Easter Egg Fun

I had a fun time dying Easter eggs with my girls last night. It's something I did with my mom each year, even after I was in college. Even after I was married, Jeremy and I would go to Mom's house and spend a fun evening over dinner and dying eggs. Much of it was spent laughing over who could make the most crazy or unique egg, or who could develop the most interesting method of dying the egg.

Pumpkin Egg

I think my husband had a lot of fun dying his Easter eggs, but he may have some holiday confusion.

Deviled Egg

Have a great weekend!

Friday Freebie - Families

Again, from the vintage postcard collection, two intersting family postcards. They always make me wonder....who are these people? where are they from? what did they become? What do you think? Maybe you believe this:

Some family trees bear an enormous crop of nuts.

Or maybe you believe this:

The family, that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor in our innermost hearts never quite wish to.

Enjoy your weekend!

Heart to Heart

This week I received a note telling me that someone I had met had passed away. I had only met him once. He was an older gentleman of 81 years. He had 5 daughters, 17 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. His wife said that he died at home with no pain. If only we could all be so lucky.

Nevertheless, the note cut me to the quick. This gentleman, for the past 9 1/2 years held my mom's heart in his chest. After she died, in 1998, we honored her wishes and donated as many of her organs and body parts as we could. It is not something I talk about much.

I was somehow comforted knowing that her heart still beat, somewhere. I am happy to know that her heart gave that man and his family more than 9 years of togetherness. I am sad, knowing it has finally stopped.

For more information about organ donation contact the Donor Alliance or the donor organization in your area.

10 Things I Learned

Fall is that funny time of year, I look forward to all that it is, cool, colorful, changing, crisp, cozy, but it has its bittersweet bits as well. It is a nostalgic time of year for me. Looking back, I have been thinking about all the things my mom taught me. I never got to thank her for these lessons. With my gratitude for her, I will share them with you:

1. Save everything, you never know when you will need it. I think our studio was meant to be. Kerry and I certainly had a head start getting it set up, with all the wonderful art supplies that my mom had collected over the years.

2. Surround yourself with beautiful things, in the garden, on your walls, in your home. Those things don't have to be expensive, just put care in what you do and how you do them.

3. Never save the good china, silver or crystal for a special day. What is the point of having all those special things away in a cabinet, or in a box?

4. And, if it breaks, that’s okay. After all, they are just things.

5. Always have enough good food and drink in the house to entertain at the drop of a hat.

6. Everyone is beautiful, in his own way. This one drove me nuts as a teenager. I actually think it was part of a song lyric from the 70's that my mom tormented me with--does anyone recognize it? Always the optimist, my mom could find beauty in anyone or anything. I appreciate it now.

7. Be inclusive, the more the merrier. Holidays and parties were grand affairs at our house!

8. Never turn away a friend. Whatever a friend or relative needed, my mom was sure to try and accommodate.

9. Laughter is necessary and contagious. My home was always filled with laughter and happiness.

10. Be kind, it’s that simple.

It has been almost 9 years since my mom died. It was too soon, too sudden, and we had way too many plans for her to go. But her legacy lives on in our studio. And I hope that I learned enough of her lessons so that I can continue her vision.

-R

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...