New kid on the block!

My big brother holding his firstborn son.  

Welcome to the world 

Little K.

Handcrafted Christmas

 This year was all about crafting!   You saw the quilts Mom made for us in the posts below. None of the rest of us went quite so elaborate.  I made the Quick Change trousers above from Anna Maria's book.  They are so soft and thick.  Corduroy, flannel, and cotton.  Fully reversible and so easy to whip together.  Can't wait to see them on the nephews and niece!! I made Jer a matching hat, but had to throw a hot pink liner in it as a tribute to his papa. 

For Mom & Dad I cut down wine corks to make them a set of coasters and a trivet.

 I also made several of these reusable snack bags using this tutorial.  Mommas can always use more fun ways to carry foods for those growing moppets!

 

M made several of the bubble magnets for Nanna to have more ways to hang all that art work Conner and Marion will be doing.

 I bought some local goat's milk soap from Hyalite Farms and wet felted it with roving from local sheep.

 M made a star lantern (and can't wait to make more for her own room!) They are so pretty.

 And this roll-up-take-anywhere Hopscotch mat and beanbags (actually filled with rice) for those rainy days when the kids have to be inside.

Of course, M knitted up a storm of hats and wraps for the long, cold days ahead. She is so fast too!

My little gnome I felted will hopefully soon be the new mascot of the Adventure Explorers of Hotels, Beaches & Campsites club (so named by Con-man).  He'll be a bright, happy edition to the nature table if he doesn't go adventuring though.

and lastly, chalkboards!  They must be all the rage right now because it took me 6 stores to find chalkboard paint in stock! I hung mine a bit differently than the one above.

Hope everyone enjoys their goodies.  I had big dreams and visions of doing so much more than this, but when you begin 2 weeks before Christmas, there is a bit of a crunch...  ahem... yes, well, live and learn. None-the-less, they were all made with love,  + some blood and sweat and tears too, for those we adore.
 I should also show you what the girls created for each other. ...

 M made a mixed media journal for C and C made a mixed media canvas for M! 

So thankful my kiddos love each other so deeply.

The Recieving of the Love

DPP '11 :: swaddled ::

... in Grandma's love

DPP '11 :: all ::

Merry Christmas from all us Pauls!

DPP '11 :: texture ::

DPP '11 :: friendship ::

What she sees in me I have no idea, but Oh! How I love her and am so blessed she loves me too. 

DPP '11 :: merry ::

Packages sent with Rudolf guiding the way...

DPP '11 :: flake ::

I couldn't let the kids have ALL the fun!

DPP '11 :: snip ::

Cassia and Minda invited Bruce over for his last night in town to make snowflakes.

I slept through it.  

All photos by Cassia and Minda.

DPP '11 :: welcome ::

Our front wreath was given to us by friends when we moved into our current home.  

It's become tradition around here to change out the picks for the changing seasons.

Summer is simply the Queen Ann's lace.  Autumn found Fireberries and vines
wrapped in amongst them.  Spring is yet to come, but Winter chose
the vibrancy of Cranberries.

DPP '11 :: Matthew 2:2 ::

Star light.

DPP '11 :: wrap ::

Way behind on getting things in the mail.

DPP '11 :: with ::

Coffee with friends this morning.  Always better when we are together.

DPP '11 :: longevity ::

editing some photos this morning . . .
Grandparents hold the rings of the newlyweds.
Held and blessed and bestowed.
This caught my heart today. Wondering if my children will be know such a moment.

DPP '11 :: goofy ::

Kung Fu Panda 2, Friends, Wine, and Noooooooodles!

DPP '11 :: outtake ::

So bad but, OH!, so good!  Hahaha!

DPP '11 :: drink ::

So they don't have to...

www.brownwatercoffee.com

DPP '11 :: kinfolk ::

The hardest thing about them growing up are the holidays when you want them home.

DPP '11 :: lunar ::

What an event!  I felt awe wash over me, standing there in the chill and quiet of the morning.

No tripod, just me and the hope of clarity of shot.
Decent, but no real justice of the beauty.

DPP '11 :: picked ::

i need to gather more. it's a beginning.

DPP '11 :: new ::

...at least to me.

Found these cute, little, red

shoes at the thrift store for $3.49. 

The perfect winter pick-me-up!

DPP '11 :: chilled ::

DPP '11 :: snackin' ::

Goat Cheese Bree!  Mmmm Mmmm Mmmmmmmm!

Such a warm, gooey, satisfying snack on a freezing day.

DPP '11 :: strung ::

 My friend, Shalet, over at Peculiar Momma made this felted acorn garland for me!  

Isn't it the cutest? 

 Aqua and red are sort of a lifelong infatuation.  

They never fail to make me smile when I see them together. 

 She sent me 2 six foot long garlands. 

I can't wait to hang them up!  I just need to decide where...

It's been rough for me to get motivated this year to put up decorations ~ which, for those of you who know me, you will be dumbfounded by, I'm sure.  It's true though.  Not a single piece of decor decking the halls as of yet.

Maybe today I'll go for a walk and find some lovely twigs and berries and begin there.

Craving

2 ½ c. chopped Turkey meat
½ c. chopped celery stalks and young leaves
½ c. diced onion
3 tsp. capers
1 clove crushed garlic
½ c. toasted almond slices
1 c. Grapeseed oil Veganaise
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp pink salt
½ tsp curry powder
juice of half a lemon

Mix it all together, thoroughly.  Refrigerate in airtight container for 2 hours, until chilled through.  Serve on a bed of Kale or cold Quinoa and a tear of Focasia bread as a pusher!  Delish!

A couple variation I do occasionally -
* Substitute ¼c. Pine nuts for the almond slices
* Add in ½ a diced green apple (for light tartness)
* Add in 1 diced Jalepeno (for kick!)
* Substitute chicken  or baked tofu for turkey

The baked tofu is actually my favorite way to make this.  I baked cubes of it for 30 min. in a tiny bit of Sesame Oil after marinating it in  Braggs Amino Acids for 15 minutes.   Then I leave the pink salt out of the recipe.  It's divine.

iPhone Christmas Stroll 2011!