Here are some new pieces.....

It has been awhile since my last post as usual it's been busy at the Casa de Gonzalez....Some good things and some bad things.....
Let's get the bad news out before I get on to the good...
My beloved Father in law Jose Gonzalez Sr. lost his battle with cancer last month. He was a strong loving man who along with his wife of 56 years raised 5 awesome children one of whom is my dear Husband Jose Jr. He was a strong courageous man who over the last year dealt with learning of his illness,loosing the love of his life in February and the progression of his illness leading to his death. He was an example of grace and dignity, strength and hope. I loved and admired him very much and will miss him.

This year has been very hard for our family we have lost so much, both of my husband's parents and my Mom. But we have also gained through our losses. I have learned that above all else the people I love are the most important thing and that the love in my heart didn't die with them perhaps it has grown even stronger. I have learned that every second on this earth is a gift that I will never again take for granted.


Ok so now for the happier news......
My little Granddaughter Lexipoo turned 1 she is growing way to fast and has her Grandpa Jose enchanted.....
and...........
One day while Jose was out in the woods he found a little Chihuahua who had been abandoned deep in the woods he was 1/2 starved and lost a lot of his hair from a flea infestation. The poor little guy begged Jose to help him and he couldn't resist bringing him home.

We took him to the Vet the next day to see what he needed to get healthy and see if they could help us find out who he belongs to. The Vet said it was a good thing for him that we found him because he wouldn't have made it long the way he was. He needed food and de- flea-ed and he had ear mites. The worst thing is the vet said he had been abused and mistreated and that the people hadn't had him neutered and allowed his testicles to grow up into his belly. The Vet said we could have them removed in the future and that would help him a lot.

Well we never found his old owners and we have had him about a month now. We named him Chuy; he is happy has gained almost 2 lb's and his hair is growing in nicely, the fleas and ear mites are gone. He has a new dog house and plush bed in the garage that he like so well he spends a lot of time snuggled up in snoozing. He is such a sweet lovable little creature he likes cats and kids. I can't imagine why someone would have been so mean to him but he will never have to worry about that again.

The next hurdle for Chuy is the operation on his boy parts. After he has that the vet feels like he'll be fine. Right now one of the testicles is pushing on his bladder so he sometimes can't control his peeing so after it's done I will work on housebreaking him so he can come in the house. I have never had a dog before so this has been an experience for us.

also......
My 10 day craft show in October went really, really well so I have been working hard to replenish my inventory. I posted a few of my new pieces here on my blog.

also.....
I am having a sale in my ArtFire studio http://Gingerbells.artfire.com
10% off all items +
FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $20.00
this sale will run for the next week.

Victorian Poinsettia Brooches

I have always liked Victorian styled things around the holidays. I think these 2 brooches have a Victorian look to them.

When I started making them the other day I had intended for them to be pendants on necklaces. By the time I finished the beading and making the ruffles edges they were way to big for pendants. So.....brooches they became. In the end I think it worked out for the best. I'll take the beads I made for the necklaces and turn them into a bracelet and earrings.

The soft diamond one is my favorite. I like how the champagne beads and black opal seed bead ruffle frame the bezel.

on work table......earrings, earrings and more earrings......

Pretty Poinsettia set

These are my first holiday themed projects of 2009. I am very happy with how these turned out. This set is the ball point pen and the pill box key chain. Instead of offering them individually I will be selling these as as set.

The designs on each piece are not painted it is made with polymer clay. The poinsettia cane I used wasn't one of mine; this time I used a cane made by Cat Therin. I have been enjoying experimenting with other peoples canes.

I liked these so much I made a set for myself, I just love pretty useful things.


on my worktable.......poinsettia beads

Fun with accesories

I really like making things that are functional as well as pretty.

I have some craft shows coming up so I have been making things to sell that are moderately priced and that will make great gifts for the upcoming holiday season. I have several nice gift sets made for my bath shop so yesterday I made some sets for my gift shop.

I am trying to decide weather or not to group coordinating pieces together and sell them as a set or offer them as individual items. There are pros and cons for doing it either way. Myself I would like to by the set if I could but I know not everyone feels the same way.

I like the set in the photo the colorful designs on the pieces are made with polymer clay the set includes 1 twist ball point pen,1 pill box key chain and 1 dual mirrored compact.

on my worktable........more pens and pill box key-chains also whipped olive oil soap

Healing a broken heart

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When your heart is broken what do you do to make the healing begin?

Some people eat comfort food, some exercise,some seek comfort in the company of others while others hibernate and cry. Everyone seems to have a method that works best for them.

