Catch Me If You Can

Ooh! Things are busy around here -- and I am guessing it is a busy time for all of you.
Making, cooking, holidays, friends, family, wrapping, eating......
standing in lines?

Yup, I did it again -- stood in line at the wonderful Cavallini Sale.
I got up at
5AM
Can you believe it? At least this year it wasn't raining. My pals and I got there at about 6:45AM and the doors opened at 8AM and the wild stampede began.
Cavallini is really a wonderful local business. They supply PEETS coffee (the best!) and boxes of fresh donuts and the employees working the sale say
"thank you for coming"
(as if wild horses could keep me away).

My two bags filled with treasures. I wish I could show you what's in the bags but Santa would be mad at me if I did....
Let's just say I got a lot of Xmas shopping done and some things for myself as well.
Who needs Black Friday when you have Cavallini??

I am also picking up bits of fabric and lace for my slow stitching projects...In the meantime the little fabric piles look so pretty. And that flower needlepoint -- I got it all finished for $5!
It is so pretty...I want to cut it up and use pieces in my creations but I am still working on the concept.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the studio too......I usually refuse to do anything before Thanksgiving but since Thanksgiving is so late this year I realized I better get this party started!

I love those Flat Rate Priority Mail boxes and Padded Mailing Envelopes.
Thanks USPS! 

I picked up the art studio for my special Thanksgiving guests (you know who you are). Hung some things on the wall.....

....and yes, there will be wine and cheese......
You all are welcome to come over for a little party!

The town square near my house has a little light show going on...such a pretty spot.

UPDATE on the POCKET BOOKS
Thank you to all of you who bought books! They are all sold out except for two and I really appreciate your suppose and interest in the books. And for your patience!
I've been told people had trouble commenting and the Contact Me Form wasn't working. This was not Bloggers finest moment. I'd like to switch my blog to a better platform but right now the thought is daunting. I may sell on Instagram. Loads of people do it and it seems easier, so stayed tuned.

So, now our thoughts turn to food -- and family and friends -- here in the USA.
I am thankful for all the lovely comments and support I get from the art community on social media. And I am also thankful for all the inspiration.
I hope you all enjoy the holiday.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Wrap It, Send it and Here's How....

This is how things are looking around my studio......Santa's Little Workshop. Oddly enough I don't even like Xmas. But I like my friends and I like to mail them things. I like wrapping presents and making things look pretty too.
(and, of course, I LOVE getting mail)
BTW, I recommend listening to Snow Angels by Over The Rhine while wrapping gifts. Best Xmas music ever. Let me know if you like it....

I bet you've got presents to send.....
Do you know some of the best ways to mail them? (via USPS)

I'm betting most of you already know about the USPS Flat rate Priority Mail boxes......but on the off chance you don't...they come is Small, Medium and Large and no matter what the heck you stuff inside or how heavy they are there is a flat rate -- AND -- $50.00 insurance and tracking included. And there are delivered in one to three days.
What's not to like?

Ready to fill!
But how many of you now about these babies? Flat rate padded envelopes are in Santa's workshop ready to fill.
See below at the very end of the post on bow to get them. Blogger is screwy and won't let me get that photo inserted where it should be....

Santa's Notes
I had just been thinking I need to keep track of what I send to people when I spotted this little charmer in a shop in Redlands, CA. Only $4 so how could I resist?
I send out a lot of surprises and sometimes forget what  sent to whom....so this file is just what I needed. And it's really cute.

Of course, thanks to ScrapSF (and JU) I was fully prepared with with lots of cool old  3x5 cards with tabs and index cards.
I've already typed them up for this year's Xmas offerings....now if only I could remember what I gave my friends last year...

At the same shop I also found vintage tags and an unused packet of Dennison Xmas stickers for $2.50. My husband couldn't understand my excitement.... For someone who doesn't even like Xmas I was still happy -- I love vintage.

Redlands Postal Museum
My pal Monica alerted me to the Redlands Postal Museum on her blog a while back so I stopped in. It's tiny but fun to visit.

Don't you think Santa should have these USPS mail sacks to deliver presents?

I thought this was a riot!

Check out that fabulous ironwork -- do you see what it says at the bottom? So cool. I wish I'd be standing in line at that post office to mail all my Xmas boxes and envelopes.
I could gaze at that USPO for a while.

Coming home from a quick LA trip I got three days of mail on Sunday night. Yes! After a BAD mail week (three days with nothing at all) this was a happy night.

How many of you know about the wonderful Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded envelopes?
I am using LOTS of them this holiday season -- and I use them all year to mail surprises to my mail art pals. They can also be as heavy as you want and I can stuff A LOT inside.
You have to order them -- FREE -- at the USPS website right
HERE
They ship them in packs of ten -- trust me, you will use them. $6.45 to mail off with $50.00 insurance and tracking.
My secret mailing weapon.

LA was fun but  am very happy to be back in SF and settle in with my long TO DO list.
I want to get all the wrapping and mailing out of the way so I can make art and bake cookies.

Sadly, a lot of us here in the Bay Area, especially in the art community, are feeling very sad about the horrible tragedy in the artist space the Ghost Ship in Oakland.
It seems to be hanging over our whole community and there is much sadness for the lives lost and the remaining friends and families who are suffering. 
A moment of silence for all that was lost on December 2.

Take care, friends.

Paint It Any Color But Black

What did you do on Black Friday?

Macy's?
I think not. I enjoy a holiday as much as the next person but really...all this commercialism and shopping to just too much.
I opt out.
Here's what I do instead.....

READ STUFF
Morning coffee with some reading -- good way to start the day.
I'm reading:
Flirting With French by William Alexander
Mastering the Art of French Eating by Ann Mah
The Stories We Tell by Patti Callahan Henry
The Painting Workshop by Alena Hennessy
&
Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich

All from the fabulous SF Public Library and all good.
I can definitely vouch for the baking book.
Trust me.

MAKE STUFF

I got out my Gelli printing stuff and got busy making stuff....so much fun. Put some music on and play with paint and the times flies by.

Listening to my two favorite holiday CD's -- both by Over The Rhine a group I really really like.
Snow Angels & Blood Oranges in the Snow.
Both really good.
And have you heard of The Civil Wars? Apparently popular group  few years ago who are now broken up but the CD I got from the library is quite good.

Printed on some plain white gift bags from Diaso....that was fun..

Some tags.....they can go inside the bags...

Cards and papers.....now I have a stockpile to play with...

A much better use of my time than the mall.....not that I ever actually go to malls but you get the idea....

MAKE STUFF
Worked on some Holiday gifts.....

This one is for me......

WRAP STUFF
I enjoy wrapping gifts when I'm not rushed or have too many things to wrap all at once...

WRAP STUFF

EAT STUFF
My pal invited us over for a wonderful lunch up in the wine country and I felt like I took a little trip to France.

DRINK STUFF
When in the wine country...or France...you know what you've got to do.....

LOOK AT STUFF
Take a walk and look around.....

So, there it is -- my Black Friday. Not a store in sight.

And, thanks to all of you lovely folks who read and commented on my last post. WOW!
I think there were 29 comments.
I could sure get used to that. Keep 'em coming! That is the way to keep me going and working on the blog. It is so much appreciated and really means a lot. I'm feeling the love.
Questions? Ideas for posts? Comments?
All good.
I have so many projects to work on I think I better say good-bye and get busy.
Now tell me about you!
What was your Black Friday like? And are you all doing today?

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