Friday, May 8, 2009

Crafty Cabaret Carribean Cruise with Brini Maxwell and Margot Potter


I'm a little under the weather here, but it's nothing a course of antibiotics and more rest won't cure. Before I crawl back under the covers I have something exciting to share!

I'm thrilled to finally be able to announce our cruise! We've been working on this for months with Jim West and the folks from ScrapMap and it's taken amazing amounts of self restraint for me not to spill the beans...but...finally...I CAN! Follow
this link to read all about the Crafty Cabaret Cruise with your hostesses with the mostest(est) Style Network star Brini Maxwell and The Impatient Crafter Margot Potter!

We're going to entertain you with our sensational song stylings, share our style tips and tricks and help you get your craft on while we cruise the Carribean for eight fabulous fun filled days! Let us entertain you...let us...make you craft! Come along and join the crafty fun!

xoxo
Madge

Thursday, May 7, 2009

THE SHAKEN LIVES!











HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?



it's a pleasant evening.i do think about you often and let's join in sharing some sincere thoughts and feelings.are you ready?and here,we go................


it's about neena,my friend.she is tall and beautiful with short hair.she is smart and confident.she is so careful about her future.neena gets food from home,so that eating out can be avoided.i always liked her as a sincere friend.she has her plans about a bright future.an ambitious lady.

to be frank,i was very enthusiastic and inspiring.we have our set backs in life,right?i used to react when social injustice was practised.anu always wanted to get ahead.she loved dancing and singing.where is that anu,now?

coming back to neena,
she has an online boyfriend,rohit whom she plans to marry after two years.but due to general crisisis,rohit has lost his job now. coming from a middle class family,rohit has financial commitments. uncertainty haunts them now.


i am not sure,whether the flame of love will stand the test of time.the real life experiences are not that pleasant.

hey,friends,you are familiar with loretta,my friend in gowns and lipstic and who has to remain single just because of aman from our own place.

can you believe,he was her tutor?the real hypocrite wearing the wolf's skin.

can you believe,he is in arespectable position in the society and owns his own school?

the problem started as loretta is my friend and his wife is afamily friend.so,my long hours are spent in counselling loretta,trying my level best to tell the road of her life doesn't end just because of the tutor.
i had atough time as the tutor's wife came to know the true colour of her husband.then it was her turn to take away my precious time requesting loretta to be out of his life!


what a misunderstanding!the whole drama took more than six months and now they are leading peaceful life[hope so].


life is strange with twist and turns.nisha and chandran whom we thought a real happy married couple got separated one fine morning.she came back to see me after nine yearsand i was shocked when the truth was revealed.

if there is something that touches your heart,please express it.use simple words and tell them loudly.


nisha,my another friend likes confessions.she wants to confess the hundred mistakes of her life,but only when her friend becomes the priest!she doesn't trust anyone else.she will have to wait for one more year!his eyes capture the beauty of the nature through his camera.she admires his photos.they are so realistic.

the day was cloudy,but it didn't rain.mostly life is like this.whenever i want to say,'yes' to life,the unexpected happens and the coping up with the pressures and stresses becomes difficult.


i feel like escaping to the dreamworld of an unknown island with cool water and coconut trees around.lot of adventures in that small island,on the banks of giggling water!the romantic aroma is all around!to take that easy pace of walk,holding the strong and caring hands of my romeo.''what a wonderful idea,sabji?''[i could never catch him young,so the pondering of late thoughts...........].


''ithramel enne nee snehichirunnegil,
enthinu neeyenne vittayachu?
akalan anuvadichu...........''?
where is the secret recipe for the burning desire?can you let me know?
i always wanted to set an example for others in my profession.but jealousy becomes the main villian.
through trial and error, i try to excel and it gives me happiness.


when i search for solutions,i become the part of added problems.when i seek for fun,i end up at the opening of a tunnel. when i want to laugh,everything falls apart.when i want to go back to childhood,someone warns me,''don't do.'' ''why shouldn't i''?i want to laugh at that!i am naughty by nature.you want me to be so polished in my behaviour.our traditions,culture and beliefs expect you to behave properly.

