Here comes 2012!

To everyone, may 2012 be everything you want it to be!

For your viewing enjoyment (and because it's fun), I've posted some videos on YouTube, including my ratties getting into the liquor, the 3 needle-felted masterpieces that Amber Rose Lawrence created for us and Willow body-slamming herself on the beach:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ScratchingattheWindo/videos

Where did 2011 go?!

So, there are only 2 days left in 2011... While I don't normally make New Year's resolutions, I feel this year I have a need to do so! This moment of clarity came as I was clearing off the desk in my studio and I rediscovered the skull necklace that needs to be rebalanced that's been lying there since October... NOT October 2011 but October 2010!!! WOW! How embarrassing! The whole year seems to have disappeared in a foggy blur and I can't blame any big events or challenges that turned me into a Busy-Back-Soon (to borrow a phrase from Winnie-the-Pooh philosophy that needs no explaining). Artistically, I have done next to nothing, only recovering a little around Hallowe'en with my ratty cut-outs and food, while my paper mache pumpkin is (Guess! Come on, guess!) still not finished. What is wrong with me?! (Okay folks, focusing on THIS particular problem. ;} )

So, resolutions:

1.) Do something creative/artistic every week. On purpose. Plan it. Schedule it. Do something to make it happen or it won't. It doesn't have to be sewing/soft sculpture, it can be pop-up cards or paper mache or photography or anything that makes something and uses my imagination and problem solving.

2.) Bellydance twice a week. It only takes 30 minutes/session, do it! Feels good in many ways (the stretching feels pretty amazing), good for me, uses those co-ordination body movement brain cells that are stuck in a "Huh?" rut.

3.) Do new things with Willow. Her brain cells are also falling asleep and the dis-connectedness I feel will be greatly reduced if we do stuff together. Again, 15 minutes means a lot. Do it.

4.) Take time to sit and relax with Mom. I don't have to list all the reasons why this is important.
SO, my goals are not lofty. I think it's all a matter of S-T-O-P-P-I-N-G and asking, "Okay, what's important here? What will make this day a good one?"

By the way, we did get a sugar dusting of snow for Christmas Eve and Monday we got a decent amount! Yeah! It was wet and sticky and made everything look beautiful!

All I want for Christmas...

I would be beyond thrilled to find these slippers under the Christmas tree! Wow! Sadly, they are not available, they were created for a print ad for foot cream; the ad was dreamt up by the Dm9 Jaymesyfu advertising agency in the Philippines back in 2007.

But I can still dream! Next year I'll write to Santa!

I did, however, receive a most wonderful gift from a dear new friend who shares a passion for bats and all things Krampus! She sent to me a copy of "Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark and Forgotten Christmas" by John Grossman. Not only are there lovely Krampus images and other scary delights, but dead birds like the one below. A dead bird on a Christmas card? What were they thinking? It's a mystery... and I thought I was alone in my weirdness!

Thank you, Rose! :)

Happy Solstice!

In 2 days we'll have the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

"Literally meaning “sun standing still”, solstice occurs when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon. At the winter solstice, December 22, the sun is directly overhead at noon along the Tropic of Capricorn and the day is shortest in the northern hemisphere. This has traditionally been a time of celebrations involving light, greenery, fire, and the return of the sun. Such midwinter festivities have left their mark on the ways Christmas has been observed."

– from The World Encyclopedia of Christmas by Gerry Bowler

Happy Solstice everyone! Take a moment to light a candle and spare a thought for the wind and the wolves, the trees and the fishes, the soil and the water. And of course, welcome back the sun!

Making Christmas

Ah, the smell of baking... Mom and I have been whipping up some really wonderful treats, deciding not to buy any cookies this year and make what we want. (We did still buy chocolates. :) )


So, here's everyone's favorite: Chocolate Carmel Thumbprints! Wow... you squish in a piece of Caramilk into each cookie and the result is awesome! All they need now is a dusting of icing sugar. (If you want it, just email me for the recipe.)



Then I made Chrusciki for the first time ever! It's quite a process, and since we don't have a deep frier I used the fondu pot, setting it into the sink for safety. Roll, cut, fry, dry... it went well and luckily I decided to 1/2 the recipe because it takes a while and I made 92 cookies (also awaiting icing sugar in this photo)! (Just look up "chrusciki" on www.allrecipes.com)


These are supposed to look like "angel wings" but try as I might they turned out looking like... deep fried squid? Ah, Hallowe'en... Only 318 days away and I already have a new recipe!

Horrah!

Wow! Check out this KrampusLauf on YouTube! Awesome! Look at those costumes and HOW MANY there are!!! Why don't we have this here!? Thank you, Melanie, for the link!


I found this most unusual Krampus in a book, "The World Encyclopedia of Christmas" by Gerry Bowler. He's almost a pet here, not as humanoid as other images. Still, he's definitely a demon, definitely creepy and definitely dangerous! Look at that tongue!

(Sorry for the not-so-great scan, I didn't want to snap the book's spine.)

bugger!

For the last 9 days, perhaps longer, my email has been spotty at best. My website is also un-editable. Why? My internet provider is having serious issues and everything is buggered up.
When will this be resolved? WHO KNOWS?!!! Sorry for the inconvenience and, yes, I'm looking for a new provider!

UPDATE, December 19: While I don't have a new provider yet, I have a new home for my websites! They now live in BC, on Glidehosting's server. Thank you Dave for making this migration nearly effortless! You guys and gals are amazing!! So my new email is woosel@scratchingatthewindow.com

A Haunted 2012!

Okay, so you're Christmas shopping... If you're looking for that perfect gift for the ghouls and goblins on your list, consider the "Haunted Canada 2012" calendar! I just received my copy and it's really quite wonderful! Each month's spread is a collage of gruesome goodness, and it'll help you keep that Hallowe'en mood all year long! Perfect! You can get yours at http://www.hectorturner.com/halloween/shop.html and Hector's speedy at shipping it out in time for the longest, darkest night of the year: Solstice! (You can see lots of the collages on his website.)

Thank you, Hector!

Frohe Krampus Nacht!

My dear Readers and Friends,

Happy Krampus Night!

(I could wear my horns to work tonight... but I don't think that would go over too well.

It would be fun, though.)

Wanting meaning

I had to turn the radio off tonight to stop the Christmas music. One more tune and I was going to start throwing things. Christmas is such an insincere time of the year, all that "kindness, hope, goodwill to all" so rarely translates into action. Yeah, then tell me what did you do to make the world a better place in the name of Christmas?




I want magic!

I'll be happier when December is over...


In the meantime, I did receive a most amazing gift today. (Rose, thank you!) In an envelope from Rose there was an envelope from Hungary and in the envelope was a Krampus postcard! WOW! I'm just thrilled! (If you want to read about Krampus, try http://www.krampus.com/.)

This is a scan of the postcard.
So, perhaps I'll skip the Christmas mumbo-jumbo, focus on a Krampus and Solstice celebration (far more sincere) and take great, honest pleasure in real friendships.