Holiday Finery...

What am I wearing this festive holiday season, you ask?

It's about time...

Hey...I'm a girl, usually whenever I'm invited to do anything, the first words that pop out of my mouth are, "what am I going to wear?" and that's when the fun comes in...

This season, I'm featuring vintage. Mostly because someone came in last week to dump off some vintage that had been languishing in their wives closet, and he figured it cost too much to dry clean them...and there was no way she was ever going to fit in them ever again anyway.

harumph...


Well, now they're in my closet, and they fit just fine.

I had the annual Snap Snap holiday party..."what's that mean?" my mother asked when I called her Tuesday to alert her to the fact that we are having a work party..."well, that's when I either take you out to dinner or bring over Thai so we don't have to make dinner...then we can xerox body parts later..." "oh, well, the food sounds good, but my copier isn't very sturdy" So, we ate Thai, and the next night I met the only other consignment account I have in town for sushi...she's also a good friend, and I thought it would be appropriate to wear the first of my holiday frippery to dinner...

A green brocade dress with a silk black brocade and embroidered jacket layered over it.


The dress I am wearing for Christmas day will be a lovely navy blue rayon blend with the most amazing little apples all over it...

Both of these dresses were either handmade or remade at some point, so there is no designer label in them...The apple one has the sweetest little tucks all over the front...and when I was ironing it last night, I noticed a few little holes in the material in various places that I need to patch or deal with at some point...I also notices a hole in the waistband seam in the back of the dress, so I hopped on the sewing machine right quick to stitch that up...

We don't want this to be the year knows as the one when Aunt Sadie's dress disintegrated and fell off while we were opening Christmas presents...nobody wants to see a blog post about that now do they?


I was slap happy when I put this apple dress on and it fit, because I'd already decided in some deluded corner of my brain that if it didn't fit, I was keeping it anyway and I was going to either diet, or remake it so that it did fit...

The pockets have this little inverted triangle detail to their bindings...that happens to match the inverted triangle detail that is on the neckline.

sigh.

They just don't make dresses with this much care, detail and quality anymore. I am happy whenever I get a chance to rescue one.


I am not exactly sure what I am going to pair this with...perhaps some cardigan I have secreted away somewhere...and of course, one of my vintage rhinestone holiday pins...

And some leggings.

Definitely leggings.

Cause' it's been darned cold here as of late.

W.I.P.

Visions of sugarplums started their tap dancing early in my brain today...

6 am to be exact.

And it wasn't visions of sugarplums as much as it was visions of me not having a little handmade gift for my mom and Rozzie for Solstice...which happens to be Friday (as far as I can tell) Yes...the longest night of the year...good to grab up a blanket and snuggle with the one you...

Well, snuggle with.

So, I bounded out of bed bright and early...with designs in my head. Finally. Actually, I had thought of little things here and there, but wasn't too excited about snapping to making anything...but, with a little over 24 hours left, other ideas came to me...

Brilliant ideas...

Amazing ideas...

OK...ideas. Anyway, the wee hours of the morning found me sitting at the sewing machine cussing...I mean, gently sewing hems and seams, and wondering, why oh why isn't the tension set right? AND Must I have dyslexia about everything and forget what the numbers on the tension wheel mean and get confused every time I try to set it? AND Why oh why is some weirdo walking by the shop playing pan flutes? (oh sorry, that was real time) I got a great jump on some projects (finished one) and brought one to work with me to sit and work on it...

Then I can put them all in my big Santa Gift Sack and deliver them...

I adore playing Santa, and this sack that I scored at the thrift will make it even more joyful this year...although, I have to say that I am none to pleased that the previous owner kindly scrawled the name Jenny across the sack with red permanent marker...and I'm determined not to change my name for the holiday...

that's just plain nuts.

Of course...playing Santa is all fine and well, but not until I can fully decorate the house (and you thought I was done!)



But, lo and behold, the powers that be are tired of my bitching and moaning about no holiday spirit...and gifted me with this vintage set of Noma Italian Style Fancy lights...

A delightful set of working lights in the shapes of little bells to grace my home this holiday season (or next, depending on if I get them up)

They actually remind me a little of my grandmother, or something she would have had in her home...


And, apparently today was the day of near heart attacks at the thrift...because they were having another 50% off day and I walked out with:

2 vintage bottle brush trees decorated to the hilt

2 vintage mini bottle bush wreaths (one as is...but I don't care)

1 vintage Lefton Pixie Elf head vase

All for a measly $5...

