Thankful For Stolen Time

How long do pit bulls live?

Forever. 

As some of you may know, my best friend and truest love, Lola, passed away last Friday. It was a frigid but painfully bright wintry morning with the bluest of blue skies painting the heavens. 

It's been really hard, these last few days, because I had just always imagined her in my life. It's not that I was naive about how long pets live, it's just that I cared for her so much that I knew she would leave the deepest of holes in my heart if I were ever to be without her. 

When I saw her be born on Ocober 24th 2001, I knew she was going to be mine. I named her after my favorite baby doll as a child. I was 21 years old. 

As I was teaching her how to be a good dog, she was teaching me how to be a responsible adult. 

Lola and me, early 2002

One time, when she was just a pup, I came home from work to find that she had torn up ALL of the rolls of toilet paper, scattered the remnants like confetti across the living room, then proceeded to pee and poop on the  various piles of TP. So I guess she also taught me about patience, unconditional love, and how to securely close the cage door. She was a handful at the time, but who could get mad at a face like this for long?

As the years passed, she grew into the kindest, most gentile, well behaved dog I could have hoped for. A true best friend. She brought so much joy and laughter to my life. 

1 year old 

She even gave me the best gift I could have asked for, my little Beasley. 

Lola was diagnosed with having an inoperable large malignant tumor in her chest at age 11, and was only given days to live...that was a year ago. (read that blog post here: http://sunshynesilverwear.blogspot.com/2012/12/losing-best-friend.html) She somehow bounced back and I was given a whole year, almost to the day, of extra time with her. 

In that year, there was not a moment that I didn't treasure, not a walk that I was not thankful for, not a snuggle that wasn't fully appreciated because I knew that borrowed time would not last an eternity. 

Last Wednesday, Lola started to act funny. She stopped eating and drinking, she started vomiting and had lost use of her legs in a matter of hours.  I stayed home with her on Thanksgiving, made her comfortable, and slept with her on the floor of the living room that night. By morning she had started vomiting blood, so we took her to the vet and that's when he told us the bad news. It seems like Lola's tumor had finally gotten the best of her. She was in a lot of pain and I had a very hard decision to make. We wanted her passing to be on our terms and free of pain, so at about a quarter past noon last Friday, Lola died in my arms. 

I saw her take her first breath and felt her take her last. Her life and mine had come full circle. 

She was my soul dog, the impact she left on  my life was invaluable.  

This is the last picture that was taken of us, the day before Thanksgiving. 

better days...

Please feel free to share any words of encouragement. All thoughts help me through this tough time. I would love to know about your beloved pets that have passed as well, and how you have dealt with the loss. 

Thank you. 

Quirky is the new normal,right?

So if you happen to be on Facebook, you may have seen the new trendy game going around about listing off obscure facts about yourself for the amusement (and sometimes shock) of your Facebook friends.

I'm kind of in love with this idea.

I very much enjoy reading about the quirks and little known facts of my acquaintances, family members and other cohorts.

Everyone pretends that they are Charlie's Angels
while trying on bridesmaid's dresses, don't they? (I'm the 'angel' in green)

So I decided to make a little list for myself. I do realize this may either let you understand me more or make you roll your eyes and think "this chick really IS a weirdo" but it's all good, I'm willing to take the risk to let you into my life a little bit.

1. I'm a confessed horrible dish washer. Do the undersides of bowls and plates HAVE to be scrubbed if there's no food on them? 

2. I think it's kinda hot when a guy can drive a car with his knee. (like while he's unwrapping a candy bar or checking the map)  

3. I've broken into my own cars and houses MANY times because I'd locked myself out. Gimme a coat hanger or a paperclip and I will Macgyver my way into that sucker.  

4. I have NEVER been able to touch my toes while standing up. Not even when I took gymnastics as a little girl. (must just be my extremely long legs...I wish)

5. For the first 25 years of my life I lived with a pretty big birthmark right in the middle of nose, and even through elementary and high school, nobody EVER made fun of me. (at least not in front of my face)
I had it removed when it started to change shape, now I have a little scar there.

