As I now live where it is expensive to ship to anyone and I am going in a new direction this holiday season, I am starting my holiday gift planning earlier than I normally do.
With the exception of holiday cards, children, and, to some extent, my parents I am going handmade for this holiday season. (I have excluded the holiday cards as I have a box of assorted cards for assorted reasons that I am slowly sending out. I do not wish to be bogged down by creating fantastical new cards, I would much rather spend that time creating gifts. I have excluded children, for the most part, because there is only so much I can make that a child will find interesting; my arts tend to be more for adults. I excluded my parents for some of their gifts, but not all. Because my family is so large --I have nine siblings-- I tend to purchase my family gifts year round of things only available in Japan. I already have a stockpile to send out, so out they go.)
This means that almost every gift I give this year (almost because of the exceptions) will be handmade by me, handmade by someone else, purchased to compliment something handmade (supplies, frames), or craft related items so the recipient can create something on their own.

If you would like to exchange handmade gifts please let me know and ensure that I have your address. I have significantly trimmed my holiday card and gift list this year.
I plan on sending everything out the first or second week of December.

I did a touch up to my hair colour last week and my roots are already showing. My hair grows entirely too fast.
Part of the problem of my hair growing too fast is that my hair is baby fine and straighter than Superman (in terms of the good deeds he does, not in regards to his sexuality). This combination of straight, baby fine, and quick growth means once my hair gets past my shoulders it falls under its own weight and sticks to my head like a sort of condom made of hair. And let us face it, if I wanted to wear a condom on my head I would have a pretty one fashioned out of latex by HW Designs.
In my head a nagging voice has been popping up every now and then. At first I ignored it, the temptation to shave my head again is so very strong but as I have been growing out my hair for almost two years now I would hate for all my body's hard work to go to waste (that and I am rather enjoying the blue colour).
I have instead made a compromise. Friday I gave myself a Hime style cut.

The style instantly thinned out my face and stopped my hair from clinging to my scalp for dear life.
I think it looks rather cute. Unfortunately, it reminds me that I was born in the wrong era. I definitely have the beauty of the 1920s and not the 70s/80s/90s/00s.