Christmas already

the day before Christmas
all in a scurry
still trying to breathe
and find quiet moments 
to take in the glory

a celebration is near
i will be of good cheer
look after myself
and those who are near me

so tired i feel
yet grateful each day
for the strength from within
and the faith which keeps me going

MERRY CHRISTMAS my friends
may your days also be blessed
with strength, courage and joy
plus the spirit of the season

"I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep.  There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.

Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see.  And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering, cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power. Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you.

Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, believe me, that angel's hand is there. The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys, too, be not content with them as joys. They, too, conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all! But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country home."
                                                                Fra Giovanni, 1513
 

November 2011

I was reminded this evening about November being a special month in which art, blogging, and art journaling are all encouraged as a daily activity. I have participated in Art Eevryday Month a number of times but have not been involved with the other two projects previously. While art is almost an everyday piece throughout the year, I have decided to try to share more of my projects with you this month. I might even try to show you some of the activities from the past few months just because I have not yet shared them.


Today's art involved further prepararion for a small trade show I will be participating in on November third in our local senior citizen's home. Some of the newer things I am working on is more tags. A few are for Christmas and others are just something lovely. The butterfly tags need to be cut out yet. Hopefully there will be some time tomorrow.

my Christmas wishes for you

Merry Christmas dear friends.

Merry Christmas to one and all:



I wanted to keep this very simple as I have encountered someone just in the past week who was facing the prospect of being homeless over Christmas. I had met with him in the cafeteria of St. Peter's Abby just before I went to take many spectacular pictures outdoors. Carl called the following evening to ask me about a place to stay. I was not able to give him anything solid in the way of a place as we are leaving for a few days over Christmas. I did try to make a couple of suggestions and passed him, I believe, to the best possible resource in the community. I have no idea if contact was made. All I am able to do at this time is pray. I feel confident that is all required of me at this time.
Also the funeral of a dear friend of the pastor that will be doing the Christmas Eve service at our country Church tonight was held just this morning.
I have encountered a number of people who suffer from loneliness or trauma over the past months.

I give thanks for the many rich blessings granted to me, for the many angels around me.

Angels be with you at this Christmas time and through the coming years.
Wendy XO

welcome winter:
On this official first day of winter I cannot help but reflect on winters past as our daughter was growing and we held "welcome winter" parties. I got the idea from a book I read that was written by missionaries who wrote of Christmas celebrations in countries to which they had been missionaries. Certainly the commercial aspect was de-emphasized. Just a couple of things I remember them suggesting were the ideas of no toys that were violent in nature and no toys that were requiring batteries. Wow - practically impossible these days. For younger children it makes much better sense. I still go with the idea of letting them use their own imaginations.
The idea that really caught my attention was that of trying to spread out Christmas and the entire season and not making it into a one day celebration. Saint Nicolas day is celebrated in Humboldt typically with a visit and treat bags for the children. This year there was actually a parade. I have no idea how that turned out because the day was bitterly cold. Our very spoiled (I mean privileged) daughter received a gift from St. Nik for many years. I actually had something for her this year too but she happened to be in a really terrible mood after school so I chose to have St. Nik not visit this year. After all she is 16 years old. She was quite perturbed when I pointed out that it was St. Nik day and he had not left her anything.
The authours also wrote about celebrating the twelve days of Christmas referring to the days beginning on December 25, and after Christmas leading to Epiphany. One year we gave our daughter, Cat, little gifts for each of the 12 days of Christmas. We also for many years did advent candles, not in a wreath but in a basket.
The welcome winter party was suggested for the first day of winter, December 20. Because it is the shortest day of the year candles were recommended. We had great celebrations on these occasions. If the weather was decently warm we had the festivities outside. If it was very dreadfully cold or stormy we met inside. We had babies some years together with other ages . Games and popcorn were typical. Apple cider was frequently prepared. Seems to me one year we had about 30 people. Sigh. These days I shy from inviting one or two people at any time. But that's another story.
I nearly forgot to draw your attention also to this story written by my poet friend Tom Sketching. It fits so aptly with what I am trying to say: Christmas in the Yucatan.

