Three Trees Art

Baby Girl Loves Flea Markets (Whew!)

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

My daughter is visiting me from Minnesota and we've been hitting my favorite local flea markets the last few days. She used to whine and moan and carry on like a baby when I'd make her go to second hand stores...she said "they smell gross, the stuff is gross and the people are weird," and "when can we go...wah wah." Now that she's matured a bit and seen the error of her pookey ways, she's totally down with the whole junk shop experience. Now it's me saying "Can we go?" and whining like a baby because we've literally looked at every single thing in some two story junk heaven. I love to buy old jewelry and take it apart for my own creations, and yesterday I hit the mother-lode, girl. Of course, the booth with all the fabulousness was the last one we looked in, it was hot up in the loft thing and it kinda did smell a little up there, but oooooo!!! It was worth it! Everything was 50% off, neatly arranged and full of be-dazzling treasures. I like to find old books to take photos on and I found this cutie with a pine tree on it so I was HAPPY HAPPY. My daughter (Mo) bought shells, an ashtray from Myrtl Beach (so 70's), a bracelet (which she warned me to keep my mitts off of) and a bunch of other junk for her room. I have a flea market convert! Finally! I was pretty worried about her for awhile and I can't tell you what a relief it is to me that she really is my child and not switched at birth or something. Whew. She also had her first Waffle House experience and the waitress called her "baby girl" which was awesome. Mo got to try grits, and, well, let's just say that was a no-go. Now it's time for some homework (ugh) and then we might go to Walmart! I know, it's non-stop coolness around here.

Shut up Playground Bully! xoxo Beth

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:06:00 +0000

I just read Nina Bagley's latest post on her blog, Ornamental, and it really made me think (read it, it's good) about why I blog, what I write and how much I edit myself because of who may be reading it. I know someone does, I have about 250 people that read my blog every day, but some of them could be family or friends, or let's face it, some people I really don't like and don't want to know about all my inner feelings or insecurities. But Nina is so brave about who she is and how she expresses herself that it made me feel a little braver too. Why am I so careful? It's not like I'm going to completely spill my guts, that's never going to happen, but there are things I want to write about that I don't because I'm afraid. Afraid? Yeah afraid. People have this way (some people) of taking your words, twisting them into a little ball and throwing them back in your face for some strange reason, and it's a nasty business when they do. It hurts me in a way, but it mostly makes me MAD and I want to say something snotty back, but then they take that snotty comment and use it to justify whatever other vile nasty-ness that's about to be hurled back my way...and on and on. I'm learning how not to take the bait, to just let it go, but it takes work, and frankly, I'm just not in the mood. But, after reading Nina's blog today I thought why? Why do I give a shit about what someone thinks about me? Or, more to the point, why do I worry that I can't control my own tongue? I can be a bear if I feel like I'm being attacked, and sometimes it comes in handy, but most of the time it's a waste of breath. I'm a happy, positive and real person, as real as they get, and when you're like that you're an easy target for criticism, you're just so out there for all the world to see. People will see what they want to see and they will say what they want to say, so let 'em say it. They are small minded, petty and weak and the one thing small minded, petty, weak people despise is a brave, big-hearted, strong person who takes chances, doesn't live their life angry or small, who doesn't blame everyone in the world for their problems and wants to give of themselves instead of take. There are no words or actions you can say or do that will ever change a closed heart, and I'm not going to be afraid anymore. Yeah, that's right. So thank you Nina, for your courage, and thank you playground bully for making me appreciate all the beautiful, funny, gentle and real people I have in my life. xoxo B-girl.

Jewelry, Movies and Books

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

Sleepy Fox on Etsy


Be Still In A Winter Of Silence on Etsy

Making Jewelry
I live way out in the country and my studio window looks out into the yard where I watch birds, squirrels, chipmunks and the occasional dog play. We have an owl that has decided to camp out right by our house and I can hear her (or him?) hoot at night. We've seen foxes run through the fields, but I haven't seen one by the house yet. Every piece of jewelry that I make is based on what I see; all the colors and shapes that are all around me in this little piece of heaven I've found. I'm trying to figure out how to make a necklace of the stars in the sky at night out here, it's amazing! Because we're so far out, we don't have city lights getting in the way of all the stars in the night sky. I don't know a thing about astronomy or constellations other than the big or little dipper, but I'm totally enchanted (my favorite word ever) by the twinkly light show we're privy to almost every night.

