Oh! My Gypsy Soul!

Family Miracle

2012-02-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry to have neglected the blog,but as you all know life can take over.

My brother had been very ill,in fact,he was dying. I had taken over his care when he was home,but he had mostly been in and out of the hospital for the last seven weeks or so. He had been on the transplant list,but we were starting to fear that he would not recieve a new liver in time. On January 29th,(our sister's 50th birthday),we got the call that he would be going into transplant surgery that night. After ten and a half hours in a hospital waiting room,we learned that the surgery was a success and my brother was doing very well. His recovery since the surgery has been amazing,in fact,he may be discharged from the hospital sometime this week.

My family is so grateful for the gift that another family gave to us. They lost a loved one,but they still thought of others and of the good they and their loved one could do. We might never know who the donor was,but he or she will be forever in our prayers.

Shadow,(the cat who owns us).

2012-01-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

Well,the holiday madness is now behind us and there is much to get done here. The move must be finished this month,Nick will start his second semester at college,and then through it all we have a little someone who is not at all happy about these changes to our lives and routine.

Shadow,(the cat who owns us),is not at all amused by the comings and goings,the furniture that has been taken,and most of all,the boy being gone for days at a time. She has taken to sleeping in front of his bedroom door,(all the better to keep track of him). Shadow will be going to live with the boy because I think she might die of a broken heart if she did not,also there are three dogs who already live where I am going.

Shadow wants nothing to do with dogs!

Starting Over

2012-01-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

Well,a new year has begun and I'm seriously hoping that there is better start to it than the crazy end of last year.

The entire holiday season was spent dealing with my brother being in the hospital,and the hospital was over an hour away from our family home,and we were so afraid that the stress would cause our mother to also become ill! Luckily,my mother is fine and my brother is doing much better,we are hoping to have him home in a day or two. He is 24th on the transplant list and we are praying that his liver holds out until a donor become available for him.

I would also like to thank all of you who sent cards and packages,it was much appreciated and I hope to return the gesture in a few weeks when life has stabilised a bit. It might be more of a Valentine than a Christmas present,but hopefully you won't mind.

Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

Peace to all of you!

Give-away Winners,and life in general.

2011-12-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody,sorry to be missing,but I pretty much dropped everything and went home for a week. Some of you know that my brother is battling the same cancer that my husband had. He has been going thru the process of being added to the transplant list,but he is getting weaker and weaker. Our mom called me and said that my brother was feeling really bad and kept asking for me. I spent the week cheering him up a bit and cooking simple foods trying to get him to eat. By the time I left,he was feeling a bit better and eating a bit more. Next week I take him in for an appointment with his doctor. Please add him to your prayers.

Now onto the give-away! I am going to send all those who commented an acorn! Please e-mail your addresses to me and I will them in the mail as soon as I can.

100th post and giveaway!

2011-12-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Well,I finally made it to my 100th post! These 100 posts have covered about the last 20 months of life for me. Some of you have been here from the very begining and you know that life has been quite a roller coaster here. You know about my husband's battle with cancer and his passing ,

you know about the loss of my father,

you know about my son nick's graduating from high school and starting college,

you know about Shadow,(the cat who owns us),and her love of naps,

and I hope you know how much I appreciate all your love and support.

I would like to show my appreciation by sending out some of my silk acorns to some of you. I will include a spiral ornament hanger with each acorn and that way you can hang it right on your Christmas tree!

Just leave a comment and you will have your name put in the basket,if you post about my giveaway just let me know and I will give you a second entry. I'm not quite sure how many acorns I will give away,at least 3,maybe more.

Hope to hear from you!

2011-11-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

Well,another Mermaid's Mercantile has come and gone and it was fabulous! As planned the grand unvieling of the new shop sign happened,and the new name is,...

House Vintage!

I love it and so did everyone else,it now really fits the personality of the shop.

Snacks were served after the big reveal and the caprese sandwiches were delicious.

Nick took a few photos of some of our friends,click on the links to check out some of their amazing work.

This is Genie and she has some of the coolest recycled-upcycled stuff. The hat she's wearing is made using mens neck ties,I traded her for one and I love it! Check out her etsy shop.

This is Poppy,she creates the most gorgeous jewelry using sea glass,she gathers this glass herself all up and down the California coast.

This is Olga another wonderful jewelry artist. You always find her working on pieces and Nick and I both have some of her work in our collections.

As Nick and I packed up at the end of the day the new moon was hovering over the buildings.We were tired,but we had a fun day. Thank you to all the customers who came out to visit and purchase from us and the other vendors,it was much appreciated.

Also,this is my 99th post,so the next one is the big 100! I will have a give away for this,so keep an eye out and tell all your friends to check out my blog and enter in the give away too!

Next show and a fun give away!

2011-11-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

Don't forget that the Mermaid's Mercantile is happening this Sunday November 27th! I'll be there along with many other great artists and Debi will be unveiling the new name of her shop!

Also,I am just a post or two away from hitting the one hundred mark,so i have a little give away planned. Keep an eye on my blog and get ready to make a comment and you'll have a chance of winning something just in time for the holidays!

Art in the Yard fun!

2011-11-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

Home at last! My brother had some appointments in LA for his cancer treatments,so I spent Thursday out there with him. Friday my mom and I finished getting the Thanksgiving supplies and we even got a few things for Christmas! Saturday I sold my wares at the Art in the Yard show and as always I had a wonderful time.

There I am under the ginko tree.

The mini tree was loaded with acorn ornaments!

Is this the one you would like to purchase?

That's my friend Jo,...she's and amazing artist and she had some beautiful prints and a few of the original canvases.

This is a closer look at Jo's work.

After the show I went out to dinner with Jo and our friend Nancy. Whenever we get together there is always alot of brain storming about art,shows,dance,conferences,food,and so much more,and the laughter,omg,I'm sure some of the tables nearby were overwhelmed by it. All in all,it was a very good day.

All photos in this post were taken by my friend Nancy.

2011-11-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

Don't forget that I'll be in Riverside this Saturday for the Art in the Yard show. This is one of my favorite shows of the year and I'm sure that you will love it also. Snacks and drinks are served thru out the day and there are some lovely things to purchase!

I'll have some of my mini books available,

and of course there will be jewelry,

and let's not forget the ornaments!

Hope to see you there!

LET'S TRADE ORNAMENTS!

