Art Show

Today is a day of LUXURY!  Why luxury, you ask?  I have the LUXURY of sitting on my couch and having time to visit and catch up with all my blog friends.  I cannot wait to catch up with what all of you have been doing over these past couple of weeks.  I plan to read and read and read...  (HUGE smiling, contented sigh)!

Here are a few photos from our two week art show... a wonderful time for our art association and so much beautiful art.  I am so proud of all the artists. 

The show was held in a wonderful retail space in a local mall that just happened to be empty. The space faced the main thoroughfare of the mall with a large window across the busiest part. The mall was happy to have us filling this space during the holiday season, and we were happy to have such a visible location for our art show.  We had over 70 artists of all kinds from extreme realism to abstract to whimsical and everything in between.  And it is all 2-dimensional art... no sculpture, no jewelry, no crafts... only paintings and drawings on traditional 2-d mediums.

 

We donated 10% of our sales to a local organization, Hand-in-Paw, which is an organization of therapy dogs.  There were a number of these amazing animals at our opening reception, a Schnauzer, a Great Dane, a Pekingese, a Spaniel, and many more. The photos are all from our opening reception, which could hardly have gone better.

 I am very thankful that on the year that I happened to be president, the show turned out this well.  I also did a few commissioned pieces over the holidays, one of them for a friend who was in our wedding 30 years ago, and one of them for someone who picked up my card at this show.  I will wait to post those here until I am sure they have been gifted.  For the the 8th year, I am thanking God for another wonderful year of allowing me to do something I love so much!

All is calm, all is bright...

After a very busy month with the art show (which I will post more about in a later post), emergency wisdom tooth removal after the discovery of a 5th wisdom tooth (yes, this really is possible, and yes, you can still have to have your wisdom teeth out at 50+), and this week a lovely stomach bug (NOT!)...

today was such a WONDERFUL day beginning with celebrating our Lord at church this morning, then lunch with my mom and step-dad, then opening gifts with our children, and then more gifts with my mother- and father-in-law... then playing with gifts and enjoying one another's company.  And now we're sitting -- feet propped up -- watching Little Women.  All is calm and all is bright... peaceful and joyful deep down. 

Thankful for what Christmas really means... 

it means in spite of my nerves in a dentist's chair about wisdom teeth removal, 

or my nerves about painting live in a mall window with people watching me the entire time (for the first time), 

or my heart's ache for my step-father who lost his 43 year-old son this summer

(who left four beautiful boys 13 and under and a beautiful wife behind),

or the fact that the eldest of those four beautiful boys is battling cancer himself,

or the fact that my bout with a four day stomach virus or food poisoning fog these last five days has derailed my best laid plans for Christmas...

Jesus has me right where He wants me.  He knows His plans for me, and He knows His plans for my step-father's family, and He knows His plans for my children, and He knows His plans for you, too.  I don't have to know HIS plan, I just have to trust HIS hand.

I wrote this in 2012 and it still applies even more today.  

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Hail the incarnate Deity! Jesus, our Emmanuel... Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the King of kings!" (This last line is how Wesley wrote it originally; it was later revised by George Whitfield.) As I look at the many blessings of life, including my precious family, I am struck that even as precious and wonderful as our family times are, and as much as I treasure EACH and EVERY memory we make… even family is not what Christmas is all about. It is about One thing and One thing only: Jesus desired so much to bring my sinful self back into relationship with Himself that He was willing to lay aside the glory of heaven and His right to stay there, to put on the flesh of a helpless babe and later walk as a man, and then to be the sacrifice necessary to pay the penalty for my sin. It is with wonder that I think about this and all it means. And because of His sacrifice, I receive all the benefits: peace that passes understanding in a world riddled with anxiety and fear, contentment in a world that would sell me dissatisfaction, joy in a world that offers great sadness, love in a world filled with hate… and on top of all that the promise of eternity with Him. Christmas is not feelings or faith or even family … Christmas is Emmanuel, the God Who is with us… and that is Everything.

'Tis the (busy) season...

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and we have rapidly moved into busy season!  I have finally gotten all my inside decor up and am very thankful to have all the boxes back in the attic.  I have also been working on a two week art show for the association of which I am serving as president and have several commissioned pieces lined up.  So, I am really thankful to have the decorations up.  Although we have two trees, here is a peek at "my tree" as my children like to refer to it.  I am sharing this first photo because I loved the effect that the lights made. 

 

However, as I continued taking photos I realized after three or four tries with this same result that my lens was smudged. 😉 So, here is the entire tree without a smudged lens...

