a little inspiration

Happy New Year! I've never been one for resolutions but there are a few things I know about the coming year and I am sure about them so I don't have to worry about keeping up with them. They will be happening- my participation is not optional. 1) I will be enjoying the first floor more because of the curtains I found at Ikea and my father was kind enough to hang for me. 2) I will be doing more laundry. The Bug's diapers have been washed by a service up to this point (thanks MomMom!) but we are transitioning to our own diapers and the service will be me. I have been working through the process of this in my mind to figure out the logistics. Diapers moving up and down the stairs, clean, dirty, often with only one hand to carry. I use the big Ikea bags to carry most of our laundry but who wants the chance that clean clothes will go into a bag dirty diapers just came out of? And I can't see using trash liners. Cloth diapering is supposed to cause less waste, right? ...

You : Love the egg rattle. : Are growing in fair hair. : Are rolling everywhere. : Have started EC and are going on the potty. : Are really talking in a different way than before, lots of "mamamamam", "nanana" and "dadada" : Have had an ear infection and now have ringworm. : Are loving your Christmas visitors and presents. : Move your hands all the time. : Try to crawl but aren't there yet. : Grab all the animals. : Are growing by the second. : Have just started saying"pah, pah, pah" : Pant like you are practicing to hyperventilate.

On the Winter Solstice the night is long and the day is short in the Northern Hemisphere. In ancient times, when humans were more connected to the earth, in almost every culture this day was marked by some celebration. The Romans worshiped a sun god called Sol and on this special day they celebrated his re-emergence from the dark. I can imagine a time before the sophistication of the Romans when the long night was a time to gather and share stories and warmth and keep away the pernicious thought of the sun staying dark forever. This is a night of great hope, of faith in the return of the sun. So this year, when we are finally home, near our garden (which worships the sun in its own way) and our friends we plan to gather together, share company and stories and burn a light through the night to help welcome the sun back from its long journey in morning. Won't you celebrate with us?

Okay- what I am about to show you may not be brilliant or anything but I do think it is cute, and hope it will be helpful. Ever since I saw Amy over at Angry Chicken make these simple envelopes with magazine pages I have been a little obsessed with using catalog and magazines pages. Luckily, this is the time of year where you wrap lots of things in paper! So first we just used the envelope idea to wrap our homemade, everyone gets it gift. We do this every year- pick a nice gift that everyone can use or enjoy and personalize it. Last year we made calendars (which were a huge hit, maybe we will do that again next year.) One year we made cook books, one year Christmas cards- anyway, you get the idea. The draw back to giving out a gift that is the same is it is the same. Does that make sense? I mean, trust me, I have thought of every person who we are giving this gift to and though they are different I can imagine them all using this gift, but still the sameness is a little boring...

I have a few projects I wanted to show here at various times in the last few weeks (months) but haven't gotten to it for what ever reason. One was a gift and I didn't want it to go up until the person got it (though I am almost positive she never looks at the blog) and the others we can chalk up to laziness. Great craft blog, eh? First up- A little cowl I made a couple months ago and have been wearing ever since. I still haven't officially finished it as the ends are not woven in. Which is terrible but true. The Bug loves to grab it and shove as much of it into his mouth as possible while making what I will call his "attack" sound. Very cute. He also pulls on it if I happen to be wearing it while he is eating and that works out nicely as the cowl is stretchy and doesn't yank on my neck like when he plays with my (his) necklace. Number two- (Have I already shown you this?) I call this my "out all day bag." If I leave and want to keep my things...

The time passes so fast. We have been under piles of laundry, piles of sewing, piles of crochet and piles of ideas. All of them lovely in their own way. (I am about to start laundry today just so I can fold warm clothes!) I also have the deadline for Holiday Traditions Exchange (which has a button in the sidebar if you are interested in what that is) looming. I have soooo many ideas and am trying to pull it together so I can finish at the end of the week like I should because I ended up with a really special partner who deserves something awesome. Go see her blog here . This past weekend was so fun. We put together our tree (the first one we have ever done together because Senor was seriously burnt out on them when we met) on Friday night after the Bug went to sleep so he got to come down on Saturday morning to see it in all it's glory. Of course Emerson loves the tree. It has lights! I have to turn on lights starting around 3pm or so because it is getting dark so early an...

(or, oh my! is it Friday again??) This week I am thankful for: The members of the band. The delight in orders delivered and orders placed. The mountains of laundry that keep circulating the house. The generosity of friends. The celebrations of birthdays. Finding things long misplaced.

Thanks ladies! Here is a sneak peak :)