Wherein I amend some of my slovenly tendencies

This year I decided to be very practical and I only set two new years resolutions in stone: (Sure I have other goals, but for now, these are my iron-will ones to focus on)

The first was that I will not go to bed until all my clothes are put away.

The second is that I will not open my computer in the morning until I have read my scriptures–even if it’s only a verse.

So far, so good.

My room is clean again!

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(On the clothes one, my older and tidier sister laughed “yeah, I discovered that secret when I was about twelve.”)

Oh well, some of us catch on to these things a little later in life :)

Time-saving beauty tip #1

If you go to bed without removing your makeup, you won’t have to put makeup on the next day.

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DIY Ikea wall sconce makeover

This is a little project I did nearly a year ago… and keep meaning to blog about (I have a lot of things I keep meaning to blog about… turns out I’m not super committed to this blogging thing–sorry to any of you readers who might actually exist!)

A year ago I was buying furniture for my room. As many of you know, Ikea is a friend to the poor person who cares about owning decent-looking furniture. Anyway, in the course of my Ikea perusal, I saw these TASSA NATT lights:

and I realized that these lights had all kinds of potential. I bought a couple of them (they’re only $5 each), went home, started browsing the internet and discovered some fantastic old children’s illustrations by Margaret Evans Price, printed them out, replaced the paper wrappers (was glad to find that the illustrations were simply wrapped and tucked around the light and not stuck on with adhesive, or the project would have been much more difficult), and voila!

They’ve been so cheery. And if I ever get tired of them, I can change the artwork–perhaps use some of my own art, or handmade paper… the possibilities are endless. (I also tried a Little Prince Illustration, and it looked great. The Little Prince in nightlight-form has haunted me ever since my mission when, in a little German toy shop, I saw a fantastic wooden nightlight with a silhouette of the Little Prince. Ever since then, I’ve wanted adorable story-bookish nightlights). :)

Longfellow’s Christmas, narrated by Edward Herrman

Every year the Mormon Tabernacle Choir puts on a wonderful (and free) Christmas concert. Each year they invite a different well-known singer/soloist and a narrator, and it promises to be the best Christmas Concert in the country. (I’m not afraid to use hyperbole–oh, no!)

Last year a friend invited me to go with her. It was a couple months after I’d returned from a very stressful MA year and thesis writing, and all the emotionally charged prop 8 political discussions going on among my friends not to mention the rest of the angry or hateful banter during election time… my mom’s broken shoulder… had really gotten me down. It was so gradual, though, that I hadn’t realized how down I had gotten (not to mention I’m affected by SADS in the winter)…

…until I saw this performance by Edward Herman and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

I think this performance (even in its reduced youtube version–if only you could have been there) is truly wonderful, and it made my Christmas. It reminded that there is–and will always be–plenty to be joyful and hopeful about. It brought me back–renewed me. “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!”

Here is the original poem:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep.
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men!”

Jack-o-lantern, 2009

I’ll miss this year’s annual family carving because I’ll be in San Francisco for the Guild of Bookworkers convention. I was a little bitter that they picked Halloween weekend, but on the other hand, San Francisco at Halloween could be interesting.

Anyway, I was happy that I got to carve a pumpkin tonight at a church activity. Last year’s pumpkin took me a couple hours to design and a few more to carve, so I’m proud of myself that I whipped this year’s puppy (or owl) up in about half an hour! (But only because Stephanie was ridiculously kind in that she scooped it out and then let me design and carve it–now that I’ve got pictures, I think I’ll deliver it to her so that she can enjoy it).

(Yep, I just so happen to have a box full of carving tools, which I brought for the cause). I shared–but I only let people use my tools if they would leave me with a shoe as collateral. Ha.) Oh–and you can see that I used the new craft punch that my mom gave me for my birthday as inspiration for the design.