A special holiday podsafe music episode... with, of course, a few choice snippets from the boys. I hope you're enjoying time with friends, family, and loved ones, basking in the lights of a tree, or stars overhead, or streetlights glistening on new-fallen snow. Enjoy special moments, laugh often, and be at peace. We'll start making plans and goals and resolutions for a more creative 2007 next week! And, listen to the very end, or you'll miss my favorite (and the most touching) line of the whole show (but I'm biased, of course).

Featured Podsafe Music (in the order played):

Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Tom Shad - A Podcast Christmas Theme [PNM]

Doug Boldt - Deck The Halls with We Wish You A Merry Christmas [PNM]

Bree Noble ~ It's Christmastime [PMN]


Karmyn Tyler - I'll Be There On Christmas Day [PNM]

Beatrice Ericsson - Christmas Without You [PNM]

Allison Crowe - Silent Night [PNM]

Chaz ~ The Gift of Love [PMN]

Lee Harris Christmas Compilations ~ Holiday Harmony [PMN]


Podsafe for Peace ~ If Every Day Were Christmas [PMN]


Lee Harris Christmas Compilations ~ Merry Christmas Wherever You Are [PMN]


Allison Crowe - Oh Holy Night [PNM]

Doug Boldt - Silent Night with It Came Upon a Midnight Clear [PNM]

Posted by Amy at 11:35 AM | Permalink

One week until Christmas... and we are getting ready to head out for the holidays (tomorrow)... so there's been lots going on... and lots of things to reflect on even when it feels to busy to reflect...

~ we hear a bell, and the kids spot a sleigh, back in November
~ the bookmarks are a huge success and laminating goes smoothly
~ a stealth sock knitting project
~ the black hat for my brother gets the better of me
~ I contemplate options for Trekking XXL and find a basic Trekking sock pattern and a Trekking scarf
~ Matthew gets excited by "art" at school
~ I turn up some wonderful pieces of junk, catalog, and Holiday mail
~ artist trading cards for the CMP ATC Exchange are due December 31
~ ATC "wallet" project passed on by a listener
~ astronaut boy and robot pattern booklet at Wee Wonderfuls
~ make a sock creature room mascot for your child's teacher
~ cool Material Mama podcast
~ knitters, especially sock knitters, check out the special Lisa Souza Violet's Pink Ribbon colorway and help support Violet of the Lime and Violet podcast
~ and more... (show length: 59 min)




Featured Podsafe Music:

Tom Shad - A Podcast Christmas Theme [PNM]
Matthew Ebel - Walk a Thousand Miles [PNM]
Adrienne Pierce ~ Joy Is Within Reach [PMN]

Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Posted by Amy at 09:41 AM | Permalink

In Episode 27, I talk a bit about teacher gifts, but I totally forgot to mention this idea... grab a copy of Stupid Sock Creatures and knit an amazing and/or funky mascot for your child's classroom!

Posted by Amy at 12:28 AM | Permalink

Have you seen this one? -- Knitting Nell

Posted by Amy at 12:26 AM | Permalink

Two weeks until Christmas... one week until we get on a a plane for the holidays... and that means things are crazy and there are a 1001 things to do. But, first, Episode 27...

~ Spencer's first preschool project
~ Matthew and the "art" book
~ artist-centered DVDs from Auryn bring famous artists and paintings to life
~ the saga of the return address labels
~ an unexpected holiday dragon
~ teacher gifts
~ first fetchings
~ and more... (show length: 47 min)



Featured Podsafe Music:

Tom Shad - A Podcast Christmas Theme [PNM]
Lee Harris Christmas Compilations ~ Christmas Day is Here [PMN]
Joel Kopischke ~ A Harry Potter Christmas [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Posted by Amy at 12:03 AM | Permalink

• Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration
  
• Celtic Christmas
  
• Celtic Christmas (Vol 3)
  
• Very Best of Celtic Christmas
  
• Celtic Christmas (Vol 2)
  
• Celtic Christmas IV
  
• Narada Presents: Best of Celtic Christmas
  
• A Classical Guitar Christmas
  
• Windham Hill Holiday Guitar Collection
  
• Wintersong
  
• James Taylor at Christmas
  
• Vince Gill: Breath of Heaven
  
• These are Special Times: Celine Dion
  
• Sweetest Gift: Trisha Yearwood
  
• Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits
  
• Il Divo Christmas Collection
  

Posted by Amy at 10:11 AM | Permalink

Cute! Especially for those of you with a soft spot in your hearts (like me) for the whimsical (and often fingerprint-driven) work of Ed Emberley.

Posted by Amy at 09:42 AM | Permalink

• Bird by Bird
  
• Writing Down the Bones
  
• Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life
  
• Living Color: A Writer Paints Her World
  
• Spilling Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself
  
• Journal of Solitude
  
• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
  
• Daybook: Journal of an Artist
  
• Neverending Story
  
• The Reading Woman (Blank Journal)
  
• Reading Women
  
• Kafka's Soup: A Complete History of World Literature in 14 Recipes
  
• Artist's Way
  
• Artist's Date Book
  
• Creative License
  
• 52 Projects
  
• Illuminated Walden
  
• Living Out Loud
  

Posted by Amy at 06:48 AM | Permalink

The class has already started, but if you're interested in cool holiday-themed project-making and reflection, check out Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class. It runs December 1 through January 6.

~ a trip to the office store to use a coupon yields two new sets of Paintastic brush pens
~ I save the little white rings... and then ribbon from a shopping bag (and feel a bit silly) ~ I make stacks of papers to fold into tiny holiday gift boxes and have fun with stamps, inks, daubers (that make great dots but, unfortunately, smear some during folding), and a mangled brush that was the perfect tool for gold starbursts
~ Matthew finds a "fern" stamp on the shelves but thinks it's a Christmas tree - and he was right!
~ a "royal" bookmark turns into a "wise" one through the eyes of a 5-year-old
~ an in-depth look at Traci Bautista's wonderful Collage Unleashed (including dyed and painted paper towels and crayon cupcakes!)
~ a free-form journaling prompt to loosen up your journaling
~ Jessica alerts me to the shocking (distressing!) news that a handmade sweater appears on ABC News' list of the "5 Worst Gifts to Give" -- I have always been fond of the fact that Mrs. Weasely gives Ron and Harry sweaters for Christmas and someday am sure I'll make my own using the popular pattern from the Blue Blog
~ I stumble over Ali Edwards' blog and newsletter -- check out issue 7 with a focus on stamping and see the great Christmas grid and then head over to look at pages Ali created as a result of Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class last year (Ali's gallery)
~ Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class
~ I'm on the track of great online stamp sites -- see wonderful stamps at Cat's Life Press, including ATC backs
~ I rummage more stamps here and here
~ I find the Create Something Every Day stamp at Paper-Source.com and think their coffee mugs are very tempting, too, but I'm partial first to the Creative Mom Podcast mugs
~ Traci Bautista does a holiday ornament spot on DIY's Craft Lab
~ French Toast Girl's fabulous holiday cards -- I especially love Peace on Earth
~ and more... (show length: 1 hr, 1 min)

Featured Podsafe Music:
Chaz ~ The Gift of Love [PMN]
Lee Harris Christmas Compilations ~ If Every Day Were Christmas [PMN]
Intro Clip: Jim Fidler ~ All I Really Wanted [PMN]

Titles Mentioned in Episode 26 and related titles... (and other relevant highlights)

Posted by Amy at 12:26 AM | Permalink