random randomosity

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good whatever it is where you are. here, it is just after five in the morning. the house is pitch black, my menfolk are sleeping, & the rain is softly falling outside. i don't know why i just typed outside. where else would the rain be falling? though with all the quirks, shall we say, of this old belfry, i imagine i am lucky that it is only raining outside.

i am closing my etsy shop at the end of the month, did i tell you? it was not a decision i made lightly, & it brings me great sadness to do so, but it is for the best. at least that is what i am telling myself. i am not closing my bizzie entirely, just this construct of it.

we have been indulging in a bit of holiday crafting. thus far elfling's most favorite activity has been stamping. i learned at hallowe'en that if i wanted something holidayish to hang on the art wall, i needed to set out only the appropriate stamps & colors, not the entire tin. so for this round of stamping i set out the santa & star stamps, & the colors: green, red, silver, & gold. after elfling declared his holiday art complete, i let him have the rest tin. that boy of mine can spend quite a long time stamping.

i did manage to make those magnets we chatted about. mine aren't nearly as cute as the ones in the tutorial, but i was short on time. the choice came down to a) forgo painting them, or 2) risk not getting them finished by xmas. i chose the former. that's them in the photo. they are good enough; there's that pesky good enough again; for a toddler -  i doubt elfling will care that he can see the wood grain.

once the sun rises i need to get sewing. my mother-in-law is coming for an early christmas, & i realized only last night that her gift was not finished. she travels a lot, so i am making her a large, flat-bottomed pouch that she can toss in her suitcase. to make it special, i had elfling draw on the fabric with permanent markers. he is only two, so basically it will look like someone scribbled all over her pouch. that said, she is a grandma, therefore will adore it as if rembrandt himself has done the scribbling.

that is all for this morning's random chat. i am in desperate need of coffee. thanks for visiting.

~peace.