This is "my tree" for many reasons... one reason is that it was inspired by my grandmother ~ a beautiful gracious southern belle of a lady ~ who always had a special way of decorating her own tree by using only white, silver, crystal, and gold ornaments.  I have taken this tradition as my own and used only those items (with a couple of exceptions for ornaments with burgundy and red ribbon hangers) on it.  While I have used only those colors, the ornaments are not "designer ornaments" purchased from a store just for the purpose of decorating.  Rather, they are primarily either heirlooms or gifts from family and friends... like the beautiful Gorham angel on top of the tree that was a wedding gift.

The above photo captures several ornaments from my grandmother. The white fireplace and stockings at the bottom was a gift to hubby and me from her early in our marriage, the blown glass ornament top right, the small glass frosted pine cone at top left, and the crystal icicles are heirlooms from her very own tree after she passed on.

 The bottom left gold glass ball wishing us a frosted "Merry Christmas" was my husband's as a child.  The two Lenox snowflakes at the top, one crystal and one white, were gifts from precious friends.

The brass bear with a photo of my oldest son was a gift from my aunt when my son was a baby, and it sits beside a white glass ball with a Currier and Ives scene that was also an heirloom from my grandmother.

The two Precious Moments ornaments, the Little Drummer Boy and the bell, in the photo above were baby gifts from friends when my now adult sons were born.  There is another white glass ball with gold stars and the small frosted pine cone in the photo that were heirlooms from my grandmother's tree.

 

These two twin brass ornaments are also heirlooms... the one on the left belonged to my grandparents long before I ever thought of marrying and the one on the right belonged to my husband when he was a child.  I just love that.

You couldn't have looked at all these photos without noticing the round cross-stitched, gold and white Chrismon ornaments. (If you're not sure what a Chrismon is, it is an ornament that is a Christ Monogram... a symbol of Christ: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chrismon and a little more info here: http://www.blcelgin.org/chrismons) 

These Chrismons were lovingly made by my mother-in-law's mother.  She was a precious woman who was severely handicapped by rheumatoid arthritis. Rather than sulk in her suffering, she chose to be joyful and to be as productive as she could.  Though her hands were so bent by the disease that her fingers were permanently curled so that she could hardly hold a needle, she insisted that we should all have a set of these beautiful ornaments.  She tried her best to get a set for each grandchild and even great grandchild before she died.  She was a treasure, and I am so thankful for these ornaments but even more thankful that our children got to spend a great amount of time with her when they were small.   

  

I am thankful for all the ways these ornaments remind me of those who have loved me and my family well... so many have gone on to be with the Lord, and what a glorious reunion we'll have someday!

The Ghost of Christmas Has Passed....

Okay, that is a tongue-in-cheek title. I hope all my blog friends are well and enjoying something cozy in the afterglow of Christmas this week. I am hunkered down in the bunker of home trying to fight off the last vestiges of a particularly nasty cold and sore throat. I thought I would do a little catching up and sharing in what seems to have become a bi-annual posting.

The fall and Christmas season seems to run like a train on greased rails and ...just like that... it is over. I am enjoying the pace of this week, which for me has slowed considerably. Thanksgiving is such a beautiful holiday full of fond reminiscence and family. What a great start to any holiday season. The Christmas rush was on just after Thanksgiving was over, and I completed three Christmas commisssions in time to send them off to new homes for the holidays.   Here are two of those:

The Tudor cottage was great and the second one is a London townhome... such fun to draw.  I am looking forward to a new commission in the next few months of a newly built church surrounded by six of its former locations.   I am also hanging thirteen of my art pieces at a local hospital's art gallery during the month of January.  I am praying for fruit from this show.

One of the most enjoyable times for me during the holidays was seeing my daughter perform with the ballet company she was invited to be a part of at the beginning of the school year.  They are one of the two performing groups at her ballet school and are called Immanuel (photo above of their feet).  They performed on pointe before several thousand at a local church to "Sing We Now of Christmas" and "Once In Royal David's City." It was a very meaningful time and meant so much to me to see her years of hard work bringing forth such beautiful fruit.  I hope that your fall and holiday season was filled with joy and family love.

Wishing all my blog friends a happy, healthy, blessed 2012!

Comfort and Joy! ...artwork complete and delivered, let the celebration begin!

