An Edmonds Kind of Winter Day

Bri and I have started an It's an Edmonds Kind of Day Pinterest after I ran down again today to capture the magic of the Olympic Mountains covered in clouds. Hoping that Bri can get some good practice with her new camera.

JibJab

What a hoot. The End of the World never looked so funny. 

From a full house

Didn't quite get my cards mailed this year. They are printed, sitting in a pile. ;0 

Merry Christmas!

I saw this from my porch the other morning and ran down to the water front to grab this image. It was an amazing sight and I wish my camera had captured it better. 

I finally got into the spirit at the last minute. I loved my wrapping this year. My S-I-L's wrapping was the best, but then we are always in an unspoken competition each year. Found some greenery needing trimming outside. I always have big spools of thread purchased from the Goodwill over the years. And of course, craft paper or just a grocery sack turned inside out will do. Sometimes, simple is perfect. 

 

It was fun to watch the kids get into the giving spirit, have fun wrapping presents for weeks! They had a good Christmas. I bought them (really, Santa bought it for me). A cute HEMNES cupboard for them and their extra stuff that doesn't fit in their room. Now the hallway is nice and neat. And then, there is my little Santa. First Christmas for Pebbles and she had a good time. They got their new toys in their stocking and then proceeded to take them away from each other and run. 

 

As usual, my S-I-L outdid herself on gifts! David got me the cutest little incense burning cabin, the smoke floats out of the chimneys!

 

I found this vintage Santa with glitter beard ($8.00) for David's package. My find of the season were  4 - 1935 Seattle Times color comic pages! For $20.00. Thinking if he didn't like it, someone at the Times would love to have them. But he loved them too.

Santa brought mom lots of bling rings (From Arts of Snohomish, Melissa Subitch) and good smelly stuff.

My gift was getting away from computer, email and websites and just relaxing. Keeping the fire roaring for a day. Lighting my candles ... drinking lots of champagne. Letting the dogs in and out all day. Giving job search a rest.

Hoping everyone had a great Christmas!!!! Oh, and the highlight of the day. Maggie sent me a singing Chihuahua Christmas card. We all roared with laughter and it will forever hang on a Christmas Tree. Thank you, Maggie!!!!

T'was

A Prairie Home Companion ... A Visit from St. Nicholas (Twas the Night Before Christmas) 

Fossilized letters

OMG. This is such a fabulous project. Discovery of fossilized letters brings new light into evolution of man. By Andreas Scheiger. 

Glorious Gregorian chant

I just found this Gregorian chant site. With loads of tracks. For free. I have been listening to Gregorian Chants a long time, I find them very soothing. The 99 Most Essential Gregorian Chants is one of my favorites.

Why is chant called Gregorian? 

"That "Gregorian" chant was named for and credited to Pope Gregory I (r. 590-604) is an accident of politics and spin doctoring. Tension between the Pope (the Bishop of Rome) and other Bishops regarding the authority of the Pope as "first among equals" was matched by tension between the Pope, as spiritual ruler of Rome, and Rome's secular rulers. This tension was an off and on thing until as late as the 15th century, when the "Conciliar Conflict" (c. 1409-1460) pitted the power of the Council of Bishops against the power of the Pope and Cardinals. 

Gregory I has been credited with many things, including the writing, collecting, or organizing of the body of plainchant in use at the time, as well founding the first singing school (Schola Cantorum) in Rome to train singers for the church, organizing the church's annual cycle of liturgical readings, and first establishing the church's authority over the secular rulers of Rome. There are any number of lovely stories and legends associated with Gregory.

There are paintings showing a bird singing chants into his ear as he wrote them down. (Unfortunately, of course, there was no usable music notation at the time.) There are stories of his sending out missionaries with instructions to bring back any new music they encountered, saying "Why should the Devil have all the good songs?"

Whether he actually did any of these things is questionable. They were attributed to him in later centuries in an attempt to build up and support the primacy of the papacy. Those who attributed wondrous accomplishments to Gregory were doing the same job that spin doctors do today for politicians and entertainers.

In point of fact, the chant that was used in Gregory's time is now known as Old Roman, which barely survived into the era of musical notation, passing from one generation to the next by ear. In about the year 800, two centuries after Gregory's time, the Emperor Charlemagne sent to Rome for authentic liturgical books and chants. Singing teachers were dispatched from Rome to teach the Franks by ear, but they did not get along well and the Franks made major changes in order to adapt the chant to their taste and their ways of singing.

