'Tis The Season

  Hi Everyone, 

         As you can see, a snow storm arrived and painted the world beautiful.  Because sheets of freezing rain plunked itself down first, the snow stayed on the trees for several days. Lovely!

Now we are back to normal viewing, but I have no doubt there will be snow for Christmas.

Christmas decorations are festooning the corners and the newly decorated tree helps to brighten up the dark days.   These days, the sun sets around 4:45 p.m. But who cares--everywhere you look there are Christmas' lights. Soon we will take an evening drive so we can oh and ah over the lights. 

The crowd on the table.

                      Santa Clauses are a major cause around here. This dear fellow entered the fold                                                                 this year.

 Mr. Claus. A wonderful wood cut by Elizabeth Harbour. I absolutely love her artwork. You can find her here.

A Partridge and friends in an Ivy.

Not sure how many Santa Clauses I have--alas some are still tucked away. Next year, if the stars align properly, I will try for a group photo.

Cooking? Well, over this way there is still more to come. 

One must have cookies. 

Gingerbread? Why, yes! 

Thank you.

A few gingerbread guys and gals, and trees and such waiting for their attire. More in the oven.
Oh, they do smell heavenly!

       In case you wondered. The art exhibition went off without a hitch. There were 104 paintings, including sculptures. I was there for the opening and a four hour shift. So much fun to spend that time talking with people while admiring artwork.

The lady that oversees the hanging of the show does such a wonderful job. The next show for our group will be in the spring.

In the meantime, the art gallery in town is having an exhibition in January. No sure yet, I may brave it and enter a painting.  As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

           

                    

 Amaryllis on the grow. They are a favourite flower of mine. 

 There are two more. (When it comes to Amaryllis I can't help myself.) This one will probably bloom for Christmas, but the others will likely bloom in January.

                                                                     A table topper.

 Hold your reindeer. Please don't leave without your cookies and a cherry Candy Cane.

                      

That about covers it for today. The halls are decked, and the cookies are nearly finished, so it must be time for a cup of tea.  

                     Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas. Have a Safe and Happy Holiday                            season!

                                                  See you in the New Year.

                                          

               Leaving you with this video. I found this video so heart warming and lovely. 

               Perhaps you have already seen it. If so, it is definitely worth another view.

                                                         Be prepared to smile!

                                                           Cultivate your dreams! 

 

                                           I have a feeling this is one of this man's dreams.

                                             Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. 

                                                         Thanks to all for hosting.  

Nearly There

Hi everyone,

We've had some beautiful sunrises lately. Since the sun rises late these days,  I am usually up to see it.  Because my camera doesn't have a mirror in it, I'm not suppose to point my camera at the sun. But that's okay I like to savor the view.

 Aside: I can't seem to regulate the font size; it's either huge or tiny. All or nothing it seems. So today I am going with all. With luck it won't be too large for your screen. However, when I look at the preview the print looks small again, and that will mean the alignment might be off. If that happens, do forgive.

I stop for Madeleines.

  The middle ornament with the world circled in Hope (very fitting just now) says a Nova Scotia Christmas. My heart is in Nova Scotia more than usual this year. Sadly, there will be one less family member around the table there this Christmas. 

                                                                   

                                                             

                                                                               * * * 

From the easel...

                                                                     

                                                            In the Foothills

               

                                                   Autumn Trail

 For ease of  framing and handling, I mounted this pastel painting on acid free foam core. My first attempt using linen tape was, to say the least, unruly.  Recently, I ordered spray adhesive. Later, I imagined myself outside in a howling winter wind spraying adhesive about. Perhaps I will wait for spring. (A framer...I am not.)

           These two paintings are happily winging there way to new homes.

                    

I received this glorious Quilling Card from my dear friend and an all around lovely lady, Joannie a few years ago. It will look nice in its new shadow box frame. 

 To quill, small strips of paper are coiled and shaped to create the design. The back of the card tells me, Quilling has been done since the time of the Egyptians. I assume the paper is then glued to the card, but I can’t detect a trace of glue. What a wonderful work of art.

                       Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy New Year!

                                 And Happy Holidays too.

                           Stay safe and sound, lovely people.

                                       'Til Next time...

                                 Cultivate Your Dreams

Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, ladies, for hosting.

Keeping Tabs

Hi everyone,

 One of my favourite things to do: keep tabs on the sky.

