You know you're going about things the wrong way when the holiday anxiety starts before the holidays themselves. For a number of years now I've been frustrated at the difference between what I want the winter holiday season to focus on and feel like and what it really ends up becoming. I want it to be a warm, loving time when we celebrate the circle round to the birth of a new year, a time to enjoy the still moment between seasons, a time to enjoy the company of friends and family.

Somehow all that shines through, but a lot of it is overshadowed by the harried, commercial, stressful nature of ridiculously unrealistic expectations and busy schedules.

One of the traditions that is difficult to keep in control is gift giving.

Throwing in a completely random but adorable photo of Rosie as a gift stocking from last year's family photos. Just because I can.

Gifts - the giving and the getting, the buying and/or the making. The wrapping and the sending. I get exhausted just thinking about it.

I've tried to find a balance between the pleasure it brings me to make, buy, wrap, give, and receive gifts and the stress and time that it generates well before (making things, figuring out what to give those hard-to-give people on the list.... etc.) and well after (credit card bills come due, gifts might need exchanging or a place for them in ones home needs to be established).

I've tried different approaches, with some successes, some not so much. Making gifts seems the way to go and it always makes me feel good and get in the mood when I'm in the midst of being a holiday elf. But sometimes making gifts, especially once you factor in any shipping costs, ends up costing as much as buying something. And it's time consuming. I enjoy giving my time and energy in this way but sometimes there just isn't ENOUGH time, especially as our family isn't what you'd call a teensy crowd.

I've tried convincing people to focus more on the fun of gifting in small quantities and it's hard to get everyone on the same page. This year, with the added stress of the economy and limited budgets, I think I finally have everyone ready to listen. And I've announced that, regardless of what everyone else does, this year I will be doing a NO BUY holiday season. Several family members have already agreed this sounds like a fabulous idea.

This doesn't mean we won't be exchanging gifts. We like exchanging gifts. But we're going to be continuing our Yule tradition of creative gift giving and dropping completely the residual Christmas gift buying frenzy of years past. So, gifts, if one gives them, will be handmade, or foraged, grown, found, or perhaps even purchased second hand (or purchased handmade by someone elses hands).

Last year I gifted a couple people with donations made in their name and it brought great pleasure to everyone on all ends of the interaction. I hope to do more of the same this year.

Mainly, I hope to make or gather gifts for everyone. I've got some ideas, more ideas are percolating. Teens and the men in the family are the most challenging. The women and kids are pretty easy to please.

Another random photo from last year thrown in because it makes me smile. This package was obviously not wrapped by Martha Stewart. One of the "boys" wrapped it actually.

Trying to get the balance just right, I'm not planning on being militant about participation, even for myself. It's a goal, not a hard and fast rule. If someone in the family has more money than time, knock yourself out doing the shopping-frenzy-at-the-mall routine. If I stumble upon a few bits and bobs that I think will add to the fun, I'm gonna buy them. And if I run out of time or inspiration, I'll be kind to myself and purchase a few things. The idea is to turn DOWN the commercialism, minimize the financial drain, make things easier and more fun. As much as we can without turning off the spigot and drying up the celebration entirely.

So, that's the plan. And this is my "public announcement" to firm it up in my mind. There are a lot of changes happening this year in our traditions. It will be one of those bridge years, holding on to or storing for future years those traditions we still love and hold dear, and walking away from some that no longer fit our evolving tribe of family and friends.

One more point - every year I find I've started too late for these homemade holiday ideas to come to complete fruition. That's why I'm posting this so early, well before I've even jumped into my first and favorite holidays of the dark half of the year - Halloween, Samhain, and Dia de Los Muertos. (ooooh, I'm starting to get in the mood - more on that soon! Anyone up for a swap!?) I'm hoping this starting early in planning will help take the stress out of the "last minute and too much to finish" phenomenon. But on the other hand, I've got plans to get back in the studio and work on non-holiday related projects as well. The real question this year will be - is there time and room for both of these paths?

Feedback - what's everyone else up to these days? What plans (if you've even started thinking about it yet) do you have for this year's holidays, and has the economic down turns of this last year influenced your plans?