Movies and Books
I've been sick for the last few days, not too sick, but enough to justify eating sugar and watching movies back to back! I watched Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Theatre, downloaded Justified onto itunes, watched EVERY episode of Kingdom on Netflix (sort of a British man Murder She Wrote), and have started the Doc Martin series which I'm so so about at this point. I have a Kindle (oh Lord thank you!) and am reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay which is pretty good. I've been mostly reading Scandinavian mysteries because I don't want to be sad or cry about people's terrible lives, but have heard such awesome things about this book I gave in. It's sad and I want to cry about people's terrible lives, but it drew me in and I'm glad I got it. I tried to read The Hunger Games because everyone's like "Beth, you'd love it, you gotta read them, they're all awesome...." no, they're stupid and I hated the sample I downloaded so no. Kids that kill each other for food? Really?

That's what I've been up to. I ate every spec of sugar in this house, so today is sort of sad because I've gotta cut down on the old sugaire...I even ate all of the sugar free stuff! hahaha! I figured it was some weird deal because I was sick, like maybe my blood sugar was super low and I could've died if I didn't keep those levels from dipping dangerously down to the near death area. Yeah, ok, works for me.

Daffodils and Dieting

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:08:00 +0000

Daffodils in January! I love the south...

My neighbor's farm house in the country


My beautiful (to me!) dog Gypsy...what a character!


My latest pretty on Etsy.

It's raining here tonite in Georgia. In Minnesota we'd be having a big fat snowstorm, but it's a steady, cozy rain instead. I got a super sassy new winter coat, which I've only been able to wear a couple of times, but that's OK with me! Everyone in Minnesota is having snow and cold whipping into their face while they scrape their windshields off and snowplow their driveways. The only problem I have living way down here is that my hair is constantly frizzy...I mean curly sue frizzy, kinky curls that are completely out of control. I haven't ever seen my hair do this! It's so weird! I keep thinking bugs are flying in my face and it's my curly hair.

For my New Year's resolution I decided to lose weight... the party's over and it's time to get my shit together....again. Waaaaahhh, I don't feel like it! When you're my age, you've been there, done that and although I'd like to wear a bathing suit in May when we go to Florida that doesn't have arms and legs in it, I just am not in the mood. You know? So, I decided not to eat sugar. OMG...why live? What's the point? I can't do it, I'm too weak and it's just too horrible. So then I thought I'll eat 6 small, high protein, low carb meals a day. Yuck! (This is all still week one, by the way). I'd do that and lift weights and walk every day. That would be OK but what do I do with the rest of the day? My boyfriend is an awesome cook and until you deprive yourself you have no idea how your life revolves around food! So, before the week was over, I totally changed my mind about the ordeal and am going Old Skool...I've been counting calories. Yeah, like the olden days of dieting. Thank God for the internet, I'm using this site called Calorie Counter (clever) and it's super easy. I just finished day 3 so I'm not going to brag too much, and I've gone over my calories every day, but I figure I'm not eating as much as I used to! Holy crap...Cheetos are the devil, that's all I'm saying. If you see a frizzy headed hottie on the beach in Florida this spring, it's totally me. hahaha!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

You Are Not Lost necklace on Etsy

Every Heart Travels Free Bracelet on Etsy

I went to Athens (Georgia, not Greece) last weekend with my friend Tracy and we went bead shopping and when I say bead shopping, I mean like crack heads at a crack store. We spent HOURS looking at and touching every bead in every bead store. It was AWESOME. I love buying beads on Etsy and do get most of my lovlies there, but there is just no substitute for being able to paw all over them and see what they look like in person. Oooo girl, I got some super gorgeous beads. They were over-priced, like whoa, but I didn't care, they're mine now and I didn't have to wait for them. We stopped by Trader Joe's on the way home (it takes like 40 min. to get to Athens from where we live) and got some cheap bottles of wine and omg, they have the best frozen food in the world there. I got satays that are good even microwaved. Anyway, the guy who checked us out at Trader Joe's said something funny about me being a Yankee...oh yah, I remember now. I wanted to know if I had to buy a bag because I didn't have a recycled cloth bag with me (and I never do so...) and he said I must be a Yankee because they don't make you do that down here. His name was Rebel, it said so on his name tag, and I asked him if that was his real name--sure enough, it is! I asked him if he lived up to it or was he an accountant or dentist, which I think would be hysterical, but sadly no irony for Beth...he said he had more than lived up to his name and I believe him. He was just one of those people you meet and like instantly. I thought I needed a cooler name than Beth so I want to be called Rebelle, which I think means "pretty and bad ass and don't tell me what to do cuz I'll do the opposite" in Spanish. You can pronounce it RE-belle or Ra-belle, whichever you think fits the occasion. I'm gonna make a name tag for myself and put it on my jacket so everyone knows I'm cool. Ok, enough babbling, I have to go work out. Yuck.

