Gifting & Giggling

Hello one and all,

Guess how little ol' moi spent her day off yesterday???

Wrapping presents, of course. But, as evidenced by these photos, I can't just wrap presents like normal people do, because being a Graphic Designer means that how a present looks is possibly even more important than what the present is. It is, after all, all about the presentation, you know.

This year I am particularly proud of myself because a lot of my gifts are homemade. I'm not going to get on a soapbox and rant and rave about how "commercial" and "consumer" Christmas has become, BUT I do like the idea of giving someone something because you KNOW they'll like it, as opposed to giving someone something because it's Christmas and you know you HAVE to give them something. I think I've done a good job of the former this year, and I should hope so, because I've been collecting presents and wrapping stuff since this summer.

And speaking of the wrapping, how cool do these presents look??? It's all done with recycled stuff, too: old magazine pages and strips of fabric. I spent most of the day yesterday in Christmas-wrapping bliss, with a movie on in the background and sun pouring in the window after a beautiful snowy start. Come to think of it, the day started AND ended with snow yesterday. Gorgeous. And just what the Dr. ordered. I can't STAND it when it doesn't snow before Christmas.

Then I had Bikram Yoga with Kristine, Michele and Alison. I LOVE the yoga. I mean, I kind of hate it when I'm actually DOING it, and thank goodness I have three other gals going with me, because otherwise I KNOW I would skip it all the time, but when it's all over with, I truly feel terrific. I shouldn't say I HATE doing it when I'm there, because that's not true, either. There are just some poses I like more than others: For example, I like the twisty, pretzel-like poses, and the bendy-backwards poses, but the poses that work your hamstrings BURN!!! And I like the dead-body pose, too, which is where you just lie still like a corpse. That I can handle.

The best part about yoga is being with my friends. I'm so lucky to have made such good friends through the store that are now my friends even when we're doing stuff like yoga that has nothing to do with the store. And every week we have what Kristine calls "Apres Yoga," which is where we go out to eat and drink wine together and probably un-do all the great things that we just did for our bodies but oh, well, because it's sooo much fun and we laugh and laugh and laugh and that has to be good for your abs, right?

Anyhow, I must go and wrap some more presents and then make the tough commute over to the store for sewing lounge. Some of the presents don't make it to the "wrapping" stage. Especially the ones labeled "chocolate." Funny, I have NO clue what happens to those particular presents. This one in the last photo has even LESS chocolate in it now that when I took the photo.

Hope you're getting into the spirit of the season, no matter what you celebrate!!!

XOXO

Rhea