This 'n' That

Daniel had a book signing last weekend and I got this great photo of him! The proud author and illustrator! It was fun hanging out at the book store and meeting all kinds of people. He sold a bunch of books and then we bought a bunch. Funny how that happens....

And just look at this - this is just some of the love I have received in the mail lately! Oh, so very special!
And then arrived the latest issue of my favorite German magazine. I wasn't going to do this again, but I just have to share some of the beautiful pages with you...
Among others, there are articles on decorating with radishes (I'd never have thought of that),
cooking for Easter,
rhubarb (I so love rhubarb and can't wait for it to be in season again),
nesting birds,
tiny chickens,
and the most elaborate chicken coops.
Aren't they amazing?
I hope I don't bore you with this every time I get my copy of the magazine, but it's so pretty I want to share it with all of you. Thanks for indulging me!

So pretty...

Over the years, my sweet aunt, Inge, has given us many Christmas-related gifts, among them a number of table cloths and runners. This is one of my favorites! I love the winter scenes and decided to use it as a backdrop for a very special Christmas card.

A dear friend of ours in Albuquerque is a talented calligrapher and every year, she and her husband send out a card that his entirely handmade and always features her calligraphy and is folded in a clever way! I thought all you creative folks might enjoy seeing it.


Peace on earth and goodwill to men is a wonderful thing to wish for all of us! I'm so glad you all have become part of my world!

Odds and Ends and an Award!

(click on any of my pictures to enlarge them)

Well, all your good advice yesterday helped immensely and I ended up having a productive, yet relaxed day and feel back on track today!! Thanks to all of you!!!

So, today, I have some odds and ends for you. First up are my new greeting and business cards, which I won in two fantastic giveaways from UPrinting over at Melissa's blog Januarywish. I won 250 custom greeting cards and 500 business cards. The quality is fantastic and the whole process was easy and painless! Make sure you check out Melissa's blog - it's not only beautiful, but she's got the best giveaways. Daniel designed my business cards for me - aren't they fun?!?
Then, I saw this wonderful New England cookbook from 1956 in my friend Beth's Etsy shop, Maine Coast Vintage, and I'm so glad I bought it before someone else found it.
It has some great recipes, but just look at those illustrations!
I just love them!
I thought I'd better give you some proof that I'm actually working on another painting. Here a small piece of it. You'll get to see the whole painting (there's much more to it!) when it's finally done...
And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank the talented Lisa Holtzman for passing on this award to me. She is not only a warm and kind friend, but a talented artist and the most brilliant calligrapher! Make sure you check out her blog. You'll be amazed!!
Thank you, Lisa!

Later today, I hope to visit some of your lovely blogs. You are always an inspiration to me as I try to live the creative life...