Here we are at the beginning of Advent. Well, yesterday, really, but Sundays are busy. In fact, I haven’t yet gotten the Jesse tree (that’s not it but I never know what to call it) and the ornaments out of the advent box in the garage. That’s in my list of things to do today. It’s more convenient to do two readings every other night than one a night because that way both girls get to hang an ornament at the same time. If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, here is a post showing us doing it in a previous year. I also need to scrounge some greenery and put together our advent wreath – really a platter with 7 candles and greenery.

I seem to be perpetually behind this time of year. I’ve seen everyone’s instagram posts of their advent projects and even Christmas decorations up, and I haven’t done anything. Yes, I shouldn’t compare myself to others.

Life has been challenging lately with some health issues for one of our children. Of course it’s all on top of the general messiness of life due to all of the virus work-arounds. We’re fortunate here in Texas that we can go to church (albeit with masks) and have even started having coffee hour again. Large blessings indeed.

I’ve scaled back social media. I deleted Facebook. I could no longer support such a ridiculous platform which censors and bans any dissenting voices. I knew it would cut my advertising in half, but I just couldn’t stand it. Not only do I have no regrets, I felt like I had dropped a huge weight off my back. I didn’t expect it because I wasn’t really using FB for personal reasons, but 95% for business, but it was really striking. Alas, I am still having to use Instagram (which belongs to FB) but I would love to be able to drop that too. I took my personal IG account offline because I was attacked for saying the election had significant targeted fraud. It did. I’m not going to argue about facts. But when you get attacked even by family, enough is enough. I’m still on Twitter, but my public account is weather-only. (My private one is another matter, and I’m not revealing it.) Eventually I hope to shift entirely to Parler, which I am already on. It takes time to transition.

So, enough about that.

Speaking of the shop I’ve been busy. Of course I’ve made oodles of various kinds of censers (toys, ornaments, keychains…) but I’ve also made dolls and I’m starting a large project for a church school program – seven small demonstration phelonia in liturgical colors, and scaled-down sets of priest’s and deacon’s vestments in gold. I just got the final details yesterday and have nearly all the materials so I’m launching into those today. Here are some photos of recent projects:

It finally feels like fall outside. It was downright chilly this morning (wonderful!). There aren’t any fall colors, but in this part of the country you take what you can get. We got all of our fall colors in during our trip to Colorado at the beginning of October. Oh, and also our snow. I’m afraid this is another La Niña winter and we’ll essentially roll from late fall right into spring. Sigh.