Random Thoughts from The Venerable Bead

Boro Glass Heart Pendant

2009-08-25T05:38:00.000-07:00

It has been a few months since I made a video. Come watch me make a little blue heart pendant.

Sweet Satisfaction

2009-05-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

I made a video of me making a boro implosion pendant a few weeks ago. It was actually my second video but I couldn't upload it to BlipTV because it is 38 minutes long! I finally figured out how to get it up there. Buy a pro account! lol. Well that should inspire me to make frequent videos. Here I am, and if you hang in there with me, 3/4 of the way through you will hear my daughter explaining her paper shoes to my internet audience.

Click To Play

A Penny For Your Thoughts

2009-05-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

My daughter found a penny in church yesterday. It was stuck to the floor under the kneeler and she proudly dug it out for the family to admire. "A penny for your thoughts" she exclaimed in an excited whisper. "EWWWWWWW......" was all I could muster. "Put that filthy thing down.. leave it...right...there"... And out came the bottle of hand sanitizer from my purse. How sad that in the age of swine flu a little kid can't get excited about a lucky penny. Well not with a neurotic mother anyway...

and so it is....

2009-04-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

The pretty pouch in my previous post was made by one of my customers Lisa of lsa1sew. She sent me that beautiful hand-sewn gift with some skeleton keys she picked up at yard sales. Two of the keys were earmarked for special necklaces for Lisa. Yesterday I videotaped (more like digitally captured... what is the current term?) Anyway, yesterday I made a bead on one of the keys for Lisa and here is that footage. It's actually my third video but the second one was 38 minutes long and bliptv won't accept a file that large. Anyone know of any good free editing software? Let me know.

Click To Play

Bead Unplugged

2009-04-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

A recent conversation with my kids made me realize how utterly and hopelessly dependant I am on the Internet and my computer. Typically while at baseball practice with my kids I am perfectly happy on a lawn chair with some glass or bead magazines or a good book. However it's early in the season and Mama gets cold real fast on 45 degree days. I knew I was going to be trapped in my car for 2 hours, so on this particular practice last week I brought my laptop in hopes I could "borrow" some Internet from a nearby neighbor or the school in front of the field. I had the following conversation on the way home from practice.

Thomas: (sounding annoyed) "Mom, why were you zig-zagging around the parking lot during practice?"

Me: "I was trying to get Internet?"

Emma: "I thought you were leaving us and I got sad."

Me: "I wouldn't leave you here alone Honey. Mama was just trying to update my Etsy shop."

Thomas: "Well you looked ridiculous, you moved your car like 6 times and then when you got out of the car and looked like you lost something....."

Me: "I'm sorry did I embarrass you?"

Thomas: "Well kinda, I mean Mom you looked kinda unstable"

Me: (Trying not to laugh and feeling a little bad) "Ok next time I'll just read my book."

Thomas: "Did you get it?"

Me: "What?"

Thomas: "Did you steal some one's Internet?"

Me: "Thomas, I didn't steal anything and no I wasn't able to get a signal."

Thomas: "Jake says it's called pirating. Did you pirate any Internet?"

Me: "No, Thomas your mother isn't a pirate."

Thomas: "Oh. Well that would have been kinda cool."

Me: "Ok, I'm a pirate. But not a very good one."

Thomas: "Mom. I think you should just get the I Phone and go back to reading your Twilight book."

Me: "Ok, Thomas I promise. No more computer at practice."
So as you can see I am a hopeless embarrassing case.
I need my kids to remind me to unplug once in a while.

When I Grow Up

2009-04-22T05:37:00.001-07:00

My kids fight over who is going to take pictures of me modeling my pendants. I assign the job to whoever gets done with breakfast and brushes his or her teeth first. This morning my daughter got the job. She will be 8 in a few weeks and the camera is bigger than her head. lol. She's a very cute and careful photographer though. She spends time making sure the lighting is right and I am posed correctly. Sometimes she angles the photo in an artful way and sometimes she captures it dead on. I'd like to think that exposing my kids to my art and the business of selling it will inspire them to have creative outlets someday. My son wants to be a lawyer right now and my daughter wants to be a teacher but we'll see. They can always do what Mom does and be an artist by moonlight.

