November 12, 2012
I realize haven’t posted much these past few months. There’s a simple explanation for that. Santa Fe in the summer. Really. If you want to live somewhere where there is never a lull in activity, this is it. And I happen to be one of those people who takes full advantage of that fact. Truth is, I was never still, which didn’t leave me much time to write. And I loved every minute!
Yesterday was our first snowfall. Not much of one, but enough to let us know winter has arrived in Santa Fe. It was time to just stay in and catch up on my reading. The Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine which has been on my desk finally got opened over a nice cup of coffee, and I realized all the things I could have been doing had I not been wasting time with lectures, festivals, music concerts, art shows, museum trips, poetry readings, hikes, and things like that. For example, Martha Made it perfectly clear that it’s time to stop having fun and get moving on those homemade gift items, and she had some wonderful suggestions for those “special” friends.
My favorite was the section on animal hair related gifts. Martha has a herd of Friesian horses which she keeps for occasions such as this, apparently. They are beautiful, sleek animals, like all of Martha’s well-kept and well-loved pets. This horse, however, looked noticeably bald. Perhaps his mane was merely on the other side of his neck, but in reading further, I had to wonder…. For that hard to please person in your life, might she suggest a horse hair bracelet? Better still, horse hair tassels. One can only imagine where or how those would be worn…. but I don’t want to get sidetracked. I’m sure she’ll cover that in a later issue. She said to make a lot of these, as your friends who don’t get one will no doubt feel very left out. Since they take 12 inches of hair for each tassel, I suggest you order your Friesian herd soon, as I have done. Once the magazines hit the stand there will certainly be a run on orders for this breed, and you don’t want your gift recipients to feel left out. Then, of course, there were her special Welsh sheep which contributed to her hand knitted vests. Very chic!
If you can’t afford the horse herd or the sheep flock, may I suggest this winning table decorating idea which will no doubt leave your dinner guests breathless in awe? Gold leaf your rocks. Yes, really. They are stunning. I started collecting rocks on the morning hike this very day! And I’m heading straight to Michael’s for several packages of the gold leaf. Eat your heart out, Martha. I brought home enough to cover my whole 8 foot table top!
Being the kind person I am, I decided to share the ideas with some of my dearest friends this morning instead of selfishly hoarding the new ideas. It began a correspondence which I am thoroughly enjoying. I will copy the letters below. Feel free to add to them. There’s a story in here. And a lesson for all of us. We simply don’t have enough time on our hands!
Holiday cheers!
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IN A LETTER DATED THIS MORNING TO SOME OF MY DEAREST FREINDS:
From: MEB
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 10:03 AM
To: JUDY; LAURA; ALMA; JANET; MAGGIE; MAGGIE D; TINA; SUSAN; JATHY; SHORT; BAGGIE; LANA LAURIE; LYNNE; MARY; PENNY; JOAN;
Subject: Urgent
OK, Guys, I know you THINK you’re all busy doing things for the holidays, but I just got my “Martha Stewart Living” magazine, and if you aren’t subscribers, I highly recommend that you all go out NOW and buy the holiday issue. I am giving you time because I know once you get it you’ll all want to go out and buy your herd of Friesian horses so you can make the tassels and horsehair bracelets (instructions given, so don’t worry about the how-to part!) for your friends for Christmas out of their mane and tail hair. She has a photo of one of her own horses (bald, of course as they require 12 inches and she said you should make them for everyone), so you’ll need to get yours fast before they’re all sold. I’m sure there will be a run on the breed once the magazine hits the stands.
When you finish that, you can go out and start collecting your rocks for gold leafing for your holiday tabletop. You won’t want to stop there. There are many more simple and fun projects inside. This is just a head’s up to get busy because you’re my friends.
Love,
ME
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From: LAURA
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 8:37 AM
To: MEB
Subject: RE: Urgent
Just wanted to let you know I consulted with the Board of Directors and the Property Manager here. No problem grazing my herd on the common grass areas and putting up temporary fencing… They also told me it was okay to put up a make-shift shed for them between my cluster of townhouses and the next. So, sounds like I’m off and running (to the store for an issue of Christmas Martha Style!). I’ll be hitching up one of my Friesians to a wagon and going around the neighborhood lifting the river rocks from around drainage pipes and run-off boxes for the gold leafing project, too. A great way to save money on materials. But first, I may have to buy a gold mine in South Africa as gold leaf is very expensive and it may be cheaper in the long run to mine my own….
I don’t think time will be an issue. I’ll get started today!
Off and crafting,
L
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From: MEB
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:51 AM
To: LAURA
Subject: RE: Urgent
Good for you! You did me proud! I need to start a page on my website of my friends’ progress on their Christmas projects. Don’t forget to start knitting the coats out of your special breed Welsh sheep (Martha’s are black sheep and she also made some vests out of them. You will find that in the same article on hand made Christmas gifts). The horses will need them after they are shaved for the ornaments and jewelry!
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From: JUDY
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:41 AM
To: MEB
Subject: Re: Urgent
BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! She obviously DOESN’T teach!
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From: MEB
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:56 AM
To: JUDY
Subject: RE: Urgent
Martha, my dear friend, is the GREAT teacher of us all! I couldn’t live without her monthly calendars in the beginning of each issue to remind me to do things like pull out my amaryllis bulbs so they will bloom at precisely the moment of my Christmas party. Forgot to mention her special breed black Welsh sheep which got knitted into some very chic vests for her friends. I told Laura she might want to start on those for her bald horses. She’s ordering a herd for her horse hair jewelry making and tassels. Do MY friends make things like that for me?????? I think not! So get with it, Sister and stop making excuses! Teaching!!!! HA!!!!!!
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From: JANET
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:50 AM
To: MEB
Subject: Re: Urgent
I am heading to the magazine rack pronto!!!!!!!!!!
Sent from my iPad
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From: MEB
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 9:58 AM
To: JANET
Subject: RE: Urgent
Laura e mailed that she’s already ordered her herd. She got approval from the condo association. Judy claims it’s too much work with teaching. What a wimp she turned out to be! Forgot to mention Martha’s two black Welsh sheep whose wool got knitted into vests for her friends. Boy, I wish I had friends like that!
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From: JUDY
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 10:09 AM
To: MEB
Subject: Re: Urgent
You reminded me why I cancelled my subscription. I was tired of feeling inferior.
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From: MEB
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 10:51 AM
To: JUDY
Subject: RE: Urgent
Alas, Grasshopper! How foolish to have cancelled a magazine which gives us all women something to strive for! Now I know what I’m getting you for Christmas!!! Time to call the subscription office….
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Keep checking on the progress of my friends at http://grounddogs.com/sfblog.html
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