You have all brought up so many good/positive points ~ like it's better that it happened now than down the road; we're ALL better off w/o her; time heals all wounds and most importantly you reminded me of something that I often tell others and firmly believe..."things always happen for a reason". I don't know why it's so hard to remember that when it's your self you're dealing with.
It is also comforting to hear your stories; to know that I'm not silly for feeling this way nor are we the only family to have dealt with a similar situation. It is sad to realize that there are so many families out there that have to deal with others who have no values or scruples. I was not raised this way and we didn't raise our boys that way so it is all very foreign to us how people could be so careless with life as it is so very precious....especially lives of children.
My mom also told me that she never wants to hear me say that I don't have any "real" friends ever again. (I'm very shy so I don't have any friends I do things with IRL) This has shown me that a "real" friend doesn't necessarily mean someone living next door, in my neighborhood or even in the same state! You are all such wonderful, uplifting, caring people...I am honored to be touched by you all and that I'm able to call you a friend!
I also want to thank you for all of your WONDERFUL ideas, challenges and requests for projects, techniques and just letting me know you want more! I have a notebook that I am going to write down each one of these ideas. I am going to regroup, clean up my craft room (cause it's a disaster) and get started working on them all! I'm thinkin' that the journal/technique book is something I want to start on right away. It may be something like working on one page/technique a week and build on it in the coming months. You have also sparked the Halloween bug in me. I had so much fun with the Coffin of Goodies I altered last year I may have to see if I can come up with something similar this year.
I realize that this is going to take some time to get over but I won't let you down...
So get ready to pull out your goodies...
we're going to get inky again VERY soon!!
THANKS FRIENDS!!!!
(((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteSmooches Roni, this will take time. Why? Because you are the type of person who gives of herself wholeheartedly. And when you do that, the hurt is worse. So take your time, don't beat yourself up, be kind to yourself. We love you sweetie!!
ReplyDeleteElaine Allen
Hi Roni.. I'm a little late on weighing in with your very traumatic situation. Please know that my heart goes out to you and your family. I was so impressed with reading the comments left by your friend. Notice I said "FRIENDS" because that is what these people are. And even though I've never met you, I think you are a wonderfully talented, giving person. I just did your charm swap...my first time...and I loved it! YOU are the one who brought so many people together in that forum. YOU are the one to took all of that time sorting and mailing all of those charms. Do you know how much joy YOU brought to so many? So, thank YOU for that!! I would love to see you do some Halloween things! It's almost that time of year and I am a Halloween nut! I would love to be able to crawl around in your brain for a little while and just see all of the wonderful ideas floating around in there! <3 Candy
ReplyDeleteRoni!.... I'm so sorry about your situation, but I think like you: a friend is the person who listen to you and not necessarily lives near to you. I share my artistic creations and few things about my personal life with my "blogger followers" and I've been found wonderful friends in the internet. We are here to see all your artistic projects and also, we are here to listen to you..ALWAYS!
ReplyDeleteThanks to you for sharing some aspect of your life with us and I want to see your wonderful EXPERIMENTS!...I'm chemist, so I would like to see all your "creative experiments"...
Hugs!!!
Sending you a big old inky hug! We all love you dearly and I'm proud that you consider us all friends! I have no friends nearby that can hear the word ink without their eyes glazing over.......I have met some really sweet people on line and have even met some of them IRL. I only get to see them once a year but always nice to "see" them around on line. Hang in there because like you said, everything happens for a reason.....
ReplyDeleteI almost forgot to add that I would soooooooo love to do a technique journal with you!
So happy to read your upbeat response! :)) I have read all the comments from the day before and you really do have some terrific friends. :)
ReplyDeleteThe technique journal will be fun. I've never done one so I'll make one too as you go. Cant wait!! I just spent most of last weekend cleaning up my craft room. It had become so cluttered on my huge table for 6 that I only had a 16 inch space to work in. LOL Just organizing it all made me feel 100% better and I know it will you too.
Halloween craft fever has struck me too. I dont know why. Usually I refuse to do so until October. But Ive already made a paper bag mini journal... all assembled and decorated except for my cover. I have to paint my canvas. Wish I could find some old vintage halloween charms. Next, I'm making an altered wooden halloween box.
Ive really enjoyed your blog even though I am one of your newer friends... just a few months time, but you are great and have such wonderful ideas! I've learned a lot from you too. :)
So glad to hear you feel the same way I do! I really do consider you and many others my cyber friends and I am more involved with you gals than with people in real life. I would love to be able to meet many of my friends online but for now, this works and we are here for you! You inspire us daily and I know how much I appreciate you and don't think that I am alone.
ReplyDeleteI am just catching up on blogs that I follow. Big Hugs! I have the same situation with friends. Mine are mainly on the computer which I find are the best ones on this earth for many reasons. I am so glad you shared your story and enjoy seeing all your projects.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a great bunch of world-wide friends we have! A technique journal would be very cool.
ReplyDeleteSo true! Anxiously awaiting the reorganization of your craft room and all the amazing posts yet to come.
ReplyDeleteroni my heart goes out to you and yours..what a sad situation..having a relative in the same situation, daughter (spoiled, inconsiderate) 2 kids different dads..1 a druggy..i kinda know what it must be like for you..as a gramma myself..i too would be devastated..
ReplyDeleteroni you are a caring, loving and deserving person of all good things..never in my wildest dreams would i have thought i'd be doing steam punk!!..you are my inspiration to try something new..
