All Things Glittery and Sparkling Bright...

Oh my.

Could it be that Christmas is just a hop skip and a jump away?

I think it might be, and I can see it rounding the bend, and if I squint just right...there it is...in my near future.  Thank heavens things around Foolsewoode are all sparkling bright this season, and the little dusting of snow I woke up to this morning helped with my holiday mood.  Of course, it helps and mostly all comes together when you find a ridiculously cute vintage scene in which to welcome the season.

Yes indeed.  What you see in this post is two little sweeties skiing, with a deer, and a whole slew of flocked ornaments, including (but not limited to) bells, and some crazy pink looking shrubbery...all mounted on a Styrofoam base trimmed in pink ribbon.

Of course.

My mother remarked that when I get married in the future I absolutely must do it at Christmas and then I could use this as a center piece.  I told her if I got married at Christmas I'd use this as a cake topper!

And I don't even ski.

But, it would be worth it, no?

(I'm picturing a pink wedding dress trimmed in white marabou...anything that goes with pink and blue ornaments and my tiara...) 

Until that day, this little piece fits in nicely with all the Holiday Trimmings in these parts and will probably enjoy a long life with me no matter how it's used.  I mean, I suppose I could just throw a holiday party and design the whole soiree around this diorama (of sorts)

I'll let you know when that happens.

(I'm now picturing Ambrosia...again in pink or blue?  And I can still wear my tiara...)

On this eve of Christmas eve (that's a lot of eve's isn't it?) I wish all of you a very happy holiday in case I don't make it back to write in this space...and you enjoy all of your celebrating in the coming days.  I think I'm going to reflect on this last year and spend a little time thinking about what I was doing on this day a year ago...and maybe just a little bit about what the future may hold...

And wait to see if Santa got my letter this year.

(I've decided to bribe him with peanut butter and chocolate fudge instead of cookies...I hope that works!)

And the Holidays Just Roll Right In...

No matter what changes are running rampant through my life right now The Holidays can't wait...as a matter of fact, they're rolling right up with reckless abandon.

Heavens.

Could it be that there is less than a week left until Christmas?

Yes, I am all ready...gift wise.  Things have been sent out, they have been bought and stashed...but they have not been wrapped.  And not one thing has been baked...Nor have I sent any holiday cards like I usually do...

Sigh.

But, I did schedule the phone to be switched over to the new shop, and I also have a mover set up to move the Snap Snap to its new home...and I have announced my last day open in the original location as December the 27th (and painting as much as I can of the new space December 26th)  And, we're shooting to be open in the new location January 2nd...even if things are a little rough.  We are used to working around rough edges and it will be easy to work while I'm actually at work, so to speak.  I think we're both finding it hard to really design the space until we know exactly what we're really working with.  So there's that.

And in the midst of all of this change and excitement is the view from my home, decorated for the holidays.  As I sit here snuggled on the couch contemplating exactly what holiday movie to put on for tonight's enjoyment I am also pondering if I like the view from the inside or the outside the best...

I put up the tree at it's normal early time and it sat here with just lights on it...along with the mantle.  The thought of decorating seemed to be a little too much in the midst of everything else, and I figured that I would just call it a day and live with simplicity, because all of the lights are just as beautiful...and then all of a sudden one night I jumped up and started in.  I mean I kept thinking that I collect all of these lovely vintage ornaments, candles, and village houses and since they can only be brought out one time a year then it's high time they see the light of day.

After decorating (which probably took all of about an hour) and then sitting here watching the white lights glinting off all the sparkle and fluff I was immediately happy that I did.

And I can enjoy the view...

(good grief!  I was just looking at the picture I posted and it looks a bit blurry.  I actually used a soften effect...hmmmm)

Día de los Muertos...

Well once again, I'm off!

Like a shot out of a gun...here she goes.

Seriously.

(at some point I may actually catch up with myself)

(but really, when you have a surprise New York trip thrown smack dab in the middle of your life, and you've already planned other things it makes for some fun and busy traveling)

(which I adore)

This time I'm off on a road trip with wonderful friends to enjoy Tucson's Day of the Dead celebration, which was pushed to this weekend because of Halloween falling on the Sunday before All Saints  and All Souls Day.

