Big, Honkin' Craft-acular News!

It's official!

My cards are now for sale at the Museum of Modern Art's Retail store in New York!

It's completely awesome sauce and a bag o' chips.

You can catch the full story on my shop blog here.



On the immediate to-do list: dance around the house and play some wicked air guitar.

Dee-lish!

Along with so many other awesome goodies, my lovely folks gave us a big ol' bag of pecans and some locally sourced and produced maple syrup. Not long after our return from the holiday trip, I put those two magical ingredients to work with the help of a recipe I was itchin' to try for Cinnamon Maple Pecans.

*** Please take a moment to wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth. ***



I found the recipe on the Craft zine blog and immediately bookmarked it. I love the simplicity of ingredients, the fact that it's not terribly sinful as a snack, the aromas that escape the oven as the pecans roast, and the amazing taste -- a bit like kettle corn with with balance of salty and sweet. So good, I just had to share.



This treat does have one major drawback -- they simply don't last long in our house. We all grab a little handful whenever the stash is out, and within a day or two, they are long gone and I'm prepping a new double batch for the oven. Give it a whirl, and let me know if any of you come up with some fun variations.

Little Traditions, Little Changes

Happy New Year!

The weeks leading up to and including the recent holidays tend to dredge up family traditions that, like opening a box of tree ornaments, causes me to pause and reevaluate each one. Some traditions feel imposed and of those, a few feel uncomfortably imposed. Others seem more "optional" but tend to happen almost every year anyway. As our own family unit, we know its important to plan our activities based on more than just our own gut feelings. Sometimes, you have to hang that ugly, little ornament on the front of the tree because doing so will make someone's day, and that makes it completely worth it.

In the spirit of traditions, I bring you three comparisons of events that transpired two weeks ago as well as those of a year and two weeks ago. The traditions shown are not the "we do this because we've always done this" kind, but more of the "we do this every year because we want to" variety.

Christmas Morning '08:



Christmas Morning '09:



Bon Fire '08:



Bon Fire '09:



Cousins '08:



Cousins '09:



Blogging, not unlike writing in a diary, has proven to be a great way to look back and compare, to notice little changes in the way people look, and to admire how long a little tradition has "hung on" over the years, for better or worse. I think it will be fun to do this sort of thing again next year and for as many years after as this is possible to foster a little nostalgia or something like it anyway. Chalk up another little "tradition."

We Liked November Very Much!

Dear November 2009,

Thank you for being so exceptionally mild, sunny, and beautiful. After fearing that winter had won an easy battle over summer in early October, it was to our delight to find, upon opening our door, balmy temperatures, clear blue skies, and a chance to reclaim a bit of autumn for ourselves. Here's how we celebrated the opportunity:

We ate well.

I made my first batch of caramel corn. I used this recipe and doubled the amount of caramel per the overwhelming suggestions in the comments. It was a messy task and I was disappointed that the caramel didn't completely coat the popcorn, but one bite turned into handfuls and the aesthetics were soon forgotten in favor of flavor -- sinful.



Despite her innocent look, Leah was sneaking bites when I wasn't looking. Can't really blame her though, can we?



We traveled.

Matthew and a fellow rider took advantage of the late fall beauty and spent a few hours attacking over 60 miles of hills on the roads along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers near Redwing. I've always loved that area of the state and brought the girls along to tootle around the shops, marvel at the size of the waterways, and enjoy the scenic landscapes. November, darling, you somehow convinced my girls to pose for a semi-decent photo, too! I can't thank you enough.



Leah and Natalie were excellent tourist companions. Upon returning to the pickup spot, Leah remarked that one of the lift bridges near Prescott on the Wisconsin side looked like Mickey Mouse. Too true, I thought, if in a steampunk sort of way.



We tried something new.

Due to non-weather related issues, thanks again, November, we had to relinquish our beloved minivan to the dealer for repairs. To compensate us during that time, they outfitted us with a smooth as silk '09 Accord. Natalie found it especially soothing as it got closer to her nap time. That's luxury, baby.



