Sylvia's Simple Shots

My niece came up this week so we can take a trip to visit Mom in hospital.

My main nativity set is a White Matte Bisque Porcelain one by Avon.  I have a large stable to house them but of course all that is packed. She is always on the look out for additional pieces so she brought this 2nd Wiseman to me and the Angel Gabriel.  

Unfortunately, the did not come with their boxes so I will have to design a storage solution.  

I am still missing another wiseman, animals of every kind, and shepherds.

My sister called over the holidays as she had found some pieces but she thought they were Mary and Joseph so we let those go.

Another gift from my niece.  She bought a couple of these a long while ago when I was anticipating moving into a new place.  That did not happen and since I have gotten rid of the sofa (which I miss a lot!) she brought one of the chairs up.

Beautiful mid century lounge chair in a great yellow color.  It is vinyl upholstery in superb condition.  Dark wood frame in excellent shape. Comfortable.

It offers me a change from my glider chair so I am grateful she had room to bring it with her.

I finished this book - Katheryn's Secret by Linda Hall.  The story is set in Maine about a family cottage willed by Katheryn to her niece Sharon. 

Sharon is a writer facing a book deadline and taking time to visit Maine and the cottage is more important. Right?  She takes a couple of weeks with her teenage daughter tagging along. Her husband will join them a bit later.

Her aunt Katheryn Sullivan had not married and lived in this cottage with her sisters for many years.  She was eccentric, a dreamer, romantic and a storyteller.   Sharon finds a mysterious disappearance of a child and through the search for her resting place uncovers deep secrets. 

She finds folks who knew and did not tell but fortunately she was able to uncover the family history and bring closure to the events. 

I made a visit to the local ReUse Center as well.  I am working another version of essential oil diffusers/tree scent ornaments which features sewing thread spools. 

I was hoping to use wooden ones but only found a few.  Of course, the plastic ones are everywhere.  I will have to see whether I can achieve a look I am happy with using the plastic ones.

There were bits of velvet which should work wonderfully. Some colorful yarn and some wool skeins.

I will post when I have made a version I am happy with.

Another book completed - Iris and Ruby by Rosie Thomas.  This is my second book by this author and it was wonderful story based in Cairo Egypt this time.  The other was the Kashmir Shawl.

Her granddaughter Ruby from England appears on Iris's doorstep unannounced. She has run away and needs a place to stay. Can she?

Her quiet household with the houseman Mamdooh and Auntie the house keeper is disrupted by this young person and the friends she is making in the area. 

The novel moves between the years Iris was a young woman living in Cairo during the Second World War and her now at 82 years of age still living in Cairo but starting to lose her memories.  Ruby wants to help her grandmother preserve her beloved history so they start to set time aside to reminisce and capture the past.

It is a wonderful story which reunites 3 generations of women and helps Iris, Lesley her estranged daughter and Ruby the willful granddaughter see each other's point of view and life history.

Wall Christmas Tree - 2021

My Wall Christmas Tree is up!

Thanks to my niece who came to visit this weekend for the help to installing the photo shelf at the top which holds the ring to hang the tree from.

I sprayed the star at the top with Brilliant Gold paint.  Very happy with that!

I was surprised to see that I had liquidated all the large ornaments last year so only the small mostly clear glass ornaments remained.  It seems it was quite clear to me that this idea of a wall tree was going to materialize! It did just as I imagined it.

The Nativity has been set up on the old trunk next to the tree. A soft light on the right lights the scene and the tree area for nice shadows.

I have put my JOY alphabet photo letter art on top of the shelf for now.  I did some searching on the web and did not really find anything I liked. I will create a bespoke one for later this year or next.  I am loving the tree!

Christmas Card Samples

I have had a client place a large Christmas Cards.  I prepared some samples for them to choose from.  I am posting the two cards which were not chosen.  I will post their selection later once the recipients have seen the card.

This card is a photo of my own Nativity.  It is the Avon porcelain one which is simple and elegant.  I photographed it with a black velvet backdrop.  In post production I added the bokeh in the top left hand corner then added the greeting as well.

It was printed on photo paper at 3.5 x 5 inches.  It was trimmed to 3.5 x 4.75 inches to leave an even border all the way around on an A2 card.  It was mounted on a heavy white card with a customized sentiment on a quarter sheet adhered on the inside.

I am really happy with the way it turned out.

I am working on the order and it will several days to get it done.

This the second card presented. 

It is a photo I took early this year of a friends stained glass Nativity set. I applied a filter to give me the silhouette in black you see on the front.  The silhouette was placed in front of a piece of alcohol ink background which coordinated with the Tempting Turquoise card stock. It was printed on photo paper and trimmed to 3.5 x 4.75 inches. The frame was printed with I did the credits on the back of the card.

Again, a customized insert on a quarter sheet insert. 

Really happy with this one as well.   They may become my Christmas card for this year.

Recent Photos

I went to see Mom & Dad this week to celebrate Dad's 90th birthday. 

There was 7 of us for lunch then we headed to their place of chocolate cake.  My sister made the cake which was healthy with zuchinni and bran.  We had fresh fruit and some whipped cream to top off the cake. 

It was great to see them and Dad will have had 3 celebrations before the week is done.

Champagne was had with their friends on Friday. 

The large nativity is up with the new to me Avon Nativity figures my sister found at a thrift shop.  I connected with her at Dad's birthday. 

I got the stable last year when my niece spotted at a thrift shop.  It needed a lot of cleaning but it looks great.

I added some gold fabric to represent straw, put stars in the sky, the fused glass star I bought at the Art Gallery Christmas Store last year.  Perfect size.  Mercury glass trees in the background.

I think I could use a couple of the animals (donkey and or oxen) from the Avon set.  I will keep my eye out during the year. 

The round Silent Night ornament was purchased at the craft sale I was part of 2 weeks ago.  Works well here!

I cleared the telephone table from the clutter and it is sitting where I can see if often.

I bought a soapstone card holder at the reception at the Art Gallery on Saturday night.  I like support other artist as I would like their support for my products.

I love the cool green outside against the warm colors on the inside of the stone.

I plan on using it in my photography to add words easily.

Love the quote from Wayne Dyer that was included with the holder.

Sharing with Angie at Letting Go the Bay Leaf who hosts Mosaic Monday #57