6. I secretly want to be a hobo. Well, more like I would love to know the freedom of giving up all of my possessions and responsibilities to really live in the moment.

7. If you are ever over my house for dinner, it is a pretty sure thing that the plates you are eating off of have been licked by my dogs within the last week. Also, see #1.

Pic of me with birthmark (age 6?) and yes, I am still just
as sweet. 

Only the best for our puppers.   

Well that was fun!!  Now I know you want to join in the game. Feel free to comment with an obscure fact or funny quirk of your own...
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P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter. I've got a bunch of subscriber exclusive sales coming up real soon and I wouldn't want YOU to miss out!! 

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How would you spend $20?

Hi all!

It's giveaway time again!!! This time I am giving away a $20 gift certificate good towards anything in my online shop.

To enter, simply leave a recommendation of my wares on my Facebook fanpage. (under the recommendations section on the right column) and Bam!! You are entered!

Contest starts today and ends 4/12/13. The winner will be chosen by using a random number generator, then contacted through Facebook. 

*only one entry per person please

*gift certificate not redeemable for cash

*winner must use the full amount in one transaction

Good luck!! 

Click here to find my Facebook fanpage

Autism Awareness Month

Autism has been in the forefront of the news for the past decade or so. This disorder is defined as a complex disorders of brain development.

www.cdc.gov

The facts: 

* 1 in 88 children in the US are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD 

* ASD's are five times more likely to be diagnosed in boy than girl 

* ASD's are found in all racial ethnic and socioeconomic groups all over the world

Add caption

What can we do? 

There are many organizations out there that help raise awareness and funds for research. For the month of April, I have teamed up with a friend of mine, Geri Piccola McNiece to help spread the word on autism. 

She owns a business called aRoundJoy. Her mission is to provide a physical and emotional wellness experience through the joy of hula hooping and she holds many fund raisers throughout the year for autism. 

Geri's connection to autism stems from her life of struggles and triumphs with her son Kyle, who was diagnosed at just 3 years old. (read more about her story here) 

So for the month of April, I will be offering this very special autism awareness cuff for $35 and a portion of each sale will go to aRoundJoy and their efforts to spread awareness. 

This cuff is made from 95% recycled materials. The image of the puzzle piece was hand cut out of a flattened silver plated spoon and riveted to a leather band. Have no fear! No animals were harmed in the making of these cuffs, they are made from recycled belts. A heavy duty snap serves as the closure. 

To purchase your own autism awareness cuff, visit my web site through this link: http://www.sunshynesilverwear.com/product/autism-awareness

To find out more about aRoundJoy visit their: 

Website

Facebook Fanpage 

Twitter

The Creative Process In Action

The idea of making "friendship pendants" has been floating around in my head for quite some time. A few days ago I sat down in my studio to bring them to life.

This was draft #1 that I posted on Facebook and got many great suggestions and constructive criticisms.

Ok Erika, maybe it DOES look like two fetuses hugging

So on to the second take. I got a lot of positive feedback from a suggestion to make Mother/Daughter pendants so with that in mind, I made this...

It's perfect because the smaller heart comes from the center of the larger heart. Very Mother/Daughter symbolic. So I posted this up on my Facebook page and got a TON of positive feedback and interest in this product so I set out to make them real wearable pieces. 

I added holes for the bails

Then soldered bails onto the pieces. 

Polished them up to a gleaming shine.

And voila!! The "always in my heart" Mother/ Daughter duo was born. 

I could not have done it without all of the great suggestions of my Facebook fans, so THANK YOU for your help in making the duo come alive. 

Visit www.sunshynesailverwear.com to get your "always in my heart" duo for only $40. 

p.s. I have been coming up with some more wonderful "friendship" style pendants in the last few days. Keep a look-out here and on my Facebook page to get the first look!

