Friday, December 28, 2007

December's Blurry Flurry

December was a blur to be sure. In fact the last few weeks were so filled with activity that I didn't even have time to breath, let alone blog.

So, how about we play a bit of catch up, eh? Oh, and let's set our little catch-up session to a bit of music.

Sound good?

Okay, here's my December...events, travels, gifties, eating, drinking, making merriment...dancing around...

Sing it with me peeps!

...A partridge in a pear tree!

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

An Ashford Knitters Loom!



Yep, about three weeks before the sparkling 25th day of the month, I encountered the hubs splayed out on the living room floor watching some sporting event on the tube and inquired as to his plans for my Christmas pressie. He looked at me with an expression that can only be categorized as blanc de blanc and answered, "I dunno." So as is my way, ever the organized visionary, I explained to him that I knew of the perfect pressie for moi and would be happy to facilitate his acquisition of said holiday magic. Needless to say he agreed and handed me his credit card. A week and a half later my lovely Ashford Knitters Loom arrived at our mailbox!

Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Two wonderfully woolly scarves!







The first example of scarfdom was created for me by my yarn-lovin' buddy, Ellen. Ellen's got a thang for Noro, which she used to crochet this beauty. Stunning eh?

The second example of scarfdom was created for me by my beautiful daughter. She even needle felted a little flower to adorn this lovely turquoise wonder. Stunning times two.

I love both of these scarves so much. Thanks girls!

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A ginormous Christmas tree!



We encountered this tree in San Francisco's Palace Hotel while simultaneously consuming copious amounts of breakfast buffet fare a few weeks ago.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Handfuls of homemade cookies!


Sugar cookies ready for the oven.


Oatmeal infused rancher cookies.


Always a crowd-pleaser, a plethora of ginger snaps.


German sour cream twists, my favorite cookies since girlhood.

The first weekend of December was spent with my sister, Stephanie, and our mother baking cookies from recipes found in my maternal grandmother's recipe box. Plentiful bounty resulted from this drawing of the three.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

An all expenses paid cruise to Alcatraz!


A view from the ship.


I took this shot at the beginning of out tour. We took the night tour by the way. So cool!


My daughter's cell. LOL

I am a native Californian and unbelievable as it may seem this was my first trip to The Rock. I definitely recommend taking this excursion should you ever find yourself in the Bay Area.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Time to design two new patterns for Crochet Today magazine!

Barely enough time, but I tackled the challenge of designing two projects during December anyway.

Yes, this would be further confirmation that I'm nuts.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Lots and lots of ballerina crotch!



Note to self...never ever sit in the front row of theater while attending a performance of the Nutcracker.

Um, yeah.

Did you know that ballerinas wear ruffled panties?

Sorry, I got nuthin' on the toe shoe front.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

The San Francisco skyline at night!



How beautiful is that?

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Perfect pecan and pumpkin pies!



Yes, I baked a lot this month.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A smile on my surly daughter's face!



Them smiles are hard to come by when one is inhabiting the teen years.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

The Raiders losing to the Colts!



I know. So what else is new?

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

The blessing of being able to share this holiday season with family and friends!

It just doesn't get much better than that!!

Happy New Year Everyone!

21 comments:

Elisa said...

Happy New Year! Looks like you had a fun-filled December. The Noro scarf is beeutiful. Would you share what pattern Ellen used? I need that scarf.

julrosec said...

I too must make/have that scarf, it's beautiful! Please may we have the pattern?

*eyelash-flutter*

Carol said...

A very Happy New Year to you and yours! Looks like a wonderful holidays season:) And extra points for a smiling teen!

Anonymous said...

Looks like an awesome visit to SF! I've got to check out the Palace Hotel, it's gorgeous!

Sus said...

So glad to hear you have had such a wonderful and blessed holiday season! Also, is it just me, or has The Teen grown up dramatically in just the last year??

sara said...

Great post! Your daughter is gorgeous!

Miz K said...

Very sweet post - thanks for sharing and glad to see you had a wonderful holiday!

Batty said...

What a wonderful Christmas! All that food, the pretty scarves, a beautiful tree to look at... and your daughter is a stunner. She really is.

stuffed said...

Happy New Year! :0)

Ellen Bloom said...

Happy New Year, Dollface! So glad you like the Noro "FAN-tastic" scarf. The pattern is in my queue on ravelry as a bookmark!

Crafty Christina said...

Happy Holidays!

Great wrap up!

noricum said...

Awesome scarves!

When I took ballet lessons when I was three I got to wear panties with ruffles on the butt for recital. I *loved* those panties. (What can I say? I was three.)

Caroline B said...

I am also drooling over that scarf! And your loom, and all those cookies and pies - we don't have them like that over here in Blighty!

Kimberly said...

What a busy December!

Wishing you all the best in 2008!

Madge said...

Happy Hogmanay to you and the other Monsters!

P.S. I wore ruffled bloomers in my wild 20s. I loved them.

Pam said...

Thanks for the 12 days of Christmas! You were busy, huh? I second everyone on how beautiful the scarf is. :)

carlita dee said...

Lordy, where did my other comment go?

Anyhow, Happy New Year!

Looks like the old one ended in high times for ya.

I am so going to copy your daughter's scarf for myself. That girl's got style.

:)

MonkeyGurrrrrl said...

I can't say enough how beautiful those scarves and your daughter are!!! Wee Linoleum is quite the looker (although she looks to be taking a public potty break on that cell shot!)

Mmmmmm. Gingersnaps...

Susan Schwake said...

how great! i wish ih ad seen that earlier in the "thick of it all"...
but it made me chuckle, sigh, comiserate (smiles from the teenies) and go green with envy (sfo skyline).... sigh. thanks!!!!

CopperScaleDragon said...

It looks like a wonderful Christmas! I really need to know how to make those German sour cream cookie thingies! They sound wonderful!!!

BTW, your daughter is a very pretty girl.

Jane

Anonymous said...

I love the first scarf, wonderful colors, beautiful desing... Can you share the pattern?

Thanks for showing your work! I have a crafts blog too and crochet is one of my favourites crafting activities.

Bye