SkyWatch Friday

Most of this week the skies have been dull and cloudy. The snow is disappearing and we should have rain (!) the next couple of days! I was able to get a few interesting shots though:

A few weeks ago I was able to capture these clouds:

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Have a very Happy New Year!

ABC Wednesday - X is for x-cellant artists!

This week the letter for ABC Wednesday was a toughie! How many artists do you think start with X? Not many! But I was able to find a family - the Xavery family as well as Chinese artists!

Jan Baptist Xavery -(1697-1742) was a Flemish sculptor.

Pieter Xavery -(1647-1674?) was a Flemish sculptor as well

(Bacchus)

(Poseidon)

Frans and Jacob Xavery - sons of Jan Baptist - both Dutch painters

(by Frans)

(attributed to Jacob)

Xu Wei -(1521-1593) - was a Ming Chinese painter, dramatist and poet. He is considered the founder of modern painting in China.

(Bamboo)

(Chrysanthemums and Bamboo)

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Merry, Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

May your day be filled with love, laughter and the joy of the season!

SkyWatch Friday

"There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky;

there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul"
Victor Hugo

I have always been drawn to the spectacle of the sky, in all its changing faces. Sky Watch Friday gives us all a chance to share those spectacles.

The sky from last weekend:


The full moon:

Wednesday night's sky:

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Dec. 21st - Solstice Lunar Eclipse and last Full Moon of the Year

(For Wishcasting Wednesday please scroll to end of post)

I tried to catch the Solstice Lunar Eclipse in the wee hours of the morning, but at 2 am clouds were covering the moon. I had gotten pictures last night about 10.

There is something special about a full moon and this day we had a double treat with the eclipse and the full moon!

Creating a dreamboard for this special full cold moon/eclipse was empowering! I had been collecting words and phrases and pictures all month and as I cut them out, a definite pattern arose.

I had painted my background in red, blue and yellow and then began the process of creating my dreamboard.

Jamie Ridler had invited us to let "our heart's desires enter your lives and plant seeds for the upcoming year. ... What an auspicious day for dreaming!"

I saw my desire for balance, for dreaming big, for a fresh start, to believe in ME!

Now is the time for me to grab life and create, to get healthy.

I will use this as my road map for the year ahead!

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Wednesday - As part of Jamie's Wishcast Wednesday, I realized that her question fit in so well with my dreamboard.

She asked:

"What is your winter wish?"

My wish is to live in balance, get healthy, dream big and make it my year!

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ABC Wednesday - W is for Wonderful Artists

Once again it is time for ABC Wednesday - that fun, weekly, alphabetical meme.

W is our focus for the week - hard to believe we are so near the end!

There are so many wonderful "W" artists:

Andy Warhol -( 1928 – 1987) was an American painter, filmmaker and printmaker. He started as an illustrator and was soon the leading figure in Pop Art.

2 very famous images he created:

James Whistler - (1834 1903) - an American painter, although he lived and worked in Britain. His most famous painting was one dubbed "Whistler's Mother".

Symphony in White - The White Girl

Andrew Wyeth - (1917-2009) - an American painter, often referred to as the "Painter of the People". He was mainly a realist painter and his subjects were often the people and land around him.

Christina's World - one of his most famous pieces.

Helga

and then 2 Canadians:

Homer Watson- (1855-1936) was a Canadian landscape painter

Before the Storm



Herding Sheep

(In fact, a gallery in his name is in Kitchener - 20 minutes from my home- and offers art courses, as well as an opportunity for artists to show their work)

Joyce Wieland -(1931-1998) -was a filmmaker as well as a mixed media artist.

One of her most famous pieces - a quilted piece.


Time Machine series

And of course:

Wishing all of you a Wonderful Christmas

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas One and All!

Christmas is only days away! I am now on 2 weeks of holidays! Yeah! I do plan to rest and try to get rid of this cold/cough. But I also want to celebrate the season and have plans in the works.

I took part in several gift swaps online this season.

The Secret Santa through Purple Sparkle was fun and I just received a lovely gift today from Scotland! The gifts are gorgeous! Thanks so much to my Secret Santa!

I also did the Colour Ornament Swap with Louise Gale. 2 of 3 gifts have arrived and they are lovely ornaments. Thanks so much ladies!

This is what I made and sent out.

Christmas is a special time. I love all the carol singing, the decorated trees, the loving spirit, the special Church services, the searching for the perfect gifts, the big family dinners, the baking - I just love this season. Here are a few of my favourite decorations around our home:

(Mistle-toes!)

(These are just a small part of our animated figures collection! The grandkids love them!)

May everyone have a blessed Christmas, filled with love and joy!