Walking in a Winter Wonderland...

Hello lovely people!

How are you?  For the British readers here, are you still battling through the snow storms?  Our little village still has about 10 inches in places, and the paths are deadly to walk on with nasty ice everywhere.

Still, I can't help but think how pretty it all looks despite the absolute Icelandic temperatures (it was minus 12 in our back garden one day last week according to our neighbours thermometer).

The dark trees and fragile seed heads look very beautiful against the white drifts, and I do like to see the stark contrast of white snow in the crevices of dark, dry stone walls.

It's been a very black and white world of late, so we were all a bit relieved when the sun came out and it started to melt.  A bit.

To keep spirits up here, and because we had nowhere we could go in a hurry, we put our Christmas tree up on the 1st.  I've never put it up so early before, but the Small One was beside herself, so it seemed to be a Good Thing to do.

Look!! A little crocheted snowman chappie from last year!!

And I'm loving our new vintage style Christmas tree lights, that we bought to replace the set that blew up last year.

They are called Pickwick, by Noma - and they recapture the very essence of my own childhood Christmas tree.  They don't flash and they're not those screamingly bright LED ones that seem very popular these days...no, I confess I'm a bit of an old fashioned soul, and much prefer the warm, nostalgic glow of these and I do like sitting next to the tree of an evening just looking at the colours shimmering on the tinsel...with a nice glass of red wine...and a mince pie...and why not?!

So!  This week has seen me busying about - I was contacted by a lady who is opening a gorgeous new shop called Andrea Willis Designs, who wanted to stock some of my cards!  What an exciting opportunity - Andrea also designs and makes her own wonderful cards, which I love.  If you live in or around Scarborough, you will be able to visit Andrea's shop from Friday 10th December, which is her grand opening day.

Shop stock all ready to go!

You can find out more about Andrea, her work and her shop on her delightful blog, Fin & Gabs.

A quick mention here, whilst on the subject of cards and orders - the 15th December is the last day you can place an order with me for any cards/prints etc until the new year.  Huge thanks to everyone who has already sent for Christmas cards, I'm over the moon you like my work enough to buy it, and I hope you are all pleased with your purchases.  Don't forget, that 10% of all my card sales is donated to The Down's Syndrome Association too, and P&P is free in the UK.

I must admit though, once the hustle and bustle of Christmas has passed, I'll be looking forward to getting chance to design and paint again.  It feels like a long time since I shared the painting Heading For Home with you...in fact, it was started at the beginning of November and I haven't had a moment to return to it yet!

In the meantime, there is something on the cards, that's going to involve this:

A project of a very different kind indeed!  I'm can't say too much about it just yet, but I will be sharing something very special with you in the new year (what a torment I am!).

Well, I have to say that despite all your kind well wishes, my little girl is still unwell - a nasty chest infection it is to be sure, as she had to go back to the doctors and has more antibiotics to take.

The poor little soul missed her Christmas Carol concert - I think I was probably more disappointed than her though at the thought of missing her warbling Away In A Manger in an angel outfit!  Still, worse things happen, at least we are tucked up in a cosy warm house which is the best place to be really!

I hope you are all keeping warm and toasty, if you're iced up and snowed in, do take care ~ for the rest of you who are blessedly snow free, enjoy your freedom and think of us snow bound mortals shivering up north!!

Sending love, warmed mince pies, mulled wine and twinkling lights...

See you again soon, thank you for dropping by today!

Julia x