Lovely

We had such a nice Christmas. My parents are visiting -- as they have for the past several years. It's always wonderful to have them with us in our home.

Of course, we're in a new home this year. It felt new and yet familiar. We have the same decorations and traditions.

The view to our back yard... a wonderful fabric post card from Kathy on the window sill along with a little Christmas matchbox. A couple of nativities on the lower sill -- recycled paper from Vietnam and rubber duckies from Oriental Trading Company.
The advent wreath is one of our favorite traditions. That slip of purple fabric under the wreath was created by Melly Testa. The pink and blue tones and the batik stars are a perfect compliment to the wreath!

Here's our tree. Sadly, one of our boxes of Christmas decorations is missing. I'm not sure if it was lost in the move, or if it will turn up eventually. We've searched everywhere. It included many beloved family heirlooms. I'm very very sad.
There was a snow gauge in that tall skinny box. I stuck it in the ground outside the front door. It's snowing right now. I'll be able to report the exact depth of the snow.

In the meantime, the depth of gratitude and joy I have during this holiday season is immeasurable. I am so blessed to be here in this place with my family and looking forward to 2011.

Music

All music, all the time this week!

Benjamin had his holiday strings concert on Tuesday morning. Third, fourth and fifth graders can take violin classes at his school. (Or viola, bass or cello, actually.) Isn't that amazing?!
It was delightful. I especially enjoyed Jolly Old St. Nick!

Claire performed in a choral concert. My parents live in western NY, just a 9 hour drive, so they came early this week to join us for all these special events. Here is Claire with my dad.

Claire also played in the middle school band concert. She is one of two oboe players. Her band concert was most impressive!

By the way, that white shirt Benjamin is wearing? I sent him to school in the morning wearing the specified attire for the morning concert, along with a change of clothes for after the concert (also suggested by the strings teacher). When I picked him up from school, I asked him if he had his concert clothes. He did not. I sent him back in to get the bag out of his locker. When we got home, I found his pants, tie and shoes rumpled up in the plastic bag. No shirt. We got back in the car and went back to school to check his locker. And the bathroom where he changed clothes. And the classroom. And the Lost and Found. No shirt.

Hmmm. "I guess you'll wear your button down plaid shirt for the evening concert. It's a good thing you'll be sitting in the back. Oh, and you'll be buying yourself a new shirt before the end of the week, since that's the shirt you were supposed to wear to church on Christmas Eve." Much more grumbling and frustration from both Benjamin and me.

Luckily, the shirt showed up when he returned to school for the evening event. Someone must have found it on the floor in the bathroom and delivered it to the strings teacher.

I never should have sent the change of clothes in the first place. It would have been better for him to wear the dress-up stuff throughout the day rather than risk losing any or all of the pieces along the way. I need to remember that next year.

More Snow

Well... not really snow, but cute little snowmen!

I made these funky creatures for the Frayed Edges for Christmas. They had their holiday get-together earlier this week, so they should have opened them and I can share them with you!


For the past several years, I've participated in an ornament swap. But, I didn't sign up this year. I still wanted to do a little hand-made something and I had several ideas. Eventually, I mixed up a bit of fabric, floss and buttons and these guys appeared.

I love their wild little sprouts of hair.

I only made four. Not even one left over to keep for myself, but I might make a few more. They'll be fun all through winter, not just for Christmas. Doncha think?

Holiday Outing

Claire and I went to the Holiday Heap craft show sponsored by the Baltimore Craft Mafia earlier this month. It was so fun and such a delight to spend the day with Claire. The craft show was held in an old church and full of edgy, fresh, enthusiastic art and people. We enjoyed a hot beverage and a muffin at the Red Canoe bookstore and cafe after.

Several months ago, I discovered Pink Kiss Pottery on Etsy. Since she's based in Baltimore, I suspected she might have a booth. She did! And I bought this sweet little mug.
I'm completely wild about the bird and the lotus and the faint handwriting! It's the perfect size for a Tim Tam Slam!
Claire fell in love with this t-shirt from Fuzzy Ink. So, we came home with one of them too. (I just might have to borrow it occasionally.)Unfortunately, there wasn't anywhere to try to t-shirt on and I picked the wrong size. I emailed Fuzzy Ink and they instantly shipped us the right size and I sent the wrong size back to them. Such excellent service!

I'm already looking forward to going again next year!

Wildlife

Remember in my last post, I commented about how much I enjoy our backyard? We're enjoying lots of visitors too.

Isn't this little creature wonderful?
I love the way his tail goes from white to black to brown.

He has two friends.
Can you see Lincoln watching them through the other door?
Actually, he's watching another smaller bird that is off to the left.

I was chatting with a friend last week about last year's enormous blizzard here in Maryland. She lost power for two days. She said they spent both days just watching the birds and enjoyed every moment. Nature's television.

First Snow!

We had our first snow yesterday! The kids were giddy when they were released from school one hour early. They went straight outside to play!


I think our backyard is so lovely. I just love all those tall trees just beyond the fence.

Today...

is my blogiversary.

I began blogging on December 11, 2004. So, six years.

I had intentions of going back through my blog and picking out pictures of Claire and Benjamin from each year. Then picking another set of pictures showing a piece of my art from each of these past six years. That would have been fun to look though, don't you think?

Too much work. I don't have the patience to scroll through months and months -- and YEARS -- of posts. Then copy links and images and html and paste and rearrange and all that. In the time it would take to compose that post, I could restring the lights on the Christmas tree. (Several are malfunctioning.) I could work on our annual Christmas letter which should have been sent out much earlier since we have a new mailing address this year. I could even have a second cup of coffee and play some wii with Benjamin.

Looking through my old posts and thinking about how much the kids have changed and grown is both exciting and sad. Time is fleeting and I don't always feel like I embrace every moment as much as I could.

I'm pleased with my artistic development over the past six years, but reviewing the work makes me yearn to delve a bit deeper. I haven't been able to muster the commitment or changes required to make this happen.

As I make these confessions, I know my blog friends will read this and nod. You'll send me virtual support. You'll understand and identify. You'll wait for me to move beyond these struggles and continue to grow. This is the greatest gift of the past six years.

Crochet Coral Reef

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I went Smithsonian hopping. Actually, it was November 2, Election Day. For some inexplicable reason, the kids were out of school. When I was a kid, I remember the gym/cafeteria being roped off and polling booths set up on the stage. I enjoyed watching all kinds of regular people wander into the school to vote. Anyway... we took advantage of the free day and drove into DC.

Our first stop was the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. I'd heard a story on the Studio 360 podcast about the crocheted coral reef, so I really wanted to visit it.

Apparently scientists had long been unable to figure out a spacial map for hyperbolic patterns. Coral (and lettuce and other natural forms) grow in this pattern which maximizes surface area. In 1997 Dr. Diana Taimina figured it out with yarn and crochet needles! Hooray for fiber art and science!

Crocheters from all over the world were invited to contribute to the reef.

That's just one section -- there were several display cases full of "coral." Other materials included plastic grocery sacks, old tape from vcr and cassettes and plastic twist ties.

I especially loved this green and purple section.
See more about the reef and watch a TED talk about the project here.

Speaking of crochet, isn't this scarf amazing?!