not a nice day for a ferry ride

not a nice day for a ferry ride
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

but i had a good time on vashon. had lunch at a pub called the red bicycle. my body was craving salad. the cobb salad was amazing!

just to remind me what it was like growing up there, there power was out for a few hours while i was there. it had been really windy, i am sure that was why. my friend kathy and i huddled in front of her woodstove and chatted! lu the cat went into one of those cat comas - an adaptation to get through power outages i am sure. or boredom. or whatever goes through those tiny cat brains. oh, and i may have done a frosting shot. i am sure that is what the pioneers did when they were trying to keep warm.

kathy decided to give me a black christmas - i was surprised! a stuffed raven, hematite beads, wonderfully soft black bamboo yarn, and a black felted bracelet she made!

then on the way to the ferry we had a near miss with a deer. in an odd place, i thought. kathy it turns out is a stunt driver, there was a car in front of us in the oncoming lane, a car behind us, and a deer in our lane. and yet she missed them all!

so. that was my little adventure!

fox

fox
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

well today i went out to brunch with 12 friends. we went to the brunch at ivar's salmon house. all you can eat, which is wasted on me, but it was nice to see everyone, including a few people who no longer live in town but who were home for the holidays.

this little guy is a fox that i crocheted for my friend lou.. based on this pattern with my alterations:
falwyn.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/little-fox-pattern/

tomorrow i am off to vashon island, one of my favorite places, and the place where i grew up.

1221two

1221two
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

a little scene from last year:
and here we have a little christmas scene on my mantle. the scene includes art by:
ohsewpretty, www.karmakitties.com/, ronda kivett, www.jenndocherty.com and oldfashionhalloween.com/

Deer arriving

Deer arriving
Originally uploaded by Maxgraphic

My friend max took this. he's snowed in in Port Townsend. His deer friends are his only company. Living in a cabin in the woods sounds ideal in general, and i do love all the little animal-people, but I think I am glad to be within walking distance of a store this week.

My mother called me a little while ago - family Christmas celebrations have been called off due to weather. I have not gotten ahold of my friend who I had intended to spend boxing day with. But I suspect I may be spending Christmas reading and watching DVDs this year. I just got a copy of the Dark Crystal! Surprising I did not already own it, actually.
p.s. you can visit max's website at designyourowncard.com. i assume most self-employed graphic designers do live in cabins in the woods and commune with nature on a daily basis. sometimes more often.

snow lingering

more snow..
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i took this on my walk to work yesterday. hopefully today will be better - though since whatever melted yesterday has frozen last night-i doubt it. the melt-off was only from where lots of cars drove, it never got very warm. it might warm up enough for a little melting today but then it will get cold this evening and more snow is forecast for after midnight.

only about 1/3 of my coworkers made it to work yesterday, so i was kept fairly busy! we shall see how today goes. i do have a lot of work i could do from home but i feel i should go in. we had a party and a dinner planned for my department and have rescheduled the party for 12th night and the dinner for sometime in january.

holiday ornament

holiday ornament
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

well. it snowed more.. about 6" i guess. so i have about 8" at my house now. made it in to work, though. i walked. it was pretty rough going, and itgace me asthma, and i wish i brought a change of pants, but then i only have 2 pairs of pants that fit me. fortunately eggnog season will be over soon..


this is a beaded ornament i made. the face is raku -- from rama. sadly rama has closed, so i have been hoarding all my rama goodies - until now.

the big one

DSCF0003
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

the snow that was supposed to be here over 24 hours ago - that shut down seattle yesterday - finally arrived sometime very early in the morning. i had a pretty walk to work. not many people here yet - and not many will be, i would guess.

puttering about with paintings

puttering about with paintings
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i was puttering about with some paintings when i was on the telephone. the tallest painting here is 12" - for scale reference

this photo does not really capture the subtlety of these paintings, alas. at least i tried.

it's been snowing north and south of seattle but this far has not started to snow - or even rain - in seattle. i expect it will later on. today actually feels warm in comparison to the weather we have had - 30s rather than 20s.

