Winter is here.

Okay, I'll try not to post any more snow pics, but it's so beautiful out and so out of the ordinary for here that I just can't stop. :-)

Garden sno-art.

Snow at sea level.

The pictures say it all. It's been a very snowy day here on Puget Sound!

Aunt Sophie

My Aunt Sophie would have been 89 today, but she passed away this year on Mother's Day. She was quite a woman. I pray I have a bit of her vim and vigor in me all the way to the end. Her body was seriously failing near the end of her life, but her mind was all there. And even though she was in so much pain she got herself up and dressed everyday. Nothing could keep her down!

Family and friends have some wonderful Aunt Sophie stories, but one of my favorites happened not too long ago. She lived in North Hollywood and one day just after pulling out of her driveway, a man approached her car window and asked for some cash. She pulled out her wallet to give him a couple of bucks and he grabbed for the wallet. Well she held on to that wallet, but so did he. So she bit his arm! He gave up and she won, mind you, at 88 years young!

Below is a stained glass piece she made for me about 25 years ago.

Ja cie kocham Aunt Sophie!

"Vintage" handmade ornaments.

My mother made these ornaments for me in the 70's. I still love them! And they are still in great condition. Aren't they cute?

It's scary to use the word "vintage" on some of my very own original possessions, but I guess it's a fact, these possessions of mine from the 60's and 70's are old. And of course when I go into an antique shop I see so many things that I wish I had kept. Like when my friend Pam came up from Portland and we went to the Pyrex Museum in Bremerton. She blogged about it before I had a blog...check it out here. Check out her whole blog, "One Gal's Trash" ...you'll see she has a wonderful eye for all that vintage stuff.

Ten days 'til Christmas!

Snow day.

Snow in the garden. We had just about an inch of snow last night, which isn't much, but it sure turns the winter garden into something a bit magical.

Christmas in a small town.

My absolute favorite part of the December holidays here on Bainbridge Island is this fire truck! Every year it slowly drives the streets of the Island all lit up and blaring Christmas music. It was scheduled to come by last night, but our weather forecast was horrible so I was thinking it might be canceled. I never should have doubted....it's the fire department!!! What a wonderful gift they give us every year. Thank you!

Not much blogging this week. I've been so busy with cards, my own and others, and although I'm loving the blogging thing, I really love making, addressing, and sending cards! I miss having the sewing machine out too, but I'm making plans in my head for January after the kids are back in school....quilt, quilt, quilt.

A Seattle morning.

My daughter and I made a trip on the ferry into Seattle this morning to go to URBAN CRAFT UPRISING! It was so worth it. We had great weather and good timing with the ferry and bus, but we were not among the first 100 who got a goody bag. We were there 40 minutes before the 11:00 a.m. opening, but alas the line was very long. We made a few purchases, my favorite being a 2009 letterpress calendar from Ilee Papergoods. The images below are kinda random....the dots are from a valet's stand on First Avenue and the "purple" building is the EMP (Experience Music Project) taken from the monorail station. What a color!

"Stitched In Time"

Yeah! I received my signed bookplate from Alicia Paulson to put in my copy of her book, "Stitched In Time." Have you seen this book? If not, you must. It is full of amazing projects and not only is it written by Alicia, she has done the photography, illustrations and styling!!! Obviously she has and had many fans before I came along, but I’m so happy to have found this talented woman. She has wonderful projects and photography on her blog too. I especially love her post on Bainbridge Island! And here is the post on how you can get a signed bookplate for your book too.