Today, Productivity!

I've accomplished several things today! Mainly what I've done is work on an embroidered wall hanging, but since I may enter it in the Etsy NeedleArts Team challenge next month, I can't show it yet. It's turning out well, though, even the bit that I completely winged. In fact, so far that's the best part.

I also made this colored pencil drawing of the view from my window. The cows weren't part of the original plan, but they showed up around the time I was working on the foreground, so I had to add them. You'd think a cow is more or less a stationary object most of the time, but they move around a fair bit when you'd like them to stand still and be drawn.

I also added this coffee cozy to my Etsy shop today. I found it a couple of weeks ago with just the planets finished, and I had completely forgotten about even making it. I added the stars and put the fastener and backing on it last week, then forgot about it again until today when I finally photographed and posted it. Now I'm free to forget about it again for as long as I like.

Finally, here's a chalk drawing my niece did when she was here last weekend. Her artwork always fascinates me, and I really like her color choices here, especially in the top section. I'm thinking I may borrow them for something, though I'm not sure what.

Noel, Noel

It's amazing, but I've actually finished all my Christmas projects except for cutting out and baking one batch of cookies (but the dough is already made), and packing for a couple of weeks in West Kentucky (but I have everything laid out on my bed). In fact, I had all my presents bought and/or made and wrapped by 10:00 AM yesterday. This is completely unheard of, let me tell you. I don't know what I'm supposed to do at 1:00 AM tonight. Maybe get some sleep.

I've been a busy girl these last few weeks. I made all my Christmas cards, in several different styles (I'm not bragging, I'm just sayin'...), and as usual lots of my presents. I have a sore shoulder from embroidering my niece's monogram on a comforter for her, and I burned my arm in two places making miniature mince pies. Of course the oven rack burn on the wrist is understandable, but I managed to slightly blister my right upper arm with the corner of the cookie sheet (and I'm right-handed). That takes talent, folks. Not just anybody can pull that off.

I also made a batch of ornaments for the Cake and Pie and Freshly Blended ornament swap. I got some really cool stuff back, too. Thanks, everybody in my swap group. Here are the ones I made:

The bodies are painted wooden balls (doll heads, actually), and the heads and wings are polymer clay, molded off a porcelain angel head and a rose petal respectively. The legs are twigs from the yard wrapped with brass wire and held in place with hot glue. I just hope the wings survived shipping.

I decorated my little bedroom Christmas tree with my swap ornaments and these clothespin ornaments I made based on these Martha Stewart instructions. I made them 3 or 4 years ago so the photos aren't the greatest, but you get the idea. I especially like the Regency ones.

Now I can relax and enjoy the day. I'm very excited about seeing all my family and Bowling Green friends, and I can't wait for Bokkon Family Christmas. But those cookies aren't baking themselves, so Merry Hannukwanzmas to everyone and be safe and happy.

Halloween Ain't Over Till It's Over

I've been spending a few days in beautiful Bowling Green, famed in song and story. I attended a Nine Inch Nails cover band show on Halloween night dressed as a hooker, complete with black eye and split lip. (Just makeup, of course, which I learned from this and this video on YouTube, courtesy of the Costumer's Manifesto, as usual. It was a fabulous time, I must say.

Me and Frosty, the World's Whitest Pimp:

Lookin' good:

Then I made Day Of The Dead cookies the next day:

It's been a good trip.

It's Oh So Quiet

The circus has left town and it's very quiet around here now. My family's all gone home after Dad's 60th birthday festivities (which were awesome, if I do say so myself. Big props to Talon Winery ) so things are a little dull here. Not to mention it's been raining all day and I have a sinus infection, so all I've done today is finsh reading Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. It's very good, much better than the little I read of The Iron Council. I really am going to have to finish that one of these days. Maybe I'll read some of it tomorrow if it's still raining.

Amazingly I've also been working on some new pendants with the glass pieces I've been collecting. I found some good aquamarine-colored pieces that I think probably came from the old blue glass canning jars, and these look really good with freshwater pearls. I'll try to get up some pictures in the next day or two.

Then there's this from Monika Krol Jewelry, which I found at The Carrotbox:

It's absolutely ridiculous but I love it. I'd even wear it, though I'd catch it on things and break it or them.