The Christmas Card....

At Last...!

Well, Dear Readers, Here it is! I know my photos never quite do it justice. And the copies from the printer that go out to family and friends are always subtly different from the original. It is difficult to be the artist and to know that what is sent out is not really really Really exactly what I painted. This year the printed version shows much more "gray" than I had intended.... but the photo here does come close to the pure, brilliant colors I was painting. As always, it is 8.5 x 11 inches, pen and ink and watercolor paint on Arches watercolor paper. It is copied in the same size it is drawn, not enlarged or reduced. The details and vignettes are scenes from the happenings in my life over the past year. And as always, the setting has something to do with the Christmas Season. (It is intended to be a Christmas Card, after all!) The main stories this year were the numerous (Wonderful!) visits of Family to my little home. I saw every member of my immediate family during the Summer and Autumn! And of course, the work in my mini worlds had to be shown..... even though it was shoved into the corners and really only amounted to lilacs... and more lilacs... and more lilacs... and the barest beginnings of the Sugarplum Studio project. The Letter "S" is, I hope, Self explanatory! My Sister and I were amusing ourselves with searching out the number of "s" words involved in the drawing! So there you have it. It only took me one hundred hours of drawing, inking and painting.

And because I am slowly trying to find my way

 back into my mini projects, 

I did work more on the tiny Christmas Stocking.

And as I stitched, the masking tape holding

 the cloth in place kept giving way....

Making it impossible to stitch.

It is really a problematic method... it leaves

 a terribly gummy residue on the cloth, and doesn't hold very well!

I peeled it back from the cloth and used sewing thread

 to bind the cloth to the frame instead.

(Sorry about the blurry picture!)

At least that allowed me to complete the stitching on the Santa!

But I didn't get much else done.

 Because I always forget that once I am done Drawing the Card...

 I still have to write and mail a whole bunch of cards!

So I hope you don't mind such a short post, Dear Readers,

and I hope you enjoy seeing the Christmas Card at Last!

Taking Stock....

After The Card....

Well, Dear Readers, I have finished THE Card... but I can't show you pictures yet because it would ruin the surprise for my Family. So while I await their receipt of the card in the mail, I have been racking my brains for something to show you on the blog. You will understand that there has been NO time for minis for weeks.... and weeks...... and weeks! In fact I can't really remember what I was working on ... other than the Sugarplum structure construction, which has also languished in the weeks of focus on the Holidays. And I will confess that I always feel a certain amount of "loss" or disorientation when I complete a card.... or any project that requires such intense and prolonged focus. It feels as though I must reacquaint myself with ME.... what I am doing, what I am planning... where I left all my parts and pieces of all those other projects.... ! Not to mention that Usually I am done sooner... and can begin Taking Stock sooner... right after the New Year is a good time to begin again. So I hope you will not mind too much if all I can show you is a few tiny stitches done on that tiny Christmas Stocking... (yes.... Christmas still!) which I started while visiting my parents in the Fall.

I had managed to work on it a little bit in November...

Hoping that I would maybe finish it by Christmas....

I made good progress around Thanksgiving...

But that is as far as I got before I really had to begin The Card.

And we know what happens after that!

So here we are weeks and weeks later

and I hope you don't mind that I have nothing else to show!

(And I apologize for the blurry pictures...!)

I guess I'll just have to keep taking Stock(ings)

now that I am done with the Card!

Not Yet Finished.....

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

Well, Dear Readers, I hope some of you will Not be surprised to learn that I still have not quite finished painting the Christmas Card. It does seem to take me a little longer every year. I have already put hours and hours and Hours into it.... and it is nearly done... but it is not a good idea to rush the final parts. So I will take the Time that is needed to complete it to my satisfaction. Which leaves me to lament that I have nothing New to show you here! Except for this small teaser.... a glimpse into my workroom as it now stands.... all those Unfinished projects.... waiting! (And as I am sure you are aware... what you see here is nowhere near All of them!) Yikes!

Upstairs, beside my drawing table

 where I am painting the card,

 the ponies are waiting and the hounds keep watch

while Rose Thorne Cottage sits Teasing me....

And the sun shines in at this time of year...

Illuminating the beauty 

and the potential that awaits...

for some time......

When I have time.

(Jodi's chair has found a home for now...)

And downstairs.... where Hardwick Hall has been shoved into a corner....

The sun reminds me of so much I have left undone....

