The Kindness of Friends, Part 2...

Picture by Sheila Rumney

This is Sheila Rumney of Blessed and Distressed. She is a Silver Bella, par excellence, and a lovely person. She is what I would call "the genuine article." Honest, sincere, spiritual, real. I admired her from afar last year. This year I got to know her when she was in my Upcycled Treasures Swap. Sheila was always one step ahead of me with good ideas. I was new to this "hostessing role." I was grateful.

Picture by Sheila Rumney

She makes beautiful things like this paper-crafted bird.

Picture by Sheila Rumney

And this beautiful journal for the stories of your ornaments.

On January 1, I got this lovely comment on my blog...

Sheila Rumney said...

Suz, I just love your angel tradition. What true angels you have for friends!

My heart goes out for you, Jud and Kat each morning in prayer. I wish there was something else that I could do for you, possibly a scrapbook/journal for you on your journey. I saw the message on how people could sign up to help, but being so far away I didn't know if this was the avenue to help you. If there is anything that I can do, please let me know.

Hugs, Sheila

I thought about a journal for our journey but somehow it felt a little too sad. When I looked on Sheila's blog, I saw her ornament journal. I was smitten! No one loves their ornaments as much as I do. She had a journal kit and I asked if I could buy one. The answer...no. She really wanted to do this for me and let me feel blessed in this way. Well, did I ever feel blessed! I started taking picture of our ornaments right away.

I am aware it is way past Christmas but bear with the joys of an ornament-lover. I want to take you on a little tour. 

This was given to us on Katie's first Christmas, thirty-one years ago. I still remember the couple the gave it to us, though I have no idea where they are anymore.

This is part of the "Jud as Santa" series. He bakes a mean pie...

and he almost scuba-dived at the Great Barrier Reef! We all got severe respiratory infections that day and couldn't do our final dive. Jud begged the doctor to give him antihistamines but to no avail. Oh, well. In our imagination, we are excellent scuba divers!

Now, I was going to make big money off these ones. I was chosen to be in the fanciest Christmas Fair in Saint Paul and made a ton of them. I didn't sell one. I have given them as gifts for the last ten years and this is the last one. The beauty of crafting, right? You always have gifts on hand.

Ah, the cactus tree collection. From San Miguel, Mexico...

and Telaquepaque, Mexico...

and Santa Fe.

Then there were the ones we gave away and got back. We fell in love with ornaments so much that we showered them on friends and family. We were young and poor and they were a great gift. My dear SIL Joan had too many for her tree and one Christmas, these came home. This sweet angel...

...and the unicorn rocking horse. We got these outside Ghiradelli Square the year we were first married. Dirt cheap but beautiful. Still in perfect condition.

These are some of our South Dakota ones, from friends who never let us forget our roots. How do you like this birch bark moose? 

We got three of these one year ;-) They are pretty cute, huh? And our South Dakota friends are flakes!

I have a dear friend who is in my fibromyalgia group. Claudia has given me some gorgeous ornaments over the years. This Tiffany Lamp is one of my favorites.

This was my "yearly ornament" from my "lover boy." The picture was taken by Kat about five years ago. She was so pleased that the shape between our bodies formed a heart.

Picture by Sheila Rumney

My ornaments tell the story of my life with Jud and Katie. I am so thrilled that Sheila would make me a special scrapbook to hold them. She told me is will look different than this one and will be made from the new Webster's Pages. I can't wait. 

Like I said, Sheila's the genuine article!

I am deeply touched.

"God, make me worthy

Of my friends."

Edgar Guest