LOVE

I decided to put this on here - as some of you know I frequent Creative Nachos for the Thrusday Sweet Treat - every week, the very creative wonderful sunny & supportive Natasha gives us a theme to create whatever our little hearts desire and this weeks theme is love. Of couse, my collage of my family that I did for lasts weeks theme would have been perfect, but already used - I had another idea - but it's been a crazy hectice week, and it just didn't get done. Wed evening I was sitting at the bus stop and I was thinking about my grandson - and the words just came.

"Love Ocean"

A little bluish with a tinge of grey

discolored his light chocolaty skin

with a mass of thick black hair, wet & unruly

Breathe,

Breathe,

Baby,

P l e a s e

Breathe,

Minutes turn into eternity

Finally

A breath,

A cry,

Relief

Of course his eyes are a deep brown

with long thick eyelashes

features of his father

yet so much like his mother

I felt him reach inside

my chest and grab a hold

of my heart.

kh 6-1-11

My grandsons name means ocean - so I chose that as part of the title.
The large background picture is my grandson at 6mos ( I think), going clockwise from the top, 10mos with his mom - my daughter, 3 yrs, 4, 5, & 10.  He is now 11 1/2.  He is one of the sweetest, kindest, loving souls I have ever had the pleasure to meet.  He's also a bit of a trickster, and he has given me many many smiles, laughter, gentleness & love when I have hurt so bad I could hardly stand to be touched.  He has massaged my back with his small hands, the love and care from them did me more good than the very light "massage", he has figured out ways for us to play together when I could barely move, but still be comfortable.  He makes up games within  a game, cleans off the coffee table so I can sit on the couch while we  play with legos, he calls me from 400 miles away to help him with his homework, sometimes I think just so he can talk to me,  and spent 3 hours on the phone with me Christmas day when I wasn't able to get there for Christmas this past year.  I love being able to play with him, the play is not just for him!  He is love.

And no, you may not squeeze his cheeks! :) I know,  they are so tempting!

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderful day.

A Little Frustration & Mistakes

A little frustration & some mistakes led to a much more creative piece.  As some of you know, I try to participate in the Thursday Sweet Treat at Creative Nachos hosted by the wonderfully sweet and supportive Natasha.  Each week, we are given a theme, this weeks was "beyond the reef."  Submissions are due Wed.

Ideas were just not happening! 
Monday - when I was out and about I saw a simple but nice wind chime with stair stepped dangles.  Ah ha!
With the idea of wavy cut glass in somewhat of a stair step design, would hopefully convey the ocean waves.   Due to some things that had to be done, I wasn't able to get going on it until late Tuesday afternoon.  I gathered up my blue glass pieces & set about creating wavy pieces of glass.  How to hang them? - I really wanted something circular - but the only rings I have on hand are smaller than I would like to use for this.....so maybe linear - with what? ah, a wavy white piece of glass  on top.  I left the room to get something and when I came back in I spotted a whale done for a previous theme, that I had been stripping the paint off of, off & on.  The glass paints I use are pretty durable so it really takes some work to get it off.  Cool - I could hang the white piece from the whale!!  Finished getting the paint off & started repainting. 1 coat done.

Wed - evening - strung all the glass together, the whale needs at least 1 or 2 more coats of paint. Realized that hanging the glass off the whale would probably pull the foil off the whale - but they still need to be together somehow.    I had accidentally drilled too many holes in the white piece & didn't want to start over, so I thought stringing some beads off the extras would be cool - I have a few nautical type beads & started looking for my shrinky dink sheets to make some little fish.  I set the glass on the floor, sort of tucked under the couch - and set about looking for the shrinky dink stuff & beads.   Didn't find the shrinky dink stuff.

Found the beads.  Sat back down and picked up the glass pieces - literally, the glass pieces - guess I had stepped on the white piece & it broke.  Ok, I don't have time to cut another piece & drill all the holes in it.  Super Glue to the rescue!  Then glued the aqua pieces on top of the break to add a little stability - and it looks pretty cool!      Added the little clam shaped beads under the aqua glass - where I had drilled an extra hole right top of another one! 
I'm pleased with the outcome - but will redo the white piece - Super Glue is pretty good stuff - but I don't think this would be a good way to send it out to someone.   And who knows, maybe I'll find the shrinky dink sheets!