Tuesday, August 31, 2010

My Mom's Birthday...

September 1, 1953 my mom was born… She would've been 57 this year.
I vaguely remember hearing stories that she was a fast delivered baby (one of those "we almost didn't make it to the hospital deliveries"…). I wish I knew more about her younger years...

I have been trying to come up with some giveaway ideas to help boost sales over at the My Mom Pattie Etsy shop because I really want to get this room designation for "My Mom Pattie" at Tri-State Bird Rescue tied up.
My goal is to raise $2000 - $5000 to donate.

So this is what I am going to do…
For every $10 you spend in September 2010 in any of my three shops (listed below) you will get 1 chance at winning some Marsha Neal Studio gift certificates.
(all the profits go directly towards my current "cause" - which is the room designation)
(this is my regular shop)
(this is my regular website)

I will have three gift certificate categories for you to enter your chances into.
$50 gift certificate is the "general" entry that you will be entered into 1 time for every $10 you purchase.
$100 gift certificate is for those of you that purchase $50 or more.
$150 gift certificate is for those of you that purchase $100 or more.
If you purchase over $210, I will put 7 chances into each category for you…

These can be combined purchases over the month of September 2010.
I'll explain more in detail on the Marsha Neal Studio Blog
Oh, and feel free to pass it on… It would be greatly appreciated!

For now, let me share with you a funny thing that happened tonight.
One of those times where I just knew that mom was there…

Background story:
Mom loved those dancing, singing dolls from Hallmark.
We used to torment her and tease her about them all the time…
Seriously, she had one for EVERY holiday type event...
She was SO ready to have grandchildren (we're talking 2-3 years before I was even pregnant with Chloe).

Well, tonight Chloe, Riley and I were running a few errands when we happened by the Hallmark store, with what in the window? This little Halloween Frankenstein dancing doll…
Of course we had to go in. 
My mom's birthday is tomorrow…
It's a Halloween doll (we don't have one of those!)
And Chloe has this fear of monsters thing going on, so a not-so-scary Frankenstein may be just what she needs...



Check it out, not just one dancing on the floor, but two…



No, wait… three...


Oh my, Four of them Chloe…
(The ladies in the store could be heard giggling behind us as they saw what she was doing)

Then I remembered that I had video on my phone.
And if I were to even attempt getting one of these into the house without Dave giving me the "eyebrow" I better have proof that she was just too cute and I couldn't say No…
And that because it was mom's birthday - it was really for the kids in remembrance of her (because you know if she were alive, they would each have one of their own - yes - they had more than just one kind!)

Chloe and Frankenstein Dolls in action:
Click Here

Happy Birthday Mom!
I love and miss you…
And we promised that even though your grandkids never physically met you…
That they would know you and know your heart...

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Coffee Mugs

My mom loved her coffee...


And her coffee mugs...


Cafe Vienna was her favorite, and we all knew how to make her the perfect cup...

I prefer my coffee from a drip pot, with a little flavored creamer and in a hand made mug (I will post pics another time).

But some of my mom's old mugs from our houses growing up are in with the mix...

She had them packed away in a box from her last house before her final marriage. To be put away for sentimental reasons I guess (it worked!) as she was finally able to afford newer mugs...

I wonder if Chloe & Riley will want my collection of hand made mugs one day? Wonder which ones will survive them using them while growing up...

I have some things in the works for September and the My Mom Pattie Etsy shop.

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone