Roy Joy

Let's Get Real Here

2012-02-21T14:05:00.002-08:00

I've been incredibly inspired by a recent outflowing of blog posts dedicated to promoting authenticity in the bloggersphere.

It is so refreshing to hear from those women - women who you've followed for years, yearned for their seemingly perfect lives, felt inadaquate because your life isn't as pretty/buttoned up/design inspired/whatever as theirs - and to hear about their true struggles. Depression, stress, anxiety, post partum difficulties, unhappy marriages, and a host of other things have been thrust out into the world for everyone to see.

Oh, and my running shoes are seriously dirty.

After our last trip to Branches and the consequent car conversation with Matthew, I felt a little tug with regards to blogging. Then I read this post and this post and felt moved - to stop hiding the things that are tough in my life. It's not about airing out all your dirty laundry or bitching about the things that upset you - I want to avoid creating a space here where things look perfect. I've seen first hand what can happen when your whole life becomes a facade and then it somehow shatters- you have a full blown mental breakdown.

I'm not in that place, thankfully. I've been pretty open on this blog - clearly no one is in danger of over-glamorizing my life or believing that I'm perfect. And yet sometimes it is such a struggle to come up with Happy Blog Posts That People Will Like.

Since November I've had a ca-razy bout with depression. After college I suffered from such intense anxiety that I was on medication just to get through normal everyday activities. This time it was so different. I felt nothing. There were times where I just felt nothing. And that was the one thing that really freaked me out - because that is not like me in the slightest.

It was the first time in my life when I felt truly on my own. Of course I've had the love and support of Matthew and my far off family, but this time I didn't self medicate or hide things. I just felt like crap. And then I felt worse. And I just kept telling Matthew that things were going to get better, but that for the time being, I was pretty much going to be the worst. He just smiled and gave me a kiss and told me that he still loved me. I really was the worst.

I am doing so much better now. I've had to make some hard choices, but I feel stronger for it. For the first time in my life things are starting to click. What is important. What I want. How I want to live. Who I want to spend time with. (And I know you'll roll your eyes, because yes, I'm talking about them again - but Ryan and Heidi and Branches have been a huge part of all this. Literally. Life. Changing.)

So that's a part of me. Not all of me, maybe not even a big part of me, but it definitely exists.

Here's the truth: I'm afraid to meet new people and that I might not know what to say. Last minute changes of plans freaks me out. I am extremely introverted. I'm glad I don't work with Brides anymore. Really glad. I cry, a lot. I worry that I'll never be successful or that people will never think I'm cool.

Reader, whoever you are, remember that even behind the glossiest pages there lies a real person with real problems, stories, faults, and trials. No one has that life. No one.

Let's celebrate one another in our triumphs and joys, all the while acknowledging the hard work it took to get there.

"For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." - T.S. Eliot

*Post update: Today I realized that I've been saying Bon Iver in the 100% wrong way. Hello, I'm embarrassed and humbled. Nice to meet you.

Friday Night in Spokane

2012-02-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

Last night Matthew and I hit the town - Spokane style. (By that I mean it was really cold.)

Ethiopian food, photos, shivery-cold walking, Aunties bookstore, Mizuna vegan carrot cake and lots of laughter.

We rounded out the night by playing Words with Friends together in bed.

No joke - one of the best nights I've had in a long time.

Lucky in Love

2012-02-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

My very first Valentine's Day with Matthew was the sweetest, most random experience.

There we were, sophomores in college, poor, awkward, and still in the beginnings of being madly in love. There was a sandwich, strawberries and chocolate pudding. There was a picnic table covered in a blanket. But there was also the crashing ocean, tropical surroundings and an amazing Santa Barbara sunset.

It was incredible.

Today I look at my husband and feel wholeheartedly in love. He rocks, plain and simple. He is a be-speckled genius who woos me with his hilarity. He makes life a never ending adventure. He loves me unconditionally. And this is all the time. I'm one blessed lady.

Happy Valentine's Day MR! You make life sweet all the time. :)

For some more Valentines love, check out this quick behind the scenes video of mine from a recent styled shoot with Romancing the Stone Styling and Easy Dreamer Photography.

Mango Ink

2012-02-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

When I first came across Mango Ink, I was like wait, these people live in Spokane?

I met Heidi and Ryan at the Spokane Bridal Fest about a year ago - I was walking around checking out the other vendors and came upon their booth space. I was immediately impressed. And then thought oh dear, these people are too cool to talk to. But then we chatted and I realized I had stumbled across, perhaps, some of the nicest people ever.

One of my favorite things about their business: Mango Ink stands out in the Spokane crowd. They are cool. They are hip. They have a beautiful website. Their designs are fresh and modern.

These things are hard to come by in this area. Really hard to come by.

It wasn't until later that I found out that Ryan was a pastor of a church called Branches - and then I really fell in love with these people. Though it took us forever to finally get our act together and get to Branches, it has become the best thing about living in Spokane. WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE. We really do.

I digress - my main point is that along with starting a cool company, Heidi and Ryan are just good people. And I love supporting good people.

Along with designing wedding invites, Valentines, iPhone cases and pretty much any other cool/hip thing you can think of, they just released a new series called The Air Line - and yeah, you guessed it, I love it. Since moving to Spokane our air travel has increased two fold, and most always we end up in the SFO airport at some point in our journey. I've been looking for decor that is clean, fresh, modern - and I've found it.

The concept is great, and I relish the opportunity to support creative, wonderful people. They have a ton of major airports...I may have to get the SEA one too. Or maybe the LAX one....or both. Go check them out!

An Afternoon With Makenzie

2012-02-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

Makenzie is one of those people who just exudes beauty and grace.

When we met at Rockwood Bakery, she ran up the steps in jeans, boots, and glamourous looking sunglasses - and looked instantly camera ready. After some coffee and a chat we started on our tour of South Hill - to the park, skyline, bakery, random roadside spots.

I just held the camera (into the blazingly bright sun) and Makenzie did the rest. Seriously, this girl is a natural. She braved the bright cold day with not one complaint. Isn't she lovely?

Our goal was to dress things down and go for a natural, organic feel. In think she pulls it off. :)

Ginger Port Poached Pear Tart

2012-02-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but poached pears have never really appealed to me.

Perhaps it's because I've never had a well prepared poached pear, but the thought of soggy fruit doesn't really do it for me. The thought of a deeply rich port sauce with lemon zest, hints of orange and mellow ginger does, unsurprisingly sound quite good, so I thought I'd give this recipe a try - with a little twist. Poached pears meet pear tart.

When paired (oh my, a food pun) with a buttery crust, these poached pears win over even a hardened skeptic like me.

// GINGER PORT POACHED PEAR TART //
Adapted from Epicurious

Essentials:

3 Bartlett pears

1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups Tawny Port
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

Sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice

PEARS:

Peel ginger and cut into thin strips. Bring to a simmer in a small pot of water for 10 minutes, then drain water and set aside.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, bring water, sugar, port, ginger, lemon/orange juices to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Peel, half and core pears. Add to dutch oven and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. The original recipe called for simmering the pears for 20 - 40 minutes, then removing with a slotted spoon. I decided I wanted a SUPER concentrated flavor, so I simmered for 40 minutes, then removed from heat and let sit overnight. Either way you'll be fine.

Once done poaching, slice into thin strips. Set aside.

Keep cooking the poaching liquid until it is reduced to a thick, gel-like sauce. Set aside.

CRUST:

Honestly, I'm totally a Trader Joe's pie crust lover. Sometimes I'll pull out my food processor and make the real thing, but when I'm feeling lazy (i.e. most of the time) it's the frozen TJ's crust that I go for. Let it come to room temp and then roll out. Place into tart pan (or pie pan) and press into edges. (If you really want to make sure it doesn't stick to the edges of the tart pan, line with parchment paper first. I didn't, as I don't really care. )

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Once the crust is prepared, add sliced pears. Arrange in even layers like flower petals. Or just throw them in. It really only matters if you're OCD like me.

Pour as little or as much of the reduced poaching liquid as you'd like over the pears and bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned.

Let cool for awhile - it will let the juices settle. I learned the hard way that cutting into it too soon means a syrupy mess. A delicious, syrupy mess.

Sunny Saturday Salutations

2012-02-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today the sun came out and it made me so happy.

We woke up early and walked to the bakery for coffee and an orange almond cinnamon roll to share.

When Matthew set off to be a genius music director for a few hours, I pulled on a down jacket and opened all the blinds. The sunshine poured in and I couldn't bare to sit in front of a computer.

Paintbrushes, teacups of paint, canvas, and one dishtowel - apparently the warmth of the sun brings out my artistic tendencies.

Today make sure you do something colorful, creative and fun! :)

For Friends

2012-01-31T15:04:00.000-08:00

Today

I sat down for a bit

and made some presents

for my far flung friends.

Some are far, far away, like NYC. Some are far away like CA. And some are just far enough to be missed terribly, like Seattle. Friends, I am so thankful for you. And while I'm probably the most terrible person at long distance relationships, you all love me anyway. See, you're the best.

Heavenly Pursuits

2012-01-27T13:32:00.001-08:00

I found this quote while perusing a favorite site and it really resonated with me.

I can get so bogged down with worry about things I have no control over.

I took this photo last fall in Post Falls, ID during a family photo session. The sky seems so big up there, it's crazy. I stood in the middle of a wheat field and just looked up. So cool.

Winter Projects

2012-01-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been in a real funk. Not sure if it's the dismal weather, the homesickness, or what, but it's been a huge funk.

The natural remedy is to spend some time soaking up the sun in a tropical locale with my sweetie, right?! No responsibilities. No drama. No snow. Ahhhhhhh....

Sadly, that won't happen until March....so I'm trying to focus my energy on some winter projects. (Remember my perfect chairs?!)

I have started something new. And BIG. A project that is going to be a huge challenge. But it is going to rock. I've gotten started with the help of the brain trust (some very dear and talented amigos) and I'm more excited than I can say. Want a tiny little peek?

Confused? Well I'll tell you more about it.....soon. :)

What ways to you get out of a funk? Or do you live in Barbados?

What Joy, What Love

2012-01-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to buy 2012 Calendars through Pinhole Press, a chic company with an array of fun products. I sent them out as Christmas presents to family, and kept one for myself. I love them!

In a world where we're all about iPhones, computers, digital everything - I love having an actual paper and ink calendar to jot down notes and events.

I used photographs from our family reunion in Maine this past summer, and I love how the images conjure warm, sunny, happy feelings. :)

Snow Times Ten

2012-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

The snow - it's here.

It's been away for a long time, but it's finally returned home. With gusto.

We should be neck deep in no time!

For the most part, I'm enjoying it from indoors. :)

An Unexpected Find

2012-01-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Friends, I've had a wonderful victory.

Have you ever had something that you've searched for, for a long time, with no luck? Like the perfect pair of boots, or the right lamp, or whatever?

Since we moved to Spokane, my elusive white rabbit has been a pair of bamboo captain's chairs. Back in CA we found them everywhere...but up here? No one seems to know what they are.

But I've finally found some. A pair. For cheap. On Craigslist. Aka, the BEST THING EVER. Bonus: the incredibly chic seller (she's moving to NYC next month and I want to go with her) gave me a whole roll of webbing to make these chairs perfect. (You can see the monster roll in between the two chairs below!)

They are perfect. With a coat of paint, some webbing, and a couple custom made cushions - they chairs are going to be just the project to get me through the rest of our winter. You know, until June.

Wannabe Travel Bug

2012-01-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

I've got the travel bug like crazy.

I know two people that are going to Hawaii in the next three weeks. And I'm SUPER JEALOUS.

So, anyways.

I took a picture of a globe.

And then thought some more about how I want to go to the tropics. Yep.

Let's Start This Year Off Right

2012-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

The start of 2012 has been pretty good.

Mainly because I've been ruminating on our mid-June departure.

And searching for tickets to see the Hoskings.

But we've definitely been low on our spending-time-with-awesome-family quota.

And our two closest Spokane friends are still in Utah...come home guys!

Today, this will be remedied.

Kathy is here until Sunday and I couldn't be more excited!

I hope you all have fabulous weekends :)

Goals for 2012

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

The start of a new year is such a magical time. I'm a sucker for a new beginning, and I feel particularly inspired as we enter 2012.

