Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

The most recent artwork that I have been privileged to receive came from Sinister Sarah herself, the mad artisan behind The Slightly Sinister Academy of Crafts. When she released her video on stained glass, she also held a contest where the two people who solved a murder mystery (most accurate answer and most entertaining, as I recall) would win hand-made stained glass suncatchers of her own original designs. 

As you’ve probably guessed…

I remember there was a spider design and a lantern one. I knew they would be gorgeous and didn’t care which one I received. It took some time for Sarah to make the stained glass pieces and a lot happened in both our lives in the interim, as well as that of the other winner.

I was unprepared when the suncatcher finally arrived.

She even captured his signature crossed-paws pose. I’m so overwhelmed that she did this. I know how difficult and time-consuming it is to work in stained glass and yet she chose to make this portrait instead of one of her planned designs.

Unfortunately, the other winner had also lost her beloved cat, Morpheus, not long after Albert died, and she also received a memorial portrait. 

I don’t have the words for how touched I am. I need to find a special place, safe from the predations of certain cats, where I can see the sun glow through this marvelous gift.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Especially if you follow me on IG, you might have seen me mention The Slightly Sinister Academy of Crafts, a really fun community of people who love crafts with a spooky touch. Last fall we had a Trick or Treat gift swap for Halloween, where names were drawn out of hat and Sinister Sarah spun the Wheel of Fate to determine if you were giving/getting a trick or a treat. I was paired with Tammi aka Crocheted Atrocities. I was giving her a treat, but receiving a trick.

I was rather pleased with my treat offerings and sent them off.  I was wondering what the heck the trick could be. Soon the answer came in the form of a large box, with not one, but two hand-made gifts (plus a toy for Bartholomew that he loved).

First was a crocheted cat with a hidden secret. A trick if you will.

I take him when I travel, so I have both Bartholomew and Albert with me.

But the main thing was this:

Tammi made that lamp herself! The base is a black cat wine bottle and there are crocheted pasties and fringe. The shade is covered with leopard print  (of course) and sparkly black fabric. It couldn’t be more perfect for me.

But where’s the trick? Just flip the switch…
Secret fan dancers!

It’s been living in my closet while I waited for Bartholomew to grow up a little and become less destructive. Soon I should be able to read by its sexy glow.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

I have a friend with whom I correspond. Like real, in-the-mail, pen & paper letters. We’ve been doing this for a very, very long time. We attended the same university (she undergrad, me grad) and escaped graduated the same year. Her mom gave me a pen (sitting right here on my desk) as a graduation gift and we just started sending letters.

Last summer when I was despondent after Albert’s death. I got a handmade stamp-art card in the mail from her, which contained within a card secured with a bit of washi tape. It was about the size of a playing card, with more stamp art. Nothing else. And a number 1 on the back of the envelope.

I was intrigued and delighted. I love a good mystery. I eagerly awaited the mail each day and cards began showing up…2, 3, 4…

Each one had unique art and one of those intriguing cards taped inside. How many cards would there be all together?

A couple of envelopes came out of order, so I waited (impatiently) for the previous cards so I could open them in order (I’m like that). One day a big envelope came with the number 9 card and one of those card-protector sheets, with nine pockets, like you’d use to store collectible cards. It was one of the ones that came out of order, so I waited before opening the last envelope, wondering the whole time.

When I opened the last greeting card, I learned this was a pocket letter, something that was completely new to me. The art cards could be assembled into a larger picture. It was one last bit of puzzle, figuring out what order they went in (although I had been given the clue that the last card received went in the center).

I love the butterfly ladies. One of the ancient Greek words for butterfly, Ψυχή, also means “soul” or “spirit”. Exactly the uplifting image I needed. The framed piece now hangs on the gallery wall in the bedroom.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

My first spotlight is on an artist I’ve never met.

There’s a community on Discord that began as an unofficial place for Patrons of Christine McConnell to gather and discuss her projects, but it’s evolved beyond that into a community of people who love the spooky side of life and creative pursuits. One of the things that came out of it was craft swaps. You agree to make a gift for someone and someone else, unknown to you, makes one for you. You fill out a little questionnaire so the gift-giver has some idea of your likes and dislikes.  I usually join for Halloween, but last year I signed up for the spring swap. It happened to coincide with Albert’s final illness, but preparing my gifts was actually a good distraction.

Right after Albert died, Scratch went to New York for a long-postponed visit with his family (and my deepest gratitude to the friend who went with him so he wasn’t alone on the long drive). So that I wouldn’t be all alone in the house with my grief, Betty invited me to take refuge in her boudoir while he was traveling.

One of those mornings, as I was heading out, there was a parcel on the porch and I grabbed it without even wondering what it could be. Once at Betty’s I opened it.

At first the sender was a mystery — apparently a note failed to make it into the parcel — but she was soon identified. Lady Kathryn had taken all the little tidbits I had shared about myself (sailed on a tall ship, swam like a mermaid, had a white cat, &c.) to make this tray. When I thanked her, she said she especially wanted to make sure that Albert was represented. She would have had no way of knowing that when she made this that it would be a memorial.

I was so grateful that a virtual stranger (we didn’t interact all that much on-line) had taken the time and care to make something both useful and beautiful which was so personal to me. It makes me smile every time I use it.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 19 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.