This will be an exciting week!! My resin Natalies will (or should, please post office!!) be delivered, I have also ordered new certificates for my babies (always exciting for me!), my new business cards have already arrived, my Early Bird is off to production, I have also ordered these adorable boxes for the Natalies, they are sooooo cute and I can't wait to see them all wrapped up with their ribbons and little certificates in there etc.
Have I mentioned I love ribbons??
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
January
Well, January seems to be the month when we (as a family) get the sickest... I don't know if it is because the weather in Greece doesn't really get winter-y until December or so or because we are cooped up in the apartment because the boys are out of school or something but for the last few years it has held true.
This year it was better for some (George) and worse for some (ME!!). In December, the day after Christmas, I got this head cold. It started with a runny nose... within a week it had "traveled" to my chest and I developed bronchitis... It hasn't even been two weeks since I could say I am 100% and last night... runny nose, sore throat... again.
Then it hit me... it totally coincides with my ehm... womanly thing. Every time Aunt Flo visit, in the winter, I get sick! I really must dope me up with vitamins!!! Especially that time of the month.
It's freezing in Greece right now. I mean actual ice on the cars in the morning. This is very unusual for us. We were used to mild winters and blazing summers. It has been really dreadful here... and trust me, I know cold. I have lived in the UK (Scotland) for years. Scotland has nothing on Greece when it comes to freezing. It's a different kind of cold, the kind that pierces through all your layers, whereas in Scotland, it was cold but you could comfortably walk around in your jacket and mittens... here? Even mittens won't been the freezing part out. Ugh!
I hate winter... I hate summer.. I LOVE Spring and Fall.. what can I say? I am a mild weather girl hahaha :)
Hugs
Tina
This year it was better for some (George) and worse for some (ME!!). In December, the day after Christmas, I got this head cold. It started with a runny nose... within a week it had "traveled" to my chest and I developed bronchitis... It hasn't even been two weeks since I could say I am 100% and last night... runny nose, sore throat... again.
Then it hit me... it totally coincides with my ehm... womanly thing. Every time Aunt Flo visit, in the winter, I get sick! I really must dope me up with vitamins!!! Especially that time of the month.
It's freezing in Greece right now. I mean actual ice on the cars in the morning. This is very unusual for us. We were used to mild winters and blazing summers. It has been really dreadful here... and trust me, I know cold. I have lived in the UK (Scotland) for years. Scotland has nothing on Greece when it comes to freezing. It's a different kind of cold, the kind that pierces through all your layers, whereas in Scotland, it was cold but you could comfortably walk around in your jacket and mittens... here? Even mittens won't been the freezing part out. Ugh!
I hate winter... I hate summer.. I LOVE Spring and Fall.. what can I say? I am a mild weather girl hahaha :)
Hugs
Tina
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Early Bird (new preemie resin)
Have you wondered what resin babies will be available this year?
You know by now I release between one and three resins each year, except this year I have been...tardy. Last year I only released on (Sweet as Sugar)... This year I started off with Natalie, my very first tiny resin baby girl (I still have 2 if anyone is interested)... I hadn't really planned on doing another one... then I sculpted this little fella for my sculpting book on preemies (coming in February, finally!!)...
He kinda grew on me ;) However the limbs he appears with in the book are not suitable for reproduction (too bent) so I gave him a new set...
This will be a tiny limited edition. Only 12 and 3 artist proofs. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail. I expect to have your baby done by the end of March (I will work with first come first served).
Details at a glance:
Name: Ealy Bird
Length: 15-16"
Limbs: Full arms and legs
Cloth body
Limited Edition in Resin
Hospital grade preemie replica model of baby born at 30 weeks gestation.
This is an accurate and realistic reproduction.
Body plate (** possibly ** I broke my first one, I need to make another one!)
Your customization options: Hair color, skin color, gender, name (note: if you want actual mohair, it must be glued. My glue is fairly non-shiny but there is a slight shine. You other option is painted hair, I am pretty good at that ;))
Delivery date: End of March
Price: $1200 plus shipping (about $30 - $40 maybe less)
Deposit: $300 (non-refundable) the balance is due when you approve of pics
(please note there has been a teensy change in his right hand, the fingers were originally more spread out, but they accidentally ended up touching during baking. I have now corrected this. Both hands are open. The limbs are full to the shoulder and hip. He wears preemie sized clothing. The body will be under-stuffed with pellets only for that super cuddly feeling.)
Here are pics of my little angel :)
You know by now I release between one and three resins each year, except this year I have been...tardy. Last year I only released on (Sweet as Sugar)... This year I started off with Natalie, my very first tiny resin baby girl (I still have 2 if anyone is interested)... I hadn't really planned on doing another one... then I sculpted this little fella for my sculpting book on preemies (coming in February, finally!!)...
He kinda grew on me ;) However the limbs he appears with in the book are not suitable for reproduction (too bent) so I gave him a new set...
This will be a tiny limited edition. Only 12 and 3 artist proofs. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail. I expect to have your baby done by the end of March (I will work with first come first served).
Details at a glance:
Name: Ealy Bird
Length: 15-16"
Limbs: Full arms and legs
Cloth body
Limited Edition in Resin
Hospital grade preemie replica model of baby born at 30 weeks gestation.
This is an accurate and realistic reproduction.
Body plate (** possibly ** I broke my first one, I need to make another one!)
