Trust me.  You do.

I was sitting in the carpool line, chatting on the phone when it hit me:  tonight is Kate's last piano lesson before Christmas.  We need a gift.  Now!

We drove straight from school to Starbucks where I bought each of the kids an after school treat and a gift card for the piano teacher.  I came home and retreated immediately to the sewing room and whipped up this coffee cozy.  It took less than a half an hour, start to finish.  Granted, my machine is set up, the pattern was at hand and I have made dozens of these so I don't have to look at directions.  But picking out the button and then sewing it on by hand easily took 7 of those 30 minutes.  Fast, I tell you!

 
The pattern is here.  It makes a great gift for just about anyone:  teachers, babysitters, dog walkers, paper delivery people and on and on.  Making them assembly line works really well, too.

What are you waiting for?  Go on....get sewing.

You guys are the best!  Seriously.  You had so many great ideas to solve my costume dilemma.  I went with the first one - I think it was Autum's.  I took some off-white curtain lining and ripped six strips that were about 2" by the width (54" or so).  Then I sewed two strips together along the short end so I would end up with three long strips.  About four minutes later, I had a nice long braid.  Easy, fast, free.  Yay!  I whipped up a super simple skirt - one seam, one hem, one elastic casing - and cut an old brown t-shirt of mine into a tunic.  All in all it took less than an hour and Kate's pretty pleased.  I'll try to take a photo of it when the sun comes out.

I've been meaning to share these little trees with you.  I made them as part of Betz White's online holiday workshop awhile back.  I think it was in October.  I can't share details of how they were made, but I will tell you that I find them quite addictive.  I've been searching thrift stores for white and cream wool sweaters because I can just see a whole forest of these lining our sun room mantel or on the black chest in the kitchen.  Bonus is that they would look just as nice all winter long....not super Christmas-y, but festive nonetheless.

Still have my cold.  Still sucks.  Still shopping.  Haven't addressed the cards.  Cookies to bake and aprons to make.  Then wrapping and shipping out of town gifts.  So yeah.  That's what I am doing.  But being back at habit this month has made me realize how much I miss blogging regularly.  And how much I had lost my photo mojo.  So I am going to try....really try....to be in this space a little more often.

And gosh, if it's going to be so cold outside, could it please just snow?

* I love brussels sprouts, but never make them.  Yesterday while grocery shopping, I grabbed a bag.  I trimmed them, cut them in half, tossed with some olive oil and salt and roasted them.  Everyone ate them, but I ate the most.  The leftovers are in the fridge and will be part of my lunch.

* The holidays are stressing me out.  Too much to do and not enough time.  And I am not even making gifts this year.  Except for some aprons.  I forgot about those for a second.  And I do have to make an Innkeeper's costume for Kate's Christmas program on Thursday.  I have a plan and I don't think it will be hard.  Anyone have an idea for a rope-ish belt that isn't really rope?  I'm hoping for something that isn't going to cost me any money or a make me take a trip to the store.

* I still have my cold.  It just sucks.  I wake up feeling horrible despite sleeping pretty well.

* No more camera straps in 2009.  I wish I could have rallied for those of you wanting one, but it just wasn't meant to be.  A brand new package of my sewing labels has gone missing and I have spent a great deal of time looking for them.  Just when I resigned myself to the idea that they had most likely been thrown away, my sister-in-law told me that she saw them over Thanksgiving weekend.  And because I haven't trashed out the sewing room/playroom/guest room since then, I have hope they are hidden somplace in there.  I have offered a reward to my children, but I guess $5 isn't enough motivation for them to look.  Grrr.  So no labels = no camera straps.  That's just the way it is.

* There are so many things that I want to make, but I think I will leave that list for a post of its own.

* I'm making this Cashew Chicken for dinner tonight.  It's a crowd pleaser - fast and easy too.

* I hope Whole Foods gets peonies this year.  I could really use some peonies in December.

* I want it to snow.  Mostly because I love my new boots.

17 camera straps were just put up in the shop.  Thanks! 

I love twinkle lights.  And this year, I threw caution to the wind and loaded up the tree.

The shop update will be tomorrow at 11am EST.  It's a smaller update than I had hoped for - only 17 camera straps in three colorways.  I wish I had more to offer, but I am feeling pretty ill.  It's just a cold, but it has wiped me out.  If I am feeling better this weekend, I will probably sew up some more to offer next week.  No promises, though.

Back to my chicken soup.

I recently received this open circle bracelet in the mail from Lisa Leonard.  I wanted something to symbolize our family and I think this fits the bill perfectly.  I adore it!  Thank you, Lisa!

Lisa makes gorgeous jewelry and I think her jewelry makes a fantastic gift.  She has something for everyone on your list.  I gave this necklace to my sister-in-law last year.  How about a grandmother bracelet or a sweet spoon for a new baby?  She even has key chains and cuffs for the men in your life.  Go over and take a look.  You might even find something for you - it's not to late to add it to your list!  Lisa is accepting orders through next Monday, December 7th for Christmas delivery.

And speaking of Monday.....

My shop update is going to be delayed.  It's been a crazy, not so good for me week and I can't get all the camera straps finished over the weekend.  I'm thinking Wednesday at 11 am EST, but I will confirm that on Monday.  Check back.

Until then, happy weekend!

I sat down multiple times yesterday and tried to write this post.  I'm not sure why I am having such a hard time with it, but I am.  Jane turned ten yesterday.  Ten.  That's a big number.  And it's a little number, too.  It's a milestone for her and for me.  A whole decade of life.  Double digits.  And the realization that I have spent ten years being a mother.  It doesn't feel like a long time.  Say "ten years" aloud, though, and, yes, it is a long time.

I was twenty-eight when she was born.  And we had wanted a baby for awhile.  She was born four weeks early and was tiny.  Four pounds, thirteen ounces tiny.  Looking back, I had no idea how small she was.  I had no clue that the people around me were worried about her (and me, with pre-eclampsia).  I wasn't concerned a bit - just over the moon to have this little girl in my life.

She is still charming me daily, ten years later.  It's been an amazing journey full of laughs and tears and I feel that it has really just begun.  But at the same time, I am aware (so so aware) that she will fly out of our nest in less time than she has been in it.  That makes my heart skip a beat.  The years go by so fast - I want to hold on tightly and not let her go.  But I am also excited to see the young lady that she is growing into.  I know that she is going to be an amazingly wonderful person.

At ten, Jane is sensitive and kind.  She is friendly and social.  She likes talking to anyone about anything.  She is a talented artist and a wonderful performer.  She was super excited about her new guitar - I have a feeling they will be a very good match.  She loves to read and loves to draw.  She plays soccer and likes swimming, but has no interest in basketball.  She is dramatic.  All. The. Time.  She bugs her sister, but counts Kate among her best friends.  She has a winning smile and beautiful eyes.  She has her own ideas about fashion, still detests the color pink and her favorite shoes are red Converse high tops.  She is sweet to little kids (a future babysitter for sure) and wishes Scout would sleep on her bed.  She got her ears pierced on her birthday and amazed herself (and me) by not crying.  I have a feeling that she's going to keep amazing both of us for years to come.

Happy Birthday, Jane.  I can't wait to see you in another ten years.  I have no doubt that I will be just as proud of you then as I am now.

 

You may have already heard, but in case you haven't, I'm going to let you in to the know.  This month at habit, Molly and Emily invited all of their guests from the past year to come back and post.  It's a big month-long party, 35 women posting snippets of their days.  I feel so so lucky to be back in that space.  And honored, too.  Please stop by and check it out.