I cried a little bit, I was so excited...

Welcome to the season of Miracles, gifts, the anticipation of surprises, making things and giving things...of remembering those you love, and the joy of seeing happy smiles on their faces...

Welcome to the season of finding your lost Holiday Spirit...sometimes in the most unlikely of places...in bed at 6 am, in the sweet anticipation of crafting...and later when you turn a corner in a shop and find something that takes your breath away...

*ho*HO*ho*

Dear SantaJohn...

I have been a very good girl this year. Indeed I have.

I have also discovered and interesting fact about myself...

I seem to be an iGroupie...

an MacFan (if you will)

And well, a little bit Apple Saucy...

::wink wink::

For the upcoming holiday season, I would like an 80G black (so it will match all my Mac loveliness) iPod video classic. I use the Nano you got me a couple of years ago, almost every day, but with only 2G of space...I've run out of room. Plus, it doesn't have video capability...

I would also like the iPod AV Connection Kit...so that I can listen to all of my music on the stereo (you see, someone got all smart and copied all their CD's into iTunes and then got rid of them...I'm not naming any names, but it may not have been the smartest move, as she's been without her music for quite a while in the house and the cat is starting to hide under the bed when she starts singing) Plus, the AV Connection kit hooks up to the TV so that I can watch movies from the iPod as well...

Oh...and I just happened to see the AV Connection Kit at CostCo...it comes with an Radio Tuner so that I could listen to the radio through the iPod. Now, I'm not entirely sure if I will do this with any regularity, but it comes with the kit and the entire thing is $70 cheaper than it would be through Apple (not that you have to buy your presents...I'm just sayin')

And, since the iPods have historically scratched quite easily (like, when you may happen to glance sideways in their direction) I may also need a great hard cover for it...iSkin makes the best ones in my opinion...

I'm probably going to also need a Griffin iTrip so that I can also listen to my music in the car. They make the neatest one that charges and comes on a long wire, so that it's not stationary and I won't run the risk of looking down too much to play the right songs and endanger any of the other little good girls and boys...

Thank you! It's really the only thing I want for Christmas...Oh, and my holiday spirit too...I mean, you can send over all the ghosts if you want...cause' I could really use a vacation as well (as long as I'm well rested for Christmas Day...I don't want to miss any of the fun at mom's, and I can't use eating turkey as an excuse if I fall asleep since we don't eat turkey anymore...and come to think of it, never did on Christmas...there were too many other good things she made instead...oh home made cinnamon rolls baby!) And since I fell down while walking to the car on the way to work yesterday (for no good reason other than I was looking somewhere other than where I was walking) please ease the aches and pains...

Thank you SantaJohn,
(aka. JohnDad)
(aka. my father)

Merry Christmas...I hope you enjoy your holidays in Italy!!

Creative Sunday...

Rozzie and I spend the entire day together on Sunday!

We had originally planned to get the last of her Christmas shopping done, and then bake some cookies...but, my mother work up with one of her killer headaches and we re-did the plan...We're nothing if not flexible...

I picked her up in the morning and we dashed out to the mall and wandered around for a bit, looking at things for each loved one she still needed a present for (oh, and me too...I needed a couple of gifts as well) My mother taught me the fine art of shopping and comparing both things and prices...



Then...we came home after making one more quick stop, where I picked up another little something...and where Rozzie stopped to look at toys.

It is important to take some time out of all the holiday shopping hustle and bustle to look at toys and things you might want as well...









Home for lunch and the movie Jingle All The Way...one of both of our favorite holiday movies...and then onto some peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies...which turned out very yummy (Rozz kindly licked both the beaters and the bowl for me saving me the trouble of doing it myself)

Then onto GG's house to drop off something and visit for a couple of hours before taking the Rozz home again. She said at the end of the day,

"we spent the whole day together"

"we did! I hope it was fun?"

"Yes, it was"

"Good...because I had fun too...you're my favorite niece! It wouldn't even matter that you're my only niece...you'd still be my favorite one"

"I know..."

It's true...she's a great girl!

I still haven't found all of my missing Christmas spirit, but hanging out with Rozzie helped. I also made a special holiday project that was not on any list, but made on the fly on Saturday morning (even bending a needle on the machine) I will show that to you soon...

And waking up this morning and realizing there's only 8 days left until Christmas is making me realize that I need to look harder for that elusive holiday spirit...

