Tuesday, December 23, 2014

So the Holidays Are Upon Us

2014 has been a year of mixed blessings and much sorrow. 



Last Christmas Eve, one of my dearest friends was decorating her church for services and fell down a flight of stairs, to the basement, head first. She broke her neck, both arms in three places each up by the shoulder, and cracked her head open causing brain swelling. She's an older woman, as I am. It was touch and go for awhile there and because of her broken neck the doctors could not pin her shoulders. She was in a head device, like an alien, for months unable to even scratch her own nose. Today, with the support of her wonderful family and friends, she is again enjoying her life with some limitations. Tomorrow she'll decorate the church for Christmas services. I admire her courage, stamina, patience and forbearance. She is a blessing to us all who love her. 

Another very old (long time) and dear friend passed after a short bout with lung cancer. Such a partier, so much humor and charm. A lady's man with the stride of nobility. It is with much affection that I will miss him and his exuberance. I raise my glass to you Dom, rest in peace.



Just a few days ago, my friend with Lou Gehrig's disease, lost her battle. That too has been a blessing as she had lost all mobility, the ability to eat and communicate. A prisoner trapped in her own body! A lovely, patient, kind and smiling lady. We will miss her. It is with some ambivalence that I am coming to terms with her death. For her suffering to end,I feel it was a blessing. For her loss of life at still a fairly young age and our loss of her in our lives, I feel very sad. It's difficult to be sad and angry that for her I must rejoice. I experienced that when my husband died also. Joy for his peace and rage that his peace took priority over my pain. Susan will always be cherished and remembered, God bless.

This picture was taken just one year ago.




The window I made for our friend will probably serve as a sad reminder for my friend's husband. I am hoping he will allow us to donate it to our family's church in remembrance of our family that has passed. The Reverend said she would put it in the Sunday school.




The holidays always bring about a sadness as I think of friends and family lost. I am grateful however for those that I love who are still apart of my life. They are the beauty in my life and what I cherish most. I hope that this coming New Year they remain healthy, happy and my friend.



Thursday, November 27, 2014

Offering a 10% DISCOUNT throughout my Etsy Store 11/28 until 12/2. Enter Coupon Code 2 Rejoice.




Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

To See Some of My Prior Works!

BOHO DELIGHT


Every Once in Awhile I Run into a PIECE of Artwork that Makes me Wish I was Wealthy! I Could Look at This ALL Day!








Friday, November 21, 2014

More Handcrafted Gift Ideas on Etsy

Thursday, November 20, 2014

I've created a Treasury of Great Christmas Gift Ideas On Etsy!

So much nicer than shopping corporate America, keeping it local, supporting wonderful  crafts people and Etsy Christmas gift ideas finding something unique for those you love.

While you are there take a look at my star ornaments for gift giving or holiday decoration. As a gift they let your loved one know how they light up you life! As an ornament, they are a keepsake from you to be remembered every Christmas.They come in assorted colors and custom orders are welcome. Hope your holidays are bright!




Friday, October 24, 2014

Christmas Is Nearer Than You Think!

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Fantasy Wire Fairy Sculptures by Robin Wight

It's not often I fall so in love with every piece of an artist's work but I think these are incredible and wish they were mine! Some of the weather vanes spin, the fairy with the dandelion is my favorite! You can visit the artist's websitehttp://www.fantasywire.co.uk/index.html for info on purchasing his works that apparently come in any size you want and you can see many more of his works. Enjoy.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Three Cats and a Rat

