Weeder'sWeekly - Dec 25th, 2006

[bjcpaints]

Good Morning! I hope all are having a blessed holiday. Thought I would start this week's chat. Very quiet at our house today but the dogs had fun opening gifts and we have talked on the phone with daughter and grandkids who are 10 hours away. I have much to be thankful for. This place is always on my list!
How are things in your world?

[Elain]

Good Morning and Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has a safe and happy time.

Here it is the start of the summer holidays and overcast but fine. Not a hot summer's day like it should be. But then, some friends in Switzerland say it is unseasonably warm there.

I've been busy preparing all last week. Most of the time was in constructing a book for my grandson, 20 months. I put photos of him and mummy and daddy and his toys and friends and aunts and uncles - and of course, grandma, Nana and Grandpa - whom he is managing to call gumbung. The book is more time consuming than I thought it would be.

Everyone came to our house Christmas Day. Today, Boxing day, is quite and time to catch up on other things like drawing, perhaps use those pastels I happened to see while out Christmas shopping :) Just 6 sticks of Schmincke but my stock is growing. I love the feel of that word - sort of smacking of the lips and tongue.

I'm typing this sitting in the new computer chair my husband bought me. He bought one for himself - executive chair with padded leather for his office - he works from home. I dropped a few hints, maybe a bit bigger than hints :)

Now off to do some painting.

[Helen]

Good Afternoon.... and Merry Christmas. It's rather quiet here too. No snow which I don't like but everyone else does. My family all headed back to their respective homes yesteray. While they were here we had 5 under 6 ... whew! DH and I went to the late church service last night... I thought about Li's challenge and wondered how I could possible pick one favorite carol to illustrate... I love all of them! Today, DS arrived mid-morning and we had breakfast before opening gifts. The major gift for he and DH this year is the Rose Bowl trip but I got each of the digital cameras.... DH's a larger one with more megapixels and much better zoom capability but not east to carry around... DS's a pocket version that can go to California with them. They are both engrossed in learning how they work.

And I got a software program that will help me keep track of my artwork, three more angels to add to my collection, a couple new winter hats, a GO BLUE Santa Hat... (for those who don't know... GO BLUE is a cheer for the University of Michigan) I'll wear it New Years Day while I'm watching the game, in hopes of seeing DS and DH there.

Well, as long as the men in my life are busy with their new toys I may just pop over and do one of the wde images.... or start playing with my new program...

[Brooklyn]

Merry Christmas! I am enjoying the quiet for a little while here too. After having our 4 kids and their spouses and 5 grandkids (5 yrs. and under) here last night for Candlelight services, oyster stew and gift opening! It was a lot of fun but very noisy and hectic too. lol But hubby and I kind of sighed with relief when the last ones went out the door this morning. We will be going to my sil's for a late Xmas dinner. But I am enjoying a little break from the festivities right now. Wishing you all a joyous New Year!
Pat

[janeTuesday]

Good morning everyone, Boxing Day here now and feeling rather tired! Big old lazy day yesterday watching our boys enjoy all their new toys. Weather was balmy so lots of swimming. Pull the table out under stars for xmas dinner which was divine and then at end of meal I suggested we all be a bit silly and go jump in pool fully clothed which had me go first followed by MIL followed by DH whilst FIL, Dad and his wife all looked on - party poopers :lol:

Today is all about getting back into things. I must organise my photos now for my hosting.

BFN
jane. :)

[sundiver]

Greetings!
No grandkids here yet (our kids are 20 and 23) but it's fun reading about yours, and good to have our kids home.
Interesting to hear about Christmas down under, Jane. Xmas dinner under the stars, and lots of swimming- I think I could handle that!
We had a quiet lazy family day, everyone napping in the afternoon,then the 4 of us went to dinner at a friend's house.
December is so frantic it's nice to just relax.
Last night between appetisers and Xmas Eve dinner, Julie and I went out to do a nocturne plein air! It was too nasty (cold wind) to work outside, so we sat in the car, and it was fun.
Looking forward to another day with everything closed (Boxing Day) so we can do some more serious nothin'!

