Dollz and thingz

Christmas is not so far away.

Finally feeling a bit caught up here and less pressure to get things made to sell or give and just enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. It will be over in a blink and I annually find myself wishing that I had enjoyed it just a little longer. Remember when we were children? The wonder seemed to spread out before us endlessly until the big day arrived.

Do you have certain music or movies that you are traditions for you? I suspect we all have many. I love the movie "The Bishop's Wife" with David Niven, Loretta Young and Cary Grant at his most charming! I will watch this movie many times this season.

As for music, Ottmar Liebert's "Poet's and Angels" is my favorite Christmas music but we often listen to the goofy Leon Redbone Christmas Album, too. Leon croons away "a la Bing Crosby." Gotta love it! Last year we discovered Over the Rhine and their Christmas album, "Snow Angels" which is bluesy, haunting, uplifting, all at the same time. Of course, traditional music makes it way through the house, too.

Above is a tree had in my kitchen last year and other years. Those are my Bleuettes and some vintage characters that I collect. I used this photo of a Christmas card for some special doll collector friends.

You might have guessed that we have eclectic taste here and we don't always celebrate in the most traditional manner though we do maintain some traditions. This year I didn't put up a tree but decorated a Norfolk pine. (One year, when I found myslef suddenly single and quite broke, I decorated an avocado tree with a string of lights I bought for 50 cents in a drugstore. It was splendid tree in its time.)

We are staying simple in these complex times. I like to bring out different things each year and rotate them but bringing out less and less these days.

Time for more coffee and a little music and then I must start the day. A few more packages to mail and then I am done with mailing.

Enjoy your day!