Bring on the Christmas Cheer

It's Black Friday, the official opening day of the Christmas season.  The weather is nippy and bright.  The shops have been in full-on sales mode for weeks now...the shoppers, not so much.  My list has been getting shorter and more realistic, which is a good thing.  Bring on the essence of the season.  Christmas music, spice scented candles, winter decorations that likely won't come down until Easter, keeping the holiday festivals and stores stocked with cards and calendars...there's plenty to do.

Holiday Craft Season

Well, like it or not, the Christmas craft season is upon us.  I have no clue how that happens...summer one minute and Christmas frenzy the next.  What happened to Thanksgiving?   I have created a few new card images and feel somewhat prepared.  If you are in the Bellingham, WA area, Covenant Church on Bakerview has a large show this Saturday, Nov. 11 from 9-4 and Allied Arts starts on Nov. 17-Dec 24 next to the Burlington Coat Factory off Meridian Street. 

Happy Camper

Fall is in the air.  It seems to always be a quick creative trip between summer and Christmas for me, but I try to squeeze in something fall-ish before the red and green takes over.

For the love of stuff

A trip to the Goodwill produced some fun art-inspiring treasures.  I love "stuff" and if that stuff can inspire something on watercolor paper, all the better.

Just a little bit of sunshine would be nice

The month of March in the Pacific NW is not known to be balmy, but a little sunshine would be very welcome.  However, looking on the brighter side, the rain is beginning to feel warmer.

Daylight-Saving-Time Monday

First we need coffee.  So many things are made easier with enough caffeine on board.  This Monday after the beginning of Daylight Saving Time was one such event made possible with coffee.  Whew. Glad that's over.

Change of the Season

One of the memories of my childhood was picking a few Gravenstein apples from the neighbor's apple tree after coming home from school in early September.  Fast forward nearly 50 years and the neighbor's property became my family's property and the Gravenstein tree is in my front yard.  It's a beautiful tree--must be a 100 years old and is still bearing hundreds of apples.

Feeling a little like spring

I know it's too soon to consider it spring, but I so want it to be spring.  Relying on last year's photos of market flowers, I'm exercising my watercolor muscles after way too many rainy and windy days.

Happy New Year 2016

Well, here we are again.  The beginning of another new year.  I love New Year's Day.  It's a time of moving beyond the past and reflecting on the possibilities of a whole new set of 365 days.  I don't make resolutions, but I do set goals.  This year, I'm going to focus on what I feel I do best and add new skills.  I highly recommend the book "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan.  I don't know these gentlemen, but their book has really resonated with me.

I'm certainly looking forward to shorter shadows.  BRRRRR.

This little 5" x 7" watercolor is currently available on my Etsy site, whimrab.