I am very excited as I have always wanted to go to their celebration and I have no idea why I have never made it down there, but there you go.

And here I go!!

Although, I don't know if I'll see anybody as cute as my Prescott sweeties were for our Day of the Dead parade...The Sun and a Moon baby and a witch.

Which really is the perfect threesome if you think about it.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Hey Pumpkin Head...

Look who happened to pop into the shop this week!

(with the help of my mother)

(she was his acting chauffeur)

I know it might be a little early for Halloween (I don't care what you saw in your favorite mass market big box store the last time you went shopping) But, I never think it's too early for being a Pumpkin Head.  I think they have a year-round charm personally...and one I keep threatening to try to replicate in my own way.  Until then, I can look fondly upon my sweet Pumpkin Headed little men that abound at Foolsewoode...they don't often get packed away with the regular holiday stuff you see...

They need breathing room...

And year-round adoration.

Kind of like my sweet shifty-eyed little snowman candy container

(complete with his stash of vintage candy)

(whom was also delivered to me by MamaClaus)

(she's a great chauffeur)

(and a great Mother!)

Christmas in July...

One of the local thrifts in town decided to have  Christmas in July sale...which is exciting to me just in case there are any vintagy Christmas things lurking around their place and may find their way out on the floor...

(although I just realized Christmas is about 5 months away, so there is that)

I haven't seen anything that's caught my eye and made me jump up and down until yesterday, which is when I came upon all these cute vintage Christmas cards...and for 10 cents a piece I was pretty jumpy.  It's kind of strange though, because I was honestly thinking not too much earlier in the morning that I may not send out cards this year since the price of postage keeps going up, and I would just create one card and direct all my friends and relatives to the blog instead...Not the same, but whatever.

(guess what Post Office?  We're all having to readjust in this economy and a lot of us aren't making as much money as we once did...I mean, Rain, Hail, Sleet, and Snow doesn't stop you...but a struggling economy does?  Harmph...)

  And then here these little sweeties pop right into my life.

I got a whole handful of the Santa ones, and the other ones just one a piece (which I thought maybe I could decorate with them instead?)  The cards actually came with their original envelopes which is great...although I was wondering what the shelf life of licky glue is on these things and will I get sick if I then lick the envelopes to seal them?

Pies and Stripes...

This weekend of The Fourth was kind of a kick-off to pie season around here...

Apparently.

I had a fun bar-b-q to go to on Saturday, and it being a potluck and me being a pie master...I dug out the dough, the fruit, and the extra special pie-love that flies around the kitchen, and got to covering the surfaces of the counters with pie goodness.

Ok.

Most of the goodness went in to the pies...I mean, of course, it was a bit sticky here and there when all was said and done, but well worth it.

I have no clue where my love of making pies comes from, but I find it some of the most satisfying work I do in the kitchen...it's the perfect amount of zen and creativity to keep me bustling around in my apron, totally content and usually dancing to whatever pie making music is happening that day.

This time it was a techno-Latin-Portuguese-Calypso thing...

Yes.

Barefoot in the kitchen...

The perfect stereotype.

Kind of...

As it was, all of that hard work yielded a fresh strawberry pie and an apple pie.

Both were deliciously tart and sweet in all the right ways...

My mother currently has the left over apple, as she thinks I'm the best apple pie maker in the world.  I'm not sure about that, but I hold that compliment quite close in a happy place I have reserved just for pie-type things.  To be fair, this was the woman who taught me how to cook and was a great experimenter of recipes who also told me that often you have to fudge a bit here and there when making certain things to get them right to your tastes...which is exactly what I do when I'm making most things...Loosely follow a recipe until I get it down, and then all bets are off.

My mother also happens to have apple treas that are just laden with fruit waiting to ripen as we speak...in which case, there will probably be a whole lot of other pies happening around these parts very soon...

But until then, I'm taking requests...

Kiddie Parade Kick-Off...

This morning was the Kiwanis Kiddie Parade...which is like an official kick-off to the downtown Fourth of July festivities.  I mean, sure the World's Oldest Rodeo started Monday...but that's not downtown now is it smarty pants?

I have no idea how long this particular parade has been happening, I just know that I was little enough to be in it at some point.  Of course that was just a mere few years ago ForHeavensSake, so we can hardly go by that fact.

