And To All A Good Night!

You've been wondering what I've been doing? Well, I know some of you have because I've been getting emails. You might want to grab a cup of tea...or coffee...or wine because this one is going to be long.

"The Holidays".....you know how busy it is and I don't even do that much....I did take a day off to play tourist in my own town. San Francisco is a great place to do that. Isn't the Palace hotel pretty?

And Chinatown....always a favorite spot of mine. I have been roaming around the streets and alleys there for years but I had never been to this place. I passed it by lots of ties thinking it was a tourist trap and it kind of is BUT it just looks so cool...
The Far East Cafe on Grant Avenue

And I can recommend the wonton/noodles/BBQ pork soup for sure.

Another favorite spot to hang out is my studio. One of my happiest places to be and there is always so much to do there...
and, I like company too, so come on in.

My pal Margarete brought me some great boxes of stamps and I spent quite a lot of time happily sorting them and playing with them...

I wrapped quite a few presents in my studio too...

And I made a bunch of Christmas accordion fold books but having gotten into the holiday spirit too late I still have them all. But the good news is they are all ready for NEXT Christmas. If I can remember where I put them.
I just don't get in the mood for Xmas till about a week before. As I was making things I was thinking what a good blog post it would be to show you but by then it was too late...
DOES THAT HAPPEN TO YOU?

I worked on finishing up my NYC travel journal. I had fun making tabs and then sticking stamps on them..

Don't they look cool? Well, I think so...

I made a very small, almost square altered book for a good friend  who loves Japan.

Also busy making envelopes and sending out some good mail.

Yes, another lunch out - this one in Japantown. 

Spend some nice time by my pretty Christmas tree....read a lot of books, baked a lot of cookies and made pies, took packages to the post office, worked, cooked, went to our mail art group's Xmas party.....
OK, SO here's what I want to know from YOU --
What would you like to see on the blog? What interests you? Just Art? Food? San Francisco?
I need to know if there is enough interest to continue and what you'd like to see more/less of.
And, c'mon  -- you can post anonymous comments easily - I know because I get A LOT of spam comments. You can do it!
Let's start the new year together.

In the meantime, if you are looking for me, I'm having a cocktail.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a Very Happy 2109!
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Back To Basics

Mail Art OUT
It's all about the mail....

Cutting and pasting and playing with old photo postcards and off they go....

OUTGOING...inspired by my Postage Stamp Art workshop with Monica Lee.

OUTGOING
Sending off some ATC's and Altered Rolo cards in a little folder

Why send it plain if you can send it fancy?

OUTGOING
Collage still traveling to Russia

A BIG pile of OUTGOING surprises and a birthday postcard....

Sometimes you've got to write a letter....Mr Zip card by Jessica Manack

OUTGOING

OUTGOING
A little birthday surprise to my pal Patti in an altered Altoid tin

OUTGOING
Thank you tins to Linda

Ain't it the truth????
Rule certainly applies around my house -- nothing is safe! And I love to re-purpose.

So, I've been busy. And you?
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Where Santa (& I) Go To Shop (Part Two)

Vintage, wood-blocked Christmas cards from Japan -- just another wonderful afternoon at Scrap!

I can think of some fun things to do with these...and it's fun to play with paint too...

Cookie tin with stamps on it?
Perfect for my cookie delivery to my favorite clerks at the Post Office...I have a big bag filled with Holiday mail and packages going out this week and I am going to bake some cookies for the postal workers before I head out to the PO.

Notecards with stamp ephemera

Curated a few collections for friends....this one likes birds.

Cards at Scrap - the best place to buy em!

Some vintage papers to write on...

Inter-office envelopes are always fun for mailing.

Score!
This was quite a fun find at Scarp....now I just have to actually try to carve some stamps.

Red RUSH labels -- these I need!

Brayers -- the more the merrier!

The rubber stamps are not usually great but I hit it one really good day and scored all these....

YEARBOOKS
This is all from SCRAP -- my favorite spot for shopping all year round. Some of my gift giving this year is from SCRAP. I curated a few collections for my pals.
Scored a few treasures.
Of course, being me, I also found quite a few things for myself. Ahem.
You never know what you will find at places like Scrap. You've got to go with a sense of adventure and open mind and sometimes...well...you don't find anything.
But I usually do.
You sure won't find me at a mall shopping but you might find me at Scrap or a thrift shop...
Gift giving from me -- handmade, curated and vintage treasures/ephemera.

Don't get too jealous though -- this was from about three trips to Scrap not all from one. And sometimes Scrap is pretty bad -- like today -- when you get some idiot checker who wants to totally overcharge you for everything.
There is nothing you can do since things are not marked with prices but I hate that people make up prices on a whim -- some folks there are totally realistic and others are definitely not.
It is like those nuts holding garages sales who want to charge antique store prices.
I have to carefully pick the days I go to avoid the over-chargers.


And where do you all like to shop? What do you like to make?
What do you like to receive?

We are getting ready for a great big storm here in the Bay Area -- so if you don't hear anything fro me you'll know why....
I have candles, wine, a gas stove and I've fully charged everything I can....so wish us luck here...

US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California added 2 new photos.

3 PM Storm Update: Everything on track for a significant winter storm to impact the Bay Area later this week. Rainfall amounts will be heavy, and will fall in short periods of time in bursts of heavy rain that will produce roadway and urban flooding, create flooding of small creeks and streams, and localized mudslides and rock falls. In addition to the rain and flooding - strong winds will accompany this storm. This will result in a considerable amount of power outages across the area as gusts to 80 MPH are possible on the ridges and up to 60 MPH on the coastline. As currently forecast, a storm this strong hasn't occurred in the Bay Area for several years. The time to prepare and be aware is now - Thursday will bring the worst conditions including significant commute impacts and travel difficulties due to high winds, heavy rain, roadway flooding, and downed trees. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service and on twitter @nwsbayarea

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