Seriously. I should stock up on like 10 boxes of these. I am thinking about it.

I have been waiting for them all year!

Hairy got a Trader Joe’s gift card and we went to town! So much joy. It’s the little things. Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s!!!!

In other news, I kept forgetting to tell you guys that I wrote a little article for the first issue of the new Cupcake Magazine. It’s very sweet and pretty, and I hope I didn’t throw a wrench into it by being goofy. I just wanted to do something different than a regular Q&A!

I have not really been crocheting the past few days. I have been drawing and drawing and drawing for my big project. As you may already know, I am not good at drawing, especially on the computer! I have a very limited knowledge of Photoshop, and pretty much NO knowledge of Illustrator. I do not fancy myself a graphic artist by an means, so having to come up with a bunch of visuals is really weird for me, and I have little confidence in it. However, I do want my “stink,” so to speak, all over this project, so I am going to do my best to make it as Twinkie Chan-riffic as possible! Sorry this is all so vague. I can’t really reveal anything yet…!

So, instead, I will share some things I have bookmarked lately!! You can click on the images to go to their respective pages!

What is everyone doing for NYE? Usually we do nothing. Last year we went to Tahoe, which was kinda weird, but at least fun to play in the snow! I’m curious especially about what people in SF/Bay Area are up to!

Hope everyone had a great Xmas!

Hairy and I started off with brunch with his parents, and then we went to my parents’ house for dinner and our annual White Elephant gift exchange.

Bibi brings Xmas cheer.

It took a few years of convincing my mother this was a good idea, and that we were growing up and didn’t need to be exchanging a kabillion presents every Xmas. She was very unfamiliar with the idea and was skeptical and confused, but now it’s like the greatest fun ever! Yay!

I think that one of the strategies for a good white elephant is to bring something you yourself would want. This was Hairy’s strategy. Dutch baby pancake mix from William Sonoma. I had initially also followed this strategy by purchasing something at Renegade which I think I will not reveal just yet and use in a future giveaway package. Anyway, my new strategy was to bring something I knew that someone else would want for sure and in particular. My target was my sister in law. She likes Starbucks. She likes owls. I did the math.

He is rendered a bit less practical with his wings and tail sticking out. If I ever make another one, I will leave out the wings and tail (or at least sew down the wings) but definitely keep his cute dangly legs! I love how he turned out, and I really want to make some time to create more in foodie-themes. Animals are really easy to make cute in coffee-sleeve/cozy form, so I have to think hard about this foodie thing!

Anyway, my Aunt Mary ended up taking the owl home. Now she wants a different one for every day of the week!

In some more Xmas spirit, I received this really touching msg on Etsy from a commission I completed on Wednesday and sent via Express mail. Sorry about the link, but the pic is kinda too wide to post in my blog. Jeanne asked me to create this fairly involved piece for her daughter, and I was a bit intimidated by the project at first, but I think it turned out super cute, and I was definitely inspired to make new projects from things I learned while making this.

Since every “swatch” on the scarf is a different design, I created a short and crappy video to show you guys instead of posting 17 different pictures.

Anyway, my Etsy shop is looking pretty barren right now, but I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to devote to it while I work on my big deadlines coming up. Don’t want to spoil what it is yet until I sign ink to paper, but it’s huge. Real huge. Exciting, Stressful. Amazing. Strange. Everything life should be! Balls to the wall, 2010!

xoxo

p.s. you know you are getting old when you are excited to use the new STEAM CLEANING machine you got for xmas to clean everything from the upholstery to the toilets!

This is the only handmade item I managed to squeak out for the holidays this year! Sad! I just didn’t haven enough time to make stuff for everyone, but at least my mom got a cozy! Lemon-flavored desserts are one of her faves!

For Hairy’s mom, I was going to try making cheese straws. I had them for the first time in South Carolina many years ago. Hairy always says his mom is big into crackers, and for some reason, homemade cheese straws as a gift came to mind.

I looked through a bunch of different recipes and settled on this one by Ina Garten. I figured if she thought it was delicious, it would surely be a winner. And while they ARE delicious, they aren’t really what I think cheese straws are, which actually have cheddar cheese in the dough, and end up more like a really long and giant Cheez-It.

Hairy then took over the kitchen to bake some ginger loaves. Whenever Hairy cooks, Bibi likes to wedge herself between his legs. She picks the most inconvenient spot ever to chillax. This happens all the time and is so funny to me. Even when she was a teeny tiny puppy, she liked to watch Hairy cook, and it really had nothing to do with waiting to be fed or finding crumbs. I think she just likes to be where everyone else is.

Here’s a quick pic I took of a cup. I want to do a whole scarf full of different cups and mugs filled with tea or coffee or hot cocoa!

On Christmas day, Hairy and I will eat brunch with his parents, and then we will have dinner at my folks’ house. Oh crap. I forgot to wrap our presents for the White Elephant gift exchange! Best do it now before I forget!

I hope everyone has a relaxing and delicious holiday!!!
xoxo

Thanks so much for entering my first blog giveaway!!! It was nice to hear all your memories and favorite treats! I also loved hearing from folks who read my blog but don’t often comment, so thanks again for saying hello! Sorry I couldn’t reply to everyone!!!

And the winner is …..

Congrats, Jade!!!!! I will be emailing you shortly!!

I hope everyone has a a happy holiday season!