[ExpressiveAngie]

and a Happy New Year :music:

Hi guys - I have missed you all and hope to find time to pick up a paint brush or pastel stick soon. Christmas with my new hubby was great -- I just love his mother and grandmother and they helped make even better. The girls are doing good... josie is on antibotics for 3rd time with recurrent ear infections. I hope all is well with everyone.

[lisilk]

Tubbekans~ Happy Birthday! Hope you had a wonderful day.

Just a fly by post here. Glad everyone had peaceful holidays. Angie` poor Josie, hope she shakes these infections once and for all. So nice the hear you so happy!

[lisilk]

And... it's Janetuesdays birthday too. Same day as my sis! Have a supr day Jane!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/27-Dec-2006/17813-BDcakecandles.gif

[janeTuesday]

Thank you thank you :D I got to have choccy cake at 10am and am going out for dinner and movie with DH. I think it is the only night we get to do something like that, pretty sure I only to get to see one movie a year - thats young kids for you :D

Thanks Li :)

jane.

[Helen]

Just popped in for a second... HAPPY BIRTHDAY Birthday Girls.... and Hi Angie... good to see you, glad to hear life is good... sorry about Jose's ear; hope she can shake the infections... that's no fun for her or her mom.

[khourianya]

Happy belated Christmas,everyone. We just got back into town! Now it is off to pack the house - we move a month from today!

[lorna12]

Hi gang,

I hope all you who celebrate, had a wonderful Christmas and from what I've been reading you did! I did too...spent some wonderful time with my sons and their families...great to see the grandbabies again...they're growing like weeds!


We had a pretty good trip to Calgary...the roads weren't too bad at all. We leave for Arizona in the morning so of course it snowed here.:rolleyes: :( We are hoping to spend New Year's eve with my brother.

I had a really nice visit with GG and Cori...Cori...I hope Abners' feeling better???

I got a beautiful French easel filled with paints and some pastels and paper for xmas...I will try to put them to good use when I get south...might have to do one of Li's great photos just to get back in practice before I tackle the scenery down there, lol:lol:

Almost forgot...Nonny Kor....read your letter in Genn's...:clap::clap:

I better get to bed but I wanted to wish you

HAPPY NEW YEAR and ALL THE BEST FOR 2007:wave:

[Dewi]

Hi everyone :wave:
Good to hear everyone had a blessed and enjoying the holiday.
There was earthquake in Taiwan and the internet was down part of the world, couldn’t go to WC for two days, beside my own computer's problem.
Happy Belated Birthday to Jane and Tubekan.
Hope Josie is all right now Angie.
Nonny read RG letter, congrats and your painting is so beautiful.
Helen I have checked your nice table setting .
My birthday and Christmas were quite, quite. (are they the same spelling?)
Went to my friend's (parent's friend) party brought him this portrait for his birthday and goodies from my kitchen.
Do you think I am better in likeness? He is 84 years young, young face yes?
He is happy with this.
No wrinkles to draw only old spots. :D
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-Dec-2006/61325-Oom-Allan-06-4Web.jpg http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-Dec-2006/61325-OOM-4Web.jpg

Now it's time to prepare dinner see you again soon, crossed finger.

[Dewi]

Post for you, picture from Bangkok Post in North of Thailand there was frost on decoration cabbage or couliflower(?)

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/28-Dec-2006/61325-Frost-on-cabagge-4Web.jpg

[bjcpaints]

A wonderful portrait Dewi and I am sure he was thrilled! You have a talent for portraits I think! Oh, since you asked about the words:
quiet = peaceful
and quite= very
So quite quiet (as funny as it looks and sounds) would be correct!

Belated birthday wishes to those of this week - hope they weren't overshadowed by the holidays! We celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary last weekend. I still remember our friends being mad at us and saying it was a bad time to get married so close to Christmas!:D Oh well, at least we are still happy!
Wow - Sounds like everyone got great gifts! I got a little money from my parents and ordered a book I have wanted for about a year - "The Illuminated Landscape" by Peter Poskas. I had found it in the public library and loved it so much I did not want to give it back (but I did:angel: ).
No other art related gifts but tomorrow is my last day at work and I want to spend some time doing a little website before I start a new job. Its something I have been putting off and now I feel ready!
See you on the weekend!

