Sunday, April 12, 2020

Change is in the wind


I hope this edition of my blog finds you well.  I have been silent for a long time.  That is mostly a good thing.  Spending less time in front of my computer and more time doing other things is really good for me.  More walking, soaking in my pool, travelling, and creating.

Today, amid the Coronavirus (Covid-19), some time for reflection is in order.  When I started this blog, cases in the United States were at 50,000.   Today, less than a month later, it is 10 times that, over 500,000.  No guess as to where that number will be in another month.  But enough of that, we are all swimming in discussion, fear, and panic over the situation.

My news, I made a decision on my official web site recently, www.baublesbybalonis.net.  That is one of the reasons for this blog.  I am NOT renewing the domain or web site service itself.  It will expire on May 20, 2020.  I decided it was time when I went in to update and realized it had been since sometime last fall that I'd changed things.  My Bead and Button classes had not even been announced.  I decided that if I don't 'care' enough to keep up with the changes for over 5 months, it is time to let it go, save the money for something else.

You can still find me on Facebook both as myself or as Marcia Balonis Designs.  I maintain my Etsy shop at Baublesbybalonis for all patterns, kits, and other odds and ends.  I do have an Instagram account - marciabalonis, and Pinterest is Marcia Balonis.  And I am still sending out my newsletter.  I use Mail Chimp.  You can ask me to add you on the list if you want to.

Busy creating is good right now.  And I have several new items which will be going into my Etsy shop.  These were created to teach at my LBS (local bead store).  Maybe I'll be teaching again, later, I hope.
Scribble up Herringbone
Mosaic Tile
 Rice A Roni

I have continued my beading transition from mostly bead weaving to a combination of bead weaving with bead embroidery.  I think of the dual designs as reflective of my current state of mind.....Split Personality.  This one is called Moon Child.

Why Split Personality?  Well, I have combined some bead weaving and bead embroidery for several years.  After my husband passed, I was kind of hung up from creating for a long time.  All I seemed to do was to make Regina Payne’s Mountain Girl over and over and over, that repetitive process finally stimulated my creative juices and I made my first real “Split Personality” design.  I thought about it and it seemed a natural transition from mostly bead weaving to the combination as sort of my before and after Jack died creative soul.  I had life with him before followed by a different life after.  So I have a split personality in that way for me and for my art.

This last month I have more time at home with kitties.  Chance resulted in my adoption of a new rescue kitty.  He is getting spoiled with the amount of home time.  Meet Marty.

I hope you are surviving well.  This will certainly be a time we will remember.  I do fear for the future and pray some of the changes to come will ultimately be for the better.