Après la Fête ~

For a long time I  had the idea of painting a woman walking through a flower filled meadow at sunrise after an elegant party. I finally did a sketch on canvas, then got involved in other things. The canvas sat on my easel for a long time, periodically I would work on it, put it away to work on something else, then put it back on the easel where I frequently walked by thinking, 'I really must do something about her".

She finally caught my complete attention last fall, but it was holiday time and there were other more interesting things to do. At the end of December when all the excitement was over I begin working on the painting in earnest. It takes me a long time to finish any painting and this was no different but lo and behold after many corrections and changes one day I put down my brush and said to myself, "she is done"!

I usually don't custom frame things, it's more fun just to pop them into empty frames I keep for this purpose, then when I want something different to look at change them out. However I became very attached to my mystery lady and I decided to have her framed for my bedroom. I just got her back a couple of days ago and hung her this morning, now I don't have to feel a bit guilty every time I walk by my workroom and see her forlornly sitting on the easel.

So here she is, varnished, framed, and hung in my bedroom:  Après la Fête  (After the Party).

Thank you for visiting I hope you have a beautiful day.

Adrienne

Bringing in winter ~

Everything always looks so bare when all of the holiday decorations have been put away.I like a clean slate for my decorations so I put most of my usual decor items in storage for the season. January offers a chance to bring things out again but also change it up a bit for the rest of the winter months.

In the living room on the library table behind the couch I put my rabbits back but added some books, a flower arrangement and a new little brass candlestick. the open book is One Year in Art. Every day offers a new painting with a quote to go with it, I love this kind of thing, it's fun to turn the page each day and see what wonders it brings. The bouquet is mostly succulents with some flowers added for additional color.

On the little french credenza nothing seems to work but a floral arrangement. For this I used fresh eucalyptus leaves and evergreens from Trader Joe's, these will dry and last for quite a while. I included some other dried material and silk peonies for interest.

It is pretty monotone but I think it has a winter feel.

And finally, in the entry, an arrangement of dried material along with porcelain birds, books, a Moroccan covered container, a pair of brass candlesticks and framed welcome to my house in french graphic I made a few years back. These candlesticks and the one on the library table were Christmas gifts from my brother.

Now I definitely feel winterized!

Christmas greetings ~

I hope your holidays are full of joy, love, and happiness.

Adrienne

Last little tree and Miss Twiggley ~

This year I came very close to putting nothing but twinkle lights on this little tree in the entry hall, but instead I went with white and sparkly.

 I love the way that the lights reflect in the clear glass balls and inhances the glitter of the other ornaments.

A miniature sled filled with gifts rounds the out the vignette.

And, to end this post - Miss Twiggley gave me quite a fright last week, she was very ill. After numerous trips, first to the emergency clinic and then to her regular doctor, lots of tests and finally the proper medication, she is finally feeling better and ready to pose for her Christmas picture.

Having her well is the best Christmas present I could hope for.

~ Merry Christmas ~

Adrienne

A rainy day Christmas craft ~

What do you do on a rainy weekend in December when you are pretty well caught up on your Christmas to-do list.

Make your Christmas cards of course.

I started making my Christmas cards a couple of years ago, I thought it would be fun. I use photos I take of my decorations, usually my tree, as shown below, but this year I chose a close-up of the wreath I made a couple of years ago for the window in the family room.

 I personally love getting cards that are a bit more personalized. Throughout the year I also occasionally make cards for thank you notes and other occasions, for these I usually use garden or flower pictures.

I have the photos printed up at my local UPS store, they are great to work with and very helpful in getting them just the way I want. The blank cards I purchase at Michael's or on-line, they come in different colors and sizes. I use a paper cutter to cut out the matting. then affix it all with a glue stick. Easy. 

Below are the cards for Christmas 2019, ready to be slipped in the mail.

It is really too bad that the Christmas season passes so quickly because there are so many fun things to do and it is hard to fit it all in.

Thank you for visiting 

~ Merry Christmas ~

Adrienne

The finishing touch ~

I finished my Christmas decorating the day before Thanksgiving and I am pleased with how festive it looks but a little something more was needed - I wanted a touch of Christmas in the dining room. I gave some thought to adding greenery to the chandelier but decided instead to hang a wreath on the mirror. 

I used young, pliable branches from my crabapple trees to make the base for the wreath, it's rather fun to weave them together and and they give a nice lasting, but naturalistic effect.

Then I found a very delicate and sparkly garland at Michaels, I simply wound it around the base and added a ribbon. Easy, pretty and something I can use over again. I store all of my wreaths in large plastic bags in the basement.

With the decorating finished I must now give some thought to making my cards, and buying gifts of course.

I hope all of your holiday plans are going well.

Thank you for stopping by.

~ Merry Christmas ~

Adrienne

A favorite time ~

In many ways winter has become my favorite time in the garden. Strange, because there is little blooming, most of the trees are bare and color subdued. But the clear skies, bright atmospheric conditions and occasional rain lends a brilliance and sharpness to the landscape.

So it was that after a day of rain on Thanksgiving the next morning when I came back from walking I simply had to take some pictures.

In the back garden beside the pond one of the crepe myrtle trees is slowly loosing its leaves, but in such a beautiful way.

The view from my back deck, with the brick pathway still wet, no flowers, just the color of green against the blue sky.

Out in the front along the driveway a little sitting area, in the warmer months an umbrella shelters the spot but it has been put away for the cooler seasons. A talented friend made me the containers on the table. The Hopseed bushes in the background are glistening with raindrops

Here are some of the Paperwhites I spoke about in a previous post, bravely blooming although a little battered by the rain. The Honeyburst locust tree is almost completely denuded but will explode next spring with lovely chartreuse foliage.

And lastly, a view of the bridge and beyond.

I have always read that the bones of a garden are very, very important and it is now is this season that they can be seen and accessed without distraction. Maybe it is this simplicity that so appeals to me, 

Like always this time in the garden will slowly end and once again the roses will bloom and it will be time to think of spring and summer color. I for one am looking forward to seeing the results of all of the wildflower seeds I have sown. The ever changing ways of a garden are one of the most magical things in the life of a gardener.

Now I must get back to Christmas plans.

Thank you for visiting.

Adrienne

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving full of love and joy...and maybe a bit of turkey.

Adrienne