Every Boxing Day since 1996 I have thought about a woman I knew for many years. We had been acquaintances through mutual friends for years, and then ended up working together for several years. We lost touch for a while, and then I moved into an apartment in the small 1930's apartment building in which she was living. I couldn't say we were ever really friends, and there was actually some tension between us at one point. She had had a difficult life, a very sharp tongue, and some serious medical issues that caused her a great many problems. She made some choices that left her very unhappy and troubled, and some regrettable things happened that were beyond her control. However, she was extremely smart, she had a wicked sense of humor, a great sense of style, and she was working really hard at turning her life around. In late 1996 she moved within our small building and ended up living in the apartment right across the hall from me.
She was pregnant, and as far as I knew, quite happy. Her ex-husband had custody of their only child and lived several provinces away, she seldom was able to see her son. The baby was a girl, and was due on January 15th, 1997.
On Christmas Eve of 1996 I saw her in the hallway as I was leaving to spend Christmas with my family. She looked wonderful and I told her so, and she said "Happy Christmas, Karen".
On Boxing Day of 1996, very early in the morning she was murdered by her common-law husband.
This is tragic in more ways than I can say. I had not realized what had been going on. I attributed some things to her personality, and others to the stresses of the season. Only her very closest friend had known the extent of the problem. This close friend had advised her to come over to me the next time there was a violent incident, but my neighbour said she was too embarrassed to let me know what was going on.
I have no philosophical pronouncement, nor any word of wisdom to offer. I hope if I am ever in a similar situation (which gods forbid), that I will pay more attention to the signs. Yes, there were a few signs. And every Boxing Day I remember those two lives taken so cruelly, and I hope they know that they are remembered.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Loving Wishes
Sending out loving wishes to you all. Especially warm loves to those of you who have lost a loved one at or near this time of year (Veronica, Christopher, Anne), though I am sure they are sending their love to you still. My wish is that we can all enjoy the colors and sounds and textures of the season, and remember that we are loved.
"...Those shining boughs with their strange fruitage of gifts have power to bring hope and good cheer to lonely hearts the world over. They are the symbols, which the Spirit of Christmas sets ashine, of that Tree of Life. And the Spirit of Christmas is only another name for Love, and it is Love alone, the human and divine together, which can bring about the healing needed by hearts in every nation..."
----Annie Fellows Johnston, 1910
The universe gave me the best gift yesterday. I was downtown doing a few errands and I was halfway to the library, sipping my treat of a skinny hazlenut latte (with nutmeg), when I decided suddenly to turn around and go back to visit our local farmers market. I didn't need anything at the market, but it's always pretty this time of year, full of flowers and lovely fruit and good smells. I thought I'd just wander through and enjoy, and then get back to my list of things to do. I was looking at some flowers when I heard a familiar voice say "KAREN!!! Karen Elmquist! I was just GOOGLING you!!!"
It was my dear friend Mia! We worked together years ago and had lost touch. And oddly I had recently been thinking about her too! Mia and Sam and I used to get laughing so hard we would cry!
We sat down and talked for two and a half hours! It was so so great to see you Mia!! best surprise gift ever! I will NOT lose touch again!
I also got to meet her friend Greg and we had some very interesting conversation. It was really a treat, thank you!
I must also take a moment to wish Miss Isabella a VERY happy birthday!! Eat lots of cake! Save me a frosting rose!
The beautiful angel picture at the top of this post was taken by our friend Marilyn in Ephesus, Turkey. Thanks M for letting me use it!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Happy Solstice!
Happy Solstice! A very special point of the year, with far more meaning to me personally than the more commercialized holdays. At least (so far) Business Depot and Toys R Us aren't capitalizing (yet) on the Solstice. It's probably just a matter of time before laser printers, iPhones and filing cabinets are being pushed as the perfect Yule gift, and Toys R Us will be offering little Spinal Tap-esque replicas of Stonehenge.
I enjoy contemplating the past on the Winter Solstice...and not just my personal past, for better or worse, but the way-back past, the misty past, the past we can only know through speculation. We can learn so much form archeology, but so much is hidden from us. We do know with certainty though that this day was noted and commemorated by all of our ancients, throughout the world. That continuity of thought and mind is a wonderful thing to consider and embrace.
Cris has beautifully said much of what I've been thinking on her blog, check it out.