2011-11-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I have an idea that I hope some of you might like to be a part of. Since alot of us are starting our holiday decorating,I thought it might be fun to trade ornaments. I will send you one of my acorn ornaments,(the colors will vary),and you send me an ornament that you have made. Oh, and these acorns are made with a larger cap,so the ornament is about 2 inches in length. It's just that simple,a handmade ornament for a handmade ornament.

If you would like to trade with me,just email me with your address and i will email you mine. I would like to try and have this all done before the end of November,so let me know as soon as you can and we can all get some fun mail soon.

gypsysouls8@yahoo.com

Ornaments at the gallery!

2011-11-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

Once again, this holiday season my acorn ornaments are available at Art N Soul On 101 Gallery in Encinitas!

If you get a chance go and check out all the fabulous artists work and buy art for all your special someones!

The address is, 633 South Coast Highway 101,Encinitas,Ca.

2011-11-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

It's time for some more shows! This month I will be in Riverside for "Art In The Yard" on Saturday November 19th.

On Sunday November 27th,I will be at the always fun and fabulous "Mermaid's Mercantile" in Solano Beach.

Come on down to one,(or both),of the shows and visit me and other great vendors!

2011-10-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time at the Dia de Los Muertos celebration,as you can see above and below,my great-nephew Christopher made some new friends!

Lots of family came out for the day and even my brother was feeling well enough to join us.

The altar we did for our family turned out beautifully and we recieved alot of compliments on it.

Below my husband Jim's photos I placed one of his favorite shirts,(he was a big Beatles fan),and some of the heart shaped rocks that he had found and given to me. There is also a chain full of charms that I had made for him over the years and which he always wore.

It was a good day for us and plans are already being made for next year!

Happy Halloween! Have fun and be safe.

Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

2011-10-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again,time to celebrate Dia Del Los Muertos. My family,(Guillory),and my husband's family,(Molinar),will both have altars set up at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. Come out on Sunday October 30th for the celebration. There are all kinds of performers thru out the day,great food,and fun things to buy like sugar skulls!

Oh,and chocolate skulls too!

Urban Barn Street Faire

2011-10-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

I'm getting into the autumn season! i spent yesterday afternoon decorating my mom's house with witchy,pumpkiny goodness.

I've also been working on some fun Halloween acorns!

I will have these earrings,(and many others),at the Urban Barn's Wicked Ball and Street Faire next friday.

The street faire is October 14th & 15th, from 9 to 5. Nick and i will be there on friday the 14th and if you come by and say hi we will give you a treat,(no tricks,just treats).

2011-10-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again,the days are getting shorter,the light is changing.

Time to decorate for the autumn festivities!

Shadow,(the cat who owns us),is of course a purr-fect Halloween decoration,although,I'm sure she feels that she is just plain perfect.

My family will once again be setting up a family altar at the Dia De Los Muertos celebration at the San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside.

The date this year is Sunday October 30th,so come by and see us if you can.

Grateful!

2011-10-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

Life has been even more stressful the last couple of weeks.There had been a lump found in my mom's breast and she had the biopsy done and of course we waited and worried. Having lost my husband and father this last year to cancer and dealing with my brother fighting liver cancer and hoping to get a transplant,well as you can imagine it's been alot to go thru. I was not ready to have my mom also deal with cancer,and the thought of losing her anytime soon is just terrifying for me. Well,this time the fates were kind and mom's test results showed no cancer.

My siblings and I are so grateful!

Etsy shop up and running!

2011-09-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Well,I finally got it done,I now have an Etsy shop up and running! I have listings of the silk acorns,oak leaves and acorns,and even a few pieces of the acorn jewelry including some new earrings that are so cute.

All the pieces are made by me,from patterns designed by me. Since they have real acorn caps and are handstiched,no two are exactly alike

If there is something that you would like multiples of,just e-mail me and i can set up a special listing just for you.

Giveaway!

2011-09-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

No I'm not the one having a giveaway,...not yet anyway! But go and check out my friend Junk Fairy's blog. Eloise has some fabulous stuff and she's fabulously talented!

New Class!

2011-09-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'll be teaching a new class on Sunday October 2,2011 at Paper Tales and it's perfect for the upcoming Halloween festivities!

This little candy box is shaped like a witch's hat and is so cute. I will teach you how to make the box,this is not a class where i hand you a store bought box and then you decorate it. You will learn to make the box and i will give you the pattern to make more. As is usual in my classes,ALL the supplies will be provided and you should leave with a finished piece.

Go to the Paper Tales site and sign up,I look forward to seeing you there!

Also,as you can see,I've been very busy working on new acorns and oak leaves and I will be bringing these to the class with me!

Workshop with Amy Hanna

2011-09-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

I spent yesterday in Malibu with my friend Tammie! We took an Artinfusio workshop with Amy Hanna and had a wonderful time. I have long been an admirer of Amy's work and it was such fun to meet her and see her jewelry up close.

This is the necklace i made in the class.

The centerpiece is this gorgeous antique shoe clip that was a gift from my husband many years ago.

The faux coral bead and resin charm with the photo of a woman's hand were given to me by Tammie. I love how the necklace turned out and i loved spending the day with other creative women!

all photos in this post were taken by Nicholas G. Molinar

happy birthday!

2011-08-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to my good friend tammie,(she's the cute one in red)! the photo above is her and her hubby teri,(the cute one in grey),and was taken at paper tales which is one of tammies all time favorite shops.

change in schedule!

2011-08-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

we have a change in our schedule this month. we will be at the Mermaids Mercantile on sunday august 28th,NOT the previously posted date. come by and see us if you can,i've gotten started on some fun fall pieces and the halloween earrings are soooo cute!

look with your mind wide open!

2011-07-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

monday was jim's birthday,...he would have been 50 years old.

i miss you honey,love you always.

urban barn

2011-07-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

i will be vending at the urban barn street faire this friday and saturday,...come by and check it out!

the busy-ness continues

2011-07-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

here at home,the packing continues! i am going just a bit crazy with all of this,who would have thought we could have put sooo much stuff into one teeny duplex!

on top of all this,nick is already registering for his college classes and has a couple of different appointments this week over at the campus.

hopefully,we can get everything done by the end of the month,...wish us luck!