This Year Is Gonna Be OUR Year Baby!!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:27:00 +0000

THE STRONGER THE WIND, THE STRONGER THE TREES on Etsy

Custom necklace I made...I love collaborating with customers!

My new Dansko boots! I LOVE these little babies!


Flower Power Bracelet on Etsy

Here's what I've been up to over the holidays, making stuff and buying stuff (and selling stuff too!). It was a great Christmas, a wonderful New Years and good-bye frickin' 2011...ugh. I mean, great things happened and unbelievably sucky things happened. Wow. I feel like I'm ready to let go of the past and really focus on today and what I want to accomplish. For the first time in a long time I feel like what I want is really attainable. It always was, but I just couldn't see myself having or being what I hoped I could have or be. That's changed. Even when I struggled with having a vision for a happy life, I wrote things down in my journal that I wanted. Guess what? I have them! I didn't realize it until I went back and read what I wrote last New Year's Eve, but I literally am living that life. Isn't that weird? I worked very hard at it, it didn't just happen, but I wasn't conscious of how, in subtle ways (read: sloooooowwww) I was manifesting my little hopes and dreams. The thing about having a vision is work, but slow and steady wins the race, and I have this part of myself that no matter how dark it gets, I always believe that if I keep moving forward I'll find the light again.

Last year at this time I was broke, my marriage was waaaaay over, I was sick, I was in love with a man who lived 1600 miles away and I wanted to burn my house down I hated it so much. There were so many bad memories (and good ones too, but you know what I mean, when you're done, you're done). Everything I wanted seemed so impossible. But, I just couldn't believe that was my life, that I was stuck in that cycle of doom and gloom. I wrote down that I wanted: enough money to pay my bills, I wanted to sell my house, I wanted to move to Georgia to live with the love of my life, and I wanted my kids to be OK with it all (they're old, not babies so don't worry). And...here I am! So this year I'm going to hone in and very be clear about what I want and continue to be myself, expect enormous amounts of love, believe that I am creative and talented, and that I too deserve all that the Universe desires to give me. The more I get, the more I give, the more I give, the more I get. I for one, am SO EXCITED about 2012 I can hardly stand it!

You Are Always On The Right Path

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:15:00 +0000

You Are Always on the Right Path for Karina

You Are Always on the Right Path on Etsy

I signed up to get one of Karina's "Love Letters", sort of a love letter from the universe for people who signed up to get it...in the way only the universe can, by connecting the right people at the right time. It was really amazing and said so many things I needed to hear. I just knew it was no accident that I came in contact with her blog (thank you Wishcast Wednesday). Anyway, she wrote something that really struck me: "You are always on the right path." Just a simple little sentence that blew my mind because it is so true, yet so hard for me to wrap my brain around because most of the time I feel like I'm so far off the path I forgot where it was I was trying to go! I have trouble with north and south, my right and/or left hand and time seems to be a little issue for me too (my friends call it "Indian time", which seems to have been handed down to me genetically). But Karina is right, you are always on the right path if you can trust in a power greater than yourself to lead you through those times of not knowing, and pay attention to the lessons the world is trying to teach you. Every crazy path I've ever believed, with all my heart, that I should head down, was full of twists and turns, self doubt, boredom, fun, excitement, heartache, fear and beauty. But always, and I mean ALWAYS, I learned. About myself, about others and about the unbelievable richness of being alive. I am alive, I am here and I embrace it all. I made these necklaces in "homage" to Karina's newsletter and since I also won a free reading (thank you again universe!) I am sending the one with the cardinal it to her, alllll the way to France as a thank you. Doncha just love where these little twists and turns take you? Well, I do, most of the time anyway....

Visualizing Success

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:22:00 +0000


Butterfly Garden Necklace on Etsy

Oh my gosh, I am having so much fun making jewelry! All the rules are out the window for me, I mix metals, colors, styles...whatever feels right to me, it's happening. I like the photos I've been taking lately, I'm using the back of a piece of cardboard! Who knew it would be the exact color gray that seems to work for my jewelry? This necklace is long, about 26 inches and I used to make everything shorter, about 17-18 inches, but I'm just feeling the long right now, sort of glamorous-y.