We fell in love.

November, one of your greatest gifts to us this year was the views. With the leaves gone from the trees, we've had sunny interiors in our home once again, twilight nights with full moon shadows, hand-painted sunsets, and even this sunrise, captured on one of the last days of the month.



Perhaps more than the subject of the photo itself, I appreciate the fact that the photo was taken by Matthew, not me. It's not often he takes the time to notice such wonder, and to grab the camera, play with the settings, and capture it perfectly, no less. Yes, November, you've outdone yourself.

December has come and we're already missing those warmer breezes and clear, blue skies. Please consider this an open invitation to return during any year in the future. We'd be lucky to have you stay with us again.

Sincerely,

The Karger/Tift Family

November Novelties

O.K., so October was November, and November was October, got it? Good.

We've been relishing the warmer temps and clear, blue skies this past month -- things we missed most of the month before. I'd bet that we're enjoying it all even more because of the fact that October was so stinkin' cold and wet. Despite fewer wakeful hours, November has treated us well.

We let the back yard just get leafy this fall rather than blow the leaves into the woods and let the...ah...dirt and moss have its moment in the sun. This allowed for the girls to make a big 'ol pile of leaves at the bottom of their slide. I'm not sure it was as cushy as either of them thought it might be, but it made the slide "new" again and they spent hours out there. At one point, I coaxed them into lying in the leaves and letting me cover them up for a quick photo. Not perfect, but gosh darn cute, if I do say so myself:



Leah, in her wild animal way, loved being able to prowl around in the leaves, pretending she was camouflaged and stalking prey.



And Natalie, safe from the predators below, stuck to being adorable in the playhouse.



Last weekend, Matthew competed in his last cyclocross race of the season at the State Championships. As usual, it was a beautiful day, there was a small crowd, the course made for easy spectating, and the girls were "having none of it." Natalie was sad:



Leah was mad:



And their daddy kicked some butt and still had enough umph to smile brightly as he rounded a tight corner on the course:



What a stud! Matthew kept getting better and better all season, so we're looking forward to next fall already and the 2010 season opener. Matthew will be training on his bike; meanwhile, I'm going to put the girls through a 12-week cheerleading/anger management course. They'll be belting out obnoxious encouragement in no time.

Back at the ranch, I've been working on some new things in the studio, many of which are currently in the shop. New this week is this subtle "Koi" papercut:



And the third of three sets of "Mod Ornament" cards -- this one in all white layers with silver caps:



We hope this finds you well, enjoying sunshine wherever and whenever you're able, and saving up your calorie intake for the big turkey day "hoo-ha" later this week. Dig in!

Kids! Kids! Everywhere!

A few weekends ago, we had the pleasure of hosting nearly every member of my immediate family at our house. With a total of nine adults and all seven grandkids, it was a houseful, and it was a blast. One of the days we shared, we took everyone to the Science Center. The musical staircase provided a good photo opp. If only they came equipped with restraints -- Natalie's a blur!



The following day, most of us had a small adventure at Costco. We found a two-for-one deal on munchkins and couldn't help ourselves!



More recently our house has been quieter, so we sought noise elsewhere, finding it at Leah's school Halloween dance. Leah was content just to take it all in as a wall flower, but Natalie wanted to get out there and boogie. Look at her go!







I brought the girls with me to cheer their daddy on his latest cyclocross race. As you can see, they were a little less than enthusiastic. Ah, well.



This past week, Natalie give the fish rides a whirl at the new play area of the Minnesota Zoo. Fun little area -- and it was so nice to visit the zoo when it's not completely overrun with visitors.



There's been more going on than what these photos reveal, but these are among the cutest pieces of evidence that we've been busy lately. If you're curious, you can pop over to my shop blog and see what this is all about:

Ponies, Apples and Studs

Welcome back for another quick tour of what we've been up to lately. Let's dig right in.

On one of the last steamy days of summer, we brought the girls to Matthew's folk's church where they got to ride on a couple of very patient ponies. Leah looked like a pro, especially with her new bandana.





