Project 365: December 19th through December 25th

December 19th: Each year Christmas decorations get scarier every year such as this fine example from Fred Meyer of a wood carved squirrel made to look like pinecones.


December 20th: Our friend Dave gave us tickets to see the new Sherlock Holmes at Roseway Theater so voila!


After the movie we wandered to Voodoo Donut on our way home for some apple fritters.


December 21st: My creation for the season was this wreath I made from two berry garlands we never found uses for but have had for years now. I used a glue gun and added piles from my wreathing collection - plus it matches the theme of red and gold for my tree perfectly. Next year we are back to Patrick's blue and silver tree.


December 22nd: Karaoke fun at Noho's Hawaiian Restaurant hosted by Rocky and Susanne with Heidi, Kyle, Adam and Jason.


December 23rd:Walking through downtown to the Keller Auditorium for the Nutcracker by Oregon Ballet Theater.


...and waiting for the ballet to begin...


December 24th: Christmas Eve dinner with Wendy and Brandt.


December 25th: Our Amaryllis bloomed just in time for Christmas!

December 18th, 2011

Since we bought our house we have held a traditional potluck every year to celebrate the holidays and good cooking. We lovingly call it the Sugar Plum potluck and her are some pictures I snapped just before the party.

The best Christmas book ever which was given to me twice last year - no complaints!


Our fireplace and candles all lit up...


The snack table: Summer sausage with smoked cheddar, blue corn chips with guac hummus and homemade blended salsa, chevre with Italian bread, Devil's food cookies and M&Ms peanut and M&Ms peanut butter.


Our gorgeous Christmas tree.


We have started a small nutcracker collection which I want to start growing. I won the first one in a white elephant gift steal at work and the second was a present last year to Patrick from year - yes, it is a pirate.


And then I began working on the Yule bags I make for everyone. This pile is from trimming my bay laurel so I can put leaves in everyone's bags.

November 18th, 2011

Me and Patrick went to see the Bodyworlds Exhibit at OMSI and had some fun at the gift shop.



Mmmmmm....Flesh Eating Disease....


You can snuggle with red and white blood cells...


Or perhaps E Coli and Ebola...

Or build one of my favorite dinosaurs!


Here is a gorgeous view of Portland from OMSI.

Project 365: December 12th through December 18th

December 12th: The tall black wave candleholders we just got at the Z Gallery for a steal Black Friday shopping with free shipping and handling too!


December 13th: Post lunch with Julia we noticed these feathered friends in their habitat by Beaverton Central.


December 14th: Getting prepared for the cold or plotting jihad...you decide...


December 15th: Indeed...working through Christmas cards...


December 16th: An amazing desert creation by Wenders: ricotta cheese with cut up strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, hazelnuts and agave nectar which we scooped up with chocolate biscotti...


December 17th: We went out to a family farm to claim our Christmas tree and met a few new friends. Really fickle friends since they realized I had nothing to offer them so they wanted nothing to do with me...


The tree farm was gorgeous - all they had was nobles and they were all HUGE.


December 18th: Sugar Plum Potluck which we host annually to celebrate sugar, friends, great conversations and all that good stuff in between.

November 12th, 2011

Here is photos from day two of our trip to Seattle to celebrate our friend Robert's birthday.

Breakfast at Local 360 with Jon, Rob, Heidi, Patrick, Ben and Rachel.


A candy store at Pike's Place Market with a Gummy Bear made entirely from gummy bears.


Ben's favorite shop in Seattle which has film, comics and such collectibles - I found a dalik, a few doctors, the Tardis and even Amy Pond!


Love this...


Post Alley's infamous Gum Wall which is in the top ten most germ infested tourist attractions - it actually holds the number two spot, beaten only by the Blarney Stone in Ireland.


Heidi gets REALLY excited about Post Alley while Rachel tries to hide.


Post Alley amazingly empty...


Me and Heidi having drinks at Pike Place Brewery. And yes, I bought a seal hat because my head was freezing!


Ms Heidi stole my camera and wanted to capture my hat.


Ms Rachel being cute.


Pike Place Brewery's tin ceiling.




Yes, I am drinking a Stoli and 7up with lime and lemon at a Brewery...they were out of Lambic which is the only beer I will drink.


My hat became our trip's mascot...it was a seal after all. Here is Ms Heidi...


And Ms Rachel...


The birthday boy himself...


Ben would not wear the hat so Patrick showed him how fun it was..


I mean can't you tell how thrilled and happy he is!?


So Patrick shared it with Ben...


They are!


The motto for the weekend...


Bunnies are fun, especially alcoholic homicidal ones!


Pike Place Market




The kitchen at this lovely little chowder cart at Pike Place Market.


Downtown Seattle










Having a drink with the girl's...The Diller Room in Downtown Seattle. FYI - the Dillerlicious tasted like ass.






This was the asstastic drink in question...


So I ordered a raspberry kamakazi which was MUCH better.


Wandering back to Pike's Place for dinner.


Pike's Place Market had a whole halibut...


Dinner at the Pink Door. We walked in and saw this - a photographer taking a photo of a drink balanced on a statue's head...








My dinner was grilled swordfish.


Our waiter was sweet enough to take this: Me, Kevin, Kandice, Robert (the birthday boy), Ben, Rachel, Patrick and Heidi.