Handmade Stamps

It has been a joy to watch my husband's latest project, for his graphic design class, Hand carved Stamps. This is the same guy who cringes when he sees me online at addicted to rubber stamps, the same one who sees the bag from one of my favorite local craft stores and says "oh, not again." So for his final he has to study a famous typographer, he chose Frederic Goudy, and copy one of the fonts onto a stamp which they craft themselves. "This was actually fun" he says later.

These photos show what he calls the "rejects" --- I was like "WHAT?, People pay good money to have that distressed, grungy look on big honkin' letter stamps!" and I quickly stole them to add to my stash. I love how they look!!!! He's looking at me, thinking, exactly how much money have you spent? The kids are having a ball with the rubbery material {made by Speedball} although it is a bit messy while carving. And since they aren't allowed to use daddy's carving tools they are using various sharp pointed pencils to achieve their look. Yea, its been a little messy. Our daughter his making one that looks like a cow. Its still in the production and manufacturing stage :)

This week we are getting the Christmas tree up and preparing for little guy's 4th birthday, I just can't believe its that time again! {Sunday} so its time to return to decluttering the house for our December guests and activities. Once the house is clean for the small simple gathering it tends to stay that way much of December because of more guests or neighbors popping in. See, for me its a nice motivator to keeping it semi-tidy knowing that people might be over. {we go back to slacking in January, heehee} Christmas music will be on in the background to make it go faster :)

I do love this time of year so much, even for all the extra stuff we do "just because its Christmas" ..... for all the pretty-glittering-Christmas-tree reasons as much as the getting together with family and friends reasons and always, always trying to keep the true meaning of Christmas tops around our house with just little touches of Santa and more about the spiritual side of why we have so much to celebrate this particular time of year. Keeps it real -- not material or fabricated. I wish there was one day {or all} without all the ads and marketing promoting the buy buy buy, shop shop shop mentality!

This December I would like us to do more together, just simple things, just the 5 of us, and start bringing some new traditions into our little {now complete} family. We'll keep visiting the large toy train display that starts every December {little guy's favorite} and I am on the lookout for what else to do in Rochester.

Guardian Angels and Picture Day

October 2nd is known as the feast of Guardian Angels. So I took a moment today to thank my family's guardian angels. There have been many moments, as many moms or aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. also remember I'm sure, that have me thankful & amazed that even through a fall or something more serious sometimes, surprisingly, the little ones remain unharmed or come through it just fine. Even as adults sometimes we wonder how we made it through. So, yep, a huge thanks goes out to our guardian angels all around.

Now on to why this picture is so significant:

October 2nd 1999, my first lil'guy {above} was 6 months old. I was trying out my husband's very cool {but very confusing} Minolta camera with all the do-dads. {the pre digital days}
I propped the little one up on the blanket covered couch and hoped he wouldn't topple over. {he was just learning the sitting thing} Well, after a few toppled-over moments I decided to put two pillows on either side of him behind the blanket. A few more minutes of adjusting and we were good to go.
This was my favorite shot from those precious moments when it was just me and him in our pretend photo shoot. I thought nothing of the meaning of the day. Only thoughts those days were that my grandmother had just passed away and that I just wanted more time with her. How I wanted her to get to know my children, watch them grow, but knowing that was never going to happen was hard to take. I was just so sad all the time. I tried to focus on my little guy and the brand new baby that was growing inside me.

After I had the roll developed, days later, I took the pictures to work to show friends. A friend of mine was looking at this picture and commented that it was a beautiful picture and she liked the "shadows" and "They look like angel's wings" she said. I wanted to know what she was looking at because I didn't see that. She pointed them out. Right there behind him, on either side, the shadows looked like wings. As soon as I saw them I had chills. Good chills. So I have always loved this picture.

Fast forward to Today --- October 2nd 2007 --- its picture day today at their school. How funny is that? He has his most favorite shirt on, his thick, black hair is shiny and tousled, he walks out the door ready for school, he's 8, he better smile :)

for this I used my photo editing software, antique frame downloaded from designerdigitals, font is CK Becky from creating keepsakes, background color and little dots are made in the photo editing software.

some days are just like that + why tears are good for you

A weepy day yesterday -- don't like to journal during that - only after - after reflecting.

Started in the wee hours of the morning when I was shocked awake by some dream about spiders. ICK. Then it seemed to progress throughout the day. While typing an email, while rushing kids from school to religious education classes, while sitting through the parent's "spirituality session" in the chapel {the one I had forgotten all about!} Thats where the tears really started to flow. Rushing home knowing I had to get home to whip up a quick & simple dinner so we could make it to our first girl scout's meeting by 6pm. I was exhausted by the end of the day. not physically -- mentally.

And you know, it was all because I was thinking about my grandmother. {uh-oh, here i go again} She passed away 8 years ago yesterday and all day I knew she would want me to say a little prayer. And I kept pushing it back to later in the day, or after I got the kids to school. I miss her dearly. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her at least once. I didn't light a candle, as is customary for our family. This is because little guy makes it a little tough -- any time he sees a lite candle he thinks "birthday" and wants to immediately blow it out. I'm sure grandmother {nonna} understands this though.

The quiet prayer and reflection time in the chapel was just what I needed. The person leading the group talked about how we live by, and drive ourselves nuts by, the "ought to's" in our lives. I ought do to this or I ought to do that but maybe another time. Man it really sunk in. Although I could've done without the "okay, now lets turn to each other in groups of 3 or 4 and share what the quiet prayer time felt like for you" um, there was no hiding red, wet eyes. Oh, God. People I didn't even know. So she #1 from the group asked "were they happy or sad tears?" probably trying to understand if I needed medical assessment. I share with them about being reminded of my grandmother while listening to one of the comments the women who was leading the prayer group shared. Sharing like that is not my most favorite-y thing, but it was good to just let it out there.

I felt better after that.
Feel better today.
I love you nonna, and I feel your presence sometimes.
so good to remember how you used to deal with life's little trails. With prayer and faith.
so simple.