When Crafting and Playing the Guitar Merge

4 more days

Just 4 more days till Christmas! Are you ready? I've been ready for days and days. Despite being sick and homebound for several days. Yup, never even left the building for over a week. It was nice actually. Except that we missed one of our favorite Christmas parties of the year. I think this was the 1st time we've missed it in the 9+ years that it's been hosted. But I worked on the annual family calendar, finished up my Christmas cards and did a ton of online shopping.

I also made 16 of these "kiss"mas trees. 16 of us are getting together next Wednesday.

Spent a day playing sou pastry chef for my MIL. Her Christmas cookies are always a special treat. This was the 1st time I've been able to help her. It was a lot of fun.

I wrapped most of the presents last night. A couple of days ago, I saw these tags on Cathy Zielske's instagram feed. Loved the inspiration and made some that are kinda similar. Pretty cute, yes? Even though I know most won't even notice them and they will probably just go in the recycling pile. Oh well. I can't help creating, even if what I make ends up being tossed. But these were so easy to make on my cutting machine.

Since we're both feeling much better, we went outdoor ice skating again last night, then enjoyed the Christmas lights on our walk home. It feels different being in the city during the holidays. There aren't homes decorated with lights in their yards. Because there aren't any yards. That's one thing I miss about the suburbs, the Christmas lights.

But the decorations in office buildings and retail windows are grandiose and magnificent.

Even the weird water fountain outside of our building is lit up in red and green.

I'll end this with a funky photo effect...
My BFF Monica told me I had to try this technique. So last night, I set up my camera and tripod to see what would happen. We have a tall skinny tree, so the effect is leaner than the ones in that link. But I like how the windows of the building across the way zoomed into our living room, too. Kinda neat.

Tomorrow...the days start to get a little bit longer. Yahoo!

Twerky Christmas

I couldn't help myself...I love those jibjab videos where you insert your photo into their premade video. This one features our newest family member and her parents and her proud grand aunt and uncle.

Unidentified Floating Object

Last night while waiting for the fireworks show, a UFO landed on the bay.

Here's a quick 30 second video of it searching for intelligent lifeform.

Floating in Air

A bunch of us went to the Chabot Space and Science Center for Ninja Nephew's 7th birthday. We had the chance to float in a 'space station'.

or jump in front of an image of the space station and have a camera timed to take our photo at the exact right moment. But shhhhh don't tell anyone.

I'm gonna have to change my name

I'm not quite sure how she heard Batlyn when told her "Mad-a-lin" twice, the 2nd time slowly, but I find it so amusing that I just might have to keep it. Seriously? What must she have been thinking if she really thought my name was Batlyn?

January Challenge

January is always a slow blogging month for me because I've pretty much used all my blogging energy for my Daily December challenge. So I gave myself a whole week off, and I'm gonna try to do a M-F photo of the day challenge. No pressure to blog on the weekends. Probably lots of photo blogging from my phone.

So here's my photo for today with a little background...

I've mentioned before about my unexplainable phobia of cranes. Not entirely sure why I literally go into a panic attack whenever I see one, but I like to blame it on a past life accident, LOL. I'm not afraid of heights. I love architecture, tall buildings, walking on glass floors 40+ stories high - like at the CN Tower in Toronto or at the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago and flying up high in the sky and looking down at the vast landscape below, so really...not sure why I hate them so much. I have a fear that whatever the crane is carrying will fall on someone and smash 'em like a bug. Or that the crane itself, which looks so very unstable to me, will tip over and fall on someone and smash 'em like a bug. It's happened before so those events justify my irrational behavior.

Anyhoo...there are a lot of cranes in this city. Lots of building happening. I just walk by them, usually on the other side of street, and pretend they're not there, keeping my eyes on the sidewalk.

Well, when we moved here a year and a half ago, we noticed that the 20ish story building across the street was vacant and appeared to be abandoned. The 1st thing I thought of when I saw it was...they're gonna tear that building down while we're living across the street and I'm gonna have to face my fears up close and personal.