Your customization options: Hair color, skin color, gender, name (note: if you want actual mohair, it must be glued. My glue is fairly non-shiny but there is a slight shine. You other option is painted hair, I am pretty good at that ;))
Delivery date: End of March
Price: $1200 plus shipping (about $30 - $40 maybe less)
Deposit: $300 (non-refundable) the balance is due when you approve of pics
(please note there has been a teensy change in his right hand, the fingers were originally more spread out, but they accidentally ended up touching during baking. I have now corrected this. Both hands are open. The limbs are full to the shoulder and hip. He wears preemie sized clothing. The body will be under-stuffed with pellets only for that super cuddly feeling.)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Little Amelia
Little Amelia is a gorgeous little girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. She needs a kidney transplant in order to survive. Even though a family member will donate theirs, the doctors say no to the transplant because Amelia also suffered brain damage and is deemed "Mentally Retarded". In their eyes, Amelia should be left to die :(
My jaw literally dropped. SERIOUSLY?? What happened to "first and foremst do no harm"??
Why are they playing GOD???
It kind of brought me back to when I was pregnant and my doctor said to me "we should do this test, we don't want any mongoloids now, do we?"
(he meant a baby with DS). REALLY?? Because I would NOT terminate if my baby had Down Syndrome. I would only terminate if it was something really serious, fatal that would cause the baby great agony in his short life and only if it was caught super early. That's just me I guess... life, any life is valuable ... It's a CHILD for Christ's sake, a living, breathing child... a child who loves, feels, cries, laughs, understands... ok she might not ever be a rocket scientist... SO WHAT??
Who are you to decide her life is not worth living???
Please sign the petition for little Amelia:
http://www.change.org/petitions/executive-vice-president-and-chief-development-officer-allow-the-kidney-transplant-amelia-rivera-needs-to-survive#
And please post on CHOP's Facebook page to let them know how you feel:
https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensHospitalofPhiladelphia
And you can read her mother's account of the events here:
http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/
Thank you for reading!
My jaw literally dropped. SERIOUSLY?? What happened to "first and foremst do no harm"??
Why are they playing GOD???
It kind of brought me back to when I was pregnant and my doctor said to me "we should do this test, we don't want any mongoloids now, do we?"
(he meant a baby with DS). REALLY?? Because I would NOT terminate if my baby had Down Syndrome. I would only terminate if it was something really serious, fatal that would cause the baby great agony in his short life and only if it was caught super early. That's just me I guess... life, any life is valuable ... It's a CHILD for Christ's sake, a living, breathing child... a child who loves, feels, cries, laughs, understands... ok she might not ever be a rocket scientist... SO WHAT??
Who are you to decide her life is not worth living???
Please sign the petition for little Amelia:
http://www.change.org/petitions/executive-vice-president-and-chief-development-officer-allow-the-kidney-transplant-amelia-rivera-needs-to-survive#
And please post on CHOP's Facebook page to let them know how you feel:
https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensHospitalofPhiladelphia
And you can read her mother's account of the events here:
http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/
Thank you for reading!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Taken by surprise...
I was (am) that weird kid that loved nothing more than to snuggle up with a good book and a packet of heliotrope seeds for hours at a time.
I LOVE books, love them more than anything else. I love to read, read, read... There is always a book in my backpack and in my tablet. When I eat, I usually read (when not with the kids of course).
It is not often that I am surprised by books... but I did fall victim to a cheesy movie that did ruin a good book... Twilight...
When the movie came out, I had no idea what it was about. I had not even heard of the books (no surprise there as I am in Greece) and I was really over the whole vampire thing by more than a decade. I did like "Interview with a Vampire" back in the day but the books by Anne Rice? Total disappointment. I did read all of them though.
So, since I was no longer 17, I was dragged by my friend who is internally 17 and still stuck in the '80's (and I LOVE her for it :)) to go see Twilight.
I left the cinema with a "meh... I am not 17...I didn't get it" where all around me those who were 17 and had no kids (and no boyfriends or husbands) melted in a pool of butter over Pattinson... (NOT my type, I am more of a Gerard Buttler and Ewan McGregor kind of gal... ok fine... Chris Pine too... sheesh!)
However... at some point the movie was on TV and I watched it again and it kind of grew on me... I yawned through the next two but kinda liked the 3rd one and was disappointed I had to wait a whole year for the conclusion.
I then decided to get the books full intenting to just read the last one first so I would know how this all ends...
I do read slower than I used to (I read Rama by A.C. Clarke in one afternoon!!) mainly because of lack of time. I squeeze reading to a half hour before I go to bed (sometimes it is only 15 minutes since I can't keep my eyes open long enough or past 11pm at best) so here I am a month later and I am reading the first book.
What a huge disservice the movie did to Stephenie's writing!! I LOVE how she writes. It's not "for 17 year olds" at all!!! She uses BIG WORDS for adult people!! She uses all 5 senses to write (like a good writer should). You can actually tell she's been to school!!! ;)
I am mesmerized by her writing!! I love it!! No way I am skipping to the last book already!! I have.got.to.read.all.of.them!!!! And you know what?
I met my husband when I was 15... I fell in love with within 2 minutes of meeting him and I knew he was the man of my life. Yes, he has many flaws (so do I!) but I've been around the block a couple of times and here I am, 10 years married to him, mother to his children, went through super rough marital problems that we worked through and though of course I will always nag and he will still hurt me, or yell at me or mistreat me (and I know I might too)... I still get a hearthrob every time I see him.
When the world melts away, when work is being kind to him, when there are no triggers (he can't manage his stress and this is the problem), he IS the sweetest man on earth.
So by reading the book, I could totally get back to the time I was 17 and in love (mainly because I still am in love - is that weird? Being in love with a man for 19 years?)..
