women’s issues | Bead Happily Ever After

Magazines and Dinosaurs

Posted on May 2, 2011 by crystal

Before there were computers . . .

women depended on magazines as their go-to source for recipes, health advice, family issues, craft patterns, humor, and so much more.

And while there are still plenty of magazines out there, I have a feeling they’re much less relied upon now. The internet has brought so information to our fingertips – literally!

But I do remember how I loved to crack open a brand new “Woman’s Day” after a trip to the supermarket. Somehow, it seemed like a *reward* for putting away the groceries! 😉

Of course, I continue to buy craft magazines these days but, with a computer, my need for a “women’s magazine” has truly diminished.

That’s a good thing for two reasons:

2. It’s given me the chance to meet you!

Do you buy magazines? Which ones? 😀

Hugs,

It’s in the Genes

Posted on February 3, 2010 by crystal

I say: Do you know what this is?

You say: Yes Crystal, it’s a cup of tea.
(You also think to yourself: Oh man, Crystal is losing it!)

Not to worry; I still have a few of my marbles left. 😉

This is a cold cup of tea because . . .

I am an incurable multi-tasker!!!

It’s true. I can’t tell you how many teabags I have failed to rescue before they’ve turned my cup of tea to lukewarm mud.

How does this happen? Well, right after I pour the hot water, I think – “Hmmm… while this is steeping, I’ll just check the mail, or maybe start a shopping list, or make the bed, or pay a bill”. My intention is just to do something quick, but one thing leads to another and before I know it, half an hour has passed.

When I finally return to my tea… it’s too strong and too cold. Lest you worry that it’s wasted; I do nuke it and add extra milk to try and rehabilitate it, but I really don’t enjoy it that way.

I fear I’ve passed this flawed genetic material on to my daughter. She, too, appears to be a multi-tasker. The other day, the subject came up as we were chatting and she said:

“Oh that happens to me too! I’ll be sorting laundry and then will realize I should go grab some dirty towels…but then I get sidetracked in the bathroom by stopping to clean the sink. As I scrub, my tummy rumbles and I remember (oooh yum!) I have cheese and crackers in the fridge! I’m off to get them…then decide to treat myself a bit and watch some TV while I enjoy my snack. One episode of CHiPs later and it hits me…I never started the washer! Ok, I’ll just put my snack plates in the dishwasher first…. Oh, but the dishwasher is full of clean stuff! Must put THAT away, of course…

And in the midst of all of this, I might be suddenly tweezing my eyebrows or checking Facebook. Or napping. It happens!”

Poor kid, along with a wonderful sense of humor from her Dad, I guess she inherited the multi-task bug from me.

I must be a “carrier”! How about you? 😉

Take this job and . . . ;-)

Posted on September 1, 2008 by crystal

When I was a young bride, I quickly learned that housekeeping was never totally finished. To my chagrin, a task that I worked on all morning could become undone in a second! The sink was never really empty, for as soon as I finished the dishes, a glass or a plate would appear. And laundry . . . sigh . . . the laundry! I’d no sooner complete what I thought was the last load of wash, when a pair of dirty socks were thrown in that “bottomless pit” of a clothes hamper. Similarly, freshly washed floors quickly sported tracks of muddy footprints, and sparkling bathtubs were again grimy, soon enough.

But you know all about this stuff! What I really mean to talk about here is the other thing I discovered as a young bride – “making something” is permanent!

It was pretty thrilling to realize that I could embroider a cloth napkin, knit a scarf, or make a dried flower wreath for the front door, and nobody would come along and undo my efforts. What joy, what satisfaction! After an hour or two of work, I actually had something lasting to show for it. Whether I totally finished a project or just added to its progress, the next time I picked it up – it was exactly as I had left it.

There’s such a wonderful sense of fulfillment when we create something lovely. During a day when a lot of what we do is repetitious and boring, how fun to grab a few moments to nourish our artistic side.

These days, beads are what inspire my creativity, and I haven’t found even one necklace disassembled while my back was turned!

But the laundry . . . excuse me, please . . . I think I hear the dryer buzzing! 🙂

You are special. (Mr. Rogers was right!)

Posted on August 4, 2008 by crystal

If you make jewelry for gifts or to sell, be sure to keep one of the best pieces for yourself now and then! Too often we sell or give away the items that we consider to be our best work. If we keep anything at all, it’s usually not a favorite creation. I call this the “burnt cookie syndrome”. Do you ever stand at the stove and eat the rejects, so the family can have the “good” cookies?!? I see you nodding out there. 😉

Most women seem to have an innate desire to give the best to others. We’ll eat the burnt cookie, or make sure to take the chipped dinner plate, or select the bent fork. It isn’t necessarily that we don’t value ourselves, or that we are afraid for others to see our imperfections. I like to think it’s more that we actually enjoy making things special for others.

Of course we realize that isn’t always possible, so we allow ourselves a little “breathing room” by personally settling for a lower standard. It’s a compromise that’s not too difficult to accept. After all, we know that if we really want to, we can choose to be fussy for ourselves – anytime!

So tie a string around your finger or stick a post-it note on the fridge, but please remember that any day might just be the day, to make something special for YOU!