I've been thinking a lot about visualizing what I want and working towards it. What makes someone successful and another person not? Here's how I'm approaching this now: I've made up my mind what it is I want to do and I'm committed to working very hard to achieve my goals. So, in my head, it's a done deal, I will continue to create jewelry that I love and feel good about it. Like, it isn't a question of being successful, will people like it or accept it; to me, that's not the question and failure isn't an option. My jewelry is really pretty, it's not for everyone and I suppose one or two people might not like it, but that's cool with me. So doing craft fairs, art shows, taking it around to stores or galleries, shamelessly peddling it on the internet is simply a way for me to share what I do and make money doing it. It isn't to get approval or permission to follow my dreams. When you create art and are looking for approval or permission to make things that are from your heart, you are doomed. It's sort of like you have a core belief that you aren't good or have talent and that it isn't ok for you to believe you can do what you love. When you have those core beliefs, you are always looking for confirmation and fold like a house of cards when someone says your work is crap or who in the world do you think you are? Like 10 people can say they love your work and one dummy can say they don't and you go home and throw all your paintbrushes in the garbage.

When you make your mind up that you WILL get there, you're willing to work very, very, hard at it, that you WILL be successful and give yourself permission to go for it, then no's are just no's. They don't mean you suck, your whole life has sucked and you're an idiot for ever thinking you could possibly make a living as an artist.

So, hey, I gotta go make more pretties! And so do you! Go!

Sunrise Sunset: Dad and Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:22:00 +0000


SUNRISE, SUNSET on Etsy

I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and on weekends my dad would get me up early, like REAL early and we'd go watch the sun come up at the beach. This is exactly how I remember it looking (minus the lady jogging like she's about to keel over!). After we watched the sunrise he'd take me to this little diner, which I'm sure isn't there anymore, for hot cocoa and breakfast. It's one of my favorite memories of growing up and of my dad. You know, it's those moments you remember about the people that you love. I can still picture sitting on the beach with dad, both of us quiet (well, probably not me) listening to the waves and watching that big fat sun come up over the horizon. That's what I was thinking of when I made this bracelet, all those gorgeous colors that come together at the beginning and end of the day.
**The sound you hear in the background is a little truck thing they use to rake the sand every morning.

WishCraft Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:10:00 +0000

The question today from Jamie Ridler's Wishcraft Wednesday:

What is your deepest wish?

That's a tough one, I have about 100 deepest wishes...mmmm....I already talked about my kids last week (and that's been going pretty well, woooo!) so that's sort of a given. Of course I hope that the values and enthusiasm for life I tried to instill in them helps them find their place in the world, that they find their place in the community, are able to love and be loved, and use their talents. But, I'm learning to wish for myself too, something I think is very difficult for moms to do. We're so used to putting the kids first and think "one day, when the kids are grown, then I can pursue my dreams." To a certain extent, that is true and it's part of being a mother, but on the other hand, time goes very very quickly and that day gets there faster than you can imagine.

So my deepest wish, for myself, is that...omg, this is so hard to say...that I can make a living selling my jewelry. Ahhhh! I'm a therapist, I should want to make money helping people! I'm good at it too, it comes very naturally to me and I have sort of a savant knack for finding the core issue. I mean, I think I was made to do it. But I love, love, love making jewelry. I love making jewelry that means something and blesses the wearer, reminding them who they are and that life is so amazing. It's sort of therapy jewelry! Hahaha. So there it is, in black and white, for the whole world to see:

My deepest wish is to make a living selling my jewelry.

Bam. I cannot even believe I just said it out loud! I need more coffee. OMG...

Taking Photos of Jewelry for Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:42:00 +0000

Heart Necklace on Etsy

I've been selling on Etsy since 2010 and by far, the hardest thing for me has been taking photos of my jewelry. BY FAR. I've gotten a handle on this new relevancy thing, which has sucked for me, but I get it, I've learned how to describe my work and I feel like my shop looks fairly cohesive...blah blah blah. But taking photos has been a challenge, to say the least. I love how things look against white, but my jewelry just seems to poop out against a white background. I've been playing around with taking my photos against white and gray backgrounds outside in indirect light or inside under a north facing window, then editing them in Picasa. When I lived in Minnesota, I had to wait until the afternoon and take photos under a certain window or they turned out like shit. Seriously, if I changed the routine, it was a disaster. I used the same wooden square board on the same plant table...boom, done and gorgeous.

