~Back to Business As Usual~

I haven't been around much this month, so thought I'd do a 'catch-up' post. May is flying by, and starting with Tom and Amy's Engagement last month....our family has rolled from one excitement to the next...filled with high school proms, college graduations, their parties, estate sales and antiquing, and of course....lots of time in the studio!

This past weekend, my niece, Katie, (not to be confused with my little Amish friend, Katie) went to the senior prom on Friday nite. Over 30 couples met at one of the girl's houses for pictures. Katie looked just elegant. Her date, though 'just a friend' we were told, was just dear. A perfect gentlemen. He will be off to the U of Toledo to study Pharmacy in the fall. Katie is finishing her sophomore year at of high school in our little town. (She's the one in the pale yellow dress) It was great fun to see all the guys and gals all dressed up. I know quite definitely why God gave me boys: I would NEVER have allowed a daughter of mine to wear some of those way-too-revealing dresses! What were their mothers thinking????



On Saturday, we were invited by Katie's sister, Maggie, to accompany her to the Baccalaureate Mass at John Carroll University. We went back to her Mom's house afterward for a BBQ, where we had the pleasure of being joined by Alison's (Maggie's good friend and fellow-JCU-graduate) family. They flew in from all over the country.

Sunday was a beautiful day for the graduation, which was held on the picturesque grounds of John Carroll. Maggie graduated Magna Cum Laude, and will continue on to law school come September. She's a beautiful, talented young lady that we are all so very proud of. She's worked hard at her accomplishments.




















So....Monday it was "Back to Business As Usual", as Katie (yes, the amish Katie!) came. We talked, laughed, talked, sewed, cooked, talked....til late into the nite. When she left this morning, we both agreed we each had joyful spirits that should last us til our next visit!



This photo shows some of the Halloween Witch Angels we started on. As you can see, I have my work cut out for me. The poor dears need their heads!!

Antique shops and estate sales in the area have been terrific. I've picked up lots of goodies, including lots of old cutter quilts to use for my vintage rabbits and santas. Now if those elves would truly stop by this year.....

I'm off to fill orders and begin packing for our upcoming vacation. So until then, it's 'Business As Usual' here at RoseCreekCottage Studios!

~I hope you each continue journeying through May with joyful spirits and full hearts~

~Angel In the Kitchen~

‘She’ first came to me very late at nite in the summer of 1993. I say ‘she’ because she had a strong, feminine voice. I may be wrong. But it’s how I think of her. I couldn’t sleep. I often find myself sitting in the kitchen in the middle of the nite on those kinds of nites.

My business had really grown since its start in 1989. I was doing over 20 art shows, as well as wholesale shows in Philidelphia, Atlanta and Chicago, twice a year. I had hundreds of shop and catalog accounts. I had eight employees. Several sales reps out in the field around the country. I was working 16-hour-days. You could say I was on “auto-pilot”: so revved up on caffeine and adreneline, there was no stopping me. Until that nite in the kitchen.

I was sitting on a stool at the island. Drinking iced tea. Just sitting. Tired. But content. At 17 and 10, both boys were doing well in school. Jim was quickly climbing the corporate ladder. Life was good. Her loud voice permeated the dimly-lit room. “WHHHHHOOOOOOO ARRRRREEEE YOU?” it boomed. I jumped. My heart was beating fast. I wasn’t really scared. Just startled. She filled the room with her presence. I knew what she meant. I had NO idea who I was. Yes….I was a mother of two sons. A wife to a man I adored. But had I lost ME??? Was there any ‘me’ left?? I sat there for a long time. She never said another word. She didn’t have to.

I was a great goal-setter. I’d set them each December for the upcoming year. When they were met, I’d set the next year’s goal higher. I’d always meet them. And so it continued. Like Topsy, the business grew and grew. One of my oldest friends, Babs, asked me then, “When is it enough?”. Why, it was never enough. There were always higher mountains to climb. Until that nite in the kitchen. I knew I was on the wrong path. I needed to make changes.

I got rid of my sales reps, and cut down my wholesale accounts to just my original shops and catalogs. I dropped my shows down to half the number. Much more ‘doable’. And I made time for me. I re-joined a health club, signed up for aerobics classes….and actually went to them! I was much healthier. And happier.

That wasn’t her last visit. She speaks much more quietly now. She knows she needn’t ‘yell’. I know when she’s here. I can almost predict when she’ll come. Like last nite. She knew I needed her visit.

It’s been a hellacious week with Mom. And we’re all so tired. And scared. Specially Mom. I pray that Mom has an angel that will fill her with the peace that my Angel gives me. I know she has one. It’s an Archangel. I know because of Mom’s description of him. Very very tall with HUGE wings showing past his shoulders and reaching down to the floor. I hope he’s with her this week. She needs him.

