Happy New Year!

I'm looking forward to spending a nice quiet evening alone. It has been a busy season, and soon it will be back to normal. As I was cooking my dinner, I got caught up in painting and ended up burning the bottom of my pot. I was steaming veggies and didn't realize the water evaporated, but boy did it smell in the kitchen...then as I added water to try and clean it, the fire alarm went off. I hope this isn't a preview of next year, haha! I sometimes can be a bit absent minded.

I have a postive feeling for 2010, and I hope it turns out to be wonderful for all of us. We can choose to make it our best year ever! Let's try and count our blessings, focus on what is right in the world instead of the negative, and be kinder to everyone we meet.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of my blog readers for your friendship over the last year. I appreciate each and every one of you, and am grateful for your support. May the next year bring you many blessings, much joy, and abundance!

Merry Christmas!

I'd like to wish all my friends a very blessed season. May the new year bring you much joy and happiness, and may we come one step closer to peace on earth. 

Christmas is almost here...

I was at the mall today, getting some last minute shopping done. It was packed, lineups everywhere, and I loved every second of it! It is a great sign, that people are starting to feel confident again after the economic train wreck of the last couple of years. At least I hope we are on the mend.

Why is it that people  seem friendlier at this time of year? There seems to be some positivity in the air, almost like a magical spell has been cast. Yes I know what you may be thinking, there are also those who get so stressed and cranky, and the crazy drivers that almost run you over to get to a parking spot...but other than that, haha! I'm taking about people smiling more, even when in a line up, of wishing strangers a Merry Christmas, and connecting with each other if only for a brief moment.

Contrast this with the fact that this time of year can also be the most depressing for some people dealing with loss of a loved one, loneliness, depression, or illness. Christmas seems to magnify their pain. Watching others smile and feel joyful can make you seem smaller and lonelier. I wish I could do something make them feel better, unfortunately we all have to walk our paths alone, but if you can possible reach out to someone who may need a helping hand, please consider doing so. There are many people struggling right now, I have seen it in person, and in the blogging world. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word to let them know they matter.
What if we took just a single moment to look in someone's eyes, wish them a Happy Holiday, and silently bless them? Just so they know that they are not alone? Not only would they feel better, but you would too. The giver of the blessing receives as much as the recipient . Let's try and fill this beautiful  earth of ours with loving energy!


Well, we are getting down to the wire, and after I finish this post, I will sit down and watch another Christmas movie. One I saw a few days ago called 'Eve's Christmas' was sooooo boring! The bridal shop scene was so bizarre, it didn't belong in this movie. I had such high hopes, and felt like I wasted 2 hours of my life....consider yourself warned :-)

Yesterday I watched 'A Boyfriend for Christmas'  a cute sweet romantic movie. It's the perfect movie to pop into the DVD player, and relax with. It is about a woman who gave up on Christmas a young girl when she didn't get her wish. Fast forward 20 years, she is still single, but Santa has other plans.


Next on my list to watch in the next few days is National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, a classic! I never tire of this one, or 'A Christmas Story' , or even Elf, which I think will be around for a long time. So many movies, so little time!! Ok, enough of me babbling on about movies, I am off to watch one.
Feel free to comment with your favorite movies, or music,

Lost Mojo and Movies

hi everyone. I can't believe Christmas is only a few days away!! I've been busy painting little ACEOs, lots of them! the ideas keep coming. I find that around this time of year, for some reason I enjoy working small. I've done snowmen, whimsical owls, crows, but not a single girl. In fact, I need to make an angel before Christmas, and I am stuck. It's almost like I forgot how to paint girls. I see some of my favorite artists coming up with new stuff almost daily, and I feel like I'm wandering in a desert with no direction. It's not the first time this has happened, and it may have happened to you. How do you get your mojo back?

 I was hoping to create a magical piece for the season, but time is ticking, and I don't know if I can pull it off. This is very disappointing, to have all these great ideas and grand plans, and to fail.
On a positive note, I am happy with the ACEOs I've been creating, an am having lots of fun with them.

On to the movie talk.....Last night, I turned on all my Christmas lights, made a nice big mug of coffee,  sat under a warm blanket and watched 'The Christmas Shoes'. I love that movie! I know I mentioned it last year in a post, but it is one of my favorite new holiday movies. It is well done, not a cheap production. Very sad too, but hopeful. I would highly recommend it to anyone, but have your kleenex handy, lol!

Another great movie is a comedy called 'Call me Claus' starring Whoopi Goldberg. Hilarious, fun for the family, it is about a grumpy woman, who is told that she is to become the new Santa. I haven't watched it this year, but will be doing so before the holidays.

 A newer movie I discovered last year is 'The Christmas Card', and it is about soldier in Afghanistan who is touched by a card sent by a stranger, and on his return, decides to meet her. It is a cozy film, with gorgeous scenery, a nice enjoyable treat. 

There are lots of other movies I really want to see. One is 'The Christmas Choir' which I saw a preview of...unfortunately it's a Hallmark movie, and is not playing on any channels I can find. I want the DVD, but it may have to wait until next year. If anyone has seen it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

New ACEO - The Cat Carol

 The Cat Carol

The cat wanted in to the warm warm house,
but no one would let the cat in
It was cold outside on Christmas Eve,
She meowed and meowed by the door.