Beads 2009

2009-04-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

I have been featured on the cover of Beads 2009 and I am so excited! Danielle Fox, the editor of Stringing asked me to submit some keys, pendants and big holed beads to this sister publication. My bumpy key made it on the cover! The key and 2 big holed beads are featured in the Steampunk section, there are 3 floral implosion pendants in the Flora section and Danielle used one of my keys in a necklace on page 44. You must check it out. I see several other glass artists I am familiar with featured as well. It's so exciting to see bead magazines embracing handmade. I'm just thrilled because I think it helps all self representing artists when mainstream publications who could just as easily show imported less expensive components (and those companies who pay big advertising dollars) instead highlight the handy-work of individual artists. It's very validating in a collective beady way!

Into Spring

2009-04-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Check out this beautiful collaboration piece created by Poppy Adams of Groovy Glass Girl and me, Paula McDonough of The Venerable Bead.
The completed project is called Into Spring and is available in Poppy's shop.
We did an interview for the Esty Glass Artist's blog:

Please tell us a little about yourselves and what kind of art you make.

Paula: I am borosilicate glass lampworker. I melt glass rods in the flame of a torch to create beads and pendants.

Poppy: I work mainly using stained glass techniques and wire work. I started fusing last year when I got my own kiln, so now I incorporate my fused glass into the pieces I make. For the most part my work is jewelry, only because with a busy family life I find that I can complete small projects much easier.

Can you tell us how you got started on this project and how it has evolved.

Paula: The team has been collaborating on a series of projects to be featured here on our blog. I did several collaborative necklaces with another team member a while back and I must admit it's very addicting to make collaborative pieces. I have always wanted to make a cabochon that could be incorporated into a dark metal necklace but I am not a metalsmith so it's only been a dream until I saw Poppy's work.

Poppy: Paula contacted me about doing a collaboration and of course I was thrilled to work with her. The whole process came together quite quickly.....her work combined really well with my techniques.

What inspired you about your partner's art?

Paula: I have such a weakness for oxidized metals you have no idea. I saw Poppy's Twig Series and I though "Oh man, wouldn't a flower implosion look cool in a necklace like that?" So I approached her about it.

Poppy: I have always loved borosilicate glass and Paula has some great steampunk inspired pieces that I admired.

How did you ultimately decide to make what you did?

Paula: Well I decided to make a flower in subtle cool colors. I chose blues and greens to work well with the dark silver metal. I wanted the necklace to flow and work together... like something you'd find in nature. Once my cab was done I sent it off to Poppy and she worked her magic on it.

Poppy: Paula mentioned a "Twig" series necklace that I'd just listed in my Etsy shop that she really liked when she contacted me about doing a piece together. I wasn't sure I'd be able to work a large cab into a piece like that but I have another line called "Urban Artifacts" that features really large chunks of glass so the resulting necklace is kind of a combination of the hammered swirls found in a lot of my work, the lines of a "twig" series necklace and glass and solder detail of the "Urban Artifact" series.

Did you find this to be a rewarding experience and why?

Paula: I am so beyond pleased with the finished project. I love it so much I want to marry it! lol, ok well maybe not marry but definitely go steady! Seriously, it was so much fun to plant a seed and watch it grow in the hands of another artist.

Poppy: I found this experience to be so rewarding that I can't wait to do another one! Trying to incorporate another artist's work into your own and still maintain a unified style that flows can be difficult. I have to admit this time it was easy....right from the initial sketch that I did with her cab to adding the metalwork. I kept the beautiful floral implosion cab the focal point of the necklace which was my main concern. The hardest part was knowing when to stop.

Watch Me Torch

2009-04-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

I started a blogging course yesterday which inspired me to run down to my studio and video a very inpromptu torching session. My face is cut off, there's no zoom and it cuts off in the middle of making something but I'm sharing it anyway. They can only get better. So here I am in my infinite imperfection

Click To Play

Spring Has Sprung

2009-03-24T19:28:00.001-07:00

I fall off the blogging bandwagon and I don't know how to get back on. You are only as good as your last post so here I am. I am going to let a picture my 11 year old son took today speak for me. I cannot find the words. I vow to try and do better. I am taking an online blogging course with Holly Becker of Decor8 in April and I am hoping I can learn how to stay on track. For now I give you this photo called Spring by Thomas D. McDonough who, by the way, came in second in an art contest for the RI Tree Council's Arbor Day Poster Contest. You can see his poster here.