THE MERMAID'S MERCANTILE

2011-07-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

we will be selling at the mermaid's mercantile this sunday,july 3rd! the weather should be great,so come on down and spend some time shopping and visiting with all the wonderful vendors.

along with my jewelry,i will have some vintage pieces i must sell since nick and i are moving to much smaller spaces. there is a vintage foundation manekin,a leather doctors bag,a small dolls dresser,rusty metal bed springs,and more. prices will be very reasonable and if anyone is interested right now please contact me.

gift of a friend

2011-06-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

things here have been a bit chaotic,we've been trying to purge and pack for our move and omg it's so hard.

last week nick and i took a day to see some friends and i was a good thing for us. nick shopped and had lunch with his friends while i went to visit my friend tammie. it was so good to see her and while she was still a bit under the weather we did have a nice long visit and chat.

this little cutie is what tammie made and gave to me for my birthday! she's a "bling baby" and tammie learned to make her in a class by lisa loria and i absolutely love her.

both tammie and lisa are incredibly talented and if you follow the links to their blogs you can see what wonderful things they do.

the graduate!

2011-06-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

there in that mass of red and white is my nick! he did it,he graduated last night along with around 600 other students!

losing his dad at the start of his senior year was very hard,but nick truly focused and made it thru,..his father would be immensely proud.

i have to tell you a sweet story,(even though nick will scold me). you can see that nick has a lei around his neck,well,it he was supposed to have two of them. i thought a mistake had been made because i had bought one and another had been bought by one of his grandmothers. at the end of the ceremony i told nick to tell me who i had to talk to to correct this and nick calms me down and says that yes he had recieved them both,but a good friend of his had not recieved any and was in tears over it. so nick took off one of his and put around her neck,...i think that gesture made me the most proud of him.

rose gathering

2011-06-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

for the last few weeks,this is what has greeted me when i open my front door!

clusters of wonderfully scented pink roses!

this cecil brunner rose bush was a gift from my dear husband and i believe that this spring it has bloomed more than ever. i will be sad to leave it behind,but we have taken cuttings and hopefully those will grow and bloom as gloriously as this one.

even the falling petals are lovely. ;)

BIRTHDAY LOVE!

2011-06-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

today is a special day,...today is nick's 18th birthday!

happy birthday bebe!

i am so proud of you and i'm sure your father is watching over you and also incredibly proud.

NEW WORK!

2011-06-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

i've been working away on some fun new pieces!

these are the sweetest little china dolls,well um,china doll heads anyway.

my dear friend tammie won a lot full of them a few months back on ebay and was kind enough to share them with me.

i've worked them up into pendants,some with the end caps turned down on their little heads,and some turned up so it looks like they're wearing a tiny crown.

some of them are dangling from pearl and crystal necklaces that i made and some are a pendant alone,that way you can attach them to your own chain or ribbon.

i made one as a birthday present for my mother-in law and she loved her these will all be available at the next mermaids mercantile.

birthdays!

2011-06-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

sorry,once again i have been away longer than planned. life sometimes seems to moving at the speed of light and i have a hard time keeping up. add to the mix that my one vehicle has been out of commission for the last week and ,well,you see what i mean. hopefully i will soon get my transportation back and i can get back on schedule.

i celebrated my birthday on june first. it was spent quietly and my nick made dinner here at home for us. i think we both are savoring the little time we have left in our space. soon we will be living apart,...most definitely a big change for both of us.

nick has a big birthday coming up on june 10th,he will be 18 years old! i can't believe that itty-bitty 2 pound baby that i had is now a young man. if you get a chance please leave a happy birthday comment here for nick and i will make sure he gets them.

this is a photo that nick took at the last mermaids mercantile. this flower was blooming just above our heads and we both thought it looked like a small glowing moon.

new work!

2011-05-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

i've been working on some new silk pieces! these strawberry ribbon lariats are so adorable.

they have a berry on each end of a yard of velvet ribbon. you can drape it around you neck or tie it on choker style.

this is my favorite way to wear it,....

wrapped around the wrist bracelet style!

these will be available at my next show and in my soon,(i hope),etsy shop.

try to be happy

2011-05-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

the weather had been strange for several days. the heat that we had been having was gone and the clouds kept coming in and out.

i loved the blue skies and the gorgeous pinky/blue sunsets that we had been having.

now the rain has once again come back and i am not so happy about it. here is something that makes be a bit happy.

this is my pincushion,this photo was taken awhile back so i have even more pins in it right now.

my mom stitched up this pincushion for me and alot of the pins have been gifts from my friend tammie. it's usually sitting on my table at shows since i tend to work on projects all the time,and women are always picking it up and asking to buy it. most are sad to find that it's not for sale and some have even gotten a bit huffy about it.

my pincushion brightens my day and makes me happy,(reminds me of people who love me).

what brightens your day and makes you happy?

Busy,busy!

2011-05-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't posted in awhile,but life has been busy and it promises to get even busier.

nick will soon be graduating from high school and then we will be moving. i was hoping that i might be able to keep our small home,but it's just not going to work out. i can either pay the rent or help nick get through college,and since i know his father would want nick to continue his education,getting nick through school is what i will do.

i am hoping to soon have my etsy site up and running and am looking into teaching and selling at some new places and will try to keep you all up to date. tomorrow nick and i will be at the mermaid's mercantile in solano beach come by and see us and all the other wonderful vendors!

come to "ART IN THE YARD"!

2011-04-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

i got some new chains done and the colors of these pearls and crystals are just gorgeous!

wonderful pinks,lavenders,and blues!

some of them have the sweetest little bird clasp!

i also made some new earrings,i love the fossilized amonites on these!

all of these and much more will be available at the "art in the yard"show this saturday. the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm so come out and see me and many other wonderful women artists!

new work!

2011-04-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

i've been designing some new silk whimsys and i love how the toadstools turned out! there is also a ladybug and butterfly in the works.

this past week was very busy! i finally got to visit with my friend tammie and as always,we had a fun time. tammie gave me a box full of goodies and i especially love the scraps of silk and beaded fabrics that were in there. she also gave me my share of the little china doll heads that we won on ebay and they are so cute. i'll be using some in jewelry and a few will be for sale as is!

i took nick and his best friend aylah down to san diego on saturday for an open house at the AI school that's there. the progam looks great and it's exactly what nick wants to do. he wants to also attend the open house at FIDM later this month and see which school is a better fit for him.

after the open house we went the gem and bead show and picked up some scrumptious stuff,(yes it's so yummy looking i would like to eat it)! the sad thing at the gem show was the cost of sterling,OMG,it is getting to a point where i might have to start thinking about using nickel silver.

this week is nick's spring break and while we don't have plans for going anywhere especially fun,i think that just spending time together will be good.

my loves!