In my tendency to look for time to be still and contemplate during this advent season, I took a little excursion yesterday to St. Pete's at Muenster. I was going to visit a friend but also took the opportunity to walk in the beautiful grounds. The trees are fabulous and the angels must have been with me because I'd planned the day about a week previously. Yesterday happened to be a most glorious sun drenched day while we have been blessed with much cloud and fog otherwise. It was also probably one of the most warm days in the past six- eight weeks. And so I snapped away. Especially peaceful moments came when the chickadees and a nuthatch or two came very close by. It is a favourite visiting place for many folk that love nature and the critters. The birds frequently are fed by the visitors. While I had run out of time to bring food along for them, I certainly encountered the birds. I was not really able to get photos however. They preferred to sit on my hat, the camera or the tripod. One seemed to want to give me a kiss. God was truly speaking to me yesterday.
Please enjoy some of the beauty I encountered while you watch this slideshow. Please click on "original view" in top right side.

Angels be with you,
Wendy

Let angels light the way:



As Christmas is drawing ever nearer I am tending to slow down, procrastinate, even more. I have the Christmas cards nearly done. As I have chosen to make many of them I need the extra pictures to be picked up and I need a new colour ink cartridge to print the backs of the cards.
I have a difficult letter to write also - one that I am required to do every year for the past fifteen.
I am having somewhat of an extra difficult time dealing with life as I am having very little time to be creative. I do have a whack of photos to show you, post, create another slideshow from, but alas I need to finish some of these other projects first. I also have a journal page started, but I must stay away from it as it is only one more way to procrastinate from that which needs doing.

And so I will pray for the angels to light the way, guide me, as I try to do those few things which I make myself do, for Christmas. I will also continue to take time for myself, to be still, listen for the voice of God as I treat myself with a massage, a time with Naomi, some time with my immediate family in a traditional overnight stay at the Travelodge, time for more photos and tea with a friend.

And so for you dear friends, may you let angels light the way at this time of advent, this time just before the equinox.

Waiting and watching, watching and waiting for the newborn King. As I prepare for the glorious birthday - the baby Jesus - I look about me at all the beauty, the preparations for His coming. I can't help but rejoice.
Please enjoy my Christmas dreams slide show. Remember to click on "original view" on the top right side.
Many of the pictures are from our local florist, gift shop, and greenhouse called Misty Gardens. It is one of my favourite places to visit in Humboldt.

Between concerts:



And just a few flat canvases on which I slapped a bit of paint. I hope to have a tiny bit more time for creating this week, between Christmas preparations that is. Yikes.

BRRRR.
It's been cold. It's been cloudy. It's been snowing.



I, well, I have been dragging my feet. I could be doing this and I could be doing that, but, sigh. I haven't been doing much of anything. I suppose if I took inventory I could think of a few things, but once again the grey skies would desire to pull me down.

That's alright. I love Christmas. I love creating.



Now that I've got my table and floors all spread out with supplies, I guess I'll trip over it if I try to go anywhere : ) And, I remember. I found the book in which I had done some gluing. It was under a stack of other books to weight it down. I had forgotten what was there. I lifted the books - tah-dah. YES! I can make a very unique - umm - surprise.

I'm still dreaming on, and investigating etsy. In the meantime I discovered this afternoon I've been blogged. That was very cool. My art on top of the writing seems to be catching. First one of my pages was chosen for the button of the flickr "journal junk" group. On the weekend I was asked if the same button could go on the new "journal junk" blog. Whoo-hoo. And now this new avenue. I love it. Thanks Isabella.

The weekend may not allow much time for creating as our St. Peter's Chorus concerts are tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon. This takes time and energy but is something I definitely love to do. Here are a couple of the numbers we'll be singing. We don't do them quite so well, but do very fine, considering.
Hosanna
Prayer of the children:



For now I must remember, remember to take time:

"what a wonderful world":
I was cruising around on youtube and came across this Eva Cassidy version of a song I love very much. I thought it would be appropriate to include with my post for today.



