Monday, January 9, 2017

Done and Not Done....




The Circle of the Year

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you don't mind being presented with the Annual Christmas Card drawing so late that it is already well into 2017! Late is so late this year, it could almost be early for next! But alas, I know that by November of this year, I will be well into the process of trying to "capture" the year in yet Another card. Some years are just not easy to organize into any sort of pattern, and this year's composition was a struggle for me! And to top it all off, the subject was not easy to draw and then paint....! You are all familiar with the Real subject, The Lovely Old Dollhouse. Above you can see my rendering, flawed though it is. And with it, I wish you All (again!) A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (Don't forget, you can poke the picture for an up close view! Or better yet, right click and open in a separate tab for a real zoom-in...!) And now that I have that task accomplished..... Perhaps I can get back to whatever it was I was doing before..... hmmmm.... what was I working on? The Tiny Secret Christmas House? It is still nowhere near finished. Especially if I insist on adding so many tiny trims and mouldings to each room....

But if I work diligently on it now.... after Christmas..... 
it might just be ready by Next Christmas!

After spending the Weekend trying to put away 
all the Christmas decorations in my RL house 
and the mini houses, I had a tiny bit of Time left.....
So I glued on the roof papers for the Secret Christmas House.
I couldn't remember what order I needed to follow with the windows 
and the exterior wall papers for the left side 
of the House pull-out section! 
I almost goofed and put the wall paper on 
before gluing the windows in place!
So the exterior wall papers are still not glued onto the left side.
 
And then I realized that there would be a strip of the roof edges 
that would not be covered by the papers,
 and needed to be painted as close a color as I could manage 
to the greens of the papers, Before gluing on the paper!
 
That was all I managed to get done!
 
 As for all those other projects, Dear Readers,
 half finished or just begun.....
 
Like me, Pollyanna is eager to get busy!
She even received some new Kits as Christmas Gifts......
(Thank you again, Dear Birgit!)

Can you see them there in the plastic sleeve.... 
those wonderful little laser-cut furniture kits?
Oh, those will be fun to assemble!
But there might be a little problem......

It seems that, like Me, Pollyanna might have a shortage of Space 
for working on her one two three or is it four dollhouses!
I guess One of the tasks for the New Year just might have to be 
making some Progress on Pollyanna's Studio!
 
So there you can see, Dear Readers, 
the way it works around here.... 
Something always needs to be done 
Before something else can be done!
But whether it is Done or Not Done,
As we go round the Circle of the Year
The Doing is the Fun!

21 comments:

  1. Quelle magnifique carte, vous avez si bien imagé le monde miniature et des maisons de poupées que nous adorons tous ici.
    Cette élégante dame en bleu, à la longue chevelure tressée à beaucoup de talents.
    A bientôt Betsy

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    1. Thank you, Jean-Claude! It took a long time to make this one, but I am happy that I chose to draw the Lovely Old Dollhouse!

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  2. That the drawing is delightful!
    Pollyanna must be happy with these gifts, nice work that this house!
    Beautiful new year full of creativity
    Hugs

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    1. Thank you Claude! Pollyanna is "over the moon" happy with the tiny kits.... but we have to make a better "work table"!

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  3. Wow your cards are stunning I also saw Birgits cards. The detail on them is amazing and I am sure that anyone that receives your card would treasure them for always. I love your little Christmas house it already looks so festive. Lol sooo many more tiny houses I cant wait to see more of these. I love the picture of Pollyanna looking at her work space.
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Thank you Maria! It takes me a long time to draw the card... but I am always glad I did when it is finished! LOL! I have really fallen into the Tiny House world! Plenty to keep me busy!

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  4. The little houses are beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Fabiola! They are so much fun to make too! I love the really tiny projects!