*Sigh*

Well, Dear Readers, I promised you

 this has to be just a little Teaser.... 

it's back to the drawing table for me,

 or I never will get the Christmas Card done!

Taking Down Christmas Decorations....

It Has To Be Done.....

Well, Dear Readers, I am sure you feel the way I do about putting away all the Christmas decorations.... Didn't we just get them all put up? Is it really time already to put it all away for another year? (Where does the Time go?) Certainly, my RL trees were evidence enough that it was Past time to take them down, dried and crisp and sagging as they were. So I spent my weekend removing all my sparkly treasures and finding all the right boxes and wrapping them safely for another year. The closets are crammed full once again and the empty spaces where the trees stood feel.... empty. But good in their own way. As if they are ready now for whatever is next.... until I rearrange the dollhouses again and the empty spaces are suddenly full of projects! And then I remembered the Dollhouse decorations too.... Charles was just at the point of deciding it was time to take down the tree in The Lovely Old Dollhouse.

"I think it's time to take it down now" said Charles.

"Well, I suppose it is getting to be that time," said Helen. 

"But the lights are so pretty... I just want to look

 for a few more minutes..." she added.

(I couldn't help but agree with her...

 although I know Charles is looking forward

 to having his favorite chair back in his spot...)

But the Time had come!

And when everything was cleared out and put back to rights......

"Doesn't that feel better..." asked Charles?

"Well.... " said Helen.... 

"I know I will think so in a little while."

"Uh-oh...." said Charles, looking over her shoulder...

"I missed the little tree on the Mantel..." he added.

"Well.... then let's leave it for now...." said Helen.

"Just a little comforting memento..." she added.

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you have all had a wonderful Holiday

 and that you are well on your way in your new year projects!

Alas, I am not quite done with my Christmas Card, 

so I will be still be looking back at the Old Year for a while.

 But I did take down my decorations... 

It just had to be done!

Running.....

Late....

I Hope you will Not be Surprised, Dear Readers, to learn that I am running Late.... with the Christmas Card.... with reading and commenting on blogs... with The Mini Castle New Year's Eve Party... with Everything, it seems! But I have at least One Small excuse... the weather over here has been challenging, with snow, sleet, freezing rain and even Thunder, Lightning and hail last night! Nobody at the Lovely Old Dollhouse was sure they could even make it to the Castle Party! But at the Last possible minute, they decided to try.... Helen was not entirely convinced the trip was worth it once they got to the Castle! "Are you sure it is done snowing...?" she asked Charles once they were safely inside. "What if it keeps snowing... should we leave early...?" she worried.

"Well, we have Arthur and Victor to help push us out of any snowbank..." said Charles,

 realizing at the last minute that he could have said something more reassuring.

Joanna and Victor were checking out the refreshments...

Joanna didn't want to admit she just might be

 getting tired of Gingerbread and Christmas cakes!

Victor was planning on trying the steaming punch...

Meanwhile the Band was tuning up in the Minstrels Gallery....

Tonight they are calling themselves 

"The Last Fearless Adventurers".....

(though you will probably recognize them as "The Deadly Nightshades")

in part because it was such an Adventure

 even getting to The Castle in last night's weather!

But it does appear that most of the locals have come out for the Party....

The children are all excited to be at a "Grown up" party

 where they will be allowed to stay up late!

Chip and Sally May and Annabelle are here too,

 although they left Chip's parents 

Ernie and Blanche back at the house...

 they did not want to go anywhere in the bad weather.

(Sally May is a little relieved to be out...

 Chip's parents have stayed since Christmas!)

Even Great Aunt Agatha is here.....

Well, to tell the truth, she has been here for months,

 along with Lady Athena and Lady Cassandra... 

who, at the Last Minute, have graciously

 opened the Castle for the Party!

Fleur is asking her husband Daniel if he has seen Gabrielle...

"If I spot her, I'll let you know..." he replies. 

"But we did give her the week off..." he reminds his wife.

"She's probably over at Will's...." he adds.

Well, Dear Readers, I must confess, it looks as though

 the Party is going to happen after all!

The "Last Fearless Adventurers" are striking up the music....

Arthur turns to Pollyanna...

 "Shall we dance..."? he asks.

And I, Dear Readers, will return now

 to painting the Christmas Card....

I know... I am running Late....!

 

I Hope you all have a Wonderful New Year!

