Yearly Archives: 2008

Here are a few pics of the past week…lots of snow and baking and snuggly baby goodness

Welcome to the world, Lillian Audrey Docherty
Dec. 14, 9:20 am…

We went to get our tree on Sunday, and I finally finished decorating it today! Usually I am all fired up and finish it right away, but this year, I just puttered along, taking my time. Clara is very, very excited for the tree this year, and very, very excited for her "new toys" and Santa Claus, and snowmen, etc, etc. It is so cute, and has allowed us to sort of recapture the magic of Christmas. I knew that once she started to really understand, then it would bring back all of the familiar little twitters of excitement that surround the holidays that had started to fade.  That said, I have decided that I will not be making any animals this Christmas. I am really enjoying spending this time with my little family, and trying to savor every moment. It seems like such a special, fleeting time, and I hate the idea of having a deadline looming. I kept putting it off, and putting it off (even though my head was swimming with tons of cute ideas!) and whenever I would sit down to get anything done, I inevitably just wanted to go and snuggle with Clara and read a book, or go up to the nursery and fold clothes or something.  Speaking of which, the ultimate deadline is looming…baby's arrival is officially on the calendar (if she doesn't get here on her own sooner!) and she will be here by Christmas if all goes well.  SO…I hope those of you who were wanting to buy a festive little critter will not be sad…I will certainly have new work available in the coming months, but right now I just need to cozy up and enjoy these fleeting moments and bake some cookies.

I adore these. I wish I had some money to throw around on such a thing. I may just have to buy one a year or something. I don't know if the cookies one makes with them are even tasty (it's rare for me not to like a cookie, however) They are so lovely and folksy and would look particularly sweet all hanging together in a little collection on my kitchen wall.   from here

A nice relaxing day around here. I just worked on some new Christmas animals…(I really want to have a Christmas update before baby arrives!) and puttered around the kitchen.  Our neighbor,  in a rather neighborly fashion, brought us a bag of apples from his orchard, so I decided to bake an apple crisp. Why would I cook unnecessary things the day before Thanksgiving, you may ask. Well, because we are actually going somewhere else this year! I've hosted the past couple of years, and am in no physical condition to spend all day on my feet in the kitchen this year. I only have to bake a pumpkin pie tomorrow morning! Woo-hoo!  What will I do all morning??

I also made this little yarn wreath ala Katie Runnels! She has a tutorial in CraftStylish magazine! While this in no way compares to the lovely, perfect wreaths she creates, it was alot of fun to make and I can see these being very addictive! If you haven't seen her gorgeous work, go check it out! Her wreaths are so vintagey and perfect, with such great color combinations. I have yet to decide where I am going to hang it, so, yes, it is just lying on a table right now.

Here is one with belly in the shot. oops!

This is an amazing little thing…chocolate cake in a cup that you cook in the microwave. The whole thing takes about 5 mins, and when one is desperate for chocolate cake, you can't beat that. It actually worked and was pretty good. I think I would up the chocolate factor by drizzling something on it after it is done…chub chub. recipe here

We had a nice little adventure yesterday, again at Pop-pop’s farm, foraging for winter greens to decorate with. The woods around our house are strangely lacking in evergreen trees, and I decided I better get out to to the farm with the pruning shears and start clipping before I can barely walk. (3 1/2 more weeks to go!…hopefully not longer) It was so cold but invigorating to tromp around the fields, and we came back home for some hot cocoa to warm us up.  A nice way welcome the holiday season!

I just got back from a busy day of running around for Dr. appointments, and other pregnancy related things. An unexpected trip to have baby's heart checked out left me in a bit of a tizzy, but all is well. Oh, I just can't wait until she is here, safe and sound, and we can all snuggle up by the Christmas tree!!

I'm sure by now, you have all seen this magazine, "Where Women Create", but oh, it is filled with such inspiring spaces! Really, it makes me feel pretty sad about my pathetic little work area in the living room.  I suppose we will just call it "cozy" !! Anyway, this magazine will leave you inspired. There are tons of little interesting items and details to look at in each studio.

The house smelled so yummy today! The chilly weather inspired me to try a slow-cooking beef recipe from the Tasha Tudor cookbook. It took almost 5 hours in a 250 degree oven, as opposed to a woodstove or open fire, as suggested in the recipe.  If  I had a woodstove or giant fireplace, believe me, I would have cooked it on there, I was feeling so like a colonial New England housewife.  Needless to say, it smelled better than it tasted. But it was still a good thing to have roasting away on a cold Autumn day.

I have a list that is a mile long of things I want to get accomplished before baby arrives.  I have been spending my days slowly plugging away, washing baby clothes and linens, cleaning the nursery, organizing other areas of the house that have been bugging me. I really want to have everything in order, since I know chaos will rule when she gets here! Oh, and there are so many things I want to make!! But I am seeming to get wrapped up in the household tasks instead.
I have a zillion thrifted wool sweaters that have been in the attic, for, oh, years, which I started  to felt today for some projects I have in mind. I would like to try to make as many Christmas gifts as possible this year, so I really better stop making lists and talking about it all, and just get busy. The holidays always sneak up on me, every year! And then I swear to myself, that next year, I'll get started early! Ha!

Oh, take a look at this great work by Tammy Smith of Homemade Circus.  I am so smitten with it; I want it all!! I noticed it on Katie Runnel's blog (she always posts about such fantastic artists! )

Well, I am off to scrounge up some chocolate before dragging my big pregnant bod off to bed (yes…it's not even 9:00!!) 

We've been busy around here getting ready for baby. One big step was transitioning Clara from the nursery to her new big girl room and bed! She did an amazing job adjusting to such a big change. She slept through the night on her first night in her new twin bed, and is now on night 5 with no problems! She hasn't even shown any interest in her old room. I'm so proud! Here are some carefully edited pics of the new room, since it is already very messy! It's amazing how quickly a toddler can trash a room.