My Mommy Left This Earthly Prison

I have put this off long enough. It just seems I cannot give adequate commentary on something as devastating as losing my mother. The funeral was yesterday and now life must go on without her. My purpose for living must change and re-focus on my children and grandchildren. I MUST be the grandma now, the top remaining branch on my family tree. It is a scary proposition.

Mom passed on November 27th, the day after Thanksgiving. My daughter & her family came out December 20th. I broke into the senior 60's bracket with my birthday on the 21st of December. Then there was the first Christmas I was able to share with my grandchildren in 9 years. Alas that was followed by my 23rd year sober 12/26/86....and finally Mom's wake and funeral....such stress!

It is no wonder nearly every one of the family is now nursing some form of viral bug. My daughter's temperature is 104, I am hovering at 102 and my sweet, precious little granddaughter is 100 with an awful nighttime cough.

What a bittersweet reunion as well. To be grieving and rejoicing simultaneously is the ultimate stress! But even Mom's death was a quandry. She had suffered for soooo long with numerous handicaps. She had prayed for death to relieve her for so long. It was just the horror of a massive stroke and 8 days of slowly dying with no life support but her oxygen that was heartbreaking. But she is at peace now....

As I stood at her coffin at the wake I felt I must still be responsible for her care. I find myself still wanting to pick up all her favorite items at the grocery store. I guess it will just take time.

I love you MOMMY!

New Crazy Train Rider: GRAVEL ROAD JEWELRY

I am simply bowled over by all the TALENT we have on ARTFIRE and in particular in our group the CRAZY TRAIN!
http://gravelroadjewelry.artfire.comThe link is for the most spectacular wire wrapping I have ever witnessed!
I think the best example to start with is the above pendant!

But she is not just limited to pendants and necklaces, she also does RINGS, EARRINGS, BRACELETS....

I marvel at this ability to wrap wire because I have tried and tried to even just make a simple hook for my ornaments and cannot bend wire the right way to save my soul.

So I will list her studio again:http://GravelRoadJewelry.Artfire.com

Please do yourself a favor and visit to see the ultimate in Wire Productions!

HALLOWEEN TRICKSTERS ARE GONE SO NOW.....

Don't know how it was in your neighborhood, but here in the SW desert the temps were in the 60's and no breeze so the front door stayed open the whole evening! We probably had no more than 50 munchkins come in costumes of all types. The babies and new little toddlers are ALWAYS the sweetest. My favorite was a little guy dressed as a MONKEY with a sewn banana on his head...adorable..I shudda taken a photo...hindsight!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So now onto tomorrow...BIG DAY ON ARTFIRE!! If you are a seller on there, be sure to join in....

^^^^^IT IS THE FIRST TRADE N STAY EVENT ON THE SITE^^^^^

The TRADING POST Guild is putting it on. It starts Nov First and lasts an ENTIRE WEEK!! I am soooo Jazzed about this. I have participated in the Etsy events so I know what a MANIC FUN FEST it can be!! I am so glad to see Artfire promoting this same type of event.

The announcement of the first 12 studios will be in the Chatterbox Forums under CONTESTS...be sure to check it out!!

HAPPY {SAMHAIN} HALLOWEEN!!

So the Great Day of Trick or Treating is FINALLY HERE! WHOA, for an old fuddy duddy like me, it seems like this year has just flown by...but my grandkids remind me how sloooooow the days go when you are a child.

HERE'S MY TREAT FOR YA'LL TODAY!!
Our Crazy Train Rider today just happens to be Char Myers from the Pacific Northwest and the link to her Artfire Shop is:

http://CharSpirit.artfire.com
This shop is special to me as I personally KNOW how great it is! I bought items from her already and look forward to the possibility of more items coming my way (maybe by trade....hope hope).

The first product, above is a notebook or catalog cover that she designed and it fits in perfect for Halloween..or my grandchildren's choice with pink ribboned skulls.

This second, is just an adorable hand puppet that "loves" his owner so sweetly...my grandkids would love this one too.

I got one of these as a "gift" with my purchase...and was that A TREAT!! It truly is sleep inducer...been nothing but GOOD SLEEP since I tucked it into my pillow.

by the way, I do not use sewing machines but my mother did and I know a good seamstress when I see her work. Char is just super!

I purchased one of these and got TWO different style felt magnets...again superbly made and just so "LOVE"ly to give as stocking stuffers!

NOW we come to my passionate recommendation that everyone get these neck cozies! They are worn around the neck after soaking in water to keep us COOL in the summer! They work FABULOUSLY well here in the HOT HOT Southwestern DESERT!

I purchased FOUR of these and want more to give as gifts!! They are so perfectly made and the fabric designs are so unique.

I give CharSpirit my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION so please check her out.

AMAZING Handmade Artisan Cards on ARTFIRE

The ARTFIRE Crazy Train had another SUPER RIDER on October 26-27
AS USUAL..I missed the dates due to extenuating circumstances in my own messed up life, but I bet she can used some publicity TODAY....Her studio is:

http://Butterfly-Crafts.Artfire.com

The first thing that attracted me to her work was her cards created with CROSS STITCH handwork in them For years, right before I got into beadwork, I was an avid cross-stitcher. I KNOW the intensity of the work involved in creating these masterpieces in stitchery. I think her work in that regard is superb!
Then I observed her creativity in other aspects of her card making. Her three dimensional use of paper-craft and the uniqueness of designs are truly "note" worthy....

Just look at the different use of paper "fanning" in the above example of work. For a wonderful ORIGINAL piece of "art" to send for any occasion, you should go to this studio and see ALL her offerings!!

A LITTLE BIT OF PRETTY...GIVEAWAY

One of my fellow Travellers on Handmade Highway is having a GIVEAWAY and it is Fabulous!!

Look at some of the wonderful items you COULD win...(above)

Her name is Kim and she lives in Saskatoon SK, Canada.Here is where you go to enter this contest:

http://littlebitofpretty.blogspot.com

Her jewelry is simply gorgeous and she is very generous with her choice of giveaway items so be sure to visit her blog ASAP..

THE CONTEST ENDS NOV 1ST

Phoenix Rising Glass Art put me in her BLOG

Jann Alexander-McCullough wrote about me and my artistic endeavors in her blog on October 19, 2009. How very sweet of her as she only knows me from my Artfire Studio and us both being members of Indie Public. Her blogspot is here:

http://jannadusblog.blogspot.com/

Please check it out...she has some neat info on there about alot of artisans.

What you see pictured here are some of her many eclectic talents.




These can be seen at her Artfire Studio:

http://jannadu.artfire.com







She does so many more artistic venues than I do. She wire-wraps, felts angora sweaters that are upcycled, creates enameled pendants and MOST especially...she does pencil drawings like the puppy below...she is AMAZING!

I highly suggest you visit her studio at Artfire and do some serious shopping from this talented lady.

She lives in Glendale, Arizona
so we share the Arizona Artisan
connection as well.

Her Boston Terrier is truly and amazing work of art!