Merry Christmas!

a little world i made for a special friend with daughter grace today - so much fun - idea from design*sponge DIY coloumn

Oh the year winds down and the winds blow cold. The snow blankets the ground with a frosty crunch. Time marches on through the final days of 2009. It's been the best decade of my life. Thank you all for being a part of the last half here at my little blog! Wishing you the kindest and love filled last days with those who mean most to you. Taking a little blog break until the New Year breaks through! Be back with some new art, some new interviews and much fun.

Christmas creeps towards us!

Does it seem that so often the days swiftly fly by and we don't get to savor their full enjoyment - but this time of year more so? I try and "drag my feet to slow the circles down" in December. Try and not only check things off my list, but actually stop and listen to the snow fall, or cuddle a little longer with the loved ones. And try and keep everyone healthy through the hustle and bustle... only to come down with a quick flash of the flu at week's end! Feeling fine now - and back on track. It's a wonderful life!

Peace, Love, Joy and Art!

This past weekend we took a page from Amanda Woodward's book and made our clients some granola. Oh the yumminess of it all. We started out with a little snow flying outside, mixing ingredients, sipping tea, stirring the liquid gold, popping the cranberries and nuts in the pan -- and then it really started to sleet. Messy horrible ice pellets. I took one peek outside and told MJ I had to buzz home. I don't mind snow driving but the ice storms? You can have them. So with granola in the oven, I said my farewells to Mary Jo and left it in her hands. It came out splendidly - save for one pan, and well, after the gocco session on the bags, we tied them up with ribbons and tags and have been delivering the said joy packages of granola-y goodness to all. Shipping some of course too! What have you been baking these days?

design*sponge holiday wishlist!

It's a little late in the day to post, but I have been working nonstop since early this morning on the shop and gallery proper but I had to get to my thank yous before the day was out! I was so pleased to be asked again this year for my holiday wishlist from Grace at design*sponge. The post went up today right here and it is filled to the brim with so many wonderful ideas for holiday giving and getting. Thanks to Grace for inviting me along.. So much fun!

Tiny felted birdhouse + our cards

tiny felted birdhouse ornament by friend Jennifer White

holiday cards made by daughter#2, Chloe via linocut print

wool stuffed bearded santa star ornament - I made this 18 years ago...

Dear dear Jennifer White dropped off this gift of a lovely tiny knitted and felted bird house for our tree! So sweet in ochre and pinks! More ochre now with grey and deep teal, in our home printed holiday cards, Chloe made a sweet little linocut and we added the writing in white pen. Not traditional holiday colors but we love them! Finally an old ornament I made which has sat on the tree for 18 years... he wears a scottish wool beard and hair along with being stuffed with it. Jolly still after all these years!
The "Lovely Hearts" forms and post coming later this afternoon --

Christmas & Parties & Pirates, oh my!

our little fatty, perfect!

birthday brunch

the vellum project ...

yes, that is bluebeard, jack sparrow, mr and mrs. claus as well as captain hook and blackbeard! do not ask me to explain, it's a band thing... we just don't get it!

Oh Christmas, holdiays and fun. Daughter #1 had her 18th (!) birthday this past weekend, she was playing handbells (a 1/4 semester filler course which landed her this extra duty in December) at the yearly performance,er, concert, er hoopla called the Holiday Village, (this year it was a Pirates of the Carribean theme which was extra funny to me - hey is it Halloween no it's Christmas, no Halloween, no ....), my younger art classes worked with some wonderful vellum and ink projects and the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree ensued. Oh yes! and the annual decorating party on Saturday night at Mary Ellen's house... which always puts us in the mood for our own tree. We love our vintage aluminum tree complete with the color wheel and sequin garland, but the live, (or is that freshly killed?) tree holds a place in the main room, so here is our petite fatty all decked out with lights and ornaments. All and all it was a full weekend, but not stressful at all and a whole lot of laughs! More on topic later.