Life Is A Highway - vacation photo diary



Life is a New Brunswick Highway

Some of  my favorite bloggers are apologizing for being bad because they haven't blogged in ages & as much as I don't feel it is necessary for them to apologize to me, I do feel like I constantly have to apologize to you, my readers. Blogging guilt - it is a 21st century problem! lol Anyways I've just returned from vacation & wanted to share some of my photos with you all as a sort of vacation diary.

The boy & I did a road trip back to Ontario...

En route:


 *Quebec Rest Stop which we abused by NOT resting.                              *Contraption

We had a stopover in Montreal. Although I've driven around & thru Montreal I have not actually 'been' there til now. I was enamoured.

 *Montreal Bridge..duh                                                                        *pretending we're in France for breakfast

Ontario:
 It was wonderful to be home with my parents...

                                                                      
One of the photos reminds me of Mom & one of Dad... can you guess which is which?

Going Home:

Back in Montreal for another go around... & ice cream!



So that's a brief look at my trip in photos... stay tuned for a look at my beading purchases, inspirations & news tomorrow (if I'm not a bad blogger...)!

1 Year!!?!?!

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
Lewis Carroll

It has been one year since my friend Stacy from Parker Buttons helped me get my Etsy shop off the ground & what a great year it has been. I have met so many wonderful people all because of Etsy & this venture. I have had wonderful conversations about jewelry, business, Etsy & the art of crafting. I have learned & shared tips & tricks for buying & selling online. I even started up an Etsy Street Team for New Brunswick Etsy sellers... we have started calling ourselves NewBEST (New Brunswick Etsy Street Team).


All of this happened because of Etsy. Or it happened because of an over abundance of beads in my home. OR it happened because I once made a necklace & everyone complimented me on it...!
For whatever moment it was that brought me here, I thank the universe. And I thank all of you for supporting me in what I do.
Because of the support I would like to offer all of you 15% off your purchases until the end of the month of January!


To get your 15% off simply enter the coupon code: 1YEAR when purchasing from Etsy. If you find something you would like to purchase but do not want to purchase thru Etsy (although it really is very easy & safe), I can offer you free shipping instead, just send me an email to darlingdilemma@live.ca so we can work out the details.


Just one last note, for those of you who are not already fans on my facebook page I have included the link to this as well because besides being able to contact me there & view items for sale, there will also be specials that will be offered only to fans



Thank you from, Emma Dilemma

 Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DarlingDilemma

Facebook fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/DarlingDilemma
 

FALLing

Photo by DarlingDilemma

I'm tired. I mean really, really tired.
Is it because, after a lovely summer of frolicking, beading, family & sunshine I have gone back to work? Maybe.
Or maybe it is because work consists of two jobs, plus mothering, wifeing & still trying to build my shop's stock for Christmas?
Possibly.
Or could it be because one job has me running the roads all over New Brunswick, while the other requires me to be back in town for after school?
It might be.

But I know myself well enough to know, that the maybes, possibilities and mights of all those things, will fade as I adjust to the new schedules and routines.  I know myself well enough to know that the greater reality is the season...
Strangely enough, although fall is my most favorite season, it is also the beginning of something difficult for me.  Fall is filled with some of my favorite things; pumpkin spice lattes, fall wardrobes, the best colours in nature, crisp air and Halloween! But fall is also the gateway to winter, shorter days & longer nights.  This seasonal change effects a lot of us similarly.  A sense of sadness, depression & just pure exhaustion fights its way into an otherwise normal demeanor.  My active summer self seems to have quickly left me.  I find my errands harder to do & naps suddenly feel mandatory (although hardly ever possible).  I can switch from enjoying a moment, to longing, sadness or even tears.  I admit, sometimes I watch 'Brothers & Sisters' just so I can cry and get it over with... lol

But fall does something else to me too.
Fall fills me with love. I sometimes think I can feel, like the Grinch, my heart grow two sizes in the fall. Like my chest expands to compensate for my growing capacity to love. 
I want to squeeze my son more, snuggle under a blanket.  I tell him I love him so much he laughs.

I want to hold my husband's hand more while we walk and stay in our warm bed longer and longer.

The sight of fallen leaves makes me feel the need to tell someone 'I love you so much'.



ROOM with a view

 So tell me, how does that make sense?

The Autumn of Happy Beading!



WICKED & WEIRD on Etsy

 As we close out on the first official day of autumn, I wanted to share some of what I have been working on for DarlingDilemma.  Things happen fast in the crafting world, one always has to be ready for the next leap, the next season & the next holiday.  Those of us who create, always have to think ahead & try to interpret what you the buyers, might want next (and we have to think of it before you!).



ICY BLUE on Etsy now!

 Sometimes (usually) I just make what I want to make, hope someone will love it & it all works out.  When fall was approaching I lucked out because my current colour obsession happened to be the same as everyone else's! Purple!

Elderberry, necklace & earring set

Pretty Girls Make Graves available on etsy

And of course, made obvious by this post, my other favorite thing is my big time SCORE of various beads of awesome & epic proportions! Mainly all the great skull beads, of dyed turquoise & some tiny acrylic that I have collected. With Halloween & October coming I figured I could finally enjoy them & let the rest of the world get a little freaky too!


DYING ROSE, found on etsy

 I love love love photography my pieces, showing them here gives them a life of their own.