Holiday Male Love...

Mail...

Mail...

I mean Mail...

But, it captured your attention didn't it? I figured I needed some sort of gimmick...it being the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and all (everytime I hear that uttered in a song or by someone, I snicker...that's like saying Disneyland is the Happiest Place on Earth...calm down people)

Yes, I have misplaced my Christmas spirit...sometimes that's what happens...you know? When you work with the public? Thats why I keep a good pile of holiday music on heavy rotation, we don't want it to be known as the Homicidal Holidays now do we?

And if one more person comes in asking, "do you have any UGLY holiday sweaters?!?!" and then gets mad, snarky, and rolls their eyes at me and acts all disgusted, like I'm some kind of backwards hick...because I try to explain to them in the nicest of ways, that I don't do as well in the resale clothing realm if I stock the store with ugly...intentional or not...

NOTE: Dear Party Planners, If we're all going to have holiday parties with the theme of Ugly Holiday Sweaters (and I'm sure other people have been doing this for years, but we're a little s-l-o-w up here) could you send out fliers say, oh...6 months in advance...so we peons can be prepared so your holiday invitees don't yell at us? Because I'm about to suggest that they buy a "normal" red or green sweater and tape their own picture to it...because that should surely win them an ugly contest...Thank you kindly.

Sincerely, Snap Snap

I also promised myself this year (since I'm finally far enough away from the divorce experience to be really creating my own holiday traditions) that I would do all the little local things that have brought me so much holiday enjoyment in the past, and since we're known as Arizona's Christmas City, I should have no problems...

Christmas Parade - Freezing and rainy - skipped it
Acker Music Night - Freezing, rainy and windy - skipped it
The Courthouse Lighting - I always get a cold when I attempt to go - skipped it again this year

Cruds.

I figure, I am still left with:

The Prescott Valley of Lights - A fun animated drive-through light thing, that can be viewed from the warmness of your car, so it doesn't matter what it's like outside
Arizona's Largest Gingerbread Village - Inside at the resort, and usually really fun.

(see? I may find my missing Christmas spirit yet...Plus, I got one of Sara Jessica Parker's new tee's from her clothing line today at the thrift and it says "let your feelings slip" which while a lovely sentiment...does not say, "let your feelings ooze out all over your blogging friends" So, I shall now report happy:)

I received the loveliest of packages some time ago from Ampersander-Bound, full of the most wonderfullest postcards of our state fair...not only were they wrapped in the most festive and caring of manners, but this girl is a talented photographer to be sure! I am excited to frame them and put them up somewhere in the house...

I also received a do-it-yourself kit from Fluffy Flowers for my own little ghosts of Christmas...I am excited to try that one soon, and get these little babies all hung up!

A little envelope and holiday card from one of my readers also graced my home...filled with a little red glitter ornament that says JOY...which will find a permanent place hanging somewhere in the house after the holidays...

Rozz and I got a huge Christmas Box from my father...complete with a new sock monkey, I might add...and those presents are safely under the tree waiting for Christmas (and he sent a lovely card with another present in it...more on that later though)

And I have received a ton of the most wonderful Christmas Cards and well wishes from so many of my blog readers...So, there's my holiday spirit! Thank you all for the most thoughtful things you've done for me this holiday season...

I am a most lucky Christmas Sprite indeed!

For The Birds...

The other morning when I threw open the drapes on the big front window to greet the morning, I was astounded to find a little line of various local birds...They were all holding little signs up that said:

Will Chirp For Food

and

Free Food Now

It was embarrassing really...you see, I keep their sacks of feed in a plastic container outside the house, because the sheer effort ti takes me to either carry a heavy bag of food outside or go out and bring in their feeder to fill every time I want to feed them, is just too much. So, I decided to do what any lazy...um, creative problem solver would do. I moved all the food to a bin that is mostly right next to the feeder.

Great.
Problem solved.

Until the javellina came to pay me a visit. They've done this before...knocked over the heavy container, ripped off the lid...and ate all the food. So, I outsmarted them this time...I put the container on the patio chair!

a-ha!

