10 - 20 inches tomorrow. More on Monday.

I have no words. I kind of want to throw something through someone right now.

We finally finished digging out the driveway. There is now a pile of snow taller than I am outside my front door.

I love how in the late evening light all the shadows on the snow are a beautiful blue.

We've survived the epic snow. Final measurement: 33 inches.

I have no idea how I'm going to get out of here to go to work on Monday.

AND SO IT BEGINS. *insert Carmina Burana CD*

for my zip code this weekend. I have three words for you: DO. NOT. WANT.

I'm good on snow, thanks. At least they posted the statement early enough that I can conceivably plan some projects....

For those avid milliners on my flist:

What gauge of millinery wire do you use most often?
Are must-have supplies besides wire and buckram?

point of interest: Gauge is not in the livejournal spellcheck dictionary.

I'm totally watching the 10th Kingdom right now. Anyone else remember that series? It's so full of cheesy goodness I might need some crackers.

On a completely unrelated note: the warm weather we've been having has the stink bugs up and crawling around the house. I think I've disposed of a dozen of them in the last few days. This does not bode well for spring/summer. Ick.

I know some of the folks on my f-list are regular bakers, and I have a query for you! I'm putting together a Valentine's Day themed care package for some college students, and I'm looking for ideas that will ship well. I'd love to do something on the decadent side - I'm planning to go all-out on the packaging.

Any ideas?

I'm working on a Faure piece with one of my students, and we're working on translating the French so she can know what she's singing about (which, unfortunately, is not always general practice among people who sing foreign language music).

I am once again forcefully reminded of how beautiful simple songs can be; the sentiment for this one is particularly lovely - if you're willing to overlook my less-than-poetic translation for Faure's Ici-Bas, look under the cut!

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Also: I brown-bagged it for dinner this evening, except my obliging niece colored on my bag with crayons, so I get to look at hearts, stars, a present, and what looks suspiciously like a ninja on my lunch bag.

I meant to make this post last week, but never quite got around to it. Oops.

I posted in December about a resolution I made to not eat out as much this year - so far, so good. I've made it, um, a whole week so far. I haven't checked, but I'm confident my wallet is fuller and my waistline is smaller already.

My other resolution is equally unoriginal - no buying fabric in 2010. I'll either use the stash, or I probably don't need whatever it is I want to make. I technically have a gift card or two to the fabric store, but I've determined I can them on an emergency basis - though I can't say I've been able to define the parameters of "emergency" at this point.

Anyone else have resolutions they want to share? I find I'm more likely to remember/make an effort to keep them if I tell someone.

First, Happy New Year to all on my f-list!

I'd like to say I'm feeling excited about 2010, but it'd be untrue. Last year on New Year's Day I watched a hawk devour a starling in my backyard. Not being the seriously superstitious type, I had joked that it was an omen. Omen or not, 2009 was not the best of years.

This morning? The basement had an albeit small, plumbing-related flood, and our refrigerator is misbehaving.

Maybe I should get ready for a bumpy 2010?

So...they didn't come out as they were meant to, but they are still pretty darn tasty! I'll have to try again soon!

But I'm totally watching a Dark Shadows marathon right now. I love me some cheesy television.

Also: French Macarons round 1 - I'm pretty sure my shells are not going to come out correctly. But I'm pretty sure they'll still be tasty, so I'm cooking them anyway.

Inexplicably obsessed with Italian Renaissance fashions. Scratch that. I'm suddenly inexplicably obsessed with the idea of making a wee Italian-Renaissance-inspired dress for my soon to be 6-year-old niece. I wonder if I could knock that out for her birthday in February.... More importantly, I wonder if I could get her to actually WEAR it.

But for those of you out there making French Macarons, would anyone be willing to post a recipe? I'm looking through a few different recipes, but I can't make up my mind! I'm leaning toward a chocolate/mocha flavor palate.

I know some people aren't into the New Year's Resolution tradition, but I've found in the last few years I've found that making a resolution or two has been helpful.

For 2010, I want to make a serious effort to stop eating out as often as I have been. It's expensive, and I have a tendency to make bad food choices. I've tried doing microwaveable meals, but I'm incredibly bored with the selection. Plus I find that they are unbalanced - I want more vegetables and protein, less pasta/rice.

The silly thing is that I really like the food I can prepare at home; I'm just too lazy to pack it. So. 2010: The Year of the Bag Lunch (or rather, dinner, since I work evenings).

First: I've given in to the French Macaroon temptation - I've always wanted to try them, and all the beautiful pictures of macaroons showing up on my f-list pushed me over the edge! Thank goodness my local grocery store had almond flour. I purchased my supplies today - I think I'll work on these in the next couple days. I'm thinking a Madeleine and Macaroon party is in order.

Second: Rediscovering beading/jewelry making. I just got an order in from FireMountainGems.com, and I'm really looking forward to playing with the beautiful pearl and lapis lazuli beads that came in! If I can find my bead-knotting tool, I might have some new jewelry before 2010!

Third: My house is positively overflowing with sweets - my mom just finished assembling a buche de noel, and we've got cream puffs thawing. Also on the agenda: blueberry and apple pie. Will that stop me from trying out French Macaroons? Nope.

Fourth: LotR marathon going on at the house. I love/hate how watching these films makes me feel so creative! Love because I feel motivated to start being crafty! Hate because I generally feel inspired to do impossibly intricate, difficult, fiddly projects. The kind that require professional skills and expensive supplies to complete. Hopefully I'll be content to play with beads.

My work sponsors a movie night once a month as an opportunity to expose our students to classic musicals (seriously, most of my students had never heard of Gene Kelly until I introduced them to "Moses Supposes" via Youtube).

Tonight's selection? White Christmas!!! YAYAYAYAY! A bunch of our group will be seeing it for the first time and I'm so excited!

But I felt like I should be posting something...

Amazingly, I think I'm actually finished shopping for Christmas. Now I just have to wrap. And I'm actually excited about one or two of the gifts I've bought for people this year - hopefully the recipients will be as excited as I am.

Currently revisiting some seasonal music that I haven't listened to in recent years; One of my students was playing excerpts from the Nutcracker, and it inspired me to listen to the whole ballet - lovely. Also, I'm finding Handel's Messiah eliciting a surprising amount of emotional reaction from me this year.

I was looking at some beading supplies today (curse you email newsletters!), and I suddenly re-discovered a long-dormant obsession I have with Arwen's coronation crown from Return of the King. Ages ago I started collecting supplies to attempt my own, but got stumped when it came time to acquisition the materials for making the metal butterfly wing shapes. I seem to remember being convinced I needed to make them out of PMC, but lack of a kiln, sculpting skills, and money ultimately led me to abandon the project all together.

Looking back, I have to laugh over my fixation. But if the truth be told, I kind of wish I felt that strongly about a costume (not even a full costume, just an accessory!)again. The pursuit of this piece was all-consuming. Maybe it's time to revisit the idea...

Anyone else have an unfulfilled costume dream?