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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Heart Pendant for J.E.M. and Jewels of Hope


This pendant is an original design for Ginny.  She loved it and commissioned me to make 10.  It is possibly a necklace version for J.E.M. and Jewels of Hope.
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Sunday, February 20, 2011

Happy Birthday to Me

I am surrounded by many crafty people.  Two of my birthday presents involved knitting, a craft I have not allowed myself to get into.  There is just not enough time to try everything that looks like fun to do.

A scarf, knit by Carol, my mother-in-law

Carol spent Christmas in Minnesota and learned to knit.  Then she decided to make scarves for all of her girls.  Mine looks fabulous with my red coat.  This yarn is a special kind that creates the ruffle affect as you knit.

A cuff bracelet, knit by Pete's sister, Molly

Molly actually might have meant it as a Christmas present.  Either way, when I saw her making one in October I told her I would love to have one.  I love having a piece of jewelry made by someone else.  Not store-bought.  One-of-a-kind:)
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Cards for me and Elijah

Ruth (6 1/2) has really taken to crafting.  I am in the process of sanding down a thrift store find (a $15 desk) so I can paint it and fill it with craft supplies just for her.  She'll have her own dedicated space to make cards.  I forgot to take a before picture of the desk.  I planned to get it finished before she wanted to make valentines, but Little League has begun so that didn't happen.  Painting a desk moved down my list of priorities.  Plus, I wanted to make valentines for my kids and hubby (post to come soon).



Because Elijah and I have January birthdays, Ruth made a couple of cards that were for both of us.  Each of these has a picture she drew and colored all on her own.  She followed directions in an animal drawing book to make both the guinea pig and the rabbit.  Notice the use of decorative scissors and also the right side fold?

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Friday, February 4, 2011

Ruth's card for Elijah

Me with Ruth and Elijah


Elijah loves birds.  I think it is sweet that Ruth planned a card for him around one of his big loves.  She wanted to have a tree on the front with a surprise inside.  And because she is only six, she didn't know her spelling of "old" made a cute play on words with her drawing.  I love it.  She also taped a nickel to the card as part of the gift:)


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Monday, January 24, 2011

Birthday Card for Elijah

I can't believe I haven't blogged since November.  My New Year's resolution should be to be more consistent - go for more quantity.  The problem is I have so many craft ideas and I start things but schooling the kids gets in the way of finishing what I start.  I made some jewelry over Christmas that I have yet to share.

 My oldest son turned 10 last Tuesday (Jan. 18).  I crafted with Ruth the Saturday before and managed to make him a card.  He loves catching crabs at the beach, so I used a crab stamp I found on the dollar aisle at Jo-Ann.  I also used a CD envelope and primary colors.  There's a little bit of glitter to act as sand and I used the masking technique to get my lid stamped on the jar.

It felt good to start AND finish a card in one craft session.  Ruth and I also stamped, colored and water-colored images to make other cards, but that is for a future post.
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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Cards for Pete's Birthday


On October 20th my hubby turned 38.  Sadly, this marked the end of a year of him quoting Monty Python.  We all made cards for him.  I included photos of the sentiments the kids wrote because I love seeing the phonetic spellings.  Pete, being terrible at spelling, enjoyed reading the cards immensely.



Elijah was inspired to make a card by cutting paper because he thought about how much Pete enjoys this animation of Star Wars.  The song is also pleasant to listen to, too.  I really like the thought Elijah put into the card, but the sentiment sounds like he's a teenager.




Luke used a pre-stamped image that I made for Ruth.  She has a stash of stamped card stock that she can cut and use whenever she desires to make a card.  Wrestle = resl.


Ruth likes adding ribbon and tags to her cards.  I can't imagine where she gets the inspiration for embellishing!  God blessed me with a crafty daughter, for which I am very thankful.  She told us that she added the tag because she wrote too many xoxox's and ran out of room to sign her name.  The image was stamped using Bake Me a Cake by Lawn Fawn.


When you read the left side and then the right side, this is what Ruth's message says: "I love you so much.  I like when you hug me and kiss me and ask silly questions."