But, I moved to GA and the light is totally different down here. Ugh! It's been SO frustrating! These beads are so beautiful and it makes me crabby when I can't get my photos to show their lushyness. I use a killer camera: A Canon Rebel XT, which takes the most beautiful photos, but jewelry is hard to photograph because one color might turn out great and another one is all washed out. I have a 50mm lens, so that's perfect, but have been resisting getting a light box cuz I'm too lazy and cheap. I also used to edit my photos in Photoshop with a Wacom tablet, but those stayed in Minnesota and again, I'm too cheap to buy them again. What's a crafty, perfectionist, Etsy Diva to do? Ok, I solved my problem (which means I'm going to re-take most of my photos and re-post) and found a free Photoshopy type editing program that works better than anything I've used so far besides Photoshop. It's Pixlr and has everything you need to do a really great job editing. It's more complicated than Piknik or Picasa, but far better than Gimp, which basically sucks if you ask me. I can set the background and enhance the main object (my beedazzles) and I finally, finally, finally think I can be happy with how my stuff looks.

When I go through Etsy, the quality of the pictures make it or break it for me; they're either all washed out, way too dark, blurry, or have so many "props" you can't tell what they're selling. Yesterday I saw this photo of earrings on a woman and she honestly looked scarey, like SCAREY, like she wanted to kill someone. I love those pictures though, they crack me up, but I know how I am, if the photo isn't pretty, I probably won't look at it or check their shop out. Unless it's super bad and cheesy, then I can't help myself. Sometimes, for a laugh, I check out Regretsy (where DIY meets WTF), but my biggest fear is that one day I'll find my own stuff on there, like Karma coming back to haunt me, so I try not to laugh out loud. They have pornaments on the front page right now...omg.

Women Who Craft with the Wolves

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:57:00 +0000

Photo by Shlomi Nissim (read about the photo here)

"The craft of questions, the craft of stories, the craft of the hands - all these are the making of something, and that something is soul. Anytime we feed soul, it guarantees increase".

~Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Yes You Can!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Yes You Can! on Etsy

I'm finding my niche! I love making jewelry like this. I sort of think of these pieces as tribal jewelry, like belonging to a tribe of resilient, courageous and overcoming women. I'm a therapist so all my jewelry is about growing and becoming; I like to make pieces that say something about the person wearing it and also about the people looking at it. We all get sooooo bombarded with negativity, mostly from ourselves, but that's not always the case. I read a forum post on Etsy today where this (I'm assuming) younger artist wanted to know why her jewelry wasn't selling. Someone actually wrote "Well, have you ever thought about changing what you make? It's hard to sell jewelry, everyone makes it and your jewelry has a very small market". I thought if I'd read that in my 20's and I was trying to ask for advice, encouragement, etc. I would've been CRUSHED. Her stuff was cute. Her pic's could use a little help and her prices were idealistically too high, but basically her jewelry was adorable. I, of course (pat on back) was positive and encouraging, but why in the world would someone shoot her down? I don't get it.

Any hoo....I digress, as usual. Today, when my little spirit started to wane and my "Can Do" attitude wanted a Snicker's Bar...bad...and I just didn't know if I could face some of the mountains I have to face, I heard a voice (I think my dad's...not out loud, but you know what I mean) say "Yes You Can". I ate the Snicker's Bar anyway (gotta keep up the old strength), but all I need some days is someone, even if it's my own self, to say "Yes Beth, you can do this" and for some weird reason, I believe it. So girls and boys, whatever you're facing today that seems gigantic and annoyingly difficult, grab a candy bar, pull up your big girl or big boy panties and get to it. Now I'm going to watch Summer Heights High, my all time fave show ever.

Today Was an Awesome Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:19:00 +0000

Remember Your Good Luck! on Etsy

Listen to Yourself Bracelet on Etsy

(Back of Word Bead)

Today was a great day...kind of a big difference from yesterday. I was DOWN in the dumps. But, from all the great ladies who wrote me such wonderful comments on Wishcraft Wednesday and a boyfriend who got sick of seeing me shuffling around the house feeling sorry for myself and took me out for pizza (and made me laugh all frickin day), I snapped out of it. Today I think I may have actually been on the annoying side of in a good mood. I talked said boyfriend into taking me to breakfast at my FAVE, Waffle House, and then we had to go grocery shopping. Euw. But, Miss Happy Pants dancing in the aisles, smooched her boyfriend in front of people and sang to the muzak wafting through the grocery store. Here's the jewelry I made and I think you can tell how happy I was when I made it. I am so thankful and grateful today for the amazing people who have come into my life at just the right moment. Muwaaaahhhh!

Wishcast Wednesday: Celebrate

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:48:00 +0000

Today's question from Jamie Ridler's Wishcast Wednesday is:

What do you wish to celebrate?

