christmas gifts revealed

This year I was really ambitious, and decided to make a quilt for my mom. Of course I didn't stop there, I hand dyed all the fabric because I didn't like any of the solids I could get, and I could buy a huge piece of kona cotton for cheap. And I made it in 2 1/2 weeks. It's the second quilt I've ever made, but it was hard because I couldn't call and ask my mom questions! Mal was on the phone with me a lot to unpick quilting when I had a big pucker, and all the details that I'm obsessive about.

I love how puckery it turned out, and the dyed fabrics had a subtle soft quality to them that make it already look worn in. My mom was very surprised, it was fun to give it to her!

who's who?

On my plane ride over to Boise before Christmas, I finished reading a book about twin relationships. My twin had recommended it to me. It was pretty life changing. It helped us sort out some life experiences, and really helped us to be closer. Being a twin is part of my identity, and I love it, but with it has also come things that most people don't have to deal with. Lately I have really been sad, thinking about how this piece of me is living 3000 miles away. Oh the things we could do together! I love Mal, and I love having someone who is so like you that sometimes it's creepy. Our voices are exactly alike, and our husbands will never be able to tell the difference.

These are a few of my favorite childhood pictures. Which one am I? I'll give you a hint. I'm always in pink. ps. this book also made me realize how hard it would be to be a sibling of a twin. Sorry jake. We love you!

felt manila envelope? perfect.

I am trying to finish some last minute christmas gifts, and I turned to my library for inpiration. I hadn't looked at this book in a while, it has amazing projects all made out of felt. My love for Japanese craft books is never ending. This book gave me some great ideas, just what I needed for some motivation for being in a making frenzy!

Title: not sure
ISBN: 978-4-579-11115-2

it's all about the chocolate

When I read about Orangette's chocolate granola through Karyn's blog post, I knew I had to try it. Chocolate! for sure. But I also took a suggestion from Nigella Lawson's cookbook, and added another chocolate ingredient, dark chocolate cocoa powder (about 1/4 cup mixed in to the dry ingredients to a double recipe of the granola). All I could imagine was cocoa puffs, turning the milk into chocolatey goodness. I had it this morning, and it was better than I could even dream! Sliced almonds, coconut, and chunks of dark chocolate.

ornaments

Today I finished up my ornaments for a swap. I made a bunch of pom poms from yarn from my stash. Pom poms are the greatest especially a large one on a tiny hat.

Also I can show off my newest ornament of this season, from Vicki, our awesome second storie table neighbor. I stared at her ornaments all weekend, I loved them all. I was so elated when she gave us her last one!

looking to 2010

We got shanna's calendar up, which is the first thing we have put up on our walls so far. We are in the process of getting everything together to hang, we've never been able to put up everything we love. We are getting in the Christmas spirit, baking cookies, Tyler made white chocolate pretzels, and there is a generous layer of snow on the ground.

Yesterday we had Tyler's classmates over, which involved a lot of treats and our first of many Jean Claude Van Damme nights. I had never seen one of his movies, and we watched "blood sport" (training montage: van damme does the splits like a million times in the movie esp. awesome around 3:00) It was so fun to laugh and watch some terrible acting and ninja moves.

We went to some thrift stores yesterday looking for frames, and I found a bunch of wool/blend fabrics, perfect for my upcoming dress making. I am making that dress during christmas break when I have my mom to tutor me. I'll keep you up on my progress.

Braids today?

Here are a couple of the things I got at second storie. Shanna drew and painted this for me. She has the greatest braids ever. Abby got a great pic of them here. Seeing her braids make me happy. It makes me think about when I was younger and had long hair and my mom loved to braid me and my sister's hair. "who wants a big fat braid?" she would always ask because our hair is so thick our braids were major. My mom's braids were always perfect, super tight, and never a bump anywhere. I remember a picture where my mom had just learned how to braid and there was a picture of me and mal looking up in these really fluffy dresses.

We also got a great print from Abby. I love those glasses. Abby shoots all her pictures with vintage cameras and film. You know that crazy stuff you can't see after you take a picture? I also was so happy that she was from portland, I grasp at anything that connects me with Malorie.

Speaking of my clone, I get to see her and all my family really soon! We can't wait to go home to idaho. I've been working on the 4th annual sasser handmade christmas, which got off to a later start this year, so I've got lots to do. It will be a little different, but I can't show until after the holiday.

second storie

Tyler was the best at the table. Talking to vicki, our awesome neighbor next to us.

betsy is so so awesome. and has the cutest southern accent.

shanna is the best. no other words. seriously.

made a great new friend. best laugh ever. we laughed a lot.

Getting back Sunday from Rochester, I had the greatest feeling. warm fuzzy ones. Second Storie was amazing. Met with friends, true friends. Met new friends, had amazing conversations, an amazing show, it was all great. I am so sad I can't see them everyday, but I know I will again. I was so inspired and creatively refreshed. I couldn't help but think about how I wished my sister was there, I would love to have her with me, and my family, who always have come and supported me in everything I do. Sometimes these highs make me think about how far we are from family and even any friends, we are on an island connected by many internet bridges. But at least we have that!

There were so many great vendors this year, I got so many great things! I am grateful for the tons of people in rochester who chose to give handmade and support them directly, which then supports the local economy.

I will be posting more about all the awesome stuff I got! And links to hopefully better pictures, sorry.