Stephenie Meyer... as an artist who trusted others to reproduce her work I feel ya. I know how when other people take over, some times (not all of the times!!), your work does not come out as you'd like or as it should, so I now know the movie(s) was the result not of bad, cheesy writing but of bad, cheesy directing and producing.
I LOVE books, love them more than anything else. I love to read, read, read... There is always a book in my backpack and in my tablet. When I eat, I usually read (when not with the kids of course).
It is not often that I am surprised by books... but I did fall victim to a cheesy movie that did ruin a good book... Twilight...
When the movie came out, I had no idea what it was about. I had not even heard of the books (no surprise there as I am in Greece) and I was really over the whole vampire thing by more than a decade. I did like "Interview with a Vampire" back in the day but the books by Anne Rice? Total disappointment. I did read all of them though.
So, since I was no longer 17, I was dragged by my friend who is internally 17 and still stuck in the '80's (and I LOVE her for it :)) to go see Twilight.
I left the cinema with a "meh... I am not 17...I didn't get it" where all around me those who were 17 and had no kids (and no boyfriends or husbands) melted in a pool of butter over Pattinson... (NOT my type, I am more of a Gerard Buttler and Ewan McGregor kind of gal... ok fine... Chris Pine too... sheesh!)
However... at some point the movie was on TV and I watched it again and it kind of grew on me... I yawned through the next two but kinda liked the 3rd one and was disappointed I had to wait a whole year for the conclusion.
I then decided to get the books full intenting to just read the last one first so I would know how this all ends...
I do read slower than I used to (I read Rama by A.C. Clarke in one afternoon!!) mainly because of lack of time. I squeeze reading to a half hour before I go to bed (sometimes it is only 15 minutes since I can't keep my eyes open long enough or past 11pm at best) so here I am a month later and I am reading the first book.
What a huge disservice the movie did to Stephenie's writing!! I LOVE how she writes. It's not "for 17 year olds" at all!!! She uses BIG WORDS for adult people!! She uses all 5 senses to write (like a good writer should). You can actually tell she's been to school!!! ;)
I am mesmerized by her writing!! I love it!! No way I am skipping to the last book already!! I have.got.to.read.all.of.them!!!! And you know what?
I met my husband when I was 15... I fell in love with within 2 minutes of meeting him and I knew he was the man of my life. Yes, he has many flaws (so do I!) but I've been around the block a couple of times and here I am, 10 years married to him, mother to his children, went through super rough marital problems that we worked through and though of course I will always nag and he will still hurt me, or yell at me or mistreat me (and I know I might too)... I still get a hearthrob every time I see him.
When the world melts away, when work is being kind to him, when there are no triggers (he can't manage his stress and this is the problem), he IS the sweetest man on earth.
So by reading the book, I could totally get back to the time I was 17 and in love (mainly because I still am in love - is that weird? Being in love with a man for 19 years?)..
Stephenie Meyer... as an artist who trusted others to reproduce her work I feel ya. I know how when other people take over, some times (not all of the times!!), your work does not come out as you'd like or as it should, so I now know the movie(s) was the result not of bad, cheesy writing but of bad, cheesy directing and producing.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Never done this before... huh...
Something really weird happened to me the other day...
I was not feeling so good, I was under a lot of stress... I did NOT have a good birthday the day before and I was very low. I didn't feel like celebrating, life had thrown a couple of wrenches in my plans' gogs...
Hubby was working ... on a bank holiday. Because this is how it is now in Greece... they can make you do whatever they want... it's their way or the unemployment highway. Thankfully, the boys were at their grandma's and it's a very RARE treat she agrees to watch them for a bit... at one point she had even asked me for money in order to spend a few hrs with her grandkids.. but let's not go there now. She had them for a few hours and I was thankful.
I sat down after cleaning the house to watch a little TV and as it often happens, my hands wandered to my clay. I wanted to sculpt a baby that was something in between realistically cute and dolly-looking. Something like my BJDs, a little stylized. I wanted something I could reproduce in resin, put in a nice box, print a certificate for but also make it fun for collectors to play with and dress and knit for and make furniture for...
I did the body first... a little girl. Then I did two chubby legs...and two chubby arms...
No problems there. I am a pro when it comes to this. With absolutely no desire to toot my own horn I can tell you that I can do miniature arms and legs in my sleep by now... remember, I have been doing this miniature clay thing since I was 7 years old... that was 27 YEARS ago ;)
The head... ah the head. Now THAT'S trouble for me. Something between realistic and dolly cute... Round cheeks, ok got that... rolled my clay into a ball, then into a head shape. The body and limbs were already baked so I added my head/ball onto the neck, made adjustments to the size.
Fun to play with = awake... eyes... hmmm, no eyes down here, they are all at the studio. I only had my "emergency sculpting bag" and a few scraps of clay with me.
Ok, I will try the clay eye thing...
Cute? Hmmm, button nose then... and a friendly expression... And then... I have NO idea how it happened but somehow, without much trouble at all, I had this baby looking up at me. Smiling, open eyes, round cheeks and button nose... with chubby limbs that were very realistic and detailed... and Mollie was born.
Something that hasn't happened to me before.. .with little trouble and no pause, I sculpted something that I consider difficult for me. An awake cute baby and with clay eyes too.
Huge plus... all my Ellery Kish clothes fit her!!
I wonder if this takes me a tiny half-step closer to becoming like my idol, Martha Armstrong-Hand... no, not really, but could I dare to think that maybe, just maybe, when she was my age, and she still had a long way to go, she too thought like me?
