Christmas Wedding (Part One)

Just checking in with a preview peek of the bride and groom dashing out through a shower of rice. The wedding was gorgeous, Christmas was lovely, then the flu hit hard. Beautiful photos to come!

Inexpensive Wedding Napkins

I bought a few yards of bleached muslin, washed and dried it, and used pinking shears to cut it into 18" squares. We starched and pressed each napkin (it was awesome, mixing up a big basin of starch, dipping each napkin in and wringing it out--so vintage), then folded it into the squares you see. On wedding morning, each side will be pulled out so that each napkin will be a dimensional flower. In 100% cotton, which you cannot get at the rental store around here.

The Light in Winter

Why was winter never my favorite season? The light is so beautiful--the long shadows, the low sun, the golden woods.

Fruitcake Saturday

I had a great day of cooking and baking Saturday, with a cake count of six, and cake production pausing only for a quick trip to the bridal salon for Bella to be fitted for her dress. The girls and I had the Christmas crooners playing on a Pandora station and competed to see who could be first to identify Bing, Perry, or whoever else it was. Come what may this season, the fruitcakes are in the freezer.

Oil Painting: Roses (A Long Time Coming)

This painting has taken me a most uncharacteristically long time. The problem is that I slapped some big flowers down on a canvas with no real plan and set up some major compositional problems for myself.

It's been oriented this way. Also, upside down. Also, sideways. It's had any number of blossoms, from four to nine.

It's not done yet, but it's getting close. 

The Power of Habit

I am loving this book, The Power of Habit. It's making me rethink all of my routines and rituals, wondering how I can harness them up to hone in on things I want to change and accomplish.

It's a very easy read, and I've been reflecting as I go through the book on positive habits I've succeeded in installing (flossing, housecleaning, planning), and negative habits I want to ditch. It's the whole idea of changing your course by a single degree, to find yourself miles away from where you would have been. Exciting, and perfectly time for a new year!

Head Above Water, Barely, Again

Whew. This is just a busy, busy season. Travel, wedding, giant party, whole-house renovation, work. My idea is that all of it will be finished by January, and then I will sit down with Sister in my arms.

*****

I posted this last fall. I am reposting it again as my current truth, although I have finished my travel, am working more, and am only renovating a garage apartment. Besides those changes, I'm right back where I was last year!!

Pickles

A few weeks ago a tiny, teenincey (as we say in the South) kitten showed up on the back porch. He was almost too small to eat crunchy cat food. But he kept at it manfully.

We are not keeping him. We are not keeping him. But we feed him twice a day (breakfast at 7:00 a.m., tea at 4:00 p.m.) just like we do Mr. Collins, the dignified ginger tabby that's been hanging around the porch for a couple of years.

We're still not keeping him, but since Daisy has initiated him into the pleasures of petting and lap-sitting,  it looks like we're going to be able to get him to the vet for a fixing and some shots. I think that battle has been won.

A Bear for a Baby

I found a cashmere coat at the thrift store in the perfect color, if you were wanting to make a bear for a baby, which I was.

In fact, I've made two. I machine-stitched the pattern pieces together, but then the head, body, arms, legs, etc. all have to be joined by hand, which is always awkward until I get the hang of it.

Holiday Manners

Miss Manners hard at work getting out the holiday edition of her column, addressing all her readers' questions about how much they can eat at Thanksgiving, the conundrum of taking seconds,  and other burning issues.

The Things We Did Before Thanksgiving

Clara polished the silver. Bella picked up the forgotten groceries.

I made the cranberry sauce and cornbread for the dressing. 

We all cleaned the house.

The Golden Woods

Sunday afternoon was perfect for a hike. Daisy didn't want to drive anywhere though, so we did what we should do more often--we walked through the backyard and down the back side of the mountain.

It had literally been years since I had done this. It's very, very steep--you almost have to slide down. At the bottom, you come out in a perfect golden valley, and then you can walk over to the road and have a reasonable stroll home.

However, we abandoned reason, and came huffing and puffing back up the steep way,  just to keep in practice.

Modern Crib Quilts (for Twins) (or Not)

I am not joking when I say I am cranking through my stash. These two are the first of many quilting projects that will go in the shop. I've been busy the last couple of months! 

All linen tops, hand-quilted with lots and lots of quilting.

Navy Wool Cape

When I get time to sew these days, I'm still busting away at my stash. This cape used up two lengths of vintage wool--navy for the outside and gray for the inside. Shop here if you're interested!

Georgiana, a Doe

Daisy has just branched out to true dairy goats, and now has a herd of one Saanen doe. Georgiana has never been bred, but that will happen in February in hopes of a July kidding, then plenty of goat milk.

 Daisy still has her two little Nigerian dwarf friends--a wether, and a female too tiny to breed. Milking a goat will be taking her responsibilities to the next level, for sure.

And thanks everyone for your kind wishes to Bella and Arthur! We are so happy to welcome him to our family. Stay tuned for wedding details . . .

Bella Has a Ring to Show You

A Baby at the Stone House

Strictly speaking, when these pictures were taken, baby August was still in the hospital.

But he is at the Stone House now, thrilling everyone with his dimpled chin.

Unexpectedly, I ended up attending the birth and helping Eliot coach Emma through her labor.

She was magnificent--such strength and determination.

And she is richly rewarded for all her hard work.

Oil Painting: First Draft, and Finished Project

I thought you might like to see the difference between half-way done and all the way done. The right half of the canvas was quite empty, and pulling your eye away from the subject, so it's been darkened. The shadows were too warm, so they have been cooled down with blue and a cool purple. More darks in the vase give it more depth. 

Clara's Tatting

I don't know how to tat, but Clara has taught herself. She's done shuttle tatting and needle tatting (like this) which she says is much easier. This is going to be a snowflake. 

Oil Painting: Chubby Roses