The HOLIDAYS are coming...winter solstice.

The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming!  Tonite.  This week. Next.  They're coming!!!

A friend took this picture of the 'Trees on the Bay' here in Long Beach - with full moon.  It was something.  We've had, as I'm sure you have had, the street parade, the boat parade, the crafts nite, the dinners, the lunches, the wrappings, the trimmings, the lightings...all of it.  The calendar, the schedule, the stuff.  The STUFF.

Some people say that's what the holidays are made of.  And if that's what you're made of, that's okay too.  Kids love shiny ribbons and bows and wrapping paper.  I know, I get that part.  But I also get the part about a mother's glow while watching that kids tear into the shiny ribbon, bow and wrapping paper.  

So every year, I have a 'CRAFTS NITE'.  This year we did bath bombs.  I didn't even know such a thing existed. They are easy to make, and make your home smell just lovely.  We were going to do some sewing projects too - little lavender sachets, some long tubes of cedar for the men - but between the dinner, the talk, the dancing (yes, we had some dance lessons on girls' nite...), well, we just couldn't get it all done.   (remember the previous blog - the chicken comment?!?)  I wanted to have a mix of another group of friends - artists, business execs, art curators, you know, but the exec went to China, the artist was looking for new space (Kristin Moro), the art curator went skiing...but then another girlfriend had another crafts nite.  It's catching on!!  They're actually making things!!

It's time to think of others.  Knit a quick cap for someone - a scarf maybe?  A girlfriend shared this great 'two sided' pattern with me - in multiples of four stitches plus two to finish.  It goes like this:

K2, K to the back of the next stitch, purl. (that's the four) Continue across, ending K2.  Turn.  Repeat until scarf is complete. I am knitting on Casein needles - no wait - bamboo - 6.00mm with Noro wool/silk 9similar to hULa's hat.  I used 18 stitches and it's knitting up to be about four (and a little more) inches wide.  Two skeins, so it will be long.  We'll see if it gets done for Christmas (one friend's gift) or before the end of Hanukkah (another friend's gift-who, by the way, I saw wearing a scarf the other nite - he's so 'metro'...so fashionable, that guy!! I think it's his scarf...)

hULa gave all of her dog friends a bag of bones - mixed bones, and mixed sizes in a cello bag with twine and the following 'holiday pic' - signed "warm holiday wishes".  Oh, that dog....so thoughtful, that girl!!!  

So, be like hULa.  Make a little something out of that yarn or those boxes of bones.  Take nothing and make something.  Spread joy.  Delight others.  Surprise others with your smiles this season of giving.  Give of yourself, I say, again and again and again and again...

Next blog - Christmas Eve.  Included in that - the first nite of Hanukkah (which I celebrated in Hanukkah yoga...)  Get out there - - I challenge you to give a stranger a smile.  I have been trying it lately, and you'll be surprised how 'caught off guard' people are.  And then they smile back.  Give.  Get out of yourself.  Go head first into something  -  someone else.  I dare ya....

be.do.create

2008

Natalie

PS - if you're looking for casein needles or bamboo needles, email natalie@beyondthereefpatterns.com  -  while they're not listed on the website, we can send you colors, sizes, etc.  from which you can choose your very own!!