Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to all the February birthdays I know. There are so many--- you know who you are.

***

(This is also a freebie image. Right click the image to save it to your computer. It is from an undated vintage postcard)

It's all in the details

Kerry and I hosted a garden party last Saturday. We decided to have the party primarily to launch our new line of jewelry. We also wanted to thank our former customers for their past business. And, we both enjoy throwing parties.

We tried to think of all the details that would make that evening special: printed invitations, candles, decorations, wine, nice cheese, and of course, goodie bags.

We filled each "Swag bag" with handcrafted items. Kerry painstakingly cut, folded, hole-punched and tied each bag. We choose the familiar brown paper bag for our container, that way we could spend more on the contents. Each bag was tied with a colorful, printed ribbon and had a hand stamped tag to express a wish. All in all, the bags were an interesting addition to our decor. Hopefully each guest enjoyed the things we put inside, too.

Putting yourself out there

Did you ever have the dream that you are giving a speech, naked? Have that anxiety before the first day of school? Have you put yourself "out there" only to worry about the consequences?
This seems to be the current theme of my life. Last week was the first week of school for my 1st and 3rd graders. Molly, my first grader, was (and still is) worried about making friends on the playground. "What if they run away when I ask them to play?" And sadly, that is what first graders do, when they don't know what to say. Mary, 3rd, was worried about getting the new teacher. I am sure the new teacher was just as worried about her class full of young eager faces.
My out on a limb experience came in the form of an art project. As you may have read in our springtime blogs, Kerry and I occasionally give each other assignments. It was my turn, and I chose wooden boxes as the controlling form. We decided to make it a multipurpose project and choose one of the the listed themes from Stampington, so that if we liked our project we could submit them for their Somerset Studio publication. The theme we choose was GREEN. My box was a study of Luck and Envy. Envy on the outside, luck on the inside, with depictions of what others may be envious of and what some may find with simple luck.
When it came time to send in our projects for the publication, we reached a block. First, we couldn't find the address. The next time we tried to ship, we didn't have the right boxes and packing material. Finally, we got it together and packed and shipped the projects. We have no idea if they will ever be used. But putting it out there to be judged was a bit scary.
I guess that's how it is with life. If you put yourself in a position to be judged and assessed, that can be a bit frightening. It might be as simple as cooking a meal for a new friend, reconnecting with an old friend, or throwing a party. There are always the lingering questions, have I done it right? It could be as life changing as applying for a new job or quitting an old one and the question is have I made the right decision?
In the end, I hope that I have done the best I could with what I have. And, I hope that others have done the same.

Unplugged.

My husband and I just returned from a whirlwind weekend to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. It was a quick trip, in and out of Michigan. Just enough time to arrive, celebrate my step-mother's birthday, grocery shop with my aunt, make appetizers, and attend the party.

My Grandma Hannah is some kind of family celebrity. More than forty family members from around the country flew, drove, or ferried to the party. There was a pre-party, a sit down dinner, a cake reception and an after-party! We celebrated for more than 9 hours straight. Grandma and her little brother and little sister (both over 80 years old themselves) were the last to leave at 11:30 pm. If only I could have that kind of energy when I am 90, heck, I would love to have that kind of energy now!

I didn't check my email, the blog, or our sales for almost three days straight! I was unplugged. I don't remember the last time I have gone more than a day without being "connected." Part of me was itching to find a computer and log in. Another part of me resisted the technological temptation and relished the visiting, the party, the family time.

The photo of my grandma's childhood home was part of the celebration. It is the opening photo of an album we made to commemorate her birthday. She opened the album when we gave it to her and said, "Oh, it's our house!" She hadn't seen the photo in years. She lived there with her 6 brothers and sisters and two parents in the two bedroom wooden house in northern Wisconsin.

Her life was truly unplugged. Her childhood didn't have the noise of phones or TVs, or the hum of computers and microwaves. In fact, she and her family lived so far out of town, that in order for them to attend high school, they had to board with other families in the nearest town with a school. And they did. Life was different then.

I enjoyed my weekend away. I enjoyed time spent with my family. I also am happy to be back. Those "old folks" wore me out! And now I can sit down at the computer to plug in...