Beyond The Recycling Bin: A Sunshyne Silverwear Giveaway!

As most of you know, all of the wearable creations I make have an element of recycling.  I absolutely LOVE when an artist makes something beautiful out of something that might have ended up in a landfill. As a society I believe we need to do a lot more of that. 

Test Tube Chandelier by Pani Jurek

As a way to spread knowledge about the many marvelous things that can be created from recycled, upcycled and reused materials I am doing a special giveaway where you can enter to win a

$25 Sunshyne Silverwear gift certificate!

To enter, go to my Facebook Fanpage  and find the giveaway post pinned to the top of my page. 

In the comments of the post, paste a link to ANY item that has a recycling element to it. Then "like" the comment that you believe is the most original submission. (sorry, you can't "like" your own submission) 

Every "like" you get from others on your submission is another entry for you! So don't forget to share with your friends and ask them to vote! 

To get you started, here are a few wonderful Facebook pages that share an array of extraordinary products and artwork made with reclaimed ingredients. 

Eco-artware.com

Recyclart

Custom Made.com

Here are just a few of the curiosities you will find from the links above...

Sculptured animals made from shattered glass

Night-lights made from vintage cameras 

Garden Alligators made from recycled used tires.

So go ahead and explore the marvels of modern recycling! 

An Ode To Valentine's Day Past

My sister and I were joking earlier on Facebook. She  was asking why does a guy have to wait for Valentines Day to be romantic and how she would like to be surprised with flowers randomly throughout the year.  I responded with:

Obviously Valentine's Day is no longer a whimsical time of the year for me, plus I am a pretty practical person, but there is someone who used to make Valentine's Day very special for me, and to this day, there has been no one who has made me feel more loved...

When I was a child, my mother used to surprise my sister and I with a little Valentine's Day gift every year.  We would wake up and run downstairs to find our annual goodies. There on the kitchen table would be a little box of chocolates (in the shape of a heart of course) and a card wrapped up in a pink or red envelope. "Happy Valentine's Day, Love, Mom" It would read. It was a small gesture, but it meant so much to us.

Mom always had many ways of letting us know we were special and that we were loved. Our V day present is just one of countless memories colored by love and gratitude. 

So I guess the moral of the story is this,  for me, it doesn't take a dozen roses and an expensive dinner to make a life long impression on me. Just a little thoughtfulness mixed with love goes a long way. 

What are your favorite Valentine's Day pasts? Do you or your family have a special V Day tradition? 

A Fraction Of My Two Minutes Of Fame

Ok, well maybe I didn't make it to the news, but one of my pendants did!!

While vending Fairport Canal Days last year, I remember this woman tell me all about her ice cream shop, Moonlight Creamery, and how one of my pendants fit right in with the theme of her biz. I'm sure the fact that it's made from a spoon didn't hurt either!

Check out "Moondance" around the 29 second mark.

FYI, your computer speakers are not broken, the audio 

on this clip leaves much to be desired. 

Just for fun, here is a link to the first time my wares were highlighted on the local news back in 2010. Click here to watch me make a fool of myself at the 1:19 minute mark. 

Have you ever been on the local news? What was it for?! Were you happy with what was shown? 

How To Be A Cheap Date

I will be this first to admit, I am a thrifty person. But this time of year, my "off" season, it is even more important to pinch those pennies. You see, I do arts and crafts shows for a living and between January and April, they are few and far between.
So this is a tutorial on how to have a great night out with your significant other for around $20.

Movies 10 was the best thing to ever happen to the budgeted night out. And on Tuesdays, your admittance is a mere $1. Craig and I went and saw Cloud Atlas. (it was a pretty decent movie, but in my opinion, one that you have to see many times in order to get from it all that it has to give. Oh, and you need the attention span of a Saint, let your mind wander for even a moment and you will miss something) But for just a dollar, we were entertained for about three hours!

our Movies 10 in Henrietta,NY 

After a three hour movie, you know we are famished. So we head out for some Indian food.

