Advent 19

Watercolor 183

Watercolor 184

Thank you to everyone for comments and lovely posts in the past days; I still cannot reply.

Digital and Traditional, with Colors

Little doodles from this past week:

digital doodle, on my phone with Sketchbook Express

watercolor and ink

Advent 17

O Real Christmas Tree

It is rather late this year, but we got one this evening.

It seems somewhat curvy, but we like it.

And a Watercolor, number 182

This was a request.

Advent 16

Third Week of Advent

Add the pink candle today

* Invocation

Heavenly Father, in this third week of Advent, as we look to the coming of the Christ, prepare our hearts and minds for the great Light of His saving grace.

* Summation

In this third week we read of John the Baptist proclaiming the joyful news that the Christ is nigh. As He was near to those long ago, so is He near to us today, in His Word, in His Sacraments, and in His power and grace in our lives.

*Bible Reading

From John 1

There was a man sent from God, whose name wasJohn.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all menthrough him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

The word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

And he came preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

“Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, 

He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 

Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”

* The Lighting

We light the third candle of Advent. We kindle it in JOY that our heavenly Father fulfilled His promises and gave us the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, that we may always REJOICE in His grace.

* Prayer

O Christ, Light of the world, come to us. Help us to REJOICE as we heed John's call to prepare for your coming. Smooth the rough places of our hearts, lower the peaks of our pride, build up our low spirits as we contemplate the greatness of the gifts You have given to us. Help us to be content in the places You have put us and the duties You have given us. As we have been baptised into new life in Christ, so daily cleanse our hearts and minds to follow You in holy living. Help us to prepare for Your Advent in fervent prayers, deeds of holy compassion, greater faith in Your holy will, that we may reflect your Light in this dark world.

*Song

God of Joy, O shine on us;

Guide our path in this life's night;

Make us fruitful in contentment;

Come to us, O Christ the Light.

Watercolor 181

On Jordan's banks? Well, use your imagination.

We got our first snow last night. Not much, but something.

Beautiful bunny house

Fruits ready for use.

Advent in the D House

Not much art around here lately, but I do have some decorations up for Advent.  More to come (we still do not have a tree), but that's why we have all of Advent to prepare.

Pardon the blur on the above photo-- I was experimenting with some low-light photos while we listened to stories of St. Nicholas during out annual celebration. 

AND (two days later) I finally tried making the Grittibanz...  I need to work on the shaping, but this was my first attempt (because I always forget).  The children were enchanted, nonetheless.

Just today I finished making stocking for my littlest two children.  Excuse the side-ways photos, I don't know why they won't orient right. 

And here are all the kids' stockings.  I have never quite gotten to putting names on them, but I think I need to do that because I am starting to have trouble remembering whose is whose. 

That "vintage" green poinsettia fabric came, I believe, from my Mom's fabric stash.  I didn't quite have enough for the baby's stocking this year, sadly, so I bought some new poinsettia fabric.  You can't see in the photos, but the white materials have glittery and snowy prints.

I have a few small tree decorations that I love.  We put tiny "fairy" lights on the little tree on the piano and the kids enjoy randomly setting them from "soft twinkle" to "give mom a seizure" just for fun.

And lastly, the kids had fun with this little craft kit I bought on clearance last year.  They made a whole little pile of trees to give away to friends.

Advent 14

Watercolor 180

Rosy Christmas Rose

Note, again: I still cannot respond to comments, but I read them.

Advent 13

Watercolors 178 and 179

Little Birds

This one was supposed to be a very loose suggestion in washes, but turned out looking merely unfinished.

So I tried this one without the washy attempt. 

Advent 12

Christmas Market III

Italian specialties, including a huge block of Parmesan

If you would sing for St. Nicholas,  Schmutzli will give you a treat from his bag. Don't try tricks though.

Good-bye market. Home to a warm fire.

Not Much Art

I almost forgot what day it was, and I haven't done much for art this past week, so I thought I'd share about my little bit of Christmas decorating in my room:

with gifts from a friend, and gifts from the woods :)

in the window, with lights around

 Actually, did a little bit of attempted-manga-style doodling on my phone as well, with that other drawing app that I'm not sure I like yet:

zoomed-in screenshot, with ads cropped out

Otherwise, my sister and I have mostly been writing letters and Christmas cards, and figuring out how to distribute some of our chocolate hoard without leaving none for ourselves, haha.

Advent 11

Christmas Market II

An old walled town

A tiny chapel in the middle of the bridge