Christmas with family

I spent Christmas with my husband's family and had a great time yesterday!  He's got a large family, and they're all very close and loving.  The aunts always put together a huge feast with lots of delicious food.  Most people, myself included, bring a little something extra for dinner.  Kathy is famous for her coleslaw and macaroni and cheese, and desserts are always appreciated from anyone- LOL!  I usually make something different every year- this year it was banana bread, and I'm already thinking about what to make for next year.  John made a really nice Christmas Tree shaped cake, and that's got me thinking about different holiday cakes I could make.  The creativity just never stops- LOL!
Of course there were tons of presents, especially for all the little ones. I think there were toys from one end of that house to the other!  No one is ever forgotten in this family though.  They all make sure everyone gets something.  That's one reason I love creating and giving gifts to all of them.  It's just another way for me to thank them for being such kind, generous people.   Everyone loved all the gifts I got on ArtFire, and a few shops may end up with some after Christmas sales- I made sure to give out cards for all the shops I got gifts from.  They really liked the gifts that I made as well.  I made this cute little Santa Cat sculpture for Sue.  She's another animal lover and has rescued MANY cats and found good homes for countless critters over the years.


For Andy, Lynn, and Sonya I made personalized mini spa tins.  I covered metal coffee tins with fabric and made name plates from polymer clay.  I filled the tins with samplers from Norma's Bath and Body.  Those were some delicious smelling gifts!
I knit warm winter hats for Pa, Don, and Bill (all different, of course) and they enjoyed those, especially since this has been such a cold winter already.  Pa lives in Tennessee, and these NE Ohio winters hit him pretty hard.  He usually only stays for a few days when he and his daughter visit in the winter.
So my Christmas was filled with fun, family, laughter, and food.  I hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday as well!
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Christmas gifts I created for my family

My brother, sister in law, and nieces received their Christmas gifts, so now I can show you what I made! :)  The girls couldn't wait until Christmas to open the package, so they got some of their presents a little early.  For my sister in law, Ana, I made a pretty blue and red heart shaped trinket box.  It started with a metal filigree heart, which I painted with iridescent red paint.  I pressed blue polymer clay against the inside of the heart, allowing it to press through the filigree. I made a lid of polymer clay  and lined the bottom of the heart with felt.  I think it turned out quite nice!

I made a trinket box for my brother Mike as well.  I didn't really have a set plan when I started making Mike's gift.  I just let the clay guide me and  I ended up making a raised diamond pattern on the clay.  After baking the box I filled the diamond shapes with Gallery Glass in various colors to create a stained glass look.  For the lid I filled the diamond shapes with different colors of embossing powder before baking.  I even used some glow in the dark Gallery Glass for a fun effect when you turn out the lights.  My neices got a kick out of that!


  Several months ago my niece Jessica asked if I could make her a stuffed dog, so I knew exactly what she wanted for Christmas. I made a dog for her younger sister as well- I try to make sure the kid's gifts are somewhat similar, so there's no jealousy. When it comes to presents most kids are easy- ask them what they want, and generally they tell you!  Of course the same can't be said for brothers- LOL!  For Jessica I chose to make a more realistic dog using some very nice tan fur fabric I had left over from another project.  For Andrea, the younger sister, I chose to make a more whimsical stuffed dog.  I used super soft blue chenille recycled from a bathrobe and stuffed the dog with plastic pellets and polyester fiberfill.  I was very happy with the way both dogs turned out, and so were the girls.


