No Peeking

Inspirational song: Yes, We Have No Bananas (Louis Prima)

Yesterday was almost all photographs. Tonight there will be none. None! This is by design. There is next to nothing I have done all day that is ready to be revealed. Okay, yeah, I grocery shopped at Costco, but who needs a picture of a gallon of half and half? (Yes, we buy 2 large cartons every time we go there. Coffee is the stuff of life, and without cream, why would coffee need to exist?)

I said it several times, in this space and out loud to my friends and family. This holiday season, any gift-giving I do will either be purchased within Boulder County from small, locally-owned businesses, or it will be something I make or modify with my own hands (admittedly with materials that were probably purchased at a chain store). I have been spending hours on end trying to complete the projects I started. I am currently juggling about five of them at once (actually, with what I just started a few hours ago, make that nine) and I have two important ones to jump on tomorrow. I realized that my mailing deadlines are quickly approaching, so I'm turning my focus toward the ones that need to go out of state.

The things I'm making are not super elaborate. But they are coming from my own hand, and that is the true gift. I am spending hours on each one, thinking about the person each is intended for. I hope it expresses more about my intentions than something I can buy at Target. Most of the people I'm making things for know very well about my general state of health. If they don't see that I'm willing to make myself sore and tired (which I am from repetitive motions and sitting in uncomfortable places to create these things), then they don't understand how much of myself I'm pouring into each item. But I'm fairly certain that they get it, or they will when they see what I've done.

For now, the space below will stay blank. No pictures. No peeking.