little pixies

Happy Holidays to Everybody...

I just found these little pixies that I made many years ago. I can't believe they still look so fresh.

I am getting the house in order for the holiday and it feels good. I just love the lights and the coziness of all the familiar decorations.... little treasures....

 I hope that we'll be able to get our tree this weekend. We are going for the "live" tree this year and I am very excited. We have been using the "fake" for many years....I need to smell the evergreen again!

Hope things are cheery where you are. We still have snow on the ground and I have been playing my favorite xmas cd's for days now! Ho Ho Ho to all...and Happy Hanukkah xoxo

red and white

Today was the Winter Faire and I totally forgot to take photos of my little table filled with all my little goodies - darn! Still, I had taken these last night and thought I'd share them with you.

I sold all but one of the Santas. They are pretty charming and were displayed with little snow-covered trees and a couple of red and white mushrooms. Very effective....

Here is a preview of those red and white mushrooms....I do love the colors and the "light" of this holiday. Driving to pick up Grayson tonight made me soooo happy - Christmas lights and decorations everywhere...such a *zing* it gave me! I think I'll get started on the decorating tomorrow.....

hand-stitching

I have been stitching on this pillow for my cousin whose birthday was in late September. So many things have happened to distract my work on it, but I took it with me to California to show to her and I worked on it the whole time. I think that it is coming along beautifully...

I adore hand-stitching........makes me think about the friends I made in France last summer. I could just spend hours on end sitting in a room with them, sewing away...

..so we are all going to meet in France again next  summer....... can't wait!

November 24th, 2009

Huntington Beach, California

Thanksgiving week

After walking on the beach to go downtown for tea (about 20 minutes), I walked home via Walnut Street. This photo is just one block from our cousins' house...and one block from Pacific Coast Hiway (PCH) - the Ocean! 

The weather was perfect - bluest sky and temperature around 65 degrees fahrenheit - heaven!

Before heading down to the Surf Beach at San Onofre, we made the brine for the turkey. I thought it looked so pretty in the pot with the star anise and ginger floating to the top. Boy, it was great for the turkey, the next day, during the actual eating part...yum....
Off to the beach ......... and my, how my son has grown! Here are our footprints in the sand - mine on the right and his on the left ........sigh.......
What a sunset! Isn't it appropriate to have the palm in front of the setting sun so that it glows?

The little dots in the water are the die-hard surfers, who cannot make themselves leave the water.
...and in the end, Grayson found a stick and stood where the sun had dipped into the ocean.... still some little "spots" on the water.

I love this photo - a lovely end to a perfect day.

Elena

Elena Bright Shapiro - gone too soon from this earth, but never gone from the hearts of those who knew and loved her dearly.

Crystal chandelier above the dining table at my friend, Brantly's house in Winston-Salem, NC.

There were crystals hanging in every window in the house to catch the light as it filtered through all day long and cast rainbows around the rooms.

Each rainbow was a reminder that dear Elena brought joy to all she knew and the colors made it possible to see the love that filled the rooms throughout the house.

...and the pond in the backyard with the gazebo nearby that is now surrounded by the 21 tulip bulbs planted on her birthday......Biby's idea to add one each year on her birthday. A beautiful tribute.
Love always to Brantly, David, Biby and Sam and everyone else whose lives Elena touched.

These flowers are sitting on my kitchen table and I am in the Kansas City airport waiting to get on a plane to Raleigh-Durham, NC. I am going to visit my friend, Brantly and her family.....

This Saturday would've been the 21st birthday of her darling Elena, who was killed in a tragic accident September. I know that there will be many tears, but I also know that there will be laughter and stories. Brantly and I have known one another for many years - shared all kinds of adventures. It is unfortunate that this, too, becomes a journey that we are sharing.

It is a choice, but there is life after the loss of someone you love. The smiles and "pure joy" do disappear for a while, but they also DO come back. I do not believe that our dear ones "leave" us. I think they live in our hearts forever and we can "feel" them when we need to.

There is nothing easy about any of it, but I have seen different choices that have very different outcomes. "One Day at a Time" has become a bit of a cliche, but literally, it is exactly what we must do to walk through the difficult challenges in our lives....oh, and the occasional smile...

I love you, Brantly and am looking forward to being with you for these next few days. 

productivity

Just a few little images from the cards I have been working on. It has been fun, I must say and I am enjoying the results.

I can't wait to see how this little "elf-y angel" turns out! So far, so good, I think....cute!

I am liking this little elf, too. I'd love a pair of pants like hers! ... and those shoes!
Now, this one needs a LOT of help. I may need to start over here...so much of it does NOT work for me, though there are some redeemable parts, certainly. Maybe a little less "outfit"...whew! I think that a waistline might help! And the arch is not what it needs to be... sigh ......
Still, all in all it has been a very productive few days in the studio - yippee!

xo