ARCHIVES: DECEMBER 2009
Thursday December 31 -- New Year's Eve!
I TOLD you this is the Winter of Bathtub Baths and now I have a collection of bath products to make it official. (Before I was just doing it a la natural). Adam bought me these for Christmas and got me a well rounded assortment to choose from. There's orange bubble bath, a minty/menthol one, a grapefruit salt/crystals one, and a honey tangerine powdery one.
2010 promises to be off to a relaxing start!
Happy New Year's! Have a safe night.
Tuesday December 29
I got inspired to make our Christmas cards just in the nick of time. I wanted something quick which makes stamping an obvious option. I already had the pink rubber pad that you buy at Michaels, and the carving tool. I googled 'old-fashioned snowman' found an image, altered it a little and drew it on the rubber pad. Done!
A few minutes after the last minute, I carved a quick tree for the envelopes. I like the effect of the 2 tone ink dipping. Should have thought of that for the cards.... but that's the joy of not planning ahead.
Ah well. Considering I bought cards last year, I'm pleased.
Sunday December 27
This was the year we spend Christmas with my family in Williamsburg, Virginia. It's a pretty perfect place to spend Christmas, aside from the fact that my family is there. Here's a few different pictures to sum up the season:
This is Christmas eve in front of the court house, after the fife and drum procession. We are caroling and there are some brief stories and annoucements before the lighting of the tree. It's a magical experience. There are fire baskets lit all up and down the street, which stand about 5 feet off the ground. On a side note, the apple cider stand closed early.. in a befuddling move of anti-capitalism.
I like to drive out to Jamestown Island when we are there. For a summer during college, when I was living nearby, I used to ride my bike around the island nearly every morning. It's a quiet place.
While I was home, I took pictures of some of the Christmas crafts I have made over the years. I have been posting to a "Things I made" flickr set in an effort to document.
This is perhaps the most memorable dish, of my upbringing. Chicken and dumplings at Chickahominy House. The gravy is thick. The dumplings are airy and wide, and the chicken is in huge pieces. It smells like chickeny celery goodness to me. This is actually Adam's plate - I had the less rich chicken soup.
This is the top of our hutch which I decorated this year. I was pleased with the results. The silver tree was our tree when we were living in an apartment, waiting for our house to be built.
This is the Nordstrom shopping bag for this season. I adore it!!!
I hope you had a wonderful and peaceful holiday. I am already excited about next year.
Wednesday December 23
I feel like I am slowly getting control of Christmas over the years - like I am getting better at enjoying it, planning it, and making the most of all the season has to offer. The joy is in the days leading up to Christmas and reveling in the spirit.
I have settled on making lists, which are the keys to success for me. These lists are for things like......
1. What gifts I gave people
2. Crafts I want to do for the season
3. Ideas I have for NEXT year
I was thrilled that I managed to fit in a gingerbread decorating night - which I have been trying to do again for the last 5ish years. Why the heck did it take so long to get back to doing that?
Things for next year:
1. Gingerbread house decorating again.
2. I want to make my own tree topper for my smallest tree! I am already working toward having it full with all handmade ornaments, but I am not moving forward with that very quickly
3. Continue making my own cards - barely did that in time for this year.
4. One idea I had that I didn't get time to was make gift tags using peoples photos. Wouldn't that be cute?
Christmas is here in 2 days and I have been reflecting on the month and the fact that it's almost over. I hope you feel like you got the most out of it and that all your Christmas craft ideas came true!
Monday December 14
A couple of weeks ago, I placed my largest order ever on Amazon. Packages are STILL rolling in. Among them, these fine, fine slippers -- though, with that sturdy rubber sole, I don't see why I can't wear them outside. They are Foamtreads if you want a pair. Adorable right? Yes - a little early christmas gift.
Most of my Amazon purchase were gifts, but even so I am struggling to get it all done, as most of you are, I'm sure. This week marks the downhill, frantic, exciting roll to Christmas. I reserve next week for relaxing with my family. Or, rather, sitting back while they run all of their errands. I made what I am calling my FINAL trip to the mall yesterday and tonight I am rocking through Christmas cards. I hope you're knocking it all off your list too.
Sunday December 6
My air fern bloomed! Twice!
It was living an average life for 9ish months indoors, and then one rainy day, I hung it outside for a long natural watering. A week later, there was a bloom and very soon, a second one! Very exciting.
Tuesday December 1
I hereby declare this, Winter of 2009 & 2010, the season of: BATHTUB BATHS! Not only are baths lovely, cozy and enjoyable but they are offering some relief from the back pain I have been dealing with. This, I declare, perhaps prematurely after only bath #2 in as many weeks. I hope I'm not jinxing anything.
This brings me to the world of bath products. Something I am lacking. There's salts, potions, bubbles, bombs and fizzes - it's a whole crazy confusing world. I think my first stop will be the bulk 'bath' bar at the fancy grocery store. Then I can do some sampling! Maybe Santa will do some sampling fooooorrr meeeeeee..... Santa? do you know where Central Market is?
Do you recall November?
Back to top
|
