Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to All

I'm finally addressing my holiday cards and with any luck will mail them tomorrow! Yay!  I usually make my cards, but circumstances conspired against me this year, and I waited to the last minute to order cards. The photo is mine and is titled "Hydrangea," which while accurate is hardly original. So kind readers - here is the card even before it's mailed - for you.

Wishing you and yours the Happiest of Holidays and a 2010 filled with joy, health, and prosperity.

From Qwill and the small humans.

The First BIG Storm of the Season - for DC

It snowed last night into this morning. We got about 10 inches of very powdery snow. It's not the best snow for building snowmen or making snowballs, but it is easy to shovel!  One of the local stations names the big snow storms. This year they are being named after famous scientists. So without further ado, the photos of the snow from Winter Storm Albert:

Still snowing early this morning

One of our intrepid plows

The front yard

My large perennial garden

Cone flowers wearing winter white hats

A little panorama looking up and down my street

(click on it to see it larger)

The small humans

So that's it for Albert. Next up is Barbara which will be named for Barbara McClintock who won a Nobel Prize in 1983 for her work in the field of genetics.

Qwill's Qwestion: Did you get snow from Albert? or What is your weather like?

Holiday Shopping or I'd Rather Have a Root Canal or How to Save Yourself by Shopping at Cemetery Cat Designs

I'm not overfond of holiday shopping. I don't like the crowds. I don't like the feeling of desperation that seems to emanate from nearly everyone around me. So in order not to torture myself (or anyone else), if I can't get it online, I generally won't get it. I recently had one of the best holiday shopping experiences I've ever had. Let me explain.

This year I was looking for something special and unique for my teen daughter. She's a Twihard (sigh) but also has the good taste to love the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. I know that Synde Korman of Cemetery Cat Designs makes limited edition jewelry inspired by Vampire Academy in addition to other beautiful jewelry. Luckily for me Synde also makes custom items as well. My daughter's favorite Vampire Academy character is Dimitri Belikov. I contacted Synde with this information, and she started designing a necklace for my daughter. We discussed materials and agreed on a price. I was also asked my daughter's size so that the necklace would be the appropriate length.  When it was ready Synde sent me the photo below:

Wow! Synde shipped it out, and I received it in perfect shape a couple of days later. I was so excited that I could not wait to give it to my daughter. My daughter CRIED! She hugged me... a lot. I cried. She absolutely loves her necklace. I love that with the help of Synde I've been able to give my daughter a unique and lasting work of art. It is absolutely stunning.

I'm a real fan of Cemetery Cat Designs! As a matter of fact I need to have Synde make something for my son. He saw his sister's necklace and was so wowed that he would like something unique for himself. He's already given me a couple of ideas.

Here's the link for Cemetery Cat Designs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/psynde 

Take a look!!

[Just so you know - I have absolutely no link to Cemetery Cat Designs other than being a very happy customer.]

Qwill's Qwestion: What would like for the holidays?