The hummingbirds cry for you

 We will always remember Aunt Alice for the things she loved in nature, the hummingbirds, butterflies, and Gladiolus. They filled her home & were more than hobbies, they were part of her. Maybe it was because they reminded her of the One who created it all or maybe it was just because she longed for something more than the dust storms of good ol'Texas. I am & will always think of her fondly when I see a hummingbird in my window, hear an Alan Jackson song, or am called "Honey". As I reflect on the memories we have shared, I see pieces of me in her. It is strange I never saw it before. I have always held her in a place of respect and love but we shared more than our Christian faith and family ties, we shared a need to see the world through a lens, to create a home that reflects who we are & the life we want. She always had the same demeanor through heartache and joy but inside of her, the creative side, had to come from emotions never shared aloud. She lived in West Texas where the front yards are graveled instead of mowed but in her home you where in Padre Island or better yet the Pacific Coast of California. She grew plants and flowers indoors, as if she threw up her green thumb to that Desert Sun! When I was much younger I recall the cakes she would bake. No not a round cake, never, the shape of my favorite Cabbage Patch Doll that would put the twinkle in my eye. So many moments on film not in my mind's eye because with her large camera she stood by. A day at the park, Mama's wedding & Ivory's wedding all just a photograph away thanks to Aunt Alice. She had a thirst to see the world but waited patiently for a ride to town to buy a slice of Pizza Pie. I wait (sometimes not so patiently) for the Pizza guy. The list goes on and on in the ways we are alike but what I desire more than anything is to have her gentle spirit and her unwavering faith.  I hope that at the end of my life I am more like her than a 'just little'.  The title Aunt does not quite suit what she meant to me but it will have to do for the masses to understand. I dream of days filled with the fragrance of your favorite flower and even a cat or two (she loved nature but was not fond of cats, lol). I long for the day I can hear you say "Honey, can you take a look....?" I bet she waits patiently.

Aunt Alice at the other end of the lens.

  

Aunt Alice and her son Jimmie, Ivory's wedding



Treasures just for you.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd3e6f15b608eef38a2c5ef/message-in-a-bottle?ref=pr_treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd3d5e95b608eef12d4c3ef/sweet-alice?index=0

These are from Mama

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd3c84eb95c6d912df5d3fe/my-lady-alice-in-wonderful-land?index=0
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd3cffe5b608eef4e56c3ef/eatspretty?index=1

Obituary

http://www.myersandsmith.com/pages/show_content.php?siteid=40&action=1&value=12&menuitem=190&obituaries_action=2&obituaryid=61547



A busy week for Paper!



New Design

Last week was grueling, almost as busy the days prior to opening my shop on Etsy. As I mention in my last blog it was Angie's wedding week. There were tons of events I was unable to attend, logistics were an issue since she is in Austin. Despite the distance I felt that nervous energy all the way in Baton Rouge. Angie a perfectionist, (just as I) had so much going on and no sleep to recharge her batteries. This is typical of most weddings. It's just a given no matter how prepared you are something will make you sweat during that last week! 

To burn some of my nervous energy, I made Treasuries, edited pictures for both Mom and my shop. I feel very good about Mom's new pictures. I have come to understand why you see so many white backgrounds in Etsy shops, everything looks so much better! The full attention is on your product, which is of course what you want. I am still playing around with capturing the most unique and intriguing angles. I know great pictures are a basic foundation for making your shop or online business successful.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/branchonthebeadtree



 Another sleepless night brought on the cute note card set I created. Mom loves to turn everything into a "Line" for our future with Target! (Imaginary may be a better term than future.) So my new "line" is called "If you can't beat 'em" The note cards feature some of my favorite birds such as a peacock and owl. The note cards are blank inside but on the outside have a greeting in Spanish. If you have looked at my shop, Pieces Of April, on Etsy you will notice I use a lot of Spanglish. I have read and heard the advice "blog the way you speak", so I thought, why not do that in my product names and use it in the actual creative facets of my business. The first set is basic Spanish and I hope it's easy to learn, join us in rolling those R's people! I will be adding other pajaros,that's birds, over time with other greetings in the near future. I love the paper world, that is where I feel I am most creative, so this week when my first note card set, Mary's Garden, was chosen for a Treasury on Etsy, it was well another milestone of success for me. Below are pictures of all of my recent paper creations. 


Birds The Word Note Card Set



http://www.etsy.com/listing/60071899/bird-is-the-word-note-cards-set-of-6



I have many things to share about the wedding, but I will leave that for my next blog....Since I still need pictures!

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59680259/new-design-coral-rose-chico-ring