(ahem)

I also know that the older I get, the more this particular parade makes me teary-eyed.

It doesn't even have anything to do with the fact that I don't usually know anyone in the parade, but it's the pure delight on the kids faces who are participating, and watching them wave their little hands at everyone...

(or the fact that I realize time is going fast...I mean, I do cry when I see Mr. Rogers commercials too.)

(It's probably because I'm getting old...sigh)

And the Town Square?

She is all dressed up for the holiday...

It's so fun to see everyone in their Red, White, and Blue...against the beautiful backdrop that is Northern Arizona at this time of year.

And before the mass amounts of vendors get all set up for the weekend...and the Whiskey Row Street Dance starts...which I'm not against per se...I'm just not a huge Country Music fan...and usually I can hear the dance like it's happening in my living room when I'm home at this time of the year...

Same with the rodeo.

But, it's worth all the fun everyone's having, and all the mayhem that ensues on this weekend.

Have a Happy Fourth of July!

I may pop in and out to post pictures this weekend...you never can tell.

Official Spring Wind Advisory...

Today.

The day after Easter and the first day that the weather is complying with the Wind Advisory that was issued.

Spring in Prescott.

This wind.

(This is what Steven calls it.  This Wind.  I find this a perfect description, those two words describing exactly what it's like to be in Northern Arizona in the Spring.)

This wind.  Coming on the heels of a rather empressive earthquake rolling up from Mexico across California and into Phoenix.  It could have been felt up here, but I have no recollection of this event yesterday, nor did I hear of anyone else feeling it up here.

 

I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you.  My personal Easter Bunny brought a vintage German Easter Egg filled with goodies.

This large floral and gold egg will be in good company with the pile of vintage German eggs that adorn Foolsewoode this time of year.  I adore them, and they are so impressive in their rather large and growing group.

The Easter Bunny also brought me a peanut butter filled egg entitled a "Resterbunny!"  (from our dear and lovely friends at the Recess peaunut butter cup factory)  Apparently, my personal Easter Bunny saw this package of chocolate and peanut buttery goodness at the store and couldn't stop laughing...which could either be caused by her fantastic sense of humor, or the fact that she's running 2 antique shops (when she's not delivering baskets and hiding eggs) and may need a vacation.

Whatever the case, it was a lovely day...full of family, food, and treats.

Now to officially blow into Spring...

Happy Easter...

Look at what the Easter Bunny Left...

They are so very beautiful as they are I may not even color them further after they've been boiled within an inch of their life.

Sweet Sweet Fertility.

I hope wherever you are you celebrate the coming of Spring and the renewal it brings however is special to you.

I shall be partaking in the annual making of something out of strawberries...

And the eating of really good chocolate.

When Irish Knees are Dancing...

Happy St. Patrick's Day to yer...

In honor of being Irish on such an auspicious day I shall now dance a jig...

(ok.  Here we go!)

(get ready)

Would someone please start the music?!

(Alrighty then...)

(oh now wait.  Not that song!)

(why are Irish songs so darned sad?)

(The potato blight?)

(The constant oppression from the British?)

(The fact that we all had to shorten the spellings of our last names and my family had to drop the O that preceded it when we immigrated to America?

(or that most Irish were not well liked in the America's?)

(don't get me started...)

(ahem...)

Now for my real traditional Irish jig!

(dah dah de dum...)

(oof...this jigging thing is not that easy...)

(working up a sweat here...)

(oh dang.  My knee really hurts.)

(that's what you get for being sick with something or other close to a month and a half...the inability to just dance an impromptu jig because you haven't been able to attend the gym...)

Drat.

Perhaps I will just have some traditional Irish food...like, um...potatoes!

You know?

I'm not to sure about being this Irish thing.  I mean, I have the last name and the red hair (although, if you must know, I'm actually a blond) and the lineage...but honestly?  I've never actually been to The Mother Land, and the only real Irish tradition I remember my family taking part in is my grandfather baking and eating black-eyed-peas on New Years Eve for good luck.  There may be more, but I don't remember ever spending a St. Patrick's Day doing anything traditional like eating Lucky Charms.

