Wherefore Art Thou?

Hello! Here I am.

Sorry I've been so MIA. I think I'm finally starting to feel the effects of my new job juxtaposed with my more "creative" life. The job is wonderful but there is no denying I have less time (and mojo) than I did a month ago.


Christmas is in full swing here in our little house. I started coming up with some decorations this summer and it's been a real treat to start accessorizing with shiny baubles. Last Saturday I made a trip to the Scrap Exchange to check out their Christmas stock. All in all, a total success. Here's a picture of me upon my return. Pete wouldn't even let me in the door before he captured my gluttonous holiday hoarding. But all for less than $30! And yes, those are three trees you see, for a grand total of 4 in our home, hence a level of festivity Bo and I decided was markedly redneck. But only one is lit, which brings the tacky quotient down a little. However, it is made out of white tinsel, so I guess I'm back where I started.

I received the Lucia Doll Kit yesterday from Alicia and it is so darling. This afternoon I am going to huddle up in my studio, sip hot chocolate, listen to old holiday episodes of This American Life and construct the little Lucias. I've also been giving a lot of thought about what to give friends this year. I've never been a big shopper or extravagant gift-giver but I think it's lovely to leave a little "happy" for the people who've been so special and generous all year long. This year I think I'm going to give bags filled with large cubed, powdered-sugar dusted homemade marshmallows and a tin of Trader Joe's sipping chocolate.

I've made marshmallows once before, under different circumstances. In the fall of 2003 NYC was so painfully frigid I would literally go to the furthest lengths of reason to avoid going outside unnecessarily. The day before Thanksgiving I was making some rocky-road fudge to take to my in-laws when I realized I was out of marshmallows. Instead of hauling my body 10 blocks up along the Hudson to the grocery store I decided to make the marshmallows instead. Our kitchen was so tiny - more like a small walk-in closet with an oven and a sink, and the marshmallows were a horrific mess. But....absolutely sublime.