Last comment - I'm finally getting posts up about Faerieworlds over on Beach Treasure. Mundane and magical, studio life and day-to-day activities all blur together inseparably during this time of year. So don't miss out on all the creative fashion and costuming (I hate using the word costume but it's a useful description here) going on over there. Lots of great photos and links to some wonderful artists in the last couple posts and more posts to come. Keep checking in there.

There's a word for it - pareidolia. It means seeing meaning, faces, in random scenes. Science tells us we do this because the right combination of shapes and shadows triggers the hardwired need for face recognition that helps infants bond with their caregivers. Okay, sure, that makes sense.

But sometimes, doesn't it feel like more than just shapes and patterns. Doesn't it feel like there is a presence, a sense of spirit? Particularly in nature. Maybe we're catching a glimpse of the otherworld, the fae, the wild elementals that hide from us mere mortals.

On a trip to Burney Falls this summer, there certainly seemed like there were more than just rocks, more than water, more than plants and sky. What do you think? What do you see in the photos below? Did I capture anything or anyone that you can see?

I can't really think of anything to add to the viewing - just watch the beauty.

For more Peter Donnelly - his website.

I've been very busy what with lots of family and friends visiting. We've been trying, difficult because of the scorching temperatures lately, to fit in as many fun group activities as possible. Photos of all that silly stuff on Beach Treasure.

But the festival date is quickly approaching and I'm squeezing sewing and creating into all activity lulls. Here's a peek at the outfit I just finished for Joli for Bad Faery Day.

She's a little fire faery. She doesn't have on the little tights she'll wear underneath it, and she's got it over her green shorts and top, but it's still cute. She's waving the little sparks on her hands around for us.


One of the things we've done is gone treasure hunting for costume and refashioning finds and whatever else we can find at the local thrift shops. I found this awesome giant gilded fork and spoon for the dining room or kitchen wall. (the book is in the photo so you can tell how big they are) Now, I just need to find a good spot to hang them up.

The beautiful and kindly Victoria, a fashion designer in her own right, (she's got the shop closed up while she's over here on holiday) has graciously offered to help me withsome of the outfits still in need of being created. I told her my general idea for my granddaughter Nonny's outfit and just handed over the whole thing. She did such a fabulous job!

What little girl wouldn't love these wings!
(you can click to open these photos)

The wings match this magical princess faery dress. I love it and I know Nonny will too!

It's always a tough choice - share right away (patience is NOT my middle name) or keep the secret until it's time to reveal. I do love me a grand entrance. ARGH. I decided to split the difference and give you all a peek.

A tiny glimpse at part of my Bad Faery Day outfit.

And a little bit of crochet that's part of my Family Faery Day scrappy faery outfit. Yes, that's a finished piece on top, you'll just have to trust me on that one.

On Friday we were off to Reno for a day of shopping and relaxing (mostly shopping), culminating in a late night stop at the airport to pick up our British Faery friend Victoria who will be staying with us and we'll all head up for Faerieworlds at the end of the month.

Since then we've been busy both about town and in the studio and these things along with an internet cable that's been annoyingly off and on, has kept me away from any computer time. But while the server has been gracious enough to work this morning, I thought I'd throw up a post showing, no, not all the fae garb we're working on - not yet - but some of the goodies I bought in Reno at the fabric warehouse. A lot of it with the idea of using for future costuming.

You can't really see, but both these fabrics are both stretchy and sheer. The one on the left also has sparklies embedded in it. I have some other flesh colored fabrics to match it, thinking of making an "almost not there" faery dress next year, and the purple and tan on the left might make good wings.


I got several yards of the flowy pastel sheer on the left, thinking skirt and/or scarves for any day wear. The blue/gray/black floral is stretchy and floral - wings? Don't have any plans for it yet. Nor for the black with embedded rhinestones but it will make a great addition to something I'm sure. Us faeries are just attracted to bling.


More bling, and polka dots - faeries also love polka dots (and stripes) - at least this faerie.


I'm hoping this beautiful green will work for a kilt for Hubby. I don't hink it's 60" yardage - hmmm, I'll have to unfold it and see. We bought what was left of the bolt, which is enough length (I looked up the yardage needs and the how-to-fold-a-quilt info AFTER we got back home) but they recommend the 60" bolt. If it's a 44/45", well, we'll see. If not, I love the green. And the stuff on top is a faux suede for making a matching pouch for carrying important faery equipment - like a water bottle and a cell phone.