Well, to be honest, I don't feel very celebratory today, I feel sad and scared. My children didn't have the ideal childhood so they have issues. I don't know that that would be different if they did have an ideal childhood, but of course since they didn't I want to blame myself. Our lives weren't horrible, we weren't homeless, there wasn't violence or drugs...nothing super dramatic, but it was tough nonetheless. Over the last couple of days I've had to have some chats with God and come to terms with my own human-ness. Did I do the best I could? Well, I did better than I felt capable of. Did I love them with all my heart? My ability to love expanded far beyond anything I could have imagined because of them. Did I give them all I had? I gave them myself, and that's all I had to give.

I wasn't the mom who baked cookies or did Waldorf stuff. My garden was mostly weeds, I made a pioneer costume for my daughter and found out later that it was supposed to be a pilgrim costume. I was always a day late and a dollar short it seemed. I always told them that this will be a funny story you can tell your own kids about your mom, maybe even write a book about your kooky lives and make a million bucks!! We laughed a lot and they are amazing young adults, but I still wish I could have been that pilates soccer mom who threw theme parties and had a "My kid's and Honor Student at _______" bumper sticker on my mini van. Um, no, that didn't happen.

Today I wish to celebrate what I did right as a mother, which as I write this, I realize far surpasses what I did wrong. Woo! Cheers to Bethie!

English Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:19:00 +0000

English Garden on Etsy

I've been watching "The Forsyte Saga" on Netflix and every time they "have a chat" out in the garden I want to grab a "spot of tea" and go out there with them. Now, these people are not exactly nice so it's not the romance of the garden that gets me, it's just the lushness of it. They seem to put flowers where ever, willy nilly, but it works somehow. I wanted to make a lush bracelet, pretty yet substantial...which took me about 5 tries before I got it right. I love this! I've had kind of a mellow day and it was great to just play and take my time, even if I only got one thing done today I am happy with it. I feel like I'm moving into new bead territory lately, really letting myself go and making what I want to make. I'm thinking about using ribbon more in my creations, I sort of like the added texture it gives jewelry and the huge variety of colors available. Actually, this piece could use a bit o' ribbon, but I doubt Walmart has what I have in mind...to Etsy for ribbon I go!

Flea Markets and Making Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:22:00 +0000

I bought this (I think Express) necklace at a flea market for $1.50

I made this today using the toothy thing from my flea market score! It's titled "Imagination" and available on Etsy!

I love to scour flea markets for: books, Scandinavian Folk Art (which I may have to give up on now that I've left Minnesota) and jewelry I can take apart and "re-purpose" into super cool funky jewelry. I was in the back of my local flea market (I didn't even know there WAS a back until someone told me. Holding out on Bethie, eh?) and I came across the little beauty above. OOOO yah! The elephant is silver and I can stamp on the little charmy deals, I already used the shell tooth thing and it's got a wish bone! I took the chain off, it's got a seed bead cord, which I hate making...ugh seed beads make me go insane, and it's got some cute wire wrapped beads. A buck fifty! You should've seen me...you'd have thought I won the lottery or something. I have found the cutest jewelry down here in flea markets, baskets of crap for like a dollar or two that I can take apart and use for days! I've just been goofing around today, watching Masterpiece Theater (you can watch some of their stuff online) and having a lot of fun letting my imagination go bonkers...or bonkerer, if you will! Now I'm heading off to the liquor store for some gin and tonic mixins' so watch out!

Bead Ramble

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Love and Friendship by Three Trees on Etsy

There are things I'm good at, very good at, that I really don't like to do. Like, when I know I have to do it, I feel all this dread and hope that it doesn't happen or how great it will be when it's over. I'm not talking about paperwork or filing crap, which I LOATHE, but stuff I really should be excited about because most people would love to do what I can do so easily and make so much money at it (no, I'm not a hooker or anything weird!). But I LOVE to make jewelry, like L-O-V-E it. I get so excited when I wake up in the morning and I know that I get to sit in my studio with the radio on and make stuff. I even like taking photos of my work, writing my blog, checking out the competish, and the laborious process of adding pretties to my Etsy Shop (Three Trees, FYI). I love beads in a way that I'm sure is not normal; I have a friend that calls me "The Bead Whisperer" because she says I literally know where every single bead I have in my stash came from and pity the foo' who touches any of them. They're laying all over the place--you'd think I just shook them out of their little organizers and dumped them all over the table and don't know where anything is, but you'd be sooooo wrong. I know, everyone beads and there are so many beaders who could kick my beading a** in a reality bead show, but I truly, honestly, love to make jewelry that has meaning and uplifts people. I never buy jewelry to match an outfit, I buy it because when I look at it, I feel better, it makes me smile to look at. That's why I wear more bracelets than necklaces...so I can look at it anytime I want! Hahaha! Anywhoo, that's my bead-ramble for today. I have all day to make things and watch Netflix so I'm super happy about that, and we just went grocery shopping so I can have a delish lunch. Doesn't get much better than that, eh? xoxo Beth

Wishcasting Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:42:00 +0000

Protection Bracelet on Etsy

Here's the question for Wishcast Wednesday:

What treasures do you wish for?

