Christmas Cheer

Fishlips will be setting up Christmas decorations around our home this week.  I received a request from the man who shares my life:  real pine garland or wreath so that we have that ‘Christmas tree smell’ since our tree is a fake one for safety and lack of space reasons.

Anchorage has several places one can visit to find real pine trees and decorations.

Bell’s nursery in Anchorage is the place to go for the best real pine decorations. Bell’s is a lovely year-round nursery that is a joy to visit anytime.  They are also the most expensive in town.

Lowes and Home Depot both have super garden areas filled with affordable pine trees and decorations that are lovely and grand also!

Our Tree from 2009

Fishlips admits she is a sentimentalist.  The discovery of this fact as one ages only makes it all that much worse.  Hallmark cards can make me weep.  A sad chick film can me weep.  Looking through old boxes filled with photos from childhood make me weep.  Putting on decade’s old Christmas ornaments will make me weep.  Each of my tree ornaments are one of a kind and each has their own little story.  Each year I look forward to seeing many of the movie Christmas classics; one of my favorites is Christmas Story. 

Fishlips has very fond memories of holidays my family celebrated.  Tradition still holds for my family across the states. I also know this is not the case for many – their holidays were filled with anger, hunger, loneliness, sadness, and other horrors.  Holidays can bring out the worse or the best in any human.

Fishlips wants those around her to believe she is strong and invincible.  I do believe many of my fellow human beings practice this approach as they go about their strides of life. So to those who struggle during the holidays: my prayer for all is simple.  “May your heart have happiness and peace for this moment in time.”

My Handmade Holiday

My Handmade Holiday

As one grows older and more creative the thought of purchasing mass produced items for my loved ones across the various states is not my idea of sharing the spirit of how wonderful I think each of my family and friends are to me and my guy.

My favorite memories of holidays are those which focused on gifts that where handmade and given to me by siblings or children in my family.

Over the years I have sewn my heart out making quilts for all.  Each quilt a treasure to the one on the receiving end.  Some being utilized, while others are stored away brought out only at Christmas.  Others folded and placed in a chest for future generations.

As my eye site has gone from fresh dew youth to a person with bifocals I have changed my perspective and gone back to my first love for gift giving: my photography.  

I’ve only been showing my art in public a short time.  This Christmas one full year will be celebrated as one who can call themselves an artist.  I’ve sold various creations and continue to develop my own style.  

The smiles one see’s from a gift that is handmade is the reason I continue to have each holiday in the spirit as I do.  From deciding on the perfect gift to be given from my stash of art to my various family members; then mailing these precious gifts,  to handmade ornaments adorning my tree,  plus homemade food gifts sitting under the tree awaiting a friends’ arrival.

Sharing a handmade holiday from beginning to end is all I can ask of those who share my life and the journey of handmade.

The one who I hold dearest in my heart will be the focus of our handmade Holidays Greeting Cards this year.  We both enjoy simple lifestyle, we both have almost lost the other due to major medical issues, and sometimes we catch each other on camera.

May I present: My Handmade Guy - 

Humping Day and Donating to Worthy Non-profits

Fishlips has no hump days.  I am not a paid worker.  I work for myself; as an independent micro, mini, business owner.   

Other words a starving artist.

Over this past weekend was the only holiday bazaar of the year for my business that I selected to do.  I took my photography as my main selling selection.  Then filled in spots on the table with jewelry that I create and greeting cards both mixed media and of my photos.  

Folks setting up at South High for the Rabbit Creek Christmas Towne Bazaar 32nd Annual event!  The 7th time for me and my various creations over a 15 year span.

I was amazed and very grateful to find buyers enjoying my photography.  I sold out of several prints quickly.  And just listening to those attending the bazaar state my art was so wonderful made my head swell just a tad!  As this being the first full year of showing my artwork in public I'm so happy to be able to have folks like and enjoy my work.

On Tuesday I received a lovely note in my email from the American Cancer Society asking for a donation for an upcoming fundraiser.  They had visited my booth at Rabbit Creek Christmas Towne Bazaar and thought some of my artwork would help raise money for them.

My father died of Cancer of the Pancreas in March of 2001.  

My guy’s mother died in July of 1994 of Cancer of the Pancreas.

As one on a limit income I’m always happy to donate some of my work to causes I find worthy.

Two of my larger framed artworks will be donated to the American Cancer Society for their fundraiser event: the 26^th Annual Anchorage Wine & Food Fest, which will take place at the Hotel Captain Cook on February 5, 2011.

I know my father, and Griff’s mother would be happy and pleased that I’ll be donating two pieces of art in their memory to the American Cancer Society in Anchorage, Alaska.

Now I just need to decide which pieces I shall donate so that a bidding battle occurs raising funds for a very worthy cause!

Count Down with Self-Portraits

I'm running late today with posting so now Wednesday post will be showing up on Thursday.  This makes one frantic.

As a certain date approaches one's anxiety gets a tad higher.

Holidays and birthdays are low keyed happenings in our life for about the last 15 years.  But this year my birthday hits a mile stone.  A new decade gets added on.

As I make this journey I decided a self portrait per day.  Being one who has never been comfortable in front of a camera - only behind it; this is a whole new experience.

All my fishlips have to say is "It is much easier taking photos of things through my lens, than my lens pointing at me".

I can count on one hand the photos of me over the years on this planet that I liked.  My favorite is the one I had done when I turned 21 years old. Another was at age 40 sitting next to my dearest friend from high school with a fountain in the background.  At age 51 my father died; my mom and I had our photo taken together at a studio; that is another photo I really like.  The night before my open heart surgery sitting on the hospital bed my guy took a picture of me that belongs in the favorites list.  So maybe after my count down with self-portraits to birthday, I might even get a favorite out of one of the days.

27 days and counting...