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averygoodun42So... Christmas was more than a week ago, wasn't it? Um... yeah. It was pretty fantastic, especially the booty we received (although I feel exceptionally bad about one gift... more on that later.) Really, we made out like bandits thanks to the extreme generosity of my parents.
So, that was our beyond-our-wildest-imaginings haul, which was nice in itself. But, of course, the reason Christmas was so wonderful wasn't really the presents, although they helped. It was the family aspect. It's been so incredibly wonderful to have my parents around. Not only have they been wonderful to be with, but having them here has allowed me so much more time to do other things, like write (the second chapter of SMHC is now just waiting for revisions before I send it off), draw, cook, bake and decorate. I managed to get the outside lights strung up before they arrived, but with them here, I was actually inspired to get out the long strand of colored lights and string them along the living room. I also got my tree topper made, although not in the form I intended.
The tree topper I had envisioned was a bust made of Sculpey, positioned on top of a conical floral arrangement device, thingy. I made the bust, and was quite happy with it, to be honest. It was simple, and barely human, with only a single arch indicating the right eye and nose. I formed it around an egg of styrofoam, having heard that styrofoam melts away to nothing when you bake the clay.
So, I stuck it in the oven at the designated temperature, and when the allotted time was up, opened the oven to find a most peculiar split occurred. From the angel's jaw, up the center of her face, and over to her temple was split open, so cleanly that it looked like it had ben sliced. It was still one piece, so I thought I might be able to glue it back together.
I was able to glue it back together, although the seam was fairly obvious up-close. I figured that since it was a tree topper, no one would get that close, and so it would do for this year, and figured on making another bust the next year, using aluminum for the center of the head next time.
So, I continued. I attached it to the conical base, which had been lined with white felt to mask the green plastic, and started sewing the dress. I was just trying to figure out how to do the wings, when disaster struck. The bust fell off the base, and broke apart.
I decided it was better not to try and salvage the bust, but make another head. I should point out that it was probably around 9 o'clock on Christmas eve, at that point, but I was not deterred. Much. So, I took out the aluminum, balled it up into a head-like shape, and then realized I didn't want to ruin the smell of baking that permeated the house by sticking more of that sculpey in the oven.
I ended up wrapping decorative pipe cleaners around the aluminum and was rather pleased with the result. I then dressed the angel in the layered dress I'd made earlier that day. It was only when I arranged the shawl around the head that I realized that I'd inadvertently made a Nazgul. An angelic Nazgul, but a Nazgul, nonetheless.
The last is how it looks when only the Christmas lights are on. Spooky, huh?
On the whole, though, I'm rather fond of my angelic Nazgul. I'm not sure I'm going to make another head, as I quite like the effect of the golden pipe cleaner.
So, anyway, that was my Christmas. It was very nice -- one of the best I've had for a while. And now it's the New Year. Huh.
Well, happy New Year to you all, and I hope that it is full of happiness.
ETA: Ooh! And I finally get to tell you all about some stuff I did for the exchange! Lookit here and see! (Lots of pictures) And huge thanks tonoelani_sitara for making them look so great![Unknown site tag]
First of all, Babe got a spring horse. How awesome is that? It was very cute watching him figure out what it was, and what to do, although I eventually gave him the clue needed to get him bouncing back and forth so hard that the frame was wobbling on the floor. (My mum had introduced him to a sing-song rhyme that goes along with a bouncing knee: "This is the way the plowman rides: plod, plod, plod, plod. This is the way the lady rides: trottity, trottity, trottity, trot. This is the way the gentleman rides: gallopy gallopy gallopy gallop!" and after he had been sitting on the horse for a little while, barely wiggling it at all, I finally sang the gentleman part, and voila! He was off!
So that took up the first hour. The next three hours were spent trying to get Babe to open the rest of his presents. The problem, of course, being that he wanted to play with each toy when he discovered it. The third to last gift was a set of 50 alphabet blocks from DH's parents, which Babe took to the coffee table and promptly started making a wall. He made it about six tall and seven wide, and it was surprisingly straight and even. DH had to start putting the blocks away before Babe would even consider moving on to the last two presents, on of which was a big tub of normal wood blocks. And then there were the duplos, although I think they're actually quatros, but whatever. With a set of Duplos, they'll work with legos when Babe eventually gets those. :-)
So that was Babe. I got my jeans (My last pair failed when we were out in CO, very embarrassingly ripping at my bum while we were visiting a friend.), and a scarf, and TWO pairs of slippers. (They've been on my CHristmas list for three years now, and this is the first time I've gotten some. The first year I asked for slippers, DH got some, but I didn't.) I also got an amazing trip to IKEA, and got the show holders I've been longing for. It's always nice to get something that you've been thinking about fondly, but knowing that other things will always come first, so it'll never happen. Nice? No. Fabulous is more like it.
DH got some nice stuff (including two seasons of "Slings and Arrows"!!! Awesome show, that!), too, although his big gift from my parents is the one thing I (and he) feel terrible about. He got a garbage disposal. Ours has been less than functional for a couple of years now, so my parents thought that might be appreciated. It was, of course. But, when DH installed it, he found it didn't work, either. It was the switch, the five dollar switch, that was broken. So... What a waste of money and effort and... oh, I just feel awful. No one thought to check the simple solution, first. I'm going to try to sell our old one, or trade it or something, and try to make good, but I will still feel bad that it was wasted that way.
