Saturday 31 December 2022

As 2022 Ends, Remember Ukraine's Bravery


Time magazine made the perfect choice
for 2022's Person of the Year --

Volodymyr Zelensky &
The Spirit of Ukraine

Who is not awed and humbled by
the resistance and resilience
of the Ukrainian people
in the face of invasion, war,
bombardment, destruction and death?


[Miss Ukraine as a Sister of Battle
at the Miss Universe competition]

Who does not think of their suffering every day
as they endure the weaponization of winter
through the callous ongoing destruction of
Ukraine's infrastructure?

In the coming year,
may Zelensky and Ukraine
achieve peace and victory!


Thursday 29 December 2022

Coloured Pencils Art

I haven't been able to take a coloured pencils art class since before the pandemic, and I missed this medium since it's one of my faves! But, finally, I had another chance in November-December to take a six-week course. The class and instructor (Susan Casault) were great -- I learned some valuable techniques and info previously unknown to me!

Here's what we did in the course. All pieces are based on a photo reference and done on black paper (Stonehenge or Canson) using Prismacolour Premier pencils. I'm happy with how they all turned out, although of course I also see all the "areas for improvement." Next time, next time, LOL! 

Candlelight


Fern Frond


Pumpkin


Tree Frog


Owl


Koala


[All art and photos © Debra She Who Seeks,
November-December 2022]

Tuesday 27 December 2022

YULETIDE BABY BOOM!

Remember last December 25th, when my gnomes

Fearsome the Fierce
and
Hengist the Hairy

unexpectedly and miraculously

Wulfbane the Wee? 


Well, they're at it again!
Fearsome and Hengist are.
I must say,
surprisingly fertile
for a gay couple.

Except this time, they produced
TWO baby gnomes!

Everyone, say hello to:

Tomte the Tiny

who is apparently a prodigy at
real estate wheeling and dealing
and already has his 
own gingerbread place!


And please give
another big welcome to:

Hedley the Half-Pint

who quickly exhibited a
deep affinity with rainbows!

Takes after his Dads, I guess.


Many thanks to the midwives
present at the miracle births:
my sister and Mistress Maddie.

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, December 2021 and 2022]

Sunday 25 December 2022

Seasons Greetings!

The dates for celebrating
Christmas and Hanukkah
overlap this year!

So this post contains
good wishes for all!


Even from
HRH the Cat!


Saturday 24 December 2022

Rock On, Santa!

Hit "full screen" and pump up the volume for this one!


Thanks to Kay G at Georgia Girl With An English Heart for introducing me to this great cover of Elvis Presley's "Santa Claus Is Back In Town!"

This version comes from the 2018 film The Christmas Chronicles and is performed by lead singer Kurt Russell (Santa) backed up by the band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. If you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen's The E Street Band or of The Sopranos TV series, you'll recognize Steven Van Zandt playing guitar behind Santa!

Friday 23 December 2022

Time Is Growing Short!


Get those Christmas lists
written and sent off to Santa!





Oh, and all you MEN
out there?

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.

So it's time to START 
your holiday shopping!





But don't worry, everyone --
they'll get it done in time!
They always do!


Wednesday 21 December 2022

Longest Night, Shortest Day


The Winter Solstice is always a time of contemplation and reflection. The Wheel turns, the Seasons change, the Light returns. So what better time to consult the tarot or an oracle deck for a little wisdom and guidance? 

For that purpose, here's a special Winter Solstice Spread by wise woman and tarot artist Joanna Powell Colbert --


Pull a tarot or oracle card to spark a response, then finish the following sentences:
  1. The gift of the nurturing darkness is ...
  2. The promise of the returning sun is ...
  3. I find potential or hope for my personal life through ...
  4. One action I can take to offer hope and renewal to the larger community is ...
  5. Today, my Holy Helpers most want me to know ...
If you make use of this Spread, I hope it enhances the beauty and wonder of this special day for you!

Monday 19 December 2022

The Christmas Box

Earlier this year, Jenn of Coffee on the Porch with Me wrote a blog post about boxes and storage containers (click here to read). In it, she said --

When I was little, there were no such things as the big plastic storage containers, or clear ones (which are even better!) that exist in abundance today. Items were stored in cardboard boxes. A good solid cardboard box was a coveted thing.

In my comment on her post, I wrote --

I still have (and use) the good solid cardboard box that was our "Christmas box" when I was a kid. That friggin' box is about 60 years old now. It was sent to us full of chocolate and gifts from relatives in Switzerland. I even still use the original twine that my mother tied the box up with every year when she put it away. I should do a blog post next December about my vintage Christmas Box and taking traditions to extremes, LOL!

And now today's the day for that promised blog post! 

The Christmas Box arrived as an unexpected surprise package from Switzerland in the early 1960s. I still remember the intense excitement of that day! You couldn't buy Swiss chocolate in Canada then, so we thought we'd died and gone to heaven. We didn't even want to eat the chocolate because it was so beautifully presented in its little gift boxes. In fact, we never did eat one large, cute, foil-wrapped ladybug chocolate. We put it in the china cabinet and just looked at it for years.


We had no idea what "Maggi" referred to on the side of the box. Maggi Meat Seasonings and Sauces were not well known in North America (then or now) but are apparently staggeringly popular in Germany, India, the Middle East and parts of Africa. Maggi bouillon was invented in the late 1800s by a Swiss food production pioneer named Julius Maggi. Who knew?

On the top of the box you can see the faded, cramped, spidery handwriting which was our relatives' return address and our address in Canada (or Kanada as written in German).


And here's a bonus close-up of that now ratty twine!


For the entirety of my childhood, virtually all our Christmas ornaments and decorations were stored in this "good solid cardboard box" between celebrations. When it outlived that purpose at my parents' place, I volunteered to take it off my Mom's hands. I keep it purely for sentimental reasons, of course. This box means CHRISTMAS to me and always will.

You know,  I still use it for storing some of my larger Christmas ornaments (which actually don't get displayed all that often anymore). But they receive the honour of being kept in The Christmas Box.

And no matter how old I grow, I am always five years old again when I take this box out of storage, untie its twine and open it to reveal its seasonal treasures within.

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2022]

Saturday 17 December 2022

A Merry Miscellany

















Thanks, Mistress Maddie, for letting me use your cool gnomes photo!

Thursday 15 December 2022

Art Date With Rain -- "Gift Wrap"

I didn't make any art for today's art prompt from Rain, but I do have a story to tell.

About two or possibly three (*ahem*) DECADES ago, I bought a roll of penguin-themed Christmas gift wrap.

I thought it was quite nice at the time --


Unfortunately, it was an ENORMOUSLY HUGE roll of gift wrap.

And of course, it only got used once per year to wrap a present or two (because I like to wrap each gift in a different paper).

As the many, many years of its use rolled by, my sister grew to hate this gift wrap.

"For gawd's sake, just throw it out and get some new wrapping paper! It won't break the goddamn bank, you cheap bastard!" was the gist of her complaints.

Now, you know this only caused me to double down on ensuring the use of the penguin wrap for at least one of her Christmas gifts every single year! . . .  Hey, I'm a big sister. It's what we do.

But alas! All good things must come to an end and now the penguin gift wrap has FINALLY run out.

So here's this year's Christmas gift to her  --


And I know she'll think it's the best gift of all -- no matter what's inside it, LOL!