2011-04-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

i can't believe how fast the time is flying by! pretty soon these two loves of mine will be living away from me. nick will soon be graduating from high school and getting ready to start college,and while shadow,(the cat who owns us),won't be going to college,she will be moving with nick. i am incredibly proud of my son,but it doesn't make it any easier to let go of him. in fact,it's a bit more difficult since losing his dad last year.

there is so much that nick wants to do and so much that he is capable of,i know life will be new and exciting for him. hopefully,he remembers to occasionally call his mother and and tell her about it!

new work!

2011-04-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

been busy working on some new pieces!

these little sweeties can be worn as a pendant or a pin. their faces are each handpainted by me,so each one definitely has her own personality!

these will be available at tomorrow's riverside art walk. nick and i will be there from 6 to 9 in the live arts center on the corner of university and lemon.

gathering roses

2011-04-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

nick and i had a really busy weekend! class at paper tales was alot of fun and of course,nick had to stop at the japanese market to pick up some of his favorite snacks. sunday we got a bit of yardwork and laundry done and then my mil and sil came by and took us out to an italian dinner,.....mmmmm,lasagna! i always love the photos that others take of the food their eating,but i'm usually sooo ready to dig in,that i forget about pulling out my camera."lol"

while working in the yard,i noticed that my cecile brunner rose bush is blooming wildly. i love this rose dearly,it was a christmas gift from my darling husband. i was in a bit of a panic about leaving it behind when nick and i move,but my mil took some cutting and hopefully they will grow.

when jim would work in the yard he would always bring in little bouquets of whatever might be blooming and set them on my work table.

i am looking at a small vase of flowers right now and remembering how deeply i was loved.

class tomorrow!

2011-04-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

tomorrow nick and i will be teaching my silk carrots class down at paper tales!

this is a really fun project and there's still plenty of time for you to whip up a batch for baskets or a table top easter display. you all know how much i love wearable art,so i usually have one pinned to my jacket.

follow the link to paper tales and sign up, there's still room!

we gathered the women,(and some men too)!

2011-03-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

we spent saturday working at the w.c.p.c. gather the women conference in downtown riverside. above you can see nick carrying the world. he and his friends aylah and ryan spent the whole day helping so many people,they carried and set up,the did food and coffee runs,and they also squeezed in some fun!

here they are flashing the tattoos they went and got,(no worries it's henna).

this is the henna tattoo artist and her very cool booth. debi has been tattooing nick since he was about 8 or 9 years old and he loves sporting her amazing work for the month or so that it lasts on him.

here is my friend jo along with some of her gorgeous artwork. jo will be teaching some workshops soon and i'll try to post time and dates,..she's an amazing teacher!

gayle and nanette flashing the symbol for the day!

one of the vendors tables full of silk scarves! i wanted to wrap every single one of them around me,such gorgeous,vibrant colors!

here i am smiling behind some of dana's fluttery,sparkley,fairy wings.

i met so many wonderful people,the ladies that came to my workshop were awesome! thank you to all that came to my booth to visit,admire,and purchase,i am so thankful for your love and support.

all but the tattoo photos were taken by my friends nancy or jenn!

more fun!

2011-03-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

nick and i had so much fun at the mermaids mercantile,(despite the challenging weather). unfortunately,we forgot to bring the camera,but it was fun talking with people. i met jenny and aaron from "every day is a holiday",and they are the sweetest people. also met debby over at "romancing the bling",such a sweetheart. check out their blogs and sites you'll love it all as much as i do!

this week i need to get ready for the gather the women conference and believe me i have alot to do! must get my workshop supplies ready,need to make a few more sterling pieces,and i have a pattern for a little silk mushroom that i'm trying to work out. well,i better get to work!

womencreatingpeace.org

fun stuff!

2011-03-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

busy,busy,around here! been working on some new fabric pieces and playing with a fun lens on my camera!

these beautiful silk leaves,(along with many others),will be available this sunday at the next mermaids mercantile.

these are so wonderful to wear on your jacket,or use one as a package topper!

since nick and i will have to move into smaller spaces soon,i'm gonna be downsizing my collections of stuff. this mercantile i will also have some of those things,which include vintage pottery,(some of it mcCoy),vintage jewelry bits,some old and new doll heads,a small toy dresser,vintage sewing basket,and much more.

make sure you come out on sunday and visit me and all the other fabulous mermaids,it's gonna be a great show!

class full of friends!

2011-03-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

yesterday,nick and i had a fun surprise! we were teaching the tutu pincushion ring,(say that 3 times),class down at paper tales,and were surprised to find that our students for the afternoon were rita,christie,and their friend jackie!

now of course i completely spaced on taking any photos,but if you head over to rita's blog you can read about all the fun we had.

i do have these photos of rita and her booth,(she does fabulous work). these were taken by nick last summer at one of the urban barn sales.

here rita is chatting with my hubby,it was about a month or two before he passed away. jim was determined to do all he could do and he so loved to talk with people. rita saw that the heat was a bit much for him and she sat him right down in her booth,faced a fan at him,and chatted up a storm with him! i don't know that i have ever told her,but that kindness on that hot summer day meant the world to me.

Time for class!

2011-03-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

time for another fun class at Paper Tales! i'll be teaching my tutu pincushion ring class and it's so darling,(if i do say so).

class will be happening on sunday March 13th and i will provide all the supplies. hope to see you there! peace.

2011-03-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

last night i spent the evening at ART WALK in riverside! i was selling my jewelry in nanc and jo's new studio space!

here i am trying to see who's calling my name,(it was nanc ;).

the art work that's behind me is jo's.

another view of my table,on the wall are some of nanc's photos and one of our WCPC banners.

here are the kids,aka,the roadies! nanc's daughter britt and my son nick went up and down many stairs to bring all the art and set-up into the studio. thank you! you are very good children!

a peek into the studio from the veranda! the kids strung up the prayer flags and everybody loved them.

jo and nanc welcoming all to the studio! we will all be teaching some workshops and once i have the schedule i will let you know. peace!

all photos in this post were taken by nanc and jenn!

Rain,rain go away!

2011-02-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

we had all been so enjoying the sunshine. shadow,(the cat who owns us),had been spending long,lazy afternoons on the back of a chair,in front of the sunny window.

the orchids and yes,even some of my inanimate objects, seemed to turn their faces toward the sunshine.

it was a gloriously,sun-shiney run,however,the rain did finally show up once again. hopefully this rainy stretch won't last quite as long as the last. we all want the sunshine back!