It ended up knocked over...thrown off the chair, probably dislodging the lid, and spilling the food...so, all in all, I probably actually help the pigs devour all the food...leaving me absolutely nothing but seed dust. Which makes for some very hungry neighborhood birds, especially when I forget to buy their food. Although, to be fair, I did try to buy some the other day, and all the store had was rabbit food. But, I remembered last night (and even roped my friend Steven to carry it for me...he was my dinner and movie date for the evening. Sushi and Hairspray...I love to watch musicals with him, and usually waits until he shames me into "why haven't you seen this yet!?!?!" But, he knows it's because I'm waiting for him...and Hairspray was a great movie!)

And, even though I finally got some food for the local winged beasts...I really didn't have to worry because my mother and Rozz have been busy winter elves this year and made this wonderful string of food for me to hang in my tree and left it by my door...It is made with dried cranberries, apples, and what looks like mangoes...and raw peanuts (mom had thought that the birds may not appreciate roasted salted ones) Not only is it beautiful hanging up in the tree...but, it smelled temptingly sweet for me to eat as well. I didn't think the birds would be happy if I ate the food that was so thoughtfully made for them...So, up it went last night...and then this morning the feeder got filled as well...

I expect the hoards of my thankful feathered friends to be singing my praises any minute now...

Oh Christmas Tree...

Oh Christmas Tree...

You're going to have to be 50 ft. bigger for me to put all my ornaments on...

Almost every year, I go through my ornaments to choose which ones will be hung on the tree. You know? Which ones will make the cut?

Ha.

Almost fooled you didn't I? I actually have a lot of ornaments that I adore (all the one's I own right now) And, I would love to say the reason I can't fit them all on the tree is because the tree is taller and thinner than the one I use to use for Christmas...but, it could actually hold more ornaments for sure...I just didn't want it to be too overloaded...so, I left some in the box...and I did the cardinal sin in tree decorating...I didn't hang any facing the window! Can you imagine? I can...because you haven't seen the way the sun blasts through the window in the morning...both good for Meena, who has a down bed in the window for napping on and me...who likes to drink her coffee and welcome the day...but bad for tree ornament fading. And, I would hate to fade or ruin any ornaments (just ask the box of blown glass hearts that had to go bye-bye)

Every year I tell myself I will only buy one ornament...and be done with it for the year (of course candles, and linens are up for grabs still) It sounds like a great theory doesn't it? I mean, probably one that would work well for someone who didn't thrift...

ahem.

Well, we all know that's not the case at Chez' Foolesewoode don't we? I mean, there was the one year I put up the pink aluminum tree...and I didn't feel right using my Hallmark figural ornaments on it, so I ran around and snatched up any vintage balls with glitter or painting on them instead...and inevitably fell in love with most of those as well...so, in the Christmas ornament bin they went...I have been very good this year as well...resisting everything.

Almost.

Until I went to the thrift and found this box of ornaments. The box says they are Lanissa Christmas Tree Ornaments made in West Germany. The original price tag said they were 99 cents...the today price tag was $1.00...oh, and did I mention that the Christmas Items were 50% off?

::blink blink::

And, while I love a good deal...I couldn't believe how cute these little ornaments are. There are only 3 balls that don't have something special about them (and one of them is the most unusual peach color) There are 2 with that cut out thing going on...one with a snowman, one with flowers, one with a single white stripe and one with a village all accented with glitter...(2 of them pink!) One with a rather clean shaven Santa...and one with both a cut out thing and a mushroom painted on it!

Utterly delightful each one!

A couple even have the old kind of tinsel hanging from them...you know? The kind that's all stiff and holds it's shape when you bend it? I asked my mother what was with the old tinsel anyway...she said, "it's made out of TIN...hence the name tinsel...now it's some fake plastic stuff"

"you're old"

This is my standard line for any of her reminiscing...(don't worry, Rozzie is getting me back now) I'm sure she secretly likes it...uh-huh.

Oh Christmas tree...Oh Christmas tree...

It may indeed be time for me to start hanging ornaments on the deep insides of your branches...

Happy Birthday Vanessa!!

And now for a little virtual birthday party for one of my most favorite bloggers out there...and a darned talented and creative woman who is full of wisdom and whimsy (certainly 2 of the better W-words indeed)!!

I actually was thinking I was sad with myself because I didn't take time to bake a cake or cupcakes to eat...because I keep seeing cupcakes and cookies on every one's blog...and it' making me a bit jealous...

and hungry.

Definitely hungry.

