From Skilled Hands

For the most part, artists are a pretty generous lot; we get asked to donate work to this or that pretty frequently.  We do the best we can, sharing that which we have been given.

I have a 2 friends who have lost someone to cystic fibrosis, and another whose young son is challenged by the disease. For the past few years, my friend has coordinated the art component of Chef’s Fantasy, a dinner and auction that raises money to benefit the Northern Ohio Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

This is the second year that we’ve donated a piece.  These one of a kind pieces are a collaborative process between wood worker Dave Kish and me. The tiles have been hand carved from porcelain clay. Colors have been inlaid into the carved areas, the excess removed, and a series of glazes applied onto the pieces. After the piece has been fired, it is inlaid into hard woods, either cherry or walnut and maple.They work well for serving cheese or hors d’oerves.

It’s a wee bit chilly in my town, with the temperatures hovering around 2 degrees F, and the windchill plummeting them well below zero. The warmth of community is a pretty wonderful thing. Take a look at my town, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, gently resisting change since 1837.

Outside and inside the Log Cabin Gallery:

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Travis Erwin is the Chief Marauder of My Town Monday. He’s taking a break until after the holidays. In his absence, Junosmom and Chris are posting the links to My Towners. Take a look at their sites; you’ll find links to people blogging all over this incredibly amazingly diverse and beautiful blue planet. You’ll learn a lot and have fun, too.

And Happy 17th Birthday to my amazing and wonderful #2 daughter.

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And if you are so inclined, please visit Cups of Kindness, our benefit for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Each dollar raised purchased 7 nutritious meals. So far, we have raised enough money to purchase over 13,000 meals. That is 21.6 meals for each of the 602 people in Peninsula.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

“Light One Candle.” Olive, boxwood, bloodwood. Hand turned by George Raeder.

“It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” Chinese Proverb

I have always had faith in the goodness and generosity of us all. Cups of Kindness has been a testament to this; a testament to the Power if One.

So far, we the people have raised almost $1300 for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. That means that we have purchased almost 9100 meals. Many hands and hearts are working together to make this happen.

Please join us as we raise a Cup of Kindness. Remember that each dollar raised provides 7 nutritious meals. When you purchase an item from the website or from our galleries as a gift, you are giving many times.

And if you’re in our neck of the woods, stop by the Village of Peninsula, have a cup of coffee (you can even purchase your own cup), and explore our beautiful Cuyahoga Valley. Ride the train, see Santa and the lights as the Polar Express rolls into town. We’d love to visit with you.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

I am no longer terrified. The opening for Cups of Kindness was a wonderful testament to the Power of One. So far, we the people have raised over $1200 to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. That’s 8400 nutritious meals.

The benefit continues through January 11, 2009. Items donated by 76 artists will be available for purchase, at 8:00 am,(EST) Monday, December 8th. Please visit our website http://www.CupsOfKindness.net to purchase a piece or to make a donation. All proceeds from the sale of the artwork will benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. Each dollar donated purchases 7 nutritious meals.

My town was a busy place this weekend. The benefit opening was well attended; folks were riding on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, some to visit the Cuyahoga Valley, some to get their Santa, some to go to Heritage Farms to choose their Christmas tree, still others for Christmas in Peninsula. I fully intended to take photos of the benefit but I first I ran out of time; then I ran out of energy.
Ronda’s store

Later, as the snows began to fly, folks came into the Village for the Polar Express, and to see the lights.

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The Chief Marauder of My Town Monday is Travis Erwin. Travis is taking a break until January. Junosmom and Chris are keeping things rolling. Check out their blogs and you’ll find links to bloggers hither and yon.

The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, is a small town with a very big heart. People help each other. People come here and know they’re home. It’s just like that.

So a year ago, when we first started talking about Cups of Kindness, people said they’d lend a hand.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.
People from all over this big beautiful planet. Artists donated artwork. Just like that. No hesitation. Same with the website, the logo and the photography. Other bloggers said they’d post about it. And they did. Just like that. One member of the Peninsula Police Department brought in a large can of coffee and a package of stirrers for the opening celebration. Her kids are going to bake cookies and help us at the reception. Others are going to play music. And others have dropped change in our Help Us Help the Foodbank jar. It’s just like that here.

So if you’re in the Cuyahoga Valley in Northeast Ohio next Saturday, stop in and see us. You can have a cup of coffee and a bite to eat, listen to music and check out the wonderful artwork at Cups of Kindness. Then wander through the Village and enjoy Christmas in Peninsula. We’d be happy to see you.

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My Town Monday is the vision of the incomparable Travis Erwin, a guy who has a lot to say. He links to other blogs by folks all over Planet Earth. You won’t regret it.
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And the winner of last week’s drawing for Peninsula goodies is OldOldLady of the Hills. She’ll be receiving a package soon.

There is something special about things that are made one at a time by hand. They come from the heart through the hands.

An old friend once said that these mugs are user-friendly since he had “hands like hams.” He could easily hold the mug in his hand. I have my favorite mug: I can hold it with one or 2 hands, and it’s designed to keep my drink and hands warm. The cool thing is that if my coffee or tea cools off, I can heat it up in the microwave. They are available in blue, green and earth tones.