Just some pretty bits and bobs, clasps, ribbons and such. The thin cord on the left is brown for some of the embellishments for my Good Faery Day outfit. Some of you know what it will be, the rest of you I'll leave some mystery on the subject. Clue - the color is a key.


What a FANTASTIC find! Hubby had no idea why I needed to buy all these. Victoria immediately loved them. For wristwarmers of course! Super cheap and perfect all shabby chic just as they are or embellished on some fun manner - lace, beads, ribbons... "For your costume?" Hubby confusedly asked. "All those?" Of course not, for ANY time. Well, any time it's cool enough for wrist/hand warmers. We're melting in 100 degree temps at the moment.


Last but not least, a beautiful red and black sheer. Daughter-in-law Lisa is gonna be in a black and red outfit on Bad Faery day and I thought this would make a great wrist or arm sleeve for her to add. As you can see by my hand under a layer, it almost looks like a tattoo pattern on the skin. And if she's not interested, I'm sure this will make a gorgeous scarf for yours truly.

That's it for now. The studio is finally in use. Victoria is making several woodsy, mossy, nature lovin' pieces. I'm currently flipping back and forth between making scrappy strings tied with bells and breaking apart and reconstructing some skeleton bones. Stay tuned in the coming days to find out what and why I'm refashioning with such odd materials.

I usually put artsy photos up here, but today they're over on Beach Treasure, carnival bright lights.

Hold onto your brain, I'm about to take you through a roller coaster of mixed metaphors -

Do you ever feel like you're just going around in circles? Dashing from one project to another, always playing catch up, forever dropping the ball, never ahead of the game?

Me too.

Sorry, don't mean to be a Debbie Downer today. I woke up feeling the adrenalin rush of the "last minute" but raring to jump in and tackle the world. Then Stressed Spouse and Surly Seventeen-Year-Old woke up and started hacking away at my mood. ***POP*** There went my energy bubble.

But it really IS the last minute - lots of deadlines looming larger, larger, larger and I don't have the luxury of staying down. Good thing I'm hardwired to be optimistic. I'm finishing up this quick pop in and then I'm gonna eat some breakfast, gulp some more caffeine, add some medicinal dark chocolate to my day, and get back up on that horse, focus on the silver lining, take it a step at a time, slap on a smile, pick myself up, dust myself off, and.... well, y'kow. All that optimistic shit.

I have finished sorting out unsorted supplies in the studio. Still have to wrestle it all out to new storage in the garage. Garage is still a mess, so that's going to be a challenge. I think that particular bit is my biggest stress. Once I get that tackled, I suspect I won't feel half as overwhelmed.

So, that said, off I go. *Laume adjusts her shoulder pads, pops her mouth guard in, pulls her helmet on determinedly and, without looking back, heads off to tackle her life*

Just a quickie - pop on over to the amazing Anne's blog for a chance to win this pretty.



Anne's been a real inspiration over the years for me, whether she knows it or not.

Actually, that's a good post theme - who inspires you? In your art or in your life? Pick one (or more) people who have made a difference in your world and let them know. It doesn't have to be a big thing, just drop them an e-mail or give them a call, mention it the next time you see them face-to-face. It will make their day, maybe even their week, I promise you.

If all goes according to plan, soon this blog will be filled with almost daily updates on all the faery fashion creations that I have to make in the next few weeks for this year's upcoming Faerieworlds. Squeeeee, I'm getting very excited. At the moment, I'm still working away on mucking out the studio so I can get in there and create. Two iced espressos with vanilla soy last night helped me make a lot of progress. Hopefully I'm just a day or two away from enough mess cleaning to switch to mess making.

In the meantime, a few random about town photos for your viewing pleasure:

Some fish swimming along a home's retaining wall. I've shown you pics of this wall before, a friend helped create it.


When I drive up this street, I always enjoy the magnificent tree trunk columns on this home.