Since I can not rush down to her corner of the world today, we'll celebrate Ms. V's birthday in my little corner of the world the best I can...I started out the day trying to figure out the perfect thing to wear...and with that, out came my new red and black embroidered skirt, that has the sweetest little sequins on it (because bling in necessary for a party certainly!) and also the loveliest of rick rack trim sewn into the bottom hem...unfortunately, it is still quite cold and I had to wear leggings so I wouldn't freeze, and the detail of the rick rack may be lost. I wore some good party shoes...not my favorite red ones...those are a little suede number that have tiny roses on them, and make me feel like a princess...but, I had to work all day today and I wasn't quite sure how warm they would keep my feet...or how comfortable they would be at the end of the day...so, on went the red Keen Mary-Jane's instead.



I paired the entire ensemble with my new black knit cap sleeve top...layered over a black long-sleeved tee...(OH...and red lipstick, because it's a party you know, even though it makes me feel a little tarty to wear red lipstick first thing in the morning) and topped it all off with a sparkly pointsetta pin... Since I still don't have a tiara (whyohwhyohwhy is that?!)

I will be going to my mother's to knit with her and Rozz tonight...so, maybe I will borrow a tiara there? And we will knit in honor of Vanessa's Birthday! (well, and in honor of actually finishing some projects!)

And I will do a little traditional Irish Birthday Jig and then upload it to YouTube! (Ok...that? Totally not going to happen...I don't actually know any traditional Irish jigs...but, I will dance when I get home...I like to do that anyway, because it freaks the cat out)




Who knows? Maybe I'll stop and get a little cake or other treat and light a candle in her honor as well!

Happy Birthday V!!

I hope you have a magnificent day...

Let It Snow...Let It Snow...

Let it Snow!!!

Ahhh...the first snow of the season visited us on Saturday, starting on and off in the earliest of afternoons...making me rush home and grab the camera...

Which is a little goofy, because it hasn't snowed that much, and we're not forecasted to get any accumulation...but, it's the first snow of the year...I want to strap on some snow shoes and get out in it.

Now, if only I had snow shoes...

or deep snow.





Of course there's hope...

Because the snow was coming

down...

down...

down...

in small little fluffs, and just mere minutes later looked like this:


Which of course, makes me want to snuggle down for the evening and read...

But, perhaps I will go inside instead of standing out on the porch in the shivery cold.

I'm just sayin'...

I kind of figured something exciting was going to happen today, as I went to warm up the car this morning (to go check to see how much more of the ceiling had fallen in at the shop) and the lock and door on the drivers side was frozen shut...and I had to use the passengers side and scrape the enormous (ok...teeny) amount of ice off the windshield...



Of course the cat had to immediately go out and sit outside...

On the windowsill...

and look in at me...

shivering.

She would not come in though...

I guess she's punishing herself for something?



So, I came inside where, I started dinner...

I know what you're thinking...

SOUP!

Nope, enchilada casserole (we're in the southwest here people, give me a break) the official dinner of the first snow...Naw, not really, I was planning on making this before all the white stuff came falling out of the sky...

Ahhhh...comfort food.

After that, I worked on making my world even more snuggly, which is good...because it's downright cold...I washed all the flannel sheets, duvet cover and Christmas quilt and ran everything through the dryer...

so it's all smelly good and I can have rolling around in the clean sheets time later...
Because, there's nothing like clean snuggly yummy sheets to make you feel that much more wonderful!

And, that is indeed my Christmas quilt. I bought it years ago as a special gift for myself...it is a double wedding ring pattern. I love the green and red with the yellow stars in the middle...

sigh.



Snow brings out the comfort in me for sure. There has always been a part of me that wants to live somewhere where it really snows...like when it snows, you get stuck inside? That kind of snow? When I voice things like that to Rich, he says..."Spoken like a true Arizonan...you realize you still have to go to work right? Like you can't call in and say that there's too much ice or snow in your driveway? They'll ask why you weren't up at 3 blowing and shoveling" I know he knows what he's talking about coming from NewHampshire...he would actually loose power sometimes, and it would become a candlelit house...

It still sounds fun though.

He called me this morning to tell me the snow was cute.

He's right, we have cute snow up here in Northern Arizona...

Cute indeed!

AND THE WINNER IS:

Precarious Tomato!! Well, T...it IS going t make me feel better to send you some towels indeed..

Take a look around here, Ellen! We're at the threshold of hell!!

As quoted by Clark W. Grizwold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...and one of my very favorite Christmas movies of all times (followed closely by A Christmas Story, Elf, and Jingle All The Way)

Yesterday was a rotten day...one of those days where I was just a little off all day...