(my mother didn't like us to have sugary cereal for breakfast...which may explain why mostly I don't like pastries in the morning)

I guess I'll have to stick to washing with Irish Spring and singing Oh Danny Boy in the shower...and since I already bathed, you totally missed out on that.

Sorry.

Happy St. Patrick's Day anyway.

Valentine's Day Weekend...

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend!
(or as I like to call it when I'm feeling especially snarky, Singles Awareness Day)

Whatever you believe Valentine's Day to be about...an expression of love to a significant other only or heaps of love for all your friends and family...I hope it's a happy day for you.

I am always holding out the hope for romance.  I'm a romantic type of person.  I like that about myself.  Sometimes though, you can find me crossing my arms and tapping my foot impatiently, but there you go.  As it is, I find myself being drawn to more hearts in my life.  I have them peppered throughout Foolsewoode, and I'm usually wearing at least one heart in the form of jewelry.

It's a reminder that no matter what else is going on...I am loved.

Sometimes it's little reminders like that, that get me through the day.

In past years, I have usually always tried to get everyone who happened to be in town together for dinner and a movie...so we'd all have a date for this night.  So no one would feel left out...no matter what their relationship status was.  There's no reason to feel lonely and not celebrate some kind of love.

I mean, I know one can argue that you can celebrate love just as easily on the other 364 days of the year...but let's face it.  Valentine's Day is celebrated as one day (which is probably why they call it Valentine's Day)  And because of this, Love just happens to get all amped up February 14th as a total bonus.  So grab some roses and candied hearts and chocolates...pass a Valentine's card to someone you love and admire...create your own celebration!

This year I am celebrating by taking myself out of town.  This weekend will find me celebrating Love with good friends on location...somewhere else entirely.  Affording me a little break from my every day routine.  There will be Mexican food and margaritas, a Historic Home Tour, and who knows what else.

Happy Valentine's Day to you...no matter how you choose to celebrate, make it fun in your own special way.

Farewell 2009...

Well, here we are.  On a whole other Eve of a New Year.

With a full moon and Lunar Eclipse to add to the magic of leaving the old parts of yourself and your life that are no longer working for you behind...and jumping in with gusto to whatever it is that you truly desire.

I'm an Aries.

We jump in with gusto a lot.

Which is not to be confused with jumping into gumbo...which is may also be good, just in a whole different way.

I have one thing to say to 2009 as we part our ways:

Dear 2009,

You were a challenging year bringing a lot of growth.  I'm not saying that all my growth is over, but really?  Did it have to be so intense?  Maybe it did.  Maybe that's the only way I get things.  Kicking and screaming.  During this year, I was left feeling as though I was scrabbling a lot all while having no clue what the heck was going on and what was going to happen and what I was possibly supposed to do about all of it...but in the end?  I'm still here.  Still here to pick myself up, dust myself off, and live another day.

No matter how crazy things got, I found new happy surprises around a lot of corners...things I wasn't expecting in the least (and kind of wished I could have clung onto longer before the rushing rapids of your water flung me farther down shore...feeling like I was without a raft, I might add)  I pushed myself farther than I thought possible through relationships, business, emotions, and creativity.  I broke through some doors with incredible force, waltzed through others with a light step, and sat down sometimes in protest before I was picked up and forcefully moved along...and  still, I watched as other doors were gladly opened to me and then again while other doors closed while I was standing helplessly by not being able to effect them at all, and then watching the key be flung into the river of life and swirl away.

Bittersweet 2009.

Very bittersweet indeed.

But at the very end of this year, in the eleventh hour...I was once again reminded of all the magic.  Which put a smile on my face.

I know I'm fine tuning all that is me...

But seriously 2009?

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Yours truly,

Me.

I raise a glass to toast with each and every one of you...I encourage you to write all the things down that you would like to leave in the old year and burn it under the moon at midnight...and open your arms to all the magic that you will create in 2010...and jump into the Gumbo with all you've got.

And I thank each and every one of you for finding me here in this wide world and coming along on my journey...I appreciate it more than I have words to say.

Christmas in Photos...

 

All shot on Christmas morning...

And then I entirely put the camera down.  What can I say?  There were more than a million picture taking opportunities...but it is hard to capture the truly magical Christmas it was for me in any way, unless you opened the little door to my heart and took a look in.

