Update from Germany

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 3:45:32 -0400, Kathy N-V
wrote:

The best thing was that my grandmother was actually wearing things I had
given her.
-------------------

On a tangental subject, I got a letter from a local handicapped children's
center. GENEROUS SNIPPING The letter was to ask me if I could possibly make more
sets than I had last year, since so many people had asked if my jewelry would
be at this year's fund raiser.

How blessed you are on both counts! I love to know that people
actually use the gifts -- whether I made them or not -- that I've
given them. That makes the gifting so much more satisfying to me.
That's when giving truly is better than recieving, I think!

And to have such positive feedback from the children's center. That's
a cause that touches my own heart. On a personal level, I'd like to
thank you for your generous and beautiful work (but that's on the
verge of being another post) and to thank you for inspiring me. I
think I may donate some pieces to adult facility that's near-and-dear
and see if it will help them any!

Oh! Why don't you work up some masculine pieces for them, too!

Jewitch

You are such a lovely and generous person, Kathy - how sweet of you! And I
am happy that you get to help children, too.

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

As most of you know, my daughter is attending our family reunion in
Germany
for the occasion of my grandfather's 90th birthday. We've been emailing
back
and forth, since this is my daughter's first big trip without me (she's
13).
As is my habit, I made special pieces for each female relative, and DD
brought them along for gifts.

When DD passed out the little black velvet bags with the necklaces, one of
my
aunts laughed, and then told DD a story:

At Easter, the whole family got together for the usual celebration dinner.
My Grandmother, who is always early to everything, arrived wearing the
taupe
sweater I sent her for Christmas, along with a multi-strand pearl necklace
I
had made. Then my six aunts arrived, each of them were wearing my
necklaces.
My favorite cousin was wearing her necklace, and her mother (also wearing
a
Kathy necklace) arrived with the large beaded bag I made. This Tante is a
paraplegic, and I made her a 5"x 7" peyote stitch purse embellished with
flower and lady bug beads with two offset straps to attach to the handles
of
the wheelchair.

None of them had known that the others would be wearing my creations, and
they had a good laugh about it. They also admitted that they wore my
stuff
all the time, and when they heard DD was going to be at the reunion, they
were hoping I'd send more. They also love the little velvet bags for some
reason. (So I sent extra empty bags)

The best thing was that my grandmother was actually wearing things I had
given her. She normally thanks me for the gifts, then hides them
somewhere,
never to be seen again. (An idiosyncracy left over from WWII, when each
set
of advancing troops looted her home.) That these pieces saw the light of
day
means she must really love them, and actually believed me when I said that
I
make pieces to be worn, not hidden away.
-------------------

On a tangental subject, I got a letter from a local handicapped children's
center. This center provides services for children who have so many
handicaps that they either go to this place or a hospital to live out
their
short lives.

Last year, I made sets of necklaces and matching bracelets for their
annual
fund raiser. They auctioned off my pieces and got a bit over a thousand
dollars for them. The letter was to ask me if I could possibly make more
sets than I had last year, since so many people had asked if my jewelry
would
be at this year's fund raiser.

I'm flattered and happy: I get to combine my love of making things with
my
love of children! How lucky can I get?

Once my houseguests leave and I once again have access to my beads, I
think
I'm going to be very busy!

Kathy N-V

P.S.: There's nothing new posted, but if you new folks want to see some
examples of my work, it's at http://www.picturetrail.com/kathynv

I lied about the nothing new - there aren't any new jewelry photos, but
there
are photos of me and DH in the "My Beautiful Family" album. Take a look
if
you'd like.

Yep, its so nice to be able to *see* who we are getting to know so well
through the storys you tell.
The first photo .. .what they say is true, a picture is worth a thousand
words.
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44

"Barbara Forbes-Lyons" wrote in message
...
Great story and a testament to the love of your family and quality of your
work!

And...it's great to put a face with your name, finally!

--

Barbara
www.penguintrax.com

eBay: pnguintrax
Justbeadsenguintrax

0
/O\

How nice to know your family appreciates your gifts! And the children's
center! That is a huge compliment and a wonderful cause to be helping.

Thanks for letting us have a smiling face to put with your wonderful stories.