For me when things don't make sense or I am very sad I find comfort in forcing myself to create something. I think it makes things better because I am forced to think outside of the painful box I am in and put that energy to use in a positive way. For me making things is how I cope. It is a big part of who I am few things make me as happy as designing and making something pretty.

My Mom was the same way before she started getting Alzheimers. She was my crafting mentor as far back as I can remember. She taught me to crochet,cross stitch,sew,Native American beading and leather work,latch hook and plastic canvas sculpture. I taught her about knitting,soap and candle making and beadweaving as well as other crafts. This has made for many great memories, I am so glad we shared this part of ourselves with each other.

Mom was always proud of my crafting skills and was excited that people were willing to give me money for the things I make and that she got them for free..

Over the last year or so Mom had been downsizing and getting rid of a lot of her stuff to simplify her life. She said it was just stuff she didn't need and she was only keeping things she needed. I was so very touched last week when my Brother and I were packing up her apartment to find that she had kept almost all the things I had made for her over the years;she felt they were some of the things she needed to keep.

So all of the things I had to do to put Mom's affairs to rest are done and everyone has went home. This last week I have had way to much time on my hands to think and be sad so instead of continuing down that path I started channeling my energy into making things again.

I have had a productive couple of days and it had helped some. Above are a few of the things I have made I'll be posting photos of some other things soon.

In my mind I can hear Mom saying "it's time for you to get off your ass and get something done" LoL I hear ya Ma.........

Beautiful Northern Michigan

When Mom passed Jose and I were on vacation in the upper penninsula of Michigan. We went to some of the most beautiful places I have been in a long time. In the 4 days of our planned 8 day vacation we spent our time in a place called Paridise and White Fish Point they are very small towns on the shores of Lake Superior.

One of the photos is of a waterfall that Jose hiked to see. No I didn't join him in the hike, no hiking for me until I get my knee replaced.

2 of the photos are from the 3 hour twilight cruise we went on at the Painted Rocks National Shore in Musining Michigan. Stunning rock formations.

The other 2 photos are of the beautiful beach we spent a lot of time at, it was quiet and relaxing. We spent time BBQ'ing and relaxing often we had the beach to ourselves.

The weather is beautiful and cool there and the pace is relaxing and the air is clean and hardly a cornfield in sight. I could for sure live happily there, I think Jose could too. We have talked about finding a small house there to spend our summers and then come back to Indiana for the winters.

Our vacation was beautiful while it lasted but it ended horribly sad. Jose says we need to plan to finish our holiday before to long because it would be good for us; we'll see but right now my heart just isn't into it.

A tale of two Moms

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerbell/237014485/in/set-72157594273852754/


The two lovely women in the photo are my Mother Bea and my Mother in law Modesta. This photo was taken of them on the day they met at a housewarming party when we moved into our house 3 years ago. Jose and I have been together for over 20 years but because they lived in different states had never met.

These two women shared many things in life tho they came from two very different backgrounds and didn't speak the same language. They both had a very keen sense of humor, loved to play games and were well loved by their children. They enjoyed baseball,animals,good food and flowers. They both had many Brothers and sisters most of who had passed away before them.

Sadly 6 months ago on February 12th sweet Modesta passed away surrounded by her children and her Husband. Her loss has been heartbreaking and has left us all with great sadness in our hearts but also great joy that she was in our lives and we knew we are all better for being loved by her.

It is with a heavy heart that I write that on the 12th of August My Mom Bea passed away very suddenly while Jose and I were out of town. I would like to say that when she left this world she was surrounded by those who loved her as Modesta was but this is one thing they didn't share. She passed alone and this more then any thing fills me with a sense of sorrow and guilt even tho I know that there was no way I could have prevented her passing. Had I have been with her would it have made it easier for her to go; could I have told her I loved her and held her as she did me on the day I was born; if I begged her not to go would God have heard me, did she wait till I left for vacation so I couldn't beg her to stay with me. I'll never know and because they won't let us see her to say goodbye my brother and I will have to remember her as she was the last time we were with her.

I am so grateful that my brother and his wife were able to travel here from Oregon so we could be together. It was never easy for Mom because she raised us on her own and it was always the 3 of us against the odds and it is right that we should be together to do what has to be done.

Later this week per her request we will be spreading some of her ashes in the Wabash River and My brother will be taking the rest to the pacific ocean that she loved.

I don't make this post to make anyone sad but to share these two special women with others and to say.......Take every opportunity to show your Mother how much she means to you and cherish your times together; in the blink on an eye they can be gone..

Even tho Mom could be a pain in the ass sometimes I would give anything to hear her voice on my answering machine saying "Ginger this is your Mother call me, I love you."

I love you too Mom!