So that took up the first hour. The next three hours were spent trying to get Babe to open the rest of his presents. The problem, of course, being that he wanted to play with each toy when he discovered it. The third to last gift was a set of 50 alphabet blocks from DH's parents, which Babe took to the coffee table and promptly started making a wall. He made it about six tall and seven wide, and it was surprisingly straight and even. DH had to start putting the blocks away before Babe would even consider moving on to the last two presents, on of which was a big tub of normal wood blocks. And then there were the duplos, although I think they're actually quatros, but whatever. With a set of Duplos, they'll work with legos when Babe eventually gets those. :-)
So that was Babe. I got my jeans (My last pair failed when we were out in CO, very embarrassingly ripping at my bum while we were visiting a friend.), and a scarf, and TWO pairs of slippers. (They've been on my CHristmas list for three years now, and this is the first time I've gotten some. The first year I asked for slippers, DH got some, but I didn't.) I also got an amazing trip to IKEA, and got the show holders I've been longing for. It's always nice to get something that you've been thinking about fondly, but knowing that other things will always come first, so it'll never happen. Nice? No. Fabulous is more like it.
DH got some nice stuff (including two seasons of "Slings and Arrows"!!! Awesome show, that!), too, although his big gift from my parents is the one thing I (and he) feel terrible about. He got a garbage disposal. Ours has been less than functional for a couple of years now, so my parents thought that might be appreciated. It was, of course. But, when DH installed it, he found it didn't work, either. It was the switch, the five dollar switch, that was broken. So... What a waste of money and effort and... oh, I just feel awful. No one thought to check the simple solution, first. I'm going to try to sell our old one, or trade it or something, and try to make good, but I will still feel bad that it was wasted that way.
So, that was our beyond-our-wildest-imaginings haul, which was nice in itself. But, of course, the reason Christmas was so wonderful wasn't really the presents, although they helped. It was the family aspect. It's been so incredibly wonderful to have my parents around. Not only have they been wonderful to be with, but having them here has allowed me so much more time to do other things, like write (the second chapter of SMHC is now just waiting for revisions before I send it off), draw, cook, bake and decorate. I managed to get the outside lights strung up before they arrived, but with them here, I was actually inspired to get out the long strand of colored lights and string them along the living room. I also got my tree topper made, although not in the form I intended.
The tree topper I had envisioned was a bust made of Sculpey, positioned on top of a conical floral arrangement device, thingy. I made the bust, and was quite happy with it, to be honest. It was simple, and barely human, with only a single arch indicating the right eye and nose. I formed it around an egg of styrofoam, having heard that styrofoam melts away to nothing when you bake the clay.
So, I stuck it in the oven at the designated temperature, and when the allotted time was up, opened the oven to find a most peculiar split occurred. From the angel's jaw, up the center of her face, and over to her temple was split open, so cleanly that it looked like it had ben sliced. It was still one piece, so I thought I might be able to glue it back together.
I was able to glue it back together, although the seam was fairly obvious up-close. I figured that since it was a tree topper, no one would get that close, and so it would do for this year, and figured on making another bust the next year, using aluminum for the center of the head next time.
So, I continued. I attached it to the conical base, which had been lined with white felt to mask the green plastic, and started sewing the dress. I was just trying to figure out how to do the wings, when disaster struck. The bust fell off the base, and broke apart.
I decided it was better not to try and salvage the bust, but make another head. I should point out that it was probably around 9 o'clock on Christmas eve, at that point, but I was not deterred. Much. So, I took out the aluminum, balled it up into a head-like shape, and then realized I didn't want to ruin the smell of baking that permeated the house by sticking more of that sculpey in the oven.
I ended up wrapping decorative pipe cleaners around the aluminum and was rather pleased with the result. I then dressed the angel in the layered dress I'd made earlier that day. It was only when I arranged the shawl around the head that I realized that I'd inadvertently made a Nazgul. An angelic Nazgul, but a Nazgul, nonetheless.
The last is how it looks when only the Christmas lights are on. Spooky, huh?
On the whole, though, I'm rather fond of my angelic Nazgul. I'm not sure I'm going to make another head, as I quite like the effect of the golden pipe cleaner.
So, anyway, that was my Christmas. It was very nice -- one of the best I've had for a while. And now it's the New Year. Huh.
Well, happy New Year to you all, and I hope that it is full of happiness.
ETA: Ooh! And I finally get to tell you all about some stuff I did for the exchange! Lookit here and see! (Lots of pictures) And huge thanks to
noelani_sitara for making them look so great![Unknown site tag]
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-02 08:11 pm (UTC)I'm so glad you got some things you both wanted and needed and enjoyed. I'm also glad you got a chance to see Slings & Arrows, which I also really enjoyed. I'm eagerly anticipating a third season, even though it might be awhile before we get it in the states.
Finally, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated the evening you and the family spent with me. It was a real pleasure, and one that is becoming increasingly rare as everyone's lives get busier.
I hope this is an indicator of a very good year.
S
no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 09:56 pm (UTC)Third season of S&A will be aired in Canada starting in February, So, perhaps come April, it'll be available at netflix? We can hope, anyway. What I know is that they'll be putting on King Lear. Should be fun. Also, I think Darren Nichols will be in the entire season, although Oliver will only be in about 4 episodes. If I ever get a DVD burner, I'll send you my copy of Due South (I've got at least the first three seasons), and then we can laugh about Paul Gross risking getting typecast.
Oh, it was wonderful seeing you! I would have been sorely disappointed to leave Colorado without seeing you. I just hope you didn't get our germs.
I hope this year finds you ready for whatever will come next.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-04 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-02 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 09:59 pm (UTC)It does look Nazgulish, though. Fortunately, I have a sense of humor.