SANTA'S ELVES...I COULD HAVE USED A COUPLE!!!

Well, I've finally come up for air. Yesterday, I finally finished the last of the glass blocks I'm doing for our local 'Hand of Man' show that's taking place November 6, 7 and 8th. It is one of the oldest Christmas art and gift sales in this area. This is my first year, so needless to say I'm both anxious and apprehensive. It has taken me two weeks in between the normal things I had going on, but I did it! I made 70 glass blocks and still hope to make another 5 plates besides the ones I already have made...we'll see. I've posted a picture of just a few the the blocks so you get and idea of what I've been up to. I could have used a few elves myself!
We have had the 60th birthday party here for my cousin. My brother, sister-in-law and ourselves took my Dad out to dinner for his 90th birthday. We attended a benefit blues concert for our local 'Angels of Flight'. We attended my best friends 60th birthday party which was catered and entertainment to boot! Wonderful!
I got over 250 bulbs planted and will be rewarded next spring. I took in all the solar lights, garden decor, etc.
I've also committed to do another Christmas show in Streetsville on November 21st. I was invited by a teacher who saw my work on Etsy. Kind of cool!
I've had a few conversations with my daughters and of course, my grandkids and that is always SO enjoyable. We won't be celebrating Christmas together this year which will seem weird. This will be the first Christmas we won't be together as a complete family. As the grandkids get older it's a bit more difficult but we will make the best of it, I'm sure.
I'm back to my walking which I've missed and today I got my regular flu shot. Unfortunately, the clinic won't be getting any H1N1 now, so we have to go stand in the lines in town and wait our turn....darn it!
Tomorrow, I have family breakfast, a couple of medical appointments and some shopping to do. I've managed to get a few stocking stuffers for my grandchildren but want to get a few more. We, as a family, all agreed no gifts this year. We will get a few bits for the kids stockings but that's it! None of us NEED anything and in these times we all agreed not to purchase for the sake of purchasing.
We(my husband and myself) may give a bit of money instead to the charity my cousin's family set up for the children of Haiti. There is such great need down there. The charity is called 'Seeds of Hope Ministries'.If anyone would like to know more or
would like to help please visit the website at:

www.seedsofhopeministries.ca

Our Festival of Trees is November as well, but I'm ready for that one.
This is a special time of year for all the artists around the world to showcase some of their work and I'd like to wish ALL best wishes and good luck!

JUST FOR THE KIDS.......FAVOURITE ETSY SHOP # 7

I feel like a 'chicken with it's head off' these days. I have SO much still to do for the three day Christmas Craft Show I'm doing locally November 6,7 & 8th. It's called 'The Hand of Man' and has been an annual event in Peterborough for years and years.
I'm also trying to get ready for a 60th birthday party to be held at my home this Saturday for one of my cousins.
Having said all that, I really wanted to take the time to feature my next favourite Etsy artist. She has a great love of children and her art shows how important they are to her and she offers some wonderfully original works for kids. Go take a look at her shop!

www.bfkforkids.etsy.com


I'm including her profile and then she was kind enough to answer a few curious questions I had about her and her art......here goes!

I am a mother of three married living in OHIO. I am also a registered nurse at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. I have been doing children’s artwork for about 10 years. Until recently, I’ve mostly done custom work. I am also involved in a children’s charity that I donate artwork for church carnivals, artwork and displays, as well as custom children’s wall murals. My artwork is all about the children! I do this because I love it! It brings me so much joy creating items that make children smile!

These are some questions I was curious about…….
How did you get started and why?
I have been painting for years. I have had many people ask me to make things for them. I have always done it, free of charge. Thought I’d dabble in selling a little.

What is your favourite piece you’ve made so far and why?
I love my treasure chest. Thats my personal favorite of all the things I’ve made so far.

Tell me more about the charity you’re involved with?
The charity is called COLOR YOUR CORNER. It’s a children’s charity that raises money to redecorate children’s rooms for children with highly complex medical needs. The goal is to help make their living space as fun as possible less focus on the medical. I donate a piece every year and make pieces for the charity when requested.

What is your long term goal?
I am going through a lot in my life right now, I love to paint for fun, earning a little money is just a bonus really. I love children and I love making items for them.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I have three beautiful children of my own, and I work at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland and work with so many children everyday. They are my inspiration!

I was featured on "Thats Life.." which is a local TV show in the Cleveland area back in August.

I wish you well for now and the future and thank you for allowing this feature.....bkforkids.....think about Christmas and your kids or grandkids!