This gorgeous girl graces the front of an uptown shop. (I think the purple swirly across her face is supposed to be her earring hanging on the other side, the wind must flopped it) She's been there for years now. The building if for sale. I hope the new owners (if there are any in this economy) will keep her up.

I receive a thrice a week newsletter from Kristin Espinasse's lovely French Word A Day blog site. Yes, it's called "word a day" and it's really "word three times a week" but, hey, she's a busy mom and writer. So, completely makes sense. You can visit her at her blog and you can sign up for her mailer there too.

I bring it all up though because I was totally taken with today's word, which is:

éclaboussement (ay-klah-boos-mahn) noun, masculine : splash (of water, color)

One of the great things about the French language is how artfully descriptive their words are. Don't you wish we had an English word that meant "splash of color"? I mean, we can SAY "splash of color", three words. But the French think it's important enough to have an official word to describe such a vision/event.

I love color, whether it be in small surprising amounts or in big joyful in your face amounts. Sometimes a photograph, regardless of what the photograph is of, really, it's all about color.

Appropriately, an example - Paris windows.

Another French example - Bicycling along the Seine.

More color? Okay - Chandelier in the Peppermill Casino, Reno, Nevada

Or a splash of bright color surrounded by deeper color - Daylily (my garden)

Homework time folks - I want to see some more splashes of color. Take a photo. Post it on your blog or online photo site and then let me know so I can go see it. Or even just show me a favorite photo you've found online that expresses a "splash of color". Or, not a photo. Maybe an outfit you wear, or a room you've designed, or a painting or other art piece you've created. Come on, Splash me!

I've been busy in the studio. Cleaning and organizing, not creating. Although I guess you could say I was creating new space and opportunity.

Mostly I've been sorting boxes and piles that have been stacked in there for about six months as it was all "art" stuff. But, despite it's ample size, the space is simply too small to be a creative work room, a guest room, a library, an office, AND a store room for multiple art mediums. So, I've decided to find different storage space for everything that isn't textile. It's still gonna have to be all those other things, but moving all the supplies for paper, assemblage, painting, knitting, and who knows what else to another location will free up enough space so I actually find things and work comfortably.

There's several places in the garage and breezeway that will work just fine for storage. For additional work tables and areas too once the yard sale is over and those areas are also opened up. For now I'm just trying to get everything into it's proper boxes and the boxes near, if not exactly in, their final storage locations.

Just two stretches of hours on two days has accomplished a lot. I had to take a couple days break for extra family activities and responsibilities, but that was okay, I put the time to equally good use - weeding like crazy and playing with two of the grandsons.

But now the house is quiet again and it's time to get back to organizing. I should really be in there now instead of on here typing atcha, but I wanted to put up a post on Beach Treasure before I let another day get past me.

I didn't realize, when I took the photo, I captured a rune (or rune looking) shape in the water. I'll have to go look up the meaning. Anyone recognize it?

Speaking of artistic creations, no one does it better than Mother Nature. I STRONGLY encourage you to grab yourself a cup of your favorite beverage, strap on your cyber-walking shoes, and click on over to Beach Treasure to join me on a hike through Fern Canyon. The only better way to spend the time would be if you could be there in person.

A few window shots from my stroll around the plaza in Arcata, CA. I was with friends, so just these few.

A pretty mermaid showing off her strands of pearls.




I totally loved this window dressing behind the mermaid. All tulle and shiny and texturey fabrics, in shades of foam and green and aquamarine, like an ocean kelp forest.

I need to recreate this somewhere in my home. Maybe in the same colors, some of my favorite. Or maybe another color theme to match wherever I find to use it. Not sure where. My bedroom behind the bed?? The breezeway screens? Bath window? Or maybe in the gazebo, the one we haven't figured out how to make yet?




Two windows in front of an art shop had gorgeous origami art. It was hard to take photos as the direction of the light made for some serious glare.




The shopkeeper ushered me inside to try from the opposite direction, which made most of it become a silhouette. But I was able to take this pic of the origami pond. Don't miss the turtle on the right.

I've been at the beach for the last several days. In fact, I've been at lots and lots of beaches. Spending time with rocks. I love rocks. Rocks ROCK! (and if the waves hit them just right, they ROLL too.)

For your viewing pleasure, some rock photo art.

