Spring was just here a few minutes ago...

...therefore I refuse to turn the heater back on!!! 

I'm not going to be around much this weekend (working for my parents, babysitting, church, birthday parties for splendid friends) so I figured I'd try to tough it out. It's supposed to warm up again next week so my endurance need only be short-lived... and while wearing silly-looking hats inside may look, well, silly, I can congratulate myself next time the gas bill comes and it's less than two digits. Hooray!!!

Things you might find me doing at when I am at home...

-Baking blueberry muffins

-Snuggling under blankets and watching Carol's Journey again... it's so beautiful and sad!

-Drinking far too many cups of piping-hot tea

-Sewing some new & improved zippered pouches (I'll have pictures soon!)

-Dreaming about summer and when the weather will be warmer again!

Stay warm, you guys!

with lots of love from Tabitha

and the winner of the Best Morning Hair Ever goes to...

                               

no gel or wax or anything!

                    :)

Mabel page 2

ta da! Here's the second installment of the Mabel adventure. Enjoy!

(click here to read Mabel page 1)

hope everyone's having a happy week... I've been LOVING the warmer weather, it makes me feel so alive. It makes me want to imagine and dream and DO things! It makes me feel hopeful and joyous  and... and... ebullient. 

Thesauruses are so fun.

sending you lots of love wherever you are!

chocolate cheesecake

I've been promising my Monday night illustration class a treat for a while, but today was the first day I actually had the chance to make something, so I decided to make a chocolate cheesecake.

I think this is the first cheesecake I've ever made (it's the first one I ever remember making), so I was quite excited.

After I mixed the batter, I sent the children outside to lick the beaters. I know, I know, raw egg and all that... but I always licked the beaters as a child and was fine, so I think they'll be okay.

When it was cooled I cut it up into slices and stuck strawberry halves on top with melted milk chocolate. I gave some to my sweet neighbor Ophelia (isn't that the best name??) and arranged the rest on plates to take to class. It's going to be a little messy and hard to carry, but it looks (and tastes!) yummy, so it'll be worth it!

I even got my own little stove-top slice!

a little tour of my neighborhood, part 1

Sewing my first zippered pouch, or, How the ugly fabric became beautiful

Once upon a time there was some Ugly Fabric. 

It sighed as it lay crumpled on the ironing board. 

"I will never be anything beautiful. 

I was once a plaid shirt from American Eagle, but now I'm outdated and boring. 

What shall I do?" 

"You there!" shouted a White Zipper. "The Queen needs to see you immediately!" 

The White Zipper smiled a fierce and toothy smile, 

but the Ugly Fabric was brave. 

Inside the castle, the Queen introduced the Ugly Fabric to some Old Denim. 

She gently sewed them together and they became fast friends. 

The White Zipper joined them, and although he was fat 

and caused the Queen quite a bit of grief, 

they appreciated his way of bringing things together.

"I'm so happy to be useful now," thought the Ugly Fabric, 

"and I am so cozy inside this pouch. But I am lonely, and I am still ugly." 

For a long time the Ugly Fabric waited, but then finally 

some beautiful markers came along. They liked the Old Denim. 

They liked the White Zipper, or at least they didn't mind it 

when he growled and showed his big teeth. 

But most of all they liked the Ugly Fabric, who kept them warm and safe. 

So the Ugly Fabric became beautiful because it was loved,

and they all lived happily ever after.

The End.

Mabel, page 1

I wanted to share this with you guys yesterday but Blogger wasn't letting me upload any images. It's the beginning of a little story I've been working on just for fun, to help stay motivated and keep drawing. It's my first ever "comic," so it's a bit rough around the edges, but I hope you enjoy it. (Mabel is quite sweet and fun to get to know...) I'll be posting a new page each Monday!

Hope everyone's having a beautiful week!

P.S.- Click on it to make it bigger!