Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Merry Christmas, Everyone!


I hope all of you are well and warm. I've been busy, busy, busy preparing for the holidays. And I'm ready for one! I have a few pics of stuff to share. First of all, on Thanksgiving my sister, Amy, spotted this "lurking visitor" in the backyard. That was one of Santa's reindeer, no doubt, checking to see if we were being naughty or nice. We were trying to be nice at the time. It's hard to get into much trouble if one is stuffing one's face with Mattie's homemade rolls. Oh, they're good. We haven't been able to spot the reindeer since, however. I think it must be like Stonehenge where there's one day per year that particular shadow appears. Heehee!

We had a little surprise weekend before last. It snowed! And it stuck to everything except the streets! We seldom get snow before January here. I can only remember a couple of white Christmases ever. Who knows? Perhaps we'll have one this year. Anyway, this is what our street looked like. I love how quiet it gets when it snows.


































I've been busy making it snow inside the house as well. I love taking a pattern and playing with color and beads and such. This is the second snowflake from 24 Snowflakes in Tatting by Lene Bjorn (yes, Gina - I was tatting that snowflake also!). Isn't it interesting how the overall design of the snowflake appears to change with the addition of color and where it's placed. The little blue snowflake was the result of some bead play. The big snowflake is a beaded version of "Connie's Snowflake". We "studied" it in the online tatting class Monday. I put "studied" in quotes as a) my diagram and pattern had some "issues" and b) we were generally pretty rowdy that night. I don't know what they slipped into the tea that night!






















Connie's Snowflake






My sister, Amy, asked me for a painting this year. She wanted a painting of Santa Clause done in the style of Haddon "Sunny" Sundblom - the man who painted the Santas for Coca Cola (and also coined the phrase, "The pause that refreshes"). Dagwood painted one for us when we were kids and of course we all lust mightily for that painting. This isn't as good as Dagwood's, but here is the end result. Apres Sundblom, 16"x24", oil on canvas.


6 comments:

Jane Eborall said...

Ooooooh, I just LURVE your Connie's snowflake with all the wee blue beads. WOWEEEEE

Gina said...

Ooohh...love your Santa AND your snowflakes. I particularly like the pink one with beads. Fun - same pattern but each done differently. You probably did ALL of those in the same time it took ME to tat ONE! LOL!

I may have to try that other snowflake too.

connie said...

Erin
Thank you,Thank you, Thank you a thousand times over. I love Connie's Snowflake. So nice of you to give away the pattern.
If there is a Santa maybe he could make palmetto's tatting happen twice a year. (yes I am joking)
Connie

Tatskool said...

Wow Connies snowflake is Jane's design, i wonder if I already downloaded it, yours is magnificent. Your 2nd Dec snowflake are all fab too.

Tatskool said...

Sorry I got my wires crossed there!!!! so who's pattern is it???????

Sherry aka Celtic Dream Weaver said...

Erin, YOu forgot to tell everybody you did the painting. What a whole lot of talent. I don't think there is anything Erin can't do...nothing...she is so smart, witting and funny...way funny. Love her sense of humor. Love the snowflake. I am out of ink...maybe Santa will print one and send it to me so I can make the snowflake too and play with beads...Erin style. LOL