Making

Now that Christmas is over, I can post pictures of the things I made for gifts. I did some collage pictures, some bleach design t-shirts, and some bracelets and necklaces.

This is the rooster for my sister, Cyndi.

Copper wire family on wood for my brother, Ron

button tree for my sister, Sheri

book flower and twigs for my sister, Karen

mountain collage for my brother, Chris

button tree for my sister, Kathy

bleach design t-shirts - the star for my nephew, Jim (the lion was my test shirt, which has found a good home)

star with barbed wire for my nephew, Josh and eagle for my nephew, Dawson

ninja star for my nephew Tyler and pirate skull for my nephew Bradley

chef pirate shirt for Keven and waffle shirt for Craig

cat pirate shirt for Becky

bracelets for my nieces, Kira and Morgan

bracelets for my nieces, Harley, Katie, and Gina

twine and bead bracelets for Katie, Harley and Gina (separated so you can see them better)

leather wrapped bracelets for Katie, Harley, Gina (separated so you can see them better)

stuff for my mom - necklace, button bracelet and stretchy bracelet

necklace for Denise - close up of key pendant

overall view of necklace for Denise (with bonus apple in the background)

I'm finishing up some fingerless gloves for a couple other people who I'll hopefully see for New Year's. Otherwise, they'll be getting a New Year's package....

Holes

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

- Portia Nelson

Chapter 1

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost… I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend that I don’t see it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in this same place.

But, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in … it’s a habit … but, my eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

Things I'm listening to today

Solstice 2011

I don't think I celebrated solstice last year. I ended up kind of lost there for awhile, down a hole I didn't realize I'd fallen into until after I'd left my job. So, note to self, don't stick out a job that is a truly horrible fit for some sort of reward that I will magically receive in the future. I put my present life on hold (yet again) for some kind of future event that could or could not (in this case, not) happen. For solstice, I think about my intentions for the new year, and about what I would like to rid myself of from the old one. This year, my intention is to live now, right here, in the present, without putting my life on hold for these things that will hopefully happen in the future. I have wanted to cut my hair short for several years, but have waited to lose weight, because fat people don't look good in short hair. Last weekend I had my hair cut short. I will not wait on these things that I want, for some sort of golden shining future moment when all things are perfect and I can have them. No, I want to have the things I want now. I want to have a life now. I'm tired of waiting and waiting. It's just a way to keep myself from having joy, from having peace, from being content. So what I want to rid myself of is that waiting; that's what I wrote on a scrap of paper and burned. Changes will happen this year, and it will be interesting to see how this works, where things go....
On solstice, I don't turn on any lights as it gets dark. I think about my intentions for the year, the things I tried to accomplish in the previous year, take a kind of inventory. Then, when it's dark, I light candles.
And I turn on the Christmas lights, and those are the only lights in the house for awhile. I think about the darkness, how it is just the other side of light. Without darkness, light would not have its power. Without pain, joy would not have its power. Without evil, good would not have its power.
Then I burn what I would like to rid myself of, in this case, the words "waiting for my real life to begin." And I thought about my intention, to live - now, here, with myself as I am. And I sent both out into the night, with the lights of candles and twinkling lights. Both sides - dark and light.

December 2011 Pictures

There's been a bit of snow, but not much. No sledding this year while tree hunting. This is the most snow I found that day.

And some more smatterings of snow, and gnarled roots, and the green of trees...

my tree in the wild

Ice carving was the same day as tree hunting, so I walked around to check it out when we got back. There were a lot of new carvers this year. This is a moose just down the block from my favorite coffee place.

This is the grand prize winner - it's a phoenix, and the picture does not do it justice.

My porch decorations - maybe $5 worth from the thrift store. Still, it looks festive, and since I have no outside electricity, lights are out.

door wreath

festive table decorations, including my funky skiing girl

kitchen window - I found big light bulbs (yes, the thrift store) and tied them onto a jute cord to create garland

Christmas tree with lights and decorations

frosty fence

bag number one of packages mailed

and bag number two