Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Ode To Kitch

Here's a brief visual celebration of the odd, the vintage, and the over-the-top silliness that is this season. Please avert your eyes if this is just too much for you. Happy holidays!

No. El.



I Feel Pretty



On The Second Day



Night And Day, You Are the One



Pig and Spaceman Share Candlelit Moment

Look, They Made Christmas FOR You!

Not up for making gifts this year, as mentioned in a recent post? That doesn't mean you're stuck living a hyperactive holiday shopping nightmare. No. Take a load off and let my friends here help you. Peruse the following short list; it'll lead you right to the good gift stuff, no waiting. These artists and artisans make original, small batch items in the US, and none of these things will suck up your entire paycheck.

What can I say about Deluxe Foods jams, jellies and sauces? I can say I've seen the bottom of more jars of that good stuff than I can count. I'd tell you what my favorite is, but I can't because it keeps changing. Rebecca Staffel uses sustainable fruit grown in Washington and traditional French jam techniques. You can buy Deluxe Foods products online and at several other locations, listed on the web site.

Want a beautiful calendar that balances the sweet and savory sides of life? Take a look at the 2012 This Friendly Village Desk Calendar. Photographer and writer Margaret DeWilliam Horton's work shows us the natural beauty in things many of us might overlook. Each month's calendar is printed on a glossy card that includes a luscious photo.

Take a listen to the self-titled CD by Minirex at this link. Their music is described as, "sweet vocal harmonies with an edgy, hard driving, eminently danceable sound and powerful lyrics." True all around. In other words, they are one kick-ass pop group of women musicians. Plus, and I know this isn't the important part, they wear really cool outfits.

If you're in Seattle, visit IDEA Odyssey Gallery for prints and cards from some forward-thinking photographers and other artists. IDEA Odyssey is a non-profit gallery and visual artist collective. Its mission is to support local artists and promote cultural diversity and economic prosperity in the historic International District. For gallery hours, click Blog, in the upper right area of their site.

I'm not sure I'll ever want to travel by bike, but I love hearing and reading about Willie Weir and Kat Marriner doing so. Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist by Willie Weir is a series of brief tales about funny encounters, danger, making decisions, seriously questionable food, and yes, bikes. Willie entertains and enlightens with his optimism and insights.

Assemble Shop and Gallery is, simply, fun. It's part shop filled with sweet and funny handcrafted and printed items; part gallery, where affordable art is displayed and sold; and part classroom, where they teach people how to use traditional craft skills to make contemporary things. It's a great place for everything from stocking stuffers to the gift of a class.

Before It's News

Grandmothers Against Bullshit

Yesterday I landed in downtown Seattle just as a small Occupy Seattle crowd gathered near Westlake Center. This was the moment before the news. The news is, almost always, about the point of conflict, the hopeless disaster, or the big win or discovery. But before the news, often, people are just people, moving toward the next moment.

This was a time of anticipation, preparation, and thought. Participants read about the day's events and goals, took photos, and warmed themselves with coffee. News teams readied their cameras and fuzzy microphones. In the background, the carousel spun out its cheerful music and magic pastel horses, and holiday lights embraced the leaf-free winter trees. In various and possibly opposing ways, the scene was optimistic.

Although I asked some people if I could take their pictures, I often preferred the unposed photos from the day. Again, it's the moment just next to The Moment, where people are simply people—not icons, not a cause, not a demographic.


Alone Together, Listening

 

Your Role and Mine



Fight Back



"I have asthma; I can't take risks."



Love is 100%



Free the Press



Loose Strings



Should I Whisper or Shout?

Look, I Made Christmas!



Gift-Making War Horse:  Pizzelle Press

I enjoy a stiff shot of materialistic Christmas. I love shopping for and giving gifts and I love getting them, too. In December, I need outdoor holiday lights punching through the winter darkness. I even like wrapping gifts with all that pretty, pretty paper. Some years, I totally indulge.

Other years, I indulge in a different way. I create the time and space to make gifts. I might spend a bit less money, but I give my time, effort and thought. And although I love getting gifts, period, getting a handmade gift is very special. At least some of the people on my list feel the same.


Felt Hand Puppets Made from Vintage Pattern by S. DeWilliam

Making gifts is fun if I don't bite off more than I can chew. I'm a freak for good design and stunning raw materials. I want to experience them from the inside out. I like the process—designing, planning, gathering, and then relaxing into the slow assembly line of making several versions of something. My dream job involves design, hands-on work, and a couple of other elements.

Want a few tips on how to make making things fun? Here's my take. It's not too late to make Christmas gifts this year if you keep it simple. I welcome your thoughts on making gifts!

Buy a special tool and exploit the heck out of it. Merry Christmas to you! You have a new toy and an inspiring new way to make gifts for your lucky loved ones. A few years ago I bought a pizzelle maker, and most years I spend a day or two churning out batches of pizzelles to give away. People seem to love them, especially, I think, because not everyone has the tool to make these lovely cookies. Maybe your tool of choice is a special drill, beading pliers, or a small silkscreen setup.



Kitty Paint-by-Number Outline

Learn a skill and exploit the heck out of it. Again, Merry Christmas to you! Buy a book, take a class, or teach yourself a new technique. Learn to can, knit neckties, or make panettone. I once took a one-evening class on how to make paint-by-number pet portraits from photos. It was a goofy evening with friends, and I could use this technique to make coloring books and paint-by-number paintings for gifts.



Last year a friend taught herself how to make marshmallows. They cost a fortune in specialty shops, and I don't let myself buy them. She made three flavors cut into huge two-inch pillows. They were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and drop-dead gorgeous!



Neck Warmer Knit with Luxurious Yarn by J. Cory

Work with materials you love. Garbage in, garbage out. If you love ultra-fine merino yarn, knit with it. You'll be inspired to keep going. Don't even attempt to use synthetic yarn. It might seem cheaper, but it isn't if you don't finish what you're making. If you're adamant about organic food, make food gifts with organics. If you don't, it will haunt you just a bit.

Limit colors, ingredients, and styles to make a statement and save money. Choose or create one or two great designs or recipes and stick with them. That way, you can perfect your technique and bulk-buy raw materials. I also limit the color or flavor range. For example, if I'm knitting hats, I choose one style and a few colors. This eliminates buying multiple needles and ending up with a bag of yarn tidbits in a rainbow of colors.



Flannel, Linen and Cotton Baby Shoes,
 Made from Vintage Pattern

 Make stuff in front of the TV. Whether you're watching Christmas movies or crime shows, use your zone-out time to make gifts.

Jars, grocery store, kitchen. Done.  Things look fancy under glass, and you can make several jarred gifts, start to finish, on a single Saturday. Easiest: Fill a jar with flavored nuts, or alternating layers of various dried fruits, or your favorite homemade granola. You can also layer the dry ingredients of almost any recipe into a jar then attach the recipe.

Two of my favorite jar gifts are these spicy quick pickles made with carrots, and this simple body scrub. Seriously good stuff. Be sure to tell recipients how long jarred items last and where to store them. For the body scrub, let them know it makes their tub slippery!

Make one component of a gift. For a relaxed and personal variation on a gift basket, put together a few things, including one item that you made. A favorite: a bottle of booze, homemade flavored simple syrup, citrus, and a drink recipe.

I hope you have fun indulging, and indulging loved ones, this holiday season.

Still Wanderlusting

I continue wanderlusting...


Architectural Detail: Light Fixture, Seattle, November 2011



Local Food: Home-Baked Cookies, Seattle



Local Holiday Celebration: Lights, Downtown Seattle, 2011