Unwrapping Christmas

I hope everybody had a lovely Christmas!  We had lots of delicious food, and it was very fun to spend so much time in the kitchen in a fairly relaxed way.  Mom handled Christmas Eve dinner, and I only had to do Christmas Dinner for five, so it wasn't too stressful.  I'm sure it will be no big surprise to anyone that the baby likes yorkshire pudding, although he was a little too addled by all his new toys to concentrate on eating.  And nobody warmed me what Christmas was like with a 2 year old!  I wasn't at all prepared for the wrapping paper-ripping dervish that spun through our living room, opening every present in site, no matter who it was for.  He didn't even really care about them being for him, or hoarding them or anything.  He just really wanted to open them, to know what was behind all that paper and in all those boxes.  He just really couldn't handle the suspense!  In hindsight I wish we had done Emmett's presents with him in the morning and then done the adult presents in a more calm and ceremonious way during nap, or in the evening.  It was kind of a bummer to spend so much time and money getting just the right gifts for everybody and then not really being able to watch them open them!  So my advice to anyone who will have a two year old next Christmas: split it up!  I'm hoping when he's three he'll be able to listen to reason about taking turns opening presents, and maybe even think about picking out a few presents to give to his favorite people, so he can start to get the idea a little better.  Anyone have any thoughts or stories about Christmas with toddlers?  

Christmas Eve Morning Sprinkle Toast

I couldn't even get a picture of it without little fingers trying to drag it of the counter.

Adorable and Free Printable Gift Tags From Edison Rex

Anyone else still have an obscene amount of wrapping to do?  Want some cute gift tags for your packages?  Meag from Edison Rex sent me the link to these adorable printable gift tags she designed.   Click here for the link.  If you have a printer at home you can follow the link and just hit print and then cut them out.  Easy as pie!  I especially love the narwhals, although the lions in mittens are pretty awesome too.  Thanks so much Maeg!  And happy wrapping everyone!

Now We're Talking!

Scrambled Eggs, Polenta and Salsa Verde

Great quick breakfast this morning.  A scrambled egg over  a leftover parmesan baked polenta square with a dab of salsa verde.  Yummy.  Sometimes you get lucky with what you find in the fridge!

Last Call . . .

Just a heads up that today (Tuesday the 20th) is the last day to order either jewelry or paper goods from my Etsy shops.  At the end of the day I will be closing up shop to finish my remaining orders and spend some time with gathering family.  I am very much looking forward to wrapping presents, cooking, reading by the fire, and half-heartedly trying to stop present crazed boys from tearing the house apart!

So if you are still one present short for someone on your list click the following links to check out what is left in stock.  Everything still listed in both Rebecca Haas Jewelry on Etsy and Fiddleheads For Fiona is all made up and ready to ship in time for Christmas!


***Oh, and pssst, enter the coupon code "campestral" on either site for a 15% off special for Campestral readers!

Emmett's First (Professional) Haircut!

We just got home from Emmett's first professional haircut!  We took him to Strand Style Studio, where our friend Chandra now officially cuts the whole family's hair.  She very considerately has her haircutting chair positioned with a great view of Main Street in the little town of Bellows Falls, so Emmett had a great view of vehicles of all kinds.  I've never seen him sit so still.  He even seemed to like it, I think.  And oh boy does he look handsome (I know, I'm biased, but still)!  I have now vowed never to hack at his hair myself again.  Thanks Chandra!  

Amazing Find!

I was so excited to find this print by a well know Vermont Artist named Sabra Field in our local antique barn this past weekend! I have had to do a little sleuthing, because it is signed Sabra Johnson, which turns out to be her maiden name, so I figure it must be from her early years in Vermont before she was married.  The framing seems to be original, since the framers label on the back is dated 1971, and she moved up here as a part of the back to the land movement in 1967.  I was given a small work of hers as a child, and it now is hanging in Emmett's room, so I was familiar with her signature and handwriting, so I was pretty sure it was hers.  I plan to email her about this, since she is still alive and living in Vermont, and hopefully get some more information about it.  Her current work is very different, and is mostly landscapes and more cheerful bucolic Vermont scenes.  But I just love this print, which is a lithograph over a grave rubbing from a historic Vermont graveyard.  I am assuming the portrait is an imagining of the woman who is in that grave, who died at age 20 in 1890.  I know it's a little dark, but what an amazing find, no?  I am so thrilled to have found it, and I think it just looks like it belongs in our house.  If anybody has any additional info about this period in Sabra Field's career I'd LOVE to hear it!  I'm so curious to learn more!

Around the Studio

Enjoying being in the studio with the fresh coat of paint, Christmas decorations, and these finished custom collages waiting on shipping instructions. . . If I have to be in the studio all the time these days, at least there can be prettiness!

Virtual Sample Sale!

Don't worry, I didn't forget all my non-local cyber friends this holiday season!  Go to Rebecca Haas Jewelry on Etsy to browse my remaining holiday craft fair stock.  (the photos above are a few examples, but there are lots more!)  And to say thank you to all Campestral readers I have added a special coupon code to give you an additional 15% off the already discounted sample sale prices.  Just enter the word "campestral" in the coupon code box at check out.  Happy shopping, and thanks for reading!

xoxo

Rebecca

New Work, One Last Holiday Show, and a Special Sale Announcement!

Here is some new work that I will be bringing to my last holiday craft show of the season, which is stART at the Station, tomorrow in Worcester, MA.  I'll be headed out today though to spend the night at my friend Cassie's house, of Shop Clementine, since she lives about and hour and a half in the right direction.  I don't know how I thought I would be able to sleep at home, and then be in Worcester, with two tables all set up by 10am.  Silly me.  So luckily Cassie is taking me in, and then we can make the early morning schlep together.  I have to say that although I am excited for the show, but I am glad it is my last one of the year!  My direct web sales have more than doubled from last year, and I wasn't quite prepared for it, so I've been scrambling and pulling some long hours so that I don't fall too far behind the orders as they roll in!  I am completely aware that this is a very good problem to have, and it is very exciting, but I am going to have to get WAY better organized before next year's holiday shopping season.  Now, how does one do that exactly?  That is the question.

And pssst to all of you blog readers. . . I am going to post everything that is left after this show on my two Etsy shops and do a Virtual Craft Fair/Sample sale for all of you who aren't in easy driving distance, and so couldn't come to any of the brick and mortar events.  So stay tuned for a special coupon code to be posted here and on Facebook!  And if you haven't "liked" my Facebook pages yet, now would be a great time to do it, so you don't miss out on this sale!  (You can just follow the links to the left under the "Keep in Touch" section.)  And feel free to spread the word!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Fog

Amazing scenery on my rush to the UPS drop box tonight.

Thanks!

Thanks so much to everyone who came to this past Saturday's open studio!  It was such a fun event, and It was so nice to see all of you!  And I wanted to be sure to let you all know how much I appreciate you making the trek down the long dirt road to do your Christmas shopping!  

And for those of you who couldn't make it on Saturday, I'll be leaving everything set up for the next few weeks, so feel free to drop me a line or send me a note to set up a time to come browse!  I'll be in there working away filling Christmas orders anyway, and I'd welcome the break!