Spring

2011-02-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

i read other blogs and see that so many are showing gorgeous photos of winter scenes. huge mounds of fluff,glittering crystals of ice,great sparkling expanses of white,it's all very beautiful,but,oh my,the chilliness of it all!

living in southern california makes for a totally different kind of winter. the white i'm seeing is the fluff of flowering tree branches.

the bees and ladybugs have started visiting and there is a constant humming going on right outside my front door.

a small hummingbird sits in the bottlebrush tree right outside the front window and diligently surveys his turf for interlopers. those who dare to set foot in his space risk being dive-bombed,or at the very least,loudly scolded.

yes its a very different winter,and one i am very fond of.

WCPC

2011-02-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

the new website for "women creating peace collective",is up and running!

i'm a founding member of the collective and i am so happy to announce that we will be hosting a women's conference on march 26th,in the mission inn district of riverside california.

we are now accepting applications for vendors,so if you're interested please go to the website and sign up. you can also contact me at gypsysouls8@yahoo.com, (i'm on the vendors committee),and i'll do what i can to help you get signed-up.

you can also go to the website and purchase tickets to attend the event. i hope to see you there,...it's gonna be awesome!

NEW CLASS!

2011-02-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

nick and i finally made it out to paper tales to set up new classes for the spring and it's going to be so much fun! we love,love,love,the shop and all the gals who work there. seriously,if you have not visited paper tales,you are missing out on some wonderful supplies and wonderful people.

the first class i will be teaching is my "pocket journal". if you know me,then you know how much i love to work on a small scale,and this journal is nice and small.

i will provide all the materials for the class,including the hand-etched mother of pearl charm!

i will do a quick demo of my pen and watercolor entries and if people are interested you can spend an extra hour with me and explore this type of journaling.

the date for this class is saturday,february 26th from 2-5. space is limited,so call and sign up soon,i'd love to see you there!

working on new stuff!

2011-01-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

i've been busy trying to recuperate from the holidays and working on new class proposals,(the photo above is a little sneak peek). once i have the new classes set up i will let you all know.

the first mermaids mercantile of the year will be happening on february 5th and 6th,nick and i will be there on sunday february 6th!

New Beginnings

2011-01-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

considering the events of this past year,some of you might believe that i will be glad to see it go. however,that is not really the case. it will be hard to let go of this past year because the majority of it was spent with two of the most important people in my life.

losing my husband and my father has been the hardest thing i have ever gone thru,and i am still going thru it,i actually don't know if i will ever get over it. there is a part of me that is so completely broken.

my son nick and our shadow,(the cat who owns us),are part of what keeps me going. knowing that they are still in my care and are depending on me is a big part of what keeps me from just lying in bed and crying all day.

jim and my dad always told me that i was an amazing person and that i could do anything. i will try my hardest to prove them both right.

to all my family and friends old and new,thank you for being here for nick and i. your kind words and actions have meant so much to us.

if you live to be a hundred,i want to live to be a hundred minus a day. so i never have to live without you. --a.a.milne

a favorite quote of jim's.

Christmas Kids!

2010-12-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

some of my many great-nieces and nephews hamming it up in the santa hats i gave them. i decorated the ball at the end of the hats with jack skellington's face and the kids were thrilled with them.

it was a bittersweet holiday and celebrating without my sweet husband and dad was very difficult,but it's said that christmas is for children,and it's always fun watching the kids get so excited. my husband jim loved children and i was never quite sure who was more excited about the holidays,jim or the kids.

Peace

2010-12-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

merry christmas to all our dear friends,old and new.

Rain,rain,....

2010-12-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

well,the rains here in usually sunny so-cal have finally stopped,...at least they've stopped for a little while,as another storm is on it's way!

it's a terribly thing to admit,but i don't like the rain. it's okay for a day or so,however,days and days of it drive me a bit batty and i really start to crave the sunshine.

i did manage to get out during one of the short breaks in the rain and get these photos of some of my plants. i do love the drops of water on everything and i know the plants are enjoying the very long drink that they are getting.

it's hard to believe that just a little over a week ago,the rosemary and bottle-brush shrubs were full of bees and humming birds. in fact,there were so many bees,that you could hear a distinct humming from several feet away.

Christmas Nick!

2010-12-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

it's been a very busy couple of weeks around here. my son nick,just returned home last night after a 10 day trip to northern california. you can't imagine how happy shadow,(the cat who owns us),and i are to have him back.

while nick was gone,i spent a couple of days at my mother's home and we made the tamales for christmas. we also got a bit of shopping done,and started planning a trip for next spring. i also got the boy's presents all wrapped and ready,and am finishing up the gifts that i am making for my friends and family.

sometimes,it is still hard to get through the day,as i still miss my husband and father so much. christmas will be difficult this year,but hopefully,the many memories of my christmases spent with those two wonderful men will help me get through.

Last of the holiday shows!

2010-12-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

these jolly fellows are art on one of the outside walls of the solo gallery in the cedros design district. as you can see,they are all in a holiday mood.

we have one more show this year at the mermaids mercantile,which happens to be right next door to this building. come on down and visit us all this sunday,december 12th!

we will also be at the "get your jolly on" show on saturday, december 11th,at 4354 University Ave,Riverside,CA. this will be a fun show with live entertainment,i know some awesome belly dancers will be performing!

all the photos in this post are by my son nick,including the self-portait in a mirror over t the mercantile. i love this shot of him in a vintage tie and jacket. oh,and by the way,he's not smoking in this photo,(he doesn't smoke and keeps on me to not smoke),it's actually a flaw in the mirror.

You are invited!

2010-12-01T07:36:00.000-08:00

come to the carnivale! we will be vending over at "out of the blue" in solona beach,along with other wonderful artists.

also,it is time again to come to the chateau! this is such a fun show and once again,there are so many amazing artists selling the most wonderful things.

GUESS WHAT?!

2010-11-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

one of my acorn pincushions is in the new sew somerset!

the pincushions were actually the christmas present that i had made for friends and family last year.

i will have a few pincushions and some of my other silk acorn goodies at the mermaid's mercantile show tomorrow. come on out and see me and many other fabulous artists!

New Work!

2010-11-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

here are some of the new pieces that i've been working on! i love these new acorn ornaments! the leaves and acorns are all hand stitched by me and the caps of the acorns are real. they make darling tree ornaments and i've also been wearing one on my jacket.

you can find these at the next few shows i will be doing. on saturday november 20th,nick and i will be at ART IN THE YARD @ 4182 Linwood Place,Riverside Ca.,from 10 to 4.

sunday november 21rst we will once again be at the Mermaids Mercantile down in solano beach.

come and see us along with other fabulous artists and get your holiday shopping going!

ADORABLE!

