sweet melissa

I spent the afternoon on Melissa's couch, sewing up some stuffies I'm working on and resting my eyes. And she asked. "Wanna open a present?" Of course! So I opened up my present, the most darling Free People sweatshirt and I said thank you, thank you, i love it, it's too much! And she opened up my present to her, and our kids all exchanged gifts and we went on with our afternoon, drinking black tea and sitting in her living room, and being comfy. And she said, "i almost forgot! I have some stuff with Jessie written all over it"(figuratively, of course, because it would be odd for items to have the actual name Jessie written all over them)... and she led me to a box in her closet with the most spectacular treasures... and she let me have whatever I wanted!!! It seems that this box o' goodies came from a lady who used to nanny for Melissa's husband when he was a wee lad, and in her free time, she used to make dollhouses. And these were a few miniature trinkets she still had lying around 30 years later, and was preparing to throw away. Luckily, Melissa saved them from an untimely death and generously offered them to me lucky me! And so, of course I again said thank you, thank you, I'll treasure them! The only catch was that I must make her something that incorporates at least one of these items... and so it's off to work i joyfully go! Thanks again, sweet Melissa!

Baby it's cold outside

I'm finding a few minutes in between albuterol, prednasone, and zithromax to make a few things. Yep, my son is sick again. He's got the same "restrictive airway" problem that landed him in the hospital two months ago. Luckily, we caught it quickly this time and we're treating him at home. Anyone that knows my son knows that the last thing Jackie needs is to be hepped up on steroids; he's the most boy a boy could be without the drugs, so just imagine...
What's especially funny is that this manly little boy has a new favorite color: pink. The lovely Ellie Richellie went ahead and made him a superhero cape for Christmas - it's black satin lined in, yep - pink fleece. And he LOVES it!
So, anyways, between treatments, I've found myself making more and more of these chocolate bar cozies like the ones that I spied at Anthropologie last month. I thought they'd be perfect gifts this season, so I made a few. And then a few more. And then some more. And suddenly, I've got all these:So if you're a friend, or a neighbor, or a member of supper club, or shoot...if I run into you on the street, well, Merry Christmas - cuz' this will be your stocking stuffer this year.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

How much do I love hauling all those huge plastic bins from the basement, and discovering all of those wonderful treasures that I packed away the year before? Of course we have a Christmas tree, but I hardly feel that I need one at all. My favorite way to decorate for Christmas is to have little vignettes all over the house that feature my most prized things. I got in a wreath making frenzy last year after reading an article featuring Sis Boom - she's filled to the "boom" with wonderful inspiration. I also get to set out all of my favorite cake plates and apothecary jars and fill them with lovely baubles and ornaments. And then I'll sit down with my kids and make the most precious decorations of all - the construction paper chains, the gingerbread houses, and all of the lovely things they can come up with on those long home-from-school snowy days. It makes me crave a cup of cocoa just thinking about it.