The chant of the Franks is the style that eventually propagated. As a result, what we call Gregorian chant should probably be called Carolingian chant, but the easy way out is simply to use the term plainchant and leave it at that." 


John Howell

Strandbeest

Strandbeest, sculptures created by Theo Jansen and powered by the wind. Via Sunday Morning.

clip 1klein kl from Strandbeest on Vimeo.

Say Cheese (as in Cheesecake)

The last week was a hard week of cleaning. Imagine you haven't really cleaned your house in a year ... and in one week the entire neighborhood is coming over for desserts. 

I guess I love to put myself in these situations of panic cleaning. Just to GET IT DONE.

Mom and I spent most of Thanksgiving at Urgent Care or in the hospital. She is better now, thank you! 

Then, I agreed to be part of the progressive neighborhood holiday party. Thinking if NOTHING else would make me clean the house completely, that would. I still see a few spider webs dangling down in the corners. But at a certain point, you must stop, call it good and start cooking desserts.

Bri made pumpkin cupcakes and lemon bars. I made Triple Chocolate Raspberry Brownies (this time cutting them into small squares and adding one raspberry on top). Yum. I also made Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake, which was delicious. Plan on making it again, very soon.

Matt is cooking dinner tonight, that frightens me. What frightens me more ... he is asking MY advice about how to cook something. We have reached new depths in meals, the blind leading the blind. (Thank God, David just got home to finish up the meal without my input).

The trees are trimmed. The cats love hanging out under the tree so I made them an extra place to lay around under there away from the dogs. I sold our really large tree this year. We are sticking with the two taller ones for now. It feels good to have them up. To have twinkle lights on the inside and out.

I have my friends Gerrie's little tree up. Bri's little sister decorated it and with a child's perfect vision of fun, did a terrific job. She would put 2 or 3 ornaments on one limb ... and in the end, it was so perfect. 

 My elves pitched in.

 

Andrew Zuckerman and his exquisite flower show

This popped into my email this morning from A Way To Garden. Andrew Zuckerman's exploding Foxtail. Is amazing. More of his work his The Flower Book. More about his work on brain pickings.
Foxtail from Andrew Zuckerman Studio on Vimeo.

Mushrooms

Eating them (the safe ones) or just admiring them. I just love mushrooms!

As seen in the parking lot the other day. More at BioDivLibrary and on Pinterest.

 

Textile Toadstools By Mister Finch found via Pinterest. Aren't those adorable?

 

Sprouting Mushroom Ornament for $48.00 at terrain.

Adorable

I keep forgetting to take photos of them. 

 

Good Morning, Robin Layton

As predicted, my eyes popped open at 4:30a so I wouldn't miss Robin and Tony Bennett on GMA. I am so thrilled. Book creator Lisa Erspamer and her adorable sidekick, Lily were there and snapped this of the segment. 

Here is Tony Bennett's letter to his dog, Happy. 

'A Letter to My Dog': Celebs Pay Tribute to Their Furry Friends on GMA/Yahoo. 

 

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

Robin Layton on GMA

I have been trying not to be overly excited all day.  But then Robin called and said, "I am here"  (NY) and my heart beat a little faster. My best travelin' buddy, Robin Layton, will be on Good Morning America, 8am, Friday morning, promoting A Letter to My Dog. You know, the book that our Pixel has a page? Well, even if Pixel wasn't in the book, I am be sooooo proud of this gorgeous, heart-warming book by Kimi Culp, Lisa Erspamer and Robin. Please tune-in and watch Tony Bennett and Robin in the morning. It is going to be sooooo exciting. Good Luck, Robin!

Tony Bennett's "Happy"

Pixel's page

Happy Thanksgiving

I can't think of any other image in my house that says thankful more than Pebbles. She sits on the back on my mom's chair and watches me work at the computer. She is such a funny little soul. 

