A Favorite Christmas Present & Two Movies

Rest on the Flight into Egypt (Madonna with Partridges) ,   Circa 1629/1630 
Dyck, Anthony van

 The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel by Debra Dean has to be one of the best quick reads I have read in years. It is about a tour guide who lived in the museum during the siege of Leningrad. Her descriptions of the paintings were so inspiring.  I read it on the flight home on Monday and I am still thinking about it today. 

My parents have been to Russia twice and love the Hermitage Museum. This book made me want to go there too. I am so envious of my father who actually had the chance to read this book while in Russia. Even more impressive, this book has sparked a deeper interest in this history.  I'm so surprised to report that I actually think I might read the  640 page book The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad. I haven't read an adult history book of any length since college, so this is really something.

Yesterday we went to see the movie Juno. It is a smart and sassy story of teen pregnancy. All of the performances were awesome.  I think Ellen Page, who played Juno, deserves an Oscar nod. Each character was believable and smart. I have no doubt that this thoughtful portrayal of adoption will save some babies. Cliff liked it too.

After Juno, we realized that we could still make the matinee for Sweeny Todd, so we threw caution to the wind and saw two movies in one afternoon! 

Vacation is so divine! 

Basically, I just wanted to see this because Emily raved about it. We like a lot of the same movies like Amelie and A Very Long Engagement. Still I had my doubts. 

Sweeny Todd is one dark, disgusting, and unbelievably beautiful movie. Cliff said it was "perfect." Six years and a billion or so movies with this guy, and I don't think I have heard that before. I am not one for slasher movies and there was no way I could eat meat for dinner after seeing this movie. Still, Sweeny Todd surprised me. I really enjoyed it. If nothing else, it is beautiful. The mirror and old glass scenes killed me.

Linus, I Get You

This is a photo of me and Blankey, my favorite blanket.  Blankey and I hung out for quite a while. I slept with Blankey every night until I was ten or so. Eventually, it was just embarrassing to still sleep with a security blanket so I packed Blankey into a drawer. Somewhere in my late teens or early twenties I opened that drawer and found a heap of rag. I could finally see that it was time to toss Blankey.

In college, my new pink comforter was truly a comfort and even my roommates would borrow it for naps. When I moved in with Kate, she named it "Woobie" after the favorite blanket that Michael Keaton burns in the movie Mr. Mom. 

Woobie is still on my bed today, so many years later. I still find it comforting. Early in the marriage, Cliff was a bit jealous of the Woobie. He hated sleeping next to what he calls "the pink cocoon." He has adjusted or given up. Either way, there will be no Woobie burning in this house!

Recently, on several blogs and in the Urban Outfitters catalog, I have been seeing quilts and blankets made for the Project Linus. This charity gives children who are ill or in crisis situations a new blanket to love. 

Also, while in Florida, I went to the Fort Lauderdale Art Museum to see the Quilts of Gees Bend. The women of rural Gees Bend Alabama made quilts out of necessity using the scraps of whatever they could salvage from clothing. They sewed without patterns making up their quilt designs on their own.  The quilts were unique, beautiful and very inspiring. 

All signs are pointing me towards a quilt. I think it is time to give back some of the good woobie karma I have enjoyed. So, one of the goals on my champagne list is to make a quilt for the local Project Linus chapter. I think I am going to start with this pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing, but I would really love to make an I Spy Quilt. 

So Far My Champagne List Includes:

Go to TJ for a mission trip

Make a quilt for Project Linus

Try a new recipe once a month

Take a yoga class

Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams

Happy New Years! I home and mostly unpacked. We are waiting just now for the airport to deliver the last of our luggage. Nothing too important, just my Christmas presents!

Christmas was wonderful. We met Baby Abigail and she is a charmer for sure. I was struck by how smiley and confident Abby was just two weeks after her adoption and move to the US. We met also met my brother Joe's new girlfriend, Annie, and she is also charming and smiley. I think she adjusted very well to our "adoption" of her too.

While catching up with my friend Kate, she told me about the movie The Bucket List. She and Piper went to see it over break and enjoyed it. They decided that a "bucket list" was a bit morbid, so they adapted the concept and made a "Champagne List."

The idea of the Champagne List is that the items on it are adventures for the year...until the next time you have champagne, which for most of us is New Years. Piper has a visit to the Statue of Liberty on her list and Kate wants to go to the top of the Empire State Building and to take a class. Their items are not resolutions or "must dos", but something with less pressure and more emphasis on fun.

Hmm??? It got me thinking about my own Wish List for the year. So much of 2008 will be spent with big events. Cliff has a big birthday and he will be celebrating with a trip to Scotland. My parents celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. My mom has a big birthday too. My cousin is getting married in Houston and who knows, maybe Joe and Annie will tie the knot?

With all of that I feel that the year is pretty laid out. My biggest wish is to be there for all those important celebrations.

In the meantime, I am going to be thinking about that Champagne List. How about you? What fun goal or adventures do you want to set for the year?

www.flickr.com Jane Little's Handmade Christmas photoset

The picture above is of a doll house my grandparents made for me for my 5th birthday. All of the furniture was made from bottle caps, bits and bobs of stuff they had saved. The sink was one of those shallow plastic jelly containers from a restaurant. My grandmother was forever saving me little containers and do-dads to make new things for my doll house. I decorated and redecorated that cardboard dollhouse for the next 6 years at least. I think it was my favorite present ever.

Last week, my brother bought his own little house. A real house! I am so excited for him and for the future this house represents. 

We are off to Florida today to spend time with my family. Although I never lived in their Florida house, it does feel like home. There's no place like home for the holidays!

Wishing all of you the blessings of faith and family. Merry Christmas! 

I love hanging out with all of you!

It's not high style, but this is my favorite Christmas decoration!

Thrifty the Clown*

The past few times I have been in NJ for Christmas, Piper and Kate have hosted a holiday open house so that I could catch up with all my NJ friends during our short visits. It has always been a wonderful gathering of work friends, neighbors and high school friends.

One year my friend Lesley's baby started fussing and she pulled out a little clown. She shook it at him and it magically calmed little Andrew. Joking, I shook the clown in my brother's face. From time to time we call him "Baby." Well, Baby giggled. The magic clown brought a smile to his face too! All night Cliff and I checked to see if the magic clown still worked on Baby and it did. 

So the other weekend when I was at my favorite thrift shop there happened to be this clown on the counter and it clicked! For baby!  

The lady at the counter at this particular shop is always adding little do dads to my bag and she saw me admire this clown. Before I knew it she added it to my bag! 

A free gag gift- now that is fun!

*Alexa sorry for the big clown picture first thing in the morning!