Hi there, everyone!!
Hope that everyone is having a great day!! I'm Janelle (that's me up above with my hubby!) - the artist and owner of The Ole Bead 'n Chain, LLC. I started off making strung jewelry, but I'm trying to drift away from that a bit and get more into bead stitching/weaving... I sell online at www.theolebeadnchain.com (although the site cart is currently down, you can still get an idea of the beginnings of The Ole Bead 'n Chain), and also at craft shows. The issue at craft shows, though, is that there are a LOT of people that sell beaded (strung) jewelry. So, I'm working on making myself stand out with the bead stitching/weaving and also straying slightly from just jewelry. I also sell bookmarks, cell phone charms, wine markers, and my first bead stitching/weaving endeavor will (hopefully!) be beaded tea light covers for battery-operated tea lights! I can't wait!! I've got my patterns and am hoping to start conquering that today!! Yay!
We donate a portion of all of our proceeds to the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance in southeastern Wisconsin. I was diagnosed (as well as "cured") on September 19, 2003 with Stage 1, Grade 2 ovarian cancer. They found it doing exploratory surgery. The tumor was a 16-pound (yes, POUND!) ball... 1-foot in diameter!! I underwent chemotherapy (because of how fast it grew - from the size of an orange a month and a half earlier to that 1-foot ball!). I wouldn't trade the experience in for the world as it brought me closer to my family, and helped me see who my real friends were (or, in some cases, weren't). When I was diagnosed, my mother and sister basically submerged themselves in information (I'll be honest here, I was kind of in denial...just do what I had to do, but feeling like if I don't acknowledge it, it didn't happen). My sister offered to cut her hair super short as a way to show support for me (because I would lose my hair) so that I wouldn't feel like an "outsider" when going out in public. My mom jumped on board, and the next thing we knew, we were in my mom's living room shaving our heads to about 1" long!! We then took the hair and wrapped it in plastic wrap and used it to stuff a bear (from a kit at Michaels). My hair went in the legs because I had to walk the walk. My mom's and sister's hair each went into one of the arms so they could hold me up and support me. My brother (once he had hair long enough to cut!) went behind the heart because while he couldn't be there in person, he was always in my heart. We used the stuffing that came with the kit to fill in everywhere else. This bear became known as HartLee...named after my oncologist, Dr. Hart, and my OB-GYN, Dr. Lee. It was perfect that he came with a teal-colored sweater (teal is the color for ovarian cancer awareness). HartLee has continued his "claim to fame" by becoming the namesake of The HartLee Collection here at The Ole Bead 'n Chain... The HartLee Collection is jewelry with teal-colored beads and where a larger portion of the proceeds go to the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance.
True, he isn't much to look at, but he's still a cutie! :-)
Oh! And to answer the burning question? As I said, my mom and sister both shaved their heads to show support for me and so that when we went out in public, I wouldn't feel like an outsider. The reality? I'm a very warm person, and even though this was during winter, I still would get real hot... So the hats rarely stayed on my head... Comfort was more important to me than what others thought. My sister actually slammed into me shopping at Wal-Mart because she was trying to look through the crowd for the hat I was wearing, but I had whipped it off because I was so hot! LOL I love my family! :-)
Let's see... a little bit more about me... I'm 30 years old, have a degree in Business with an emphasis on retail management (this made a lot more sense when I was at my old job for a local furniture store!), and work part time at a medical clinic with the business office's medical records "department" (I *AM* the department! LOL). I love putzing on the computer, playing on Facebook (my fave app would have to be MindJolt Games because there are SO MANY games on there!), and watching movies. I also LOVE to laugh!!! I think that is part of what helped me heal up so fast after my surgeries - laughter really is the best medicine!! Yes, I have my serious moments, but I try to have a smile on my face numerous times throughout the day!! :-) My favorite color is purple (the deeper, the better!!), and when teamed with black, I'm in heaven!! Although, I do have to say that since starting The Ole Bead 'n Chain (in January, 2008!), teal has REALLY grown on me and I just think that true teal is such a genuinely gorgeous color!! A weird "quark" about me is that I hate the numbers 1, 3, 7, and 9. It's not ALL odd numbers because I'm ok with 5, but those numbers just drive me nuts. No-I don't have two of everything so that it's not just 1, but I HAVE had to re-design bead patterns/ideas so that it wouldn't drive me bonkers!
I've been married to my hubby, Jonathan, for 4.5 years. He's like a computer GOD (and yes...it's me that wrote that! He didn't jump on my computer and do that!)!! LOL He works as a traveling technician fixing (primarily) computers and printers. He's also a wonderful cook (although, I think I am more of the baker in the family, so together, we cover all aspects! LOL) and has the patience of a saint! We also live with our 2 cats, Meira (black tortoiseshell) and Mycella (gray tabby). They've grown up (and out!) a bit since this picture was taken! We adopted them from the same shelter and BOTH of their birthdays are actually our wedding day - 2.1.06!! Although, they aren't sisters. I love our girls and they definitely keep us on our toes! Meira likes to test the limits... Mycella likes to pretend she's the good one and then tries to follow Meira and blame any trouble she causes on Meira (that's my theory at least! LOL).
I hope that this has helped give you some sort of idea of who I am as the "person behind the craft!"
I'm hoping I can keep up with this page more often than I do with my personal blog(s)! LOL My goal with this blog is to just have fun and talk about some of the great things I'm working on!!
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!! It's a bit chilly here (although fall is my fave season!!), but with my purple Snuggie that Jonathan got me, life is good. LOL (Although, if the manufacturer's of the Snuggie read this, I would recommend more fabric to go around the back if you want. Maybe it's just 'cause I'm a "big girl," but if I move my back away from the chair, my back gets cold. Don't want it to be connected in the back... Just let's get as much fabric on there as the commercials make it look like there is! LOL)