I have an idea of Christmas Magic in my head...and Christmas with her twists and turns and happy surprises did not disappoint this year...which kind of leaves one to sigh a lot all while looking out the window as visions of sugarplums dance right on by.

Somewhere in the midst of all that pixie dust there is a reel to reel film captured between still moments and joyful laughter, true conversation that takes both your breath away and suspends time, total surprises and things you didn't even put on your list for Santa because you didn't know how to ask...but for now?  They've pulled up a chair, put their feet up and are enjoying a cuppa while residing comfortably in my memory...I wish I could figure out a way to display that on the wall of my blog for you, but I would rather hold it very close to me right now instead.

For whatever this last year has brought, it's going out with a bang and a smile.

And some guitar Hero...

Cause' amongst all the magic that was this holiday season...Santa got my note and packed a wii into his sled with a new guitar.

So, I pretty much totally rock.

Now all I really need are some leather pants.

Dear Santa...

Well, here we are on yet another eve of another Christmas (am I making you feel old yet?)  It's reminding me a bit of the John Lennon song where he sings...So this is Christmas, and what have you done?
(I am taking the opportunity to leave out the, another year older, a new one just begun...just in case anyone is feeling any kind of pressure about various and sundry life things)

Well, I have hung on through another year only to put up the tree and not come one inch close to decorating it...which is why I roll my eyes every time I walk through the living room and spy the box that houses the tree decor...of which I seem to have enough to decorate a 10 foot tree by this point...but, does anyone else feel the need to snatch up vintage ornaments just in case they become sparse in some future we have yet to see?  I mean...I just grabbed a few more bags at the thrift this morning...they'd finally put them out, on Christmas Eve just in time for their 70% off sale (classic!  Giggle)  But, don't worry...I rescued them.

All that aside...this was a rather interesting year.  Full of a lot of opportunities for growth (which is a fancy way of saying that sometimes the universe has a great sense of humor and likes to kick the proverbial butt) and in the midst of all that growing there was also a lot of happy moments...little surprises and twists and turns in the road that I would have never anticipated, and there were times when I was left throwing my hands up because I just didn't quite know what was around the next corner, but I figured that I would keep on walking...because you just never do know about these things.

And, now it's time to write my annual letter to Santa and think a tiny bit ahead about appropriate New Years Resolutions (if I want to do such things this year...we've already established that the tree wasn't decorated after all) I would like to be all sorts of altruistic and ask Santa for World peace and happiness and joy...and while I do wish for those things, I am also looking for the courage to welcome in and then live my dreams with eyes wide open, and the patience to slow down and see what is around me, and the ability to change the things I can and the smile to do it with...I would also appreciate the wisdom to know when to jump and when to stop and observe (because sometimes jumping in with both feet is more disruptive than just sitting on the side and dangling those feet over the edge)

And a Wii.

Santa, I would really like a Wii for Christmas...and while you're at it, maybe guitar hero.  Please.  If you could fit that into your sack and it wouldn't be too much trouble...Because I've been good this year (mostly)

You know?

So I can sit down and have some fun!

What are you wishing for this Christmas Season?

(Photo Credit)

Winter Solstice...

Solstice

(Latin sol stetit...meaning The Sun Stood Still)

The longest night of the year and the shortest day...the tree is up, and the candles are waiting to be lit...to let go of the old year and to welcome back the sun all in one breath and flame.  It's time to let go of your old skin, these things of the past year that need to be left behind...and face your new future renewed, with enthusiasm and courage...welcoming back the light.

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!

-Susan Cooper 

 Happy Winter Solstice...

Happy Celebrations!

Frosty The Orangeman...

Look what I made this morning when I was making my breakfast!

No, your eyes do not deceive you...that is, in fact, a snowman made out of oranges!

I figured with winter in full swing and the holidays right around the corner that you probably totally got that...but I thought I'd state the obvious, as I couldn't for the life of me think of anything edible to put on him for eyes, nose, buttons and a hat...I was hungry and obviously creating on the fly, but I didn't want anyone to feel bad if they couldn't figure out that those three oranges were no ordinary stack of oranges.  And then I ate him (what?  He was my breakfast...and he is a very healthy holiday snack sent to me from my family up North in California.) before I thought to get out my little flags on toothpicks and make him more patriotic.  I'm kind of regretting that now, truth be told.