Matthew and I are on the cusp of many brand new things, and the excitement to begin is awesome...and overwhelming. 2012 will be about waiting for the right timing, trusting that we'll end up where we're supposed to, and of course full of adventure.

Last night we took part in the Columbian Tradition of "Destroying of Faults" - where each person cuts out a cardboard representation of themselves and pins on little pieces of paper with "faults" written on them. I took faults to mean things we had fostered in 2011 that we did not want to bring into the new year - resentments, emotional baggage, false friendships, and the like. You throw the little cardboard person into the fire and watch as your faults burn away. It was magical, smoky, and awesome.

So out with the old, and in with the new. I detest the association that accompanies "New Years Resolutions" so, like Anna, I'm going to share with you my Goals for 2012!

Blog more, Facebook less.

A Year in Review: Our 2011

2011-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:00

When I think back on 2011, I'm overwhelmed with the amount of CHANGE in our lives.

We embraced January 1st, 2011 on the floor of a friend's guest bedroom, sharing one pillow, missing our family, and trying to find a plumber on New Year's Day to fix our frozen pipes.

It was not fun.

It was more than not fun - it was TERRIBLE. I remember feeling depressed and utterly alone here in Spokane.

But thankfully 2011 has been a year of GRACE as well. We survived our first wonky house (and it's ghetto plumbing) and acomplished, experienced and overcame a million other things. Most notably:

- We traveled to Eastern Europe on our first international solo trip. We flew into Germany and made our way down to Austria over 2 weeks. We did it by plane, train and automobile and had an amazing experience.

- I designed some fun Valentines, and styled a lovely Valentine's Shoot with Megan that is getting national attention!

- We celebrated Matthew's 26th Birthday with fondue, streamers and an oreo cake. He's the best.

- Matthew finished his first year of Grad School and is the shining star of his department.

- Eastern Washington University's Choir performed one of Matthew's original compositions, with him as conductor!

- We celebrated my dear friend Katie as she married her true love in Sonoma in April - they are the perfect couple!

- We traveled to NYC to debut a piece in Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center with the EWU choir. I was able to tag along and spend some much needed time with the fabulous Laura Hall. It solidified our decision to apply to Columbia!

- We celebrated my 26th by moving into a new house! And Kathy also got me a kick ass juicer. Yep, it's that good.

- La Lune Events had a busy event season and made lots of dreams come true. It was such an experience! I feel so blessed to have been able to take part in so many special days. :)

- We traveled to Maine for a family reunion and had the best time! Our family lives on Deer Isle and we were able to go out on a lobster boat, have a clambake, see movies in the historic opera house, and relax. Best summer break ever.

- We found an AMAZING church that we love. It has made our time in Spokane bearable!

- Matthew started his second year of Grad School - strong as ever! His CV is comprable to that of Chuck Norris.

- I've expanded my design and photography work, taking on new clients and thoroughly enjoying my creative ventures. My videos are getting lots of attention!

- We flew back to California twice in November - once for a Musicological Conference in SF and Thanksgiving. Fabulous trips on both accounts!

- For the first time since our wedding, we took some rad pictures with Megan for our Christmas Cards.

- We celebrated Christmas for the first time with just our little family unit here in Spokane - and we survived!

And these are just the big things. We've both grown and changed a great deal, and for that, I am SO THANKFUL!

Tomorrow I'll post my list of my New Year's Goals for 2012 - I always get so excited for new beginnings. :)

How was your 2011?

The party continues: holiday coffee dates

2011-12-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest joys of living in Spokane is being within driving distance of our dear friend Amanda, who resides in a particularly cute yellow house in Seattle. She and I met at Westmont in our shared Persuasion & Propaganda Comm class with Dr. Dunn. We are bonded forever as sisters after producing a video analyzing how the food industry markets products to women...oh how we slaved to make that video. We had spent weeks working on it, only to finish literally minutes before we were supposed to present it to a packed room. It makes me anxious just remembering it! Yikes.

Needless to say, after that experience we were quite the pair. She became part of the family when she planned my wedding (senior year of college, directing a musical, planning a wedding?! I would have died without her!) and I'm so lucky to know her. Being in a strange city without our family can feel so lonely at times, but after one visit with Amanda it's amazing how uplifted we feel. Until the next adventure! :)

Gratitude; lots of it.