i love that non-stop music to dance to,the sand of the beach to laze in,the fine shacks to dine in............i really get refreshed.
when the heart rules over the head,the world will be amuch better place to live in.
it's anu signing off.....

let's be honest in our work and be ready to walk that extra mile.

i appreciate the good heart and good words.''nothing works like hard work''.there is no short cut to success other than hard work.so,friends,start loving others.
smile is the best cosmetics we can apply and cause a smile onsomeone else's face daily.
i dedicate this post to all those who have hidden the peacock feather in the book of love.
dear friend,i hope you will bring back the peace and happiness.
it can be in any form of kind and loving words,sparing time to keep in touch or bringing a feather touch of peace.
jis se pyar karte hain hum,
woh hamare baare me sochta hai..........[ab to sochna shuru karo.........]
right now may i say,'yes'to my life?
wishing you a cool night,
sasneham,
anu




































Queen Barksalot Free Doggy Collar Project for Beadalon

Queen Barksalot Doggie Collar Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon


Beadalon is posting a ton of new free projects on their website! This is a fancy occasion mixed media doggie collar I created for them a couple of years ago, it has a most fabulous matching leash that's going up on the site later this week. Follow this link to get the instructions. Let's face it, this would look just as cool on a person as it would on a dog. You don't have to tell anyone it's really a dog collar. I think my family might insist that Queen Barksalot is an apt title for me.

Snark.

My straw pile increased exponentially this past week so I'm afraid I must away and spin, spin, spin the straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin has been MIA forfreakin' ever, that nasty little troll. If you see him, you can tell him I've got a few choice words reserved for him.

Ah, if only there really were magical studio helpers willing to work for sparkles! Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

I'M FINE,THANK YOU!



























HOPE YOU ARE FINE!

hey,friends,
you know,i'm at trichur now.i reached here on the day of trichur pooram!my dear and near ones were here at home.we ladies stayed back home to watch on line pooram![i can hear,someone commenting,''muttathe mullakku manamilla''].in this unbearable heat,you tell me how to step out of the house?i enjoyed the wonderful kudamattam,the marvellous sight of pooram!the colurful contrast and mix and match styles of the various umbrellas!what creative ideas!i love the colourful umbrellas!it was simply amazing!

the last scene of the pooram is so touching,both the elephants carrying the idols of parmekkavu bhagavatgy and thiruvambadi bhagavathy raising their trunks and saying a touching 'bye'and expressing the hope to see next year again!

we took a round the city and i must tell you,the huge gopurams were fantastic!a sight we can't miss!


on fourth,it drizzled and i ran out to smell the fresh mud.it was a refreshing experience!nanda and myself were in the sit out for a long time!


nanda already started the classes on dieting!i listen carefully.

i really wish to have some short cuts to reduce those extra kilos.

nanda is NAEPOLIAN'S sister.so,the word,'impossible' is not in her dictionary.


having her around means vibing with positive energy.she inspires everyone and as she is flying across the seas,i need some push from someone.she reminds me to have apatient hearing.she makes me understand,things are better,if learnt the hard way.

but,guys,u know anu mostly remains confused.

today was aday packed with excitements and thrills!
we went to brhmasthan temple today morning.it's situated at a beautiful location at panchikkal.morning temple visits fills the positive energy in us.this small temple is surrounded by fields.the atmosphere is very peaceful.


evening we went to thalikulam,snehatheeram beach.amma also joined us.it was a long journey and i enjoyed it thoroughly sitting besides amma and listening to radio mango.we spent the evening in a hut and watched the sunset from there.amma reminds us to pray to SUN GOD.this is the moment i liked the most when the red ball of sun sinks down the sea.words fail to explain my feelings.

it's alovely shelter to unwind oneself.one easily gets seduced forever.


i felt like lying down on the neat floor of the leaf thatched hut.the hut was surrounded by green flowering plants.away from trichur,the heat and noise of the city,we felt so nice enjoying the sea breeze.


on the way,i saw the cows grazing in the fields.water was flowing in the kanoli kanal.i suddenly recalled my childhood memories; achan had rowed the boat for us and took us for a long ride in kanoli kanal.we were the proud children sitting in the boat. achan was the hero.


