White white white

It just started snowing about a half hour ago!  Really snowing.  I gotta say I was pretty skeptical about this whole snowstorm thing.  I heard bits about it on the radio, Portland crafters have been posting about their snow for days, and friends here have been planning around it.  But I figured I believe it when I saw it.  This morning I had a few more Christmas-y errands to run, and fortuitously decided to get them over with, rather than wait ’till later.  And I’m a lucky girl: snow started to fall as I pulled out of my last parking lot, on the highway back home I had to turn my lights on and now, about 30 minutes later, snow is covering everything.  I love it.  

This is after 15 minutes of snowing:

There’s gotta be at least a couple of inches by now.  So I guess this means more wrapping and gift making and crocheting and baking. YAY.  

I couldn’t get these coconut macaroons to photograph well, but they sure are yummy!

As you can see, Saulie insisted on supervising our batch.  (The gift macaroons are kitty-help/cat hair free.)

I used Martha’s recipe.  I am also going to try her homemade marshmallows.  Um, without a candy thermometer. ergh.  Though I did find this site and I think its going to be really helpful, and its basically making me brave enough to try.

The wonderful Mr Bittman has inspired me to make mini meringues as well.  I’m going to try vanilla, chocolate and pink peppermint flavored one.

Ok! I guess I better hop to it!

Happy Birthday Mum!

My parents friends took this photo of them in Providence during the blizzard of 1978.  They were helping dig out cars covered in snow.  Anyhow, I just love this picture. 

Here’s my mom last summer at my sister’s wedding:

Another one of my favorites.

I love you, Mom.  Have a wonderful day!  See you later at your birthday dinner…

Cricket Thursday #5

Cricket Magazine, May 1995, volume 22, #9:

Cover by Alison Lester.  This Cricket is larger than the other ones– by about an inch all around.  And you may have noticed, its in full color!  (I’m not sure when they made the switch. I did a bit of digging, but nothing.  I’ll have to look some more.)  It also includes a little bit about the cover art and artist, which is nice.  Lester talks about her image and how its inspired by Northern Australia. 

While this definitely didn’t turn out to be one of my favorite Crickets to read, there are some gorgeous images– of course! 

Like this one, by Mark Langeneckert:

Makes me so happy for the full color.

Quentin Blake always makes me smile:

and:

I remember reading all those Roald Dahl books illustrated by him.  The BFG, The Twits, The Witches, Mathilda, his drawings are as much a part of the characters as the writing is.  I really can’t handle it when they release new editions with different illustrations, or god-forbid, those awful movie photo covers. blech.  I just get so attached with whatever version I grew up reading, that anything else feels wrong.  uh, I digress.

On to these lovelies by Laurie Harden, from the story First Flight, Based on a True Story. 

They’re my favorite for this week.  

There are more images over at Flickr!

Thinking about Gifts

Its after Thanksgiving so I can safely start thinking about holiday gifts.  I seem to have inherited my mother’s disdain for all things Christmas-Retail related before Thanksgiving.  It seems like every year the jingles and tinsel go up earlier and earlier. I swear they overlapped with Halloween witches this year. It makes me cringe.

Anyhow!  Back to present musing.  I basically did this last year, but this year its official:

Last year my brothers and sister and I agreed to only make gifts for each other.  And it was great.  Of course it helps to have crafty and artistic siblings. heh. Which I happen to.  

Lately I’ve been so eager to make things, I’ve decided to extend this to the rest of my list. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make everything myself, but I’m completely confident I can find handmade items for everyone on my list.  (Though, confession time, I will be including books.  While certainly not hand made [well, the kinds I’m talking about] they are books and books are always wonderful.  I have a book bias.) Etsy, of course, is a big help.  But I also live in a city of many artists, and have just left a city of many artists, and there are plenty of small shops around carrying such one of a kind items.  

There are also plenty of sales/events coming up.  I know there are tons in the Boston and New York areas as well, but in Providence:

This Friday marks the opening of Craftland.   I’ve never been, but know I’ve been the recipient of gifties from there, so I’m excited to check it out.  

RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale is December 13th.  (Its $7 which seems annoying, but whatever.)

2008 Foundry Artists Holiday Art Sale runs December 4th-7th- and 11th- 14th. 

yay!

Thank you for all kinds of Family

Thanksgiving turned out to be pretty wonderful.  In fact, I noticed myself musing about next year’s, with all the same people, and what everyone would bring, and what we would do (perhaps actually take a group picture?!)…when, really, it probably won’t happen next year.  Or at least it won’t be the same group.  Which is why I’m so grateful for this year’s.  

Our guest list started out rather small (which of course would have been fine!) but then happily grew.  We’re so lucky our good friends Henry and Mandy came, and got to bring along the lovely Miss Dot.  My brother Sam flew in from Utah as a surprise guest.  My sister and husband came despite terribly busy schedules.

            

At some point during Getting Ready for Everyone, I realized that we had the easiest group of people coming for dinner.  It made me happy to know that if we absolutely ruined the turkey Griswolds’-style, everyone would just laugh it off and have more of the stuffing.  We never worried if everyone would get along.  We knew they would. And they did.  Despite blending two families, plus friends, our apartment was filled with laughter and chatting for hours.   So I’m truly thankful for that.  What a blessing (as my parents would say) to have such easy-going, happy people in your life.  

            

The Mister and I asked everyone to write down what they were thankful for on slips of paper which were then placed in a bowl. After dinner everyone picked one and we all went around the table reading each others. They were funny and sweet.  My mother’s said something about “Thank you for Firsts.”  And I agree. 

 

But I still can’t help but hope it was first of many.