Right Now

Right now, I'm...

 ...wading through my days surrounded by things half-done and projects awaiting attention, exemplified perfectly by what's on my "desk" right now: laptop on top of Spring garden plan, native plant and gardening books on top of bills to be paid, upholstery tools on top of said books, markers and water bottle left behind from some kid project, and food processor base left behind after looking up the model number and realizing that yes, we do in fact have one of the recalled Cuisinarts.

 ...looking forward to having the time to move on with the recovering of this poor abused beast of an ottoman (I finally found the fabric I wanted!).

...awaiting the arrival of the second round of parts for this other poor abused beast, who was in a bit more trouble than we thought (but it's still fixable, thank goodness).

...planning on rearranging the attic soon to make room for the collapsed trees that lined our driveway this holiday... they're reminding me of those evergreen bagworm cocoons that you can find in cedar trees, you know the ones? That can't be good juju right outside my front door...

...ignoring it all to play with my new camera lens!

Right now I'm using my blog to distract me from aaaaalllll the junk and stuff I should be doing... and I don't regret it one bit! I've learned it'll all wait for me, anyway!

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

2017...

I'm trying not to judge too quickly, really, I'm trying.

2017, you're only... like... two days old. No one can know anything about you after only two days.

But seriously, I'm going to need you to cut the crap already.

So far you've brought me two puking babies, a dryer on it's way out when the laundry demands were at their peak, a big ol' rain storm with a back seat car window cracked open, and a sonofagun headache.

And we're only two days in. Two. Days.

So let's keep it real. This weekend was not your best foot, I'm sure. I see a lot of potential in the other 363 days to come. Let's be friends, OK? You can make it all up to me by just letting my kids make it to school in the morning.

OK?

OK.

Let's do this.

Thinking of the Year

 When you put it this way, maybe 2016 wasn't as bad as everyone has been saying... happy NYE to all and to all a good night!

What We Made

Beeswax-based leather/shoe conditioner and polish

Lots of lip balm from the base recipe found here

White-dough ornaments and garlands

Fabric dye-stick sweatshirts

Sweet/salty peanut butter treats and lots and lots of cookies!

 For us this year, the balance between finding time for handmades and finding time for work and chores parred down our usual list, but what did make the cut was so much fun and (I think) so appreciated! A few didn't get photo-documented (we did a little wood burning, some sewing, and there were several gifts of honey which don't really count, right?), but now that everything is distributed throughout our families and working to remind them of how much they're loved, we're feeling pretty good about our little projects. After all, that is what makes something handmade special, right? All that love!

When It's Warm...

When it's warm at the end of December, we get up in the morning and open all the windows.

We dress in short-sleeves and run around bare-footed.

We make plans to work outside, play outside, and eat outside as much as possible.

We talk about Spring because we can't help it.

When it's warm, it doesn't seem to matter that we only have one stick of firewood left, or that we haven't made hot chocolate yet, or that Mama has taken down all the Christmas decorations.

It'll get cold again- and soon- so when it's warm like this, we soak it up.

For Christmas...

First, we...

 ...and then we...

 ...then, the next morning, we...

...and then we...

...and finally, we...