Postscript: Mom was admitted to the Geriatric Psychiatric ward at a nearby hospital yesterday for observation. Taking her there was the single, hardest thing I've ever had to do. She is very confused and scared. And very angry at me for taking her there. Please keep her in your prayers.

~Braking For God~

The studio was in full-swing. It was a hot August day nine years ago, and the wholesale orders from the Atlanta Gift Show were piled high. The girls and I were filling trays of orders, and the boxes for UPS were stacked to the ceiling. Shops and catalogs wanted their orders ‘yesterday'. I was pretty organized and had ordered plenty of supplies before we headed into the mid-summer gift shows….so I thought. Then it happened: we ran out of a much-used jewelry finding. We needed 350 more to fill the orders we had. Thank goodness that the supplier was only an hour’s drive, so I decided, migraine or not, to drive there to pick them up.

The morning had started peacefully enough. I had my precious half-an-hour with a book and a cup of coffee. I was touched by a short story in a “Chicken Soup for the Soul-type’ book. You know the kind: short little inspirational quippets that let you savor a brief ‘ahhh…that’s nice’ moment before heading on your way. The story was about a woman who had been praying for some sign from God, as she was having a difficult time making an important decision. She was stumped.

That same day, she was sitting in a friend’s kitchen, sharing a cup of coffee, when she commented to her friend, that there was a beautiful red cardinal at her feeder. Without even bothering to turn her head, the friend told her that it was impossible. She only had thistle seed in her feeder, and had never seen a cardinal there. When she turned around, sure enough: a cardinal! The woman was certain that this was her sign from God. The answer to her prayers.

Hmmmm….I thought. I have been praying for help on a particular problem. I was begging God for some help. I think I’ll ask God to send ME a cardinal if I'm leaning in the right direction. No….they never came to MY feeder either. Thistle seed was the answer to feeding the birds in our yard without attracting the raccoons and squirrels that lived to taunt my puppies. So that would be a great sign. Yeah, right, I thought. And I continued on with my day.

I armed myself with an Imitrex (migraine medication) and a cold iced tea, put on the darkest sunglasses I had, seatbelted myself in….and headed down the driveway holding back the tears. How was I going to get on 271 and drive an hour each way with this raging headache? I was half-way up our short street when I slammed on the brakes. I couldn’t believe it. There he was. Sitting in the middle of the road, looking up at me. I mean that bird was STARING at me. He had swooped down right in front of me and stood standing on the asphalt. He was the reddest, most beautiful cardinal I have ever seen. Headache or not. And he wasn’t leaving anytime soon. We both stared. Locked in time.

Now I’ve gotten signs from God before. Lots of times. But not as blatant as this time…unless you want to count the time I met an angel in my kitchen in the middle of the night. But that's a story for another post!

I had shared my cardinal story with Mel, and it had touched her as deeply as it had touched me. And she remembered my long-ago encounter when she added the cardinal border to the beautiful Frosty pillow. Thank you, Mel. And thank you, God….for sending me cardinals in the oddest of moments…in the strangest of ways. You have my attention!

~A Letter To Heaven~

Dear Danny,

Your oldest son, Jonathan, got married on Saturday.
I know you are very proud of him. He married an angel. Her name is Ashley. She sparkles. All the time. And she really loves your son. You must have had some hand in their meeting, as I believe they are a 'match made in heaven', to be sure.

The wedding was perfect. Ashley's Great Uncle is a priest, so he said the mass. She's Italian, Dan. Isn't that something? And your wife, Kay. Well...she sparkled too, but there was a sadness I could see behind her eyes. She misses you. We all miss you, Dan.

I particularly felt your presence in that beautiful church. Joshua (youngest son) felt it too. We talked about it afterwards. There was a point during the ceremony that Jonathan caught Joshua's eye.....just for a second.....and Joshua said he was certain you were there. Watching. From heaven.

They missed their honeymoon in St. Lucia because of the winds driven by Hurricane Ike. They were really bummed. Did you have a hand in that, too, to keep your son and his new little bride safe? I bet you did!

All four of your step-children were there. With their own kids. They're all beautiful Dan, and doing so well. It's because of you, ya know. You stepped into their lives when they were all small. You raised them like they were your own. They all talked about you. They all acknowledge what you did for them.

Mom is doing 'okay'. She misses you terribly. We talk about you often. Her alzheimer's flares badly at times. But you already know that. Kathy took her pictures from the wedding on Sunday. Even yesterday when I visited her, we talked about Jonathan and Ashley, Kay, the kids.....you.

Do you hear me when I'm driving and praying and talking to you out loud? Do you see me cry when I think of you? Please know that we are all okay. Oh.....I'm a grandmother now!! I don't 'feel' old enough to be one. But I am. Who knew it would be so amazing? Jeff and Jackie have two beautiful children. You'd love them. They'd adore you.

Please say hello to dad. Let him know that I 'smell' his cigarette smoke every-once-in-a-while and I smile. I just know he's playing a lot of golf, and still cheering for the Browns and his beloved Indians. Tell him Kathy and I still sing, "Today Is Monday" and giggle. I miss him.