2010-11-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

while out at the mission this past weekend,i spotted this adorable ladybug girl and her sweet bumblebee dog. aren't they both just precious!?

Dia De Los Muertos

2010-10-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Members of our family went to the San Luis Rey Mission to set up an alter for Dia De Los Muertos. Having just lost my husband and most recently my father, it was very therapeutic for Nick and I to do this. Here's Nick and I with other family members.

Here's the finished alter with many family photographs, artifacts, and foods.

Here's a close up, the small framed photograph is my father who recently passed away and the larger poster board is my father in law who died five years ago.

Nick and I did a lot of people watching while we were at the festival and when this little girl and her dog came by we had to have a photo of her. She and her dad were happy to oblige.

new work!

2010-10-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

here's some of the teeny silk pumpkins i've been working on.

these will be available at the next mermaid's mercantile!

Trying to get back to work

2010-10-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

i am slowly starting to get back on track with things. obviously life for my son and i is very different and we are still working on finding our way.

as you can see,on the right side of the blog are listings for our next shows,so come and see us.

while i hadn't been able to create for several weeks,it seems now that ideas are flowing in and i hope to have some new stuff to show you soon.

memorial service

2010-09-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

the memorial service for my dear husband will be held at 11:30am on saturday september 25th at st.patrick catholic church,carlsbad ca.92008.

a reception will follow at the home of karl and stephanie molinar at 1861 timber trail,vista,ca.92081.

please attend if you are able and help us celebrate the life of a truly special person. peace,sabrina

2010-09-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

james e. molinar

july 26, 1961-september12, 2010

2010-09-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Been working on something special, can you guess what it is?

As you can see Shadow (the cat who owns us) is modeling with one of my new Halloween banners! These are all hand-made by me, using vintage fabrics, sequins, beads, and whatever else I might find in my scraps of stiching goodies! I will have some of these at a special show at The Mermaid's Merchantile on Sunday September 5th. Come by and see us.

come and see the mermaids!

2010-08-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

sorry i don't have any photos today,(no tech support from the boy). anyway,just wanted to remind you all that the mermaid's mercantile is happening this weekend and nick and i will be there tomorrow!
i have some great new pieces and there are going to be some very cool give-aways happening. come and join the fun,you won't be sorry,if fact,you might be sorry if you miss it!

New Work!

2010-08-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't posted sooner than this, but i've been busy working on new jewelry and just keeping it together with life in general.

here is susan modeling some of the new work

i personally love long dangling earrings, but I know some people prefer a shorter version.

either way they're very cute and very wearable!

i also got some petal earrings done. these are always favorites, and i love finding new words to hammer into them.

this is always a good word, don't you think? leave me a comment with one of your favorite words!

A glove in hand!

2010-08-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

don't you just love vintage gloves? i remember wearing gloves to mass when i was a little girl and now i collect them.

i decided i wanted to do something with the gloves and this is what i came up with!

i love the way this glove-purse turned out!

i stitched a silk lining inside and it's got just enough room to carry a few basics. i think it would be a fun evening bag.

i have also been working on the mini books and should soon be doing a class on these.

they are alot of fun to make and i can't seem to stop making them! ;o)

i will also have these available for sale at the next mermaid's mercantile and at the next chateau de fluers.

we have also been busy with doctors appointments,you can read about that here.

55th Anniversary!

2010-08-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

here are my mom and dad with the majority of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren,(i think we were missing one of each in this photo).

tomorrow the family will be celebrating mommy and daddy's 55th wedding anniversary! can you imagine,55 years together?

my parents have always been great role models for my siblings and i and even more so,they have been wonderful parents. we are a very close family and that doesn't mean we always get along and agree with each other. but,the thing we have learned to do is forgive each other and try to be there for each other.

thanks mom and dad for this amazing life! thank you for believing in me,and for showing me that good things do happen thru love,work,and sheer determination!

keeping busy!

2010-08-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

we've been busy here with appointments for jim. however,i do have some cuteness to share with you. the little sweetie above is a peg doll i painted a few months back. the really fun thing about her is that she is also answers your questions with her spinner!

these are some photos of a couple of necklaces that i had made for a client. she had given me most of the components from her collection and as you can see i added some of my own touches to them.

i've also been keeping busy working on some new class proposals and some new jewelry for the next mermaids mercantile! i'll post some pics of those things later this week.

a wonderful time was had by all!

2010-08-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

nick and i had a fabulous time teaching my class over at Paper Tales! the staff in that shop are so wonderful and make every effort to make sure that everyone is comfortable and happy.

here are photos of my students wearing their new scrapbook journals.

here are the close-ups of all the stunning pieces!

thanks so much ladies,i had a blast,i can hardly wait to teach again!

p.s. all the photos in this post were taken by nick g. molinar thanks nick!

come take a class!

2010-07-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

saturday i'll be teaching my scrapbook necklace class over at Paper Tales! there's still room if you'd like to join us!

exciting,crazy, weekend!

2010-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

where do you get to take your picture with r2d2 and storm troopers? comic con baby!

we were so excited that hubby was well enough to go on saturday. the tickets had been last year's christmas gift to us from jim's sister. at the beginning of the year we found out about jim's cancer,but we held onto the tickets hoping that he would be well enough to go.

jim with the harry potter legos!

nick getting into the spirit of things!

we got to meet the author ray bradbury,...jim was thrilled!

this is jim with andrea. she there promoting a book called "badass" and when she found out that jim was battling cancer she told him he had to keep a badass attitude and beat this cancer thing! as you can see,she gave him a t-shirt. ben thompson is the guy who wrote the book and he gave jim a signed copy.

the random acts of kindness that we came across in the craziness that is comic con was wonderful!

July Mermaid's Mercantile!

2010-07-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

well,once again it is a Mermaid's Mercantile weekend and i will be there on Sunday!

i will have some brand new pieces to sell and plenty of the favorites!

2010-07-22T10:30:00.000-07:00


yesterday i went out to have breakfast and hang out with my dear friend tammie! we were celebrating my birthday,which was way over a month ago,but,tammie and i hadn't been able to get together until now. well,in the above picture you can see the gorgeous,artsy tote that she made for me.

here is a close-up of the darling rhinestone and chenille flower pin she made to go on the bag.

now most would think that the bag was enough of a great birthday present,but not tammie. there were even more goodies in the bag!

there was this darling dolls trunk,here with shadow,(the cat who owns us).

of course,the trunk was filled with more delightful stuff!

don't you just love this sweet pincushion doll?

lovely birthday card and even more special to me since my middle name is rose. thank you so much tammie,i love it all and i love you too!

