I Want Cookies

Well, I think I want cookies. Actually, that's not what I really want. I want to feel like it's the holidays. That usually involves cookies, ergo I want cookies.

I just cannot get a handle on the southern weather patterns not having SNOW in December. I grew up in Colorado, and you would get snow off and on from about September. The only issue with that was that Colorado was the definition of bipolar when it came to the weather.

I know, I know, everyone thinks they live in a state with changing weather. I moved to Chicago, Maryland, New York, Vermont, and even here in North Carolina. They ALL say the same thing with this laugh like you'll never have heard this before; "Don't like the weather? Wait five minutes and it'll be different! HA!" Yeah. You don't even have a clue about mercurial weather.

In Colorado I went to a job interview and it was 93 degrees. I was trying not to sweat all over my interview outfit, and I was a bit mortified by the whole experience (because I totally sweat all over myself. Between 93 degree weather and nerves, I was totally out of luck at that point.) The next day it snowed over eight (*8*!!!) inches. A 60+ degree weather drop in less than 24 hours, and that was normal.

But SNOW!!! SNOW, people! Colorado was hit and miss with a wintry Christmas, but December still had some snowstorms in it. Vermont used to be just awesome with the seasons, and it was mild and lovely and almost always had snow for the holidays. Even if you didn't, your windows were pretty much shut from October on because it was chilly, and that was an excellent start.

Folks, I am sitting in my studio right now, in December, with my windows open. Now, it's a good thing I can have my windows open because I just varnished seven paintings and I'm pretty sure I saw a unicorn go walking by a minute ago, but my point is... my windows are OPEN.

Where's my cold weather? Where's my keeping warm by the fire and baking cookies on the first snow? How do people get in the holiday spirit without snow when they have always had it?

Last year, I was still all discombobulated from the move so I just chalked up my meh holiday feelings to that. This year, I'm settled, and it feels like October to me. It feels like we're just about to start putting out the Halloween stuff, when instead my house is all decked out for Christmas.

And it IS all decked out! I even went the extra step of flocking things, so I could pretend to have snow. Probably more things than I should have. You see, I did my research on the stuff, and it turns out a 5lbs bag of flocking costs the same as a 25lbs bag, so I got the biggie. I went on a bit of a flocking binge.

The upside is that I ended up saving a lot of things that were headed for the garbage:

These three trees are about 12 years old, and used to light up but don't really anymore. They also looked really awful and kind of bald. But with flocking, TA-DA! I really like them again. (I know, I need to sweep the floor... I'll get to it!)

And this sucker is another 4' tree that was at least 10 years old, and trying hard to be a stick. It was positively anemic.  I actually don't know if it'll make it past this season as it's a lot of branches and separate parts, not like the new trees in just two parts. I'm not sure how to store it all flocked like that.

I did a slew of little 2' trees that were destined to be donated or trashed too, and they came out rather well. My daughter took one to college with her. I was the cool mom for a second there.

I also flocked some new, cheap garland. This year, I picked up a very snowy (flocked) tree from the store for our foyer (I've never had a foyer before, so I'm still trying to figure out what you do with one.) The normal green garland just looked weird with it, so I needed to flock it to match. It came out pretty good, in my opinion:

We ran that garland all over the railings on the steps.  I'd show you a picture of the foyer all decked out, but the more I look at the picture, the dorkier it looks. It looks much better in person. Maybe it's something you just have to be here to appreciate? Anyway, it's very "snowy" inside. I really am trying, here.

Getting our family tree up helped a bit too. All the crazy ornaments that mean something. Bubble lights (because bubble lights are the best!)

But then. But... then.

meh.

Last night, I promised my son that I would stop work early and we would watch Christmas specials and bake our first batch of cookies! It was going to be great! Right up until I found that someone had run off with our chocolate chips. (My husband swears it wasn't him, but I have my suspicions.) We put on a holiday movie anyway and made brownies instead.

It all should have worked, but my son finally said to me "It just doesn't feel like the holidays. We need snow, or something."

*head*desk* I KNOW! 

So, anyone have any ideas of how to get the holiday spirit a'flowin' even in the face of this gosh-awful-perfectly-sunny-warm weather? I need that switch to flip in my brain! I need my holiday happy! How do you get in the holiday mood?

In other news, my shop is closing on the 10th for my holiday break, and my last shipment goes out the door on the 14th. Even though I've been out of my own planned business loops this year, I've been working a lot in the past few weeks. The post office people are starting to recognize me and contemplate hiding when they see me coming with my stacks of boxes.

In the midst of all the busy-busy-busy going on, I realized that this time of the year is special because it's the only time that I actually get to be "done".

I divide up all my projects into "Can complete by the deadline" and "Next year!" and once I get through my complete list, I am OFF! Good or bad, I'm done for the year. I've accomplished whatever I could, and it's done. A real feeling of turning off the light, so to speak, and headed home instead of always being on pause.

I really, really look forward to this. It's not that I don't love painting and my business. I DO! But sometimes, well once a year, it's really nice to feel like I have done my best and gotten to drive home from the office to stay home for a spell.

It's coming! Maybe my holiday spirit will pop in on the 14th? I'm looking into what people do around here for holiday stuff and I haven't found much.

I did, however, discover they do holiday home tours. It's totally a thing here. As in, people deck out their houses with holiday stuff and sell tickets. I kid you not. I admit, I'm mildly curious... Can you imagine, though? Having people traipse through your house like that?

Anyway... I should probably be painting, so off I go!