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

This just about covers it, don't you think?

Okay, maybe a few more things...

A healthy, working body; GOD; Art; Burts Bees Lip Balm. Plus a million more things.

Whenever you get in a funk, make a list of all the things you're thankful for and I promise, you'll feel much better.

Try it out.

(Thanks Pinterest!)

Celebration & Transition

2011-12-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

Operation Stay At Home for Christmas was a shining success! I won't deny experiencing moments of doubt, like say when we were Face Timing with family in Altadena or when Anna texted me a picture of all the siblings together.

( Moment of panic: how can we do this, be all alone up here in the snowy dark place that is Spokane?! We should be in sunny California! )

But in the end, it was such a lovely holiday. We relaxed, opened gifts, watched movies, went on quick family walks (it's freezing!) and enjoyed some really delicious meals. We were able to work on things that needed working on - for Matthew this meant reading a few books he's been wanting to read, for me it meant blog redesign (do you like?) and other design work that's been waiting for me during these past few busy weeks.

Truth is, I am so amped for the new year. I have a million things swirling in my brain. So many good things - so many changes that are waiting in the wings for the right time. I can't wait for 2012!

My immediate attention is brought to deep cleaning our house - because Kathy is coming to visit soon! She'll be here for a few days the first week of January, and I'm excited to show her all the, um, well all the great.....things.....about....Spokane....Okay, I'm excited to see her and hang out nonetheless.

So for now, it's back to reality. Does this mean I have to change out of my pajamas now?

Festivities of Joy: Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up feeling like a little kid. I laid in bed, my body vibrating with excitment and my mind willing Matthew awake. I gave him until 6:15, then I started in.

"MR! It's Christmas! It's light outside! Let's get up!"

"Jessica, it is not light outside. That's a strong street light bouncing off the snow, you psycho. Go back to sleep."

I would not be silenced.

After getting Numi to jump on the bed, and with promises of warm drinks and treats, I had my man.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve Brunch

2011-12-24T11:39:00.000-08:00

Since Matthew and I are on our own this Christmas, we really wanted to be as celebratory as possible. This includes, but is not limited to: spontaneous Christmas music infused dance parties, reading Christmas stories, snow angels, and watching classic Christmas movies (as previously explained).

And of course making reeaally good food.

This morning we woke to huge snowflakes and one very excited pup. Matthew curled up in our kitchen chair and read aloud while I made a very simple but delicious Christmas Eve morning brunch. This recipe is based on one very good casserole made by my sister-in-law Anna, with a few extras added in. Paired with a Mimosa - just right.

Sidenote: Does anyone else detest the word "casserole" as much as I do? I feel like it conjures images of salty trays of creamy mystery goop. Do we ever hear of some famous chef raving about a casserole?

Okay, that was out of hand. It is Christmas after all. Humble casserole, I apologize.

Nevertheless, I file this dish under "Semi-Crustless Rectangular Quiche...of Sorts."

The ingredients are extremely customizable for this dish - I used the cheese I had on hand, vegetables that needed using up, and bread that was getting stale. Feel free to go crazy.

/ BREAKFAST CASSEROLE /

Essentials:

8 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Half & Half
Loaf of Artisan Bread, sliced
Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage - About 5 large links, casings removed
1/2 Bag of Spinach, lightly sauteed
1 Small Onion, sliced along the pole, lightly sauteed
1 Smallish Head of Broccoli, lightly sauteed
Assorted Cheeses (Chedder, Gruyere, Feta, Goat - whatever you have)
Assorted Spices (S+P, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Sage - whatever you like)

Start out by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9x14 rectangular baking dish and line with sliced bread. (I had never done this before, but when Anna made it this way it was delicious.)

Cook sausage in medium skillet, breaking it up into smallish bits. Remove sausage and set aside, and use the remaining oil/sausage bits to lightly saute the onion, broccoli and spinach. (This prevents a soggy casserole.)

Layer ingredients (vegetables, sausage, cheeses) in a pleasing manner. And by that I mean do it however you want. It will turn out fine, trust me.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and Half&Half together. Add desired spices. Pour mixture evenly over dish, making sure that all of the bottom layer is saturated.

Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes; let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Merry & Bright

2011-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was a big deal. Growing up in a divorced household with multiple families to see the next day, Christmas Eve was always my favorite. Our family would gather at my grandmother's house early in the afternoon and we would play games, enjoy culinary adventure (let's just say that foods made in molds still frighten me), exchange gifts and enjoy being in one place all together. My grandmother was well known for her enthusiastic expression of Christmas Decor - nearly every inch of her home was covered in some ode to the season. And true, most years involved some sort of familial drama or passionate conversation, but embracing the yearly tradition was something I always eagerly anticipated.

I approach Christmas Eve in a different way, now. My heart is heavy with the memories of my loved ones that are now gone - my parents, my grandparents, my friends. I wish we could gather together in that same way, talking and laughing and eating and fighting over who actually won Balderdash. Teasing each other about who has to eat the jello salad. When family gatherings were pure celebration instead of a bittersweet time of remembrance and gratitude.

This Christmas Eve, I am so grateful. I look at the calendar and realize that nearly another whole year has passed and my life is more wonderful than I could have imagined. While my heart will always be a little bit broken and missing what I don't have anymore, each year it gets easier to embrace the absolute joys of this time of year: my dear family, who may get the award for most bizarre, but who are priceless to me; sharing Christmas with Matthew and our black pup in a frozen Spokane; decorating the tree with my childhood ornaments; making stockings; receiving brightly adorned packages and loving Christmas Cards; and most of all thanking God for blessing me so, so richly.

So tonight Matthew and I will be alone. It will be a change, that's for sure. Instead of a large family gathering we'll make capellini and drink some wine. We'll probably watch a classic Roy Christmas movie - and yes, I'm referring to a quality selection from the Die Hard series. It is a brand new thing for us, but I'm excited to build our own family traditions. The only thing I know for sure: they definitely will not include jello salad. Thank God.

Merry Christmas Eve!

DIY: Stockings

2011-12-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Growing up, stockings always trumped Christmas presents.

My Mom hand-stitched us stockings and filled them with absolute treasures - and I am hardcore obsessed with continuing this tradition. I still have my childhood stocking (I'll never let go, never let go) but Matthew was in need of one, so I decided to make a new pair for the two of us this year. I was going to attempt felting old wool sweaters, but never got my act together. Surprise. So off to the fabric store I went! I'm 100% over anything resembling burlap-vintage-lace-old lady-quilt-ish-ness, and wanted a fresh, modern twist on the classic stocking. I found a great felt - a wool blend that has a good weight and great coloring. You can bust these out in an afternoon - definitely by Christmas Eve!

/ ESSENTIALS / - Makes 2 Stockings

3/4 Yard* Gray Felt (or color of choice)

1/4 Yard each of Accent Colors (My light green looks Army green in the pictures, but it's more yellow green in person)

Silver Metallic Embroidery Thread

Embroidery Needle

Hot Glue Gun

*The rolls of felt were 32" wide, and when folded over you'll have enough felt for 2 stockings, plus extra.

Step 1: Fold gray felt in half, so that it measures 18" wide. Cut stocking shape into gray felt. I eyeballed it and truth be told, they look a little wonky. In don't care. Personality, right? If you're a perfectionist, find a stencil online.

Step 2: Cut out leaves, embellishments, etc. and place on stocking.

Step 3: Using a hot glue gun, lightly glue the felt accents on front of stocking. (Honestly, I went back and forth about using a hot glue gun. My mom was all about using one needle and thread to make our stockings...but since I was going to hand-stitch the edges, I figured I'd take the shortcut here. For all of you crafty people out there, I ask for your forgiveness. )

Step 3.5: At this point, if you want to add a name, now is the time! I was going to stitch MR and JR into our stockings, but then...I was tired. Maybe next year. You can stitch the names in, use an iron-on patch of sorts, or use another preferred medium.

Step 4: Using the embroidery needle and metallic thread, stitch the edges closed.

Step 5: Cut a small strip of red felt and sew into a loop at top of stocking.

True, there are stockings out there that look way more normal/cool/put together/etc., but I really like these. Heck, if I can rustle up some cute stockings a few days before Christmas - you can too! Best of luck. :)

Merry Christmas!