Christmas Party for all my fellow Mermaids

I had the best intentions... I layed out the camera and I made sure the memory card was in...all of these were quite a feat for me and once again for the 6th year in a row, I forgot to take pictures at my annual ladies or should I say mermaids only Christmas party. I only have the day after pictures...sorry. These are my favorite bells of Ireland in the kitchen. These are a no brainer...everyone comments and all you do is pop them in a vase! This is my new "C" . I bought it in Tampa....simple but great!

My dear sweet friends bring me great gifts and my daughter opens them. I would like to open them but it has become rather a ritual for her to open them. Oh, to have my 13 year olds life!

I felt compelled to show this one. My fun, "Santa Mermaid" surrounded by the old empty remains of a life well spent. Lol aka wine bottles. I am waxing poetic tonight...perhaps, it is because I am watching an English movie and they speak so eloquently.

This my kitchen... a wreck!

Next blog will be on my Christmas 911. :)

I love Garland!

This garland is so simple, but I love it. I would love to say that i made these ornaments but I did not. I bought them 4, 5 or 6 years ago from Pottery Barn Kids and I love them. I think they are so cute and llok good on my hutch . The hutch and the majolica are a story for another day. This garland incorporates some of the same elemenys accept I have jazzed it up a little with this cute mechy ribbon I found in a craft store aptly named Southern Hospitality. I also used raffia because it goes with everything.

I got myself in this picture for fun wearing my painting clothes....because I am supposed to be in the studio working on Christmas orders and instead I am BLOGGING! I love The Nesting Place's contest too much not to do it. i hope I did it right. I was so excited that i did not really closely read it. Oh well...I am off to be good???

I was inspired by Confessions of a Plate addict!

This is dedicated to Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict. Hello...I am Kim and I too am addicted to porcelain. Lol, I love her last post from yesterday and she inspired me to do a post on my collection of Blue and White. One of the things I collect is blue and white. A little lesson for those of you who are not "addicted" Blue and White is a term that can mean a lot of things. It can mean English Transferware like Blue Willow by Spode; it can refer to Chinese porcelain which is often called Canton. Canton is the region where most was produced. It can be Japanese porcelain called Arita, this is the region like Canton. In the pix below the large platter in the center is Blue Willow. The Surrounding plates are Canton and the smaller rectangle plates are Arita. The plates below on the wall are all Chinese Canton.

This is an old plate mixed with some reproductions. I like to have a knowledge of what I collect, but I am not a purist! I believe if you love it mix it and do not worry if it matches. It is all in the mix right!?!

Thanks for letting me put on my old school teacher hat today!

First Christmas Delivery! Adrenaline Rush!!

I am so honored to have been able to share my art with my new friend Carol! She is holding her new Ticklish Mermaid Family. It was so much fun meeting and painting her. She is pictured with her precious daughter and grandchildren. All of you artists know how fun it is to meet and paint truly creative people. Carol is a poet and a nurse practitioner, as well as, a Mother and Grandmother! Vive Creative Women! I am feeling rather French today haha! The bottom picture is better...I should have turned off the flash! I hope Santa or my ticklish husband brings me a new camera for Christmas. I hope it will be like Kim's @ Daisy Cottage...hint hint...

One of my first Christmas orders has been delivered! I have quite a few more orders and I am cranking. I think I work better under pressure??? Does that make me procrastinator or an adrenaline junky???

Milly Loves to sit in Bowls