Monday, January 3, 2011

Reality, kicking in...



A little good, a little sad...

Please indulge...






The good is still VERY good! More tag fun, influenced by the Holtz man... I'm still just kind of being inspired from the final image of Tim's tag... Where I don't have HIS stamps, die-cuts, etc., I'm totally improvising. One of the grandest things I have discovered about grungeboard, is that it's SO easy to detail cut! Where chipboard can rip or stress when you cut into small areas or round corners, grunge board is soooooo forgiving - AND bendy!

Here's a close up of the birdy.... I used my details scissors for the whole THING! {*Swoon!*}





THANK GOODNESS I have been hoarding grungeboard. This is my NEW go-to material for 3-D fun! I LOVE IT! And just for all you purists out there -
you can bet I'll probably acquire ALL the dies, eventually! But for now, I'm not slowing for lack of product.

{I KNOW! Do you remember what my middle name is? It rhymes... with.... RANGER! Ack, ack, ack!}


Now, on to reality. New Years... they don't stay all that new for long.

My MOST favorite uncle, Uncle James... passed away on the second day of this brand new year. He was 79 years old. Quite a guy! A Korean war hero, one of 8 children from Irish immigrants and one DANDY of a man. When I was little, Uncle Jim WALKED a little taller than mere mortals. He was handsome, generous and charming. These are the memories I'm going to keep, most tightly in my heart.

I wanted to share some of the darling photos of he and I from my childhood. At further review, not so darling. At least, not enough to put on BLOG. They were darker and more 70's ish than I recalled. Drats, growing up in such challenged photographic times. Instead, I went back FURTHER. 1942, to be precise {much BETTER photographic history, I'll say!}. This one's for Mom ~ She's the baby, in the arms of her eldest brother, John. Next to her is my angelic grandmother, Maryanne. Uncle Jim is the dapper-lad with the GREAT hair! Next to Jim is my dear Aunt Nancy... Just LOOK at their amazing style. Gosh, now THIS was a photo!








I used to look at photos like these and wonder how people's faces could CHANGE so much. Now I look at each, exquisite person and see the soul and familiarity of fine people - those whose lives touched mine, and those I never had the good fortune to meet, yet I know them! Their features are as familiar as my own. I yearn for conversations never heard and cherish moments I still recall.

God Bless you, sweet Uncle James. I pray that you are doing a fine jig in the company of those who preceeded you. I love you.

Thank you, blog friends, for indulging me. Bless you, too.




12 comments:

Karen said...

Aww, sweet Elise. You know I could go on and on about your fine tag and posting three in three days, but right now, I'm reaching through cyberspace to give you a great big (((HUG))). What a nice tribute to your favorite Uncle James. Thank you for sharing him with us.

Beth said...

Oh, Elise! I'm sorry for the loss of your Uncle. But, what an incredible written tribute to him and your gorgeous family! Hold on tight to those memories and you'll feel him on those special days when he's close in thought just like I can feel my Grandfather's kisses up and down my cheek when I think of him :-)

LeAnne said...

Aw, Elise, I am sorry for your loss. I lost one of my favorite aunts on NY's eve.....same generation, same larger-than-life personality. I haven't let myself cry yet, but at the funeral, I know it's gonna rip. I hope that we can inspire our younger generations as much as they did to us!
Hugs,
LeAnne

Rosemary said...

oh... sweet friend! i'm soo sorry about the loss of your uncle jim! it sounds like he was the most wonderful person! what a wonderful mememories you have to cherish! (lovely tag by the way!)

~amy~ said...

Oh Elise....I'm sooooo sorry for your loss....your tribute to your Uncle was absolutely moving {says the girls with her eyes all welled up}....You my dear are such a gem.....

I do have to insert this...not to ruin the mood, so to speak but I LOVE your tag..it is absolutely gorgeous and I know that the Timster would be so proud...yipes...I just called him the Timster...haha.

Rose said...

Elise I am so sorry for your loss. yup have tears in my eyes too.

your tag is another stunner :)

Anonymous said...

Nicely said, sis. I'm sure Uncle Jim is smiling that crooked smile of his down from wherever he is...

Andi (RrlScrapGal) said...

First, that tag is so wonderful! I love the shiny stuff and how 'clean' you are making these creations! YUMMMM!

And, darlin'. My condolences to you and your entire family. What a wonderful man your Uncle Jim was! My Dad also went to Korea. And, he also was from a big Catholic family (14 kids), and a handsome man! Perhaps they can visit together up in God's land..

xo

Michele Gross said...

Aww, you got me all teary. What a wonderful tribute! I'm never good at knowing what to say so just consider yourself hugged :)

farmhouse-story said...

what a beautiful tribute to your sweet uncle...love the tag, elise, and hugs to you and your family:)

Andrea M said...

Oh Elise... I'm so sorry for your loss :( Beautiful words about your beloved uncle! Comforting {{{HUGS}}} for you, my friend.
Hopefully you can take some comfort in the fact that you are a tag-making goddess!!! Oh my goodness - that tag is a STUNNER!!! Love the chipboard birdie!

Dana Gustafson said...

OH honey love! That stinks! You know I KNOW a little aout what you are feeling and all I can say is BIG hug, ya know? Your family photo is yet another GEM of family history. What a treasure!

Speaking of treasure, you know your Tim tag is out o this world dontcha? Well dontcha? Smashing really...