Working, working (sort of)

A quick check-in to let you know I am working on pairing people up as best I can.  I apparently have that "can't- move-even-if-a-stick-of-dynamite-was-lit-under-me" flu that's going around.  I slept all but two hours yesterday, and I mean, I do adore my sleep, but helllooooo, this is just bad timing.


Chances are your partner will be announced on Sunday.  Here's what goes into pairing people (and I can't get anyone to help but my husband at this point because it's a little complicated, and you'd have to be on a computer right next to me, as my husband does, reading things out).

An old grind stone.  Get it?  Nose to the grind stone?   Ah ha ha.. it's the Nyquil that makes it funny.

1) Visit all blogs. Why?  Some are just contest entry blogs and that's not cool.  Some blogs weren't entered correctly and I have to find them.  And finally, as I try to pair you with someone who doesn't work in your style, I can mark up my spreadsheet with what each person does.... seed beads, stringing, wire, mixed media, etc.


2) Highlight all international people.  There are 142 of them -- most in Canada and the UK, but we have Bahrain, France, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and I'm blanking on the rest.  Once I highlight them, I see who wants to stay within their country and pair them (assuming their reveal dates are also the same -- this is where hubby on the 2nd computer comes in).  Then if necessary, I pull the US people who said they could ship internationally.

Last year's Party.

3) Separate the spreadsheet into three groups.  I need three groups to represent the three reveal dates.  Double check at this point for duplicates.


4)  Start pairing people.  


5)  Email each pair with their partners name, email, and blog.  (Even using cut-and-paste, that's 260-odd emails.  I don't list anyone's email publicly, but I will probably post pairs on this page to make it available faster).


So you see why I give myself a week to do this.  I do enjoy it, though, because there are lots of new blogs to see, and I've been remiss in visiting favorites, so I can catch up.  I am making myself not comment when I visit this time, though, because I'm behind.


Anyway!  While this is going on, please do start putting your soup together.  The quicker it gets out, the better.   Please read the blog posts below for more information you might have missed.


 Thanks!

Lori Anderson creates jewelry and bead kits as well as collaborative mixed media art with her son, Zack.  Visit her shops by clicking here.  She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party®   and author of the book Bead Soup.