I For See a Future Giveaway & Stuff

For so many of you youngsters and grandparents, it's the start of summer and you're lovelies are home for the next several weeks. How I remember dreading this time of year when I was a young mommy. I recall this woman in our group of school volunteers was one of the types that loved having her children home from school. One day as I was preparing the teacher's lounge during "Teacher Appreciation Week," which I was the chairbitch, I was putting muffins, coffee cakes, donuts and other homemade goodies my committee peoples made, we were discussing what we were planning to do during the summer. I told her we were planning a trip to Florida, Destin Beach to be exact, and visit my (ex) hubby's family along the way, the Hatfields and McCoys!

Before I go into that conversation, let me tell you what it was like traveling with the ex and 3 kids, one of which is autistic and at the time, very hyperactive (he's 25 now and a total slug), it was HELL, SHEAR HELL!!! I always felt that I was the proverbial mediator during these long stretches of road between El Paso, TX, LA, MS, TN, GA, FL, if I missed a state in there, forgive my geographical mistake!!! Crossing Texas alone took 2 friggin' days!! My kids, well, were just kids and the hubster just didn't quite like the idea of them acting, well, like kids, so it was a constant scream and swat fest. Every year, I swore I would never go on a family vacation again, they could all go without me and God help them!! Now I loved the traveling aspect of it, all that green, something we don't see out here in the Chihuahuan Desert.

The Smoky Mountains in TN were fantastic and everyone along the way were just wonderfully friendly, except for a woman in AR, oh yea, forgot we went through there too, who had an adorable little quilt shop. It was during that country cutsie decor and she had all kinds of cutsie things. We began talking and she was just as sweet and friendly and then asked me where I was from and I told her, El Paso, TX. She said she'd never been there and didn't want to because she didn't like "mesicans." I know, I could have entered into a really swell debate with her, but what's the point? I politely put down the items I was going to purchase and began towards the door and she asked me if I was going to buy them and I replied that I didn't think she wanted to do business with a "mesican." I walked out. I had dealt with bigotry before while living in Dallas back in the early to mid 70's. I had never experienced it before here at home and it was quite a shock for me to be judged for the location my grandparents were from. But as I've always felt for many years, I just consider the source..."your problem sweetie, not mine, you moron!!"

So back to that conversation in the teacher's lounge, as we were speaking other volunteers came in and listened. She told me she loved having her kids home because she got to love on them all day instead just a few hours!!!!!!!!! As she said that, a friend of mine standing behind her, signaled with the index finger down her throat and I my bladder was bursting due to my withholding much needed laughter, among other things. I excused myself, went to the teacher's potty and there was a big bang on the door, it was my fellow B.S. Crime Fighter!! We made such a rucous in the teacher's bathroom, we got another knock at the door, it was the principal! I opened it and as soon as she saw us both, she closed the door behind her and had to know what was so funny, like I said, she already knew what Terry and I were all about. Well, imagine 3 women in this small space with toilet and sink taking up most of it, all in total hysterics!!

So several years have passed and my little chickies have flown the coop, one in Houston, the girl in Austin, and the other son, living here with his father. Starting today, I'll have him for the month, until July 5th. And what do you think happened to that lovely lady who just loved on her kids all day, everyday during the summer, her eldest, a son, became a teacher, went to CA and is now serving time in prison for child pornography and the daughter, well they sent her to some drug rehab up in UT, she's apparently a heroin addict and was into prostitution. Yes, this is very sad and I feel so badly for that mother who loved her children so much, and I assume still does, but there's something to say about the mommy who wants to lock herself up in the closet with a big bottle of vodka and limes during the summer...gratefully my children, not perfect by no stretch of the imagination, are not doing time nor turning tricks.

I've decided I'm going to have a giveaway in the next couple of weeks. I noticed I've surpassed 200 posts, so there's something to say about that...that I need a life!!??!??!? So stay tuned, my bloggie buddies for the big announcement. Also, I want to show you the stuff I've made in the last couple of weeks:
From left to right, Shelli Bird, Frida Bird and the last one is my sister's order, so she'll name her.



And here we have Jackie Bird and Sissy Bird. I'll have them up on my Etsy shop by the end of this week, for the exception of ? Bird.

Here is my daughter and son-in-laws wedding gift. I had so much fun making them, I think I'm going to make some more, plus cake toppers....whatcha think?? Well, it's time for me to get back into the studio and work on my giveaway surprise...I used this time for them to dry. Oh before I forget, I have to show you what I got in the mail the other day.



While I was making the Calaca bride and groom, I was having a time trying to knead the clay. I noticed that some of the packages had these little dry lines on the edges and I had just purchased them, so WTF??? I got so frustrated, I went to the Polyform site, the company that makes Sculpey, and found that my clay was already "conditioned" meaning, it was useless to use it. Ya think I was a bit perturbed, your damn right....I had invested in a boat load of this stuff and most of it had gone tits-up somewhere in between the company and my studio!! So I wrote the company that afternoon, explained what was wrong with my clay and asked if there was anything I could do to re-condition. I received a very nice reply the next morning from Pat Colella. She told me it was virtually impossible to do anything with the clay, but to send her the lot # on the side of the packages, and they would either replace them or reimburse me for what I paid, after I give them the info as to where I purchased them. I emailed her back with the list of lot #'s and the amount of packages I needed. There ya go, a company that stands by their products and customer service...talking about keeping their customers happy!!! So I'm plugging Sculpey and will as long as it's around...great product and great company to do business. Peace out. forsee