I wish you all joy of the return of the light.
And I pledge to myself to remember that each day, each hour, each minute and each second is a new beginning. Have wings, and use them!
We have spent a pleasant quite day, out of the cold, snug and peaceful. This picture was taken a few years ago but it's one of my favorites of the meadow in winter.
The mantle, there is a wonderful fire int he fireplace tonight. The stocking was sent to me for my first Christmas by my Auntie Ivy and Uncle Claude, so it's very old. Hehehh! Yes, the left hand poinsettia plant is in a plant stand made from a WWI artillery shell. So has an interesting if rather militant taste in collectibles. I say, if you can't blow it up, put a flower in it!
I enjoy contemplating the past on the Winter Solstice...and not just my personal past, for better or worse, but the way-back past, the misty past, the past we can only know through speculation. We can learn so much form archeology, but so much is hidden from us. We do know with certainty though that this day was noted and commemorated by all of our ancients, throughout the world. That continuity of thought and mind is a wonderful thing to consider and embrace.
Cris has beautifully said much of what I've been thinking on her blog, check it out.
I wish you all joy of the return of the light.
And I pledge to myself to remember that each day, each hour, each minute and each second is a new beginning. Have wings, and use them!
We have spent a pleasant quite day, out of the cold, snug and peaceful. This picture was taken a few years ago but it's one of my favorites of the meadow in winter.
I did just a little decorating to conserve my energy...I have approximately , um, an uncountable number of antique and vintage Christmas ornaments, and much as I love them, it really is a lot of work to drag them out, spread them all over the house and then put them all away again! They are a delight, but they are having a nice rest this year! When I worked in retail, for many years my walk to work took me past a thrift store and I went in every single day. Those were the mythical "good old days" of thrifting, seriously, and I bought hundreds of valuable old blown glass ornaments for pennies...and other things, figural Santas and Christmas ephemera, chenille wreaths and bottlebrush trees...I was teased unmercifully about it at work, vintage Christmas wasn't really fashionable or desirable at the time. HA! It has been many years since I've seen any at a thrift. Here are a few sweet Victorian postcards. It's fun to read the messages.
The mantle, there is a wonderful fire int he fireplace tonight. The stocking was sent to me for my first Christmas by my Auntie Ivy and Uncle Claude, so it's very old. Hehehh! Yes, the left hand poinsettia plant is in a plant stand made from a WWI artillery shell. So has an interesting if rather militant taste in collectibles. I say, if you can't blow it up, put a flower in it!
This is the little kitchen tree which amuses us immensely. It has blown glass cupcakes and chocolate dipped strawberries and fancy cocktails, and a pink fridge and vegetable people. That is indeed a blown glass can of diet Coke, one of us (cough, not me) is addicted!
We actually had an hour or two of sunshine yesterday, such a rarity here lately, it has been so dark. Valentine is convinced that if the sun is shining it is SUMMER. She wanted outside so badly I finally let her go out.
WTH? This is COLD!
I do not approve. Is it better over here?
Over there maybe?
To HELL with this! Want in! Poor kitty. It took her a good 10 minutes to lick her toes back to tolerable warmness!
Finally, I found this picture I took last summer and forgot about. Half of a large nut or seed pod of some sort. I love that even inside a nut there can be a beautiful, perfect heart!
Love to you all, thanks for the kind messages.
We actually had an hour or two of sunshine yesterday, such a rarity here lately, it has been so dark. Valentine is convinced that if the sun is shining it is SUMMER. She wanted outside so badly I finally let her go out.
WTH? This is COLD!
I do not approve. Is it better over here?
Over there maybe?
To HELL with this! Want in! Poor kitty. It took her a good 10 minutes to lick her toes back to tolerable warmness!
Finally, I found this picture I took last summer and forgot about. Half of a large nut or seed pod of some sort. I love that even inside a nut there can be a beautiful, perfect heart!
Love to you all, thanks for the kind messages.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Dark!
4:30 PM and dark already. Yuck! However there is a beautiful full moon to look at tonight and just a few days until the solstice. I can't wait.
We're off to the lake in a few hours and I'll be spending the week up there with plenty of peaceful time for work and pleasant projects. I'll do a bit of baking, work on my murrine and some silver clay work I'm looking forward to. Lots more ebay items to prepare, too.