Just a Peek!

2010-07-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

here's a little peek at what i've been working on!

i have been working on bracelets using velvet ribbon,sterling,and some wonderful mother-of-pearl buckles that i got from rachel. i also have some fab new earrings that i've been working on,i'll post photos soon.

these will be available at the next mermaid's mercantile on the weekend of july 24-25. please note that while the show is for the two days,i will only be there on SUNDAY the 25th,(i have a family outing on saturday).

More Urban Barn baby!

2010-07-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

as promised,here are some more photos from the Urban barn! once again,ALL photos were taken by nick!

cupid laughing under a rose arbor!

a fierce lion wearing a rose garland!

some darling birdcages to wear around your neck,...these were made by lisa loria.

a vintage birdcage covered in roses. doesn't it look like one of lisa's pendants?

another birdcage,this one with a sweet bunny sitting inside.

so much sparkly,crystal goodness!

here is the photographer!

here's jim chatting with rita. you can see his chemo pump bag hanging over his shoulder. at the bottom of my blogroll is a link to the blog about jim's battle with cancer.

the guys and i enjoyed our time at the barn,(even with the heat). it is definitely a must see destination!

URBAN BARN!!!

2010-07-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

the guys and i went out to the Urban Barn today for the grand opening flea market! the weather was fiercely hot,but it didn't stop all the lovely vendors from giving it their all. as always,there was just so much gorgeousness.

these photos were ALL taken by my son nick!

rainbow sparkles coming from pink crystals in the bright,hot sun.
dear rita with her darling bella,....both of them beauties!
hydrangea blossoms and a small chandelier hang from a small wire bed frame.
i loved,loved,loved this small red doll cupboard and all the sweet pincushions that this artist made!
i have many,many more great photos that nick shot,so i'll post more soon!

Out in Oceanside Harbor

2010-07-13T22:31:00.000-07:00

sunday we had an outing to the oceanside harbor! a cousin of jim's was visiting and asked us to come down and to hang with her and her husband on their boat. jim was very excited about this and me,well,not so much. you see,jim grew up a block away from the ocean and i grew up in a desert valley,...i am not a boat person.
it was a fabulous day to be down at the coast! the weather was gorgeous,and the company was fun. nick and minnie became fast friends and we loved her little doggie life jacket,it has a handle so minnie looked like a small purse with legs!
jim's sister,(aunty mary),was visiting also and was very much prepared for the sunny weather.
here we have cousin bobbi,jim's mom,and my sweetie sitting in the back of the boat,having a great time. as it turned out,i had alot of fun also.
i did end up getting sunburned,i felt a bit queasy some of the day,and when we got home that evening i still felt that rolling sort of motion for awhile. but i got to visit with family and of course,enjoying the day with my guys is always a good thing!

New work and a give away!

2010-07-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

i finally got nick to help me get these photos done and on the computer,(yes,i'm still technologically challenged). these tiny book pendants were inspired by a piece i saw a woman wearing at a show. the pendant she had on was bound differently. i would have needed a book press to do it and i don't have one,so i decided to try a pamphlet style binding and i really like the way it turned out. i,of course,had to add some sparkle,so i wired a gemstone or pearl to it.

when i made these,both my guys insisted on having one. the photo above is nick wearing his. nick thinks he might write some inspirational words in his and i'm thinking i might do the same. i might even ask friends and family to give me some of their favorite words to put in there!

maybe,if you run into me out in the world,and you see me wearing this,you can tell me one of your favorite words!
hey,if you leave me a comment on this post with one of your favorite words,i'll put your name in to win one of these sweet little book pendants! if you post about the give away,(and let me know),on your blog,you can have your name put in twice and have an extra chance to win! i will accept comments for this give away until july 15th,(one week),and will announce the winner on july 16th. good luck!

getting some rest!

2010-07-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

after the last couple of crazy,busy weeks,filled with doctor's appointments,chemo,and art shows,we are finally getting a bit of rest.
our dear shadow,(the cat who owns us),shows us that afternoon naps are a good thing. jim and shadow both prefer the reclining chair as a napping spot. they have finally come to a compromise where jim naps on the chair and shadow naps on the top of the chair. i really need to get a photo of the two of them doing this.as we all know,work will be getting done even during this resting period. i have a couple of new jewelry designs the i will be debuting at the next mermaids mercantile! i really love these new pieces and my guys have already requested one for themselves. photos will be coming soon.
also,on july 31rst,i will be teaching my scrapbook necklace,(pictured below), class over at paper tales down in san diego! this is a really fun class and if you haven't made it over to paper tales yet,well,you just have to go there! they have wonderful people working there and gorgeous stuff to buy.

2010-07-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

this week has been very busy with appointments for jim. the good news is that the masses on his liver are shrinking and his body is tolerating the chemo fairly well. the not so good news is that he will continue the chemo treatments thru the summer.

please keep those good thoughts and prayers coming. the bumps in the road are a bit less right now,but we still have a long stretch of road ahead of us.

more mm photos

2010-06-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

here are a couple of more photos that nick took at the mermaids mercantile!

this is a collaged suitcase that valentina had in her booth. i also have a gorgeous little mother-of-pearl pin that i got from her and need to photograph. valentina always has beautiful things in her booth.this is a photo of nicki's booth and as you can see,she a mermaid fan also. she needle felts the most wonderful things and her mermaids are obviously favorites of mine! call "out of the blue" and see about taking a class with her.
also,i wanted to ask you all to think good thoughts today for my husband jim. we go to see the doctor this afternoon and get the results from the last ct scan. we are hoping that his masses have shrunk and that this will be the last round of chemo. keep us in your prayers!

what a fun weekend!