Oh boy, this is a tough one. I want what everyone else wants, but lately, the one thing I keep asking God for is PEACE, a peaceful life, a peaceful heart, peaceful relationships, a peaceful outlook on life...just some peace. The last few years of my life have been anything BUT peaceful and every day I would wake up with a feeling of dread, wondering what chaos and mayhem awaited me that day. It wasn't fear, it was real and the challenges of the day were doozies, but I faced them like a mama bear. I made some big changes and no longer wake up with that "ugh" feeling, but there is a fear left over that I can't seem to shake. I know that danger isn't lurking behind every corner, but I can't quite seem to let my guard down. So, today the treasure I'm wishing for is PEACE.

Selling on Etsy and Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:25:00 +0000

Bluebird Beaded Necklace on Etsy

Protection Bracelet on Etsy

I've been selling my jewelry on Etsy for a few years now, off and on, and I love it and hate it at the same time. I love it because I don't have to do art fairs or try to sell to shop owners who really don't want to buy jewelry. I've done a bunch of art fairs when I had my t-shirt company (Silent Fish) and they are soooo stressful; sometimes you make money and sometimes you sit there while the booth next to you sells the crap out of pine cone people or pipe cleaner doo dads. It takes you a week to get ready for it, you drive 50 miles to get to it, set your booth up, and then you end up trading with other artists. Hey, I've gotten a lot of great stuff that way, but it's so disheartening when you come home with hand woven rugs or ceramic mugs instead of money. I've also, on rare occasions, come home with thousands of dollars, but that was a long time ago, when peeps had money. So, I like Etsy for that reason, but I hate it sometimes because I'm not Miss Etsy Pants and I always feel like I don't "get it" ya know? I didn't know what an SEO is and honestly, I don't care, I got invited to join a Promotion Team but got dis-invited because I didn't answer their little "quiz" correctly (wtf?), and the pipe cleaner jazz sellers STILL seems to get all the sales. Don't get me wrong, I've sold almost 100 pieces of jewelry on Etsy and I'm not complaining, I use the money to buy books for my kindle and more junk to make jewelry with, but I'm figuring out that I'm no biz babe. I still trade with other sellers, all over the world, and it makes me feel good that the pieces I've pored my heart into have found some pretty awesome homes of buyers and traders. I don't know if the current economy has everyone tweaked out, but it's dog eat dog on Etsy right now and it makes me sad. Take the forums for example, someone might post a question on the wrong forum, and people jump all over their shit. I can see some lady who makes crochet coasters balling her eyes out because Miss Know-it-All Queen Etsy Mama tells her she needs to read the rules first, take your lame ass to the right forum or we'll gonna stick that crochet hook where the sun don't shine. Here's what I think: you make cool stuff, you keep making it, you love what you do, and people will find it. Hopefully in the right place and not you-know-where! Hahaha.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:52:00 +0000


HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS...new necklace on Etsy

I think I've mentioned (like a million times) that I moved this summer from Minnesota to Georgia. Yeah, huge change. It's weird how attached we are to a place, how the land and culture of where we're from becomes a part of us. Sometimes when I think about Minnesota, I literally feel a physical longing for it. But, as much as I miss it, my heart is here and I can't even imagine leaving this beautiful place. I live with a lovely man, I've made some friends that I know will be life long fellow travelers and am excited about what the future holds here for me. My heart is here, in this place, with this man. My heart is also with the people I love and who love me, whose hands I've held and who have held mine through the dark night of the soul, and who I have laughed with until we both peed our pants. Literally. My heart is with my children, who I love beyond what I ever thought myself capable of. I love them not only as my children, but as the amazing people they are. They not only carry my heart in their heart, but the love of my father, who loved me, and the heart of his father and mother, who loved him. We give each other not only who we are, who we hope to be, but also the love given us when we were loveable and. more importantly, not so loveable. I am profoundly thankful for the land that held me like a mother, sent me out to find myself and the people who have touched my life and made me a better person...or at least gave it a good shot! xoxo Bethie