I haven't received my print Bead and Button Class Catalogue in the mail yet, but the class list went live today on the show website. There are some great selections to ponder though one instructor I was hoping to take a class with, a wonderful beadmaker named Andrea Guarino, is not teaching this year. It will be fun to figure out which classes I would like to take and make it happen!
I was very sad to see that pin-up icon Bettie Page passed away today at the age of 85. I knew she was in a coma so it wasn't an unexpected thing. I hadn't realized what a complex and tumultuous life she had led. I have always loved her joie de vivre which came across so clearly in her photos, and that incandescent smile was simply unforgettable. Here's to you, Bettie, you'll never be forgotten!
I opened my etsy store today, it was really easy to figure out their user-friendly listing system. There is a link to it just above my picture on the top left. I'll be adding more beads, jewelry and fairy dolls just as soon as I can get really nice photos taken.
I hope you all have lovely weekends. Stay out of the malls if you can possibly help it, it's really not good for your stress level!
We're off to the lake in a few hours and I'll be spending the week up there with plenty of peaceful time for work and pleasant projects. I'll do a bit of baking, work on my murrine and some silver clay work I'm looking forward to. Lots more ebay items to prepare, too.
I haven't received my print Bead and Button Class Catalogue in the mail yet, but the class list went live today on the show website. There are some great selections to ponder though one instructor I was hoping to take a class with, a wonderful beadmaker named Andrea Guarino, is not teaching this year. It will be fun to figure out which classes I would like to take and make it happen!
I was very sad to see that pin-up icon Bettie Page passed away today at the age of 85. I knew she was in a coma so it wasn't an unexpected thing. I hadn't realized what a complex and tumultuous life she had led. I have always loved her joie de vivre which came across so clearly in her photos, and that incandescent smile was simply unforgettable. Here's to you, Bettie, you'll never be forgotten!
I opened my etsy store today, it was really easy to figure out their user-friendly listing system. There is a link to it just above my picture on the top left. I'll be adding more beads, jewelry and fairy dolls just as soon as I can get really nice photos taken.
I hope you all have lovely weekends. Stay out of the malls if you can possibly help it, it's really not good for your stress level!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Short Days
The days are getting shorter and shorter , it's not even 5:00 here and already almost dark. Ah the joys of the frozen north! Only 2 brief weeks until the Winter Solstice, to my mind the BEST holiday of the year!
Here is the beginning of a project, pretty impressive for three hours of work, huh? I know, it is not terribly impressive! This is an eye murinne, I got a very nice even pull of about 15" and another larger inch at each end I can cut off with the saw.
It was about the size of two golf balls when it was ready to pull.
A little flattened at the end, but still usable, it can be heated and pulled smaller.
The image is built in the flame with layers and layers of colour.
Then the cane can be cut into slices, or assembled with other components to form larger pictures. I was fussing about the little unevenness to the brown line at the top left, but when this is done the eye will be so small it won't be visible!!
Can't even see the uneven brown line here!
A Cheezeburger pic which is a favorite. Samantha says it reminds her of Darren and herself, the copy she sent me was labelled "Retards", Anne just thinks it's very very funny, on Cheezeburger it was labelled "My Brother, He Speshul".
"My Owl Beads, They Speshul"!
Puerto Rican Screech Owl
Here is the beginning of a project, pretty impressive for three hours of work, huh? I know, it is not terribly impressive! This is an eye murinne, I got a very nice even pull of about 15" and another larger inch at each end I can cut off with the saw.
It was about the size of two golf balls when it was ready to pull.
A little flattened at the end, but still usable, it can be heated and pulled smaller.
The image is built in the flame with layers and layers of colour.
Then the cane can be cut into slices, or assembled with other components to form larger pictures. I was fussing about the little unevenness to the brown line at the top left, but when this is done the eye will be so small it won't be visible!!
Can't even see the uneven brown line here!
A Cheezeburger pic which is a favorite. Samantha says it reminds her of Darren and herself, the copy she sent me was labelled "Retards", Anne just thinks it's very very funny, on Cheezeburger it was labelled "My Brother, He Speshul".
"My Owl Beads, They Speshul"!
Puerto Rican Screech Owl
Now this website, I am ashamed to admit, is Swedish. OK for work, but try to laugh quietly. The 70's have a LOT to answer for!