Oh how I wish I were as good as her... or if I could maybe, become as good with lots of practice and time?
I never thought I would have an "aha" moment with awake, clay eyed babies but apparently I did... huh... who would have thought?
I was not feeling so good, I was under a lot of stress... I did NOT have a good birthday the day before and I was very low. I didn't feel like celebrating, life had thrown a couple of wrenches in my plans' gogs...
Hubby was working ... on a bank holiday. Because this is how it is now in Greece... they can make you do whatever they want... it's their way or the unemployment highway. Thankfully, the boys were at their grandma's and it's a very RARE treat she agrees to watch them for a bit... at one point she had even asked me for money in order to spend a few hrs with her grandkids.. but let's not go there now. She had them for a few hours and I was thankful.
I sat down after cleaning the house to watch a little TV and as it often happens, my hands wandered to my clay. I wanted to sculpt a baby that was something in between realistically cute and dolly-looking. Something like my BJDs, a little stylized. I wanted something I could reproduce in resin, put in a nice box, print a certificate for but also make it fun for collectors to play with and dress and knit for and make furniture for...
I did the body first... a little girl. Then I did two chubby legs...and two chubby arms...
No problems there. I am a pro when it comes to this. With absolutely no desire to toot my own horn I can tell you that I can do miniature arms and legs in my sleep by now... remember, I have been doing this miniature clay thing since I was 7 years old... that was 27 YEARS ago ;)
The head... ah the head. Now THAT'S trouble for me. Something between realistic and dolly cute... Round cheeks, ok got that... rolled my clay into a ball, then into a head shape. The body and limbs were already baked so I added my head/ball onto the neck, made adjustments to the size.
Fun to play with = awake... eyes... hmmm, no eyes down here, they are all at the studio. I only had my "emergency sculpting bag" and a few scraps of clay with me.
Ok, I will try the clay eye thing...
Cute? Hmmm, button nose then... and a friendly expression... And then... I have NO idea how it happened but somehow, without much trouble at all, I had this baby looking up at me. Smiling, open eyes, round cheeks and button nose... with chubby limbs that were very realistic and detailed... and Mollie was born.
Something that hasn't happened to me before.. .with little trouble and no pause, I sculpted something that I consider difficult for me. An awake cute baby and with clay eyes too.
Huge plus... all my Ellery Kish clothes fit her!!
I wonder if this takes me a tiny half-step closer to becoming like my idol, Martha Armstrong-Hand... no, not really, but could I dare to think that maybe, just maybe, when she was my age, and she still had a long way to go, she too thought like me?
Oh how I wish I were as good as her... or if I could maybe, become as good with lots of practice and time?
I never thought I would have an "aha" moment with awake, clay eyed babies but apparently I did... huh... who would have thought?
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Baby Natalie
I had a nice surprise today!! My sweet friend sent me a picture of my Natalie in resin already. geez, they are FAST :)
I want to share it with you (the color matches my clay, I know it might not look like it in this pic though). I can't wait to get her and start working on them. If you are interested drop me a note as my first batch is almost sold out :)
She would probably even be ok for an older little girl. I made the hands as fists on purpose so no tiny fingers get caught on clothes, same with the toes. Resin is harder than clay so a gentle touch little girl could have heaps of fun with a Natalie... (I would say a girl over 8 that is lol).
Can't wait to get my order delivered!! Man, that postman must think I have a serious crush on him... I practially squeal when I see him (not that is bad looking at all ;) wink wink)
I want to share it with you (the color matches my clay, I know it might not look like it in this pic though). I can't wait to get her and start working on them. If you are interested drop me a note as my first batch is almost sold out :)
Can't wait to get my order delivered!! Man, that postman must think I have a serious crush on him... I practially squeal when I see him (not that is bad looking at all ;) wink wink)
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
New Year's Resolution
Happy New Year blogosphere! What's your resolution for 2012?
I only have one...
Get pregnant and complete our family with a 3rd child...
Simple right? And for a great part of the population on this Earth, it is... However here is the small print for yours truly:
Get Pregnant/Have a baby = Lose the weight from the previous fertility drug/IVF cycles --> find a new RE --> find the funds to support said new RE --> more sculpting, more dolls, possibly more kits etc --> start the whole process all over again --> try not re-gain weight --> fingers crossed it works --> I am not allowed to carry twins again due to the damage to my pelvis from last time --> keep said pregnancy healthy while managing the current kids/house/full time job/hubby/dog/cat etc --> do not deliver prematurely and do not go into bedrest like last time (4 months!) --> deliver healthy baby and live happily ever after.
Yeah... so... this is going to take more than a year to achieve :(
So instead here are my New Year's resolutions:
Laugh Every Day
Eat more Chocolate
See more movies
Cry less
Hug the boys more
Yell at them less
Take more care of ME :)
So what are yours then?
I only have one...
Get pregnant and complete our family with a 3rd child...
Simple right? And for a great part of the population on this Earth, it is... However here is the small print for yours truly:
Get Pregnant/Have a baby = Lose the weight from the previous fertility drug/IVF cycles --> find a new RE --> find the funds to support said new RE --> more sculpting, more dolls, possibly more kits etc --> start the whole process all over again --> try not re-gain weight --> fingers crossed it works --> I am not allowed to carry twins again due to the damage to my pelvis from last time --> keep said pregnancy healthy while managing the current kids/house/full time job/hubby/dog/cat etc --> do not deliver prematurely and do not go into bedrest like last time (4 months!) --> deliver healthy baby and live happily ever after.