• I was snarky with Rich on the phone
• I shut my leg in the car door and then had to peel skin off my knee sock
• I helplessly watched the meter maid give me a parking ticket before I could move my car
• Someone broke into my bathroom at the shop only to leave their used toilet paper all over the floor
• I forgot to eat my lunch
• Part of the ceiling fell in over the vintage clothing rack and now I'm worried about the upcoming rain this weekend
• I stuck the tagging gun needle all the way under one of my fingernails and hurt myself
• A customer who makes it a point to come in 10 minutes before I close, and then tries to make me hold things for her...and tries to keep me from closing on time (and hardly ever buys anything) came in to spread the joy
• Everytime JC Penny's and Old Navy holiday ads come on...I want to cry from the music (I went to iTunes and found all the tunes...from a group called The Weepies, no less, so now I can cry anytime I want)
• I made myself some Tater-Tot's as a food treat...I burned my tongue, yet some of the tot's weren't quite done

O heavens...let's make this stop shall we?

I did everything I could to remedy the things that were upsetting me on that list, within my power...and decided to switch to focus to the good that happened to me during the day:

For instance, I walked into the thrift and found this amazing little carved fairy gnome woman...(she's actually about 8" high)

Christmas decorations were 50% off...and I snapped her up for a song...

She's holding the tiniest mushroom on the wire in her right hand...and I think she may have to stay up year around, because she makes me smile.




And...after emailing lovely friends all over the internet all day and spending quite a bit of time giggling, I decided to come home and make myself happy the old fashioned way...heavy drugs and booze.

OK...not so much.

I opted for a lavender bubble bath instead, followed by lavender palmarosa oil...because lavender is so calming...I put on my new Victorias Secret argyle flannel PJ's (I opted for those instead of the ones with the wings because I wanted to relax) switched on the fire and settled down with a cup of valerian and Sleepy Time tea and a bit of iced pumpkin bread.

Look at Meena...

just sitting there...

Looking at my lap...

She SO wants to snuggle with me...

fat chance!

Oh dear...

She know's we're talking about her...

Sorry sweetie...

As soon as I'm done here, you're welcome to my entire lap...because I'm gonna' kick back and watch a little of the 2 latest episodes of Project Runway (because wouldn't you know that I forgot to tape last weeks episode? So, I've got a bit of catching up to do)







Is everyone feeling better yet? I know I am...thank you for listening...you're all too kind. Although, I feel...well, I don't quite feel better yet. Hmmm...

What can I possibly do?

Oh I know!

While I was out thrifting around...I found the most delightful little vintage 1970's hand towel (Here comes Santa Claus) a matching wash cloth (The Night Before Christmas) and an apron (also Here comes Santa Claus) AND a Christmas With the Brady Bunch music CD (who knew?)

And I know that it would make me really happy to give them away to one of you...if you will indulge me? Help me give someone out there a 1970's flashback Christmas! Leave me a comment on this post...tell all of your friends...I will draw names on Sunday evening...

There. Now I feel better...and I can totally sit back and relax and watch Project Runway, with the smell of wet wool in my nostrils...

Oh yes, I just spilled a large jar of water on the floor next to me.

Indeed I did.

Happy 94th!!

Yesterday was my grandmother's 94th Birthday...

Yup, you read that right...94!

I know, I know...good genes and all that...honestly people get so excited when you tell them her age, "Oh...you're going to live at least that long!!"

Gosh, I wonder if I really want to?

Not that GG is doing badly...she still lives in her own home, and cooks better meals for herself than I do. My mother and Rozzie help her out a lot during the week...she's still darned funny, has a decent memory (sometimes better than my own surely...I forgot to blow a candle out the other night before I went to bed and she was telling me a story about the time she was tailoring a coat...during her fashion designing days...that took her 40 hours to complete...I had just been complaining about spending 4 hours and breaking 1 needle quilting that tree skirt from this weekend) and can carry on a conversation with the best of us (meaning, we talk a lot in my family...and she can hang in there with all of it!) and as you can see, she still puts out her Vintage Christmas Candles (the one's that didn't melt when we moved here...can you tell where these collections stemmed from?)

(that is GG's face as she read and recognized this year's holiday card...I will post pictures soon)

We got together for a little celebration last night to exchange gifts and eat...mmmm...herbed popcorn, veggie chips with vegan dill dip...and a wonderful gluten-free spice cake with chocolate icing (made by my mother) I had a lovely sugar high...which resulted in me having to rush home and eat something quick...

