December 31, 2010, 1:50 PM

Christmas decorations coming down, roast in the oven, table set, kids playing video games, loud music, friends and fancy food on the way....

Meet Lillian.

This is Lillian. Isn't she marvelous? She's a vintage Wolf dress form from 1951. She once belonged to to a Sicilian immigrant named Calogeda - a dress designer who worked in the New York fashion district as a sample room manager. Lillian was the form she used at home. Am I lucky? She's luminous and transcendent and quite possibly the loveliest thing I own.

Plus, she looks amazing in my new apron.

Toys, beach, happy.

New toys and a rainy romp on the beach have filled me with a joy that neither a torrential downpour nor an argument with Fin about sleeping with a pile of Legos in his bed can abate.

Five days.

My little monkeys have been at Grandma and Grandpa's for the last five days and I have been hunting and gathering the last few things on the christmas lists, carousing a little bit too much, staying up too late, watching tv while I eat.... but mostly making new things and singing along. Life is interesting, the cold air feels good, we get a little more light each day for the next few months, and "don't ask don't tell" is a thing of the past.

Best of all, we leave today to join the monkeys and eat gingerbread til we pop.

Merry Christmas, my dears. Back soon.

Yawn.

Raise your hand if you stayed up too late watching shadows on the moon.

photo by my cousin, Colin.

Because, you gotta have Faith.

Sorry for the lame George Michael reference - anyway, I'm talking about Faith Evans-Sills. This little gem just arrived in the mail and I am madly in love with it and keep moving it around the studio. Right now it's sitting on the work table, resting against a pile of pincushions. Soon it will find the perfect home.

The best part is that it's a print on canvas so you can have one too....

Christmas spirit.

Some people have a little bit more of it than others.

Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos, CA, photo courtesy of my handsome husband.

Friday, I'm in love....

photo by Violet Bella Photography.

Stupid roller coaster.

Last week I was weeping because I didn't get into a show - causing one dear and faithful reader (you know who you are) to email the following:

Okay, what's this about "two steps back" and not impressing someone?? You guys need a blizzard and four feet of snow like we just got ~ puts everything into perspective. Cute shoes are still key, but I am just sayin'. Don't let the turkeys get you down.

This week I received the biggest order I've ever had times ten and I'm in a panic trying to hire a helper - which is rather less instantaneous than I'd prefer. So my question is this: Artists and makers, how do you handle this roller coaster ride? Liane, Faith, Laurent and Nicole, I'm talking to you.

photo - which is in no way stupid - by Jane Heller.

Two steps forward, two steps back....

and now we're doing the cha-cha!

It's been a two-steps-back sort of week, nothing major - just a professional setback. Nothing like being rejected by those you are trying to impress to dampen your spirits, but you must soldier on - bolstered by friends, chocolate, cute shoes, more friends, kisses from your sons and roasted beet salad.

Lavender Strawberries....

Aren't they cute? I think I'm done making lavender-scented fruit for the moment - unless anyone wants an organic-French-lavender-stuffed-aubergine? Anyone? No?

*phew!

So, this is what I've been up to....

They're lavender scented and there are a few in the Etsy shop.... just sayin.

Looking up.

The sky is pretty.

Also, I have recently been informed that when Santa comes down your chimney, he always lands on his feet. Like a ninja.

Happy Birthday, Ronan!

Yesterday, my brother turned 30. Astonishing! That's him at the top with his ravishing girlfriend. To celebrate, my beautiful family and I went to went out for Burmese food (lemon ginger mimosas are Burmese? Okay.) and we ordered everything and then we demolished it and then we ordered dessert and we destroyed that too. It tasted really good.

Back to school, bitches!

I do not normally address my glorious children, the very fruit of my loins, in this manner. Of course I do not. But Thanksgiving break kinda kicked my ass.

And I made them cinnamon rolls. What more do you want?

On Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the young gentlemen and I had a little San Francisco adventure. It was a gorgeous clear day and we were joined my gorgeous clear sister (also known as Aunt Liza) at the beautiful Legion of Honor, where we contemplated Rodin's The Thinker. We were inspired and thrilled by Japanese prints and whined because we were hungry.

And because we were in the neighborhood, we stopped by my old SF apartment (fourth photo, upper right windows), where one could hear the foghorns at night and see the very tippy top of the Golden Gate bridge from the fire escape, and where I spent the better part of my twenties, mostly in tears. But that's another story. Then we ate grilled sandwiches at Angelina's, my ultra-favorite coffee shop and deli.

Not pictured, but also in the neighborhood: Rainbow Wash, where my favorite jeans were stolen and Westlake Grocery, where I learned that I do not smoke. Also, another story.