Monday, January 10, 2011

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

27 comments:

  1. Shelia is a gem of a friend. I don't know her well...but there is such a kindred spirit with us Silver Bella girls. Really....even though we are spread out all over the world....it is like we are back door neighbors.
    XO~Hope

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  2. so lovely! what a great idea for an ornament journal! I've had all the stuff for about three years now to make a little christmas book. I always have too many other projects going to start on it! What a sweet friend you have there!
    hope all is going well for you and judd!
    ♥vivian

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  3. That will be a great thing to put together. I read that busy hands mean a quiet mind. That is so true for me, thus the knitting which really only keeps the voices on low.

    You are loved because you love so well.

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  4. So so sweet..thank you for the tour of your ornaments. You have a lot of memories behind each one. I love that moose!

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  5. You are never far from my thoughts and prayers Suze. I have been out of the loop a bit since before the holidays with blog reading. Is someone making a journal/scrapbook for you that is looking for participants? If so please give me a link as I'm hopelessly confused here. Take care and hang in there!

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  6. What a beautiful post! I especially love the birch bark moose! I took pictures of my ornaments last year and still haven't put them in a book...need to do that. Sheila is amazing...I'm impressed she finished her bird from SB 09!!! Of course, my BFF Virginia did, too. Not me!!!!!!!!! I am praying for you and Jud!

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  7. Hi Suz, I hope today is a good day! Sheila is an amazing artist and a sweet lady. That ornament scrapbook will be a fun thing for you to put together. I cannot believe those beautiful ornaments you made didn't sell. What's wrong with people? Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

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  8. Oh what a lovely journal album. And the photos of the ornaments so sweet and indeed do tell a story of you two.
    May today be filled with joy...
    Catherine

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  9. This is so lovely...what a great idea! Isn't it so nice to have sweet friends...what a blessing.

    Hugs to you!

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  10. Such a lovely post yet once again dear Suz...you have a way of touching hearts by sharing from yours

    Memories come rolling out of the Christmas boxes each year... what a brilliant thing to have an actual record of those sweet sweet memories

    thank you for sharing as always!
    oxo
    p.s. you and Jud and Katie are on more prayer lists than you could ever know

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  11. Suz,
    What a special gift, and thank you so much for sharing some of your favorite Christmas ornaments. I love this idea=)
    Your posts make me cry, but you must know, they are tears for your sweet soul, and for your "lover boy". God bless my friend....

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  12. Thanks for your visit today!

    Keep smiling!
    Ciao Bella!

    Creative Carmelina

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  13. Hi Suz,
    Just stopped by to tell you I am thinking of you and your family, and to see how Jud is doing with the chemo, and how you are with everything else you have going on. To put it more concisely, you all are in my thoughts and more importantly, my prayers.
    Kate

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  14. Suz,
    this is a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing your Christmas years with us. It brought back memories of our own ornaments. Most I can't bear to get rid of, some so silly, others moth eaten, but all I adore. When Doug and I were first married, he couldn't believe it when I pulled out an entire box of treasured ornaments I had begun collecting before we had met. I still have them, and lots of good memories!
    xo
    lynn

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  15. Suz, Sheila is the genuine article! What thoughtfulness. I love how you have such sweet memories with each ornament. The memories just get more precious with every passing year.
    Thank you sweet Suz, for your well wishes. I am doing so much better, noe that the GB is out of the way.
    hugs to you...

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  16. How wonderful, Suz! What a sweet gift from Sheila--so thoughtful! Beautiful people do beautiful things...and that...was beautiful.

    Thanks so much for your visit, my friend...I'm sorry things are so nuts for you all right now, but glad you get to spend some time in Mesa--should be beautiful there right now! I'd love to go there, too...so many of my old family stories took place there!

    Do let me know when you're here for a while & I'll drive up. Hoping you're well, my dear--you're both in my prayers...

    Julie

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  17. Aren't blogger friends just the best?! Sheila was the first person I ever swapped with and we were so excited to meet for the first time at SB years ago. She is definitely an angel. Have a great day!

    Sandy xox

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  18. all so dear!
    yes, snow here..
    & i hope all you need
    is flown to you,
    on sweet wings, like on the beautiful bird
    you share here in the top picture.
    xox

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  19. Isn't it amazing that even if we don't remember what we had for breakfast, we can remember exactly where an ornament came from and the story behind it! You have a most interesting assortment. Your friend was so nice to be sending you an album to keep the ornament memories in.
    I read the other comments here and Julie mentioned Mesa...Arizona? Are you going there? I'm going to be there for 5 days in February.
    Thinking of you and praying!
    Hi to Jud!!
    xoxo
    Joyce

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  20. Hi Suz. What a wonderful gift to honor your beloved ornaments which hold so many years of memories. I continue prayers each and every day for your Jud, you and Kat. P.S. You can enjoy your ornaments all year long.

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  21. Dear Suz
    I so loved see your story of ornaments...you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Love and hugs Pinkie

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  22. What a beautiful and amazing book of stories it will be.
    Such a gift to treasure.
    Hugs and love to you all,
    Alisa

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  23. What a wonderful gift!! You have so many beautiful and meaningful ornaments. How nice that you will have a place to keep the story of them. Thinking of you and Jud today and wishing you well!

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  24. What a beautiful journal and what a wonderful gift! It's beautiful.

    Thanks for stopping by for a visit! Did you sign up for the Soul Restoration class? I'm finally getting the hang of getting everything done, but really worth it! Learning a lot about myself.

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  25. Sweet Suz ~
    I am so glad you are being blessed through your friends. Your ornament tour was very entertaining. I am holding you in my heart.
    Lovingly,
    ~ Katie

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  26. There are so many wonderful, kind, generous people in the world, aren't there? What a lovely gift from your friend.

    Thanks for sharing your Christmas ornaments - who cares that it's January! I usually have many of my Christmas things (including my tree!) up until nearly Valentine's Day.
    - Susan

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