Christmas in July is in full force at Etsy. It’s a nice way to cool off during these hot summer months and maybe, just maybe get some holiday shopping done and be way ahead of the crowds come winter.

I will be shopping for sure and you may want to check out the many deals to be had including my shop. Many Etsy sellers are offering awesome special in July for Christmas In July.  How do you find out about the great specials? One way is to do a search at Etsy.com in the search box and type in “christmasinjuly” or even easier “cij” and then browse through the different categories.

Here is a link to what is on sale in my shop until the end of July. Happy shopping!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jansonpottery?section_id=6093204

I have been thinking about my Dad as Father’s Day is approaching. He has been gone for 6 years now and I find myself still wanting to pick up the phone and call him. My Dad was the kind of guy who was very giving and who wouldn’t say no unless he absolutely had to.

He would never say that he would have appreciated being thanked for anything and yet I knew that it meant a lot to him when he was. I think that as men age, they soften because they realize that they may need others, thus, they become more vulnerable. My dad was like that and it was comforting to me to know the more sensitive side of him. I am glad that I got to know him as a friend as a adult.

My husband on the other hand never really had the experience of his father because he passed away when he was very young. I think that we find ways through the years to be fathered by other men whether it through being taught a new skill, playing a game of ball or a fishing trip.
My daughter seems to have a different relationship with her dad than I did. She really expresses how she feels about him, they talk about how they feel and they work things out. They like to spend time playing basketball, alleys and going for ATV rides. My experience with her is very different and I think that is the way it should be.

The way we celebrate Fathers are very different than Mothers. In our house on Father’s Day, we suggest having a bbq and he gladly obliges. We also treat this day like any other. He knows that we value him as a man, father and partner. Most people think that you don’t need to tell your parents how important they are to you. I think that it is necessary. To share your deepest feelings with those you love is very important. To grow, learn and become better human beings creates a shift in humanity.

When I think about the men in our society, I think that more of them need to be mentors. I sometimes sit back and examine who I am as a person and who I would like to become or who I am becoming. I would like to see the men in my life and in society do the same.

I once had a friend who was from Ecuador that all women are celebrated in his homeland on Mother’s Day. I wonder if they do the same for Father’s Day.

How do you celebrate your Dad?

I have had some great feedback on the shaving scuttle and put one up for sale in my Etsy shop today. It would make a perfect Father’s Day gift and comes with a free bar of shaving soap.

To see my previous post on shaving scuttles, here is the link.

http://www.jansonpottery.com/blog/shaving-scuttle/

Here is the link to my new shaving scuttle in my Etsy shop.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/48443690/light-yellow-shaving-scuttle-handmade

Happy Shaving!

A good friend passed on today. It was evident to me that our 14 year old cat, Alsatia, was going to say good bye to us about 2 months ago. She had lost quite a bit of weight and wasn’t a big cat to begin with. I took her to the vet about a month ago and the only thing that they could find wrong with her was that she was slightly anemic. They suggested opening her up and as a family we decided that was not an option. It appeared that her time might be coming and we didn’t want to cause any undo stress.

I could tell she was beginning to slide because she was eating less and less. I was away on a ceramics course last week and when I returned, I could see that she was getting weaker. We had many family discussions this week about what to do. I asked my daughter who is 4 if she would like to come to the vet to put her down and she came back with, “I think we should let her die at home” , so we decided to let this be.  This week has seemed stressful because we were losing our friend and also because it was difficult to watch her detoriation.  I was quite thoughtful this week about the letting go process that happens with many situations in life.  The loss of a loved one, friend, pet, job and so on.  There is a definite process of letting go that happens with many situations in life and through my daughter, even though she doesn’t fully understand death, she was the one who wanted our dear friend to go in her own time.

You can allow yourself to be touched deeply by the experience of having a pet or not. I think they become a member of our family. They have a special place in our hearts and our lives. This particular cat was just that. A part of our family and we were touched deeply by her.  I know that all animals like people have a special connection to us and in the end it is our spirit that lives on in us.

Laura Bucci is one of my favourite etsy artisans and she is participating this Earth Day giveaway.

Check it out! You might win something!
http://www.modishblog.com/modish/2010/04/the-cosa-verde-earth-day-giveaway.html