So long, 2011.

I can't tell you what naked anthropomorphic pigs and a little mushroom house 

have to do with the New Year, but how could I resist their undeniable charms?

Don't forget to kiss your sweetheart at Midnight.

If you have no sweetheart, kiss yourself.

Christmas, Time, and Goodbyes

 It feels like it's been a month since I last visited this here blog space. This past week just slipped away. So much has been going on. Christmas morning came and went, as Christmases always do.

Unfortunately, there was a certain sadness that hung over the festivities. I've debated whether or not to share this with you all because I try to keep this blog arty and happy and positive, but in the interest of reality I'm sharing anyway. We had to say a very sudden and unexpected goodbye to one of Boy Kid's oldest and dearest friends. 

When College Girl found out that Joe had died she was as shocked as the rest of us and pretty much summed it up when she said, "But he was the best one!" He was such a nice kid. We've had the pleasure of knowing him since the boys were eight years old, and he always had a certain peace about him, an old soul kind of thing. I was remembering Boy Kid's 11th birthday party. It was a camp out. Campfire, tents, lots of running around getting dirty and whatnot. Joe was there along with maybe 10 other boys. Boys + Vast Quantities of Sugar + Fire tends to easily turn crazy, and sure enough chaos was beginning reign. I distinctly remember being all parent-like and thinking I'd better do something to diffuse the situation before it got completely Lord of the Flies when I looked over at Joe who was standing just outside the shenanigans looking quite amused. He looked back at me and shook his head, smiling, in a distinctly "boys will be boys" sort of way. He looked downright wise. Such a funny look from a little kid. We miss him already. And as we say goodbye to 2011, we say goodbye to Joe.

Getting Ready

I used the tutorial for this wreath here. . .

. . .to make some holiday cheer for my previously naked front door. I used fatter strips and went with a more traditional color palette, and while my version isn't as cool as the original, I still like it. And it's just made with a paper bag, so yay for free! (I actually used 2 bags, and had so many strips left over that I made a paper chain too.)

I used the bag handles to fashion a bow. 

Almost ready for the jolly guy's visit.

Time Off

The last of the orders will go out today, and then we'll officially be on vacation! I've been collecting tutorials here and there in anticipation of having a little time to play. 

Today I'll be making a wreath for my naked front door like this one here. . .

And I'm pretty sure I need to raid my scrap bin in order 

to make some reusable bows for presents, like these. . .

And this is just too darn clever not to make. . .

And some eyeball juggling balls for stocking stuffers? Yes please!

So I don't exactly need more ornaments, but who could resits the cuteness of this?

And cuteness that inspires extra kissing?? Oh yes.

I actually already made these. . .

I hung mine all snowball-like in a neglected corner.

And they weren't terribly hard to figure out.

Right now I'm cutting paper snowflakes for the front windows. I got it in my head that if I covered them front and back with clear contact paper I could use them year after year, and after much trial and even more error I seem to have it figured out. (Apparently, sticking two really long sheets of contact paper together in an attempt to be efficient only results in frustration, torn snowflakes, and curse words.)

Whee!

Last Day. Today.

Our shop will be open for one last day, today,

and then we'll be taking a break until after Christmas.

We're already not taking on any more made-to-order stuff, but there are still lots of ornaments, paper dolls, garlands, patterns, and a handful of hand-painted things left too.

I seriously cannot remember when I had more than 2 days off in a row. It has been years. Years! And as much as I enjoy my work (and I really really do), I'm doing silly little time-off dances in between filling the last of the orders. Oh yes, there is much shaking of the booty.

Our shop will close today at Midnight (EST). 

Get 'em while the gettin's good!

*tick tock*

The Dark Side of Christmas

 Around here, worst case scenario, naughty children can expect a lump of coal in their stockings in lieu of presents. Santa's kind of a pushover like that. Not so for children expecting a visit from Saint Nicholas. Apparently, traditionally speaking, Good Saint Nick has a rather nasty sidekick, Krampus.

 Krampus is a sort of anti-Santa, a demon who comes to punish children who misbehave during the year. Krampus Night is celebrated on the eve of St. Nicholas Day in Europe, particularly in Austria. NPR's Peter Crimmins writes, "The Krampus is a character from European Alpine folklore, common in Austria and Switzerland. The creature stands on two hooves and has horns growing out of its skull. An extremely long tongue hangs out of its mouth, and it carries a basket to haul away naughty children. For hundreds of years, the Krampus and Saint Nicholas have worked a kind of good cop-bad cop routine. Saint Nick rewards the good children; Krampus terrorizes the bad. " 

Yikes!

How would you like to go to this cheery parade on Christmas Eve?

Oh Santa, say it ain't so!

...................................................................

Okay fine Santa-dear, 

drink and smoke if you must. . .

 . . .but if you bring me an ironing board for Christmas, we're through!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It's looking mighty holly and jolly, merry and bright, joyful and triumphant around here.

Our tree is still naked though. Apparently my lights were having their own party whilst tucked away in their box because most of them have somehow managed to burn themselves out. Curious.

Hope you're all having a joy-full day. 

Or at least a day that contains a little bit of joy.

If not, here, you can have some of mine.

(It's the kind of thing that gets bigger as you give it away.)

Something-New Sunday

Ta-dah!

here

here

here

here

here

here

I had all these designs that I had originally made to be printed onto cloth and made into little stuffed ornaments (which we did), but I was looking at them and thinking what cool garlands they'd make so we got them printed up on some good cardstock too (that's what yesterday's pictures were of). Snip, snip, snip, thread them on some skinny ribbon, and voila-- garlandic goodness! Those last Santas are currently adorning our living room curtains. Those crazy skellies might have to stay up all year in the studio.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

Almost. . .

Looks like we'll have a Something-New Sunday tomorrow! 

Here's a peek at what I've been up to. . .

 

 

What am I doing with all these pages?

I'll show you later.