It's a little known fact, that at most buffets, you can get take-out by paying by the pound. Tandoor of India  is one of our faves and is located right in Henrietta. (Less than 2 miles from the theater) And it just so happens that on Tuesday nights they have a dinner buffet. 

The picture below is one of three large buffet tables filled with the most scrumptious Indian food. You know as well as I do, that when you eat at a buffet, because you want to try at least one helping of everything, you end up feeling like you should be rolled out of the joint, or possibly fork lifted for that matter. Craig and I get the best of three worlds when we fill a to-go container instead of sitting down to eat.  We get to sample a little of everything, we don't get uncomfortably full because of the unlimited food, and we pay a lot less. 

I'm getting hungry just looking at their spread! 

To sit down at Tandoor and enjoy the buffet costs about $12 per person. "To go" costs $5.99/pound. We ended up spending only $11 on almost 2 pounds of food! Now our total for "Date Night" has come to $13 so far. 

I admit, I prepared for our outing with the intention of spending as little as possible, so I brought a can of soda from home to enjoy with our dinner. We ate a lovely dinner in the car while listening to our favorite tunes and having nice conversation. Normally we might have driven home and eaten our dinner in front of the TV, but Date Night was not over yet, we had $7 to burn!! 

So after dinner, we decided to take a stroll around the plaza. It just so happens that this particular plaza has three different thrift shops in it. So we spent about an hour walking to each one and looking for treasures. 

always on the lookout for spoons

I found some spoons and a new pair of jeans. Craig also found a nice pair of pants. Bringing our Date Night total to just a little over $20.

So, if you put your mind to it, you and your date can go see a blockbuster movie, eat a gourmet meal and buy whole new outfits  for just over $20. 

Do you have a thrifty tips to contribute? Feel free to comment below and share them with us!

This non-breeder

I'm a 33 year old woman who has been in a stable relationship with the love of her life for close to seven years. What's missing from that sentence? Kids. My boyfriend and I have talked it over numerous times and we both agree that it is just not our cup of tea.

Why?

There are many reasons why. But for me, I think that it's because I'm too selfish. I can't imaging giving up any part the life I worked so hard for, in order to raise a child. I am super happy in my life, and isn't that what it's all about? I feel like I have already won, why complicate things.

My handsome nephew Landon

I have heard many people tell me that I wont know true love until the moment a child is born to me, and that may be true, but love is just the beginning, cue the hard work...for the rest of your life!  I believe that raising a child is a very complex and serious matter. Hell, I don't  want to be the one responsible for having any sort of negative impact a human being's life, let alone my own flesh and blood. (and you know most people blame the parents for one shortcoming or another) And from what I remember as being a child and what I see as my sister raises her's, it's the hardest job in the world. From diapers and tantrums to teenage rebellion and beyond. Like they say, kids are not born with an owner's manual so you are constantly having to learn to be a parent through all of the different moments of their life. I'm not sure I will ever be up to the task.

And don't get me started on the paranoia I would have of my child getting hurt or sick in any way. I would definitely be one of those moms with their kid on a leash.

Yeah, I know it looks ridiculous. (P.S. the original caption
on this Tumblr pic was "only white people put their
children on leashes") Kind of made me snicker. 

I'm very content being the fun Aunt. I love playing made-up games with my nephew and running around outside. There is something totally freeing about having fun with a child. You can be as silly and goofy as you want, because it only makes it more enjoyable. I love teaching him things and asking him questions. Children are so smart and amusing, and some of the things they do and say are priceless! But then I get to go home, to my sanctuary with no toys scattered about and most importantly, peace and quiet.

My other nephew Miles! (or SMiles, as we call him)

In the end, do I feel like I am missing out on incalculable life experiences? Sure, but most of you parents out there are missing out on the life of absolute freedom that I cherish. My life is just filled with a different kind of precious life experiences. 

Got an opinion on this post? Feel free to leave a comment here...and don't forget to subscribe!