There’s a new trend which I am totally in love with.
It combines two of my loves:
Christmas and beards.
Ladies and denizens, I present to you THE GLITTER BEARD!
Isn’t it awesome?
I’m following “glitter beard” on Instagram and TikTok because I’m so enthralled with glitter beards.
What could be better than combining a little holiday festive glitter with a nice beard?
Nothing, I tell you.
This is the pinnacle of Christmas spirit and I’m loving it.
Bring on the glitter beards!
It’s raining.
Normally, I’d be itching to see sunny skies but I find this change in pace very satisfying this time of year.
My favorite sound to fall asleep to is the sound of rain on a tarp and I confess that having a bedroom that flanks the downspout of the house is soothing.
I listen to the patter of the slow drip, drip, drip of big droplets and the occasional gust of wind which blows the rain up against my window.
It’s this time of year when a huge nesting urge starts to settle into my body, motivating me to do things I normally would shun.
Baking cookies, cakes and pies.
Crafting.
Organizing my room.
Well okay. . . that one I do year round.
The urge to quilt and to make blankets for friends and family now beckons me to come and create.
I usually spend hours pouring over fabric samples online, selecting just the right ones to go in a quilt.
Arranging and then rearranging complimentary fabrics.
But this year I’m so far behind in quilting I don’t need to buy anything, I just need to work with the huge assortment I already have.
Looking at the weeks ahead, I feel this expanding sense of happiness growing inside me, as I look forward to all the time I will get to spend with my kids, my parents, my sisters and my brothers, my extended family and all my friends.
Oh shit!
That’s right.
COVID.
Love is in the air.
That’s right.
I’m just gonna go ahead and say it.
Everyone is coupling up.
First my cousin entered into wedded bliss.
And now, little Justin Bieber is MARRIED.
I don’t know why, but lately my Instagram stream and Facebook posts have been FILLED with love.
‘Tis the season?
Why not.
It’s sweet, really.
Everyone declaring their love for their partner.
I too am going to declare my love. . .
. . . for gin!
Yes, my love of gin stretches way back to the night I was with my college roommate and she drank tequila while I drank gin and tonics.
Fast forward to the end of the night and I’m holding Holly’s hair while she pukes into the toilet.
Me, I held my liquor.
Thank you GNTs.
I love you BUCKETS!
Tequila?
Not so much.
But really, I don’t have anyone to love besides my wonderful friends and family.
And that’s a rather LARGE group of people I’ll have you know.
But that’s the nice thing about love. . . the more you give it away, the more you have of it.
I do of course, have a sort of “misplaced” sense of affection.
I’m not in a relationship so I can hardly exercise my urge to rain down love and affection and (dare I say) sexy time, with another human being.
But I can certainly share the love I’ve got with all of you.
So consider this a big virtual hug from me to all my readers.
‘Tis the season to show your loved ones how much you care.
Don’t forget!
A newly curated list of mostly beverage-related items which I think would make cool stocking stuffers or gifts for friends and family:
$150 Seriously blinged out iPhone case
$7 Cute cosmetic bag, many designs but this one has my heart
$24 Silicon wine glasses for the hot tub/bath tub
$23 Folding lap desk so I can stay in bed longer
$25 Boho cotton throw blanket with colors I LOVE
$50 Indoor smores maker for smores, especially when it’s cold out
$13 Wine tumbler with lid, for Burning Man, hot tub fun, etc.
$10 Tweexy for nail polish for a perfect manicure
$19 Stainless steel mugs with lids, perfect for Burning Man
$31 Viking mug because I still think about The Swede
$10 Gardening gloves, or some serious backscratching
$15 Skull ice cube tray because it’s cool
$18 Cutting board, ’tis the season for CHEESE spreads
$46 Bartending kit, because I love a good bartending kit in the wet bar
$15 Tea mug with infuser, which is just TOO CUTE
$200 Oculus VR headset, because everyone needs to experience The Magic (I love it!)
$23 Cocktail kit for airplane rides, just add booze
$64 Cheeseboard, another magnificent cheese board, with knives and pull out trays
$26 Melamine spreaders so bright and cute
$35 Book-scented candle to pretend like you’re in the library
$10 Multi kitchen tool for perfect meals
$16 Flask because it’s cool
$12 Rainbow party cup for Burner BYOC parties
$8 Narwhal tea infuser because NARWHALS ARE AWESOME AT FIGHTING TERRORISTS
$17 Cocktail garden kit to grow your own herbs for cocktails
$25 Journal for the writer in you 🙂
So. . .
I’ve done a couple of Santa Cons now.
Never the big one in SF, but I’ve participated in smaller ones in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The SF one for me is prohibitively big – what’s the point in going when the bars are so crowded you can’t get a drink and enjoy it leisurely?
Granted, there’s fun with your friends and there’s an animated ride back and forth from the city on CalTrans, but other than that I prefer the smaller more intimate Santa Cons.
This year I got a new addition to my costume wardrobe:
A purple Santa dress:
I’m really not shitting you.
It’s PURPLE.
I got a purple wig and a purple Santa hat to match and I’m good to go.
I know it’s supposed to be red, but I fear that I will blend in with all the other Santas if I wear a plain old red costume.
So purple, it is!
I bought a few back up outfits to wear, just in case I change my mind, but I’m thinking these will not be worn by me until next year or the year after.
You know me. . . gotta have options!
It’s my favorite time of year.
The time when I get to pick out presents for my loved ones and show them how much they mean to me.
This year, I’m focusing on my nephews – or The Littles as I call them.
Because my brother and I each had two sets of boys.
Mine are the BIG boys and his are the LITTLE boys.
Hence, The Littles.
It’s an easy way to distinguish between them when we’re discussing “the boys.”