Yeah... so... this is going to take more than a year to achieve :(
So instead here are my New Year's resolutions:
Laugh Every Day
Eat more Chocolate
See more movies
Cry less
Hug the boys more
Yell at them less
Take more care of ME :)
So what are yours then?
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Coming in 2012
(click the above image to enlarge)
More details:
Limited Edition resin baby, 5" long
Resin Head, Arms and Legs
Your choice of skin color (light A/A, Caucasian), hair color (painted) and gender/name.
Full arms, 3/4 legs, cloth body
Full range of accessories including, pacifiers, diapers, toys, clothes, furniture etc.
Comes in beautiful gift box. Each baby will be numbered.
Absolutely perfectly sculpted hands and feet to create an ultra-realistic newborn baby.
Long list of talented ladies who you can buy items from (car seat, crib, clothes, toys etc)
Fits into Ellery Kish clothes (excluding one piece items as her body is slight longer than her's but two piece outfits fit her well including booties etc).
Comes in two editions: the Special edition will include your customized baby plus baby accessories (pacifier, bottle, toy, blanket), extra outfit and a hand made crib or bassinet.
The Do It Yourself edition will include your customized baby dressed in one outfit.
Watch this space, pre-ordering will start soon.
HAPPY NEW YEAR :) :)
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Merry Christmas
A few years ago, I was about 10 or so, the craze around here were the Thundercats. Being that these were the times, because it was violent and because there was fighting and because there was a Mummy and Monsters, it was deemed an "adult cartoon" and it aired late at night... at 10pm.
We fought an uphill battle with mom about seeing it, which we won every time of course as mom was never the steel will person.
And I didn't grow up to become a serial killer after watching it ;)
I was a pretty easy going child, albeit at the time, a little spoiled. Nothing bad had happened to my life, I was born in a family that had money, I was sent to a private school, I had horse-riding lessons and did ballet and took piano lessons and I could speak French.
Little did I know that all this would change just two shorts years later...
Back to the story... we were obsessed with Thundercats, my brothers and I... So my dad got us three figures... I of course was Cheetara, Andrew was Panthro and Steven was Tygra... but even though my dad got Panthro and Tygra, they were all out of Cheetara and he got me (gasp) Mumm-Ra...
Oh the disappointment, even though this was an unexpected gift... It wasn't my birthday or anything, it wasn't even Christmas... I remember I was SO mad and I cried...
My Dad tried to reason with me, but I was a total brat and stomped my feet ... and then Dad said, and I will never forget this, "If you don't like a present, the polite thing to do is say thank you and smile... then you can throw it in the trash if you want, but you must say thank you and smile"... So Tina-Brat, thanked her dad, smiled and then walked over to the garbage can and threw the toy, box and all, inside.
Fast forward to today and I am a different person. At age twelve my mom kicked my dad out for no reason (to this day she has admitted she did it out of spite), then lost her mind and stopped even trying to be a mom... and I lost everything. My private school, my horses, my piano lessons. I was lucky if someone else had cooked lunch and I didn't have to do it myself... That Christmas we went carolling and with the money I earned I got my brothers and I small presents because mom had made it clear there would be none for us... I got them one G.I. Joe each and I got a pencil case with a rainbow and a sheep on it (very cute). Don't feel bad though. I had wonderful grandparents and that mega-kick in the rear made me appreciate the things that truly matter in life. I don't know what kind of person I would have grown into had I stayed pampered all my life. I see all this as positive...
Today I would have traded ALL the toys I EVER got in my entire life for just ONE more Christmas with my dad... just one more hour with my dad even.
So if you didn't get that present you wanted, it's ok. These things are not important... It's the people in your lives that are important and the memories you create with them that will last you a life time. I guarantee you that iPad won't last you a year... but your memories will outlast it and every present you will ever get in your life. So make them count...
Merry Christmas to all of you. I hoped you had a wonderful time...
(PS. My dad did get me Cheetara... he should have gotten me a knock on the head though... ;))
We fought an uphill battle with mom about seeing it, which we won every time of course as mom was never the steel will person.
And I didn't grow up to become a serial killer after watching it ;)
I was a pretty easy going child, albeit at the time, a little spoiled. Nothing bad had happened to my life, I was born in a family that had money, I was sent to a private school, I had horse-riding lessons and did ballet and took piano lessons and I could speak French.
Little did I know that all this would change just two shorts years later...
Back to the story... we were obsessed with Thundercats, my brothers and I... So my dad got us three figures... I of course was Cheetara, Andrew was Panthro and Steven was Tygra... but even though my dad got Panthro and Tygra, they were all out of Cheetara and he got me (gasp) Mumm-Ra...
Oh the disappointment, even though this was an unexpected gift... It wasn't my birthday or anything, it wasn't even Christmas... I remember I was SO mad and I cried...
My Dad tried to reason with me, but I was a total brat and stomped my feet ... and then Dad said, and I will never forget this, "If you don't like a present, the polite thing to do is say thank you and smile... then you can throw it in the trash if you want, but you must say thank you and smile"... So Tina-Brat, thanked her dad, smiled and then walked over to the garbage can and threw the toy, box and all, inside.
Fast forward to today and I am a different person. At age twelve my mom kicked my dad out for no reason (to this day she has admitted she did it out of spite), then lost her mind and stopped even trying to be a mom... and I lost everything. My private school, my horses, my piano lessons. I was lucky if someone else had cooked lunch and I didn't have to do it myself... That Christmas we went carolling and with the money I earned I got my brothers and I small presents because mom had made it clear there would be none for us... I got them one G.I. Joe each and I got a pencil case with a rainbow and a sheep on it (very cute). Don't feel bad though. I had wonderful grandparents and that mega-kick in the rear made me appreciate the things that truly matter in life. I don't know what kind of person I would have grown into had I stayed pampered all my life. I see all this as positive...
