A Little Christmas Prep

As usual. I saw this idea in my latest Pottery Barn catalog. Remember the Advent Linen Bulletin Board of Christmas 2007? Well this is a set of small clay pots with tiny Norfolk pine babies and moss I scraped off the cement blocks holding up the perennial tables at work. One of the $4.99 foliage pots had six little stems jammed together so I very gently knocked the dirt off and separated the roots, potted them in new clay pots and topped with a patchwork of mosses. The original Pottery Barn display had seven pots and what we professionals @work think is just tips off a fir tree. No roots. My six pots are contained by a large terracotta saucer. the Pottery Barn pots are arranged on a large slab of tree trunk. This tiny forest of trees, with my discount, came to $8.01. I plan to display these trees on my coffee table, dining table etc. Wherever I need a "little" Christmas centerpiece. And add candles in short crystal glasses.

I skipped Art Club last evening and served a mini Thanksgiving dinner to my husband, who adores Thanksgiving dinner because he was born on Thanksgiving Day, in time for dinner. I purchased a roasted turkey breast from the grocery deli, a can of Stove Top, 6 sweet potatoes to bake, some broccoli (the Brussels sprouts were too large), Knorr Roasted Turkey gravy mix and a can of store brand cranberry sauce. Next time, and there will be a few more of these meals this season, I'm going with Ocean Spray. It just has a fuller cranberry flavor.

Then I did something I ADORE! I read a book. All the way from start to finish (at 1:52 am). Mary Kay Andrews "The Fixer Upper". Frothy but with antiques, home dec and romance. I feel rejuvenated.

I have a "whole lotta" pork in the crock pot out on the sunporch slow cooking it's way to pulled pork goodness. I know it's not really "pulled pork" but I love the stuff. And I'll call it that if I want. As soon as I finish writing this post, I have to dump it all out and fork shred the meat and add BBQ sauce and let it cook for 8 more hours. I don't like the dumping and shredding mess in the morning. I don't have the stomach for it.

G has today off and he and Riley have gone out for their walk. G has his newly tuned up hearing aids in so he'll be having a "new and improved" walk and will be able to hear what the dog hears. Riley has been chasing a cat out of our yard. Where the cat lives is anyone's guess. So the walk will be interesting.

I now have 6 West Wing episodes unwatched along with House, NCIS and Good Wife from yesterday. Good thing Wednesdays are terrible nights for television. Except for Top Chef.

No new art to report or show. I have been reading art blogs though, trying to get back into the artist mind frame. I slip away from it for long periods of time and it's getting harder and harder to reenter. It's all learned, intuitive gestures and movement. And not doing the work leads to not being able to do the work. Terry ( Sew it Goes)has given me some ideas on reworking older, unfinished pieces, into new work. I've been thinking about this idea for a few hours. "What If" ing (Jude in Spirit Cloth)to try out a few hand sewing things in my head. And Deborah showed me pieces using heavy felt instead of batting. Changes the texture and "body" of the work which I liked very much. So I have many new paths to follow.

And I have my annual limited series of ten Christmas Trees to make and send out as cards. What will I create for this year? The hardest part of this series each year is choosing what materials I will use and what technique to work with. I've used watercolors, pastels, fabric and paper collage. Lots to think about.