catching up

Thanks everyone for your sweet words on the Lady Susan dress! And thanks especially for all the advice on cleaning the machine - I'll definitely be trying your ideas!

It feels somewhat ridiculous starting a new year playing catch-up, but heh - story of my life. Here's a glimpse of what I've been up to:

Christmas here was quiet, but lovely. Spent at home with the few family members still in the area - and plenty of long-distance phone calls! Many lovely gifts were received by all, including some books and a new camera for me (whee!).

My sister's birthday. She's a jazz musician (vocals and guitar), so I made her an Irving-Berlin-themed bangle which I love, and I hope she does too. Made with Casey's tutorial and an old music theatre encyclopedia - it was too much fun picking out all our favorite Berlin tunes and finding space for them! (More pictures here.)

Lots of outings, movies, and theatre. Our parents took us to see Wicked, which was very entertaining (and talk about getting a soundtrack stuck one's head!). Hephaestus was, like everything Lookingglass does, fantastic. It was more circus than play - think Cirque du Soliel woven into a story, and happening only 20 feet away (often closer). Excellent choice, using circus arts to tell the story of the exiled cripple god . . .

And here I am, left only slightly dazed and confused after all the activity and inspiration of the past weeks. There's a lot of work I've been neglecting - organization and paperwork stuff, business stuff, portfolio stuff. I'm slightly daunted but energized for the work ahead, ready to get down to business. Happy new year, all!