Celebrating Winter

My family and friends are familiar with my collection of quilted hearts. I have a set for the fall and a Christmas set. I tuck them into nooks and crannies, put them in bowls, and for Christmas, put them on the tree. Then, every year, when I take down the Christmas decorations, I get this let down feeling. For two months I have been playing dress ups with my house, and, suddenly I'm left with the Winter blahs. Everything seems dull and grey (unless, of course, it's snowing). So every year, for about the last 15 or so, I have had the same thought ... if only I had some winter hearts. For some reason, this year I did something about it. I made a collection of Winter Hearts, in shades of blues and whites, each one made totally by hand, one stitch at a time, because I have no sewing machine. So now I have my celebratory Winter Hearts and a Winter Tree as well. My husband likes it so much, he wants me to continue and do one for each season. So look forward to my Spring House dress ups ~ they'll be ready about the same time crocuses are pushing their little heads through the soil.

Choo Choo

My DH (dear husband), Dave, is really into miniature trains ... no, I mean REALLY into it. He has built about an eight foot square that sits at about chin height (for me). He recently added another eight foot square (3 X 3 approximately) across from the bigger one, which he is connecting with a wooden link so that the trains can go back and forth, and of course, 'round and 'round. I am fascinated by this grand work in progress. Dave has boxes of trains, train parts, miniature buildings, and cars and trucks.

This definitely a work in progress. So far he has his track laid out, though he is still futzing with it a bit. He's got trains hooked up that can actually run around the track, and he has some buildings and train stations set up. He hasn't even begun to get to the trees, grass and people stage, because he is just so in love with the trains. There is no such thing as too many trains, and he continues to buy and collect more and more. He uses the HO type trains, which means his model trains are 1/87th the size of real trains. Eventually there will be tunnels and a bridge, and of course, a landscape. With his trains he is like a kid in a candy shop.

Snow Song

I love wolves, and really wanted to make a drawing of a wolf in the snow. This one is entitled "Young Wolf Snow Singing." And I really wanted the wolf to be "singing." This is, in a sense, a mixed media piece, as I used Prismacolor Colored Pencils and an oil stick. It was my first try at combining these two, and I want to experiment some more, using conte crayon with pencil. Where is his pack? Close by no doubt. Maybe I will show some more of them.