" MISS DOLLY "

How much is that Doggie in the window ?   You know the one with the waggly tail... Isn't that how the song goes... Well  I just thought you might want to see what was under my Christmas tree.... O Santa ..You shouldn't have.... but ..Thank You

" SNOW ANGEL"

"The weather outside is frightful" and I wish that Old Man Winter would make up his celestial mind on whether to rain , pour or drop delightful flakes of snow...  Yesterday, I wore my Spring coat, Winter boots and  Summer leggings.( Ha Ha)..I was quite a sight !!!!

No matter, because nothing can daunt the joy of the festive season with it's bright lights and warm ambiance of love..not even the cold moody temperatures BRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

I've decided to leave the works of mother nature   to the Snow  Angels. They're sure to bring the beauty of season round full circle in time for Christmas... because, " I need alittle Christmas..right this very minute".

I've just dropped my hubby off at  the airport heading for Japan  and have been left behind... Air Canada has an animal embargo on animals between November 15 to January 15... So what was to be a family gathering with grandsons will now be a ' me and puppy'  .. because she is only 6 weeks old , I cannot leave her with anyone.... So Dolly and I will  celebrate her first Christmas together... eating puppy cakes and singing doggie carols .."WOOF WOOF"

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

MERRY CHRISTMAS  TO ALL OF YOU  ......"It's beginning to look alot like Christmas "  as the magic of winter  castes it's spell and we all await the singing of carols and prayers of "Noel" ...

It's a time of musical merriment that I love... especially the carol singing. I attended my first Christmas Concert of the season...It was  Handels' sing-along  Messiah which is my favorite. ... Alas, I am being bad now  because the  " Halleluia Chorus is  now blazing throughout the house as I keep turning up the volume. I'm sure it can be heard all the way to the North Pole.

A present came early this year in the form of something  small and round and fluffy  " Woof Woof" ... Yes ... A puppy. We called her " DOLLY"...  I know three little boys who are going to be very excited, when we arrive in Calgary for Christmas Holidays. They're all sure to keep me very busy  during the festive season.


 If you're looking for an extra special gift  for  an artistic friend or family member  ... My wonderful friend  Monica Zuniga has a new Doll workshop.http://monicazuniga.blogspot.com.... It's a  whimsical, fabric painting  doll  class that sure to delight your creative imagination for the New Year. So join into the magic of the season by creating a doll of your own. I'll look forward to seeing you there, my friends.


MERRY CHRISTMAS.

FAVORITE THINGS"

Brown paper packages tied up with string... These are a few of my favorites things. No matter what you buy in Japan... They always come wrapped and tied in the most inviting paper, ribbons, tags and boxes...It's such a bonus for the shopper.

When I left this summer, I bought  twelve ,  $3.00 glass angels as a small momento  for the ladies in my doll making classes.

" For you", the salesclerk asked ...No I replied " presento".
I continued to look around, while she  finished my order.  Within 10 minutes , the little clerk shuffled  up to me with a shopping bag... Oh MY GOODNESS... I was so pleased , yet embarrassed.

 Each angel had been  placed into a tiny box,  wrapped  in pink floral paper, tied with a bow and sealed  with a golden sticker.  Now that's service with a smile !!!

Yesterday I was rustling through my papers in efforts to find just the right background for a couple of geisha images....Well...I found it in  decorative paper bags that I had bought in Miyajima.

The sepia bags depicted images of Japanese life, so they fit perfectly into the ATC  Geisha theme.  I quess the lesson here is to .... Never underestimate,   ZaaArt of keeping and collecting papers.  My two ATC's " Little Sparrow" and "Blossom Geisha" settled nicely into the paperbag scene and proudly wear the tags of being recycled works of art.

"AUTUMN LEAVES"

Today in New Brunswick,the winds of autumn, flurry the leaves past  my windows... I have never seen the foliage fall so quicky. While the colors of a Canadian fall can  expand the heart with joy, so does the autumn  in Japan fill the heart with inner  calm and  repose.  I am missing Japan this season.... Wishing I could walk once more in the Imperial Palace grounds, picking up the tiny maple leaves to press between the pages of  my books. I love creating pictures with pressed flowers and leaves... It's a hobby from my childhood. 

I had not realized the difference in the size and shades of the maple leaves ... Our Canadian maples are so vibrantly robust and large ... some  bigger than the palm of my hand. The Japanese maple leaves are tiny and frail, mostly crimson in color... They are like  tiny fairies fluttering and dancing through the air, into my heart.

Next month I will return to Japan. I look forward to nestling down with the leaves pressed so snuggly  amongst the pages ...  recalling the fond memories of  walking through the palace courtyards in Kyoto.

"NO CELEBRATIONS"

WHAT !!!! No Japanese Holidays and Celebrations... I'm  in shock... I wondered if I had done something wrong by being away so long.. Oh...Oh  !!!!

Actually the only events happening in Japan in the month of  October are "Sports days", and the next real big  festivity is New Years...  I pondered the lull in the  active calendar of  festivals and  figured maybe it was  time out for the  busy, ambitious Japanese... Certainly, I'm missing  the special days and  cultural antics. Aren't You ? I mean how can there be no festivals, holidays or picnics in their Fall schedule. OK.. I understand and I'll be back shortly to report to you , my friends... Thanks for hanging in there !!!!

" GODDESS"

Let yourself go and see what can be created in the " spirit of the rice" ( see last blog, below).... It might surprise you !!!