We are having a laid back Thanksgiving. Mom and I might make our way to ER if she is not feeling better later today. While Bri and David take on the cooking. David has made the pies ;) Maybe it should be a *dessert first* day. Thinking of years back, celebrating this day with friends and family. Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! xoxox

Christy Kinard

Christy Kinard's flowers make me smile. She makes me smile. Makes me want to make my own flowers. Making websites lately, makes me want to focus on flowers more and more ;) I don't know why it is so hard for me to follow my dreams ... ;) And step away from the computer.

 

Water-logged!

This is Edmonds. Under water. ;0 We have has so much rain that it is amazing, scary, depressing ... and looks like more is on the way today. But at least it is NOT Sandy and my heart aches for those with homes destroyed and lives put on hold.

Lust

I have been lusting after this box wall organizer from Urban Outfitters for months to display my dirt collection. I have not bought anything is so long and today I said, "just do it". And I did. ;) With free shipping and a promotional coupon I found online, I even saved some money. 

It feels too soon to be jazzed about Christmas, I mean, really, my pumpkins are still rotting on the front stairs. But then I didn't realize Thanksgiving was next week. YIKES! So get in the winter mood, go over and be inspired by Sweet Paul Magazine. 

When the plumber was here, I had to packed up and move all of my miniature chair collection. Honestly, sometimes I forget it is even down in the sewing room. But HOW delighted I am when I rediscover it.

There are a few other's out there with my little chair obession.

Barbara Hartsfield has a 3,000 chair collection!  I really wish I had a couple on bottles.

 

Lazy Miniature Chair by Fresh West. 

Then I  discovered, Tom, Miniature Chair Man! Hello, Tom! You are my kind of collector.

Miniature Chairs! For sale. And I can hardly look at bcmini.com's mini designer chairs without breaking into a sweat.

Haircut!

On the way back from the airport (we love having Ruth here) ... mom and I decided to get haircuts. I can't believe how it has been since I had a hair cut.

 Hey, how much do I love this kid? He is the best son and I thank my lucky stars everyday for him. 

We have decided to have a neighborhood holiday party this year. Bri and I delivered invites door to door today. I really miss doing these kids of fun little jobs. This gives me a couple of weeks to get my house clean. Wish me luck. ;)

In luv with Luvocracy

I was asked to participate in a new social media platform called Luvocracy. Instead of searching online shop all over the internet for products and shopping ideas, like Pinterest format, you can browse in one convenient location, find recommendations of great stuff from people you "trust". The other very cool and simple aspect is ... you can purchase directly from Luvocracy and they make the purchase on your behalf. And for those who have recommended that item, you also get a small percentage of the sale.

"A new marketplace around the explosion in social sharing. We do that by creating a way for people to buy recommendations from people whose taste they trust. And we build that into an economy by allowing everyone to participate in the value that they create." 

Go have a look at my recommendations so far at Luvocracy

Pixel is becoming famous!

A Letter to My Dog (my pet {pardon-the-pun} project) has been featured in People Magazine, Cesar's Way Holiday Gift Guide, and Bark Magazine. I am waiting for Ellen and the Today Show ... can't be far behind. What should Pixel wear for her interview? 

MIA

I am MIA the last couple of weeks. 

It is the time of year that every little rotting weed catches my attention with it's skeletal appearance. Looking at the bones that were just green and lush. 

I have started a Snowflake Pinterest board. I think it was the sudden shift in the weather makes me long for now.

John Nieto

American painter John Nieto Love!

Gray Matter

I worked on a template for Rick yesterday. Templates are hard, but then I get to do anything, any design, any logo treatment I want. ;) And that makes it fun.

Today

More beautiful afterlife. 

Adorable illustrations by Pati Aguilera. 

Helped Tara with her Etsy banner. 

Applying for jobs and rewriting my resume (again). 

Making dog food. 

Running errands with mom.

Getting Jeep fixed.

Where in the world

Did the last week go? I finally carved some pumpkins last night. Trips taking mom to Dr. appts. Gallery time. Home Depot returns. Dealing with broken-down cars. But, really, did that take all week?

Pebbles sleeps, dead to the world. 

While the others, play tug-of-war. 

Happy, dry and safe Halloween!

Mr Yen Papercuts

Mr Yen Papercuts via Creature Comforts --- Lovely!

Yum, Yum and Yum

It is a little early for me to be thinking Christmas, since I haven't even carved a pumpkin. But I can look and lust, can't I?  

Restoration Hardware's Holiday Source Book