The Warmth of the Season

I have to admit, I've been cold. Very, very cold. Finally, I'm warm. Very, very warm. I will upload pics as soon as I can, but I don't have internet service where we are staying, so this is just a quick update.

I had no idea I missed Tucson this much. I feel...home. I am able to melt into the crowd here, unknown to most (since there are rather large crowds here), and take in the scenery, along with the simple pleasures of the Southwest: the metal desert animals scampering up adobe walls along the road, the purple mountains looming in the distance like old friends to welcome you home, the saguaros warming themselves in the sun without a care--similar to the way Snugglebug sleeps in her bed. I even appreciate the rectangular reflectors used to define the lanes on the road--something the snowplows of the Midwest would never allow. Will I really have to leave?

Christmas Traditions

We don't have many out-of-the-ordinary Christmas traditions (or at least what I would consider so), but this is my one tradition since I was a very little girl.  My mother would put a pile of Christmas records on the record player in the foyer, and I would sit in the living room on the old, uncomfortable green sofa that weighed a ton and was therefore never moved from the house (until it was sold, I believe).  The room would be dark, the Christmas lights would be flashing in multi-color brilliance, and the flames of Christmas candles would flicker in the dark.  It may have been 80 degrees outside (it was Tucson, after all), but it was Christmas.  Anyway, without further ado:



Merry Christmas!

Hedgy the Hedgehog Ornament

It hit me last week that I will need a Christmas present for Lovely's teacher....this week.  What could I get?  What could I make?  I love crafts, but I have so little time...then I came up with an idea.  A hedgehog!  It's the class pet, so surely her teacher would like it, right?  I thought of a design in my head, created a pattern, and got sewing.  Three hours and three hedgehog-wannabes later, I was no closer to a present good enough for someone who helps guide my daughter every day. 

What to do..what to do...And then I came upon this pattern on the web.  Check it out--it's adorable!  And sew easy!  One stop at the fabric store tonight and two hours later, I have a completed holiday ornament for Lovely's teacher!  Yay! 

This is the back of the hedgehog.

Here's the front.

Voila!  (Sorry, I don't know the symbols to use for this blog to properly write voila)

I did adjust the size of the hedgehog pattern, and I used flowered material for the front and striped material for the back.  I used felt leavish-shapes (hand-cut--I don't have the right die for my Sissix) for the quills, and I scrunched up some felt for the nose.  I used purple buttons for the eyes and pink ribbon for the hanger.  If a hanger is unwanted, you could actually hide it under the felt :) 

I feel so crafty today!  What's your craft story?

Almost There

Whew!  One paper DOWN!  Over 4,000 words, that is!  I don't remember working so hard on a paper--seriously!  I put off looking at my instructor's comments, only to find he hardly made any--and what he mentioned didn't seem very difficult to fix...maybe I'm missing something? 

So, in order to receive my credits for classes this semester, I only have a conference proposal to tweak and another HUGE paper to finish.  As you can see, I'm procrastinating.  It's my thing.  Don't judge. 

On another note, the holiday season has finally arrived and I'm going to have to face it:  Christmas is coming.  I have the presents bought for the girls, the present bought for myself, and the present bought for Hubby.  Only four presents to go, and I'll be home free.  I think I may put up our small Christmas tree, too, and decorate a little around here.  After I clean, that is.

I know--such exciting news.  I'm really just procrastinating.  I already told you:  don't judge.