It drives me nuts when I have poured a drink into a mug or glass and the pitcher drips. These pitchers don’t drip— really.

Kids’ sets are unique personalized items. They are made from porcelain clay and are the perfect size for children. I use the cups, bowls and plates all the time. The cup is the perfect size for a late afternoon cup of something, and the bowl controls the amount of ice cream I eat.

All culinary pieces are made of white stoneware or porcelain clays, by hand, one at a time. They are glazed with non-toxic glazes, fired to 2400 degrees F, and are safe to use in dishwashers, conventional and microwave ovens. They make great gifts—either for someone else or for yourself.

The little Blue Santa and friends have continued to grace our lives. We have met so many wonderful people from all over this beautiful blue planet who have shared their stories about him. We are now making little Green Santas, a cat and a shoe. I will be posting photos of them in the next day or so, so check back soon.

To order any piece, please click here.

Post a comment and I’ll enter you in one of my high-tech (where I pull a name from a hat) drawings for a little Blue Santa.

I have written about one of my own true loves, the Little Blue Santa, and how he has touched so many people. I have written about making him, and how he has changed our lives.

We continue to hear from people whose lives have been blessed by the Little Blue Guy. Relationships that have been rekindled, family histories that have been recalled. Memories, the tapestries of family history; the delicious, sweet fabric of our lives have been made richer.

Our little business, located in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, has been touched by the lovely and gentle Blue Santa. He has enabled us to share the process with others whose skills and natures have enriched our lives.

Making Santa Molds

These skilled hands are still making Little Blue Santas, and we are working on a glaze for a Little Green Santa.

Santas Waiting to be Glazed

Little Blue Santas in the Kiln

****We will be giving away a Little Blue Santa. To be entered into our high tech drawing (in which I draw a number from a hat), post a comment.

It seems to me that blogging is another incarnation of the backyard fence: we chat, share thoughts, ideas and stories, even have a cup of coffee or tea.

The high tech has become the high touch—interesting stuff. This international community supports and challenges ideas, encouraging the writer to expand his or her thinking. Pats on the back are freely given in a world that is generally less willing to do so. We recognize and encourage creativity, and share what we’ve discovered. We may not borrow a cup of sugar, but we certainly help those in need. Isabel Hoskins, has asked us to come together as a community to help. Bella writes:

In the past weeks I’ve been sharing with you some of my friend, Jen’s, story.

She is a single mom and has a six year old son, Jack. She has stage four colon cancer. She is funny and wise, honest and real, beautiful in every way. She is one of my real life heroes and I love her.

Jeni forever changed my heart and life in asking what I would do if I knew I only had one year to live.

And she is living this, not as idea, but a daily reality. Her honesty and courage and love have sent out ripples of change in people’s lives, as she continues to share her journey on her blog.

And now we are coming together to offer her a tangible expression of our care and love.

The power in this is that, as Bella says, “We are not a non-profit. We are just a group of women coming together to support one of our own. We are rallying behind Jen because the reality is it could be one of us and we strongly believe that this is what community does.” Bella and others are planning an auction on eBay to raise money for Jeni’s needs that are not covered by insurance and to set up a trust fund for her 6 year old son. To find out more, please visit Bella’s post. We have donated a Little Blue Santa to the auction.

Jeni asks a challenging question: What would you do if you had only one year to live?
Important question, one on which I am working. I’ll post my thoughts as they become more clear. I pose the question to you: What would you do if you had 12 months left to live on this planet?

Gifts come in all kinds of forms and packages, from the flashy gift wrap of a high end store, to the wonderfully simple muslin marble bag of the Little Blue Santa. The gift of friendships old and new; of relationships that grow organically, without pressure or intent.

The process of the Little Blue Santa has been like that: it has grown of its own accord; pieces and parts have fallen into place, in their own way, at their own time. I am still amazed at how it has grown, and continues to do so. There is something about this little guy that touches something very deep in so many people. People have shared their stories with us: childhood memories of the traditions of family members long gone; of celebrations and of delicately crafted ornaments and decorations; of preparing and sharing food; and of the magic of the season.

One woman is the genealogist for her family. She had found a family member who had worked at the American Marble and Toy Manufacturing Company prior to the fire. Others have remembered the traditions from their Ukranian and Bavarian grandparents. People who had grown up in Germany and in Eastern Europe shared their stories and memories. Samuel Dyke’s great-grandson visited us and shared his remembrances.

Fourteen skilled hands and many more hearts have shared in the making of the Little Blue Santa. These are the true gifts, from the mostly women and children who labored in the factory so many years ago, to those of us who are passionate about the wonder of this journey, and who share this vision.

We have been making Little Blue Santas as fast as these 12 skilled hands are able. We are incredibly gratified by the response to this little guy. The history and courage of the people who come to this country unfamiliar with the language and the culture continues to amaze me.

We have heard from people who live all over this wonderful planet. The Blue Santa’s story has appeared in newspapers in many cities; his story was told on NPR’s WKSU 89.7FM.

To thank you for sharing this process with us, we will be giving away one Little Blue Santa to one reader; leave a comment in the comment section of this post and I will draw one name from a hat (a blue Santa hat) on Christmas Eve, and another on New Year’s Day.
We wish you happy, healthy, peaceful and loving days.