Cheri
(Bubbee to Emily and Nathan)

Oh -- weird. Kathy, that was exactly how I thought you looked. shivering I
had a picture of you in my mind, and that was it. :-)

there
are photos of me and DH in the "My Beautiful Family" album.


~~
Sooz
-------
"Selective deafness, it's a wonderful thing." ~Kathy N-V
ESBC
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html
~ Bead Notes: Beading information A - Z
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html

BTW -- you cutie you.
~~
Sooz
-------
"Selective deafness, it's a wonderful thing." ~Kathy N-V
ESBC
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html
~ Bead Notes: Beading information A - Z
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html

That these pieces saw the light of day means she must really love them, and
actually believed me when I said that I make pieces to be worn, not hidden
away.

This brought tears to my eyes, Kathy!

Carol in SLC
My new stuff: http://members.aol.com/carolinslc/batik.jpg

Yay! It is good to have a face to go with the voice. Now I can imagine
you more completely when I read your posts.

Congrats on all the indirect and direct compliments to your work, too.

How soon does Manda get home?

Deirdre

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 3:45:32 -0400, Kathy N-V
wrote:

As most of you know, my daughter is attending our family reunion in Germany
for the occasion of my grandfather's 90th birthday. We've been emailing back
and forth, since this is my daughter's first big trip without me (she's 13).
As is my habit, I made special pieces for each female relative, and DD
brought them along for gifts.

When DD passed out the little black velvet bags with the necklaces, one of my
aunts laughed, and then told DD a story:

At Easter, the whole family got together for the usual celebration dinner.
My Grandmother, who is always early to everything, arrived wearing the taupe
sweater I sent her for Christmas, along with a multi-strand pearl necklace I
had made. Then my six aunts arrived, each of them were wearing my necklaces.
My favorite cousin was wearing her necklace, and her mother (also wearing a
Kathy necklace) arrived with the large beaded bag I made. This Tante is a
paraplegic, and I made her a 5"x 7" peyote stitch purse embellished with
flower and lady bug beads with two offset straps to attach to the handles of
the wheelchair.

None of them had known that the others would be wearing my creations, and
they had a good laugh about it. They also admitted that they wore my stuff
all the time, and when they heard DD was going to be at the reunion, they
were hoping I'd send more. They also love the little velvet bags for some
reason. (So I sent extra empty bags)

The best thing was that my grandmother was actually wearing things I had
given her. She normally thanks me for the gifts, then hides them somewhere,
never to be seen again. (An idiosyncracy left over from WWII, when each set
of advancing troops looted her home.) That these pieces saw the light of day
means she must really love them, and actually believed me when I said that I
make pieces to be worn, not hidden away.
-------------------

On a tangental subject, I got a letter from a local handicapped children's
center. This center provides services for children who have so many
handicaps that they either go to this place or a hospital to live out their
short lives.

Last year, I made sets of necklaces and matching bracelets for their annual
fund raiser. They auctioned off my pieces and got a bit over a thousand
dollars for them. The letter was to ask me if I could possibly make more
sets than I had last year, since so many people had asked if my jewelry would
be at this year's fund raiser.

I'm flattered and happy: I get to combine my love of making things with my
love of children! How lucky can I get?

Once my houseguests leave and I once again have access to my beads, I think
I'm going to be very busy!

Kathy N-V

P.S.: There's nothing new posted, but if you new folks want to see some
examples of my work, it's at http://www.picturetrail.com/kathynv

I lied about the nothing new - there aren't any new jewelry photos, but there
are photos of me and DH in the "My Beautiful Family" album. Take a look if
you'd like.

In article ,
Kathy N-V wrote:

P.S.: There's nothing new posted, but if you new folks want to see some
examples of my work, it's at http://www.picturetrail.com/kathynv

I lied about the nothing new - there aren't any new jewelry photos, but there
are photos of me and DH in the "My Beautiful Family" album. Take a look if
you'd like.

You remind me so much of my beautiful friend Fiona... I am amazed by the
resemblance! Your DH looks like an absolute sweetheart, too.

--
-Kalera
Mom of Juliet, 5, Sam, 3, and Ophelia, born 5/31/03
Wife of the incomparable Moxley of www.spaceplex.com
See us at www.strattonhome.org