Divinely Crafty

dylan earrings2

Originally uploaded by Divinely Crafty

The weeks leading up to Christmas this year were marked by one of the worst flares to date in all the years I have lived with fibromylagia.

Normally the holidays are a time of busy crafting and creating. I have always loved attending to the details that make holidays special times. Not always showy or grand, but always with heart.

This year was no exception I am glad to be able to say. I had picked up a good bit of beads and jewelry making supplies when we were in Barcelona with intentions of making more felt / glass bead pieces. I had only used a few as originally planned, and with the addition of some lovely beads my sweet Anna brought me from her time in India this summer, I had a brilliant collection to choose from for little holiday treats.

Pictured above is a pair made for my oldest daughter,Dylan. Gorgeous Indian glass rounds with Chinese medallions. May they bring her good fortune.

Next is for Kiah. A mix of Czech glass and silver. Elegant with an edge, just as she is.

Delicate stones with a touch of sparkle for Anja. Her first pair of dangly earrings. If the grin on her face when she tried them on means anything, it was a special gift for a special young girl!

All three pairs made in a quiet, stress free afternoon. I was able to sit comfortably in my bed with supplies neatly laid out before me thanks to a bit of organization that I confess is actually unusual for me. There is something about scads of tiny glass and stone bits that begs even the most die hard of mess-makers to straighten up and invest in a few fish tackle sorters. Biscuit tins make great storage for tools, wires, and such and the lids double as work surface. Complete with raised edge to prevent an errant bead from rolling off and into the sheets where it would without doubt cause a painful living interpretation of The Princess and The Pea that night.

The earrings were received with delight and I have seen them worn on many occasion. Dylan reports that her mates at school are asking about buying some if I make them to offer. Not sure what I think of that, but it could be fun. I’ll tuck that aside to consider on another day.

For now I am in the process of re-visiting crochet and the quest for the perfect string bag pattern. Wish me luck as I foray into thus avoided territory of SC, Ch St, and a host of abbreviations I have little understanding of! I will report back shortly with progress.

I hope.

Tags: beads, coping, daughters, fibromyalgia, gifts, glass, jewelry, organizing, parenting, simplicity

When my youngest daughter was a toddler we used to lie in bed in the morning and just listen to the birds as they began their days with sweet songs.  There was a bushy tree right outside my bedroom window that dozens of little tiny birds called home, so it was like having front row for an avian symphony.   At first it was a trick on my part to get a few more minutes in bed before I had to start my own day, but it soon grew into a beloved part of our morning routine. When we moved from that house and she began to sleep in her own bed (we co-slept until then)  this ritual was tucked into the sweet memories file.  Years have past since those days, but it just takes a few chirps to take me back to those magic mornings.

Sunday morning she came bounding into our bedroom full of excitement proclaiming “The birds are back! I hear them everywhere!”  Still half asleep and a bit on the grumpy side, I grumbled as I rolled over and pulled the covers up over my head. The sun was barely up yet and I was not about to join it.  And besides – its only January and even though the plum tree in the neighbors yard is bursting with fresh blossoms it is too early for them to be back. But then I heard it.  At first it was just one or two and then a few more joined in.  Soon the air was filled with their busy chatter, and a rush of all the love and memories of those days that seem so distant flooded through me.  She was too young then to remember our special mornings now, and when I suggested we lie quietly and listen for a few minutes she told me she could hear them just fine up and bouncing around the room.  Ah well, I tried.  She may not remember those days, and she might be sharp enough not to be fooled by my ploys, but something inside of her knows that the birds returning is something to be celebrated.

The past weeks have been particularly difficult for me physically and emotionally with my fibro being at a crisis level.  The long dark days of winter have seemed even more heavy and ominous than normal.  But today as hear the birds busily chirping and feasting on the worms who were forced above ground with yesterdays rain, I am reminded of the constant turning of the wheel of life and the restorative power of nature.  It gives me hope and today that is something I am deeply grateful for.

Tags: hope, memories, nature, parenting, renewal, spring