hats, capelet - crocheted

After working so much with polymer clay, my hands were itchy to crochet something.. And as I've bought tons of yarn recently, I've started making some nice things with it.. Here are few hats and a capelet. 2 hats are made some times ago, and one is new. I've listed them on etsy.com/shop/moussycrafts

What is Polymer Clay?..

I had some friends over and showed them my polymer clay jewelry. And I was asked questions that made it clear to me - my friends thought that I'm buying the beads and elements and only stringing them together.. Nope. I am making my beads, pendants and so forth. I guess, still few people know what polymer clay actually is. I also guess that I should put out here some pictures of the process of creating beads for my visitors to see how beads are actually made.. The most common question is "So, you paint these things, don't you?". No, I don't. In fact, I almost never use any paint at all. All the patterns and pictures you see are made only using the polymer clay of different colors. Often I do mix colors myself to achieve the specific color that I want.. But I do not paint my beads. So.. just in few words: polymer clay is a pliable media, kind of like a play dough. You can play with it, create different textures, different patterns, shapes.. the difference is that you BAKE polymer clay in your oven and it hardens! It hardens so well that it becomes very durable and unless you want to break it and really try to do so, it will stay just as it's been made for years. Polymer clay by itself is not afraid of water, but does not like chemicals and oils. And if it's covered with glaze (which I usually do - for extra protection), then it is afraid of water, so you should not bathe in your necklace or keep your earrings in the bathroom all the time. There are different brands of polymer clay, which differ by their baking temperature, durability and purpose. I am using Premo by Skulpey polymer clay. This clay is created for artists and is very durable, and also flexible. So if the piece is thin, it will bend, but not break. You can read more on Wikipedia or anywhere else. There is a lot of information out there! See you later!

New goodies

Been busy for a while and have not posted anything. Don't feel good about it - so here I am, with few goodies, new and older!

New necklace "Ocean Depth". I've made cabochons, beaded over them with seed beads and then incorporated some dark blue glass beads and black onyx beads into this necklace..  It looks pretty mysterious and fancy :)



This necklace was a gift to Auntie. She loved it :)

Poppy pin for mom in law:

Military Kitteh - one of the recent custom orders. He will go to Afghanistan, just like his brother Patriotic Kitteh before him. I hope this one, too, will return home safely. I hate wars.

Fiona wearing her BF's coat. Polo, our neighbor's dog, is a pitbul and is Fiona's BF :) They asked me to make a coat for him for Christmas :)



And - as a bonus - the home pic of Fiona on my lap. She does sincerely believe that she's a lapdog, uh-huh! "Si, mama, jo soy chihuahua! Mui bonita!"



Well - see you soon! I am planning on doing some home finances and then - crocheting, a lot! After all, I did buy that $300 worth of yarn for some reason, didn't I? :)

I am now on Etsy.com!

I've listened to the advise of quite few people and came to the conclusion that it won't hurt to have my own Etsy shop. I've actually registered who knows when.. over a year ago.. but just started adding items there. So if you feel like checking it out - http://www.etsy.com/people/Moussycrafts . Though keep in mind that items on my site Moussycrafts.com are cheaper as I don't have to pay any commissions ;) But as my site is now in the developing stage, there are more pictures available in my etsy shop.

I don't have to be perfect!

I know that one of the things people are sorry most of all when they are facing death is that they did not live the lives that THEY wanted but rather the lives that somebody else expected them to live. I've come to realization of this fact and accepted it. I mean, I've come to realization that life is too short to waste on living somebody else's life and it is too short to spend precious time on something I don't like if I don't have to deal with it. Even if I DO have to deal with it - I should find a way to change it so that I DON"T have to. Providing there is a way, of course.
I've started school and it was obvious from the very beginning that I'd be a good student. So, everybody started to expect me to be good. And although I naturally do learn easily, I was driven partially by these expectations of others and stressed myself out too much because I knew that I "had" to be good. I had to be perfect. Although it helped me in the future to have a full scholarship for college education, it also had brought too much stress.. I still have nightmares where I have to go to school and for some reason - oh no!! - I haven't prepared my homework.. I knew that "good" students would have successful careers.. that they are supposed to be this and that, and most likely to love math and whatever else.. well, if good students do that, I had to, too. I was a good student after all, wasn't I? Well, here is the scariest thing. I've got MS in Accounting. Because in the field of accounting you certainly can make a good career and be successful and make money, right? I've worked as an accountant. I absolutely hated it. No, not fair enough. I could stand it. But just barely. And with all that I knew that I was supposed to enjoy it (after all, how was I supposed to make a career in something I didn't enjoy??). But I could not and did not enjoy it! (And by the way, I don't care much about the math. Oh no, I've just admitted it to myself! Oh...) And that was tough. Knowing that you HAVE to be perfect in doing something and not being able to do so. Since I moved to US, I even tried to find a job in accounting field! Or to find any office position. Couldn't. it's tough enough to find a job for an immigrant, and even more so-in economy like this. So, I am staying at home.. in a meanwhile listening to the stories like "oh, she's only 25 yo but a CPA already!" and others alike. And thinking to myself that "Oh my.. I've already lost 3 years of my career life.. I am so NOT perfect... while everybody else is doing something I am just sitting at home and enjoying my crafts.. What a loser I am". Tough, very tough on my self esteem. BUT!
But.. Suddenly I came to realization that non of that really matters. What is my goal in life?.. It is to be happy and not to spoil anybody else's life. Or even make somebody's life better.. Well, let's see. Would I be any happier if I had a successful accounting career?.. Considering I really don't care much about accounting? I dooon't think so. Am I happy doing my crafts? Oh YES! I made a life of at least one person very happy. And I am doing my best to not spoil everybody else's life. 2 things I enjoy the most in my life.. no, 3 things: being with my hubby, no matter what we're doing, even if it's grocery shopping; crafting (CRAFTING!!!) and traveling - with hubby, of course. I try to do all 3 of them as much as possible. And I am happy. So.. who cares about being "perfect" the way the rest of the world is expecting you to be? Or even the way YOU THINK the rest of the world is expecting you to be? I don't. Not anymore. I will do family finances because after all, I am the accountant in this family. But I won't enjoy it. And I don't have to pretend that I do. Really, I don't have to pretend it even with myself. I can be real with all my imperfect self. I am learning to see my real self and love it. Honestly, I do enjoy it so much. Nobody will give me marks about my abilities anymore. After all, it all comes down to "Are you happy". Yes, I AM. And I intend to stay this way. And nobody will be telling me how I am supposed to live and what I am supposed to be. I am the one who will decide it. I am the one who has to be happy with myself. I am the one who - hopefully - won't have to be sorry on a death bed. I am the one to make a CHOICE.