shankar left for the state of sand and sun.


i am waiting for the rain.i was desperate to reach you all,but it got delayed.hope iam in your thoughts .


it's anu signing off.........


hugging amma,when i fall asleep,iam feeling safe and secure!please make a call to your loving parents and try to make your presence felt.just a little love and good words make a lot of difference to their world.


i love you all.very shortly i will be away from the world of net connections. one feels miserable when he/she gets disconnected.


at the end of the day,iam happy that i could write this post.

thanks a lot to my friend who forced me to write this post.

i was really touched.people never forget the warmth of true friendships.



i could not stop asking myself-can we still find sincere friends in this world?the moral support and the rays of sincerity brought tears to my eyes.





BUONA NOTTE![SUBHA RATHRI!]courtesy to my friend!




sasneham,
anu

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Dear Margot


Dear Margot,

I just picked up your book Beyond the Bead and I LOVE IT!!!!! It has been a long time since I bought a book and have been SO inspired!!! I have been crafting for the past two days and can't stop!!!! (I don't even want to go to work tomorrow!!!) I love the fact that your projects are easy to do and don't cost a lot of money. That is my kind of crafting! Once again, THANK YOU!!! I love your work!!!!! Brainstorming my next project,

Stacy Clayton : )

Thank you Stacy! You made my day. In light of Stacy's predicament, I've created a form letter anyone can present to the boss if they need to take a day or more off for a Beyond the Bead craftsravaganza.:

Dear (insert your boss's name here)

Please excuse (insert your name here) from work today. She/he purchased my new book Beyond the Bead. I had no idea when I wrote this book the power it might have to inspire binge crafting marathons. Do forgive. (Insert your name here) is not the least bit responsible for her/his need to craft beyond the bounds of decency or the regular work week.

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. Hopefully (insert your name here) will be able to return to work fully crafted out in the near future, but it make take up to three full days to experience crafty saturation.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Warmest regards,
Margot Potter
The Impatient Crafter™
'Impatient, Imperfect and Impetuous, a craft expert for the rest of us'


I'm giving away one signed copy of each of my new books Beyond the Bead and Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed along with some super studio swag in celebration of their most auspicious sales figures. Leave any old comment here and I'll select a winner next Tuesday.

xoxo
Madge

Monday, May 4, 2009

Bliss Necklace and A Very Soggy Carriage Drive

Copyright Margot Potter 2007


It was my sister-in-law's birthday on Sunday. I made this necklace a while ago for the Cantata Books website The Chick's Guide. Since my SIL is a yoga instructor, this seemed like a perfect fit. I whipped up some matching earrings and it was ready to go. Funny thing is that I wasn't quite sure if she'd love the colors, but she was wearing a pretty paisley peasant top that matched perfectly! Serendipity!

I used an image from Art Chix Studios and a Ranger Memory Glass frame. I accented the image with a Ranger Inkssentials pen. The beads are freshwater pearls, sterling, Czech glass and dyed agate carved flowers. I like the simplicity and balance of this design, which further supports the focal image and the Zen like vibe.

Yesterday we went on a very soggy and cold carriage drive. The skies opened up from the moment we hitched the horses until we put them back into their trailer. Would that I could share pics of fancy hats, opulent carriages, gorgeous scenery and the hoi polloi, but we all looked rather drenched and horrid by the end of the affair. I never got to eat yesterday, we weren't sure until the very last minute the event was on and didn't have time to stop for picnic snacks. I had literally taken one bite of my dinner when I was asked to give up my seat. I quickly scarfed down a roll, but it was impossible to eat standing up in a crowded room, plus the main course was a roasted pig. Although I have no problem eating pork, seeing a whole suckling pig laid out on a platter made this pig owner feel terribly bad about eating it, so I refrained. My lack of food, cold, wet clothes and boots combined with a few ill advised glasses of wine made for a rather unpleasant ride home.

Thank you, hubby dear for your boundless patience.

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves!

Cheers,
Madge

Check out my NEW BOOKS!
Website: www.margotpotter.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/margotpotter

Saturday, May 2, 2009

TastyLinks™ Saturday!

