LoveFest

We just got home from Thanksgiving and it was a full and wonderful time! Annie had an extremely hard time with the flying part, (full fledged panic-attacks including diarrhea, hives, conferences with pilots and finally flying in the buff with cool ice packs applied to the body) although once we got there it was a full on love-fest! Whew! I feel mellow with gratitude, and floating slightly after being around people I love, love, love.

Mmmmmmm. Thank you Bill, Annie, LaLa, Jordan, Rebecca, Lucy & Hollis.

Warmth

I wish warm connections and abundance for you this Thanksgiving!
I found this image on Flicker. It's by CrossedFingers.

Virtual Sketch Date

Annie and I have decided to join in and do Virtual Sketch Date.

Each month you do a sketch, painting, pen and ink, whatever, of the image they offer. Then you post your piece on your blog, and then VSK posts all entries and you can see all of the different works others have done of the same image.

Annie and I named this piece Dapple for obvious reasons.
We did sketches in pencil, then used watercolors. Annie finished hers off with pen and ink.

Holiday WIP

Thank you so much for the warm and encouraging comments you've been leaving lately about the things I've been making and sharing here! I love to hand-make things for people in my life, and I feel energized and enthusiastic knowing you enjoy seeing them! All my life, especially growing up, LaLa Pat, my Aunt, has made beautiful clothes, toys, jewelry and functional art for me, showing me that anything can be made if you just set your mind to it. My Mom and Dad also made me gifts and those are the ones I remember and cherish the most. I in turn, have made gifts most of my life, and really, buying a gift almost always pales in comparesant to making one.

I believe I have already stated my 2008 holiday mantra here, but for those who missed it, it is officially my Use-What-You-Have-Christmas. My plan, and I've stuck to it so far, is to use only what I already have to make holiday gifts with this year. I'm doing this for two reasons; One, I really could create for an entire year with what I already have in my studio closet, in the sewing room and treasured materials I've tucked away here and there. And two, we just bought a this house and we're flat broke. And I guess there's a third. I hate plastic and junk and I don't think kids or grown-up's need it. And O.K., four. Billys folks love to buy Annie a ton of stuff for her at Christmas and it leaves me off the hook. O.K. I'll stop now, I promise.

So far I've made Annie a few things, with a a set of 18"x18" pillow shams still in the works. Pictured here you will see 10 Owl Ornaments, 8 Fox Ornaments, 8 Teacup Ornaments (with hot chocolate and whipped cream inspired by Posy Gets Cozy), 10 Watercolor Bookmarks, 6 Neck "Cozies" and two sets of Cloth Napkins featuring embroidered leaves, berries and acorns. Not pictured is the huge tureen of home distilled Vanilla Extract that we won't harvest until mid-December.

Catalog CopyCat or Use-What-You've-Got Christmas

Annie got to the mailbox before me and found a MiniBoden catologue. She paged through and showed me a few tee shirts she wants to order. (Ak! $28 each!) The timing was perfect because Cory had given me a bag of great hand-me-downs (with some hardly used Gap tee shirts) and LaLa sent a box of terrific fabrics-everything I need to do a perfect copycat. I still have to add wiskers and finishing touches, and I think Annie will LOVE them.

Obama Doodle

I read tonight that the Obama's are looking into hypoallergenic breeds, including Doodles (which aren't really a breed I guess. A hybrid maybe?) to join them in the White House! How exciting! I guess his youngest Sasha is allergic to fur. A GoldenDoodle is said to be the breed of choice for Malia Obama, and most Doodles have non-shedding hair not fur. President elect Barack Obama was quoted as saying he wanted to get a dog from a shelter. Either way, both directions make a perfect metaphor for this new first family. Blending beautiful (although over bred) breeds to make a superior new one, and finding a dog that needs a home and giving it one.

I already know the joys of the Doodle and a rescue. Jasper is an Aussie Doodle. He was between 3-6 months when we got him through a rescue in Sacramento and I've been in love with him from the moment I saw his picture on-line.
I've narrowed the breeders down, using the Internet, that might have bred Jasper, and they had posted pictures of a litter of puppies, and I can't help but wondering if he was from them. The markings are almost exact.

I'll Show You Where the Ladybugs Live- by Annie

Follow me.

Jasper can come too.

It's in Oakland. You have to walk up a very steep hillside and go around some trails then down again. My foot was hurting on the way down the hill. There are redwood, oak, and eucalyptus trees and manzanita. I collected some bark and a long rock that is like a tool. I also found some feathers. Jasper ran off after a jogger but he came right back. When you get to the bottom, near the road, there is a grassy place where the ladybugs were last year. This year there are A LOT more. Millions of them. They are "resting" for the winter. Click here for more about ladybug swarms.
Bye!

All the red you see are clumps of ladybugs.


I'm wondering why the ladybugs chose this spot?


The ladybugs are running on my hand!

Teach Them To Be Human

Really Tight

Since taking on a mortgage, we've really had to look closely at what we are spending on and how we live our lives. Ak! What more can we pare down? Will our investment be worth it? Was renting a better deal for us? Should we have waited? Again I'm trying to think of ways to save resources and maybe even make some money. And wishing it could be more simple.

Then I saw this lovely picture and quote and it soothed me, so I'm sharing it.


“We are such spendthrifts with our lives,”
Mr. Newman once told a reporter.
“The trick of living is to slip on and off the planet with the least fuss you can muster. I’m not running for sainthood. I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer, who puts back into the soil what he takes out.”

-reprinted in the NY Times tribute.

My life has been full and active. I'm happily into projects and schemes for the holidays and for the 12 birthdays I have between now and Christmas. So for now, a simple MeMe.

I saw it on Posy Gets Cozy first.

Where is your mobile phone? Basket

Where is your significant other? Resting

Your hair colour? Amber
Your mother? Poet

Your father? Charismatic

Your favourite thing? Relevance

Your dream last night? Forgotten

Your dream goal? Connection

The room you're in? Illuminated

Your hobby? Handmade

Your fear?Waste

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Enjoying

Where were you last night? Uno

What you're not? Selfless

One of your wish-list items? Solar

Where you grew up? Mountains

The last thing you did? Wake

What are you wearing? Cozy

Your TV? Off

Your pets? Companions

Your computer? Helpful

Your mood? Thoughtful

Missing someone? Always
Your car? Old
Something you're not wearing? Makeup
Favourite shop?FIDM

Your summer? Eventful

Love someone? Relentlessly

Your favourite colour? Apricot

When is the last time you laughed? Bloopers

When is the last time you cried? Tuesday

Yes We Can