Today I would have traded ALL the toys I EVER got in my entire life for just ONE more Christmas with my dad... just one more hour with my dad even.
So if you didn't get that present you wanted, it's ok. These things are not important... It's the people in your lives that are important and the memories you create with them that will last you a life time. I guarantee you that iPad won't last you a year... but your memories will outlast it and every present you will ever get in your life. So make them count...
Merry Christmas to all of you. I hoped you had a wonderful time...
(PS. My dad did get me Cheetara... he should have gotten me a knock on the head though... ;))
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Big hands...
Big hands, hold a tiny baby gently....
And even though on the outside he is as hard as a stone, on the inside I know he is terrified out of his
mind, that he is going to break it!!!! ;) :)
And even though on the outside he is as hard as a stone, on the inside I know he is terrified out of his
mind, that he is going to break it!!!! ;) :)
Friday, November 25, 2011
What I want for Christmas...
Here is my list of what I would like for Christmas:
1. Another 24hrs with my dad... I will settle for 10 more minutes though.
2. My marriage to work out.
3. A sprinkle of good luck and things to go MY way for a change.
Ok so since these are a little far-off here is a list of tanglible things:
1. I would like for my energy to pick up, my nerves to settle so that I can provide a wonderful Christmas for my boys!
2. I would like to be able to get away with hubby, sans kids, for a couple of days so we can relax and look into the future because this wait and see, is killing me!
3. I would like for hubby to surprise me just once and get me flowers and candy and maybe a night out HE orcherstrated on my birthday (4th January)
4. I would love it if there was ONE present for ME under the tree this year. I always get presents for everyone including the boys' teachers each year but only my best friend gets me something. I get no presents for my birthday either :( and it's ok. I am a big girl... but once in a while, even if it is only a card or a candy bar with a bow, I would love to get something...
Because of all those reasons, family, do not be surprised if I use the money I saved up to buy ME a new camera this Christmas... thank you for understanding ;) ;)
I promise to get all of you socks this year... after all, you've earned it (and I am not talking about my kids obviously lol)
Oh and just in case I do find the energy to host a dinner this year too, please do not gobble down the food and disappear like you did last year. It was very offensive and as it turned out it WAS my dad's last Christmas on this Earth. And you may have not appreciated all my hard work, after all how could you, you ate so fast I have doubts if you even tasted the food, but it was a wonderful day for my dad and I will forever be grateful that despite your strong opposition, your negative opinions and the nasty things you said to me (dear hubby who shall remain nameless), I AM GLAD I PUT MY FOOT DOWN AND DID IT!!!! so there...
Yeah, I am pissed and moody today.. tomorrow is my dad's 3rd month of his passing... I miss you daddy!
1. Another 24hrs with my dad... I will settle for 10 more minutes though.
2. My marriage to work out.
3. A sprinkle of good luck and things to go MY way for a change.
Ok so since these are a little far-off here is a list of tanglible things:
1. I would like for my energy to pick up, my nerves to settle so that I can provide a wonderful Christmas for my boys!
2. I would like to be able to get away with hubby, sans kids, for a couple of days so we can relax and look into the future because this wait and see, is killing me!
3. I would like for hubby to surprise me just once and get me flowers and candy and maybe a night out HE orcherstrated on my birthday (4th January)
4. I would love it if there was ONE present for ME under the tree this year. I always get presents for everyone including the boys' teachers each year but only my best friend gets me something. I get no presents for my birthday either :( and it's ok. I am a big girl... but once in a while, even if it is only a card or a candy bar with a bow, I would love to get something...
Because of all those reasons, family, do not be surprised if I use the money I saved up to buy ME a new camera this Christmas... thank you for understanding ;) ;)
I promise to get all of you socks this year... after all, you've earned it (and I am not talking about my kids obviously lol)
Oh and just in case I do find the energy to host a dinner this year too, please do not gobble down the food and disappear like you did last year. It was very offensive and as it turned out it WAS my dad's last Christmas on this Earth. And you may have not appreciated all my hard work, after all how could you, you ate so fast I have doubts if you even tasted the food, but it was a wonderful day for my dad and I will forever be grateful that despite your strong opposition, your negative opinions and the nasty things you said to me (dear hubby who shall remain nameless), I AM GLAD I PUT MY FOOT DOWN AND DID IT!!!! so there...
Yeah, I am pissed and moody today.. tomorrow is my dad's 3rd month of his passing... I miss you daddy!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Grateful..
Thanksgiving is not a Greek holiday but I do wish it were because I love the meaning of it and the traditions that come with it... This week, with all my American friends and my family in the US, preparing to celebrate it, I keep thinking what I am most grateful for... So here goes:
I am grateful and humbled by my children and the chance I was given to raise them.
I am grateful that my dad got to not only become a grandfather but also to be a daily part of their lives for almost 6 years because I know most grandparents do not get the chance (and some that DO, simply toss it aside but let's not go there in this post shall we?)
I am grateful for my sculpting gift and the perplexing patience that I lack in general but have plenty of when I work.