Someone else made this curve of rocks. I came upon it and photographed it before the waves erased it.

Rocks pinning down their shadows.

Sing along boys and girls - "One of these things is not like the others...."

Beautiful symmetry.

A stone imitating a shark fin.

More beach pics up on Beach Treasure. (beach pictures on a blog called Beach Treasure - whodathunk!?)

While I was traveling last month I had the pleasure of discovering the loveliest little (well, not so little really!) yarn and knitting shop in the small town of Independence, Oregon. Since Independence is one of the three small towns nearest our property, I was excited at the prospect of future visits to Rose & Ram Knit Shop & Studio. The owner Jan was just as lovely. (she was wearing a ghost tour t-shirt - I don't think you can go wrong with someone who has a cool t-shirt like that!) We gabbed for the longest time.

In one of the windows, a cute felted koala and gecko. I love the gecko. And bags, and scarves. She had lots of creations on display to inspire.


This knit and felted bird house was one of my favorites. She has the pattern for sale if you love it too.


Jan (on the left) and another local shopkeeper who stopped in (on the right). They were supposed to be pretending to be helping a "customer" but uhm, well, it's hard not to pose when the camera comes out. Check out the curvy paper floor lamp. Too cool.


There were luscious colors everywhere you turned. I really should have taken a photo of some of the taller shelves filled with deep autumn colors. I am NOT going to tell you how many of these skeins ended up coming home with me, nor will I admit to how much I spent. Just doing my bit to energize the economy. That's all I'm gonna say.


Clearly I favored all the adorable knit animals around the shop. Not sure if those squirrels are cute or evil looking but I want one nontheless. And the fuzzy little hedgehog too.

I'm not actually knitting much anymore. I knit a lot more when the weather is cold and the nights are longer. I have spent a few minutes here and there while watching television working on a second pair of wrist warmers (in the wine red I wanted and finally found thrifted). Mostly though, all my energy and creative efforts have been spent in the gardens. An update on how that's going over on Beach Treasure.

There's no studio time still, not with a busy little granddaughter visiting plus working hard to make beauty out of the chaos that is the dug up courtyard/backyard. But, on the way back from dropping off some videos yesterday, I stopped at the thrift shop. There was a potential new desk for William's room sitting out in front. The desk turned out to be too wobbly to bother with, but I found an entire box full of gorgeous tapestry, shinies, and velvet fabrics.

I spread it all out along Rosie's fence so you can see them. Not very good photos, but you can click to enlarge. A couple are small pieces, but most are two, three or even four yards. Nice big usable amounts. From the left: a half yard or so of paisley quilting cotton, larger amount of brown glossy tapestry, shiny blue - enough for a faery gown!

L to R: a plum floral Asian looking print, a shimmery burgundy with even more shinier polka dots, a .... dang, there's a name for this soft gloss pink cotton fabric but my brain is fried by the wind today and I can't remember...


A yard or two of midnight blue velvet, a heavy cotton floral (I'm thinking bags), some cranberry velvet, another tapestry piece in red and gold.


A small piece of satiny white, a gold and purple tapestry, a gold tapestry, and a deep burgundy with a golden shimmer.


Plus, dozens of handknit cotton wash cloths (and a couple of thick cotton hand towels) - these are the best for both kitchen and bath use.


Joli decided to make a nest of the blue fabrics. Isn't this what all us quilters and seamstresses swear we go home and do - roll around in our fabrics? When I called her name a muffled voice answered "I'm not in here!"

All bow to the Princess Joli!

"Luke, I am your father!"

"No Grammy. It's DADDY!"

She looks like a magical little flower.

I also found a couple decorative shelves for the wall, some night gowns, a couple skirts, a top and some glass blown earrings for Lisa and....

... this amazing green velvet dress for the faery festival. It's my size but the zipper just isn't gonna come together for me, I have a large rib cage. So Lisa's sister is gonna use it this year, and next year I think I'll refashion it into a corset and skirt for me.

All this for an embarrassingly small amount, practically pocket change. I love small town thrifting! Once I finally get finished with the garden and the painting and the cleaning and everything else on my to-do list, I've got all this great fabric to turn into .... well, the possibilities are endless. Anyone have any ideas?