A break and extra time with my family is finally here! Because of new jobs, we haven’t had two days in a row off, and a real weekend — the kind where you laze around in bed and is a glasses/no makeup/no contacts day — in more than a month.

And be sure to check out the Poppytalk Handmade market on Friday. There will lots of Black Friday deals, for those of you not down with the idea of going to Kohl’s at 4am. Reeeeeally Kohls, reeeeeallly? But I will be offering a buy 1 item, get the second (lesser one) at 1/2 off deal. This Friday only.

Lastly, I have a guest post over at Tangled & True about a gratitude journal Kai and I have been working on.

Now let us commence carbo-loading.

Over the next few weeks, I am participating in the online Poppy Talk Handmade Market along with dozens of artists, crafters, and designers. Make sure to check it out — it’s a great way to get some Christmas shopping done in one place for one-of-kind items by independent artists.

In other news, I am hurting to do some Christmas crafting but must tackle an amazing load of freelance work right now. A blessing, really, but life suddenly got exponentially busier. Paper chains, advent calendars, and pipe-cleaner garlands, I will get to you I will.

And lastly, Dax ate his very first (vegan) cupcake a couple weeks ago. Poor child of mine. Never knew what he was missing, and it showed when he went for seconds and thirds. He is his mother’s son.

Winter is very, very far away from the California coast. Just last week we were at the beach. But I can dream about bundling up in layers of tights, boots, scarves, and mittens and walking through crunchy white snow. It seems like an entirely different life when I was a little girl growing up in Chicago, but I will always remember the snow. And the wonder I felt seeing the year’s first snowflakes fall out of the sky.

Care to download my free snowflake notecards? These are little, one-sided flat cards that would fit into an A2-size envelope. For personal use only, of course.

{top photo via Feaverish}

Kai’s mood as of late has been feisty. Just like his artwork. Very feisty. Yet festive.

A trend I would not, could not ignore.
Full outfit here, along with more fall + tights looks.

Let’s see, we have Raphael the Ninja Turtle, Le Skunk, Filipino Riding Hood, and Teen Wolf.

And that is a closeup of Riding Hood’s basket of goodies for her sick Lola (grandma): Pan de leche and a bowl of sinigang. Sarap!