The new year is sneaking up on us

Baby it's cold outside by Lina Lou


Above: What I would wear tomorrow if I could :)
Below: Happy New Year!


Happy New Year by Lina Lou

Aaahhh... it's over

Merry Christmas... it's finally come and gone. Whew! It was very quiet this year, if I didn't know any better it would have been just another day.
Things I liked about our Christmas this year...
1. We got to sleep in and didn't have to drive anywhere (or really do anything for that matter)
2. I got to watch the birds have a Christmas buffet on our deck, very nice
3. I didn't have to cook
4. We went to a movie with our friends

There's quite a list of things I didn't like, but who wants to be a whiner (when all the whining has been already been done for me!! arrgg). I haven't been painting, I'm kind of in a funk about that too, and today we are going up to Corvallis to look at a car to replace my poor broken one. Hopefully if I get the car I will have some time out... I think maybe that's all I need.
Tomorrow is the party with the whole fam... it will be fun to watch the kids tear in to the presents. Maybe I need one of those light machines, I can hardly stand to be around myself... hahaha. Happy new year!

On the 1st day of christmas...

On the 1st day of Christmas my friends I give to thee...

A big orange persimmon in a tree.


Isn't it pretty? We had this poor stick of a tree sitting in our driveway in a black plastic pot (along with the rest of our copious plants) and didn't really give it too much attention, but late this year after every single leaf had dropped off the tree, there he was in all his glory the golden jewel of our little stick tree, Lord Paul the first of his majesty the Persimmon.

A very merry day to all on this first day of Christmas!

What a difference a desk makes!

So all of a sudden I'm painting more... and why? A little thing like a desk, set up in the corner, sort of in the way of the door and the closet has made all the difference. But we don't use either of those very much and I am loving having my own space where I can leave everything out and it doesn't feel like I'm messing up the whole house. Plus I have my wonderful office partner's inspiration :)
This one (which uploaded sideways for some reason) I sent as a thank you card... it was the stuff we talked about during lunch. The colors are not as reddish as in the picture and I think it turned out pretty good for what I wanted. On to the next one, or two or three :)

Snowflakes and snow

I'm very excited for it to snow this weekend. I know a lot of people think it's a total pain, but I just love the peacefulness of it. Watching the flakes come wafting down puts me in kind of a trance and I can watch until by feet fall asleep (I'm usually curled up tight with a blanket in a position that cuts off circulation to my lower extremities... I'm not saying it makes sense). Snow makes everything look and sound better, the first few days anyway.

I've also taken to making cutout snowflakes... here is a sample of the ones hanging in my front window.

It started with not really wanting to spend a lot of money on decorations and working with what I had on hand... lots of junk mail and paper to be recycled (the birthplace of creativity!!)... and it turned into a fun and addicting activity, something akin to doodling, only with scissors. It's super easy and they look great... right?

Composition #2

Here's my pick for the "shoe game"... GO!


#2 by Lina Lou

The pensive traveler

So I just got back from Salt Lake, which- I might add- was a balmy 50 degrees and sunny!!, and didn't see a smiggen of snow... none, zip, zero, nada. MDee just called to say it is dumping snow now and has been since I left... bleh!

So... I'm glad I went, it was a good thing to be there and visit... it was exhausting to meet new people and try to figure out what to say to them without sounding like I'm trying to think up something to say to them... and very good to be back. I didn't miss any flights, although going and coming were both delayed, and it went well, but I'm just not the traveler I hoped I would be. I love to be at home in my own environment and I tend to get very antsy and a little out of sorts when I have to tread around in a place other than my own without my stuff... hey, when did this happen?
So now I'm thinking about making cookies and maybe doing some decorating for Christmas... I made paper snow flakes all weekend and my variegated poinsettia is so pretty sitting on the wooden stork. I'm so much better with the whole season this year... thank you dear God for meds!!

So here are some fond Christmas Greetings to all... now back to painting. Hooray