Monday, January 7, 2019

New Year..... Same Old Story....




Patience.....

I am Sure you will Not be surprised Dear Readers, when I tell you that I am not quite finished with painting this (last?) year's Christmas Card! I have been devoting every spare minute of every day for weeks now... but it is a slow process. At least I can tell you that it is Nearly finished, and I am at the point where I am confident I will be happy with the results when I am finished, but I really can't afford to hurry the process and make mistakes...! (There is no "correcting" watercolor painting!) So I am stopping by here to let you know that it is coming along nicely and we just have to be Patient. But that doesn't mean we can't Dream while we are waiting. The Winter nights are long, after all, and the imagination wanders to all those Projects that are still waiting for an update. And most especially to the Castle, with those recently (relatively) acquired Doors..... which both conceal from and tease the Imagination!

They are so Raw and unfinished....
 yet at the same time they completely Define the structure
 in a way I could not imagine before I added them!

And those windows just Beg to be looked into...
or out of, it would appear!

Who have we here.....?

It looks like the Hounds are keeping guard in the Great Hall!

I am not sure who they are expecting to see....

But I was hoping to have a glimpse of that Still Unfinished ceiling.....

With those Patient Saints! 
Remember them?
I had intended to work on them last summer 
when I decided I needed to finish the structural parts first.... 
and hence the doors....
and I didn't get to the painting.
(Thus the Patience of the Saints!)
Oh, you want to actually See them, Dear Readers? 
And not just a dark and moody ceiling...?

Well, here is the view with the "flash"... 
although this view would never be seen in RL 
if this were a real Castle.....
The lighting would never have been good enough.
But we can imagine....!
And I can Hope I will find time 
to work on it some more sometime soon.
But not before I finish the Card....
and the lilac blossoms....

Which I confess, I have fallen a little bit behind on.
You see above the florets for blossom number thirty-nine.... 
not yet assembled.... and a week overdue.
But it is all in a good cause...
Because I am Nearly finished with the Card!
 So there you see, Dear Readers,
It is a New Year, but it's the same old story...
We can Dream....
 but we have to have Patience to see the results.
 
(And I hope to get caught up on all your blogs soon!)
Happy New Year!






20 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! Can't wait to see the card.

    It looks like the canine guards are enjoying the fireplace too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. what a beautiful illustrated structure is this chateau room!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Patience: 'an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay'
    I am can only imagine the how intricate and delicate the card will be care, carefully crafted with attention to every second. Note to self: that is why I don't do water colour - too much of a 'bull at a gate'.
    Happy lilac-ing.
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the ceiling and yes, you can see it without the flash! I'm really looking forward to seeing this card now and all progress is good progress.

    "Patience is a virtue, find it if you can. Seldom in a woman and never in a man".

    ReplyDelete
  5. In a real castle, that wonderful ceiling would soon disappear under a pall of smoke. But oh, those saints are lovely. And the doggies! I haven't met them yet. They look like a happy pack.
    Lots of love to you -
    xoxoxox
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's wonderful to see again your beautiful paintingwork on the ceiling of the castle, Betsy, you have so much patience and many art skills! These saints are patiently watching you from above, while the dogs are watching for not invited intrudors in the castle during your absence ;).
    Oh, how I would love to see a peekview of your card, but I'll wait patiently here too ;O! I bet it will be so gorgeous as all of th others Christmas cards you've made in the past years.
    Hugs, Ilona

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Betsy, Your artistic inclinations have no boundaries. I do love the peeks through the windows at the doggie pack. I think they are waiting happily for their mistress.
    The Saints on the ceiling will wait for another hundred years .... .but the lilacs need to bloom this Spring!
    Enjoy.
    Regards Janine

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Betsy! Knowing that a mistake is so costly must increase the pressure you feel to do a perfect job! I, for one, like the idea of the Christmas spirit lasting into the New Year, so I am looking even more forward to the feeling 2018's card will evoke!
    The doggie gang is adorable, and seeing the saints in all their glory is delightful! Just getting to that point on the lilac blossom seems like a great accomplishment! You'll be caught up and even ahead of things in no time!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hola Betsy! un nuevo año,que espero sólo traiga cosas buenas para tí y para tus seres queridos!
    Como ya sabemos que la paciencia es la principal virtud de un miniaturista,no importa que los trabajos se retrasen porque llevan más tiempo del que creíamos,el caso es que vayan por buen camino como van los tuyos.Así que ánimo y a por ellos!!
    Besos.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It will be a great pleasure and worth the wait to see the finished card. The ceiling is stunning. I love the doggies, they make the hall come alive.
    Hugs, Drora

    ReplyDelete
  11. Impresionante trabajo de pintura en el techo, será un proyecto espectacular.Los perros son todos ellos preciosos.feliz año nuevo.Besos:-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. First of all - Happy New Year to you! I'm for sure no Saint... but I have a lot of patience if necessary... so I'll wait patiently until your card is ready and will keep in mind that according to a German saying the anticipation is the biggest joy (Which is nicer in my language because joy is "Freude" and anticipation "Vorfreude" which would be the joy before). Until then it was already a big joy to see that stunning ceiling again and to get a glimpse into the castle and meet the doggie gang. And don't worry about the lilacs, No. 40 will come for sure… some day! ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

    ReplyDelete
  13. The ceiling is amazing. And the dogggies make the scene realistic.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi, Betsy - Your Great Hall Hounds make a perfect welcoming committee - I love that pack of dogs! It was a pleasure to revisit the saints on the Castle ceiling, and I enjoyed viewing them in that (unrealistically) bright light! Those marvelous colors are too beautiful to be hidden away in the dark recesses of the distant ceiling, even though I know they must eventually accept the reality of the Castle's dim lighting. At least you've made a start on lilac blossom #39, in spite of being so busy with the 2018 Christmas Card, so I think you should be congratulated on both counts. I'm happy that you're nearing the finish line for the card, and I can't wait to see this newest work of art!
    Marjorie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the color of your office chair!!
    I know who the hounds are waiting to see, you of course! While you have been working on the Christmas card, they missed you fretting about ;-)
    I am glad to hear the christmas card is coming along and your blossom will come together soon enough. It's not yet spring so you have time.
    Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love to see animals waiting patiently for their owners to return :) I am looking forward to seeing your card. Beautiful ceiling.
    Hugs Maria

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the hounds guarding the great hall! It's so nice to see the painting on the ceiling lit and unlit too. Wishing you the happiest 2019!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think that YOU have the patience of a saint Betsy! ;D
    I love looking at the ceiling of the castle and although I believe you when you say that you have a bit more painting yet to do on them; they look pretty darn done to me! :D
    I can't get over the number of projects you are able to juggle, i.e. Your annual card, stories, flowers, micro mini projects, 12th scale projects, tree house, seasonal landscaping, needlework, doll-making, etc. etc. How do you do it?????!!!
    I think that you are probably the most dedicated, hardest working and most exacting miniaturists in blogland- which is why we all love you♥️
    so please don't stop! :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hello Betsy,
    The doors really are great and make you want to peak into the room. That ceiling, even though unfinished, is absolutely magical. It is nice to see it with flash, but the dark picture feels right and reminds me of the places I have visited.
    Big hug
    Giac

    ReplyDelete