We recently adopted three new members to our family, The first was Miss Leta, a young, female, feral cat from the local no kill shelter. Miss Leta was considered to be a "barn cat" as she was sweet but very anti-social. We needed a hunter as the mice were moving in, so Miss Leta promised to help us with that problem! I set up a place for her high in my kitchen so that she would feel safe, with a pillow and her food, a litter box close by. As we packed her into the cat carrier to bring her home, the sweet volunteer from the shelter said to me that she bet it would be a month until we saw Miss Leta again as she would be in hiding! She warned me not to let her out of the house or we'd never see her again. Once at home I put her on her safe high pillow and she disappeared! I had to find her as I needed to be able to feed her. We have two dogs that would eat her food, if I just put it out. Each time I found her she disappeared, finding a new hiding place! Finally, she ended up in my glass room, behind my glass table. The bins under the table hold my glass, so they are way too heavy to move. Miss Leta won, she found her extremely safe hiding spot and she's been in there for nearly two months now! The routine has been that I check her with a small flash light, call her name and talk to her quietly, show her the food bowl, turn out the light and close the door and she comes out to eat .
After a month of Miss Leta hiding I called the shelter for advice. They told me to be patient. It so happened that I came across a local website, advertising six kittens for adoption. Apparently, the mother cat had been hit by a car soon after their births, and a local family saved them and had been bottle feeding them, they were 8 weeks and ready to go. They were socialized with children, dogs and people in a home environment, and they were toooooo cute! The family wanted them to be adopted in pairs and so we adopted them in the hopes that they would lure Miss Leta out of her hiding place, show her the world is okay to live in and that she would teach them some street smarts! So it came to pass that we now had three cats and 1 rat!
The little tuxedo is Bugsy Malone and the tortoise is Dollface Annie. They have grown immensely in the past month, and they play a good part of the day and night, taking turns chasing one another and exploring their new home. Now they can jump up on the kitchen counter. It took a month but they have lured Miss Leta from her hiding place, she just couldn't resist the fun they were having. At first she was a little afraid of them and swiped at them but they looked at her like she had two heads and ignored it or swiped back in play. Just last night they raced, Miss Leta also through the living room and into the kitchen. Leta ran into my Basset Hound, whom she quickly slapped hard, so he leaves her alone and my sweet, very neurotic, rescue dog lived in the park for so long, she knew to keep walking. Miss Leta has now parked her butt on the couch in the living room!
Miss Leta still hasn't allowed anyone to touch her, but we're allowed to look at her now. She walks past us, to hide! She still hasn't explored the entire house but she's been making progress quickly the last couple of days. It's a real joy to watch these poor lost and frightened animals recover and become loved members of the family. Hopefully before winter sets in Miss Leta will be comfortable enough to keep the mice away but for now I have tree cats and a rat!

Friday, January 17, 2014

Thursday, January 16, 2014

I Adore You ~ You are my Sure Thing

Artwork by Katey of Blue Eyed Duck, Glass work by me.



Sunday, January 12, 2014


Ready to Foil



Saturday, January 11, 2014


The song behind the art ...


Listen Here:

I Adore You 
(lyrics/music: Phil Joel)

"Disappointment cuts me like a knife
But I won't be afraid
Strange operations happen all around
The audience escapes unscathed
You are my fortress in the storm
I will cling to You 
Like a sailor lost in the wind
It's all about turns
Turn about face
It's all about knowing
More of Your grace
I know now
You are my sure thing
You know my heart
You know my sould
You know my comings and goings
You know it all
And I adore You
There are questions
There's no doubt
I trust You
And that matters now
I, oh, I adore You
To the prisoner inside
This mind of mine
You know
I only know so much
Still You and You
Alone have shown
The lighthouse glow
That leads me home again
'Cause You are my sure thing
I will wait for You
Every moment of this life
Journey closer to be refined
I will trust in You
Far beyond this line of sight
Journey closer to be my guide

Some of the beautiful colors in a piece of stained glass


The glass used for the girl's dress

Jesus' robe

Friday, January 10, 2014


Not too much more to cut, the border and sleeve, some minor adjustments and I'll be ready to solder!


I hope Katey feels I did it justice. Too soon to tell.

Matthew 9:21-23

21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes,


This wonderful little painting was created by Katey of Blue Eyed Duck . I purchased it a few years ago because I love it, so much so that it is the screensaver on our computer also.

Recently a good friend was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Fortunately, she is a person of very strong faith. Naturally you want to do something for those you love  in crisis, so I asked Katey to allow me to reproduce her lovely artwork in stained glass to give our friend. Katey graciously agreed for which I am very grateful as her image is perfect in this situation. My sister in law Judy purchased the supplies, the pattern was generously donated as were some other supplies but I'm not sure the donors would want their names publicized.
And so the project begins.

In stained glass your cut line needs a way out, so faces unless painted on are a problem so Katey's artwork had to be changed some. Here is the pattern~


I should tell you that if you love this image Katey still sells prints in her Etsy store.

I've almost finished cutting out the panel, those outside squiggly lines were a killer but I'm really enjoying making this. I hope it reminds our good friend to hold on to her faith in this time of trial.



The glass for Jesus' robe is being hand picked and donated by a glass supplier that I do business with, so I'm waiting for delivery to complete that. I sure hope it gets here soon, but I can start foiling now, in order to keep moving along. We still haven't decided whether or not we will put the writing on it.

This morning I woke almost startled with the idea of replicating this panel In Memory of my deceased husband and donating it to his church. I wonder if Katey would allow me to use it twice? I wonder if the church has a place for it? I love Katey's artwork.