Where do I live anyway?

I thought it was the Pacific Northwest. You know - the place where it *rains* all the time, but NOT snow...?? We're having yet more of the suspect, icy, white stuff. Woke up to enough of it to cause school and business cancellations (even our garbage pick-up wimped out on us. Seattle is SO not equipped to deal with traditional winter.)

I had to venture out onto the frosty roads to take my latest finished cover to the FedEx man - and even my close-by-local-drop-off was closed because of weather.

Having survived having to venture even further afield to find an open drop-off, I returned to that other place I seem to live - the studio. It is still January, and in honor of the new year, I really thought it ought to be somewhat cleaned. Since that is a fairly novel experience (a clean studio) of late, I'm photographically commemorating it for posterity, and lucky you can follow along this mini-tour-

Look! A cleaned desk! I can't tell you the last time that's happened (and it will only last until I finish this blog entry and pull out the next set of sketches) -

-newly framed by artsy origami lights, made for me by my son for Christmas. Thanks babe! :-)

As of *this minute* everything is back on its shelf and in its place -

- including the ultra-cool *bones* I received for Christmas! (Nothin' says "I love you" like a human skull reproduction from your dad. :-)

I didn't quite get all the way to my bulletin board - which is overflowing with 'treasures' (astute blog readers may recognize pieces of this crazy collage...)

See the too-cute bunny scissors! Love this kind of design - found on an art supply run...

And this basket is just indicative of the lovely things I am surrounding myself with - from so many of you lovely people out there - handmade books from Chantal, paper cutting from PG, darling felt mushroom from Julia, art cards from Joy and Carol, tin-of-treasures from Ulla - it goes on and on!

I may predominately 'live' here, but I am encompassed about by mementos and inspiration from so many kind, creative, supportive, like-minded people, I don't feel so isolated - even when house-bound by Seattle snow.