not much, how about you?

I'm checking in to dust off my little corner of the blogosphere, not really knowing what I'm going to say. We have been having a quiet month. Wake, work, school, home, play, eat, sleep. Routine in the most comforting, contented sense. Outside of this, I haven't been doing much, but this has been enough. This, and noticing that the days really are getting longer and lighter. I can hunker down and enjoy this frigid patch of winter knowing spring is truly, if not right around the corner, then at least just a block or so away.


These days have been all about small pleasures. Like this wee plant our potter friend Gary – the one who made our bathroom sink – gave to Iris in a little pot he made. She would kill it with kindness if we let her (like, water it five times a day).

We did break with routine last weekend for a visit to Washington, DC to visit my sisters-in-law, or "the aunties" as they're more commonly known. I got to see the Joseph Cornell exhibit, which was amazing, and we had a belated Christmas gift exchange. Which means I can finally reveal the most intricate freezer paper stencil ever:


Ta-da! An Eleanor Roosevelt shirt for Auntie R.


And for Auntie A, a silk throw in her favorite colors, quilted and lined with cozy flannel. Except for the fabric and the colors, it's actually the exact same thing as Iris' blanket. I often make prototypes of new projects for her because neither Iris nor I will care if they're not perfect.

And I do have to show off the absolutely stunning vintage barkcloth fabric Ronica gave to me:


I could look at it for hours!

Now that Christmas crafting is finally over, I'm off to make valentines.