Guess How Much I Love You

2009-01-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

On the last few pages of Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, Big Nut Brown Hare settles Little Nut Brown Hare into his bed of leaves and whispers "I love you right up to the moon - and back". I swear I never got through that last page without tearing up when my kids were babies. I tore through the house looking for that book this morning. Maybe I'm feeling a bit melancholy because my baby boy is 11 tomorrow. I literally felt myself having panic at the thought this book had been put in the Goodwill bin. In front of 6 sleepover guests I'm begging my son to help me find the book. He looked at me like he might just kill me right there in front of 6 witnesses. "Whew never mind I found it in your sister's room" I said a few minutes later. I heard him say to one of his guests that he had no idea why I would think a baby book was anywhere but. I made this necklace as a tribute to unconditional love that spans a thousands oceans, a million miles...to the moon...and back.

A Valentine's To Love

2009-01-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

My Arts In RI team members decided to creatively challenge one another to embrace the season of love with Valentine themed products. Between now and Valentine's Day we will share some of these "lovely" designs with you on our blog. Let us know how you feel about our art by leaving a comment. Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered into a random drawing for an Arts In RI gift basket featuring goodies from many of our shops. (one entry per person per post. In other words you can enter once every time we post a new product!!!) Be sure to check back on the blog on Valentine's Day as we will announce the winner that day. Entries will be accepted until midnight February 13th.Have you ever fallen in love with something at first sight? That's how I felt when I saw this classy Valentine themed clutch made by Linda of Alamodestuff. The fabric is velvet flocked red taffeta. Linda said of the fabric: "When I saw it, I simply had to have it. I wasn't sure what I was going to make, but I bought it anyway. After staring at it for days, I decided that it would make the perfect clutch for a little black dress. The shape was inspired by the purses of the 1940s. It reminds me of a time when women wore evening gloves with their fancy little bags." Check out Linda's shop for this item as well as other wonderful items with urban appeal.

The Rhinestone Heroine

2009-01-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

The year was 1973. I was in the second grade at Carl T. Thompson Elementary school in Rumford, RI. In the school yard at recess I was never asked to play jump rope with the girls. Neither was Diane Drake. She was tall girl, probably taller than most of the kids several grades ahead of us. I was small. We were on opposite ends of the growth chart and equally uncoordinated. Jump rope would have provided a mortifying experience for both of us and we were just as happy not to be asked.
David Farias was a little boy that never seemed to fit in with the boys. Instead he sought our companionship in the corners of the playground. Diane and I both liked David. He was a cute little dark haired boy who seemed to enjoy having competing love interests. Batman was the game we played. David, of course, got the starring role. Diane and I argued about who would play his Batgirl and who would have to be the villianess Catwoman. I usually won when I remembered to bring this rhinestone ring to school. My mother had some really mod jewelry from the 60's and this awesome treasure had become mine. David thought it made the best laser weapon! Ha, I had her with the bling. Occasionally I'd let her be Batgirl but then the enemy (me) would have the weapon. By the end of the year I knew David liked me best. He gave me a Linus pin that he had made with a button making kit.
I found this ring recently in my daughter's jewelry box. She is in the second grade so I told her the story of Diane and David and our little triangle. My daughter is one of the girls who would be playing jump rope although now the game is ball. She definitely seems to "fit in" alot better than her mother. She thought it was odd I'd have any interest in playing a boy's game like Batman but she definitely likes the bling. She's thinking of bringing the ring to school to show the girls. She thinks it looks like a ring Hannah Montana would wear. I still happen to think it makes the best laser weapon.

Artsinri Holiday Party

2009-01-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

I hosted the Artsi nri post holiday party last night at my house and we had a great time. Thanks ladies for all the great food and drink. It was so much fun and a pleasure having you all. It's so nice that we can market together but we all still know how to play too. I got to know a few of you a little better and that was really nice. We may be very unique among local street teams in that, because our state is so small, we can meet face to face so frequently. Now we need to add party together to the list too because last night makes me want to do this again soon. lol.