I was able to complete the vintage Christmas stocking for my swap partner, besusans. It went into the mail yesterday. I had been getting somewhat panicky about the whole arrangement but truly I create better under pressure. I loved making treasures for Susan which I believe will be meaningful. I also purchased some gifts. I also love Christmas shopping, especially for folks who have similiar interests to my own. Vintage fabrics and ephemera are not so readily available where I live but I found a few pieces in my own stash which I thought might be appropriate. I am assured that Susan should be receiving her package in about 11 days so I'll try to keep in touch with Susan so that I might show more of my own photos of the items I made, after she has received the stocking ;-).

In the meantime I want to share just a couple of the reasons why I love the the above mentioned song. So often I feel so blessed with angels. I had received MY swap package from Mandy, pearl maple, a couple of weeks ago. I promised I would not open it until after I had Susan's package away in the mail. Last night I was very tired but it was the perfect time to be opening my surprise. Tears come easily to my spirit, but especially when I'm tired, especially when someone recognizes, surprises, touches me so closely. And so the tears were present as I found the beautiful angel filled, blue filled, ribbon filled, vintage filled, hope filled diamond treasure chest which Mandy had sent. The angels were on everything, it felt. I love the colours, the richness, the handcrafting and thoughtful choices. I felt so blessed Mandy. Thank you so very much. You have truly touched my spirit.

Another surprise also arrived yesterday. There is a very kind elf on flickr who has such a talent with words. He chose yesterday to write another of his poems for me. Tom is such a wise and kind elf. Thank you Tom.



When Angels Dance in Snow
© Thomas R. Farrell
A Poem for Windy Angels

Did you know
That black and white will marry ..…
Giving birth to blue
Whom they will rest here
In the shadows of their love!

Bushes and snow and lattice fence
Lost in yesterday's passing fall of snow,
Welcoming their sun to sit a while longer
As shadows praise their God
For this dress it wears so well.

Clouds I’m sure will come
In an hour or a day
Giving all a grayer cast
And muting songs from snow..

But for now, we have the music
And contrast beaming bright,
For now I hear the sound of songs
As angels dance about --
And I hear the sound of songs they sing,
Sweet foot prints in the snow.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Please click on image to enlarge.

Christmas so close: The top piece is photos of our tree. I finished decorating it yesterday after it had been up about 8 days.
If you can believe - the bottom is a doodle I did mostly during a meeting I was at today. The meeting was about 4 hours long. The drive to and from was about 5 hours long. We left at 7 a.m. I'm quite
wiped but wanted to do something creative afterwards.Tomorrow & Thursday I hope to do most of the wrapping. We got a couple of gifts wrapped tonight but much left to do. I don't mind. I love wrapping AND I am so happy the meetings are done for a couple of weeks.


MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas Froggy Princess: Just a few of the Christmas decorations starting to magically appear in our home. I'll try to get a better view of the dear princess another day.

Line drawing, doodle - without lifting pen from paper. OK, I was really hoping to have time to do another. I think I would really prefer to use a pencil and wish I'd grabbed a piece of unlined paper. I was at a meeting, not that many people so needed to leave some impression that I was truly listening. But there'll be no time to do another. I've spent majority of day sitting with daughter and cleaning out bucket. We've been advised to totally discontinue the medication. She hardly had any today but is still vomiting water even. I finally thought about gravol so was fortunate to catch pharmacist just as he was closing down his pharmacy. Good thing about small town - you get to know people. I totally forgot until now that one of drugstores is open hour later. This one appreciates our business. So we had to do lovely suppository trick.

The line drawing - I was thinking about dear friend Suze. Hope you recognize the Cathedral. The round blob on left tree is supposed to be a bird nest. Otherwise I'm pleased with the doodle, considering using a pen and looking up part of the time while doing.