EMOTIONAL WEEK....HIGHS AND LOWS

Well, this past week has been a roller coaster of emotions. I started the week still looking after my little grandaughter. On Monday, I took her to daycare and then went back and made pumpkin cupcakes to have for her birthday on Tuesday. I cleaned and tidied up my daughter's home as they were due back Monday night. Tuesday was Maggie's birthday. Mommy and Daddy took her to daycare and arranged for her room to have pizza for lunch. They arrived home from daycare and Mommy had bought her a heliium filled birthday balloon. Oh my gosh, she was SO wired! Hilarious watching her and all her excitement. She had a few gifts and then I had made a pasta dinner. She chowed down pretty well and then we put two candles in one of the cupcakes. She was covered head to toe in icing and cake by the time she was finished.
Wednesday, I left to return home. It was a long nine hour drive as it poured rain and crazy winds the whole way home. I was disappointed as I had hoped to do some photography of the fall colours while driving through the Poconos...no such luck! Wednesday night I arrived home to find out that my cousins husband(who had terminal cancer) had indeed passed away. I was also informed that my cousins daughter sadly lost her baby and was five a one half months pregnant...so sad.
Thursday I went to family breakfast and then did a pile of small errands. That night, of course, we went to the visitation at the funeral home...so sad to lose such a special man...he truly was one of the good guys. There were SO many people at both the afternoon and evening visitations that each segment went one hour longer than planned in order to accomodate all the people who came to pay their respects. Friday was the funeral and then there was a lunch and 'celebration' of his life afterward....really, really touching. His grandaughter who is ten years old wrote such an emotional tribute to her 'Grandpa'....had many of us in tears.
I then had to have bloodwork and met another cousin for coffee. Yesterday, I cooked and baked for a big part of the day for our family's Thanksgiving. This is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and although there have been some sad events this week, we, as a family, still have SO much to be thankful for and count our blessings, which are many. We all drive up north to a camp and each contributes something to the meal. It was absolutely wonderful. There were 48 of us there and we were missing 32 others who couldn't make it this year....such a great thing to do!
I'm now sitting here doing my blog very, very tired. I'm trying to plan my week as I have SO many glass blocks and plates to get made for a sale I'm doing the first weekend in November. OMG!...where does the time go?????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER............!!!

First, I want to acknowledge my brother's birthday today...Happy 59th...next year is the big one and we'll definitely have to celebrate. He has always had a special place in my heart and will continue to do so. I hope his day was great and that he got to do what he'd like. Hopefully, there was a good birthday meal as well. I know my sister-in-law would have something special planned. He is such a talented person. He invents all kinds of things to meet needs he might have in his shop. Oh yeah, he also makes custom guitars...very creative. He's also a wonderful guitar player as well!! Their daughter and her fiance are coming home for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend, so maybe there will be a delayed celebration....Love you and best wishes, always!
This was my last day with my little girl by myself. Her Mommy and Daddy should be arriving home in a couple of hours. Sadly, they don't get to see her until tomorrow morning, which happens to be her 2nd birthday...!!
Overall, it was a great pleasure to take care of her...lots of smiles, giggles, and LOTS of activities. She has WAY more energy than her Grammie! That's the only hard part is trying to keep up with her.
When I get home, I'll try to post a couple of pics or a small video. I don't have the capability from here.
She is a really wonderful treasure and it will be so interesting to see how she changes over the next year. Unfortunately, I won't get to see her again until the new year at some point...probably the spring.
Thank goodness for webcam!

MAGGIE ................HAPPY LITTLE MUNCHKIN!

Well, it's been SO much fun with Mags! I'm sure I'll go home absolutely pooped, but I'm so glad to get the time with just me and her. She wakes up around 6 - 6:30 am and then it's go, go , go until bedtime at around 7 - 7:30.
She loves to draw on the driveway with her sidewalk chalk, she loves the bubble maker I brought, she loves to go for long walks (her in the stroller, of course), she loves to eat and drink, and the new thing is to pile up leaves and then grab and throw them in the air. Daddy is going to be thrilled they are now all over part of the driveway.
She also LOVES her bathtime and especially getting her Grammie' all wet! She laughs and laughs.
Last night I cooked sweet potato, baby carrots, and baby redskin potatoes and boy was she hungry. I'm not sure if she's had any of those things before, but she sure ate them all up! We had applesauce for dessert, which is one of her absolute favourites!
She's down for her nap at the moment and then we are invited across the street to a neighbours who are celebrating the holiday after Yom Kippur. I forget what it's called but we will definitely make an appearance.
We will then take another walk to the mall to pick up a few things for tomorrow.
Well, Mommy has called to see how things are going and I think I hear a little girl starting to arouse....break over.
It poured rain here all night, but it's really hot and sunny out now....
Well, off for another walk...

SO FAR SO GOOD!.................AND FUN TOO!

I've been in Princeton, New Jersey since Tuesday and my daughter and her husband left for a few days vacation yesterday. This is the first time they have left their daughter. She will be two years old on Tuesday, Oct. 6th.
Since I live so far away, I was a little bit apprehensive as to how she would be with me.....so far so good!
She is one of the happiest, friendliest,most bubbly little girls I've known. She gets the 'friendly' gene from her Grammie and her Mommy. We both love getting to know people and she waves to people, she blows kisses, she is just generally a sweet, happy, outgoing little person. I'm SO enjoying my time with her.
I'm planning on doing some fun stuff with her over the weekend. We will go to the park, take some long walks, make bubbles, play in the yard and oh yes, what all 'women' like to do which is shop.
She LOVES her bath and is really good about going down for the night. She has a definite routine and is usually always in bed by 7pm - 7:30 pm. Last night, I gave her a bath and put her down and she was fine even though Mommy and Daddy weren't there to say 'Goodnight'. I smiled a lot as I listened to her sing and talk to herself through the monitor..so cute!
She is at her daycare school today as my daughter wanted to keep her routine that she's used to through the week.
The tough part for me is getting up so early...definitely not used to that!
It's actually great for me as I'm able to get some time to work on my glass blocks and plates as I try to get ready for a Christmas show in early November.
Today, however, a good friend of mine that just got married the end of August is coming to visit and have lunch. She lives in West Chester, PA which is only about two hours away. I haven't seen her for over a year, so I'm really looking forward to seeing her and seeing her wedding pics.