December Daily…

Another idea inspired by Pinterest (seriously – can I get kickbacks for blogging about nothing else this month?) is the December Daily. I mean, I know it didn’t originate on Pinterest. But that’s how it came into my awareness. I’m in serious need of some mojo rejuvenation. I’ve been going weeks without picking up my camera or digiscrapping. I’ve been in a bit of a funk. So I think doing something like a December Daily (and I’m contemplating a Project 365 – a picture a day for a year) is just what I need to kickstart my creative juices.

My plan is to do this in 8.5x11 format, not my usual scrapping format (I much prefer squares in general, but the wide open spaces of 12x12 in particular), but it will be easy to print my digital pages (I thought about going old-skool and breaking out the papers, but…nah) at home and actually have a finished book in my hands on January 1 (or let’s be realistic – sometime in Janurary/Febrary-ish).

Let the baking begin...

I don't host any major holiday events. I'd kind of like to, but since I'm the junior (or lower) ranking mama in both my and Tom's families, that honor goes to other people (I've lately been realizing that I'm a control freak, and apparently it runs in my family). I've heard of families whose older generations hand over the entertaining duties, but it doesn't seem to work that way in mine.

I still get the urge to cook and bake, but since I don't have to make turkey and stuffing, I get to be as creative as I want. I like to try new things all the time, but I also have consistent requests. This means that I have a set list of things to make for Thanksgiving. I'm on tap for pumpkin rolls (times two - one for the in-laws and one for my grandparents' house), pumpkin pies (times two, both for the in-laws), and fresh cranberry sauce/relish/whatever it is. I thought about canning some ahead of time, but really it's so easy, there's no need.

I think for this year's round of parties, I'm going to try a spinach and artichoke dip like this one from Alton Brown. I've never made it before and Tom asked for it, so it sounds like a fun one.

In addition to what I take to confirmed parties, I love, love, love to bake cookies, make candy and otherwise fatten up myself and those around me. I baked my first batch of chocolate chip cookies today (got back on the treadmill today too). I tend to stick to classics. After many years of searching for the right sugar cookie recipe that didn't need frosting (sorry to the majority of America, but I think frosted cookies are gross) and were nice with just colored sugars. Mrs. Field's Sugar Cookie is my go-to recipe after many flops.

I might branch out and try some caramels again this year. The last time I made them, they didnt' harden as much as I wanted them too. I'm definitely making peppermint bark, per Tom's request. His diet is pretty much out the window with mine for the next two months, I guess.

I think I'm on the bandwagon...

Several bandwagons, actually. I just read Twilight this week. I'd resisted for a long time, but all of my friends with whom I have a lot in common have loved it, so I thought maybe I should give it a shot. And I did. And it was...pretty good, actually, although I already have my fantasy vampire (Angel fan here), so I don't think I can muster up quite the fangirl lust that some others might have.

And I'm making rag quilt after rag quilt. I decided that every kid on my Christmas list is getting a little lap-sized one for tv watching or car rides. I cleaned up at Joann's Black Friday sale (my first and probably last time shopping on the day after Thanksgiving). I'm done four - only six to go. They're super quick and if my own four kids (poor crafters' kids - do they ever get any crafts?) have to wait, no big deal. So that's only two in the next 15 days. Holy crap. Christmas is FIFTEEN days away.

I refuse to panic. So I don't have many gifts yet. I get it done every year somehow, right? Inhale. Exhale.

I'm off to become the cookie mom tonight. Yay! Actually I"m really excited about it, but who knows if I actually should be. It might be something I come to regret. I hope not.

A little Idol, a little knitting, a lot of yarn...

So Paul and Rudy are the evictees for the guys and Amy and Nicole for the girls. I was half right. I picked Rudy and Nicole to leave. I liked Paul from the early stages and thought he had some good stuff to come, but I guess no one much agreed with me. And Amy, well, while boring, not the worst. I guess boring is worse than horrible these days. Sad, really.

Here's my bag that I don't think I'll ever get as long as I want it. It's going to be felted so it has to be a lot bigger than the finished size I want.


And here's the baby blanket I started for my nephew-to-be:


And I ordered a ton of yarn for felting projects last week. And I'm astonished by just how much yarn I have. I'm giving up craft supplies for Lent (although if it's to FINISH a specific project I may decide that's permissable - not sure yet). That means no scrapbooking stuff, no yarn, no knitting needles, nothing. I'm going to try avoiding the craft stores altogether, just to facilitate my resolve. Look at this stash - only the new stuff, mind you:


Most of it was purchased with very specific projects, or at least people, in mind. For my grandma's birthday or Christmas (yes, I'm planning ahead - I'd like to actually finish stuff this year) and my sister's birthday felted purse - a little stripey number in this:



or maybe this for my sister:


And this is for a felted cloche hat for me - what? knitting for myself? It's revolutionary. And almost warm here, so this project may wait until after next Christmas, the next likely time for it be cold enough to need a winter hat. The main color will be the black with accents of the tan, gray and cream.

I caved...

I've been swearing that I would not buy my mother-in-law clothing or anything for her house this year because she never wears or uses the stuff we buy her. Well, after weeks of searching and getting a little panicky that Christmas is FIVE FREAKING DAYS AWAY!!!! I just bought her some new sweaters and a new blanket for her sofa. I bought my brother-in-law some clothes too, but he asked me to, so that was pretty easy. I'm down to my parents. The people who have everything. I think I"m going to end up going with photos of the kids. Who doesn't love that, right?

And I know I said I was done with the kids, but I found something I've been looking for today and I had to get it. I think I'm now officially done with the kids. Until the next time I go out. No, really, they're done.

One week...

Yeah. That's all there is until Christmas. One week. Seven days. And all I can think is how I'm caught up in the commercial. I'm not super religious. Okay, I'm not really religious at all. I'm completely weirded out by my 3.5 year old coming home from her Catholic preschool telling me about baby Jesus. I mean, I expected this sort of thing when I signed her up there, so I'm not at all offended, just weirded out. I was raised Catholic and the preschool is very easy on the religion - basic Christian stuff, nothing over the top, so it's not a problem.

Where was I going with all that? Oh, what Christmas means to me. It's not the gift-giving or the religious aspects that signify Christmas to me. It's family. I've been thinking about my style - specifically photographically-speaking, but just in all my endeavors and it all comes down to the same thing. Family is the most important thing to me. One of my problems now is focusing on my own little family rather than my larger extended family. I just know that change is coming as we all get older, our kids get older and more of my cousins have their own kids. Christmas won't be the same and I'm trying to hang on for as long as I can.

I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping it all gets done so I can relax and enjoy it all.