This Blogs for you...or Its a Family affair

I am going to take a step back from the imaginary world I love to live in when I write my blogs or even create my jewelry. Oh,well ok...its just the world I live in all the time. There! I admitted it.

Anyway, my humour always has a way of getting me through things. But I guess I just felt like sharing things from a different angle today.

Have been busy taking care of somethings in relation to one of my grown sons who is schizophrenic. I will spare the details as anyone who is not familiar with mental illness will think that I am back in my imaginary world writing about it.

So let me start out by saying, if you know anyone, I mean anyone, who suffers with mental illness themselves, or has it in their family or group of friends, go hug them. They deserve it and need it. And then go learn all you can about it so you can be a support.

I think its because of all this, I was deeply moved by a little note that a customer wrote on her jewelry order the other day.


She bought the necklace below



And wrote the following little note on her order:

"I love and collect vintage mohair teddy bears~ am expecting my first child, and want this as a celebratory token~"

I can't even tell you how poignant I find that. I often get emails or little notes from my customers about their purchase and they all mean so much to me. But this one...I just feel honored to be a part of this woman's wonderful journey of a new life that will bring her so much joy and happiness.
Maybe I am really giving this silly little necklace that has the tag "believe" on it too much credit, but that's the way it made me feel.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say "Thank you for making my day" to this wonderful customer, and thanks to those of you who are my family. You know who you are. Thanks so much for your support and for helping me to above all things to keep "believing".

Creative cooking of the past

So I have been reading a few cooking blogs lately.

Amazing how hungry you can get reading the web. So many interesting foods to try that weren't readily available years ago. Not to mention the tools and gadgets we have to make our job easier.
Years ago, those who had a passion for cooking truly threw themselves into their work.
Their whole mind, heart and even their body oozed creativity in their cooking.

Take for example Smella and Olga Johansen. Their passion was creating pastry and tasty sweets.
Their speciality was the fruit fillings and frostings they often used in their desserts.

Not only did they spend much time dreaming up the flavors, but when it was time to fill or frost, they put on their special filler frosting suits.

Then they would fill them up to the point of almost bursting, and just throw themselves into their creativity,writhing and rolling on the floor using the tops of the hat like cone to fill the delectable treats. And to think we have it so easy these days. True artists they were in their own time.

They were fortunate enough to have others to encourage them on in their craft. Those who shared their love and passion for creating works of edible art. Their best friend, Smirna who lived down the street was one such person. When she baked a cake, she threw herself in it...literally.

Here she is after having used her body as a beater for blending some cake batter. Notice the precise way she held her fingers for hours at a time. This allowed her to get excellent mixing of ingredients while at the same time looking very exotic.

Truly inspiring woman they were. So much so that they left their mark on their little town, and did much to help those younger then them to realize that indeed, you could follow your dreams and accomplish much.

I often think of these great woman of the past. These woman who used every fiber of their being to throw themselves, mind,body,and heart into their creations. Could they be my distant relatives??

Very often I get a strange feeling come over me. Usually after I have super glued my fingers together while making jewelry. Really makes you wonder.