i’m actually pretty much DONE decking my halls… of my new apartment, that is! it’s been almost a month since i wrote in this blog last, but i have a pretty good excuse: november was moving month for me. well, first fae moved out in october, and then i had a few weeks of limbo being in the old house by myself with only half a house worth of furniture. and then i got into my new place on the 10th but took until the 20th to finish moving and cleaning out the old house. and then the last 10 days or so have been nesting time for me.

including thanksgiving, which did not end up being much of an occasion for me this year, sadly. but i still ate some turkey – some at home, some at debra’s while watching the saints game – and i’m happy to say that as of yesterday, i am about 99% done unpacking and arranging in the new place. it’s a great relief and has actually been pretty fun. today i finished stringing up a ton of twinkle lights outside, so now i have lights that run all the way down my side alley and onto my gate, with a twinkle star on the gate, just so you can’t miss the entrance to my house. it’s hard, living in a rear apartment, down a long (formerly dark) alley, with no view of the street or really even any other houses – just my shed and cute little backyard. so i wanted to do something to make at least my door stand out.

and yes, the twinkle lights will stay up year round. it’s not just a holiday decoration for me, though i did put up a few small christmas things around the house. now if only i could figure out where the purple mini xmas tree could possibly go! (i’ve run out of usable space!)

the holidays are of course the crunch time for crafty folks, and usually for me, too. but i have to say, i’m just not feeling it this year. i’m going to give it my best shot – i just got some scarf fabric in yesterday and have a handful of blank t’s on the way to get my inventory back up on the 70119 and skull de lis t-shirts, since those are my best-sellers – but i feel like, due to the move, i’m just NOW starting to think about it all and, well, it’s a little late to be just starting to get ready. i’m not really set up yet out in the shed, which is my new “studio” space, and haven’t printed anything yet in my new indoor set-up in the kitchen… but i guess i’ll be figuring it all out in the next few days!

hopefully i’ll get something new made for freret market, which i’ll be doing this saturday (12/4). i’ll also be doing frerestivus the following saturday (12/11), after much debate about whether to do the kingpin market or the esplanade holiday fest, which are both the same day. but in the end, i decided freret is just easier and more fun to do, and puts me in front of more potential customers than either of the smaller markets. my sundays are open at this point, unless something interesting comes up. and then i will be participating in the new orleans craft mafia’s last stop shop at the big top on thursday the 16th.

but that’s it. that’s all i got lined up for this holiday season. seems like not very much – i remember in 2006, right after katrina, when i was commuting from louisville, kentucky to new orleans JUST to do markets, i had something like 11 markets in 3 weeks in december! but this year three feels like all i can handle.

wish me luck! and if you are out and about, you should come see me!