Saturday, December 17, 2011

Webster's Perfect Morning


I made Webster his favorite breakfast this morning. I washed and sliced a small unpeeled sweet potato and steamed it. When It was done, I dumped the slices and the steaming liquid in the bottom of his bowl. The excitement in the room was electric. Then I dumped his kibble in the steaming bowl and added some filtered water. I stirred and chopped everything up with a big spoon and served it on an oriental rug in front of the kitchen sink. He relished every bite and then went outside. Now he has settled down for a long nap. I know he is having sweet dreams after a perfect wonder-dog Saturday morning. I hope your weekend gets off to a great start too.

Vogue Christmas Cover 1914

Enjoy your weekend and try not to overwork your entourage. via

Friday, December 16, 2011

Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker) played on a Glass Harp


I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
www.glassduo.com

2012 Calendar -- 12-Sided Geosphere, 3-D Calendar with Tutorial, Free Download



Your free download for 2012. I just finished making mine for the coming year.


This was my #1 most popular download last year. The 12-sided calendar is also known as a regular dodecahedron. The upcoming year (2012) will be my 5th year with one of these on my desk. It's pretty tricky to assemble - especially at the end when you feel you need another set of hands. Do all cutting, scoring, and folding first; then all you have to do is to remember to do NOVEMBER last. It is the only month that doesn't have any fold-over tabs. It is helpful to have a chopstick or bamboo skewer handy to poke inside to assist in securing anything that's not sticking or properly aligned. This prevents bending the paper. I used card stock and scored all the dotted lines with the sharp tip of a compass guided by a see-thru ruler. Cut out whole design before scoring and folding. Cut solid lines, score dotted lines. I also had to adjust the pdf to "fit to printable area" since without that correction some of the outside edges did not print on my printer.  If you have finished your shopping you might want to make some for holiday gifts. People love them and everybody needs one. You can't beat the price either. One sheet of paper, some glue and your time. The ultimate home-made present that will be used every day next year. Perfect!

Download PDF 2012 Calendar Template here. (showing MONDAY as the first day of the week)

Download PDF 2012 Calendar Template here. (showing SUNDAY as the first day of the week)
Most American calendars show Sunday as the first day of the week. I used this template to make my 2012 calendar.

I don't know if I can correctly call this origami because it requires glue. I highly recommend YES Paste - Acid FreeAn $11 one-pint tub lasts forever.

Last Minute Christmas Shopping in 1936

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas by J.C. Leyendecker, 1936 found on Google images. Maybe this will motivate everyone to snap out of it and make Christmas before the last minute. Me included.

I Love This Wide Christmas Tree

The cards with photographs are a nice touch. I don't see any lights...just old glass ornaments and cards with photos of loved ones and houses. I like the wooden barrel too. It is simply lovely. via

Thursday, December 15, 2011

The Saddest Christmas Tree on The Lot

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the Christmas tree lot late in December to find nothing but trees like this! via

Red Barn in Amagansett

I love this red barn. Wouldn't a huge green wreath with no decorations look fabulous on the gable end? via

This old red barn near me is starting to show signs of neglect. I hope this landmark doesn't deteriorate much more before some repairs are made. This was a drive-by photo made with my iPhone without getting out of the car.