There always seems to be something engaging, streaming across the sky. 

Streaming? Maybe, technological jargon has gotten the better of me. 

Other than sky watching, I've been planning a little Christmas cheer. 

I enjoy slowly decking the halls, especially with the smell of cookies baking. 

So many homes here are already beautifully decorated. Baubles and lights of every colour peeking out from everywhere do gladden the heart when the sun sets early. Last night the lights looked especially beautiful because fluffy flakes of snow continued to drift down throughout the evening.

* * *

 

My four year old orchid showing off. I leave it outside until it turns quite cold. Apparently it likes that. It produces even though it has never been repotted; I keep forgetting to order the proper potting mix.  

* * * 

From the drawing board...      

                                                                      Garden Doodles

                                      Copic multiliner in cool grey. Various pencils on watercolour paper.

Since I don't have a particularly steady hand, I noticed the  grey marker tricks my mind into thinking I am using a pencil and that helps steady my hand. Give me a black pen and I am all over the place. 

 I do have several full sketchbooks, but a lot of my drawings are on tracing paper. By-passing a sketch book saves a lot of time when transferring to watercolour paper, but the sketches are fading. So I've decided, over time, to transfer the sketches to watercolour paper. I may use a large sketchbook that I have on hand. I might section it off, but I am not sure yet. 

I've also been printing stickers for my Christmas card envelopes, using

 a birdie from one of my early watercolour paintings. 

Printed on Avery Stickers #22807.

And, up next,  Holly and Ivy Stickers.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends.

Wishing you well.

'Til Next Time...

Cultivate Your Dreams

Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, lovely ladies, for hosting!

Silhouettes

Hi there,

'Tis the season! I hope you are all having fun with your Christmas preparations, or other holiday planning.

Not my usual Tuesday post, but the good Elves won the debate and decided to post early.

Sunset

I love the beautiful shapes and silhouettes of the bare trees.  As a bonus, once the leaves have flown away, you can sometimes see the intricate nests that birds have left behind.  Often overlooked, I, for one, love the beauty of a world laid bare.

 Speaking of Christmas, what would Christmas be without the redemptive tales? A Christmas Carol  and The Grinch come to mind. Tales that prove that kindness changes everything.

In my recent travels I saw the Grinch in a yard pulling the Christmas tree lights off the roof of the house.
Although I don't have a picture of that scene, I am including the Grinch that I enjoyed painting a couple of years ago for my brother-in-law who really does enjoy the tale.

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”

Dr. Seuss

 Have a very Merry Christmas!
And if you do not celebrate Christmas, enjoy your holidays!

I hope to see everyone in the New Year.

Best Wishes...

Cultivate Your Dreams

  I'll be linking up to parties. Please see my Link Parties page.  If you have time, please drop by these wonderful blogs for a visit.

                                                                         

Thank you ladies for

hosting!

All Is Bright

My Christmas list is nearly complete.  The halls are decked and the house has been smelling of gingerbread, cookies and more.  Even the corners, with the help of the Elfs, are merry and bright.

 Mid winter skies all a glow.

A lovely gift arrived too.

A few Santas brighten a corner.
Santa, to me, represents the spirit of giving.

And who can forget the birdies. This one was made long ago.

It looks like we may have a green Christmas this year. Unusual but most welcome!

Weather systems and wind currents are mysterious things. A system bringing a lot of rain is running up the coast from Mexico.
  

Thanking you for reading along, again, this year, dear ones. And for your lovely comments, blog posts, emails, and friendship.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays! 

Cultivate your dreams. 💗

Just Popping in To Say. . .

 Hello everyone,

Time has been flying by and Christmas will soon be here. I can't believe it! 
Because we put the tree up early this year, everything else seems to be falling into place with relative ease. I've sent out the cards and parcels, and most of the wrapping has been done.  Next week  more cleaning and a bit of baking and that should round things out.

In the meantime, I've been enjoying a few Amaryllis blooms and all that glitters both at home, in the malls and the snowy neighborhood.

A cute snowman. I find some of them rather creepy, so he's the only one I have.

A ship conjures up thoughts of home.

Paperwhites on the grow.

Backup beauty ~ on the way.

 

So...basically I just popped in to say have a Merry Christmas Day! 

If you do not celebrate Christmas, enjoy the holidays.

And my very Best Wishes to all of you for the New Year too!