The box of homemade Snickerdoodle cookies were well received too!  Jessica had a mouth full of them when she called to thank me for the gifts- LOL!  I love making gifts for people, especially my nieces.  When they see what I can create, they're inspired to be creative as well.  And if I can inspire a child to delve into arts and crafts and embrace their creativity, that's the best gift I could ever get!
I hope everyone has a very Happy Holiday and Santa leaves plenty of presents for one and all! :)
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Handmade Holidays

My Handmade Holidays

My holidays have just about always been handmade.  When I was young I had no money to buy gifts, so I made little presents for my parents and grandparents. Thirty years later, some of my first creations can still be found on Gramma's shelves!  I've always been a creative person, and as I got older I grew more skilled at sewing, sculpting, and crafting in general.  I was able to tailor the gifts for each person's tastes.  I even learned new art forms in order to create gifts for certain people.   For me, the joy of giving a gift I made myself just can't be beat.  Whether it's homemade cookies or an elaborate and meaningful sculpture, people appreciate something that comes not only from my heart, but from my hands.  This holiday season I'll be pretty busy, so I may actually break down and buy some gifts.  But every gift I give will be handmade.  That's become very important to me.  And I love supporting my fellow artisans as well- sales always make for a merrier Christmas!   When I buy on ArtFire, I feel like I'm buying from friends, and I've always been quite pleased with everything I've purchased on ArtFire.
Like many, I've already started making some of the Christmas gifts I plan to give.  My best friend and her family will be visiting for Thanksgiving, so we'll exchange gifts then.  She has a young son who loves dragons, and I'm working on a plush green dragon for him.  I may add a knight or wizard if I have time.  I really enjoy making gifts for children, and seeing that smile on their face when they open up their present.  I remember being a little girl and Gramma making dolls and stuffed animals for me.  Those were the most special gifts, because Gramma made them just for me.  I'd sit at her knee and watch her sew the pattern pieces together by hand, and just feel like I must have been so special for her to make something like that for me.  You know, that's what Christmas is about for me- the love of family and friends and the joy of being together with them.  And the gifts I give come from my heart and hands, not WalMart.
Here's wishing everyone a happy handmade holiday! 
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Mother's visit

My mother is visiting for a few days, which is really awesome. I haven't seen her in about 10 years, since we live in different states and have been unable to visit for one reason or another. Even after all these years, it's so easy to talk with her. We're very much alike- something that used to bother me as a teenager, but now I'm proud of. We've spent a lot of time at the nursing home with Gramma since Mother's been here. It's the happiest I've seen Gramma in long time, which makes me very happy as well. My mother is an amazing person. She talks about my younger brother believing that she can do anything (and denying that she can), but he's not the only one who thinks that way. At 60 she can still sling a bale of hay, ride horses, drive for days straight, and she looks much younger than her real age. Plus, she's so COOL! I can talk to her about anything. She's very intelligent, open minded, articulate, creative, and more than a little nuts (or eccentric, as she likes to say- LOL). We were up until almost 5am talking, and she was back up early this morning, without a problem. She can run circles (mentally and physically) around people half her age. She's got a great sense of humor (just a bit warped, like my own). And the most amazing thing- even Cedric likes her. Cedric is an incredibly shy cat, and only a very few people outside myself, my husband, and Gramma have even seen him. Normally he'll hide under the bed in fear when someone comes into the house. Mother has such a wonderful way with animals that he was relaxed enough to play near her. It took about 4 years before he would play in the same room with Gramma- that's how skittish he is. But he never even went under the bed when Mother came downstairs. Then when we all went upstairs, he actually followed us and hung out for quite a while. For Cedric, this is monumental, and it speaks volumes about my mother. Can you tell I love and admire the woman? In my eyes, she's strength personified. I learned so much from this woman, and continue to learn from her. And the really great thing is that she continues to learn as well. We had a good laugh when my uncle tried to call her old. Sorry, but my mother is NOT old, and has no intention of getting old any time soon. This has been a wonderful visit. I didn't realize just how much I missed her until I saw her again. She goes back home tomorrow, and I know the house will seem empty without her. Of course we'll talk on the phone several times a week, like we always do, but I'll be looking forward to seeing her in person again. I feel pretty lucky to have a parent like her. She's a truly amazing woman.
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

Hard to believe it's "turkey day" already (where did the year go?).  Unfortunately I won't be able to have dinner with my husband's family this year, as we usually do.  I can't leave Gramma for that long and too many of his relatives are sick. I can't afford to bring the flu back home .  I will be cooking a small turkey breast and a few sides, but nothing too fancy.  I am very grateful that my in laws are here for the holiday though.  It's been far too long since I've seen them, and I really missed Mom especially.  I got pretty lucky when it comes to in laws.  While I won't get to see Mom and Dad on Thanksgiving, I will get to see them during the weekend.  Another little miracle I'm thankful for is that my cat Ozzy seems to be feeling much better.  He's eating well, and even came upstairs to say hi to Mom and Dad while they were over.  He's been playful and vocal, just like he normally is.  I also want to thank everyone who sent kind wishes his way.  I think all those postive thoughts helped.

