Christmas Spirit

Hello!

I've been doing a spot of baking this morning - mince pies - and Im topping them with a generous dollop of thick cream, well, you've got to haven't you!!

To be honest, it's been a rather busy old week, what with dashing about Christmas present shopping, working on a commission piece (which involves those materials I showed you last week) and enjoying a very festive night out with some dear friends (and still recovering from it!!).  So it was nice to get into the kitchen this morning, stick the apron on and do something relaxing and satisfying.  There's nothing like a fresh, home baked mince pie served warm from the oven is there?  I used Rachel Allen's recipe from Bake, if anyone is curious! :)

I think it was when the rather huge tin of Quality Street was brought into the house that the Christmas Holiday Feeling crept in too.  A rather carefree sensation has taken over which is very nice I must say; The Snowman is on the DVD player and I've posted out my very last order of the year - which brings me to say... 

Thank You so very, very much to each and every one of you who has visited my little on-line shops this year, and bought pieces of my work; be it cards, prints or originals...I am absolutely so grateful that you like my work enough to buy it, and I hope to welcome you all back when I reopen my shops on the 3rd of January 2011.

Despite all the dashing about, I've still found time to marvel at the Simple Stuff ~ like the reflection of sunlight on shimmery tinsel glittering on a wall...

...icicles glinting in a pink sunrise, hot chocolate after a cold walk, the crisp, creamy crescent of a new moon in a deep navy sky, the silent heron in the river at the bottom of the garden...

 I also love the rainbow bright colours in this glittery chain which the Small One has taken to wrap around her chair at the dining table too!

 I must say I find a lot of pleasure in the Simple Stuff, yes, I really do - and I've discovered that it's necessary to make the most of those moments when life is Too Full to get to the paints, or even to hook a line of Rainbow Ripple.

It's nice to have these tiny moments in the midst of the seasonal mayhem, although it's wonderful fun really with a three-and-a-half year old girl in the house...there is rapturous excitement at almost everything and it's completely contagious!!  This afternoon promises to see some paper snowflake making and if Im lucky, I might even squeeze in a tiny spot of crochet! :D

So - I send you each warm mince pies and mulled wine, tiny moments of tranquility and calm in the midst of the Christmas Chaos - and I would like to wish all of you a Sparkling Christmas and Radiant New Year.  

Thank you to everyone who stops by and reads or comments (or both!) - you are all so very, very welcome to be here and it's always a pleasure to discover that you are.

See you next year...Much love

Julia x