Click here to get the instructions for my Simply Lovely Bracelet at the Beadalon Website, you'll learn how to use scrimps and wire guardians! Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon (You can find the bird charm at Ornamentea)
Join the
Beadalon Fan Page on Facebook!

What a wild week! Up and down and all around and by Friday I was feeling like crawling under my covers with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a trashy novel. Then I got some stellar news I can share as soon as the ink is dry and that perked me up a skootch. I was still feeling kinda bleh until I got an email from my publisher. Both of my new books Beyond the Bead and Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed have sold through their first printings! Beyond the Bead sold through within the first three months! That’s rockin’! Plus the email included a little Press Release they’d whipped up that said some awfully super nice things about me. I’m a Leo, we love compliments. In fact we eat them for breakfast every morning. Please pass the ‘pretty please with brown sugar on top’ and a side of ‘gee you’re swell’s.”

So thank you to everyone who has purchased both of the books, thank you to folks who’ve written up some great reviews and helped get some buzz going. Kudos to my fabulous co-authors
Fernando DaSilva (check out Nando's great post on pricing your jewelry line) and Katie Hacker (Katie's got a great post on Bead Artists against Breast Cancer)! We popped the cork on some bubbly last night and celebrated. This just confirms my belief that folks are hungry for inspiration and for creativity in these trying times. So if you’re a creative, take heart.

I'll be riding on a horse drawn carriage in a fancy (and probably soggy due to the rain) hat this Sunday! My SIL invited us along to schmooze with the uber elite at a prestigious horsey event. As Joan Rivers would say, "Fohn, fohn, fohn...fohn." Just call me "Lovey" dahling.

Super Linky Love thank you to the gals from ScaryCraft for featuring my Mixed Media pin last week! Check out their craftalicious blog!

Ms. Jennifer Perkins did a very fun blog round up of crafty red heads this past week. She included yours truly, I'm a red head at heart no matter what color is on my locks. Thanks Jen!

A Linky Love 411: The folks from Max and Chloe emailed me a hot tip on a great giveaway! They carry some really innovative costume and fine jewelry lines. Click here to enter a sweepstakes for a 500 dollar shopping spree!

My friend Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studio did a gorgeous design for Rings n Things last week. She was inspired by my simple wire wrapped lava rocks to make a mind blowingly cool wrapped design integrating her beautiful keyhole pendant as a focal element. Plus I love how she
showed you first hand how to be inspired by something and then make it your own. Great work, Melanie! Also check out her thoughtful post about artists’ rights and copyrights here.

Without further ado...here’s this week’s sampling of TastyLinks™ open wide and say “AH!:”

Vickie Howell Create customized cards out recycled fabric and keepsake images!

The Crochet Dude Drew talks about his latest hook/needle find in an All Boye Review!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery See how to make stitchless embroidered fabric from the cool new book: Fabricate by Susan Wasinger.

Naughty Secretary Club Jen does a little painting, searches for vintages images and boils a pair of eyeglasses all in the name of creating a necklace with a little specs appeal.

Cross Stitch at About.com Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Connie's latest fun, fabulous, and did we mention FREE Cross Stitch pattern.

CraftyPod In her latest podcast, Sister Diane interviews Sarah Hodsdon about the future of the design profession in a global, digital economy.

Crafty Princess Diaries Go shopping in style with your own crocheted tote bag. The Crafty Princess shows off her latest finished fiber project.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world Craftside's got a crochet pattern for a pop art roll of toilet paper cozy, a detailed tutorial on how to make a photo based painting, a free dress silhouette template from the new book: Cloth Doll Artistry, and a couple of necklaces made from some very unusual recycled elements.

Cathie Filian Cathie volunteered to make 40 centerpieces for an Awards Gala - Check out her trip to the flower district and step-by-step instructions on how to make the arrangements.

Blisstree Arts Cyndi has rounded up all of her favorite posts on making background papers and fabrics for your projects.

Aileen's Musings Aileen offer's another great Mothers or Father's day gift idea using more bottle caps!

About Family Crafts Help needed: Looking for creative graduation decorations... Ideas anyone?

The Impatient Crafter Learn how to make beaded wire circles with Madge!