Well, that day has come...
This is my view when I immediately walk out the front doors.

Taking deep breaths.

The Littles {December Daily 11}

We went to the Yuen's for their annual Christmas party today. There were so many people and so many kids. Most of the kids in our circle of friends are getting old enough to play on their own outside so now the parents congregate in the kitchen to snack on all the goodies.

This was my contribution. My standard Pretzel Kisses that I make every year.

At the end of the shindig, I always insist on a group photo. Unfortunately this year, I didn't grab one before the rest of the group left. But since we were the last ones to leave we grabbed a few photos with the generous hosts.
You can tell that the adults are well versed in the Photo Pose. But the funnest part is watching how the kids smile and move around and giggle and grin.

I think the photos I love best are the ones where the Littles are just grinning so silly or big and laughing.

Uncle Joseph got all 3 kids to look up and smile at the same time, so cute! Of course, I'm the one whose eyes are closed, lol.

I can't stop giggling at the kids smiles.

They more silly the photo, the cuter it is, in my opinion.

Christmas Barn Dance

revisiting a silly jibjab video i did a few years ago.
it still cracks me up.

My Pet Robot

Aweeee...look who was waiting for me at the door when I got home?

The scary thing is that when I saw him there, I greeted him with a cheery "Hi Roomba!"

A Clearer View

Peeked out the window
and what do I see?
Two brave window washers
lookin' at me.

Today In Photos

Pigs On Sheep

Jimmy and I were shopping at the Tractor Supply store...yes you read that right, Tractor Supply. But we didn't find any suitable tractors so we played with these cute barn animal toys instead.

All I Need Right Now...

Is a diet coke in a pretty glass.

Droid

Testing a new Blogger phone app.

Me and Jimmy as Droids

How Weird

Today was a beautiful, sunny day. A fantastic way to start the month of May.

Spring and summer means a lot of street fairs. Today, there was a street fair right across the corner from our abode so we walked the 100 steps to check it out.

It's called the How Weird Street Faire, on Howard Street.

And How Weird it was!! Lots of loud electronic music, lots of dancers, lots of people wearing minimal clothing. And a few vendors selling art, clothes, jewelry and other stuff. Some of the reviews likened it to a rave. Yet another review said it was like a scene in CSI before they find the dead body.

The faire was in the middle of downtown, safely nestled among tall and historic buildings.

One of the many stages, all playing some form of electronic music. Very Loud. Very. Loud. Did I mention Loud? But it was hard not to get caught in the beat and next thing you know, you're bouncing.

If you're not dancing, you're shopping.


When you're not shopping, you're people watching.
I shoot from the hip a lot in crowded places, which causes the angled shots. I like it.

He must have been hot.

Stay hydrated.

Dancer in an outfit made entirely of soda can tabs. Nice!

Halloween costumes can be reused for this event. Bonus!

We live thataway.

Hula Hoops are entertaining.

Even rabbits like to dance.

Hippie or Hipster?

Grooving down in downtown.

Even Marge tweets about the How Weird Street Faire.

Who wants to go next year?

Attack of the Birds

Today was a beautiful crisp and sunny day.I wandered to Crissy Field and took in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge, in utter awe that we actually live here.

I bought a book "One Sketch a Day: A Visual Journal" and had just finished a super quick sketch in pen of the bridge.

I sat relaxing, enjoying the view, enjoying the sun and sipped my coffee. I also had a treat in my bag, a perfect 4pm nibble.
Within seconds, a flock of tiny black and brown birds swarmed upon me.

Some more bold than others.

I talked to the birds, telling them "No. Sorry. I won't feed you." While their begging eyes almost wore me down, I don't like to feed them, especially when they are already too accustomed to humans feeding them crumbs.
But their brazen attitude allowed me opportunities for up close and personal photographs, even with the camera in my cell phone.

I just set my phone on the ground next to me and clicked.
I'm sure this lady thought I was crazy, but that didn't stop me. I'm shameless sometimes, I gotta admit. Thank goodness I'm in SF and there are so many crazies that I fit right in!