A little of Everything

It's only 3 days since Christmas,

and already it's fading into a

warm, sweet, memory...

Christmas around here means lots of family,

kids, friends, food, a few extra bottles of wine and

making things! here is just a bit of what we've been up to...

...socks and fingerless gloves for gifts...well, the ones that were finished in time got gifted! I have a tendency to bite off more that i can really do, ahh, but intent counts for something, doesn't it?! will get to the unfinished ones right,ahem, after the new year. right.(i will.) The grey pair(inside out) is knit from Alpaca's that are from Carpinteria, it's so fresh it's got little pieces of sticks and grass in it. And sooo soft...





...cookies were baked by the Doodles(my g~babies), with a little supervision by grammy (me) in time to set out for Santa Clause, with extra sprinkles cause that's how he likes it...





...more knitting. These are knitted, then felted into bowls. They are really very sturdy, and useful too. The green one looks a little lopsided in the photo, now that i look at it.hmmm.well, they made nice containers for more homemade cookies(wrapped in wax paper). And the white one made a good dish for a necklace to a special mother-in-law, well, my only m.i.l....





...and these are our stockings,made by all of us actually. They started out as emergency stockings, one year a family of mice made a nest in our Christmas box and ate a neat hole through the other ones. With not much time to spare that year for making new ones, i enlisted the kids to help. After cutting out one sock for each, i put them at a table with all sorts of supplies to decorate. They were happy with this plan, so much so, that the stockings stuck. This summer when the Doodles moved in they came with very little, definitely no Christmas stockings. So 15 years later it was time to make more. There are the new ones on the far left. I can't believe how much my kids love stockings. Even my husband does too now. Maybe it's to do with the personalness of it(is that a word?) there have been years when there was not much more than the tree, but the stocking is always full of love. Did you notice our fireplace in the background? One year the newspaper added this as a supplement and I love it! It's just a piece of newsprint but it's my attempt at cozying up the place...recycle, reuse,right?





...and here they are now...those Doodles. Completely engrossed in crafty projects that Santa brought. There's raggedy ann joining in too...a gift from Santa...

Well, that's it. for the Christmas pictures anyway. I took some very good advice from Tam and put the camera down. You can picture it though, if you try, it 'twas merry mayhem. In a very good sort of way. ...are you wondering why I would include this photo next? It's part of the title of this post, a little of everything... there's been so much going on, even recording a teeny tiny bit of it feels like I'm leaving much out. So, part of my Christmas break included a visit from my sister two days later....we told both of our husbands we wouldn't be back 'till midnite...we were intending to spend the entire day together! our first stop was Africa! well, the Africa section of the Santa Barbara Zoo. I know, Zoo's,ugh. But there it is. This giraffe likes to look out over the Pacific Ocean, isn't she a beauty?

...just minutes away is Stern's Wharf where we went next. The wind was blowing and it was one very cold December day, so the only logical thing it seemed was to find warmth...



...which was found here! in a steaming bowl of New England clam chowder and a lovely glass of wine. My darling sister and I clinked glasses at our good fortune at having each other(love you dearly sis) and to the New Year 2009. And now to each and everyone of you dear readers, I raise my glass to you and I wish you Health, Happiness, Prosperity(and whatever else it is you wish for) for the coming year!

* * * * * Happy New Year * * * * *

xxx Lori