a little vignette by the tv

a little vignette by the tv
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

this is part of my christmas decorating. i made the beaded dolls, mother yeti, winter, and the bear shaman. the bear shaman's porcelain face was made by shannon mayfield, who is really gifted. winter's face is a tea dyed carved bone face (probably from bali, i think.) this little vignette is by my television, in a little spare corner.

i had a mostly quiet weekend, reading, beading, and knitting. i am working on some christmas things. i also started a vest for me at a moment when i needed something really mindless. (the back and front are 2x2 rib up to just under the rib cage, so that part is mindless.) the yarn is donegal tweed, taupe with flashes of jade and burgundy, with little bits of straw here and there, so you know it's good fresh wool. i remember all that from the farm. sometime i will tell you about helping with the fleeces on the farm.

i have my things ready to mail, and a lot of things wrapped and ready. a few more things to pick up. i think i will send new year's cards this year because i just need to do less! i have a few things i am planning to do for new year's or 12th night gifts, too. the main thing being that i said i would make wrist-warmers for the girls who work for me.

i went out to thai food with 3 friends on saturday and then to a birthday party. last night and this morning it has been snowing -- and COLD. i am not looking forward to walking to work tomorrow. i am going to go wash my hair now, i don't want damp hair in the morning.
p.s. kathy just told me that the pod pattern in my last post is from secret snowbird

pods! and shells! and rocks

pods! and shells! and rocks
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i have been down with a cold the last few days, that is why i have been quiet. i went back to work today and am a bit less tired. though i still think siesta should be a US custom.

last weekend my friend kathy and i celebrated our birthdays late. we had an amazing brunch at Salty's in West Seattle. while neither of us can do all-you-can-eat justice, it was amazing food and wonderful to get to sample as much as we wanted. and crab, oh my, crab. pity it is so messy to eat! it was lovely, though. i heard a waiter tell someone there were 26 desserts alone.

then we went to TWO yarn stores, and wandered around west seattle a little. and there was a new french bulldog puppy at So Much Yarn. his name is Angus and he is adorable. He is tiny and his ears are still floppy. is it terrible that i think i would rather have a puppy than a baby?

Kathy gave me some really wonderful presents for my birthday.. there are some more photos on flickr.. these were some of m favorites. little hand-knit felted pods. they are so cunning, i would love to see an entire installation of them someplace.
p.s. ok, only pods. the shells and rocks are on flickr, though. click image to go there.
the pod pattern is from secret snowbird

holiday christmas party

holiday christmas party
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

i had fun at the company christmas party last night. some people had a little too much fun, but not i. one glass of champagne with food. i did dance a lot, though, and i am so tired and sore today! here are a couple polaroids, santa and i, and my coworker angela, and santa, and i.

i knit the shawl in the 1st photo. not that you can see it well, but it is a louisa harding pattern. you can see a better shot of it here:

on flickr.

today i am going to hole up and knit. with my feet up

holiday cheer - from resurrection fern

holiday cheer - from resurrection fern
Originally uploaded by megan_n_smith_99

sorry i have been quiet lately. work and exhaustion.. i have not even worked much on holiday stuff this week! i am finish a commission and i did wrap most of my gifts (not done making / shopping yet, though.) that's a bit stressful, honestly.. would my good friends understand if i gifted some things that were once in my etsy shop? i hope so! i need to be careful how much crafting i do.. i have things i must finish but i have rsi in both arms/shoulders right now... sometimes i just want to hole up and read!

but i have my little tree to cheer me up! and look at the charming bird girl i won from resurrection fern!. she is right at home on my little tree.

Indigo Crane

For my Northwest readers, you might want to swing by the Phinney Ridge Holiday Festival. It's a great place to check out local artists and pick up some holiday gifts. One of my artist friends will be selling her gorgeous hand felted silk and merino wool scarf and wraps, in addition to felted soaps. I have 3 of her scarves and wraps and I always get lots of compliments. If you aren't in Seattle you can still visit the Indigo Crane Website, and Indigo Crane Etsy Shop.

Buy handmade this holiday season!