I didn't know how I was going to help John make a card and get dinner made on Pete's birthday.  While I was in the kitchen I could hear Ruth saying, "What do you want to say to dad?  I love you?  Do you want to sign it xoxox?"  At that moment I knew she was helping John to make a card.  She drew light sabers because that's what John wanted.  They both decorated the card with lots of stickers.


My card to Pete included some sewing, some eyelets, and has a book mark that he can remove and use.  The image is from a sheet of paper I bought at Stamp Fever.



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Friday, October 29, 2010

J.E.M. and Jewels of Hope (grief bracelets)

I have a wonderful friend, named Ginny, who lost her oldest son unexpectedly at the age of 21 when he suffered a brain hemorrhage.  Out of her struggle with her grief was birthed the idea of a bracelet.  We designed it together and she has commissioned me (off-and-on) to make them.  She felt led to create this product and run a business.  But it is difficult to market something that is based on a personal loss, on dealing with grief.  If you need this bracelet, you have lost something dear to you.  She looked into selling the bracelets through a non-profit set-up, but that is also difficult.  Most of the time she feels led to give them away to someone the Lord puts across her path that is grieving.  I have been fortunate enough to be employed by her to help design them, pray over them as I make them and know that this piece of jewelry ministers in many ways to its recipients.



October marks the anniversary of Joe's death.  I write this blog entry to show the work of my labor, to honor Joe at this time of year and to let it be known that these bracelets mean so much to Ginny and to those she gives/sells them to.  The bracelets are sterling silver with swarovski crystals; $46 each.  After Ginny prays over each one, she places it in a box with a card.  The following is the message printed on the card:

My oldest son, Joseph E. Mouawad, died unexpectedly of a spontaneous brain hemorrhage on Oct. 28, 2006, he was 21.  There is nothing anyone can say to comfort or erase your/my sorrow.  No one can know our pain exactly except the God of our Universe.  When my son died, I was catapulted into chaos. All the "whys" haven't been answered.  His death cannot be reasoned out.  As I stood crying one morning I glanced at a gift a friend had given me, instantly I was reminded that God cares about my tears, bottles them and keeps track of when I cry..."You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book."  Psalm 56:8  That gift was a bracelet similar to this one.  Because I was encouraged by my gift, I intentionally created this bracelet now given to you.  Each facet of this bracelet has meaning: The heart clasp symbolizes the love and concern your friend and Jesus have for you/me.  The links made of Sterling Silver represent the waves of grief and sorrow we ride and manage each moment.  The circle rings represent eternity and bind us together.  The Clear Swarovski crystal: your tears, The Red crystal: God's love and tender care and his blood shed for You and me.  I believe that God knows and because He is BIG and Good ALL the time, even when things are the worst, He cares, and because He cares, He is making good on all His promises and I shall see my son again, hug him, sing with him, and laugh with him.  In Jesus is where I find my hope.  "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope."  Psalm 130:5  God knows our sorrow, our hurt and pain.  Your/my tears are precious to Him "Jesus wept" John 11:35 for and with His friends, that included me and YOU!

Wherever you are and whatever your significant loss... He cares for YOU!  How He cares for one, he cares for all. "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16  This bracelet was made with you in mind and JUST for you.  You have been prayed for during it's creation and I have carried this bracelet praying just for you.  I pray it may bring a reminder and a supernatural comfort from the Lord Jesus The Christ.  He is my Hope and my Strength!  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13  God shows no favoritism what He does for me, He can do for You when You seek Him.  "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Jerimiah 29:13,14  I pray this bracelet may bring a ray of hope and comfort to you, as mine did for me.  Your loss is difficult to manage.  It is real, devastating and excruciating!  Feel what you feel, it is real!  There is no cycle of grief, no formula of experience, and definitely no time line!  It is uniquely ours/yours, no one else has YOUR experience.  Talk about your experience to those who care and if you haven't been talking to God, try Him, He has a good ear for your shouting, and your cries!  He is BIG!  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

Most Lovingly,
Ginny Mouawad, Eddie's Wife and Joe, Zack, and Clint's Mom
email: JEMsAJewel@live.com

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