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  5. Maria is totally right... your Christmas cards are treasures to keep - and I mean it. Your newest card is no exception to the rule - once more you've managed to capture the magic and spirit of your work together with important family events (and shocking events... remember most accidents happen in the household... especially when painting with one foot on the ladder and the other on the kitchen cabinet... tssssssss... *grin*), framed by a stunning scene. Oh my, that ivy coming out of the snow... with all those tiny elves... and there's even a teenytiny one-horse-open-sleigh... I'm in awe!!! And I am even more in awe with the big picture of the Lovely Old Dollhouse... not a detail is missing! Did I already say I'm in awe with your painting skills??? And all those familiar scenes are there... for example Pollyanna supervising the nativity scene, wondering about the camel's position... and most important of all: Will and Arthur carrying a dollhouse upstairs!!! Hooray! It would have not been the same without Will carrying a house, as I mentioned before he looks unfamiliar without a tiny house in his hands! *LOL* Wonderful, wonderful work... causing admiration and a good laugh (when it comes to Will and Arthur). And of course I have spotted them... Buttercup and Marmalade entering the candy jar, those little rascals... no need to say I was touched... *sob* And in case I might not have mentioned it so far: I really admire your newest card! And now to the newest doings in Betsy-World... I think you've achieved a lot with the tiny Christmas House. In my opinion this kind of decorating with papers is very time-consuming... and I'm wishing you loads of fun when assembling these tiny pieces of furniture... I'm glad Pollyanna likes her gift. And now I need to hurry... I need to print that last saying of yours: "The doing is the fun." So true... ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Dear Birgit, I am so glad you can appreciate all the tiny details of my card! But you must understand that the step ladder was a "step" in the right direction compared with the kitchen chair which was the first choice! LOL! And I did not let my Mother climb on it at all! It was strictly my own risk! :) But yes, it was a no-brainer to have Will and Arthur in the picture "carrying out" their mission to help with moving mini houses! LOL! I was also so happy to have the Fairy Bearys show up just in time to make it into the card for this year!!! (It is really hard to select the scenes every year.... editing is not my strong suit!)Your words of appreciation and your close examining of all the tiniest details bring me Great Joy!!! :)

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  6. It is a WONDERFUL Christmas card Betsy, and it shows the same attention to detail that you devote to ALL of your work!
    Your mini Mini houses are progressing beautifully and Pollyanna is finding herself with a typical situation which we who make miniatures all find ourselves facing- lack of room!
    It is a good thing that she has YOU around Betsy. Perhaps she needs a workshop outside of the LOVELY OLD DOLLHOUSE so she, like the rest of us, can spread out! : D

    elizabeth

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth! The love of details is what shows up in all my work eventually! The more the better!!! I have become really enchanted with the truly tiny scales! Perhaps a good thing considering the size of my RL house! LOL!

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  7. Nunca es tarde para felicitar tan bonito.
    La casita es una monada.
    Feliz año Nuevo y a volar la imaginación para crear arte.
    Un abrazo
    Maite

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    1. Thank you Maite! Happy New Year to you too! I am really having fun with the tiny houses!

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  8. Your Christmas card is fabulous, Betsy! So much detail - I enjoyed just looking and looking and seeing something new with each look. I like the way you've strewn the elves around the edges. Congratulations on an excellent job. I'm looking forward to watching the progress of all the tiny houses in this new year.
    Marjorie

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    1. Thank you Marjorie! I do love to add the details! And the tiny houses have me totally enchanted! There will have to be progress! :)

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  9. I don't think I ever finished reading your most recent blog. It leads me to wonder: what happens when your lungs are still full of air, but the balloon is full, too? Hmmm.. Seems to be a common problem for artists. Beautiful card, tho - no storage problem there!
    xoxox
    Mom

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    1. Thanks Mom! Yes... the storage problem looms "big" in my house! LOL! That is why the little projects are such a good idea! :)

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  10. Oh, so beautiful little houses! <3
    Hugs, piikko

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    1. Thank you Piikko! I am enjoying the tiny houses!

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  11. I love the tiny sleigh at the bottom of your card, in perfect 1:144 scale! Muy fantastico!

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