I have absolutely no reason to purchase these chocolate decorative sheets, but I really, really want some! Aren't they pretty? Especially the peacock feather ones on the second page.
Interesting auction on ebay, do you have one of these kicking around? Wish I did!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Today I Am...
...Trying to work here with my assistant, who is diligently trying to capture the cursor. She's convinced that it goes behind the laptop. She has a longer attention span than I do today!
...enjoying looking at these wonderful c.1880 Berlin woolwork patterns for embroidered slippers.
Delighting in the unexpected color harmonies of thrift store finds! A Fire King Blue Delphi bowl, packages of vintage baby ric-rack, a mohair scarf, a silk tuxedo scarf, a 50's edition of the Borrowers.
...playing with these GREAT 1930's Czech glass beads. Aren't they a gorgeous color? But wait...there's more!
They're vaseline glass and they POP under blacklight!
...tracking down some missing images for my ebay store. Don't know how they got deleted, I am so careful, but fortunately I have most of them on file
...working on the face drawing for my murrine project. The first part (the eye) is done but it's just too dark to photograph today, I have some fun little owl beads to show too, maybe tomorrow.
...FINALLY getting some egg beads ready for my Etsy store!
...being grateful that these people are not our neighbours. Interesting, but one look was enough, and this would send So screaming down the street with her hands over her ears. I hope they live far, far out in the country!!
...Tackling the laundering of the mountains of linens from the last auctions sale, the washer and dryer have been happily humming along, 11 loads so far, not nearly done yet. Dear Santa, I would like an automatic linen-ironing robot, please.
...trying to photograph some quilts and chenilles. The sun will shine brilliantly for a few minutes, so I stop what I am doing here, race to the room the quilts are set up in, take photos frantically for that few minutes, and then the sun disappears and it snows for a while. I really, really prefer natural light for my photos which is quite difficult in the Canadian winter!
...enjoying looking at these wonderful c.1880 Berlin woolwork patterns for embroidered slippers.
Delighting in the unexpected color harmonies of thrift store finds! A Fire King Blue Delphi bowl, packages of vintage baby ric-rack, a mohair scarf, a silk tuxedo scarf, a 50's edition of the Borrowers.
...playing with these GREAT 1930's Czech glass beads. Aren't they a gorgeous color? But wait...there's more!
They're vaseline glass and they POP under blacklight!
...tracking down some missing images for my ebay store. Don't know how they got deleted, I am so careful, but fortunately I have most of them on file
...working on the face drawing for my murrine project. The first part (the eye) is done but it's just too dark to photograph today, I have some fun little owl beads to show too, maybe tomorrow.
...FINALLY getting some egg beads ready for my Etsy store!
...being grateful that these people are not our neighbours. Interesting, but one look was enough, and this would send So screaming down the street with her hands over her ears. I hope they live far, far out in the country!!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Molasses
Some days are just like trying to wade through knee deep cold molasses...I've had a week of those days.
A few interesting things to look at:
Some stunning underwater sculptures by artist Jason de Caires Taylor.
Anne's web sale of her bold fine silver and gemstone pieces...I envy whoever gets one of these for Christmas!
Metal Detecting World, a fascinating site by a dedicated metal detector and relic hunter.
Molecular jewelry at Made with Molecules . I'll take a dozen of the serotonin, please and throw in a chocolate and an estrogen while you're at it!
Cor Silver soap at Wishingfish...do you suppose all these claims are true? I'm pretty sceptical!
Kim Miles is blogging about her teaching trip to Africa .
Cute silly iPod "Lego" speakers at Wishingfish.
A few interesting things to look at:
Some stunning underwater sculptures by artist Jason de Caires Taylor.
Anne's web sale of her bold fine silver and gemstone pieces...I envy whoever gets one of these for Christmas!
Metal Detecting World, a fascinating site by a dedicated metal detector and relic hunter.
Molecular jewelry at Made with Molecules . I'll take a dozen of the serotonin, please and throw in a chocolate and an estrogen while you're at it!
Cor Silver soap at Wishingfish...do you suppose all these claims are true? I'm pretty sceptical!
Kim Miles is blogging about her teaching trip to Africa .
Cute silly iPod "Lego" speakers at Wishingfish.
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