I love you, Dan. Kiss the angels for me, 'kay? And if God lends you his laptop....do ya think you can shoot me just one itty bitty email to let me know you're okay? Tell Him I'd really appreciate it.

Love 'From Here All The Way to Heaven',

Your Sister Carol

P.S. If there are any elves running around up there with nothing to do....can you please ask God to send them here for just 2 weeks. I could really use them, and would be ever grateful! xoxoxo

***Stop over at Pampering Beki's Blog to read other blogger's interpretations of FingerPrint Friday, that echos Stephen Curtis Chapman's song!***

~Stop the Merry-Go-Round~

Tuesday 5:10am.

Coffee. Scissors. Angel wings. Not enough. My life is spinning faster and faster. It's blurring around me. Breathe. Deep breaths. Don't close your eyes. You don't want to miss anything. Breathe. It's almost September. Panic is setting in. Not enough hours in the day. Or nite. The elves forgot to show up....again.

Ella and Jackson were here for the weekend. For Ella's party. And life became clear again. The merry-go-round slowed down just enough that I was able to jump off. For a short while. I didn't want to miss one second of time with these precious children.

Ella is in awe of what her grandma does. Wide-eyed, she picks up doll heads, angel wings, fabric. The smile on her face says it all.

It was only yesterday that she was only a twinkle in her parents' eyes. And here she is. Four. Loving life. Playing princess. Giving hugs and 'I Love Yous' when I need them most. And it makes me remember why I'm doing all this.

Today the house is empty again. The kids and grandkids are all back home. Where they belong. Where God means them to be. And I'm left alone with the angels. Real ones. Cloth ones. And the coffee.

Angels are beckoning.

And there's that merry-go-round. Spinning.

Too much to do.

Angels everywhere.

~A New Book Club and Congratulations~

I'm so swamped with orders that I'm starting to wonder what I've gotten myself into! I finished a Special Order last nite for one of this earth's angels, Melanie White. She is a dedicated nurse who is celebrating the completion of 30 years of nursing at the end of this year. As she was typing an email to me as to what her vision for a charm bracelet would be, I was typing one to her. Guess what? We both had the same ideas! So....here it is, Melanie. And a heartfelt 'Congratulations' from someone who has witnessed, firsthand, angels like you. With everything my Mom and Dad have gone through these past years, I truly appreciate each of you dedicated Earth Angels!

I have a dear friend who is in town from Arizona. Susie and I started our teaching careers together in the same elementary school eons ago, along with our friend Karen. At a luncheon for Sue last week, I mentioned I would love to find a book club that meets during the day, but most of my friends are working. Surprisingly, there were other women there who were interested, so we met for the first time yesterday. In choosing to keep the first book 'light', we decided on Kirsten Kiernan's first novel, Catching Genius. You can check it out here on her blog, Kristy Kiernan's Amazon Blog. The group of women is very diverse, intelligent, and (this is the best part) fun-loving! At the end of yesterday's initial meeting, we found ourselves wondering whether we actually needed a book to discuss each month! The topics were varied and interesting. We didn't quite solve all the world's problems, but we tried! Now I'd better get myself to the studio. My boss is a tyrant!

~Angels Among Us~

August 1, 2008. A brand new month with a clean slate. To borrow a phrase from my Catholic grade school catechism in describing a new soul: clean, pure and new. Now, the big question: What will I do with it? How do I keep it pure, yet productive. How can I spend hours in the studio, yet have time for others? Time to do the things I was put on this earth to do?

I once sat at a wholesale show in Atlanta, on a melancholy Sunday morning. I had sent my sweet DIL, Jackie, home early, as there was not much need for her to stay for the remaining two days. Business was bleak. They had put artisans from the “Hand-Made” section in with the mass-produced Taiwan booths. Not good. Many of us were in the same boat. We couldn’t compete with their prices, their volume, their turn-around time.

I had arrived early. I needed some direction; some guidance. So I sat, eyes closed, head bowed. And I prayed. "What do I do now, Lord?” Sensing that I was not alone, I looked up to see Surrender, a 6’5” eastern Indian man who was set up in the booth next to me. No worldy description of his regality could do him justice. He stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground, dark three-piece suit, starched white mandarin-collared shirt, full beard, turban…….handsome beyond the heavens. Hands clasped behind his back, looking down at me with a fondness you seldom see in strangers, he said, “Carol, God knows what you need, and He will give it to you”. And as quietly as he had appeared, he left.

There are a handful of times in life when another soul says something profound. For me, this was one of those times. I have carried those words with me for 15 years now. There aren’t too many days when I don’t think of them and that kind stranger I met for a brief moment.

So I begin this clean, pure month with some questions, some fears, and the knowledge that God knows what I need. I am listening with an open heart.

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2.