Year's end, New year

I can't think of a better message to send out to all of you , after a long blogging haitus. I have missed writing this blog, but I suppose my head has been too full of other things to fully concentrate on this task. I am looking forward to a new year, as I hope you are, too. To fresh starts, to family and more travel and art. I hope you will rejoin me on my journey.
Speaking of travel, this was probably the most beautiful window I saw all season, at my favorite store in Seattle, Souvenier. It is located in a cluster of other fun stores in Ballard which continues to evolve into a fun shopping destination.
This fox was one of many incredible paper sculptures featured in a show at Souvenier. These figures were about 24 inches high and had beautiful, intricate features. There is always something wonderful to see at Souvenier.
I am always seeking more light at this time of the year--anything to dispel the gloom. This butterfly was one of the best of the many light displays at zoolights, which always puts us in the holiday mood. Don't wait until the week before Christmas to go see the lights like we did, though. It was a real zoo!
One of the best things about winter, in my opinion, is candles, and lots of them. We welcome the return of the light by celebrating the solstice and we burn candles to bring more light into our lives.
Paxton Gate is my new discovery in Portland, and I recommend that those of you who live here should take a field trip there as soon as you can. It is hard to describe, but it is like no other store I know. This is where you would go to buy a stuffed black squirrel, a unique piece of jewelry in the shape of a wishbone or some test tubes, which brought back memories of visiting my dad at his chemistry lab.
A good reminder of what we can all strive for in our lives in the coming year.

We have experienced much loss during this last year, but that is balanced by additions to our family, notably Julia Mae Felicite Boyer, who was born in France in August. I have taught some wonderful journal classes from Portland to Eugene and hope to teach several more classes this coming year. We also have some exciting travel plans, so tune in again, for more from Hiddenneststudio in 2011. Happy New Year!