This year, for Christmas I purchased two sets of white cotton pajamas.
Boring, plain old cotton pajamas.
Then I got a tie dye set from Amazon so that The Little can MAKE THEIR OWN PJS!
They love tie dye and I think they’ll enjoy working with all the colors to make something unique and handmade.
Every year, I always get them a personalized ornament with their names and the year and THEIR HALLOWEEN COSTUME.
My oldest nephew was the grim reaper:
My youngest nephew was a zombie from Minecraft:
It’s not easy finding their costume every year on an ornament.
Last year, my youngest nephew was Venom.
I had to commission a Venom ornament from etsy to complete his gift.
This year, I’m also getting something different – a ten inch “layer cake” of white fabric and fabric pens.
I noticed that both boys are really artistic and I thought wouldn’t it make a great gift for their mom (my best friend from 5th grade – yes, my brother married my best friend) to have them design fabric squares over the next few months that I can then make into a quilt for her?
I sure am crafty when it comes to presents and I hope The Littles enjoy what they get.
I had eighteen days off over the holidays.
You may wonder, what does a person do with almost three whole weeks off?
Well, the answer is I SLEPT.
I slept A LOT.
I also visited friends during the holidays.
I played Cards Against Humanity and I laughed until I need my pants (but just a little).
What can I say, I’ve given birth three times and my sphincter just isn’t what it used to be.
Sigh.
I also spent a lot of time watching NCIS.
I’m up to season 8 in a 16 season TV series.
Sadly, I didn’t get to see The Swede.
But this is the way things go when you live 5,327 miles apart.
I did EXACTLY what I said and I binge watched TV while quilting.
And guess what?
I made THIS!
I spent some good quality time with my boys before I said goodbye to my oldest son as he left for Army boot camp in Missouri.
My youngest son got his driver’s license.
I sat naked in a hot tub and soaked under the stars.
Sure, I was alone but oh, well.
That’s someone else’s loss 😉
It was a GLORIOUS holiday and one I will treasure forever.
Love is in the air.
That’s right.
I’m just gonna go ahead and say it.
Everyone is coupling up.
First my cousin entered into wedded bliss.
And now, little Nick Jonas is MARRIED.
I don’t know why, but lately my Instagram stream and Facebook posts have been FILLED with love.
‘Tis the season?
Why not.
It’s sweet, really.
Everyone declaring their love for their partner.
I too am going to declare my love.
For The Swede?
Maybe.
For gin?
Definitely!
Yes, my love of gin stretches way back to the night I was with my college roommate and she drank tequila while I drank gin and tonics.
Fast forward to the end of the night and I’m holding Holly’s hair while she pukes into the toilet.
Me, I held my liquor.
Thank you GNTs.
I love you BUCKETS!
Tequila?
Not so much.
But really, I don’t have anyone to love besides my wonderful friends and family.
And that’s a rather LARGE group of people I’ll have you know.
But that’s the nice thing about love. . . the more you give it away, the more you have of it.
I do of course, have a sort of “misplaced” sense of affection.
I’m not in a relationship so I can hardly exercise my urge to rain down love and affection and (dare I say) sexy time, with another human being.
But I can certainly share the love I’ve got with all of you.
So consider this a big virtual hug from me to all my readers.
‘Tis the season to show your loved ones how much you care.
Don’t forget!
Now that it’s OFFICIALLY after Halloween I can focus on Christmas!
Woot!
I LOVE fall.
Nothing better.
Indian summer stretches into fall and we all enjoy cool mornings, crisp nights, and sunny days.
I just want to brag about some of the gifts I bought for my family.
I found a company that makes custom bifold iPhone cases so I whipped up some family photos for my mom so that she could have all her lovely children and grandchildren smiling at her from her phone.
Thank you Lasting Impressions for the perfect gift for my mom.
Her current bifold case is falling apart.
For my sister, a little sass:
Because nothing says “I’ve got attitude” like a mug with the F-Bomb on it.
For my nephews, who I have dubbed “The Littles,” I started a tradition of getting them a Christmas ornament with the Halloween costumes they wore earlier that year.
Calvin was the Grim Reaper and Milo was Venom.
I managed to find Calvin’s costume on Zazzle:
And Milo’s costume on etsy, customization pending.
I’m still debating on what to get them for their gifts. The ornaments are simply a little extra gift I like to give to The Littles.
I can imagine my brother and sister-in-law’s Christmas tree when the boys are older, filled with memories of Halloween and Christmases past.
Welcome to my fall-loving, Christmas-obsessed season of joy!
Christmas is coming and I am already 110% ahead of the game.
My Christmas cards have been mailed.
My shopping is done.
Even my wrapping is complete.
I’ve annoyed even myself with my efficiency.
Personally, I am thrilled at the selection of gifts I have bought for my friends and family.
None more so than The Swede.
First, I bought him an industrial size box of Swedish Fish.
As a joke, naturally.
Then I proceeded to BREAK INTO the box and ate a bunch of fish so I had to get him something else.
And please, dear Swede, if you are reading this, stop now or your surprise will be RUINED.
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I custom made a tee shirt for The Swede.
Yes. I. Did.
Because I could find a tee shirt that said “Eat, Sleep Hockey” in English, but not in Swedish.
And I figure WHY BUY IT IN ENGLISH if he’s going to be in Sweden wearing it?
It should be in Swedish.
So I translated “Eat, Sleep Hockey” into Swedish “Äta, Sova, Hockey.”
Perfect!
Then I printed it in YELLOW lettering on a ROYAL BLUE tee shirt – the colors of Sweden.
How’s that for a present for you?
I REALLY hope he likes it!
You can’t say I didn’t make an effort. . .
P.S. I got him a SECOND gift. Just because I do that sometimes. Check out this awesome mug I had custom made for him:
