Bloody Crafty

FOTHFP

First of all - I kind of suck at keeping this thing updated.  I'll have to do better in 2009 - I mean there's plenty of things I could comment on - but I totally discovered Tetris on Facebook and it's just like 1993 all over again - computers with no email.

Anyhoo, last week I was traveling when the Golden Globe announcements were made - and if you are reading this you probably know that is a fairly significant day in my year.  Not so much because I might be nominated (because that is not likely), but because I like to make sure that the Hollywood Foreign Press (which seriously - what constitutes membership in this group anyway?) is staying true to their mission statement of "Make sure all beautiful famous people are at our party!"

The Golden Globes get a lot of press for being the first big Hollywood awards show of the year - AND for honoring "talent" in both movies and television.  This totally opens it up for more beautiful, famous people.  If a beautiful famous person shows up on TV or in a movie all year long - even it is a bad performance or a bad show or movie in general - they will receive a nomination.  Because that's the only way they'll show up.  Leonoardio Dicaprio is NOT going to show up to just present - but a nomination and he's a sure thing.  I call all of these beautiful famous people Friends of the Hollywood Foreign Press or FOTHFP.

This was a very good year for beautiful famous people - they were everywhere.  And they were all noticed and invited to the big party - I think the only missing people were George Clooney and maybe Scarlett Johanson and Reese Witherspoon.  But we got Brad and Angelina, Leo and Kate Winslet, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Emma Thomspon, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Laura Linney, and of course Meryl Streep (who should come to all awards shows).  I mean this is going to be one pretty party!  And I can NOT wait.  January 11 - starting at noon I'm sure.  Bring on the Moet!

The Return of Craftiness

There has always been a crafty side to me but the real revival of my interest in making things with my hands began four years ago when I started working on a Christmas tree skirt.  When i was little my mom made us stockings and an advent calendar with those Bucilla felt applique kits, so I thought if I made something for the holidays with felt and sequins that would somehow cosmically link my childhood to my children's.  It literally took me THREE years to finish what is shown here.  Though, to be fair it wasn't continual work - there were several idle months.  But each little train car took days!  Felt on top of felt, stuffed with whatever I had, more sequins, beads, ribbon.  But I LOVE IT!  It was a joy to take it out last weekend for only the second year.

Unfortunately, the shininess of the tree skirt made the old advent calendar courtesy  of my mom look a bit lackluster - I mean it is 30 years old!  And it appears that in the move something black bled onto the red felt making the need for an upgrade even clearer.  Sooooo, I am happy to report that I am about to embark on another bloody crafty project!   I have found a new Bucilla kit that is more like Santa's Toy Shop but you still count down to Christmas.  I'm trying to not let all those reindeers and their stuffed antelers intimidate me, and have told the boys it will be ready by [insert drumroll] - NEXT CHRISTMAS!  That's 12 months of tiny sequins - but only 12 months.   Eric is so excited!  I hope it doesn't hurt my mom's feelings (it's not like I'm going to throw this one away - plus it's all clearly inspired by her artistry), but the boys are soooo excited for the sewing and cutting and stuffing and dazzling to begin.