Covergirl

2008-10-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

I had one of my key necklaces featured on the cover of Stringing magazine in the 2008 Fall issue! A dear customer of mine Heather of Humble Beads used one of my boro beaded skeleton keys in a necklace that she submitted to a design contest for one of Stringing Magazine’s sister publications Bead Star. This caught the attention of Stringing Magazine’s editor Danielle Fox who contacted Heather to find out where she got the key. Danielle then contacted me and asked if I would submit one of my beaded keys for the next issue. In the Beads to Buy section of the magazine they were doing a feature on key beads, pendants and charms. I happily agreed. Then Danielle noticed that in my Etsy shop, my necklaces featuring the beaded keys used alot of vintage components and lockets. On one week’s notice she asked me if I would consider submitting a project featuring a key necklace that used a vintage locket. She said they would pay me $85 and I would get my necklace back after they photographed it. I needed to write up very specific directions for making the necklace complete with sources. I’ll admit at first I panicked. I had to weigh the incredible exposure I would receive against the risk of revealing my sources and basically inviting other designers to copy my design. Then I thought of a way everyone could win. I quickly ordered some vintage components from some favorite suppliers on ETSY, Tulle and Gems Jems and even a few lampwork boro beads from my friend Kim of Kim V Glass . I put together a beautiful necklace using as many Etsy sources as possible and I listed my shop as the source for the key and the chain figuring that even designers need to come to me for the beaded key. I already sell to a lot of designers why not more? In the end, the realization that being published in a magazine as fine as Stringing far outweighed any worry about the copiers and I submitted “I Love You More” as a locket project as well as a single beaded key for the beads to buy section. I remember sitting at one of my daughter’s softball practices writing out the project directions trying to figure out: “ Now is that a 6 mm bead cap I used? A 1 ½ or 2 inch head pin?” It had to be so detailed! That was in late June. Stringing sent me a contract and the editorial copy for me to approve and then I had to wait until the Fall to see the magazine. I received my copy when the subscriber’s copies went out at the end of September. I knew I would be featured in two spots in the magazine but I nearly died when I spotted my necklace on the cover. I started squealing and jumping up and down in front of Chris my mailman. Even he was happy for me. Danielle was cute and included a little note telling me I was a “covergirl”. What a wonderful surprise! It was probably the biggest highlight of my bead-making career short of setting up my own home studio of course. The magazine came out on newsstands on October 8th and it has been a big kick to see the magazine in Border’s Books and Walmart with my husband and kids. My husband was skeptical that it was a publication sold in those mainstream locations. I think he thinks there are like 5 other people out there making glass beads. LOL. He’s impressed as are my family and friends. It has been very rewarding getting convos from customers and potential customers who have seen the magazine and are excited for me or complimentary of my work. My sales have definitely improved because of the exposure and like anything else that produces an adrenaline rush, I think I might be addicted. I have already contacted Danielle about working with them again and she is thrilled. So, you might not have seen the last of me on newsstands near you….

2008-10-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

My Etsy Street Team Arts in RI is sponsoring a Halloween contest and offering a treat with no tricks. All you need to do to enter is search for the Halloween pumpkin Artsinri logo in a featured item in one of our shops. You will need an etsy account and can register for one here. Along the right column of the blog you will find a link to all of our shops. When you find the Halloween logo with the carved pumpkin, convo me with the name of the shop and the item name and number where you found it and you will be entered into a random drawing to win this beautiful glass pumpkin hand blown by our very own Suzanne Tanner of Tanner Glass. The pumpkin is made of transparent orange glass with a transparent green stem. It measures 4" tall by 3.5" wide. It is signed and dated on the bottom by Suzanne, and a gift box is included! The suggested retail price is $35. Suzanne was kind enough to make this pumpkin especially for this contest and it is one of a kind! For this reason, Suzanne doesn't have these in her shop but if you convo her she is happy to take special orders. Now enjoy your not so spooky trip through Artsinri. We would love for you to ring our doorbells along the way if you like what you see! The contest will run from October 21st and end at midnight on Monday October 27th. The winner will be notified by convo and posted here and on the Etsy forums on Tuesday October 28th. Thanks for playing.

Earth and Sea: An Artist Collaboration

2008-10-23T18:25:00.001-07:00

Tracy Prince of Seafind Designs and Stepping Stones and I collaborated on a series of necklaces called Earth and Sea. I have one set of necklaces in my shop here and here and Tracy has another set in her shops here and here.
Tracy and I had so much fun creating these pieces for our Arts In RI Etsy Street Team Collaboration Challenge. We hope you enjoy them. Since Tracy is a seaglass artist and she drills and carves beautiful sea stones it made perfect sense that we would use both of these materials and incorporate one of my boro glass beaded keys. The mix of found objects, stones and glass tumbled by the sea with the shiny new glass and the various metals is an earthy organic fluid wave of pleasure.

