the weekend and the holiday market

The holiday market went well this weekend and Christmas is starting to feel very close :)

The plan for tonight is to go home, put on a good Christmas movie and start wrapping. I really love that part. And happily this year I was able to do all my shopping without once stepping foot inside a mall.

In other good news, I found out that I do in fact have a job next year, plus a couple weeks off which will give me the perfect opportunity to take a trip to Mt. Shasta to see some good friends, play in the snow and possibly squeeze in a little work for Morgan. That is of course a HUGE relief and a wonderful Christmas gift.

Holiday Market and shipping notice!

If you are in the Portland area come to the Capitol Hill Holiday Market Friday and Saturday December 16th and 17th to find some fantastic handmade gifts. There will also be some great food and a raffle. For more info check out their web site.

and now for an UPDATE

I will be closing down the shop while I participate in the Holiday Market. The shops will reopen on Sunday with all remaining items. So if you have your eye on something now is the time to purchase, before items are taken to the market.

Also this is the last week I can guarantee shipping to arrive by Christmas.

Thanks dears!

books!

Ive been favoring fabric lately. I think one of the biggest reasons is durability.

If I have a journal or sketchbook I am going to take it places with me. This might mean to work, a local coffee shop, an airplane or into the woods. These fabrics will hold up well under that kind of wear.

an 11x14 album with 30 pages in black and green and white natural print canvas

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a large daily agenda in teal corduroy and black and white damask

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custom lovely 12x12 50 page album in purple and black and white toile
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Ive been trying to stock up in the shop as we head into the holidays. Here's hoping for a good etsy Christmas! xo ~S

Merry Christmas, just one day late

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas

spent with friends and family

and perhaps someone small and furry.

Merry Christmas all!

when in doubt, add more tinsel

I am beginning to realize how close Christmas really is.

Last night I got very bundled up and walked down a street full of lights.

We got to see Santa and men in kilts playing bagpipes.

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I woke up this morning, got a mocha and went to Goodwill to find the perfect white elephant gift for a party tonight. I think these wooden reindeer will do the trick. :)
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Lucy keeping me company.
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This have felt quiet lately. I have been writing more. Going more slowly. Being gentle with things. There is no need to rush or to try to force anything. I am beginning to understand that. To just let go and allow things to unfold, having faith that they will happen as they should.
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This season has been peaceful
more then joyful.
But peaceful is good.

Have a lovely

weekend!

O Christmas Tree

My favorite part is the flyaway bird at the top.

:)

thoughts on gift giving

I love Christmas shopping.

I just do.

I love wandering the isles

of random seeming

stores, often second hand,

with a list of names

in search of the perfect gift,

which i may or may not

have an image of in my head.

Its December 2nd and I am pretty much done with my shopping for this year. I have never in my life been done this early before, but I suppose that is what happens when I am unemployed and have time on my hands.

Anyway, the past year or two my entire family and I have all been trying to slowly but surely get rid of some of the junk that we have all somehow accumulated. So the last thing I want to do this holiday season is add to that pile of well intentioned but unused stuff.

So here are some of the jottings from a notebook that I kept in my purse as I wandered the isles or internet pages...

*Cheap is not a reason to buy.

*Don't be a self centered gift giver,

give what the receiver would want or need,

not what you want.

*Find a way to give a unique experience.

*When buying I want to feel good about who I am supporting.

*Quality matters and is worth paying for.

*Consumption for its own sake is not a solution to anything.

Now bring on the joys of wrapping... :)

gift guide

I have officially started Christmas shopping,

finally.

So I decided to share some

of my favorite ideas for the lovely

women in my life.

Later I will have to tackle

the masculine gifts. :)

this canvas

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these sleeves

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this buckle

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these coasters

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this necklace

currently on sale!

Happy Christmas

shopping!

A reasons to be happy list for the day after Christmas

Christmas lights
wrapping gifts
a wonderful family
options
my wild cat
the joy of giving
a really good smelling candle
big red bows
safe travels
coming home
a great friend’s first child being born on Christmas day

an unexpected gift
progression
an unexpected conversation
hope for the future

good surprises

white Christmas

the night before Christmas eve we stayed in Wolf Creek near Ogden Utah.

There were some beautiful views.

Happy Christmas!

its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

the view from the plane which was almost rerouted to Twin Falls Idaho

because of bad weather, but luckily i made it to SLC in one piece.

my parent's Christmas tree

my sister's tree

a little christmas confession

This year so far has just not felt quite like Christmas to me.
I am sure it has to do with 1) the fact that work is insane busy and I have had hardly any time for anything else and 2) the fact that I am currently in the midst of getting divorced (regardless of the situation there is no getting around the fact that this is a very hard process).

But on Saturday I am going home to see family and that will be great.

In the near future (the next three months) I will also be quitting my job, moving to a new place (as yet unknown) and starting and hopefully ending the job search (- so if anyone knows of any promising job openings let me know :). It’s just a lot of change. And lately I have to admit it has been getting to me some.

It half feels full of possibility and like the start of some big adventure and half feels just a little bit terrifying.

So, starting tomorrow when I leave my work day behind

I am determined to feel more of the Christmas spirit

and to see the all the possibility in the

openness and unknown of my current future.

Now I am off to see who wins my book give away!
Only three people entered, so I think your odds are pretty good :)