I am grateful for all of YOU, my collectors because no matter how good one is, without YOU all of this would be meaningless in more than one ways. I am grateful for your patience when things do not work out for me, for your compassion, for loving what I create. YOU spur me on and I am priviledged to have known each and every one of you... I hope you stick around because, ladies, you will not believe the ideas I have flying in my head ;)
I am grateful because even though I do not have a rich life, even though I wish I had the money so that my kids would go to a better school, I wish our tiny apartment was a little larger, I wish our 20 year old junk car was newer.... I am GRATEFUL because I have a roof over my head, I have a car that (mostly) runs, I have some food in my fridge, my bank account is not zero and the boys love their school and it is not totally crappy for a public school... even if I never get a new car, or a better school and even if I grow old and die in this tiny hole of an apartment, I will still be Grateful and I will still share the little I do have with those that have less than I do. Even if it is not much...
What are you grateful for??
I am grateful and humbled by my children and the chance I was given to raise them.
I am grateful that my dad got to not only become a grandfather but also to be a daily part of their lives for almost 6 years because I know most grandparents do not get the chance (and some that DO, simply toss it aside but let's not go there in this post shall we?)
I am grateful for my sculpting gift and the perplexing patience that I lack in general but have plenty of when I work.
I am grateful for all of YOU, my collectors because no matter how good one is, without YOU all of this would be meaningless in more than one ways. I am grateful for your patience when things do not work out for me, for your compassion, for loving what I create. YOU spur me on and I am priviledged to have known each and every one of you... I hope you stick around because, ladies, you will not believe the ideas I have flying in my head ;)
I am grateful because even though I do not have a rich life, even though I wish I had the money so that my kids would go to a better school, I wish our tiny apartment was a little larger, I wish our 20 year old junk car was newer.... I am GRATEFUL because I have a roof over my head, I have a car that (mostly) runs, I have some food in my fridge, my bank account is not zero and the boys love their school and it is not totally crappy for a public school... even if I never get a new car, or a better school and even if I grow old and die in this tiny hole of an apartment, I will still be Grateful and I will still share the little I do have with those that have less than I do. Even if it is not much...
What are you grateful for??
Friday, November 18, 2011
Freya..
I can...
already tell...
That...
Just like the brother...
She resembles the most...
This little girl...
Who has a mind of her own already...
Will be a handfull...
(Thank goodness she is cute!)
Johnny Johnny....
I adore him... I would lay my life down for him every second of every day if it meant he would carry on and be happy and healthy...
I am a very bubbly and upbeat person normally but... some days, I crack...
Even after all we have done for him, and all his progress which I must say, is huge, John still remains in many, many, MANY areas, still at age 3... 4 tops.
It's been six years and even though John develops, it's at his own (snail's) pace. The problem is I am getting tired far quicker and as pressure and responsibilities mount, my John remains a baby in many areas while the demands mount on him too...
Unfortunately we also live in a country with a damaged and full of holes system and John slips through each crack. There are no answers and no guidance. Everyone can only offer their best "guess" or "opinion" but you know what they say about those... So it all comes down to me...
Yes he has CP and he now walks BUT... (he can't run and he can't coordinate his body really well)
Yes he is super-humanly clever BUT... (he can't follow directions or obey rules)
Pluses are stacked on this kid... but so are minuses and some times the balance is just too delicate and I can't hold it :(
How do I even know I am doing something right??? What if despite his good points, he just won't be able to ever fit in and function in society?? Will he find his niche?
When will he grow up? Why is everything a struggle with him? Why does he fight me in every turn? Will he ever reach his peers in emotional maturity??
Could I love him and his brother any more??
(and will all this eventually be the death of me?)
Monday, November 14, 2011
Somehow...
Somehow...and I am not exactly sure HOW, last night... These two...
Blew out SIX candles each...
(btw do you like the cakes I made for them? They love Star Wars Clone Wars AND Lego Star Wars.. I thought it was a neat compromise, what do you think?)
HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY WONDERBUGS!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Why H & M will be my doom!
I used to say I could NOT walk in "Jumbo" (something like Toys R' Us) and just leave with a bill under 100 Euros...
I beat that!!! I went cold turkey ;)
However... now I can't walk in H & M with a bill under 100 Euros!
But it's NOT my fault!!! I mean... they set a trap for me!!! First they made my son tear up his trousers at school today... then I made sure I had to be somewhere, right next to their store about 15 minutes after I picked up the boys... so with torn pants, I HAD to go to H & M and buy him a new pair... of course they made sure they were cheaper than Next which is right next to them...
And then.... then.... they had long sleeved t-shirts for the boys with Mario heroes on them... OF COURSE we could NOT, not get them... Then they made sure, I went right past the baby isle in which they had ALL my favorites.
Pink and brown ladies, PINK AND BROWN.... (terrible pics) And not only that...
BALLET SHOES... in the tiniest, tiniest size...
I went in fully intending to buy a 10 Euro pair of pants... I walked out with several items totalling 90 Euros... I am scr!wed. On the other hand... I DARE you resist pink and brown cross over onesies with the CUTEST squirrel on them... Or knit, STRIPPED, pink and brown footies with a HOOD... or the tiniest softest ballet shoes. No seriously, I DARE YOU!!!!!!
But it's NOT my fault!!! I mean... they set a trap for me!!! First they made my son tear up his trousers at school today... then I made sure I had to be somewhere, right next to their store about 15 minutes after I picked up the boys... so with torn pants, I HAD to go to H & M and buy him a new pair... of course they made sure they were cheaper than Next which is right next to them...
And then.... then.... they had long sleeved t-shirts for the boys with Mario heroes on them... OF COURSE we could NOT, not get them... Then they made sure, I went right past the baby isle in which they had ALL my favorites.