I'm thankful, too, that I found ArtFire, and met so many wonderful artists there.  I've had more sales and more positive feedback than anywhere else I've sold.  I've also been inspired to try more complex projects and dared to go outside my comfort zone a bit.  I think this is a wonderful venue for me, and I've felt comfortable on ArtFire from day one.  I've learned SO much since I started on ArtFire it's amazing. Heck, I'm even able to help the newbies now.

Then there's my family- I'm very thankful for those who have helped, comforted, and supported me in all I've done throughout the years.  I guess I'm pretty lucky to have family and friends who have encouraged me to take my creativity and artwork further.  They had faith in my abilities long before I did.  My best friend, Monica, is an absolute angel.  She's always been there for me, through good times and through some really bad times.  We were college roommates and have been best friends ever since.  I think it was fate that we met.  She's made me a better person and she can always bring a smile to my face.

While a lot a things in my life have been incredibly difficult and downright bad, when I think about it, I have a whole lot to be thankful for.  I have wonderful friends and family, a roof over my head, Gramma's still here, and I'm doing what I love for a living (being an artist, that is).  There's a lot more I have to be thankful for, but I don't want to bore you.  So when life is really getting you down, try to remember the good things.  Even something as simple as a sunset, or the warm breeze through your hair, or the purr of your cat, is something to be thankful for.  So I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!  Now go eat lots of turkey and pass out on the couch!

-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Update on my brother in law, Jerry

For those of you who didn't read my earlier post about Jerry, he recently was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had his thyroid remove. He went to the doctor today to get the lab results and see if it had spread. Thank God it hadn't. I had a hard time waiting for Mom to call, but when she did, it was very good news. Jerry is now cancer free- they got it all. He will have to undergo some treatments (don't know exactly what just yet), just as a precaution. I can't even tell you how happy we were to hear that he was going to be OK. The poor guy deserves a break already! For more than a year he's had doctor appointments every week, often several in one week. It's taken a toll on my mother in law (Mom) as well. Last week she went to the emergency room thinking she had a heart attack- pain in her chest, numbness in her left arm. It turned out to be a panic attack, which really isn't surprising considering all the stress she's been under lately. She's another woman who puts everyone else's needs ahead of her own. She takes care of Jerry, Dad, and her father in law, all of which is a full time job and then some. She also remembers to send cards to my Gramma at least a few times a month. Those kind little gestures mean so very much. I told her she's got to start taking care of herself too. I couldn't stand the thought of losing Mom. She's treated me like family since before we were married. We've had many long pleasant talks, in person and on the phone. She's the most non-judgemental person I've ever met. I certainly got lucky when I inherited her, Jerry, Dad, and the rest of the family as in laws.