[khourianya]

I had a really nice visit with GG and Cori...Cori...I hope Abners' feeling better???

He is much better - thank goodness. The change in diet got us past the concerns we had and while he is still having occasional issues - he is back to normal. Christmas really tired him out - my brothers great dane and Abner had so much fun playing and we took Abbers for a run ON Sylvan Lake so I think he is set to sleep for a week.

I was thinking of you yesterday, Lorna, as the snow came down. I thought you were leaving on the 27th so I said to Cam "Figures - it's nice and dry the whole time their here, but the day they need to hit the hiway with a trailer in tow, it decided to blizzard!" Drive safely. Luckilly it only gets warmer the further south you go so you'll probably drive out of it in a day or so.

[lorna12]

Hi:wave:

Cori, thanks for thinking of us...we were a bit worried, too. We did make it to Great Falls, Montana without incident though the roads were a bit icy. We're staying in a
hotel for the night and lucky me there is free wireless access! Man, I love this high-speed!! Don't know how I will go back to dial-up:(

Happy belated birthday wishes to all I missed and happy anniversary to Barbara...we celebrated our 41st on the 18th!

Dewi that's a wonderful portrait!! And that cabbage (or whatever) looks like a beautiful flower!

Off to answer emails...more news next stop!:wave:

[Helen]

Safe travels Lorna...
Cori, glad to hear you will be moving soon... and that Abner is ok.
Dewi, great portrait and I love the photo with the cabbage (at least it looks like a cabbage to me)
Barbara, Happy Anniversary
My guys leave for California in the morning... I'm off to bed so I can get up and see them off at 5 am. They fly out of Detroit so have a long drive first thing.

[Dewi]

Hi Barbara, Lorna, Helen and thank you for the kind comments, yes I think it is cabbage too but the paper said couliflower :)
The other year I took photo of this colour in Bangkok but this year they are all dark green no purple.
Safe trip and have a nice holiday Lorna, see you again soon.
Safe trip for your DH and DS too Helen.

[silverflagon]

Hi Everyone, i hope that you all had a good Christmas, mine was the calm after the storm of the previous three months :lol:
Happy Birthday for Christmas day Jane, sorry I am late for it, I hope it was a wonderful one with double presents :D

I've stopped by to leave a wonderful link for you, if no one has already beat me to it? It's an art programme on the internet, and it's shown every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4pm GMT.

And neatly censored this was the last of four pieces for my small entry into IAG's art exhibition in January. They are all framed now, just need the wires adding for hanging and then I need to deliver them next Wednesday.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Dec-2006/44191-aquietread_pndntadjusted_600censrd.jpg

Sorry I haven't yet submited my work for last weekend, it seems that I am making a lot of broken promises just lately, sorry everyone.:o :o

[VeldaJ]

Hi Everyone. I don't get time to get in here very often but I just wanted to belatedly wish you all a Happy Christmas and hope that you are all enjoying a lovely holiday.

Belated Birthday Greeting to Jane and Tubekans - Hope it was a good one. Here's another gift from me if you've room for any more wine or chocs after all the Christmas celebrations.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Dec-2006/8538-Happy_Birthday.jpg

My DH excelled himself with my Christmas present this year. He always manages to get me stocked up with pads and paints and the like and he did this year too but I guess he takes more notice than I sometimes think. We were down at Charmouth in September with a gang from the WC! Watercolour Forum and I was drooling over some of Jaytees brushes which she willingly loaned me for one of the sessions. Well, Christmas morning I opened up a beautiful walnut box that looked as if it should contain a magnificent necklace (which I never wear) to find a No 12 Round Kolinsky Sable Brush (who's a lucky girl then :thumbsup: ) and he'd tucked away another three smaller sables in the miscellaneous art stuff.

You all sound to have had a nice time over the hols with friends and family. I hope Josie is recovered from her ear infection Angie.

Have a good trip to Arizona, Lorna.

Great portrait, Dewi. I'll bet your friend was delighted with it. You've got a great likeness.

Happy Anniversary Barbara. http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/29-Dec-2006/8538-Two_glasses.gif

Hope your DS and DH got off safely, Maureen and that they have a good trip. You'll be awfully quiet without them.

