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Celebrating the New Year with a Creative Heart
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I hope this email finds you in all kinds of good spirits. It is always so exciting when you start off your letter-writing journey with friends and I'm thrilled that you are taking part in this latest adventure with me.
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Maybe it's just me, but doesn't it feel like New Year's Eve is poorly placed in the calendar? I am a huge supporter for embracing the vernal equinox as the start of the new year and you can't deny it makes sense. If I had the choice to revert April Fool's back to New Year's Day, I wouldn't hesitate. I love wintertime. However, kicking off a new year in the middle of my hibernation season has always felt off. I cannot help but feel rejuvenated and my creative juices come alive when the springtide calls. Maybe it's because I'm a spring baby. Maybe my natural clock runs strong. What about you?
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With another successful year of celebrating Be Kind to Spiders Week, April has really kicked off the season in a flurry. Did you enjoy my topics for Spiders week? My initial plans changed a ton from when I first started cooking up ideas for my posts. However, the beauty of changing things is that you can save those ideas for future times. Yes, just like Halloween, once Be Kind to Spiders Week concludes, I'm already thinking of the next year.
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Be that as it may, April leaves no rest for the macabre at heart. In the throws of BKtSW, I celebrated my birthday with a very enjoyable Instagram Live where I talked through my plans for a stained glass window project. Unfortunately, the IG live recording didn't save. However, I just happened to be recording myself sketching during the live for a video project. If you're interested in giving it a listen, you can do so here. I closed out my birthday with dinner at a fancy Mexican restaurant in Downtown San Jose and watching my favorite spider flick, Arachnophobia.
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As if that wasn't already a lot, I wrapped up March celebrating mine and my husband's 10 year anniversary at the historic Winchester Mystery House. Complete with a private tour and fancy dinner, it was an unforgettable way to celebrate and I hope to show that off when things chill. Maybe? Who knows? This time of the year always feels like such a flurry.
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After such a lavish anniversary, you may be wondering what's next for the rest of my year. Well, if you've been keeping up with mine and my husband's podcast, Sips & Spirits, we announced that we won't be attending Midsummer Scream in 2024. We're a bit bummed about it, but we're really trying to work on our finances this year in addition to planning a family trip for our children's birthday celebrations. It's our goal to let them splurge on that trip as much as we can. In Midsummer Scream's place, we're actually able to add quite a bit to our calendar including attending a local ren faire and a smaller-scale SoCal Halloween event. Next month, we'll even be attending Mockingbird Lane's Monster Midway Mania in Santa Cruz. If you think you'll be attending and see me, definitely say "hi"!
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If you're curious about anything else that has happened or will happen, keep reading below. This has been so much fun and I could write on and on, but I'm not sure how interested you would be in reading my rambled musings. Instead, I will look forward to writing more in next month's gossamer gossip.
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We're Celebrating Lil' Boo's 4th Birthday soon!
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My baby boy turns 4 on Monday! How did this happen?! Our son is still OBSESSED with skeletons and planning his birthday around that has been more of challenge than one might think. Thank goodness for Minecraft and skeleton kuppas. This year, we've opted to do a small family dinner on his birthday, but will be planning a family trip to Super Mario World in September. This is going to be a joint birthday celebration for both kiddos instead of them each getting a party. Family compromises.
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If you have any tips for visiting Hollywood Universal Studios to share, I would be forever in your debt. None of us have ever been so I'm feeling a little intimidated when it comes to planning.
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Celebrating 10 Years of Marriage at the Winchester Mystery House
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Last month, my husband and I splurged a little to celebrate 10 years of marriage at the Winchester Mystery House. This experience was really quite special and I can't say I'll ever get to recreate this adventure ever again. What is hosting an event at Winchester like? Well, if it's not a wedding or work event, it can be a little frustrating to start planning it started with their events team, but it's absolutely worth it! I kind of blame this on our anniversary following Winchester's centennial celebrations. I think the team was so preoccupied with all the events occurring over last year, that they struggled with the demand a little. But it all worked out.
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We bought out a whole tour for just myself, my husband and the littles then arranged for a catered lunch in the stables afterwards. What made our adventure so unique was that our tour guide was the house historian herself, who took us practically everywhere and anywhere at our request. It was a genuine behind-the-scenes private tour and I will be forever grateful to Janan for this amazing opportunity. Our lunch was equally enjoyable, complete with sparkling wine, a charcuterie array and a delicious salad and turkey BLTA sandwiches. My only regret is that we didn't extend the time by a little more. I'm such a slow eater, but luckily, we got to take all the leftover food home.
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Be Kind to Spiders Week 2024
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Missed my posts for BKtSW 2024? You could hunt them down on the blog, but I'll save you the work and share direct links here!
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A Macabre Madame Moment
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I made a creative moment for myself during my birthday to work on a design for the stained glass windows I want to create for the library in our home. It's not complete yet, but I'm absolutely in LOVE with how it's coming along.
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The stained glass design (to no one's surprise) is taking influence from the windows of Winchester, but instead of daisies, I'm using moonflowers as the motif and incorporating it into the iconic cobweb windows.
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Frights with Five Nights at Freddy's
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I'll be the first to admit that I am no gamer, but I do enjoy watching my hubby play. On occasion, I'll even pop on Markiplier to discover a horror game I'm never likely to play.
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However, thanks to my daughter becoming infatuated with Five Nights at Freddy's after we watched the movie over our winter break, I purchased a PS4 collection of the FNAF games from 1-4 (and Sister Location). I've not yet decided if this is a good or bad thing yet as I've only played through the first game and two nights of the second.
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These games have given me ALL the fear a horror game should give! I've screamed, I've jumped, my hands get all cold and clammy, and it's oh so fun. I think. I haven't decided yet. Am I actually enjoying the thrills or am I so terrified, I'm doing my laughing my head off in terror that I do when I get off a roller coaster? Only Freddy knows.
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I DID, however, need to share my achievement somewhere that I got through 4 of 5 nights of FNAF 1 without dying even once! Now, that cobweb crown of honor is a little crooked as practically every night I was running out of power and Freddy was singing when the clock struck 6, but I conquered it. Not bad for a gal whom almost never plays games!
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So now the question is...do you want me to share my frights as I try to conquer more of the FNAF universe? I also have Bendy to finish playing as well. Yes, this chicken has let the game remain unfinished as I work up the nerve. According to my husband AND my children, I'm very entertaining to watch.
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