Hold your applause please.

Other than assembling my Christmas cards, this may be the only thing I actually make this holiday season.

It's been grim lately.

But really, after making this I think things are definitely looking up.

Either that or I'm going to need to go somewhere very quiet soon.

Holiday Pause...

After a crazy weird week (and a few days) the trip I planned some time in advance to go visit my friend Claudine down in The Valley was a welcome escape get away.  I kind of started the weekend with Acker Music Night in Snap Snap, and while I did not enjoy the crazy crowds some of the streets do...It was a fun first year.  Larry was amazing...and has me wishing I could have live music in the shop all the time.

The next morning I was up and dashing down the hill to get an early start on a whole weekend of...well, nothing.  Claudine was amazed I was planning to be off and running so early, but there you go.  I got down there just in time to avoid the weekend of rain that washed all of our snow and ice away...and started the weekend by helping decorate Claudine's tree.  It's mighty beautiful now...which is a little more than I can say for my own tree seeing as it has not one stitch of ornament on it (I'm waiting for Rozz to come over.  Or Christmas to be over...whichever comes first)

One of the few things we planned during my journey down South was a trip to the Phoenix Zoo for their annual Holiday Zoo Lights.  This is when they decorate the zoo all up in lights and finery and you can walk around through everything...

(look out javelina..there's a wolf behind you!)

  (the plains of whatever...)

A rattle snake with a moving rattle...and a scorpion with a moving stinger.

There was also a 3-d centipede with moving legs which freaked me out to no end...I could hardly look at it.  I'm not a big fan of centipedes seeing as I live in AZ and I have found them quite a bit.  For some reason, they just make me a little edgy...I feel the same way about scorpions and rattle snakes, but these two looked a bit more festive to me.

That could have been the margarita talking however...

One of the displays that made me chuckle the most was the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with a rather large and menacing black widow spider hanging behind him.

Seeing as the light show took place in the zoo after hours (which still makes me wonder how all the animals in residence feel about hundreds of people tromping through until 10 pm every night for a month or so) most of the light displays were of animals at the zoo.

It's been a while since I've been to the Phoenix Zoo, but if this is where the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man lives, I may have to venture back soon.

Although, I thought they pretty much annihilated him during Ghostbusters in the 80's.

(he's still looking a little peeved about that)

I think this was our favorite lighted sculpture (well, I also liked the monkeys that were swinging from the trees, but they were super hard to get a descent picture of) a 3-d peacock.

ooooohhh....

ahhhh....

This particular display had a lot of people clamoring to get a picture with the colorful bird.  Problem is, unless you have a very specific kind of camera...there was way too much flash going on...which made most people look frightened and the peacock non-existent.  I, on the other hand...brought the Canon 10-D and true to me not knowing how to work the camera very well, just turned dials and buttons all around until the shutter sounded normal when I pointed it at something.

But, it seemed to work out pretty well.

The Zoo Lights was very fun, and I recommend you going if you're out this way...

Now, there was a heck of a lot of shopping (got all mine done...with trips to IKEA, Anthropologie and Sephora) running fun errands, strolling around, laughing, and eating going on this weekend...but one of the highlights was a total impromptu trip to Target on the way to Zoo Lights so Claudine could purchase an early gift for herself.

(again, this could have been fueled by the margarita)

We ran in...returned something and walked out 15 minutes later loaded down with bags containing a wii and Guitar Hero and a couple of other extra must haves.  I don't know anyone who has a wii and Guitar Hero, and if I do...they're not fessing up, and if they did I would probably just scoff and act superior and a bit not interested.  So, I really had no idea what the big deal is.

I do now.

Claudine made short work of setting the system up...and because she thought ahead buying and extra controller and Gibson guitar...we could play together.  Which still made me roll my eyes...because we had big plans to go eat and a make your own bloody mary bar...and here I was, totally stuck sitting on the couch playing a video game.  I'll let you in on a little secret.  I am absolutely horrible at video games.  I'm way too emotional and I gesticulate too much with my body and my hands, so I don't do well with stationary video games...but the thing about the wii is that it's totally made for people like me (and Claudine was sweet enough to let me decorate the guitars with all the stickers that came with the Gibson...isn't that nice?!?!)

