christmas craftiness

As I mentioned in my previous post, I failed at blogging yesterday. It was my last official day of teaching for the semester, with just one day to make up on Monday–three classes & one exam to give. It's strange to be on the other side of the university experience, so I wanted to celebrate not having exams to take.

I had gone Christmas shopping for Joe on Tuesday. While he took a nap, I wrapped his presents using recycled tissue paper & wrappings that have accumulated from my birthday & various care packages. In the mess of papers & scraps, I found an Anthropologie catalog.

I love their pictures–high quality catalog. More high quality than the clothing that is way, way over priced. This does not change the fact that I have, for years now, been buying their home supplies from the super-clearance-small-price section of the store. I love their kitchen supplies & table settings. Now, I finally found a way to put their magazine to work.

I started tearing the thing apart & sorting them into colorful piles... Then I spent the rest of the afternoon making this:

Joe helped me hang the snowflakes, since even on a chair I can't reach the ceiling, & we got to celebrate our coming First Christmas for an extra night while listening to Democracy Now's amazing coverage of COP 16 (the UN climate change summit).

I continued my resourceful holiday spirit this morning, making a large pot of vegetable soup with our newly purchased produce (another errand finally accomplished yesterday). It was my first time making vegetable stock on my own, & I wanted to just reduce the waste we'd been creating. I opted for just boiling all of the celery that was too flimsy to eat with the celery greens & outer onion layers. I filtered it through our juicer. It looks normal.

I sauted the vegetables, & the finished soup is currently simmering on the stove. I have to say, this is one of my favorite feelings: a morning of peeling, chopping, slicing, tossing & the buttery, spicy, fresh smell that fills the apartment. I even did the dishes (mostly so I could stand next to the onion as it cooked in butter).

Here's to a resourceful, productive & home-filled holiday! Mine starts today, & I'm loving it already. Not looking forward to an afternoon of sending e-mails, but it must be done. How about you–how are you spending your holiday? What are you doing to save some green & be green this holiday?

For even more Christmas spirit, head back over to Where's Joe's Head? for two more submissions: my mom & Chloe, my sister sent their hidden Joes yesterday afternoon.