Grief, Honoring those we lost and Some Love to you all

So, I rarely use this blog anymore, but there are a couple things I wanted to share / do.  So much has happend for me the past couple years and my life is not the same as it was before.

I am still creating, and passionate about it.  It is still my full time job.  My kids have grown huge and my heart can barely take the amazing humans they are becoming.  This has not been without its challenges, but honestly, we blessed every single day.

This year in February, we lost my dad.  Although we knew this day was coming (he had liver disease from drinking), it none the less, is still hard to process when it happens.  Something that has helped me to cope is the new spiritual path I have been on, and the healing it has offered to me.  If you would like to read more on that, I have a Facebook page here for it and you can check out my blog that is on my website also.  I am keeping it sort of separate from my beads and jewelry, but not really because it is all coming together in ways I never though possible.  anyhow.............

I felt really led to post a video today on grief.  I know there are a lot of people out there hurting and missing people so deeply that they feel they cannot go on.  I shared some of my thoughts on grief, and I am offering to do a free Mediumship reading a day until Christmas, if I can.  I love that I have the ability to connect people with those they miss and want to help ease some hearts if possible this holiday season.  I cannot promise who I get, or how in depth the reading is.  I am still learning.  However, I don't mind trying for you.  The video is here if you want to watch it.

In my short time of doing readings for people, I have felt how stuck some can become.  They simply cannot get past the loss.  It's as if they feel getting past it, or moving forward, will somehow dishonor or mean they forget their loved one.  But that is so far from the truth.  They want us to live!  That is how we honor them.  To move on.  And move on doesn't mean you aren't still grieving.  You will also mourn them.  But, it mean, you honor them by doing the things they would want you to do.  You honor them by sharing the way they loved with others.  You honor them by sharing their stories and laughing while you remember them.

In honor of grief, (and because I want to preserve these videos, and the only way for me to get them off of my fathers churches Facebook was to embedd them here), please enjoy my father doing what he loved.  Singing and playing guitar.  He was a beautiful soul who loved big and always had a corny joke.








I am so thankful I have these, and wanted to preserve them in more then one place.  And since I cannot seem to download them from facebook, this was the next best way.  Anyhow, enjoy.  This voice always sang me that Ant Rubber tree plant song when I was sad when I was little (and maybe even as a teen!).  I know he is still around me, and I am blessed to be able to experience that now and again.  I get his signs, and I hear his corny catch phrases at just the right moment. 

So remember that you are not alone.  We all grieve those we love- almost always silently.  But never alone.  Sending love to all who need it this Holiday. Please message me on my Facebook page is you could really use a reading.  I will give it my best to bring you healing.  I will do as many as I can- though I may not get to everyone.  But I will try.  Love to you all.

How is it November already?

No, really?  How is Thanksgiving next week?  I am so unprepared.

I have my last show on Saturday at North Penn High School.  It's a wonderful show full of high quality hand picked artisans.  If you are local, I hope you will stop by.  I have been working on my indoor display set up, and I am quite happy with it!

It feels like a little shop you can walk into.  

I finally got some "real" pipe and drape instead of an old taped and tied up tent frame!  I am really liking it.  Very easy to set up.

I will have my bags and my prints available.  I also changed a few things up.  I have these smaller pieces that I offer, and they usually hang on a T-bar display.  They so often get overlooked though.  I think my other pieces are so big that little things just can't compete.  though I still like to make them, and I know there are still people who would like something daintier.  So I packaged them in individual boxes, ready for gifts.  I love it and I think they will finally get some attention now.  You can really see the detail in each one.

I really like how this style I am holding turned out.  I bought these antique brass belts years ago- because I LOVED them.  And there they have sat.  I have tried a few times to work them into pieces and they just don't turn out.  Soooooo, finally, it came to me, and I made a few of these pendants.  So perfect to show off a great fossil like this fossil coral slab!

I also have some cool news I have been sitting on for a few months.

The winter issue of Belle Amoire Jewelry features me for their Designer Collection.  I was so honored to be asked to do it.  Rice Freeman-Zachery did the interview and wrote an article that made me tear up.  She really listened and captured me and my creative process.  It was a pretty amazing experience.  So if you get to Barnes and Nobles, or a local craft store, check it out.  They did 12 pages of my work!  I also have a 4 page article in that issue.  

(this is the issue- not my piece on the cover though)

Now I am going to try to stop staring at my pieces in print and finish getting ready for my show and the upcoming holidays!!!!

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I do plan on having a bead sale early next week, before thanksgiving (monday or tuesday).  It will be on my Facebook page for sales.

I will also be offering some gifty jewelry for sale, and some will be made to order (this is new for me- but I think it will be fun to customize some designs for you guys).  Others will be sale items.  I will also have prints and bags available for the holidays.  So if you know someone who would love a block print or bag, check out my sale, or contact me.  I may be able to do ONE custom batch for the Holidays are over!!!!

Cheers! Holiday Polymer

I am horrible at Christmas Cards.  I never get them done in time, and we take our kids annual Christmas picture, usually on Christmas Eve.  That's how I roll.  

I do however try to make a little something for my friends and family each year.  Usually, its a special Christmas ornament.  This year, I wanted to do something different for them.  Since a few of them are wine drinkers (ok, ok, all of them are!) I thought wine toppers could be cool.  I wasn't sure how they would turn out, but hey, I have polymer, and picked up some corks.

Well, after three leisurely play days in the studio, I have wine toppers-

AND I LOVE THEM!

Here they are before I glued them, all set up ready to go in the studio.  

And here they are all finished and ready for gifts!

(I definitely need to make these to sell as well)

How did I make them?

I created the polymer pieces first, baked and finished them.

Then I drilled a hole in the bottom as well as the cork.  

I fitted in a 14g wire so it attached both of them securely.

Then I mixed up my 2 part epoxy, took them apart one at a time, and glued them.

To ensure a good bond, I tied string around them so the connection was nice and firm.  

I could NOT be more happy, and now they will have something they can use year round...ILO just at the Holidays. 

I never get tired of what you can do with Polymer Clay!