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The Tree Skirt!

As I wrote about previously, this holiday season I decided to make a tree skirt, based on a Fair-Isle-Meets-Midcentury design. It is finished!! I am beyond pleased with it. The colors, shapes, sparkle, and texture are all just what I’d held in my head when I started thinking about this. And I wanted to shareContinue reading “The Tree Skirt!”

I played french horn from the time I was 11 until I was about 20. My parents invested a lot in my skill. I got private lessons. My parents were both horn players, too (and my maternal grandmother before them), so when I was in my very early years, my mom would play duets withContinue reading

Collaboration

For years, I have had the idea in the back of my head to make a tree skirt. I feel like this is the year to do it! I ruminated for a while. What style? What design? What colors? I decided on a turquoise/blue/white palette, to match the decor in the house. But how toContinue reading “Collaboration”

A Scrapbook of the Weekend

Thursday and Friday, I was feeling poorly. Just tired, run-down kind of thing. Post-flu-shot malaise? Pandemic fatigue? Burnout? Depression? All of the above, to some extent or another. So, I took a couple sick days to rest. (It feels deeply uncomfortable to admit that in public! What if my boss sees? Will he think IContinue reading “A Scrapbook of the Weekend”

Household Discoveries & Mrs. Curtis’s Cook Book: A manual for the science-minded

Some months ago (pre-Pandemic), I was at A Novel Ideal book store. On their “New Arrivals” shelf was a hefty, worn, leather-bound tome. Of course I picked it up. As I flipped through the first few pages, my curiosity was piqued. It wasn’t, primarily, a cookbook. It was nothing more or less than a completeContinue reading “Household Discoveries & Mrs. Curtis’s Cook Book: A manual for the science-minded”

18th Century Clothes making: Day 1

Early in the day, I had some novel out of the house adventures, but around 3:00 I decided to start my creative project. Broadly, my weekend goals are to make my shift and petticoat, and get as far as I can with my stays. I wanted to start with the stays, as they are absolutelyContinue reading “18th Century Clothes making: Day 1”

Romantacize your own life.

Sometime during the Before Times (that is, before COVID), I realized a random Tuesday evening at home sometimes felt like a Saturday. Some indefinable combination of novelty, joy, activity, and conversation would make the hours between work and bed feel like a whole day unto itself. Did I work earlier today? No, that was someContinue reading “Romantacize your own life.”

Emotional Regulation

All my emotions are on the surface these days. Today was a vivid example. This weekend was good. Saturday would’ve been a good day for any Saturday, even without the “pandemic” weighted scoring. Sunday I made an apron, and it was satisfying to craft something. Last night, I slept with the windows open; it stormed,Continue reading “Emotional Regulation”

Finding Rhythm in the Seasons

At the beginning of the pandemic, I bought The Green Witch, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. A friend had posted her companion book “The Hearth Witch”, and as we settled into the idea that we would be spending a lot more time at home, I wanted to think consciously about the energy I cultivated here. I couldContinue reading “Finding Rhythm in the Seasons”

Accepting Mediocrity

I’m changing the way I use social media, a bit. Subscribing to more folks on Instagram that do the kinds of things I want to do… but they are doing them at a level I know I’ll never invest the time to achieve. For example, I’ve enjoyed sewing for most of my life. My paternalContinue reading “Accepting Mediocrity”