The cat was not let in the warm warm house,
And her tiny cries were ignored.
'twas a blizzard now, the worst of the year,
There was no place for her to hide.

Just then a poor little mouse crept by,
He had lost his way in the snow.
He was on his last legs and was almost froze,
The cat lifted him with her paw.

She said "Poor mouse do not be afraid,
because this is Christmas Eve.
"On this freezing night we both need a friend,
"I won’t hurt you - stay by my side."

She dug a small hole in an icy drift,
This is where they would spent the night.
She curled herself 'round her helpless friend,
Protecting him from the cold.

When Santa came by near the end of the night,
the reindeer started to cry.
They found the cat lying there in the snow,
and they could see that she had died.

They lifted her up from the frozen ground,
and placed her into the sleigh.
It was then they saw the little mouse wrapped up,
she had kept him warm in her fur.

"Oh thank you Santa for finding us!
"Dear cat wake up we are saved!"
..."I’m sorry mouse but your friend has died,
there’s nothing more we can do.

"On Christmas Eve she gave you her life,
the greatest gift of them all."
Santa lifted her up into the night sky,
and laid her to rest among the stars.

"Dear mouse don’t cry you are not alone,
you will see your friend every year.
"Each Christmas a Cat Constellation will shine,
to remind us that her love’s still here."

Written by Bruce Evans
Sung by Meryn Cadell
Info can be found at www.catcarol.com


The above is a song I heard on a Christmas CD a few years ago, but it is available again on a CD called
'A Winter's Night'.  I wanted to do artwork based on it for a long time, and even though my skill level isn't quite where I would like it to be, I did it anyway. When I first had my sister listen to this song she got mad at me, because it is very sad, and any cat lover cannot get through it with dry eyes.
I put the artwork up on Ebay, in case someone is crazy enough to want a depressing ACEO, lol!

***UPDATE: You can hear the song on Youtube:   here is the link:  The Cat Carol

Christmas movies, music and more

This will feel like a scattered post, but that's the way I am these days. The time is flying! and Christmas will be here before you know it.
If you look on the right side of my blog you will notice I added a widget for you to listen to an all Christmas music radio station, or if you like, further down, I have added a playlist of music I chose, for your listening pleasure :-)
The sun finally came out this weekend, so I photographed some of my decorations, but then my computer decided not to accept my camera card! So no pics for now, however, I did watch a couple of Christmas movies.

The first one is called 'Fallen Angel' with Gary Sinese. It was a nice, slow paced but enjoyable movie, about a workaholic man who is alienated from his father for many years, and goes back home after getting a call from the hospital saying his father is ill.  I won't spoil it, but anyone who enjoys a nice slow romance will enjoy it. Worth watching.

Next was a movie called 'Silver Bells' about a Nova Scotia tree farmer who is raising his 2 kids since the death of his wife. A few minutes into it, I realized I had read the book a while ago. This is a Hallmark film, as was the previous one I wrote about, and I would also recommend this. Again, there is a romantic element to it, and of course, a happy ending. Great movies to sit on a cozy couch, make yourself a hot beverage, and enjoy.
One that I thought I would like but was very disappointed in is 'Snow 2: Brain Freeze'. I watched 'Snow' last year, and it was a cute film! I would recommend the first if you get a chance, in fact, I may rent it again.

Now if you are looking for a nice Christmas CD as background music, for when you have friends over, I discovered 'A Black Tie Christmas' by Atilla Fias. I purchased through iTunes, and it is a wonderful addition to my hundreds of Christmas CDs, lol!
It is instrumental, and very laid back, not at all my style, but for some reason, it is very easy to listen to. Preview the album on iTunes and let me know what you think.

Can you believe I got another Blog award? this time from the talented Nicola Toms. I appreciate it when people still think of me, (even though I am notoriously bad at following
through). Thank you again Nicola!

thanks for indulging me dear readers....
I would love to hear your thoughts on any Christmas movies you have enjoyed. Feel free to recommend or talk about them in the comments section. From now till Christmas, let's share our thoughts of music and movies, or anything else you enjoy about the season.

Back from Montreal

Late last night we got back from our 2 day trip to Montreal. I love it there! the food, the shopping....there are malls  downtown that go on and on, you could wander all day, and not see everything.
I spent more than I should have, but we only do this once a year. I am disappointed that there was no snow. It's been a strange fall here too, nothing at all for the month of November, you would never know this was Canada.  Before I left I was working mostly on ACEOs - like the mermaid you see above.  I've done a few more of the owls, more of my whimsical Sugarbugs, including one of my favorites with her snowman too. Can you tell I have snow on my mind, lol?

 

I am still waiting for a sunny day so that I can photograph some of my Christmas decorations....
and shortly I will begin discussing Christmas movies. I'm a wee bit behind this week, so thought I'd give a quick update.
I'm feeling the urge to paint larger angels and icons, since it has been a while since I did that.  I sketched for hours on the train back, and have some interesting ideas to work on. Some interesting girls made their way onto my pages, now the trick is to see how well I can make them happen on canvas, that's the tough part!
I will leave you with this photo of an over 3 storey high Christmas tree, filled with cute little scenes like this one. I went to 3 different floors photographing different angles of it, but found most of the pics ended up blurry :-(