I had to grin at your *censoring* of the pic for the art exhibition, Steph. She looks so comfy. Good look with it.

Well, must fly - my DH will be wanting his tea and whilst he'll happily help clear away he hates having to get it ready himself. ('cept when I'm at work and then he usually has tea on the table when I come home :cat: )

I promise to TRY to drop in more often in the new year. Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year Everyone.

[silverflagon]

Thank you Joy :D I must admit though that the censoring wasn't just for here, it was so I could post it in my AW gallery. :lol:

I just looked by to check the time I posted, because that is when I started my drawing. Yes I am really taking part this time, and no promises made, so none to break if I hadn't :D I'm of to post now and have a look around everyones work :wave:

[Helen]

Steph, good job and I chuckled at the censoring too. Joy.... what a great gift... hummmmm, I have a birthday coming up..... wonder if he would have a clue about where to go for a #12 Kolinsky..... nahhh.

They called yesterday, arrived safely in LA where it was warm and sunny. Meanwhile, I went out to dinner with friends here.... was to leave to go skiing this morning but there is no snow... it's warm and sunny here too. Not as warm as LA but too warm for snow. Errands to run this morning and then I shall come back and do one of the images this weekend... bbl

[silverflagon]

I missed that little item, Joy you lucky girl, isn't the number 12 a very large one?
I too got a Kolinsky sable for Christmas, but I don't think it's as large as yours? I'm just going to peel the price bars of it and see what the number is :D (It's a good thing that I can't read price bars :lol:)

ok no number just the size, threequarter inch and 660 onestroke, still I was over the moon at my son finally getting the message that I really did want art suplies for a gift :lol:

[Dewi]

Hi Steph, very good painting.

Hi everyone :wave:
There were many bombs exploded in Bangkok this evening two died many wounded but luckily no foreigners.
So all countdown/celebrations on the open crowded area were cancelled.

[silverflagon]

Hi Steph, very good painting.

Hi everyone :wave:
There were many bombs exploded in Bangkok this evening two died many wounded but luckily no foreigners.
So all countdown/celebrations on the open crowded area were cancelled.
Thank you Dewi, but how awfull for your country. whether Indian or foreign, I hate to hear of lives lost, but do I hope all of your family is ok and that the families of the lost are strong and can rebuild their lives. I do wish that there could be peace in the New year.

[bjcpaints]

Steph, It is good to see you back in the fold here and what a very good figure painting that is and kudos on your exhibit!
Thank you Joy and others for the anniversary wishes!
Dewi, I have come back and looked at your portrait here again. You must have spent a lot of time on that and it shows. I tried again for the WDE but I think I have too light of a touch altogether for drawing. I do enjoy it though and am looking to go to the life drawing sessions at my local art center for practice. There won't be a teacher, but that's OK - I think I just need to keep practicing this point and I can go once a week for less than $10. for a 3 hr session with a live model.
Elain, the book you make will become a real family heirloom and something holding precious memories for future generations to look at.
Angie, So glad you have a nice family on your new hubby's side! Poor Josie, I still have those darned earaches - been almost 50 yrs! Drs have blamed them on everything (smoking, allergies, etc.) and I tell them I did not smoke when I was a little kid and I have not smoked cigarettes for the past 5 years now as an adult! I hope they can do something in this day and age to
cure chronic ear infections!
Hi Li, Helen, Lorna, oh I am getting long here so I will just say Happy New Year to all my WDE friends!!

[tubbekans]

Hi Li and all, thanks for the BD wishes! Li thanks for the PM! I am just getting back to town and online after a week out in Ohio visiting relatives I haven't seen for a few years now. My brother had saved some black and golden raspberries in the freezer and showed me how to make jelly from them, something I'd never done before. I took some art supplies and gave my sister and brother a few quick lessons on acrylic painting, oil pastels and drawing. That was fun. So altogether a good visit and educational to boot. No snow except flurries in the Maryland mountains driving out. Mostly in the 50's F all week in Ohio.

Steph, those darn censors, when will they stop? :D They can't spoil a good painting though. ;)

Dewi great likeness in the portrait of your friend there. Sorry to hear of the bombings though.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and have a Happy New Year!