STITCHES AND HOPE PENS AND GRANDMA'S VIOLETS

Eleven weeks ago today I had foot surgery.  I thought I would be walking in a shoe and driving a long time ago but that hasn't happened yet.  I see my foot doctor every two weeks and he has a strange sense of humor so I thought I would make him something to match his sense of humor.

I made him a pen of polymer clay and of course I made it black and blue since that's what my foot looked like for 4 weeks.  Then I made the little foot and cut an incision on it the same place mine is.  I used wire to put the stitches in over the incision.  Then I stamped his name in a piece of clay and put it on the bottom of the foot before I baked it and used paint to enhance the letters.  I put a magnet on it also so he can attach it to his desk or cabinet.

This is the foot before I baked it.  I used Fimo and it turned really dark when I baked it.  I can't remember what color it was but it looked like skin without the freckles.

My foot doctor's nurse is also my orthopedic doctor's nurse and she's a sweet heart so I thought I better make her a pen too.  The flowers on this pen are from an old cane that I made two years ago.  I put another tiny screw in the side of the pen so I could put a jump ring and the HOPE charm on the side.  This one also has a magnet with beads attached to it.

I found the purple African Violet at Lowes and it was tiny and pathetic and almost dead.  It was the lat one left so I thought I would give it a home and see if I could save it.  The white one was from Ace and didn't look good either when I brought it home.  They over watered it and the leaves are just now getting healthy.  I put them in a north window which is on my kitchen table so I eat breakfast with them every morning and they are looking wonderful.  My grandma and her sister always had beautiful violets and I could never get one to grow.  I found some special pots for violets.  The top comes out and you fill the bottom with water and they drink from the bottom.  I think that's the trick.  I'm trying to grow another one in the middle with cuttings from the purple and the white one.  There won't be a place to eat on the table if this keeps up.