Roni we live, we hurt, we learn, we go on .."for every season there is a reason"..this door has closed, but another awaits for you to open..thinking of you and wrapping you in comforting ((((hugs))))..loves ya
yea inky time. A joural sounds great.
ReplyDeleteRoni.... I am a bit late on reading about your situation but truly believe timing is orchestrated by God, so I'm sending you a huge hug now and would like to encourage you to "Let it go and Let God" take over. Keep those babies in your prayers, and hugs hugs hugs for your son. I think him escaping this relationship was God's grace. The last few months I would have never known something was going on with you because you are always who I come back to for my creative inspiration to get me out of life's speed bumps. So I applaud you. We all love you and can't wait to get messy with you !!!!
ReplyDeleteRoni, I've been off the internet and hadn't seen your previous post until I got here tonight. One thing you might believe is you can skip a stage of grief. BUT, you cannot. There has to be the bargaining stage, which you can go back and pick up (sometimes after months of feeling you have already passed through it). So, if you have NOT gone through that bargaining, you will NEVER get to acceptance. It may be the smallest thing, but you must do it.
ReplyDeleteI know you will make it because you have a ton of support out here. Friends who really CARE about you. So, don't hesitate to ask and don't ever hesitate to let us know your feelings. That's what we can give back to you for all you give us, your blogging followers.
Cant wait to see what you come up with Roni and hope you are feeling crafty soon and can get over the loss you experienced.
ReplyDeleteFABULOUS Roni!! You are so talented. You are loved and thought of WORLD WIDE!! Wish you luck and strengnth from the UK
ReplyDeleteWay to go Roni, I think of you as a friend each time I visit your blog, so it's lovely to feel that empathy coming right back with this message. Wishing you well with your recovery process, and the big tidy up in your craft room. Looking forward to seeing what we can make in the technique book with you.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs, Judith xx
You are one of the most generous people I have met on the net, you share your supplies and knowledge with the world without asking something back, I'm so happy for you that so many people took the time to support you and your family because you deserve every single one of them! And I started an art journal in januari (i must have started writing journals a couple dozen times but I always stop after a month or so, i guess its not my thing. But my visual journal is my best friend now and it helps me greatly to express my feelings (good or bad) and I think it could definatly help you get through this.
ReplyDeleteLove Lydia
Roni, you have more friends and people who truly care about you and I think after this...you realize that now. Years ago I was part of a crochet message board and we did a crochet square exchange. I met a lady named Pat from Canada and although we've never met, she's one of my closest friends. We communicate every day and have been for 15 years. It would be a shame and such a loss for us if you stopped doing your thing. You're so talented and have a knack for explaining things so everyone can understand it. It sucks but not only CAN you get through this, you WILL get through this. I have faith in you.
ReplyDeleteOh Sweetness, this is a trying time. Hang in there. I was wondering if you could give us some more of the altered/steampunked alarm clocks. I love them and have begun collecting bits. I made one for myself but want to do more. What about a Christmas themed one! ooooo! Hugs of love.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have gained some comfort from the responses and personal emails of your blog readers...and yes, I consider myself a friend of yours as well! I am also not a super social person and get most of my friendship needs met over the internet. Not too many people I know have any interest in stamping so I sit here on my own, surrounded by my inky playthings. I have been the grateful recipient of so much from you , in the form of ideas, projects and even actual goodies (my very first ink blending tool, and my Inkssentials white pigment pen..YEAH!). Please don't ever feel that you're alone...we are all nuts about you! Even with the support of family, sometimes you just need to let it all hang out with others who may not be as close to the situation. I feel honored that you shared with us.
ReplyDeleteI also think that cleaning up and organizing your craft room could be a much needed catharsis. So go to it with gusto!! Hugs.
Hi Roni, I didn't have a chance to write before (had to work) but just want to let you know that I found your blog not too long ago and I LOVE to read it and can't wait for the updates. You are such an inspiration to us all. Yes, LIFE IS HARD but God told us He would never leave us and I pray He holds you close and you feel all our hugs. LOVE YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteWow,you have been through a roller coaster. It's so easy to love children. God gave us that ability in our heart and soul. A friend. Who are our true friends, really. I have a friend or two but we rarely get together because we are so busy with our lives. I talk more with my cyber friends than I do my at home friends. That's kind of sad if you really think about it. But, I have some really close cyber friends from my yahoo groups. Stampers and crafters are accepting. Well, most of them. Some can be into themselves a bit. But by and large what a great community the internet has brought together from one end of the world to the other. I'm so glad I came across your site last night. You keep blogging and crafting and I'll keep reading and commenting and asking for help. Hang in there, we all have different reasons for being depressed. Mine, well, I want to quit work, retire and stamp, stamp, stamp. I can't so I have a couple years or so to go. What is keeping me going is my cyber friends and reading great bloggers like yourself. Thank you for sharing yourself. God loves you and we love you!
ReplyDeletei too don't have IRL friends that i do things with. i'm disabled and mostly homebound but give thanks for my DH, kids (who i don't see often, one away at college, the other working/starting school/semiestranged) and the blogging/stamping/crafty community. you are a blessing to me, i learn from you. live vicariously thru you, appreciate you
ReplyDeleteforgot to say i love technique journals. i have one i keep by the puter to post new, interesting, techniques in. when it gets full it goes into my craft space and a new notebook goes by the puter. i also print out pics of things and put them in the journal
ReplyDeleteRoni, I'm glad to see that you feel a little better today! Each day that you are able to think about something else, to put your creativity on the front burner and let yourself heal, is a good day. So here's to 'good days'!! I can't wait to see what you come up!
ReplyDelete