it's about time

I am finally getting my elf on and making some Christmas presents. What I have not been doing is making my usual internet rounds (and I probably will be scarce until after the holidays), but the reason has changed a bit. Before, it was because I was in denial and did not want to expose myself to bandwidths of holiday cheer and other people's festive preparations, which would only make me feel simultaneously Scroogier about my own lack of festivity and panicked at being so behind in my own preparations. Now, it's because the panic has caught up with me and I am so busy making up for lost time. In other words: it's not you, it's me.

Now that I have finally gotten into gear, I feel a lot better about everything. Not only knowing that Christmas will come for my loved ones this year, but when I am making presents, that is when I truly feel the Christmas spirit. Not to get all hokey on you, but the Christmases since I gave up Christmas shopping have been the best of my life.

By the way, did I mention we got a menorah this year? Actually J made one out of bamboo left over from our powder room floor. We were having dinner with friends during Hannukah, and Iris was full of questions about their menorah, which led to the telling of the Hannukah story, which captivated her, and a little gelt after dinner didn't hurt either. I love the Hannukah story and the symbolism of the candles myself, so I may have enjoyed this addition to our holiday ritual as much as she did.

Anyway, here is a sneak peek at a present now completed, but which I cannot show in its entirety because its recipient has been known to lurk around here. I promise full disclosure later.


My mother doesn't hang out in cyberspace, so I can be a little more bold. Guess what I'm making her?



OK, that wasn't much to go on. How about this – now can you guess?



Felting those sweaters sure was fun – I just let my front-loader do the work.

I was playing with the idea of making Little Miss Dress-Up a crown for Christmas, especially since she has recently promoted herself from princess to queen, but then this injected pure inspiration into my veins.



I whipped this little number up last night after Iris went to bed. Very satisfying to go from vague idea to checking another gift off the list in such a short time – and to be happy with the results! By the way, that's supposed to be an iris there on the front, not tonsils as someone (coughmy mothercough) thought. I know you wouldn't make that mistake, but I just want to be perfectly clear.

OK, back to the salt mines.