Natalie mounted her pony with confidence and an unorthodox saddle horn grip.



She looks unsure here, but within a few paces, she was all smiles and she thoroughly enjoyed her ride. (More recently I spied a pony for sale on Craigslist for 100 bucks. Tempting...)



This year yielded another bumper crop of apples at the Tift homestead. I didn't get quite as nice a shot as I did two years ago, but it's pretty, and the apples are tasty.



I managed my second craft fair in Uptown. You can read more about it on my shop blog here.



Matthew raced in his first cyclocross event in St. Cloud. It was a beautiful day and a good course for spectating. The girls and I found one spot where we could see Matthew riding in about three different places. This is the start of his heat:



Here's daddy gaining ground on the straightaway:



And it wouldn't be a cyclocross race without barriers across the path, up a hill.



The race course took over the grassy portions of a city park. When we weren't cheering for Matthew, the girls and I had a fun time playing on the playground equipment.



And, finally, we leave you with these three pics of the girls in their new, matching pink, penguin jammies. They're fresh from bath, as goofy as ever, and super cuddly.

The Big First Day!

Yup, Leah's at school now. This morning, she started her first of potentially 20+ years of formal education. She was bubbly, happy, excited, and totally ready. She dashed onto the bus without looking back, and has her brain functions switched on to Maximum Absorption.



She wore what a call a "compromise" outfit: a traditional, pleated, uniform skirt I brought back from England and wanted her to wear, and a black t-shirt with jungle animals on it that she wanted to wear. Matthew thought it looked hip so that sealed the deal. She's also wearing a little info card for the first few days, identifying her as a newbie who might need a little help here and there.



A few weeks ago, Leah and I started looking for a cheetah backpack. We almost settled on a backpack with a plush tiger fur print, but it just didn't feel right. So, Leah picked out a purple pack from Tar-jay, then she selected a simple cheetah image online, and I stenciled/hand-painted the image on the back. It ended up being a little trickier than I thought it would be, but we're both happy with the end result and she now has a one-of-a-kind backpack.



We are lucky enough that on our little cul de sac lives another kindergartner, attending the same school, on the same schedule, and in the same class as Leah. The two have been having play dates all summer and get along really well. Knowing Leah will be doing almost everything with her friend from down the street eases a lot of nervousness for me.



As you see, they're thick as thieves. It usually takes under a minute from the time they first see each other before they're inventing new games to play or tricks to do. Separating them takes multiple and persistent attempts.



Three other buses passed our bus stop before the right one made the official stop. We had done a "dry run" the day before to see what it would be like and to chat with the fifth-grader who waits there too.



We all said goodbye to the girls, and they were oblivious. They marched up the stairs like pros, were greeted by name by the driver, and found a seat to share near the back of the bus.



Since the school is so close, Leah's pick up is one of the last in the route so it's at a reasonable time of the morning. Also since the school's so close, Matthew rode his bike after the bus and caught Leah making a successful exit from the bus and entrance to the school. There were lots of parents watching and volunteering, ensuring that the students made it to where they needed to go. Leah's dash from the bus to the sidewalk reminded me of the doctors on M.A.S.H. ducking and running from under the props of a helicopter. Go, Soldier! Go!



And here was Leah and her friend, marching into the school on the first day of the rest of their lives.



I wouldn't expect too many of you to notice this, but I can tell that Leah's a little nervous here. She's got her fingers touching her nose -- something she used to do in conjunction with sucking her thumb. The thumb sucking ended (on account of Leah's own new year's resolution) in January, but every once in a while she still lightly touches her nose with her fingertips if she's unsure of something.



I like this image. It lets me know that she hasn't completely forgotten about home. Wonder if she'll do this when she's entering the building on her first day of college...

In the meantime, it's just Natalie and me hanging out for the day (and Jack, and Matthew up in his office). It's definitely quieter here this morning, and Natalie's only asked "Where's Leah" about a dozen times so far.