Winter is Here!

The long-predicted Great Winter Storm finally arrived and we awoke to maybe an inch of snow on the ground. Not enough to make even a puny little snowman, much to the dismay of my disappointed daughter. But it is cold.

We went round and round about whether or not to go out. I'd been looking forward to the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale for weeks and was not about to let a little chill slow me down so we suited up--most of us, anyway. The Dark Lord declared us nuts and settled down with a good book while the rest of us trudged off through the snowy streets to the nearby light rail station.

It was a good day to not be driving and we hopped off at our destination in no time. Crafty Wonderland is a monthly gathering of artisans that relocated to the huge and impersonal convention center for their big December sale. There is so much to see, so much beauty, and so much inspiration for anyone who likes to make things. Luckily they set up a hands-on craft table for those who can't wait to get home

I found myself wishing for a much heftier income than our perfectly comfortable family has. So many lovely, lovely things. We picked up a couple of small treats but I was mostly there to feast my eyes and fill my head with ideas as I love nothing more than to see what other people are making.
Our perfectly timed trip into the city was balanced by a less than ideal trip home which involved malfunctioning trains and a great deal of waiting, most of which was, mercifully, not outdoors. Given that we were packed like sardines into train cars that mostly didn't move for nearly 2 hours, I felt people showed remarkably good humor. The local news even popped in at one point to film our remarkable good humor. I called home ahead of time and had The Dark Lord heat up the very tasty cider which I am now drinking (with a slug of dark rum for good measure) and as the wind howls and blows the powdery snow around outside I must say it is indeed good to be home.

I'm so enjoying your comments on yesterday's post. Keep it up! The great Magpie Ima biennial birthday drawing will take place tomorrow night so make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win some genuine handmade crafty goodness.