(although maybe I carried the sugar through because I seem to be in a bit of a snarky mood today for some reason...)

You can also see Rozzie knitting in the background...we're not far from our knitting these days...and the girl is out-knitting me by far...

Rozz also led us in the singing of Chrismas carols...


Happy Birthday GG!

I almost said...here's to 94 more years!

But, that may be taking it a bit far...

Oh damn. I just got a ticket on my car...I suppose I'd better go move it...

sigh.

Just Between Us SuperModels...

This was revealed during an on going email conversation between Laura and I yesterday...


S: So, the Victoria's Secret fashion show is tonight...I'm in it, you know? If you want to watch...I'm the um...good looking blonde with the big rack.

yup.

That's me.

L: oh really? I'm surprised we weren't formally introduced.

I'm the tanned one with all my ribs sticking out who was complaining how many calories are in air.

S: Oh, yes...I've heard about you!

You're really beautiful...

Although, if you got a few ribs removed, they could grind them up to put them in your face and your cheek bones would look more pronounced...and it would make your waist that much slimmer...

I'm just sayin'...

I'm going to go cut out food from my gourmet food magazines so I can put them on my dinner plate tonight...I like to have that with my water with lemon in it...you know?

So I won't get scurvy?

L: *ahem*

I've already had that done.

S: Oh...well then...

I had mine ground up and added to my shin bones so that I could be taller...

And then I had my hips taken in and the extra fat removed and there was so little of it, all I had was a teeny bit to do my lips. sigh.

My plastic surgeon um...beauty consultant, said that he could let my hips out again, if I ever wanted to get pregnant. I have a question though...do women plan that kind of thing? Doesn't that seem weird?

That you would choose to get fat?

On purpose?!

sniff sniff...

Excuse me, the wild party from last night/10 minutes ago is finally
catching up with me!

giggle...

Do you have a hard time walking in the 3 feet of glitter they put on the runway during the VS fashion show? Especially when you're wearing those enormous wings?

Gosh. I wish those really worked. I would love to be able to fly!

I could be a super hero!!

L: yeah, because super heroes are suppose to be fat.

Personally, I can only walk in six inch spiked heals. It hurts to walk flat footed. And without cocaine.

S: I have to go and practice blowing kisses and tape Christmas balls to my bootie...

I hope I don't screw up!


And then we had to go get dressed for the show...or rather undressed...

It was an underwear show you know...

duh.

BTW: You know I was sitting on my chair during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show eating snacks and lamenting the fact that I will never be super model...and, I loved the Fornasetti back drop screen with all the eyes blinking on it (I want it for the backdrop in my bedroom) I remember dancing at a club with almost the same graphics, back in my youth...and how is it that Heidi Klum can look that good after having kids? I don't look that good..and I've never been pregnant. Anyone else rooting for her to get tangled up in her wings or that big ass snowflake and fall down? You know I was waiting for the Spice Girls to sing as well...I went to see them in concert, and it was honestly the best live show I've ever seen (the fact that most of the audience was 9 year-olds helped as well...I could see for miles and there were no annoying heads in my way) OK...and the Pajama sale advertisement they kept showing during the commercial breaks? Because of the female announcers accent, how many other people thought that she was going to say, "...we're having a vagina sale" rather than, "...we're having a Pajama sale" ? Cause' $29 is a good deal for a new...

well...you know...

(all images courtesy of Google Images)

And What To My Wondering Eyes...

Now that I've made the perfect Christmas tree skirt...

I'm taking down the tree...

Christmas can be over.

When I came home from work on Friday, it was to a surprise package in the mail...from West Virginia...from someone I've never met before. Which is weird...that it came to my house, because usually I have things sent to Snap Snap, as someone is usually there to receive packages...so, I was thinking it was someone I knew...

Only it wasn't...

I opened the package and what did I find?

A Reddy Kilowatt Christmas From the Kitchen vintage cookbook (and holiday decorating idea book) And I dropped dead...OK...I didn't die, but I did cry.

Oh yes, I did.

I was so very touched that someone thought of me, and sent along something so treasured. Someone I seemingly didn't even know...There's not a lot of people who even know who Reddy Kilowatt is...except for one person I didn't even think of...

My friend Shari...

