Otis...

OTIS

by Janie Bynum

"Otis is a little pig with a BIG problem. He doesn’t like mud.
His mama and papa are convinced he will someday love the stuff, but Otis isn’t so sure. And, in the meantime, he's lonely. It’s not easy being the only pig in the county who hates getting dirty.
Will Otis ever find

a friend?"

I have hang ups that I hate to admit to. Dirt is a thing that I not only despise... but it kind of scares me, so I relate to little Otis and his big problem. This little book shows that you can be OK even if you are wired a little bit different from other folksies... which I expect everyone is...

Making Jewels...

Next to painting, I really enjoy making jewelry although the things I make are pretty basic. That's what I spent yesterday doing. It's good activity if you are in a situation where couch time is something you need quite a lot of. Anywho... my friend Michelle who has a darling shop as well... (check it here) introduced me to MissFickleMedia who makes these little clay pendants. I love them especially the little chickadee. Right now she is running a special... buy anything in the shop and get a chickadee for free... What a deal! Anyway, I'm waiting for another chickadee because c has 2 bffs and she loves it when they all have the same of anything so I need to make one more necklace unless I decide that I need one too.

Thank You Vetrans...

Normally this is not something I would share, but it was such a great experience and I promised my neighbor that I would spread the word. My Sunday school teacher is a veteran of the Korean War and 2 Sundays ago he mentioned that he is a volunteer at the Veteran's Hospital. I had never been there and I asked him if he would take little c and I to the hospital and show us around. We were not allowed back into the rooms because the hospital is very protective of our soldiers. There were more than a dozen police officers around. I think that is a good thing. However, little c and I had made these thank you notes that have Pancake and Mints on the front waving the flag and on the back they said, "Our liberty is our most precious gift. We are eternally grateful to those who have provided it to us and to those who have maintained it for us. May God bless and keep those who have fought to preserve our freedom. Thank you!"

We were able to meet with and talk with many Veterans just in the waiting room. I was so impressed with their kindness. They were just sweet to little c. It was touching to see and learn how they look after each other. We met several Vets who are volunteer drivers. One guy was pretty grizzled. He had long hair and was missing teeth, but he drives Veterans 3 times a week to the hospital from Nevada and waits all day for them to finish with their treatments and then drives them home out of the kindness of his heart. He looks a little rough around the edges, but he is an angel on the inside. We literally saw 5 different guys who could pass for Santa and one told me that he had been growing out his beard for months so he could help Santa out during this time of year. I guess that's all I'm going to say about that other than it was such a great heart expanding experience that when my baby grows up a bit, I hope to find myself there more often. And, without sounding dumb, can I say... take the time to thank the Veteran who lives near you. They have sacrificed so much.. and they can't hear it enough.

The Ultimate Christmas Movie List...

We collect Christmas shows around here. My very favorites are:

1. It's A Wonderful Life

2. The Miracle on 34th Street (both old and new)

3. Albert Finney's Scrooge

4. Elf

5. White Christmas

and after that... not in order

6. The Family Man

7. Frosty the Snowman

8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

9. The Little Drummer Boy

10. Home Alone

11. A Christmas Story

12. The Shop Around the Corner

13. The Ultimate Gift

14. Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas

15. Patrick Stewart's version of A Christmas Carol

16. The Christmas Card

17. Holiday Inn

18. Christmas in Connecticut

19. The Santa Clause 1,2 & 3

20. A Charlie Brown Christmas

21. While You Were Sleeping

22. How The Grinch Stole Christmas

This year we are going to try:

Joyeux Noel

The Bishop's Wife (w/Cary Grant)

Scrooged (w/ Bill Murray)

The Dead

We're No Angels

Are there any must see or at least pretty good films on this list that I've missed?

Our Mutual Friend...

The BBC does it again! Put this on your Netflix list or see if you can get it from the library. It's just fabulous!

In addition to Christmas Boxes...

I made this little box for a lovely dark haired baby named Lily.
... and put together these little favor bags for little c's b-day party. Do you see Pancake peeking out of there. c and I collaborated on that one. She didn't realize how difficult it is to get to the final design. I think she had to draw a simple sketch 9-10 times before we got the exact shape we needed. I was proud of her for sticking it out with me. There are a few Pancakes in the shop.. but no blue lilies I'm afraid although there are yellow and pink.

be happy: A little book to help you live a happy life.

I received this little book as a gift recently. I love it. It has some great advice inside that I need to follow.

Here are some examples...

1. Give away what you don't need, to someone who does.

2. Do a one day news fast.

3. Listen to music.

I'm a listen to the news person. You wouldn't believe the difference in your mood if you trade news for music! It's amazing.

I might not go back... OK I watched Frontline last night and that probably counts and it gave me nightmares and made me mad as heck before I went to bed. Hugo Chavez... what a jerk! See I need a change here.

I need to give away some things too. I would love to have one of those homes where all the clothing in the closet fits and is in good repair. Where the drawers have order and make sense. I used to have that when I lived in such a small space in the city. Chaos reigns here in the burbs.. but I'm going to work on this one too.

