Goodbye 2003.

This photo was taken in Venice a few years back, at the time I thought it was curious that the balcony was decorated with broken wine glasses dangling amongst the red geraniums.

Last week I read an article about global new years traditions , that shed some light on why those broken wine glasses were strewn up on that Italian balcony like glittering ornaments. In Italy, pots, pans, and dishes are flung out of open windows as a symbolic gesture of getting rid of the old to make way for the new. ...quite a passionate culture! The Scottish tradition isn't half bad either: it's a good omen if a "tall dark and handsome" fellow is the first to pass the threshold on new years day!

It's nice to follow holiday traditions...like giving a toast, watching the new years ball drop in Times Square, giving a kiss at midnight, sleeping outside in Pasadena to wait for the new years day parade, making resolutions, watching fireworks & enjoying really good food!

I think the most interesting thing that we ever did to celebrate new years was in my teens. We volunteered to decorate a float that was featured in the Rose Parade. It was a 3 story animated dragon that came to life out of a story book that a boy was reading. It was covered in flower petals, and seeds...& it smelled like a dream. On new years day we watched the parade from curbside in Pasadena, with a new sense of admiration for all of the laborious floats drifting down the street.

The resolution I've come up with this year, is to make a habit of spending our free time doing/experiencing things that we've never done before. I've made a mental list of a few: go see Varekai , make an Alice in Wonderland theme mini garden, visit the getty museum , start up my online store, take a road-trip up the coast in the mini (*cough* still waiting on that mini), take the Hearst Castle night tour , learn how to make a fondant cake , find a place to hang my new/unused hammock ...& read books outside when the weather is a little warmer, volunteer at the local childrens hospital as an art teacher, and to never overlook any invitations, golden oppotunities or delicious risks that come our way (that can happen on any random day of any random year).

...and to quit planning so much about future projects and just DO them .

For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are that you're not going to be very happy. If someone bases his happiness or unhappiness on major events like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn't going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness. - Andy Rooney

So many twinkly lights, so little time....Merry Christmas!
See you in 2004!

Here the bath salts are, basking in all of their holiday glory...how could I not show you?!

We live just minutes from Disneyland, and intend on going there tonight to see all of their holiday decorations & events. For the past three years I've been wanting to go experience the holiday version of the haunted mansion (Jack Skelington from the "Nightmare before Christmas" has taken residence there). So tonight...probably just for a few hours, we'll go use our free passes...see the 100ft tree... and twirl around in the snow.

It's a very Jerry Christmas.

This is the Christmas card I will be sending out to friends and family this year. Jerry (Springer spaniel)...he's such a doll. You know you have a good pet, when they willingly go along with wearing campy reindeer ears.

I am really behind on Christmas this year, no tree, no cards sent...now I'm trying to make up for lost time.

Last week I finished making lavendar bath salts as gifts. They turned out really wonderful. Aromatherapy galore! Of course, I had to try them out before I gave any away...and I'm glad I did, I realized that I needed to go buy some of those lavendar silky eye masks to go with them. That would be a treat. Maybe I'll even add a "Do not disturb sign" to hang on the bathroom door. A gift of total serenity.

I'm still looking for that last white elephant gag gift for our Christmas Eve exchange.
Maybe there's still enough time to order something silly from Archie McPhee or urban outfitters . I need to finish up all of my holiday shopping pronto!

New picks!

a random list of links : poisons & treasures

vintage fashion source books

yarn addict

mighty flirt (designer threads)

Posie rosy little things (accessories)

mosaic mercantile

miss pato (the best in web design)

Alice in Wonderland
various illustrations

Rasputina listen to a snippet of sweet water kill *audibles section

China Town, Los Angeles.

Yesterday, we hot-footed our way down the streets of china town in Los Angeles. I was on a quest to find a unique assortment of Christmas gifts for my friends and family. Oh, and drool on...because DID WE!

My hands were full with beautiful origami papers, parasols, colorful party lanterns, embroidered silk (pink) pillowcases, an amazing embroidered piano shawl, embroidered lipstick cases, an amazing array of Chinese folk art papercuts, embroidered thingys with gorgeous tassels and beautiful twirly knots, glass beads, geisha girl paper wallets, a recycled silk knit purse, a batik scarf...oh the list goes on and on! I sprawled it all out on my dining room table, oh the joy all of the colors gave me! It's a complete mess, but I want to leave it out there just to enjoy it a little bit longer.

On Christmas Eve, I throw a big party for our family. Everyone brings their favorite dish, wine, or dessert. I usually go all out on the invitations...last year I made cd invitations with alternative christmas music on them like enya, dido, dave matthews...etc. This year I think I'm going to pose the dogs like Christmas Elves, and make photo card invites. I love being cheeky. That's the big fun about our Christmas Eve party, it's completely unpretentious. After dinner we have what's called a "white elephant" gift exchange. (white elephant = gag gift!) Everyone brags about "what a great gift they found this year" (some of them are hilarious...and some would make you down right nauseated!) then we pick numbers out of a hat on who gets to pick their gift first. It's always better to get the highest number since you get to see everything already opened and can steal the coolest gift.

This silly gift exchange really makes the night easy going and fun...and we look forward to it every year. In fact I get to hear bragging about great white elephant purchases all year long! "Wait until you see what I'm bringing this year"!

On our China Town escapade yesterday, I found our white elephant...it's hilarious. I can't tell you yet for fear a relative might read this...but some past highlights include: an eight track tape of "disco noel", adult size bear claw slippers that "roar----ed" with every step, a very foul remote controlled sound machine, stripey toe socks...well, you get the gist!