Notes on a Holiday

or, how i finally came up with a post for this infrequent blog.

1. don't start the season with The Day after thanksgiving. the day after The Day of Thanksgiving is fine. just give it a day. or even until december 1.
2. if you bitch and moan about all the icky-ness of The Commercialism of Christmas the whole month of december, you miss the holiday season, Charlie Brown.
3. household chores are made much more do-able with christmas music. pile of dirty, greasy dishes? no, problem: santa claus is coming to town!
4. i want to celebrate solstice as well next year.
5. snow really does put me in the mood.


6. knitting with red and white wool is very festive indeed. especially when making mittens.
7. putting the tree up 1 week before christmas is not early enough for me.
8. hot chocolate is good any time of day.
9. peppermint flavor peeps go smashing well atop my hot chocolate.
1o. eat more candy canes.
11. i sound like Buddy the Elf.
12. if you have to be out shopping on december 24th, just park in the first spot you see.

13. a well organized craft space makes things easier. i only know this because mine was anything but organized and every time i went to fetch something... well, let's just say, it took a while.
14. homemade goodies baking in the oven make the house feel warm and smell good
15. i've identified my favorite smell in the whole world: 1 part fresh christmas tree, 1 part last nights fire in the fire place, 1 part beeswax. if you've ever been to a historical house that is part of a living museum, it's that smell too.
16. i love me some wool base layers.
17. winter walking is one of my favorites-- it's so quiet and still.
18. there is always time for having treats and hot chocolate in the middle of the day with friends
19. oh, what the hell, i'll mention hot chocolate again. go make yourself a cup, really. it goes well with cinnamon rolls too.
20. Merry Christmas, ya'll. and a fine year of knittting in 2008.

well, hello there. how's your holiday crafting going?

mine is delicate balance of stitching. just enough to keep me busy, not so much to burn me out. this is going to be ornaments. i hate that pink hoop. ick.

this morning i was so excited to get back to my feather and fan shawl. lots of knitting the night before had finally gotten me to the end-of-the-tails section. i was all set to start the feather and fan lace with my new color.
this morning however, i thought it best to double check the instructions before whipping that new color into the mix. sure enough. there was more work to be done on the tails section in the dark brown (which by the way i just found more of, while going through the-stash-that-lives-in-the-garage this weekend. it was a complete surprise to find more. turns out i needed it.) by doing another set of eyelet rows.

with those few (but forever taking) rows done, i can finally say that i have started the feather and fan lace section in the next color. how glorious it is!

and that's the latest.