Jerry

My brother in law, Jerry was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He has some special needs and lives with his mom and dad. He's been through so much in his life, starting with open heart surgery when he was 15, and consequently contracting Hepatitis from the blood transfusion, to dental problems, hearing problems, to a multitude of skin issues. And through everything he's kept smiling and joking. He's spent more time in doctor's offices in about 40 years of life than anyone should ever have to endure. He's had to take countless medications, endure painful shots, deal with all sorts of side effects, and miss out on many things in life. This summer we were hoping he might finally get a break. The shots he was taking actually cured his Hepatitis, and the various medications for his skin finally got rid of all his rashes. Then he had a lump on his thyroid tested. The doctors confirmed that it was cancer. This crushed the rest of us, although Jerry seemed to take it in stride. His brother (my husband Jim), has been consumed with worry. It makes it so much harder that we live in Ohio and Jerry lives in Tennessee. It's an 8 hour drive, but we don't even have the money for gas right now. Jim would have to go by himself anyway, because I can't leave leave Gramma. I know he wants to be with Jerry more than anything right now. We may be able to work something out in the near future though.
Today Jerry had his thyroid removed, and thankfully everything went well. I even heard him in the background when I was talking to Mom. He actually felt well enough to thank me for the Jack O Lantern candle holder I made for him. He felt well enough to eat and drink a little bit too, as well as appreciate the pretty nurses! We don't know how long he'll have to be in the hospital just yet. He'll have to take chemo treatments starting in about a week. I think we should know a little more tomorrow.
It seems so unfair that such a kind and gentle person like Jerry should have to suffer so much. He's creative and artistic, has tons of different hobbies he enjoys (he's not able to work), he's great with kids and animals, and even helps Mom around the house. He actually got the wild foxes to trust him enough to eat from his hand! He's the only person in the world aside from myself, Jim, and Gramma who have ever petted my cat Cedric. That shows a HUGE amount of trust. Animals know good people. And kids just adore Jerry. He gets down on their level and plays with them and listens to what they say, and sees them as equals, rather than "just kids".
We're all praying as hard as we can that he'll be OK and get through his chemo with a minimum of pain and side effects. He doesn't seem to be worried or scared. He's such a good natured person, no matter what he's forced to deal with. Jerry's always got a smile on his face and a joke to tell.
I'll post more as I find out more. Hopefully it will all be good news.
-Michelle of CreativeCritters

Gramma's coming home!

Well, Gramma should be coming home from the hospital tomorrow. She's been in there for 2 weeks now with pneumonia. My husband and I have visited her at the hospital just about every day. I hate hospitals, but I'll do anything for Gramma. We've been living with her for several years, and my life pretty much revolves around her. Having the house to ourselves for 2 weeks has actually been weird. I'm just so used to her being there, fixing dinner for her, talking with her, and just having her around. The great thing about Gramma is that, mentally, she's still sharp as a tack, even though she's 93. We moved in here because it was getting too hard for her to take care of the house and her arthritis kept her from doing a lot of things. I couldn't see moving her into a nursing home- that's an absolute last resort. I don't mind taking care of her and the house and the yard. She took care of me until I was 13, so it's only right that I return the favor.

Her pneumonia appears to have cleared up, and she's spent the last several days doing physical therapy to regain the strength she's lost over the last month or so. This all started at the beginning of May with bronchitis, which the antibiotics never fully cured. Poor thing hasn't been eating much for quite a while, so it'll take a while for her to get back to "full strength". Of course the terrible hospital food hasn't helped either. Her social worker told me she'd be getting a physical therapist coming to the house a few times a week once she gets home. I'll be able to see what the therapist does, then do the same when she's not there. One good thing about Gramma is that she's always worked very hard at therapy. She had both knees replaced several years ago and recovered much more quickly than anyone expected. Partially because she had a great surgeon and partially because she worked so hard with her therapy.

Normally she's not bedridden. She gets up, has breakfast, gets dressed (sometimes with help), and keeps herself busy throughout the day. She can't cook any more, but she does chop all the vegetables for the soups and stews I make. I consider it part of her occupational therapy. If she can do it, I don't stop her from doing it. I just make sure she knows that I will gladly take care of anything she can't handle. I don't know how she'll be when she gets home tomorrow, or how much more I'll have to do for her, but I'll just play it by ear. Thankfully I can work from home and arrange my schedule around her needs. She tries hard to do all that she's capable of. I know she doesn't want to be a burden to anybody, but there's no way she'd ever be a burden to me. I love her and I'll do ANYTHING she needs me to do. I'm so thankful to have her in my life, and I'm very happy she'll be back home, where she belongs. Even the cats have missed her- they've been looking all over for her. She'll be glad to see Ozzy and Cedric too- they always make her laugh.