A week before Christmas....

...and doing what I like to do best. It doesn't get better than that. Away from the shopping, listening to the best of
Christmas music from Europe and North America on CBC2 and painting. A rare moment for sure....
This painting is 98% finished, and now I'll set it aside and let it "simmer" until it can be fine tuned and then varnished.
...and on the to the next while I still have a little time left before it gets busy again.....

Maggie and My Christmas Card

I was thrilled when I came across this vintage German postcard of dachshunds sledding. The reason being is my own little
Maggie so closely resembles them....so this is my Christmas card this year!....and here is Maggie.

A lot like Christmas.....

It's the lead up to Christmas that I enjoy...as long as I remember to stop and enjoy it. It's a sensory trip and taking these
pictures help me to enjoy it when it seems that I'm rushing around so much.

This past weekend....

Well Friday was horrible weather wise. A mixture of rain and ice all day long. Power outages everywhere and quite a few trees came down. We were without power from 5 p.m. until 10. a.m.....and cold!.... An impromptu trip
to Ottawa on Saturday though turned the mood around. The market had all the Christmas trees and wreaths to choose from and so brought our front door wreath home. Much nicer to buy one that way than to go to the home renovation store I was going to buy from. Sunday, went into the city (Montreal) and it was like a movie set. Twilight and everyone was walking around in a steady snowfall. Store windows were beautiful. A coffee at a bookstore after visiting the One-of-a-Kind gift show at the Bonaventure Hotel.....and was totally inspired. All very high end hand made items.....and then home. So the weekend turned out amazingly well.

New paintings

I have some new paintings to post in the mixed media section that I'm excited about.
They incorporate images (photographs) of places that I've photographed and integrated
into the background. I've used photos (some of them vintage) of people as well. I find the
combination of reality versus a made up still life is intriguing. It really adds to the story telling
aspect of the painting and makes for stronger emotional involvement by alluding to a another
time and place being represented in the one image. It is also a different
approach to painting a portrait, where the sitter is now in the background and the imagery is there to
compliment.

On my worktable.....

Monday morning and this is what I have on my worktable....a few
more of the more organic "nature inspired" bracelets with the
dragonfly.....want to make the matching necklace too....

New pieces...

Just added this necklace and a few others to my website......
I'm also working on some byzantine chains with hematite and loving the way they're turning out.....
next post....

Landscapes

For some reason I gravitate towards floral paintings and yet I have several landscapes that I've been meaning to do.
Hudson scenes....images from photographs I've taken in the last year......this is a pic I'm working on now. This one was
taken on the 7th of November of last year....the first dusting of snow (didn't last more than a few hours).

Inspired!

I'm so inspired by some of the other blogs that I'm excited to get going on my own....sketchbook images to show, new designs and it's well into November so that means lots of Christmas planning to get done......here's a peek at my studio taken at the beginning of October...yet with the bright red of the Zinnias, it looks Christmasy......if I get really good at this blogging I may even add music to it!...

Here we go......

Okay - I now officially have my own blog spot! Necessary if I want to be able to
show you work in progress and share thoughts on new pieces...and since I'm just starting there's alot to catch up on...your comments are welcome(once I figure out
how to add that feature?!@) You're invited to check back often...

Getting started...

It's got to be easier than this!...