wanted vs. unwanted.

this month has been a real crazy one.  probably more than usual.  not only did i get my credit cards stolen, but this week, i was the recipient of some very unwanted - *ahem* - 'attention' from a person who is a work acquaintance.

i very much know the difference between wanted and unwanted.  i so wanted to have my mini.  i so didn't want to owe money for taxes.  i wanted the creamy white leather purse that i got the day B and i went to winners.  i didn't want to have to deal with a flooded basement at our old house.  i always seem to want sushi - definitely NOT the issue with watermelon and canteloupe.

so when this dude made his overtures (i am not going to go into it, but i will say that the words "lecherous", "predatory", "gross", "disgusting" and "vomit-inducing" apply more than appropriately.) every inner alarm in my body went off.  this person was someone i have had a working relationship with, and for him to cross that personal boundary was unbelievably shocking.  and not even flattering.  and through that shock, every self-defense move i have ever learned went out the proverbial window and all i could think about was getting myself out of the situation and safely back into my car.

it's strange the things that go through your mind.  and yes, i am going to admit that some of the thoughts were a little screwed up.  one, i was worried about saving the working relationship (it impacts way more than me), two, i was in a little bit of denial that it was happening, and three, what the f*ck do i do now?????  and i admit that i felt into the stereotypical mindset that i had done something to bring this on myself.  did i say something?  did i wear something?  do i do as he asked and not tell anyone?  did i inadvertently tell this guy something to make him think that i wanted to take our "professional" relationship to the next level.  and the answer is no. 

i did all the things i needed to do in regards to reporting.  and my boss and her bosses were great.  the husband has been lovely and understanding (no, i don't need you to go and tattoo "b*tch" on his face, but thank you for the offer) and the few close friends (and thank you, mom!) i told have been incredibly supportive and wonderful. i do admit that the day of and the day after, i was pretty much useless at home, at work, and at the torch.  (crying when working over an open gas flame is probably a health & safety violation, right L?) but it's getting better now.  i'm moving into being really angry now.  the guy SET ME UP.  and i'm not going to let this go unnoticed.

now i am left with this feeling of being violated, and i can ensure you that i will never work with this person again.  my sister brought up a good point - and said - what would you tell the mini to do if this had happened to her?  and other than kicking the guy where the sun don't shine, i would have told her to do the exact same thing that i did - ensure that you get out safely and in one piece.

life lessons, right?  and hopefully, after everything is said and done, this guy will have learned his too.

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harvest wedding - a treasury!

how could i not be totally honoured to be included in this lovely treasury? my rose gold knot ring shines among these beautiful picks. makes me want to have a wedding.

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a picture says a thousand words.

i've been working on my product photography lately - any online shopper will tell you that photos of your items are crucial.  for me, the pictures speak volumes and i would like to think that my photos give an idea of what my creations look like.  it's hard for me to want to purchase something that has been taken on a bedspread with a flash (and sometimes the time and date stamp, no less!) no matter how wonderful the item is. 

i have had to get used to our new house and new lighting conditions, since natural light is my favorite and this house is oriented oppositely (yeah, i don't know if that's a real word, but this is my blog so who cares?) than our old one.  the paint the previous owners had in the living room was a creamy, buttery yellow (did somebody say that 70's show?) that cast a horrible reddish tone on every jewelry photo i took.  now that we've gone with a more neutral taupe, it's totally changed for the better.  who knew it would make such a big difference! 

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lovely sunday morning.

this morning was almost luxurious - the mini was engrossed in her favorite breakfast (pancakes and maple syrup, yum) and i had some time to browse blogs.  i don't get to do it as often as i'd like, but i love the little glimpses into people - especially other crafters/artists.  i wandered along, bookmarking articles i loved and adding to my wish list. 

i'm drooling over moop's fantastic bag, pictured here:

and am so into this bandolier by cleverhands (i just can't find one to fit my tiny moleskine planner yet):

i also stumbled upon the fabulous blog of joanna goddard "cup of jo" and subsequently this lovely photostory about the legalization of gay marriage in NY.  (about time, people.)  seriously, i am a firm believer that you cannot help who you fall in love with (seriously, there were a few times where i was so in love but puzzled as to how it even came about) and really, a human being is a human being.  and doesn't the government know how much revenue, jobs and taxes can be generated just by legalizing something that shouldn't have even been unaccepted in the first place?  well, as i always say, you can't help stupid.

(that also being said, brad pitt famously said that he and angelina wouldn't get married until everyone in the world could. not that i'm a team jolie person, but live up to your word.)

i also found a similar version of my knotted up ring online (the vendor will remain unnamed) for $80.  seriously?  $80?  while lovely, so is mine.  and at $18 with free shipping, can you top that?  sometimes i wonder if i'm going about my pricing/markup/marketing all wrong.  but then again, i feel true to my handmade roots and wouldn't want it any other way. 

(think i'm going to go and make one for myself and revel in the fact that i didn't pay $80.)

 happy sunday. all!

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