Yule Celebration

We had the most beautiful get together on Wednesday 12/23, one I was certain wasn't going to happen! Originally planned as a Yule ritual for the Winter Solstice which was Monday, when Mother Nature decided to send a blizzard our way the 2 days before...I was convinced my firepot was buried under 2ft of heavy, wet snow. How was I to burn my Yule log amid this?
When I told the kids the ritual was cancelled the disappointment I received in return was more than I could bare. So...what started as a Yule ritual ended up as a Yule ritual/Christmas dessert party...a house full of my family.
My children, their best friends, which have become my children as well, and husbands. Everyone was excited over their gifts!

The ritual was short because it was freezing outside, but it was comfortable, and well received, and everyone loved it, I'm begining to consider inviting them to subsequent solsticice events!

I can't remember when I felt at such peace with the Goddess.

Exciting new project!

As many of you are aware, I am an avid reader. I often enter book giveaways and have even won a few! Well today I was contacted by a lovely author Fiona Robyn, I had entered the giveaway for her book Thaw, but unfortunately didn't win. Well Fiona wrote to tell me about an exciting new project she is beginning on March 1st of next year, that I can hardly wait to begin! She has published the first page already, I guarantee if you read it you'll be hooked!

Fiona will be publishing her entire novel here Read Thaw in blog format.

If you're a blogger and you'd like to join in, email fiona at fiona@fionarobyn.com. Once you're on the list she will add your blog to Friends of Thaw .

I am so excited to have the opportunity to help out this wonderful author while joining in on this groundbreaking experience, I sincerely hope you all will come along for the ride.

A talented designer I discovered!

So...while checking out crochetpatterncentral.com's newest free patterns I happened upon THE most creative designer on Etsy I've seen yet! I don't know how I've missed her and her breathtaking doilies since now, but boy I'm sure glad she decided to share that free angel pattern!

http://bellacrochet.blogspot.com/

and her AMAZING patterns can be found at her Etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bellacrochet

I just had to share, and you all know I don't do this very often, but this lady has talent, and it's original talent. Not your everyday creations. Maybe you'll find that holiday gift you were looking for?

Christmas already?

I can hardly believe it's almost Christmas! I am totally unprepared this year, it's December 8th and I have not purchased one single gift yet, can you imagine? That is so unlike me!
I better hop to it, I also started making my crochet list. I've decided I'm not putting any additional pressure on myself, but there are a few presents I really, sincerely WANT to make!! It's not the type of year where I'm dreading making gifts and I have the deadline hanging over my head...I have chosen people I want to create for and I'm looking for the ideal pattern and when I find it, I'm hoping it will actually be FUN!

I'll be creating a list of quick and easy gift suggestions for last minute gifts I've often used in the past for those of you that like to make homemade gifts for teachers, bus drivers, the mail carrier, etc. So be on the lookout for that...also feel free to add to it, I can always use a few suggestions as well :O)