It seems that her grandfather worked for the electric company, so she too grew up knowing who Reddy Kilowatt was (I'm the daughter of antique dealers) and she ferretted this out...just for me!

There are some great recipies including: Tomato Aspic, Yum Yum Salad, Krum Kuchen, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Holly Pie, Weiner Cheezels, Tuna Bugers, Glorified Biscuit Bits and Pastry Snails

There is also a section for Christmas Decorations (and gifts) from the kitchen: directions on making candles...and some sort of star decorations out of Marshmallows, which include spray painting them gold, sprinkling them with glitter while still wet...you then stick toothpick in each of the four sides and hang from the ceiling to replicate stars (my mother was ecstatic, as she said, "finally...a use for marshmallows!!") several decorations made from candy are listed as well as using your old lightbulbs for tree decorations (which is exactly what that Grinch ornament is...only I didn't make it, but found it this season...isn't it a hoot?)

There is also a whole section on using electricity wisely and saftely during the holiday season...

There is also a whole page for Reddy Notes in the back of the book...and little Reddy's face is plastered all over this book!

Thank you Shari...I shall treasure this always...

And soon, I will have a party with some of the delacacies listed above...

Or at least the Weiner Cheezels...

Cause' nothing says Merry Christmas like Weiner Cheezels!

If It's The Last Thing I ever...

Do...

This being said with raised fist in the air...shaken at the heavens above.

In reference to a tree skirt...

(of course)

Oh...a couple of years ago, my mother and I were out thrifting and I ran across a crazy quilt made with wonderful vintage fabric pieces...a very used and mostly thrashed crazy quilt, but with the most beautiful little pieces of fabrics. And on the back? Oh...only the most amazing vintage Santa fabric ever printed, complete with sweet jolly St. Nick and little sprigs of holly...

I gently took the old quilt apart, threw away the unsalvageable batting, and the pieces of ruined cotton fabric...soaked and cleaned the fabric...some of which had holes and rust stains on it...but, I was super careful and I was able to work around most of that...I also have the crazy quilt patchwork parts that are usable around here somewhere. So, a tree skirt is what I had in mind for this particular bit of fabric...and it took me a little while to collect just the right materials to use...

Which is where the fist raising came in...early on Saturday morning, as I rolled out of bed...faced with a weekend of absolutely NO PLANS...Yup, you heard me right, not plan one...Two days to do just as I please (except for the obvious things like laundry and writing my holiday cards) Which is good, because it took me quite a few hours to piece the tree skirt together. I had a rough pattern from another tree skirt I had...and used that as a template for this one...I laid out all the fabrics, and realized that I didn't like all of them...so, back into the studio I went, rooting around for more...and I found just what I was looking for, to compliment the project...the black and red plaid taffeta style fabric.

I cut 5 panels and used the Santa fabric for the front of the skirt...and the other fabrics for the back panels...I quilted them together, and then turned up the fabrics from the back and used them to baste the front...that way I have a lovely border for the ends...and the middle of the skirt. Now...my tree is a tall skinny one, so that I don't have to move more than one chair and still have the tree sit in the front window...so, the skirt is a little squished...but, I have fantasies that some day I will have a bigger space for the tree...and I'll be able to stretch the skirt all the way out...



And...here I was, finding myself a bit jealous of the festiveness and beauty of the tree...I felt I just had to make a little something for myself, to celebrate the season as well...you see, my mother and Rozz and I went to lunch and then to a showing of Enchanted at the theater...so, I wanted to look a little the part of the Holidays...without going too overboard. Plus, winter has officially hit Prescott, and it's finally starting to feel cold here...and I hate to have a cold neck...

Out came the fabric scraps left over from the tree skirt...and onto the cutting table they went. And by cutting table, I mean the ironing board...I use the ironing board for small projects...or crawling around of the living room floor for the bigger projects. I backed the scarf with the same linen I used for Megan's scarf...which, incidentally, was cut from an old linen dress...I used the last of it today...this scarf is a skinnier however...


Enchanted was hysterical...and had us laughing the whole time!

I still have ton's of the fabric left over...but, all in strange shapes, and some of the Santa fabric is quite damaged...but, I can't seem to bring myself to throw it away...

I think I shall make a garland for my mantle...

Then we shall all be matchy-matchy...

Indeed.



PS I also want to thank all the people who have been delurking themselves around here lately...I am so excited to meet you all, and welcome you all in person!

Happy Advent...

And So It Begins...