2010-06-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

well,nick and i had another fabulous weekend at the mermaids mercantile! it really is a fun show for us and it's more like spending the day hanging out with friends than working. those of you that have not made it out to visit us,(and all the other great vendors), at this show,well you really,really,need to do it! here are some pics that nick took over the weekend.this is janina and her crazy delicious cupcakes! every month she has new flavors and she always gives you a sample. believe me,once you taste these cupcakes,you will want more. this month nick and i especially loved the pina colada flavor,...omg,so good!
here's nick's self portrait for the day,....love his reflection in the mirror.
here we have marie,she's a vintage display piece and a 50th birthday present from my friend nanc. everyone loves marie and you would not believe how many people have asked to purchase her.
this is susan,(yes i am one of those people who names things),she was a gift from my mom. susan used to sit on a shelf at home,until i had the bright idea to use her as a display piece. i'm planning on making some sisters for susan,and maybe selling them.
the last photo here is one of me! i was unaware at the time that nick was trying to photograph me,but i actually like this picture. glasses perched on the end of my nose,intent on a project,needle or pliers in my hands,...that's me!

life is a fairy tale

2010-06-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

i've been busy working on new jewelry! i love the pink pearls on these fairy tale earrings. these earrings were inspired by some things that have gone on in my life lately. as you know my husband jim is battling cancer,and while that part of our lives is so not a fairy tale,the love,support,and honest caring that we receive from so many truly is.these "soar" earrings are in a small petal shape and so great for the ladies who aren't comfortable wearing larger earrings. of course,we all want to soar to the highest of our abilities!
since it is the last weekend of the month,nick and i will be selling my jewelry down at "the mermaid's mercantile" in gorgeous solano beach. remember that for the summer months the mercantile is going on for the whole weekend,so we will be there on saturday june 26th and on sunday june 27th!

Suzi Blu and Gigi too!

2010-06-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

nick and i had a fab time at the chateau de fluer marketplace,(as always)! it's always a fun show and i love,love,love,all the wonderful vendors that we get to meet and work with,they are truly some of the most lovely and kind women you could know.
in the two days that i was there i only managed to get one photo,but it's a really fun one! i got to meet suzi blu and her sweet little dog gigi! unfortunately,the photo i took of nick with suzi and gigi turned out to be one big,odd blur,(nick is so not happy with me). anyway,it was fun to meet and talk with this very talented and sweet woman

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2010-06-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

today is a very special day,17 years ago today a very special person came into my life,...today is my son nick's birthday! you wouldn't know it to look at him today,but nick was a preemie,he only weighed 2 pounds and 10 ounces at birth.his father and i have been so blessed to have this remarkable person in our lives.

we love you nick and are so proud of you. happy birthday my bebe!

2010-06-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

here we have our dear shadow,(the cat who owns us). she was not very pleased with me snapping a photo while she was trying to take her afternoon nap! jim and the cat both have a fondness for napping in this chair and it's always an adventure to see who will win the battle for the chair.
we have been resting this week,(between chemo treatments),and while jim has been doing fairly well,the reality is that it is starting to take a toll on him. add in the medical center making a mistake in billing the insurance and deciding that we owed them sixty three thousand dollars and you can see that it's been a bit of a tough week! well,the insurance stuff has been resolved,(hopefully),and we are all feeling a bit better. jim want very much to attend a family reunion this weekend and i'm trying very hard to make it happen.

2010-06-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

here is a photo of most of the lovely ladies who vended at the last "chateau de fluers"! it's a great show with lots of great stuff to buy and this time around there will be even more vendors and more stuff!there will be several other barn sales going on in the fallbrook area that day,so be sure to ask for one of the maps that will guide you to these other spots,...fallbrook is definitely the place to be for those 2 days!
this past tuesday,(june 1rst),i celebrated my birthday! my son nick baked cupcakes for me and the guys and i celebrated quietly here at home,...it was perfect! this birthday seemed be be the year of the roses,my friend nanc gave me a gorgeous rose called "double delight".
she also gave me this mermaid! she's really a candle holder,but i decided i liked her better as a picture frame! she really is a wonderful piece and since i have a great love of mermaids and collect them,she is a perfect gift for me.
this is the other rose bush i received,"princess of monaco"is her name and she was a gift from my guys.
this has been one of our busy weeks. jim had his chemo treatment yesterday and tomorrow we will go back to the cancer center to have his pump removed. sunday we are off to see the family and celebrate some more birthdays. we've also been invited to a retirement party for sunday evening. it's so nice to be wanted,but my plate is getting just a bit too full right now. *giggles*

my guys

2010-05-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

allow me to introduce you to my guys,...here is my son nick! nick is our only child and truly a gift to us. can you believe this almost 17 year old guy was a preemie?! he didn't even weigh 3 pounds when he was born.
this other guy is my husband jim and obviously one of the most important guys in my life. this past may 10th was the 18th anniversary of our meeting. it sounds so corny,but we both knew that we were meant for each other after that first date. jim actually asked me to marry him one week after we met!
jim is dealing with cancer right now,which pretty much means that we as a family are dealing with cancer. it's a difficult road and while we have alot of support from family and friends,the three of us are finding that our greatest support is each other.
please add my husband jim to your prayers.

2010-05-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

this holiday weekend will be spent enjoying the gorgeous weather and beautiful roses. my guys and i don't really have plans for memorial day,but right just being home and quiet sounds very good to me.

maybe i'll play around a bit with my camera and try to get some more "reflected" shots!

i'll most definitely work on getting some more pieces done for the chateau de fluers!

2010-05-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

nick and i had a wonderful day at the mermaids mercantile,we love,love,love vending there! the place is beautiful and fun,the people are so nice,and lots of our family and friends come to visit us there. ;o) i met the lovely maija and her friend michelle and that was cool,i follow her blog and love to read about her artsy adventures. i was sorry later that i hadn't thought to take a photo of her and michelle,...maybe next time!
now i really need to get ready for the next show which is the "chateau de fluers" right here in fallbrook! rita and christie put on a great show and i'm soooo looking forward to it! hope to see you there!

2010-05-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

growing things

2010-05-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

here at the small cozy home that i share with my family,...here we have growing things. i am constantly amazed by the things one can see in our tiny yard,things that are growing and things that are helping things to grow. the ladybugs have been oh so abundant this year and i am truly grateful,(no having to use nasty stuff to keep my roses aphid free).
my cecile brunner rose has been in bloom since february and shows no sign of stopping. it's sweet rose scent tickles at your nose whenever you stand on the porch. it is even sweeter to me since several years ago, the bareroot bush was a christmas gift from my husband.
these are my two most precious growing things! my son nick won't stop growing and i know my time with him is getting short since he will be 18 in just over a year and college will soon take up most of his time. shadow,(the cat who owns us),is now 5 years old,so her growing has stopped,although she does continue to round out a bit. i love this photo of shadow sniffing the roses while nick holds her.
to paraphrase,"stop a moment and take time to smell the roses"! i say,"try to not miss the opportunity of noticing something wonderful"!

show time!

2010-05-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

in just a little less than 2 weeks it will be time for "the mermaid's mercantile"! nick and i love,love,love this show and all the women involved with it. come on down to see us and all the other talented women,you're bound to find some treasure that you can't live without. *giggles*