end of the year Blythe haulin'

Lately I've been looking more actively for Blythe clothes than I have been for much of this year. I've gotten this cute sweatshirt from Tinkerina, two adorable dresses from Chubby Whale with lovely colors and pretty bodices, and these two knitted outfits from StorybookBlythe!

I didn't meet my Blythe goals, let me tell you! I didn't do ADAD, I never found a good pull charm for Mallow (though I looked many times on Etsy), I didn't do a closet cleanout! All I did this year was work on my writing project!! But I did take a new family portrait to include Lamb, and I did practice knitting the same hat over and over. I still feel happy and satisfied with my doll family! They are always there for me when I need some quiet companionship. Hard to believe I've been Blything it up for four years now!

Happy New Year, everyone! See you in 2014 with more random posts!

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24th

Merry Christmas Eve! Tonight, my little sisters and I had our annual Home Alone viewing. We pretty much know the movie by heart, but we can never remember all the McCallister kids' names (Buzz, Lenny... is one of them named Jeff? Yeah, I'm already tapped out, and I just watched it a couple of hours ago).

There's always last-second wrapping to do. I don't know how it happens, but I'm always doing it for someone on Christmas Eve!

I think this holiday is gonna be a good one, but wish me luck anyway!

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toadstool ornaments

It seems I've started a small collection of toadstool ornaments this year. These go on the big tree, not my pink tree. They're heavy!

Our tree is pretty much dripping with all kinds of ornaments, handmade and gifted and store-bought. My mom collects snowflakes and there are a number of them on our tree, and she also has a second smaller tree that she fills entirely with snowflakes. Before this year, I've never attempted to have my own holiday decor, as we have more than we can even really fit on our tree -- and I like our kitschy hodge-podge.

I feel like I'm gonna need a tag for toadstools on this blog!

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for all the little birds

Alert, alert! My mom, artist that she is, painted these two tiny wooden birdhouses that we found at Michael's in a scheme that would fit my pink tree. Now they look like snow-covered cabins! My Bob Ross-loving heart was pleased. And of course I asked for toadstools.

I can't believe the detail on such a small thing -- it's only two and a half or so inches tall.

Anytime anyone tells me I'm talented I just laugh, since my mom can do anything.

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marshmallow world

Last week my pink tree braved the terribly cold outdoors so I could get some pictures of it. This was much harder than it sounds, since I was so shivery-shaky, huddling down on the snow.

My weird color compulsions were given free reign on this tree, and my odd theme was earthy-pastel. It's so satisfying to me. I'm still so glad I found those little toadstools at Target!

Somehow, there's room for a few more ornaments!

We decorated at our house and at my grandmother's this weekend. Today, all the snow has melted away and it's in the 50s! So warm! We're supposed to get another cold snap soon.

I've been hauling butt on a last-minute Christmas writing project, and the holiday feels simultaneously too close yet too far!

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keeping warm

Of course, I am digging this winter weather! Everyone else has cabin fever, but I am basically always close to hibernation. I love when it's very bright out at night because of the snow.

Snow makes me happy in part because I know my Ice Rune, Aury, is a winter girl. I don't think I've failed to take her out in the snow once since getting her in December of '09. Hard to believe I've had her for nearly four years! I can remember so vividly the extreme excitement and enchantment I felt when I got her. It's something I have felt rarely since I was ten or so.

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the north wind doth blow

I love winter weather! Rather than fluffy snow, we're getting crunchy sleet; you can hear the snow hitting the ground as well as you could hear rain. My area has a history of ice storms wherein we lose power for many days, so we're all bracing ourselves. We carried in firewood yesterday so it wouldn't get wet and we'd have a good stash.

I'll hold out hope that a power outage won't happen, and in the meantime clean like crazy so I won't trip over something and break my face if I end up stumbling around in the dark, groping for a candle.

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cool front coming

Man, November sure did slink on by. Hard to believe it's December, even though I've been in the Christmas mood for a while now. Hope your Thanksgiving was great, Americans! Everybody else, psst. I skipped Thanksgiving. I'm with you all the way.

No, but really, I'm thankful for the friends I keep in touch with, the good fortune I have, my best friend's job hunt coming to an end (Yay E!!!), and just having a freaking roof over my head.

I love how toadstools are everywhere this Christmas!! Is it some kind of belated mori-esque trend? Between you and me, lurker blogosphere, I've acquired several toadstool ornaments. You know toadstools and I go way, way back. Toadstools and kawaii teeth are kinda my weird jams; I have small collections. This little gold one is for my pink mini-tree, so it's pretty small. I got a pair of them at Target for cheapsies.

It was beautiful out today; amazingly and eerily foggy in the morning ("This fog's as thick as peanut butter!" "You mean pea soup." "You eat what you like, and I'll eat what I like!") and pleasantly cool this afternoon. Our weather dudes say that we're in for some sleet, snow, and possibly ice this weekend. It's gonna get cold, cold, cold! So I'm excited to bundle up and stay cozy, have some hot chocolate, maybe watch some Christmas movies... you know, get crazy.

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