Shack updates

See our family's cooking experiments on Instagram at yummykitchenchemistry!

I have been collecting beads and making jewelry for almost 30 years. I have way too many beads. I'm going to open an Etsy shop to sell these gems, along with sterling findings and beads, within the week. I'm excited to have less things! My shop name is MiaLuxe on Etsy. Stop by and see if anything grabs your attention.

I will be working with high school students, making jewelry for a service project, and I'm so excited! These students have worked with me before, making earrings and bracelets and learning specific techniques for wire wrapping and making links for chains and earrings.  I brought my gemstone and component collections in, beads I've collected for 25+ years, and the students loved it! I was so genuinely happy to see them enjoying these treasures and making beautiful art out of them. So back we go into the jewelry making lab!! What a blessing to get to pass along skills to sharper, keener, more artistic minds and see first hand how they expand on those skills, bringing more creative spirit and clever ideas than I could ever imagine.

I'm a dedicated fan of good communication. In fact, it's one of my requirements for doing business with anyone. I've found, in many instances, that poor communication is a giant flag for unethical behavior. It's a poor visual too, guaranteed to tank relations. Poor communication doesn't immediately lend itself to unethical positions, but unethical stances are ALWAYS accompanied by poor communication. If you value the relationship, you will go to extensive lengths to communicate, to legitimize your agenda, to demonstrate honesty and integrity. Where I won't tolerate poor communication, I am even more opposed to unethical behavior. I see no purpose in maintaining relations with anyone who is untrustworthy or demonstrates motivation for self gain at the expense of others. I see it like a stain. Once it's there, it's incredibly difficult not to acknowledge it. It stares back at you, unfit for the setting, not meant to be a part of the whole. I think people