gift wrapping

is my favorite. it is an extension of creativity. birthdays, Christmas, or gifts just because. each has its own feel. a few years ago i started to theme my wrapping so that all of the gifts i give look alike (could be some sort of compulsive disorder). this also meant for me, no traditional wrapping paper, curling ribbon and sticker-tags. i must be creative. i must spend time on not only choosing the gifts i give, but also the way in which i present them. this year, my theme was to possess economy, being simplistic and beautiful at the same time. i think i achieved it. i bought a few yards of white paper at united art and education, then headed over to joann fabric for some burlap and white ribbon. although cost effective, there was quite a bit of time put into the wrapping of these gifts. i couldn't think of a better way to adhere the burlap than to use a needle and thread. so that's what i did and each wrapping was tailored specifically to each gift. obsessive, compulsive, yes. simplistically beautiful gifts as a result, yes. my work this Christmas is done. :)

i hope you are able to spend time with your family this Christmas season and enjoy the most beautiful gift of all, Christ, our salvation.

Merry Christmas!

mrs. karen mcardle

you will be missed.

my metalcraft professor and her husband passed away this weekend in a car accident. i am in shock and full of mixed emotions. she was the epitome of metalcraft and ceramics. a beautiful jeweler and sculptor. many a talk had we of creative ideas, of ways to improve a process we were working with, of life. i will miss her greatly. passing her office, watching her drink green tea from a mug she had thrown on the wheel, talking to her husband in her office on speaker-phone, washing her dishes in the printmaking sink. thinking about you karen and the portion of my life you have affected.

relief

ah.

deep breath in through the nose, hold for a few seconds, then release out through the mouth. repeat.

i just finished everything school related for this semester. whew! i must say that today was overwhelming. i woke up at 6 o'clock in the morning to start my studying (which lasted 5 hrs) then off to my first final of three for the day. after arriving home, i finished revising an art history paper and am calling it a night.

thank you Lord for your grace this week...as well as your peace (my eye didn't start it's annoying, uncontrollable twitching dance, very grateful).

you all might not care too much about all of that, but you should because it means regular posting for a whole month (hopefully)!!!

after a brash cleaning of my room...and the whole house for that matter...and a few other clarifying matters to attain to, i will be back in full force.

thanks for still being my friend.
michelle