You may not see much of me in next couple of weeks. I've very little done yet for Christmas. I'm not worried about the shopping so much. Wrapping is always delayed and I can't put as much detail as would like. But I need to get this house cleaned so have room for tree. I've put up a couple of decorations today amidst the art stuff. I needed to try to get someone cheered a bit. She was happy with the visit from St. Nik. We live in a very German city. Cat knows who brought the presents, but we still love to pretend. She believed in Sanata till only a couple of years ago, though 15 years old. We still believe in Santa. Cat is great about giving being as important as receiving. She only wants a lap top for Christmas - will be very pleased if gets a cell phone which she probably will because of her seizure.

Must be off. Happy holidays!

November 25, 2006, second post; AEM, Artwords: I was asked by a friend to do some Christmas cards. This is more challenging. I have to do something she'll like. A couple of the things she likes are birds and outdoors. She chose the papers. I didn't have any photos of winter birds. I decided to do this picture from some clipart I had. I did it my own way. Then I discovered that this week's theme for artwords is birds. I'm cutting it close. A new theme goes up tomorrow. I actually didn't have the correct link ever since I changed my blog template. When I redid that today I discovered "bird". So I was under the wire. The card actually isn't complete. I may change it totally after I check with Jen.

Anyway, I was quite scared about the drawing. It's not really something I do very often or very well. I was pleased though. Even if Jen doesn't care for it, the drawing was good practice. And once again I was reminded that though I couldn't find something I was looking for at the last minute - my good pencil crayons, sometimes it works out better. I used mostly the water soluble caran d'ache. YES, the blending was perfect.

I love birds. Chickadees are birds that I commonly see and hear. This winter I'll try to get photos. They are very tame. I've heard of people feeding them from hand. Beautiful chickadees.

Christmas pillow; trying to take one day at a time; trying to complete something instead of starting many more new projects.

I think all this little pillow (7 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches) needs is handstitching on bottom. I had been thinking of making it into a mini quilt with four knots but I got carried away with the stuffing and decided I liked it the way it was. The photo does not show detail very well. The purple fabric is some muslin I had dyed a couple of weeks ago at farm. There is some purple fiber sewn between silver thread and edge of blue. I like it.

Our godchild, TW, was here for a visit this afternoon. We always have such a hard time breaking our hugs, saying good-bye. We are very tight. I love her very much.

TW wants to get into art. I think she's impressed with what I showed her. She says I have done so much. HUMPH! If my accomplishments would be anywhere near my plans I would be happy.

About TW - she needs to find happiness. She saw it huge one summer and would so love to have returned. It never worked for her to return. I sense she is racing now, with life - won't go into details. I wish she would start an art journal. I showed her how to do the quick and easy backgrounds while she was talking a mile a minute and I was listening with heart wide open.

I hear TW questioning herself far too much and talking about maybe needing to change. Sigh. She'll sort it out just as she always has. I hope there won't be too many challenges along the way.

Till tomorrow - have a great day, hopefully with some magic.

AEM - November 15, 2006: Day 2 on this blue piece. I'm not getting much art done these days and not quite certain how I'll proceed with this piece.

Baby Jesus - You may recognize one of the fabric pieces I'd shown the other day. The background was done with caran d'ache Neocolor ll (water soluble) and water brushed on. I drew in the picture with caran d'ache today. I'll need to soften the cradle yet a bit, no, not more straw, more shading. Again uncertain of how to finish - I might turn these both into little quilts. They are about 5 inches X 7 inches. Oh yes, do you think it would wreck it to use silver fiber on the rays of starlight?

Play time: Thinking on Christmas - I finally found some play time. Unfortunately the first one I did was just a practice piece. I guess my brain was not functioning on "think" but just "create". I forgot that if I put a damp press cloth on a piece of printed mulberry paper, whoops! It can work. I just have to remember to put it on the fabric instead of the image. A good lesson to learn.

I also played a bit with fabric pieces and stitching on that piece also. Maybe I can finish this one tomorrow.

My new mantra to self - play, play, play - play softly. Be gentle with yourself.