HBBH 3 A New Year, a New Challenge!

Holiday time. Everyone seems to immediately think of the season we just ended, but POOH, who wants to wait a whole 344 days to celebrate again? HMMMMM? We hear ya!

We looked at the calendar and realized there are fantastic Holidays, from so many amazing cultures, to celebrate all year, so why not? Bet there's more than one crafter out there who enjoys making things related to holidays throughout the year, so LETS SHARE the fun.

 

Starting today we will be having sign ups for HBBH 3, through to January 27th. Partners (limited to a total of 30, so don't delay) will be picked and notified by February 1st.
You and your partner will decide what holiday you want to create for, BUT it has to be celebrated in the months of February and March (No making Halloween pumpkin earrings just yet!).

Some suggestions are:

·Ground Hog Day - Feb 2

·Chinese New Year - Feb 10

·National Foundation Day (Japan) - Feb 11

·Mardi Gras thru Feb 12

·St Valentine's Day - Feb 14

·National Flag Day (Canada) - Feb 15

·Do a Grouch a Favor Day - Feb 16

·International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day - Feb 23(my personal favorite)

·Purim - Feb 23-24

·Saint David's Day (Wales, UK) - March 1

·Barbie's Birthday - March 9

·Commonwealth Day (UK) - March 11

·St. Patrick's Day - March 17

·Feast of St. Joseph (Italy) - March 18

·Big Bird's Birthday - March 20

·Greek Independence Day - March 25

·Start of Passover - March 25

·Easter - March 31

Feel free to use your own or choose from the above list, as We DID NOT make any of these up!

Finished items should be mailed to your partner by February 23rd, and the reveal will be on March 16th. No problems, right? Plenty of time to create, between shoveling the piles of snow, or at least blowing the leaves off the driveway.

To sign up please reply via email, to marshellswaps@gmail.com, with your name, mailing address, blog URL, and if you are willing to ship internationally, as in the past (Even you repeat offender attendees. We're trying to develop a data base for future use, hehehe). If you are reading this on Shelley's, or Marlene's blog, please go to SWAPS by Marlene and Shelley, and sign up for our email feed, so you get all the latest news delivered right to your mail box.

Happy Ground Hog Day (and all the rest)!

Memories and Thanks Blog Hop

Did I know Marianna Adams? Not personally, but I know something about her. How did we meet? Through the warm and wonderful community of jewelry designers and crafters and their blogs, is how. There was another talented designer, Judy Glende, who lost her battle with cancer back in the spring of last year, whom Tania Spivey wanted to honor with a jewelry fundraising blog hop. I felt compelled to enter it, and the subsequent auction brought me to meeting Marianna. She bid on, and won, a pendant necklace I did with a component that Judy had in her Etsy shop. Hence, my Facebook conversations with Marianna started.

We talked about the problems with her health, which she never complained about, just dealt with in her own way. We talked about her work, a Hospice Nurse, of which I could completely relate, as I had been one as well, before retirement. Best of all I came to realize what a selfless and caring lady Marianna was, helping her friends, even when it took time away from her own family.

Meanwhile, Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, had helped Marianna to get her blog page set up so she could join in the hop fun we all have.  Unfortunately it was not meant to be, and this tribute is the result, a vision of Lori's to her, and all others we have lost too soon, paying homage.

 

 

She so wanted the pendant I created, but several attempts to get the sale completed did not come to pass. I put it aside, as I never did get her address, and assumed when life settled down for her, we would finally work it out. Then came the news.

Every time I looked at that pendant, thoughts of Marianna came filling my head again, of the strength she showed in her life, of the level of caring she had for all in her life, of the immense sense of loss her family must have. I knew what I had to do with it.

It isn’t red and there are no cardinals on it. It is a butterfly garden, full of wings. The ones she now owns, I am sure are more resplendent than I could ever make. So the pendant is in the hands of her loving daughters, a gift, I hope they realize how much it meant to their mom, but an even greater gift to me, of having “met” their dear mother, Marianna Adams.

Most of us have felt that profound sense of loss, or will someday, but my hope for all is that you will have that one special way to keep them in your memory, and close to your heart.

Please use this link to Pretty Things for the list of other participants in this blog hop.