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:27:00 +0000

Dance First, Think Later-Samuel Beckett

The world loves stories about trail blazers and independent thinkers--people who go left when logic says to go right, but they really don't like the people who defy convention and follow their heart. The world likes convention and conformity. I think that's why we go to movies where the heroine says "fuck it" and heads off into the sunset to find love or become an astronaut, but find it difficult to leave Egypt and face a desert on our way to the Promised Land. I love that story about the Israelites who bitched and moaned for 40 years in the desert because as much as they hated being slaves, being hungry and lost kinda sucked. As an independent trail blazer who veered left when every cell in my body screamed "STAY TO THE RIGHT YOU DUMBASS" I can tell you that it does suck. It's scary and hard, people I love are mad at me and think I'm selfish, but I think there's part of them that is jealous. Being brave is lonely, it isn't romantic or cool. Period. But, it is being alive, finding that dancing fool inside of yourself that wants to live, to truly be alive that makes it exhilarating. I could have been normal, but it would have killed my spirit and that is not the legacy I want to leave. I want to be an old lady who knows what it feels like to dance and to love with all her heart, even when it's scary (especially then!). xoxo Beth

A Prayer by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:30:00 +0000

A Prayer

Refuse to fall down

If you cannot refuse to fall down,

refuse to stay down.

If you cannot refuse to stay down,

lift your heart toward heaven,

and like a hungry beggar,

ask that it be filled.

You may be pushed down.

You may be kept from rising.

But no one can keep you from lifting your heart

toward heaven

only you.

It is in the middle of misery

that so much becomes clear.

The one who says nothing good

came of this,

is not yet listening.

― Clarissa Pinkola Estés, The Faithful Gardener: A Wise Tale About That Which Can Never Die

Happy Hour and Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:24:00 +0000

Do What Makes Your Heart Sing

So I moved from Minnesota to Georgia in June of this year. To say it was a culture shock is a giant understatement. Not a bad one, but I'd lived in Minnesota since 1979 and if you do the math (be my guest) that's a long dang time. I had a million friends, knew every street in the Twin Cities (mostly because I have no sense of direction and get lost a lot), had my favorite Starbucks lady and my favorite grocery store, etc. I lived 10 min. away from the Mall of America, the LARGEST mall in frickin' America! I moved here to start a new life with Mr. Fabulous and to be near my family, who all live down here (which is kinda why I moved to Anarctica in 1979! Hello, full circle!) and it's been so great, but sad too. I miss my friends and all the other stuff you take for granted when it's all 5 min. away. Here, in Ga, we live out in the sticks, middle of nowhere, Bumfuck Egypt, you got the picture. I shop at Walmart and Tractor Supply! I'm not even kidding! Here's the cool part, I live next door to this super cool artist, a glass blower and kindred spirit. Today I was feeling a bit lonely, kinda isolated (I'm wearing my Walmart slippers right now and it's 5:30 pm) when my neighbor called and asked me to come over for happy hour with a bunch of our other artsy neighbors. So there then! I love the time I have alone, it's a blessing and a gift and whenever I whine (on the inside, I'm a Minnesotan after all) God reminds me that I asked for this and to appreciate it. I so do. But, I also am a big fan of cocktail parties so see ya! xoxo

Some Days You Got It and Some Days You Don't

noreply@blogger.com (Beth McLarnan) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:19:00 +0000

The Dangerous Wild Woman Bracelet on Etsy


Prayer for Peace Bracelet on Etsy

I've had some great time to myself to create lately and FINALLY getting somewhere with making jewelry I honestly love. I like to listen to podcasts on my computer while I work and yesterday heard this awesome interview on Coast to Coast with Clarissa Pinkola Estes who wrote, among other things, "Women Who Run with the Wolves." She is so interesting and such a gifted storyteller that I just got into this groove where I lost track of time, stopped "thinking" so much and just let it go. These are the two bracelets I made and I swear to God, I even surprised myself at how cool they turned out. You know how some days you have it and some days you just do not...it ain't happenin? Well, I've had plenty of those lately and it was getting kind of frustrating. I think it makes a big difference what's going on around you as to how creative you can be. My house is very peaceful, I live with a very calm man (although we have some crazy dogs!) and we don't have a T.V. so I have to listen to the radio (annoying) or Pandora (love it), watch stuff on Netflix (Downton Abbey..omg) and podcasts. Today however, my muse was running around the house with a bucket on her head and I just gave up and read my Kindle. Screw it. So, who really knows? But when it's there, you gotta ride it and enjoy it...when it's not, well, I guess you just gotta leave it alone and come back tomorrow. My boyfriend just got home and I'm going to fix us a couple of G&T's and watch Survivor (on hulu). All is well....see ya!