BSNP

Creativity runs in my family. I can't take any credit for it, it started long before I came along. My father, and his father before him, were the original story tellers, and my dad can still make you roll on the floor with laughter.


My mom was a crafter, and my earliest crafting memories are of her decorating our house for Christmas with Glass Wax stencils, drawing paper dolls for us, knitting and crocheting (not to mention making lovely doll clothes by hand). She started us on the road to creativity by insisting that we design and make things for our Grandmothers at Christmas.

It would be far more surprising if some of that creativity didn't pass down to the later generations. And it would be odder still if I didn't Shamelessly Promote these wonderfully talented people who just happen to be related to me.

My son Curtis, is a writer and artist. His first book, an interactive children's story, will be available in February as an iApp (greater love hath no mother- I actually am switching to an iPhone just so I can buy it, after studiously avoiding iAnything so far. Well, except for joining iTunes to buy Crystal Bowersox's AI performances last year). Curt also writes a beer blog, called Hop Head Said, for Ventura County, which is all about events and potables in that SoCal vicinity.

But my Blatant Son Promotion today has nothing (well not much) to do with those activities. Today, I want to let you all know that Curt has added some wonderful note cards to his store. He has a lovely assortment of photos and prints available- all beautiful (natch), and carefully produced (duh), and reasonably priced (woohoo!).  Cruise on over and take a peek.

But it's not just my children who are striking out in the arts- my niece Tiffany Hein has a small country crafts business called Whimsical Details. She doesn't have an etsy store yet (one coming soon), but Whimsical Details does have a facebook page, if you care to check it out.

Tiff lovingly crafts lots of wonderful items, including these custom necklaces:

This one is for me, her favorite Auntie. The front is adorable

and if anything, the back is even adorabler. Tiff will make up these necklaces to order, with any initial, color, and, of course, personal preferences on the back.

She also made me these great concrete (cement? I can never remember) bricks. They're the size and heft of regular bricks, but she can customize the sentiment or phrase. These are staying inside for the rest of the winter, but come spring, they'll become a permanent part of my flower garden.

Now that the USPS has those wonderful flat-rate shipping boxes, sending chunks of concrete around the country is totally doable for a reasonable price. Tiffany makes and sells lot of other great items. If you want to contact Tiffany for custom orders or information, you can find her on Facebook, or via e-mail  at creatiff@comcast.net.