Lost and Found

2008-07-29T20:54:00.001-07:00

The kids and I went geocaching today. It's been a long time since we had been and it felt good to get back out there. We went down to Narragansett and searched the shoreline for 3 caches and some beach treasures. I found some nice flat rocks and drift wood for my photos. We found someone's wallet while we were out. It felt like such a violation going through it but I needed to find some ID and a telephone number so I could let the man know. It was amazing how much I learned about the owner from the contents of his wallet. I learned his age, what he looked like, his kids names his marital status (divorced), his political party (republican), the fact he owns a gun, sees a therapist and is a painter. I also learned some really personal stuff like the fact that he still loves his ex-wife and that he cheated on her, he thinks he drinks too much and he wants to quit smoking. Isn't that amazing? I did find his number on a receipt for a new gun. (yikes) and I called him to let him know I could mail the wallet to him. He was really happy. I felt really weird not telling him I had learned those things from a few pieces of paper inside. He would probably feel more violated than if I charged thousands on his credit card. I told him not to worry that "good people" had found it and yet I felt so guilty for knowing things that maybe his mother and therapist didn't even know. It made me wonder what someone could learn about me from the contents of my purse. I think I'll clean it out tomorrow.

Arts In RI Mother's Day Contest

2008-05-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Mother's Day Arts In Rhode Island is sponsoring a contest honoring mothers everywhere! Check out our blog for all the details. This month Tracy Prince of Stepping Stones and Seafinddes igns has donated a gorgeous Tres Hermanas necklace: Two gray toned speckled genuine Rhode Island beach stones, found by Tracy on Watch Hill! One flawless genuine sea foam sea glass. All together on a rigid silver plated choker. All can be removed and worn individually. Retail value 50 dollars.
This necklace would make a wonderful gift for Mom. Three sisters for one special Mama! All you need to do to enter is search for our Mother's Day Logo hidden in a featured item in ONE shop and convo me the item number and the name of the shop you found it in and I will enter you in a random drawing for the prize. You can find our shops by clicking on the links in the righthand column of our blog. The contest will run from May 1st through May 8th at midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Friday May 9th here on the blog.

Collaboration Challenge

2008-04-23T10:24:00.001-07:00

Kristy Kempinger of Chickadeebeads and I have challenged our fellow EGA members to collaborate with one another to create a joint glass project. I have been using Kristy's gorgeous vessels in my skeleton key necklaces. It's hard to believe soft glass and borosilicate glass can look so great together! This is the second Titanic themed necklace I have created that encorporates her vessles and my keys. This one is just in time for Mother's Day. You can find it here

I'm Back

2008-04-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Well I'm back from Disney with a head full of ideas. A week off the torch and the total sensory overload that only four theme parks in 7 days can provide and you have one artistically refreshed beadmaker on your hands! I have 5 new frit blends coming out soon for my lampworker friends and lots of new jewelry ideas involving keys. OH and the electroforming kit I ordered before my vacation arrived while I was away so I need to have my friend KimV teach me how to use it. OMG so much to do and so little time. Meanwhile my house looks like a laundromat explosion and there is not one scrap of edible food in my pantry or fridge if we don't count the canned brussel sprouts I bought six months ago in a feverish attempt to find something green (other than peppermint gumdrops) that my 6 year old will eat. So I will try to keep you all up to date as these projects come rolling out over the next few months. Stay tuned and enjoy the rare family portrait... this one is in Epcot with Donald in Mexico (who by the way is a lefty...I knew I always liked Donald)

I Used to Be Cute...Before I was Dead

2008-04-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have had a fascination with skulls for a long time. Even before they were trendy and "glam goth", I have enjoyed them. I like to search for skulls and Calaveras on Etsy to see the various artistic interpretations. Last night I ran across VanFleetStreetDesign and I knew I had to have this original ACEO . It's so colorful and fun, yet the figure looks so downcast. I love it. This inspires me to go make an Etsy treasury of all my skully findings.

