seasons greetings

(Charles Phoenix and his Redi-Whip filled, volcano-like exploding Christmas Cake)

As this blog prepares to retire for a long winters snooze, I am wishing you a lovely holiday season and much joy in 2016! 

We've hit a new height in holiday procrastination this year - the feather tree has not even made an appearance yet. Indeed, all that has been completed is the most important thing, the wrapping of FIRST CHRISTMAS gifts for my little grand nephew. Oh and the buying of Amaryllis (since I can never manage to remember to buy bulbs in time to grow my own!), they remind me of my mom, who loved them so dearly - a must have for Christmastime.

Knock on wood, thus far we've had a healthy holiday season and been able to go see Charles Phoenix's holiday retro slide show again and go to the Swedish Christmas Fair --- next up is a stage production of A Christmas Carol, can't wait!

I am very much enjoying "blogging without obligation" and radically decreasing my online presence. Having spent many (many!) years in front of a screen, watching my rumpus grow and ankles swell, manically trying to keep up with a gazillion blogs for the latest creative wonderfulness, it is a HUGE relief to let it all go.

No more stressing over posting, or following, or commenting or responding or emailing. Zero obligation + zero guilt = sheer joy! I'm doing it My Way, like Frankie Sinatra.

Happy Hannukuh, Happy winter solstice, Happy Festivus, Happy Yule, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwaanza, etc. everyone!

Take care and be well!

2015 animated shorts

We finally made it to see the Oscar nominated Animated Shorts this morning, YIPPIE! We usually also see the Live Action Shorts and some of the Documentaries but time-is-a-flying these days, darn it and it just went!

Hope your holiday weekend was fun!

helllooooo

Helloooo from Los Angeles! Gosh, time is flying, isn't it?!! Already mid February, how can that be?! 

Missy had her surgery on Saturday. The Vet ended removing two lumps, one on her shoulder and one on her head, instead of only the one on her shoulder. Other than waking for her meals, she basically slept from Saturday evening when we picked her up, through the entire day Monday. She had a bit of oomph in her yesterday, hoping even more today.

Oh! I just remembered I haven't shown you some of my photos from Modernica Props, where the Charles Phoenix event was held in December ... here's a glimpse of all the fun for you!

Last but not least (huh?!!), Owl macrame!

Happy Humperoonie Day!

frances mcdormand and early shaker spirituals

'Tis the gift to be simple, 

'Tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
It will be in the valley of love and delight

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend, we will not be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right

~ "Simple Gifts" by Elder Joseph Brackett

(photo source)

(photo source)

(photo source)

I adore Frances McDormand and I read about this intriguing event in the Los Angeles Times.  I'm not a follower of any particular organized religion (choosing to find my own path on this journey) but I've always found the Shakers fascinating. A Frances McDormand and Shakers convergence, combined for an absolute must-see!

The performance piece was only an hour long ... twenty spirituals by the ladies and a few dances at the end - the five ladies dancing in the inner circle and four young men in the outer circle.

So hard to describe! For the most part, the singing was so very subdued and soft and gentle, with the occasional foot stomping and sternness for emphasis. The dances were fun, with some of the famous Shaker movement, shaking about.

It was a lovely way to pass the afternoon, to get to see one of my favorite actresses and to hear some of the Shaker spirituals, so very charming.

young and fabulous, yes indeedy!

My cousin sent me a birthday card ... LOL ... OH YEAH, young and fabulous, that's me! (more like older than dirt but still moving hahhahahhaha)

Had some pre-birthday birthday fun over the weekend on Saturday ... first the wonderful Road to California Quilt Show, out in mega WINDY Ontario and then a fun modern ballet, based on the music of Sarah McLachlan, "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy".

I had fun but could have had a whole lot more hahahha

The ballet was lovely, such beautiful images
made with the human body. And I adore Sarah McLachlan.


And here's my very first mini sampler 

that I showed you a sneak peek of earlier,
for my partner Marti ...

Happy Monday!

catching up

Even though we were sick, we had a whirlwind of activity over Christmas week. I think we've been paying for it ever since though - hubby's cold morphed into a bad sinus infection and cough and I've got zero energy and allergies. We've been like sloths ever since.

We did drag ourselves out for New Year's Eve dinner though. We went to the same wonderful place we went to on Xmas Eve, this time for their NYE Sushi Tasting Menu. Eight super duper tasty tasty sushi's. All vegan. YUMMERS! They gave us a hat and a tiara as a gift this time ... and took the worlds worst photo of us which will not be seeing the light of day EVER, hahhahhahahha.

 

I just remembered, I don't think I ever mentioned that we saw a performance of Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey a few weeks ago with two English actors and ... PUPPETS!!!

And I'm so excited! I'm participating in a year long swap hosted by lovely Linda of A Swap For All Seasons. We are to make a mini fabric sampler for our partners each month, which we can ultimately make into a garland/banner when the year is through, if we choose to. How fun it will be to have a garland of 12 hand sewn samplers! 

This is quite a challenge for me but I'm really excited and looking forward to it. Started pulling down some boxes of fabric yesterday and I'm rather overwhelmed with ideas at the moment. My mind is off and running and going a million directions LOL. Anyway, I'll hope to share my progress with you over the coming year. 

Happy New Year and new adventures to you!

christmas eats

When I wrote about the fun event we went to last weekend, I forgot to say that Charles Phoenix made us dessert too! Drum roll ... "Twink and Ho" Trifle in honor of the Twinkie and Ho Ho Factory where the event was held. Retro foodie fun fun fun! It looked great but I was too skeeerrred to eat it with all that high fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring and flavoring and preservatives LOL. Not an eighth of a teaspoon of real food in that bwahhahhahahhaha

We were all on our own for Christmas yesterday and we pretty much napped and read and ate the day away. We did go out to our favorite vegan restaurant for Christmas dinner and had a wonderful time as always. They always take a photo on special occasions, so nice to have a memento from the evening. There was a special three course meal for Christmas with an optional dessert course. Yummy in my tummy!!!

 Red and White Christmas Soup

New York Rockefeller Terrine

 Holiday Gift Box

Frosty's Frozen Fantasy

Sorry, terrible picture. The dessert was so charming, a snowman with a chalet and decorated tree. Hoping you can see it better in the photo on the menu ... and they sent us home with snowman cookies too.

Our neighbors must have stopped by while we were out to dinner because my husband found a Christmas card and plate of cookies their kids made for us on our porch when he went out for our paper early this morning. I feel so sad, we only enter through our front door when we've gone for a walk and since we drove home, they must have sat out all night long sniffle sniffle ...