(And don't forget to come to the Party!)

The Nativity.....

Oh! The Nativities....!

I Hope you will Understand, Dear Readers, when I tell you that I almost forgot to set up the Nativities in the mini houses! It has been that sort of Year... Season.... Month....Week....Not enough time for everything on the list! But I hurried around and Found the little pieces and reminded Pollyanna, because she really likes to set up the creche in the Lovely Old Dollhouse. She thinks the pieces are all where they belong...and as usual, she can't remember if the Camel goes on this side or that..., but no matter which it looks lovely and always inspires that deep feeling of Reverence. There is the Baby in his manger..... (I know he seems to have arrived a day too early!)... but there he is! And the Angel is singing Gloria! And the shepherd is looking on...

Oh, and Arthur has come to look too....!

"Isn't it lovely...?" asks Pollyanna.

"Very lovely," he says, not even looking at the Creche...

(Because he thinks his Wife is lovely...)

"Oh, you mean the creche...?" he adds with a smile.

"I think the sheep is too far back... " he adds

 as he pulled the sheep forward.

"There. Like that!"

 

"That does look better" agrees Pollyanna, smiling back.

Meanwhile, over at The Folly, 

Will has set up the tiny Nativity in the window.

It is getting dark and is really hard to see...

The lights are not on in The Folly....

But there.... the light is shining on the baby in his manger...!

And the Angel is singing Allelulia!

I am afraid Will and Gabrielle are not paying attention.... 

to anything but each other.

(They might be a match made in Heaven...!)

 

Back at The Lovely Old Dollhouse

Victor and Joanna are getting out the cookies...

And the Gingerbread too!

"Do we have to share the Gingerbread....?" asks Victor.

(His Wife is thinking the same thing...!)

Helen and Charles have been enjoying the Setting up of the Nativity....

Every year it is different... but the same...

 which gives them Great comfort.

"It looks perfect from here..." says Helen.

"I lost track of Time...." explains Pollyanna.

"I almost forgot to set them up in time!"

"But now we're ready!" she declared.

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you are ready....

 it is almost Time!

May you all have a Wonderful Holiday.... 

and may you Not forget the Nativity!

On A Cloud-e Day......

I've Got Sunshine.....

I am sure that All of you, Dear Readers, will know the Happy anticipation that comes with packages arriving at your house at this time of year! And sometimes when the box is from someone you have received packages from more than once, you can feel special excitement because you know you will Love the contents once they are revealed. And such was the case with the box that arrived from Dear Birgit in Germany, even though I had to wait a couple of extra days and collect it from the Post Office when it was open last Saturday, a Cloudy and rainy day! Imagine my surprise when it was "bulkier" than usual.... and there was an extra specially wrapped box inside.... What could this be....?

Well, perhaps you can imagine my Surprise

 when I opened the box to find this smiling fellow inside!!!

Well, he came with a card explaining his name is "Cloude"

which is a play on the name
"Claude" and the Cloud Palace where

 the Fairy Bears all live over here.

Of course, when I thanked Birgit,

 I forgot to add the "e" to his name... 

and just wrote "Cloud"..... 

(Which got me a little bit in trouble!)

But meanwhile, Cloude was so happy

 to be out of his box, and so eager to go exploring....

 

He dropped by The Folly... 

(it really was a Cloud-y Day!)

But no-one was home so he continued on...

No-one was home at The Tree House either....

but there was plenty of Snow... 

so he felt right at home already!

He Dropped in at the Cloud Palace Tower Garden

 to admire the mini silver tree...

but no-one was here either.

On top of the Cloud Palace Lookout Tower

 he found some tea and cakes...

But no-one was there either!

At last he found his way into The Cloud Palace Living Room

 where All the Fairy Bearys were still admiring

 the perfect Silver Tinsel Tree.....!

"Oh, Hullo" he said.

 "My name is Cloude, with an E" he added, just to be sure.

"I've come from BiWuBarenLand, and I bring greetings!"

And Believe it or not, Dear Readers, 

Just then the sunshine burst through the Clouds

 and filled the room with Light!

Well, really, Dear Readers, 

knowing these BiWuBaren Beings as I do... 

I was not so surprised...

That Cloud-with-an-e brought Sunshine!!

 

Thank you again, Dear Birgit!

I am So touched and Surprised!

 

 

(Now back to work on the Christmas Card!)