Found Fabulous on Scoutiegirl

2008-04-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

I was featured on Scoutiegirl today! Scoutiegirl is a blog featuring Indie artists written by Jan of Daisy Janie. Jan makes the most beautiful handbags. She uses custom designed fabrics to create rich looking bags that are minimal in the amount of hardware on them. I particularly like the Fancy Pants size in this Colorwash Spring fabric. SO PRETTY.

I'm No April Fool

2008-04-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

ARTS IN RI is hosting an April contest! The contest will run from April 1st through April 8th. Fellow team member Lisa of Pinklemonadeboutique has generously donated a beautiful handmade bag called Sakura: Featuring imported Japanese cherry blossom fabric, trimmed in natural linen, and embellished with a detatchable handmade felt flower. It measures 11.5 x 9. Check out each of the Artsinri shops (you will find a link to each in the right hand column of our blog) and find our April Arts In RI logo hidden in a featured item in ONE of the shops. When you find the gray and purple logo convo me the item number and the name of the shop you found it in and you will be entered into a drawing for Sakura. You must have an etsy account, or sign up for one here (it’s easy and free) The hunt will end at midnight EST on April 8th. The Winner will be posted on our blog and be contacted via convo on April 9th. Good luck and happy hunting!!!!

Something is Lost

2008-03-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

Part 2 begins on March 11th my father’s 72nd birthday. I ran to the post office with kids after I picked them up from school. Thomas helped me label all the packages fragile as I had forgotten. There were 7 in total, 1 going to the UK and 6 going domestic. As always I sent them first class with delivery confirmation. I started getting panicked e-mails from my customers a little less than a week later. The packages had not arrived. I checked the tracking on the first one. It had been scanned in Warwick and then nothing. I checked all the others and it was the same thing. I assured my customers I would go to the post office and try to find out what could have happened. Now call me crazy but going to the post office is one of the errands I actually enjoy. Now I know I can use Paypal shipping and probably should because it would provide free delivery confirmation but I just haven’t gotten around to it. I like writing out my own addresses and I like visiting the clerks in my local post office. When I inquired with Bob about my packages he assured me everything went to Providence that day and he gave me a phone number for consumer affairs. I called consumer affairs and got a voice mail for Beth. I left her a panicked message and drove down to Providence to see if I could talk to her. When I arrived at the big post office in Providence I found another Bob at the counter. He said I looked stressed and asked me to explain the situation. He was very nice and told me he was going to check the computer and he would be able to calm me right down. I knew what he would find and that he couldn’t but I waited patiently while he went to check my confirmation numbers. While I was waiting Beth called me on my cell. She asked me if I had purchased insurance and I sadly told her no. She said I couldn’t file a claim then. I told her I was at the post office and could she come and talk to me. She said where? I said downstairs at one of the windows. She said she wasn’t allowed to do that. I said Please? I wanted her to have a face with my dilemma. She said ok and came down to meet me. Bob returned and said he turned up nothing on the confirmation numbers. I already knew that. Beth and Bob exchange knowing glances and Beth said she could take down my information and run it by her boss. She said my packages were likely tied up in Springfield MA. She said when Providence’s sorting machine is down (they only have one) the packages go directly to Springfield. She said it was a good sign that they were all together and that none of them had moved. She said Springfield was likely behind in their sorting and that they would eventually turn up. I wanted to believe her. I told her the packages all contained handmade glass pendants and were not easily replaced. She urged me to buy insurance from now on and made a copy of all my confirmation numbers. I left feeling that at least a few people cared about my 7 lost packages. My customers were amazing. They were patient and understanding. We waited. The packages I mailed on March 14th all arrived at their destinations. I started praying to St. Anthony to find that mailbag. We waited some more. Every day I checked the status and every day was the same: Received at Pilgrim station March 11th. No further details. I started thinking about remaking the items. On Friday morning March 21st Beth called me on my cell. She had good news. On Thursday March 20th after 10pm the packages were finally checked into Springfield. They were in the system!!! Beth sounded almost as excited as I was. I thanked her for the news and she apologized for the delay on behalf of the US Postal Service. I told her I didn’t care as long as they weren’t lost! It took almost 3 weeks but all of my packages have finally arrived at their destinations. My customers are thrilled. I am thrilled. St. Anthony came through and Beth is getting a surprise in the mail…providing it doesn’t get lost.