Well, I delivered the last of my commissions last Friday. After a very full and wonderful weekend, I am so happy to feel Christmas cheer rising up within my soul. I don't know whether it's the relief of having all the artwork I promised to deliver done as promised, or whether it's being with my family and enjoying all the Christmas things we do together, or if it is just the beauty of the season... (probably all three) ... but I feel almost giddy, like I did as a very young child. Can you recall the excitement welling up, the sparkle in the eyes, the spring in the step that you felt as a child waiting for that special day to come? I don't always remember it, but this year it has risen in me like that.


Tonight was a special night with just the five of us. Each year we choose a restaurant to go to and then go out together to a local live nativity, or to the mall, or doing last minute things here and there. It is such a blessing to just be able to meld our busy schedules to have this special time together. I notice as the children get older, this becomes harder. But it is a priority and sets the tone for the rest of our week. I am so blessed with such loving and giving children and a very loving husband with whom I celebrated 23 years of marriage this past Sunday. I couldn't want for more. I pray for each of you that you are surrounded by loved ones this season, and that you will know deep in your heart the significance of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection.
Merry Christmas!

With 1 1/2 to go... some poetry for the season

I have nearly completed my commissioned pieces (14 1/2 down and 1 1/2 to go) and am looking forward to really catching up with some of you. I know there are wonderful Christmas posts I am missing right now, but I must press on to get the artwork done by promised deadlines.

In light of things I haven't accomplished this Christmas season... this morning I recalled a poem I wrote over ten years ago (I can hardly believe that, as I type the words.) December, for me, does not just contain Christmas, but three family birthdays and our wedding anniversary just five days before Christmas Day. The Christmas I wrote this was a Christmas when I felt particularly stressed, pulled in every direction, disorganized, and just generally had gotten things quite out of perspective. Sometimes when that happens, poetry just comes pouring out of me. This was one of those times.

I have revisited some of those feelings this year, as I am barreling down on deadlines... and my living room tree still stands there with lights but no ornaments... and my dining room table centerpiece still holds the Pilgrims from Thanksgiving... and I have baked not one single cookie or goodies, nor made my traditional red Christmas punch. How did it get to be the Sunday before the Sunday before Christmas? With all these things swirling about in my brain, I began to think that I really need to have an attitude check. What about you? Have you been able to reflect on the meaning of Christ's coming?



How Could He Come Here?

Think with me now on this great mystery....
Will you close your eyes and let your heart see?
Can you catch a whiff of the sweet smelling hay,
Or hear His soft breathing while donkeys bray?

Dim light peeking down through cracks in the roof,
From a star that would guide and give wise men proof
Of the Child that was born on a soft bed of earth.
No mere baby this One of heavenly birth!

How could He come to this place ... for what reason?
Was it just so that we could establish a "season"?
If He were to come into our midst today,
What would He think, and what would He say?

Would He understand all our hustle and hurry,
Our lives filled with "world-centered" Christmas time worry?
He'd surely cry, "No! This is not why I came."
We do all these things claiming they’re in His Name.

But, His heart's cry for us is to gaze upon Him,
Our energy spent just to worship the Lamb!
Oh, Lord, help us only to focus on You
With all of our hearts as You ask us to do.

copyright 1998
Christi Bunn


May God reveal Himself in new and fresh ways to each of us this season, so that we can reflect Him as He deserves.

Blessings,

And some non-commissioned artwork....

"Poinsettia"
9" x 12" watercolor

Before the commission rush hit, I was trying to come up with some artwork for Christmas cards. I thought I would share these and ask you what you think. Which would you choose... or would you choose neither? The poinsettia will obviously cover the front of the card. I thought the dove would be nice with the word "Peace" in some lovely font. Any ideas? Or more ideas for other artwork for a different sort of card. I don't have time for creative juices these days, as I am heavy into architecture. :)

"Peace"
9" x 12" graphite and Prismacolor

Thank you all so much for your kind words of encouragement. I am THANKFUL for you!

Blessings,

Merry Christmas!

A beautiful day was spent here in our cozy cottage... it began with reading the story of the nativity together in the children's upstairs bedrooms before coming downstairs to see their gifts. After exchanging gifts with each other, we cleaned up a little... just in time for two sets of grandparents to arrive. We enjoyed a lovely lunch of smoked turkey, smashed sour cream potatoes, traditional green bean casserole, boiled shrimp, salmon dip, and hot spiced apple cider. Dessert was a Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake topped with icing and pecans. Then, of course, there were all the baked goodies to snack on all afternoon. We had the movie Holiday Inn playing in the background. Once the grandparents left, the five of us played games and then watched White Christmas, probably our favorite Christmas movie. It's time for bed... we're exhausted... but surrounded with love and very, very blessed.

