Best wishes to all for a very Happy New Year!!!

This is my latest collage "The Straight Gate". I made it for the laundry room because it needed a little prospective. I can't sell these because they have a lot of copyrighted art that I love in them they are just for my own enjoyment.

For anyone who is interested today is the fourth day of Christmas, so if you are someones true love, you need to round up four calling birds in a hurray.

I love this picture, it was ruthlessly stolen off of Sketchpot's blog because it is the perfect image of how I feel the day after Christmas, with my too much shopping, cooking, wrapping, rich food & candy hangover. Christmas 2008 is gone and hopefully a good time was had by all. I know we were very blessed, but now I just want to sit here and veg with no dip please.

May the peace and joy the Savior brings for each one of us be yours at Christmas and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

GIFTS IN GODS NAME

When we give each other

Christmas presents in His name,

Let us remember that He has given us

the sun and the moon and the stars,

the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans-

and all that lives and moves upon them.

He has given us all green things

and everything that blossoms and bears fruit-

and all that we quarrel about

and all that we have misused-

And to save us from our foolishness,

from our sins,

He came down to earth

and gave us Himself.

Sigrid Undset

For some reason unknown to myself I have always been fascinated by Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" a wonderful tale of hope and redemption. Ebenezer Scrooge has been a favorite subject of mine and I have created my version of his image in almost every art medium I work in, this is the latest version, his crabby old face always makes me smile. I think it's because he renews my faith in our ability to change ourselves for the better. It's nice to see someone triumph over their lesser nature. Anyway to quote Tiny Tim "God bless us every one."

SOLD!!!

Take a moment from your oh so busy day, go to my playlist and scroll down with the roller on your mouse to "Angels We Have Heard On High" by Josh Groban, press play and just listen. Take time to enjoy the holiday and have peace in your heart. I love you all, let it be a happy day.

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, Love Divine;

Love was born at Christmas,

Stars and Angels gave the sign.

Christina Rossetti

This is my newest ACEO it is titled

"Christmas Dreams & Christmas Wishes"

For somehow, not only at Christmas, but all the year through, The joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you.

John Greenleaf Whittier

What can I give him

poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a Wise Man

I would do my part,-

Yet what I can I give him,

Give my heart.

Christina Rossetti

The Blessing of Friends

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. Anais Nin

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things; if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have the time to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each one of us, there is a desert to travel. A star to discover. And a being within ourselves to bring to life.

-Author Unknown

IMAGINE INNOCENCE.....

Sometimes it seems that we have completely lost the simplicity and innocents that Christmas used to have. The lovingly handmade gift, decorating with greenery from the yard. Everything seems so manufactured so artificial. We have such abundance it is mind numbing the prevailing attitude is bigger, flashier and more. The simple joys that used to belong to Christmas are gone. These are the kind of things I long for at Christmas, a true remembrance of the Savior, gifts from the heart, charity, carols, stories, poems, family traditions, homemade decorations, peace on earth, and good will to all men.

"St. Nicholas Headed Home" is the name of my latest ACEO.

DECEMBER

December sparkling crystalline December

a beautiful glowing hearth of a month,

filled with plum pudding joy, and twinkling pine tree dreams,

brotherly love, and candy cane mistletoe anticipation.

A carol, a prayer, a brief respite from a care worn world,

the promise of divine deliverance accompanied by angels and a star to follow.

All wrapped in a shiny gold package tied up with a great big bow.

Lovingly delivered by three wise men and a jolly fat elf in a red suit,

that's December.

D.S.W. 2008

To be loved is the greatest happiness of all.

This is my latest ACEO for sale on E-Bay.

"The Christmas Cheshire"

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves then huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of Thanksgiving."

G.A. Johnston Ross
On this day of Thanksgiving I personally give thanks to my Father in heaven for my family, and my blessings, and acknowledge his hand in all things.

For this new morning with its light

Father we thank thee.

For rest and shelter of the night

Father we thank thee.

For health and food for love and friends

For every thing thy goodness sends

Father in heaven we thank thee.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is a picture drawn by my Grandma Audie when she was in her 80's. Grandma was an "original" she was into health food, pressure points and herbal remedies decades before the rest of us knew what was good for us. Nothing was too disgusting to eat or drink if it was in the name of good health. She decided to learn how to ride a bike in her sixties because she never had the chance to learn as a child. When I would stay with her we would ride to Liberty Park and back. In her late seventies - eighties she started to draw, flowers mostly, and then she would type a poem or quote on the page next to it. She gave them to her friends, neighbors and family to brighten there day. She often bore the brunt of our teasing when she would try to dispense her bits of wisdom to us. But in retrospect she was a strong, and a wise woman with great will power. She was a good example to her family in many ways.

This is my latest ACEO sale! It is called "St. Nicholas Heads For The Hills" An ACEO is a small painting 2-1/2"x 3-1/2 "the same size a baseball card. They have become popular and people collect them. Painting this small isn't easy for a old half blind bat like me but I am enjoying the challenge.

This picture hung on the wall in my Grandma Hilda's house all through my childhood. She called it her "Little Grandma." I was delighted to find it online because it reminds me of her. Grandma Hilda was very good to me, she was a great blessing in my life and I miss her very much.

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone."

Coco Channel

Is it possible to be different and still be alright?

Anne Wilson Shaw

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, now that's good advice and I love the picture too.

It never ceases to amaze me how the work of the Lord goes on and on while so many sit by oblivious to the miracle taking place under their noses. "Credendo Vidas".

I love this picture it reminds me of my husband.

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES.

Earths crammed with heaven; And every common bush a flame with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, The rest sit round plucking blackberries.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning