Frost and Glitter

This was the best I could do to capture the magical way the frost coated everything last night.  It was even more spectacular this morning under the flashlight beam on the way to the  school bus.  I cannot really describe that - Mark says it needs to be an abstract painting ;)

But, to see Esme dancing in circles through the flashlight beam as the world glitters in every molecule around her wherever the light touches in the darkness... I will remember that one for a long time.

Click to see the picture full size and zoom in.  It's worth it.

Esme's Christmas party and drama program was this morning.  I walked her to the school bus and then got myself ready to go and meet her at her classroom at 8:30.  I was just a few minutes late - as the parking lot was FULL and I had to drive around the block.  The door was closed when I got to the classroom - carrying her little exchange bags and the gift for the teacher - but when a grandmother came up right behind me we both decided to open the door.  There was Esme and her classmates dressed in reindeer antlers.  They were doing their little dance routine as the reindeer in the LeRoy the RedNecked Reindeer program their teacher had worked with them on.  They even did a line dancing routine.  It was very cute! 

Afterwards Esme told me she was just about to maybe cry because she didn't think I was coming, and then I came in the door. ;)  We made it home afterwards and then Mark took me on to work.  I made it through work (although it was FREEZING and I had to wear my hat in the store just to survive the night!).  We stopped by the store and got a few last things before we came home.. now I have two days off.

I'm reading the book 'Bedding the Enemy' by Mary Winn.  Again, it is the characters that make it enjoyable, and the way they bicker and test each other while also supporting and protecting each other.  After that, I have some 'cubist literature' stuff lined up... things to read while trying to decide where next to take my novel.  

Christmas Toys already?

It's just one day after Labor Day and it seems people are already thinking about the holiday season. I saw lots of Halloween stuff being sold, and when I checked my mail today I found an inquiry about making some toys for a Christmas showcase. Christmas toys already? Well, I'm ready as soon as she tells me the quantity and color. In that same vein, I started gearing up for more production by buying some new fabrics and a new iron. I was using Mark's mom's old iron but it was time for a new one.

Mark also had the idea that I could make little reindeer with some alterations to the horse pattern. I tried the first prototype today, and although this try isn't quite right the idea is sound. I'll take this one apart and try again.

Reindeer Prototype - try 1

So happy with this rabbit fabric I bought from a lady on Etsy. Her shop is in China, but it arrived here relatively quickly and much bigger cuts than I expected. They are both Japanese import fabrics I've seen elsewhere, and will be used in another quilt for Bazooka.

Links:
It's been forever since I've been to either of these blogs below, but ran across them again lately...
Bella Dia
Dacia Ray