Find this little book. You'll love it. It will have something that will inspire you!

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage...

I loved this movie. Peter O'Toole is brilliant as is Marcia Gay Harden. I loved the comments that Peter O'Toole's character makes about art.. so true.

Bound for Glory...

This film about the song writer/musician Woody Guthrie was an interesting history lesson and well filmed. However, it was not an inspiring film to me. While the man Woody Guthrie often had his heart in the right place... he was no angel. His story reminded me of the quote by David O. McKay, "No success can compensate for failure in the home." No matter who you try to help or how magnanimous your intent.. if you fail your family all your victories may seem as hollow as this film.

Jesus The Christ...

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is a chronological biography of the life of Christ carefully researched and referenced and based on events recorded in ancient and modern scripture. Everyone should read this once. I thought it would be a challenging book, but it was not and I really enjoyed how Talmage compares the different gospels when they reference the same event.

Finding Noel...

This is the kind of book that I often complain about because I didn't learn anything reading it and that always makes a book less exciting to me. It's a sweet little Christmas story and I listened to the entire book in a marathon painting session yesterday. I wouldn't sit down and dedicate myself to reading this book, but if you have lots of dishes or ironing or something like that.. it's a nice diversion.

Good Manners Thursday...

Hooray! My sister Jackie sent in this lovely contribution to Good Manners Thurs. I just love this quote and hope that you will enjoy it.

I thought you'd appreciate this on a good manners Thursday. I've been studying about the music, and culture of Bali as it pertains to music. Here's a quote for you:

"Refinement (halus) is what everyone strives for, as indirectness, self-control, humility, and polite deference are important aspects of character and social interaction in Bali. They can be seen in business and social negotiations as well as theatrical performances. As cherished ideals for behavior, they are external representations of the inner power and potency (Lisa Gold, Music in Bali, p. 94-95)."

Sarah Jane Studios...

I love the sweetness in the art work of this Utah artist.
See more of her work here!

Matryoshka...

New Matryoshka Doll Box...

$30

in the SHoP

Madagascar 2...

Pretty funny. There are more penguins and more of the Lemur King... so it's funnier. I have to admit that I did fall asleep during 20 minutes of the middle... but my 4 year old nephew sitting next to me was glued through the entire film.

The Queen of Christmas...

I love Children's picture books. The best art in the world is found in the children's lit. section at the library. We collect Christmas everything around here and this is newest book in our collection thanks to Circe! Thank you Circe!

I love the message in this book. It reminds me of some advice that I got from a friend one day who said, "Life is short. Don't make your life about taking care of stuff. Make your life about experiences." Circe does that better than anyone I know as well as gifting great experiences that become treasured memories to her family, especially her children, and all her friends. Getting and having lovely things is wonderful, but memories of great times last forever.

I enjoy so much the work of what little c calls the "HOLIDAY BOOM!" Making the chocolate chip pecan pies for Thanksgiving is coming right up.. The trick is to skip the parts you don't like as much in favor of the fun part. For example.. I don't enjoy making the pie crust usually... so I skip that part... buy the crust and just make and bake the filling inside. I love the smell from the oven.

What are the parts you'd skip and the parts you enjoy the most?

Bird Clips...

DCi Decor Craft... sure makes some cute things... I love it when designers take the time to make common things a delight...

George Washington's Rules of Civility...

If only our society was as concerned with good grace as our first president! This little book has 110 rules for good manners. Some of the rules are a bit funny to us ... but some are still very pertinent and important rules of etiquette.

a bit funny...

Cleanse not your teeth with the table cloth napkin, fork, or knife; but if others do it, let it be done with a pick tooth.

very pertinent...

Be not angry at table whatever happens, and if you have reason to be so, show it not; put on a cheerful countenance especially if there be strangers, for good humour makes one dish of meat a feast.

and...

It is unbecoming to stoop too much to ones meat. Keep your fingers clean and when foul wipe them on the corner of your table napkin.

I would add... never.. ever lick your fingers. It's a fast way to bad manners and a bad cold.

Love this little book. It's a lot to think about still.

The 2008 Paralympic Games...

Sunday, I was able to catch just a few minutes of the 2008 Paralympic Games. I wonder why the networks don't broadcast these games like they do the regular Olympics... these athletes have struggled every bit as much or more to get to these games and their stories are compelling and inspiring.

I found myself crying a long with a man who was telling about his battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, who was trying to live to compete in the sailing event. He told about his love of being out on the water and how he wished for more days to sail. A story was told about a girl who suffered a terrible cancer and became paralyzed, but still had the courage to swim and about her parents who made her dreams possible even in the most challenging circumstances.

There is so much pure junk on TV these days..., but for very little cost the networks could have broadcast these stories all day. It is difficult these days to understand the success of some of the programing on television. We have to look for those stories that inspire, that art that lifts and encourages, those people who speak truth. These are all hard to find, but they are there and worth the effort.

Something I'm happy I saved...

I love these sweet little Feltman Brothers dresses. They can be found lots of places. I saved a few that c wore when she was a babe. I have one kind of like this one.