Shadow Boxes: Little Birds & Nests

I'm busy crafting away, making a bunch of soldered 3-D shadowbox pendants for an art event at a local winery happening this weekend.

some soldered, some not yet

I wish I had a crystal ball to know how much effort to put into all my labors...I hate to work myself to a frazzle if not that many folks show up.  And I'd hate to not make enough, in case people come out in droves.

Oh well, what doesn't sell will go into my one-of-these-days-I'm-actually-going-to-start-one-up etsy shop.  Or, they could be a great head-start on inventory for our next big holiday bazaar next November.  Or, maybe I'll sell out this Sunday!

 

I have to say, though, I really do enjoy making these little labors of love. They are so sweet and tiny, and allow me to be persnickety and a wee bit anal retentive.  Weird, but that's how I am.

Update:

The sale at the winery went great, even though the crowds never really came (another big wine event at the coast was stiff competition)!  I sold most of the necklaces and a bunch of other stuff despite the low turnout, so it was worth it :-)

 

Missing Gus

My dad died a month ago, and I'm still reeling from it.  I go for a few days and I'm okay, and then some little memory will open the floodgate of tears.  He was a very special man, extremely charismatic, a real character.  He drove me crazy much of the time, but I adored him nonetheless.  He was both bombastic and humble, defied death until he was 97, but even at that age seemed invincible.  My three sisters and I relied on him for advice and a good laugh until the last week of his life.  While my mom, at 95, suffers from dementia, Dad remained pretty darn sharp (with a steel-trap memory), funny, and wise.  He lived in an apartment on his own, on his computer and facebook daily.  But one last heart attack did him in, even though he lived through other heart episodes, illness, and injuries in the past.  He was an incredible life-force while on this earth.  I miss him so much.

 tootling around wal*mart.  people thought he was 80, even though here he was 96

always a lover: giving mom a smooch at the nursing home where he visited her often

dad, looking like a sweet teddy bear, with me in 1985

me and my daddy, around 1958