And after the 12th day of Christmas...

The house is headed towards clean. The Christmas tree is bare, and still in the living room. The stockings and ornaments are all put away for next year, and the Christmas fabric has been re-labeled with new intentions.

Just in time for Theophany and Old Calendar Christmas.

So, as promised, here's a picture of the " Bishop bishop" with it's proud owner and her brand new bright red bow. I think she's a precious little gem, but then, I'm biased!

She loves her "princess dress and beautiful bow", and anything else I make for her!

My mom told me one of her friends mentioned I should go into business. I chuckled.

My wonderful hubby also schemed with my family and provided a treasured Christmas Gift.

Click here to see the wonderful gift! 

And, of course, the church CD. I'm surprised- we've gone through 100 cd's already! What a blessing to have such music in the car, on my laptop, and soon, on Ancient Faith Radio! We're working diligently with Concilliar press to make that happen. So, should you want to hear sound bytes- hang on a few days. I'm sure you'll have something soon!! Until then, if you would like a copy, feel free to contact St Symeon the New Theologian.

So, with the New Year in full swing, I look forward to my grandmother's 80th birthday party, and my dear friend's wedding. I'll finish sewing everything for her this weekend, and hopefully have pictures soon. Prayerfully, I'll have news on the job front soon, unless I have enough sewing requests to sustain us for some time.

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

The Christmas decorations are in place (at least everything that will go out this year- maybe more next year). The presents are all bought, and almost wrapped (the first year I won't be shopping on Christmas Eve! Progress!).  All the sewing is completed, and all that's left is to make cookies of some sort for the neighbors.

SO, it is with great pleasure, much anticipation, and huge relief that I get to do this ...

Are you ready??

( I'd make a great rock concert announcer!)

Release date- December 22, 2010.

I'm working on a few sound clips- we'll see how that goes.  Contact Webmaster@stsymeon.com for more information.


Project number 2....

I finished the bishop dress- but I didn't take a picture. I'll try to get one up before the season's over.

Project number 3...

Someone asked me to make a stocking yesterday. Short Notice, but it's done. I found cute fabric ( Christmas lights) and some gold beads, paired with some shiny red satin, and this is the result....

Here's the hanger

and the heel...

the toe

the cuff

Even on a box, ready to ship!

So, with that in mind, I'm off to get last minute food items, make a beard for my step-son's Post-Nativity drama at church, and dare I say it, Relax?  

More Christmas Music

I thought I'd share someone else's accomplishment today, since my Christmas Surprise might not arrive until  Jan 6.

I can't tell you how much I love this family. They are such a joy, always. Even though this is only a sampling of their talents, you can tell they had such fun. Hope you enjoy!

Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them.

The Ritchey Family -Songs By the Dozen

 

 

 

 

 

 to order: email-songsbythedozen@yahoo.com

Campus Capers

So, even though my finals have finished, I'm still coming to school for one reason or another. Yesterday, I'd left campus to run a few errands. I came back to campus, and waking back to my " dedicated study area" I saw this. 

Look closely,  just behind the fountain... yes.. those are the legs of a chair.

I caught myself wondering why someone would throw a chair into the fountain.

Then I remembered my days at University of Montevallo. When the snow fell, the roads iced up, and all the students ran for their nearest relative, the cafeteria locked up the trays.  We hated having no trays, and it wasn't until several weeks later I discovered why. 

During one particularly unusual April, we received 20+ inches of snow overnight. Once I let the amazement sink in, I decided to take a walk around campus ( the fact that the power was out encouraged me also). As I headed to my usual buildings, I found out why we had no trays. The lucky few students who'd realized we would have a weather situation, had taken trays weeks earlier from the cafeteria, and fashioned a sort of sled out of them. They were sliding down the hill in front of the president's house. Later, this is where we would all brave the cold, and "camp out for homelessness awareness". 

Why do I bring this up? I simply find it amusing that, no matter how old I get, College students will always be kids. No matter how old they ( or we) are, college will always be " never -never land". 

And.. it's cold, sleeting, freezing rain, but no snow!

The Newest Edition

It's still cold, but no snow. Hopefully we sent it all packing. I feel it's such a waste to have mornings that are sub-human habitation, and no snow.

The Russian final is over. I'm told it went well; I'm still waiting on the numbers.

And the latest projects are almost done. Here are a few pictures.

This is my first knit bootie- er Mary Jane style.
A friend asked me to make a small pair for her granddaughter.
I think it's definitely a possibility- by the way,
it's on my 7 inch netbook, for perspective!

I have to admit, it didn't look very nice in the beginning.
I can barely define anything! 

But, things started taking shape, very very slowly.

A sneak peak.. this is the sleeve- I still have to add his eyes. 

And here we are!
A Bishop on a Bishop, with a few modifications.
 Hope the 5 year old likes wearing it!

Russian Final

Through the Prayers of Our Holy Father, St Herman of Alaska

This semester, I decided to take advantage of benefits, and take an Introduction to Russian at the University. I have had a wonderful time in this class, made some new friends, and been inspired to restore my music skills I'd lost over the years.

This has been an interesting experience. It's a self-study class in which we are expected to be prepared with the lesson before we arrive. This has proven a challenge to some of my classmates, but all in all, it's been an excellent experience. My tutor/professor and I have become friends, and she is truly a blessing. Her ever-gentle correction and jubilant affirmation have made the lessons exciting .

The only thing I didn't think about was the final. I haven't had a final since 1997, and I just knew then I'd never take another one- especially after I found gray hair in my bangs right after my last final! Well, those were famous last thoughts!

Today, in a few minutes, I'll have my first final in how many years? I know it's not a comprehensive final, but yet it is. If you learn a new language, everything's comprehensive! Maybe not all-inclusive, as I pointed out to my husband. You can't speak a language on the last day of class without at least using some of the words you learned the first day of class. Unless,  of course,  you're one of the natural communicators who don't need basic words like " I", " you", and " it".

So, it's with great trepidation I trek  off, evaluating my performance this semester, and anticipating another semester of a wonderful tutor/professor assisting the fledgling Russian speakers in their task.

Update:
To all native Russian speakers, I apologize for butchering my conversations. I'll take more classes and improve! The supervising professor says I need practice, but gave me a high grade. I'll know more by the end of the week!

At It Again

Now it's not funny. This is just a huge tease.

I woke up this morning to find... snow....again...not sticking to the ground.

There were a few leaves that had accumulated a coating, and telltale icicles lined the interstate, but for the most part, just bone chilling cold.

When I was much younger, I remember reading a book, where the main character squinched her nose, crossed her eyes and then she could use her imagination to make the distorted image into some wild creature. I don't remember that book title, but I thought about that line today. If I squinch my nose, cross my eyes, and try really hard, it might, just might seem like I'm in Russia- a very cold winter.

I have a Russian final today, as I stated earlier. Maybe the cold will help me study some today! After all, it's a good day to stay inside.