his life, a bride lost her groom, two daughters lost their father, and a mother and a father lost their son. No verdict could ever end the grief of those who knew and loved Sean Bell.'"

All I'm saying is: fifty shots by plainclothes officers at a fleeing vehicle...a vehicle, which, once the dust cleared, was determined to not have a weapon in it...I can't even form complete sentence, that's how disgusted I am.

Okay, maybe that's not all I'm saying. I guess my real disgust comes from the fact that after hearing about their acquittal (click on clip entitled, "Detectives in Sean Bell Case React to Verdict"), amidst thanking God and their family and friends for their support, only one of the three defendants/officers addressed the Bell family. Marc Cooper said, "I'd like to say sorry to the Bell family for the tragedy." That's it. That's all. I agree with Bloomberg and applaud his statement (found at the same address, clip entitled, "Mayor Bloomberg Reacts to Sean Bell Verdict"). There are no winners and words will not bring Sean Bell back. At the same time, for these officers to thank their lucky stars that they were acquitted and to not acknowledge that they fired upon and (reloaded and) fired upon and murdered an innocent man is disgusting. I'm done.

Indie Craft Experience

Here's what I just got in my in-box!

Hey Crafter,

Greetings from Atlanta!
This is a quick note to let you know - you've been accepted to participate in ICE #7 on June 7.

Way to go!

We received more applications for this show than any other show previously.

The competition was tough for the 100 slots.

Much information is on the way to you.

In the meantime, if you'd like to go ahead and get started promoting the show, we've attached a flyer.

Post it to your website, blog, Flickr, MySpace, etc.

Talk to you soon!

June 7 is going to be a great day!!!

xoxo, Christy & Shannon

--

indie craft experience

june 7, 2008

atlanta

http://www.ice-atlanta.com/

I am soooo excited! This is my first outdoor craft show and promises to be a great experience. Now I just need to get a tent and a way to process credit card payments in person. Any ideas?

15 Facts About Me

I was checking out blogs today, and got the idea of this blog from littlelotusdesign's blog. I sound like such a thief lately, but hey I give credit (and links to pages) where due. Blame it on my being a blog newbie...or blame it on the creativity of the bloggers I mention. Anyhow...

1. I look like this.



















2. I'm from Atlanta and miss it dearly.


3. I was born on my mom's birthday. Which is next month, by the way. May 24th, to be exact.


4. I'm really thrifty with money. Okay, okay. I'm cheap.


5. I've been to 45 states (all except N. Dakota, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, & Idaho)


6. My favorite magazines are Real Simple and Vibe.


7. My dog, Angus, turned 15 this year. He may not be able to see or hear anymore, but that's my baby.




8. I like TV. Don't judge me.


9. I read magazines from the back cover to the front.


10. Loud people make me uncomfortable.


11. I am a woman, not a girl. Refer to me as such, please.


12. Among my least favorite words are "awesome" and "ghetto."


13. I don't eat meat. (Yes, that includes fish. Yes, that includes chicken. Yes, someone has actually asked me that.)


14. I watch some part of "The Today Show" everyday.


15. During college, I was a radio DJ ("on-air personality"). My DJ name? Cocoacure.


Okay, maybe I was thinking too hard, but that was more difficult than I thought it'd be. You try it!

My Celebrity Muse???

Soooo, I was perusing some blogs last night and came across one from one of my fellow Etsy Artists of Color. Urbanknit's blog is stylish and clean, just like her shop. Well, she had a post about her celebrity muse, Kelis. And it got me to thinking: who's my celebrity muse? Seriously, I have no clue. I really hadn't thought about it. Any ideas? Check out my shop and leave a comment with your thoughts. I'd love to hear them!

Shiny Pretty Things Treasury

Shiny Pretty Things Treasury
Originally uploaded by Jamilary

Yes! I got another treasury. My favorite color is blue, which would probably explain why I was so drawn to the items I pulled into this one.

Although we Etsyians oftentimes talk about ways that we'd like to see the site improve, one major strength of Etsy is sellers'/buyers' ability to create treasuries to showcase other Etsyians' work. It's nice to really make myself stop being so self-centered and concerned with my shop in order to take a peek at what else folks have to offer. In making this treasury, I started with a tag search of "Made in Vermont." (That's one of the street teams I'm a member of.) That's how I found barnyardbeads's "Dramatic Foil Beads." As soon as I saw the striking colors of those beads and the clear, crisp photo, I knew exactly what my treasury would consist of. Poking around some more, I found some other Vermont artists. And since I have to show some love to my other teams, I searched "eaoc team," for the Etsy Artists of Color, as well as "atlanta" and "georgia." (Gotta show love to the hometown!)

Show these artists some love!

MS - Multiple Sclerosis/My Shots

copaxone
Originally uploaded by bandita

Just found some pics on flickr of what it's like to live with MS. Of course, I know a little bit on the subject, since I was diagnosed on July 10, 2007. This shot of needles, taken by bandita was one of the first to pop up, and one of my "favorites" (a word that seems so oxymoronic when I think about it). I've been doing daily shots of Copaxone/placebo and weekly shots of Avonex/placebo for almost 6 months, now. (I'm participating in a clinical trial in which I receive both of the meds or one of them and a placebo.) I'm currently in a phase where I just don't feel like taking my meds. Don't get me wrong. I haven't missed a day and I've faithfully rotated injection sites. I'm a good little patient. But I just don't feel like it. The shots don't even hurt most days. The side effects of the Avonex/placebo (it better be not be a placebo, with the side effects I experience!) are annoying, but manageable. But I still just don't feel like it! Perhaps it's the idea that I'll have to get a shot everyday for the rest of my life. Whatever. I'm sure it'll pass soon enough.

Well, other than being a good little patient and clinical trial participant, I'm trying to find other ways to play my part in finding a cause. I just designed a MS Awareness bracelet...and then I gave it to my friend, Christina, for her birthday. She doesn't have MS, just exquisite taste (in friends and jewelry, lol!), and I thought she'd like it. I'll be posting these on Etsy as soon as I make another one. There's a tease on my flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamilary/2408663577/

and here:

Mother's Day is less than a month away...

Reminder: Mother's Day is May 11th. Have you gotten a gift for the mothers (aunts, sisters, friends) in your life, yet? Jamilary is a good option...

****Interested in earning free Jamilary jewelry? All you have to do is host a Jamilary party at your home or business and invite people to attend. There is no formal presentation, no pressure to buy, just a fun time looking, touching, and trying on beautiful Jamilary jewelry. The host earns free jewelry based on the amount of attendees and number of orders from the show. With Mother's Day (May 11) approaching, a host might anticipate earning $100 or more in free jewelry. Please contact me ASAP to book a party.

So much to say, so little time

Man, I can't wait until the semester calms down so I can give this blog the TLC I want! Some day soon, so check back in a few.