Which means it was insanely fun, I did well, it was one of the best highlights of the whole weekend...We rocked it hard!  And this was before she named the band the Hey Hey Hey's and went on tour  (and my fingers are sore from all the bass playing I did)

And I am putting a wii on my list to Santa this year...

(with Guitar Hero too Santa...or The Beatles Band kit...either one would be fine.)

Although I'm going to have to figure out where to put a drum set...

But really, it would be totally worth it.

Seriously.

This was a great way to really ease into the rush of the holiday season for me...and now I'm ready to really enjoy myself.

Post...

I love real mail...things that come through the post...something I can lay my hands on.

Who doesn't?

I have just assembled this years Christmas Cards...

It would be my pleasure to make your mail dreams come true this season.

If you would like a special post surprise...please leave me a comment on this post, with an email or your address so I can make sure you get a card.

Happy

Holidays!

Acker Music Night...

This is my most favorite thing to do during the holidays in Arizona's Christmas City.  Acker Music Night...Which benefits music and culture in Prescott.  I have been attending the event for almost as long as it's been going on.  I love the sense of community as I walk along the cold and crowded streets of Prescott...enjoying all the hustle and bustle and joys of the season.

On Acker Night, most of the small businesses around downtown Prescott extend their hours so they can throw open their doors (figuratively mostly...it's usually pretty cold) and host live performers at each shop.  It is so cheery and wonderful and such a lovely way to both raise money and showcase all of our local talents.

In all the years I've owned Snap Snap, I've never participated in Acker Night.  Mostly because there were not a lot of businesses participating down this way, so people tended to stop at the corner and not walk further...but this year there are more participants, and I am gladly flinging open my doors (again, figuratively) and joining in the fun...

I am beyond thrilled.

My scheduled performer is Larry Aker, Megan's father (although, there has been a family emergency so I am crossing my fingers for everyone involved right now, which is taking a bit more precedence over Larry being here...I will know more very soon.)  I think Larry is such a talented performer as I have been lucky enough to hear him perform several times before this, and I am very excited for the whole evening.  I believe this is the largest participation that Acker Night has ever seen and it's so very nice to finally feel included on the business end...

So, if you're in town, come on down for leisurely stroll...

It's free...

It's fun...

And I have cookies...

Prepare To Decorate...

Holiday decorating at Foolsewoode has taken on epic proportions this year.  First of all, I'll let you in on a little secret.  Not only do I decorate the house for every holiday, I decorate the shop too (I'm sure this isn't that much of a secret...I mean, somebody's been doing it for the last fifteen years...) And this year, I've volunteered to help my mother do her two shops as well.

I'm actually confused as to why I did this.

I'm sure it stems from the idea that I love to decorate for the holidays.  And the fact that I will be decorating for more than the two places I usually do apparently escaped me.  I fear I shall be all Christmased out soon.  Like that could ever happen.

After all, it's me that has these vague fantasies that I will secret myself away in my house under a quilt with some sort of hot drink and watch Old Christmas Movies all of December, and be all nostalgic for a time period I wasn't even alive for.

I am picturing myself in my tiara in this vision.

And sometimes instead of a hot drink I will be draped across my couch, with a glass of wine...and wearing a pair of marabou slippers.

(ok.  Mostly with a glass of wine)

(and also?  I don't own marabou slippers...something else for the Christmas list)

Setting all tiaras and wine aside...Rozzilyn and I are some of the only very enthusiastic Christmas decorators in the family (she has her own tree...mom likes to decorate late and take down early...I use to have my own tree when I was Rozzies age...mine was a pink aluminum one.  It's almost like a preservation mechanism...cause my mother thinks we're nuts.  Although, she's very supportive because I think she took both of us to go buy our own trees)  I use to put everything up on Thanksgiving afternoon...but with the advent of Rich and I's relationship (and my eating all day on Thanksgiving interspersed with napping and movie watching...and most likely my age) I haven't decorated on Thanksgiving Day at all in a while.

Also?  I had to work this weekend...and I only got one day off this week.  Which, oddly enough was spent at The Airstream watching movies, napping and eating.