Pink and brown ladies, PINK AND BROWN.... (terrible pics) And not only that...
BALLET SHOES... in the tiniest, tiniest size...
I went in fully intending to buy a 10 Euro pair of pants... I walked out with several items totalling 90 Euros... I am scr!wed. On the other hand... I DARE you resist pink and brown cross over onesies with the CUTEST squirrel on them... Or knit, STRIPPED, pink and brown footies with a HOOD... or the tiniest softest ballet shoes. No seriously, I DARE YOU!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
The reason I did not want to get up this morning
(except the fact I still feel like a truck hit me of course)
Ok so let's take a look at my to do list, shall we?
Today I need to:
Work
Cook lunch
Prepare the swimming bag for the boys
Go pick up two items from the Post Office which means driving around for half an hour hoping to park
Go get the boys from school so we can go to the swim classes, which means drive around for half an hour around the school hoping to park
Prepare them, dress them etc, hand them over to their coaches and watch classes (insert 45 minutes of me sitting in the stands, probably trying to organize the party)
Get them, wash them, dress them, blow dry their hair, pack them in the car
Go to the dentist were Cody must have two front teeth remove (they are wobbly but because they are fake, they won't come out on their own)
Take the boys to a promised toy shop where I will pick up some last minute items for the party and they will each pick a tiny reward (John will have his teeth checked too)
Take them home, feed them, do homework, put them down for sleep
Clean up a little
George arrives, feed George
Walk dog
By this time I am dragging and my feet hurt
Crash and sleep and wake up the next day and do it all over again
Aaaand because by now I am SURE you are feeling stressed out and weepy like I do, here are a couple of photos to cheer you up... You're welcome!
This is my biracial little baby (6"). Who is NOT as dark as these pics, s/he has an olive skin tone... Work in progress, no body yet. (sorry about the horrible pic, I had to hold the camera with one hand *heavy!* and have my f speed really low to hit the proper exposure!!)
And this is my other work in progress I dug up. I haven't finished painting and glazing him... He will be around 8-9" ... And a picture with the two heads to show you the difference in *scale* of 5-6" and 8-9" and the difference in the skin colors (the skin on the biracial baby is painted and blended by me, the clay was Caucasian originally like the bigger baby).
You do NOT want to see my "head" stash... but I promised I won't sculpt anything new until all the heads have limbs and bodies... yeah... it might... take me a while...
Monday, November 07, 2011
Dad comes for a visit...
I am a very level headed person... I still struggle with the idea of an Afterlife because I cannot explain it scientifically. I DO believe in a Higher Being (God in my case) but after dad died I wasn't sure I believed in Heaven or Hell anymore. At least not the way most people present it... I know most people that go through a loss, question their faith, so I apologized to God and kept going...
However somethings just cannot be explained... I waited with baited breath for a sign from dad that he was ok, that he had made it to the "other side" whatever that other side was but nothing...
I am a very ehm... spiritual person, in the sense that I am generally very tuned in with weird things, paranormal things... I can "sense" when things are about to happen and this becomes very obvious to me in dreams. I cannot begin to tell you how many times solutions or premonitions or even the future as it later happened, have presented themselves to me when I dream.
For instance, I saw my boys and I swear on their lives for this, before I even got pregnant...before we even knew I would ever get pregnant with my medical issues... I saw a chubby blonde boy and tiny, frail dark haired boy, newborns and they were mine...and in my dream the robust one was doing great and the tiny one, I worried about so much I could feel it in my sleep...
This dream repeated itself over and over again during the two years I was struggling with IVF and what-not...and low and behold I gave birth to two boys, a robust dark haired one and a frail and tiny blonde one...hmmm that didn't quite match my dream...but wait! As they grew the boys reversed, and the frail blonde one (John) grew dark hair and my raven black haired one (Cody) the robust one, is now my fair haired one!!! Weird!!!
Also I dreamt of having twins. We had seen ONE baby alive on ultrasound, one whose heart had stopped and we thought ok, I am having one baby... then I had a dream where I was having an ultrasound again, however there was a third baby now... but we couldn't see his legs.
Lo and behold, a week later, we saw a third baby and John was born with diplegia (a form of cerebral palsy that affects the legs!).
I can't explain all these (and a ton more!), without tapping into the strange and paranormal. I just know things sometimes ...
Anyway, back to dad... So I hadn't seen dad at all since the day he died. I got no signs...except a ton of geckos (I love geckos). After he died and after not seeing a single one all summer, since the night he died onwards, every night I walked the dog, they were ALL around me on the walls of the houses on the street...
But, no dad, no dream, not sign he was ok... I thought he was mad at me for something... then on Saturday night, he visited!!!
I saw him plain as day, in the house I grew up in, with my grandfather.. he LOVED my grandfather, having no dad of his own, my grandfather was his father in all respects except blood.
So they were sitting around the kitchen table, waiting for lunch. My grandma was cooking (I didn't see her but I "knew" she was there)... and my dad was definitely OK, healthy and even younger than when he died (around 45-ish I would say). My grandfather was younger as well. They were talking about work...and they even gave me a solution to a problem I went to bed thinking about.
Then today, I found out Saturday was "soul day". I don't know how to explain it in English but in the Greek orthodox Christian religion, some Saturdays a year it is said the souls leave Heaven and roam about which is why it is tradition for us to make a special food and offer it to show them we remeber them.
I had NO idea it was a soul Saturday though... yet, my dad and granddad visited to show me they had found each other and were doing great!!
I miss them both so much but it makes me feel a little better knowing they are alright...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
