I feel like I’m getting the hang of this blogging thing, although I feel I should be writing a bit more. It’s hard to find the time some days. I love having a place to throw my very meek thoughts, & more importantly to share what I spend my afternoons on!
I was thrilled to see little Bernerd featured in Jellybeans‘ Etsy Features blog! She’s compiled many many lovely finds from Etsy sellers & her own shop is beautiful as well. I am in love with the watercolor Christmas cards. This one too…
Yesterday I saw the only Fall-ish tree in these parts (the only one I’ve noticed so far, anyway) on my way home from work. Several of my friends have told me recently they would like to/plan to move to the Pacific Northwest. Some have said it’s to see the change in seasons, to see the leaves turn colors, to feel the temperature drop, feel the rain drop…I didn’t realize until I saw that tree how much we are surely missing out on here. It would be quite lovely to see rows of orange tinted trees & then to take walks while the leaves fall & float about. I suppose we have other attributes that make up for those losses though. Like cacti. & xeriscape. Ugh. But being in the desert does make snowfall much sweeter. I remember each of the 3 times I’ve experienced it. Last year fragile flurries dotted our car as Anthony & I sat in the parking lot of Joanne’s. It felt very magical. Anyway, I will be one sad loner when all my friends leave. Hopefully they can drift off slowly, say years apart each move…

Maybe I will snap a photo of that tree on my trek home this afternoon.

On to productivity-
I’ve finally finished the body of these tiny shoes. A small elfin girl is now in the works…

Benecio the Elf

Meet Benecio. He’d much rather you call him Benny, unless you are an elf gal, in which case he goes by his fully foreign name. Benecio resides in the Popcorn Ball division of the workshop. He won the Kernel Award in 1905 for his famous Popcorn Ball flavor ‘Hollyberry Spice.’ (He may enjoy sharing that nugget of information just a bit too much.) Since then he has taken semi-retirement & currently taste tests new flavors in the shop.

…And here he is!

He’s so soft.
Have a merry Wednesday!

Yesterday afternoon we experienced our first heavy downpour in the new house. We also discovered our dear Milly has a few holes to patch. (I feel she deserves a name after all the attention & care that’s been given–she’s had a complete modern makeover, afterall.) Luckily most of the damage is in the garage, albeit just above my boxes of knick knacks & old schoolwork that was waiting for its move to the attic. Sadly, however, Milly’s got a leak in her epicenter. I awoke from a nap & stumbled into the kitchen to find a big bubble of water beneath the thick layer of paint. Waiting patiently, building steadily. So I popped it. We heard the steady drops for the remainder of the night.

While the rain fell inside & out, Ant & I set to work holiday-ing the house. I baked, he played with his new electronics. I had come across a recipe for cranberry cake with hot butter sauce a few days ago & my mind & tummy were set on it since. I’ve realized that when the holidays hit I go cranberry crazy. They’re so nice & red & jolly. So there was some of this:

The lovely mugs are both from Etsy! On the left, courtesy of melabo. Anthony’s says, ‘I love you more than zombies love brains.’ By foldedpigs.

And with the leftover cranberries I thought we’d try to work them onto a garland for the Tree. I popped some kettle corn (which I’d also been craving). I’d planned to eat some of the sweet kernels but either the recipe was no good or I’m no pro at corn popping, because it was a let down taste-wise. But for the Tree it looks lovely! I also popped some plain white corn to mix in.

We’re slowly decking our walls & making our way through the good old Christmas movies. We’ve hosted Rudolph & The Grinch thus far & I think Frosty might just be the next old friend to stop on in. I am definitely feeling the holiday spirit now. There’s nothing like a glistening tree & a glowing nose to get you there.