Again.

Before I went over there though, I decided that it was time to prep the house for decorating.  For some strange reason, this year that meant that I needed to do all the little crazy stuff I've been putting off doing around Foolsewoode.

First?  I had to change the light bulb in my bedroom.  It burnt out a couple of months ago (at least) and lest you think I'm totally lazy...I have no idea how to get the light fixture off to even change the bulb in the first place.

And I'm short.

And the fixture is in the middle of the room, which is also in the middle of my bed...and I can't stand on the bed and figure out how it works because I'm not 8 feet tall.

I'm not even 6 feet tall.

(again...this is where marabou heels would come in handy)

So, I grabbed my step ladder and put it in the middle of the bed and climbed up on it.  This is probably not the safest thing to do (this may also be the reason I keep falling and hitting my head) especially if you have a TempurPedic mattress...because apparently you can jump on the bed without even spilling a glass of wine that is also on the bed...because the mattress sinks down so deep?  (I personally would not want to test this...because I like to drink my wine...and not have it soak into my mattress)

Well, this also works with a step ladder.

I muscled my way up there, figured out how to take the shade down (it's a 30's light fixture my EX installed for me...and it hangs by wires from the base that is attached to the ceiling...so it's a bit tricky.  It also looks like something Madonna would wear, so I call it the boob light...short of asking my EX to come over and change my bulb, I had to get down to brass tacks and figure this thing out)  dumped the dust and dead bugs out of it, washed the shade all up, put in a new light bulb and reinstalled it.

Now there's light.

(woot!)

It was getting to be a bit much to go in, flip the switch and have nothing happen (and I did this at least once a day for several months) only to walk over and flip the lights I have hanging on the canopy and the light in the living room and the studio...so I could see what I was doing.

While undecorating the Thanksgiving Mantle, I finally got fed up with my lack of enthusiasm and painted the bare wood of the mantle shelf white to match everything else.  Two coats...both sides and the outside edges.  I couldn't take looking at it anymore...I mean, mostly it's covered by festive cloths I make for all the different seasons and whatnot...but I can totally see the bare wood underside while sitting on the couch, which matches nothing.

It's been a 4-year + project in the making.

(it took me 2 hours.  Sigh)

While at The store this weekend (which took more than two trips) I remembered to buy:

Water Filter Replacements.  Then I installed a water filter on the Pur faucet thing...now my water tastes better.

A new shower curtain with rust resistant brass rings...it's actually a liner (I change out my cloth shower curtains by season) and the other one was moldy.  Ick.  And this one didn't smell at all when I took it out of the package, which was a nice bonus.

I also remembered to buy batteries for my kitchen clock...which hasn't been working for months...the left overs will fit in my wireless mouse.  That also hasn't been working for months.

It's like I've been living in an abandoned house.

I couldn't bear to walk into the kitchen one more time only to look at the clock and wonder why I was either very early or very late.

I bought a new external hard drive and Rich worked on formatting it all day yesterday.  Or whatever he did to make it work.

On top of hauling various holiday boxes out of the place where they live...I have been rearranging, vacuuming and dusting...

And this is before I even had anything decorated.

On Sunday morning when I originally thought I'd be elbow deep into Christmas...I went to hang up the three fabulous reproduction glittery bottle brush wreaths on my front window (choosing the color of these could be an epic post all together) and discovered I had no thumbtacks.

Can you believe that?

Not one thumbtack to my name.

So, it was with entirely good intentions that I was forging ahead decorating...but accomplishing everything but.  Apparently like a painting, you need to prep the canvas of your home before you actually do any decorating.

Luckily, I was waiting for Rich to call me with my good-night phone call last night (which he forgot to do) and I went to bed with the Christmas Quilt washed and put on the bed (complete with fresh sheets and The Grinch doll) The mantle decorated, The tree up...lit...and fluffed, greenery hanging around the living room doorways, the vintage mistletoe hanger up in the kitchen doorway (I stand under it all day, and yet nothing happens) I'm already tired and I swear I'm only halfway through this process (and had mini panic attacks that I have too much stuff and a major resort is coming...)

At least I ran out and hung the three wreaths on the front window while in my PJ's in the freezing cold last night.

Just in time to for them to get rained on.