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

From Charm & Grace Cottage

Sorrowful days... yet filled with Hope!

Two families that have been such a large part of my life have lost loved ones over the weekend. Somehow, it seems this shouldn't happen at Christmas, and yet I know God's timing is perfect. My heart is breaking for their losses, but knowing both of these people were believers and understood salvation allows us to grieve not as those who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 5:13 "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.") Hope has a name: Jesus. And if not for Christmas, we would not have that Hope. So, while we grieve and mourn our loss and temporary separation, we look forward to the reunion with hope that does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5 "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.")

Welcome To Our World
by Chris Rice

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile fingers sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world



If you don't know this one, it's worth watching this and hearing the melody... hauntingly and simply beautiful.

More Christmas Tour...

Here's a look at our home from the outside. A little love for the mailbox...



A veiw from the front...



The door...



Lamp post at night... (you can see the reason the window next to our front door has no wreath on it like the others...)



And if the Weatherman wanted to send a little of this kind of frosting to go along with my Christmas decor, it would be just fine with me!

Merry Christmas from my house to yours!

Peppermint Red Velvet Cake... yummmm!

Here is a Southern Living recipe that will wow your guests! The photos are of the one I made (for the first time) last year. This one's a keeper.

Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix
3 egg whites
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (9-ounce) package yellow cake mix*
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnishes: Holiday Trees, 6 (5-inch) red and white peppermint candy canes, crushed; 12 (5-inch) green candy canes, broken; 12 round peppermint candies


Beat first 4 ingredients according to cake mix package directions.

Beat yellow cake mix and next 6 ingredients according to package directions. Spoon red batter alternately with white batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Swirl batter gently with a knife.

Bake at 350° for 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Spread Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. (Cake may be chilled up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month.) Garnish, if desired. Serve within 2 hours.

*1 3/4 cups yellow cake mix may be substituted

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe White Cake Mix, Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix, and McCormick Red Food Color.


Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (2-pound) package powdered sugar
2 teaspoons peppermint extract*

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. Add extract, beating until blended.

*2 teaspoons vanilla extract may be substituted.



One final hint: if you garnish with peppermint sticks as I did, you may want to remove them after the original serving of the cake... they tend to run and become gummy. Hope you try it and love it as much as I did!

From Charm & Grace Cottage

Merry Humpday... Happy Halfway to Christmas!

Today is Wednesday and is not only "humpday" as far as the workweek is concerned, but is also humpday as far as Christmas is concerned. Now, around our house, Christmas is a very big deal. So in honor of "Christmas Humpday" (halfway to Christmas) I am posting some holly-jollyness today!

These are some of my handmade Christmas stockings. I made each of these before the first Christmas of each of my children. They are patterned after a stocking that my mother made for me when I was born (which I still use, by the way!) I carefully chose and designed each element of their stocking from felt and then embellished it with beads, pearls, sequins, and other decorations. Since I am very protective about my children's identities and leery of sharing too much information about them for the whole world to see, I have not shown their names. But each stocking has a white 4 inch strip across the top with the child's name in block letters hand-cut from red felt to match the stocking.

These stockings hang in my den over my hearth, on which I place a set of votive candles surrounded by nutcrackers and Christmas stuffed animals. The theme colors in my den are bright... mostly red and green. I have not been a fan of colored lights for my trees, but since my kids were very small they have wanted them. So our den tree, which is the one we are all around the most, has colored lights.This is my dining room table set with my Christmas china, crystal Christmas trees on a mirror as a centerpiece, and of course lots of candles.

Below is a wonderful Christmas cake which is pretty impressive, but not so hard to make. It is a peppermint red velvet cake. The cake portion is actually two different batters, one red and one white alternately spooned into the pan for a peppermint effect. The icing is cream cheese with peppermint flavoring. It is beautiful to look at and delicious as well!

The tree below is in my living room and is really MY tree. I decorate it and it has some of my very favorite decorations on it. It is decorated with gold, silver, crystal, and white (including white lights, of course!) The Gorham angel that sits atop the tree was given to me as a wedding gift by a wonderful college friend.

These carolers were given to me by my grandmother, who was a real source of inspiration for me as far as decorating. She was a graceful southern lady who loved and appreciated beautiful things and was able to really put together decor with a charm and a classic style that was completely elegant.

This last picture is the representation of our faith -- the nativity -- the fact that Jesus came to this earth to live and teach us how to live... and also to die so that we can live with Him in eternity. In these times when our world is in turmoil and uncertainty, we need an anchor for the soul. How blessed we are that He offers Himself so freely to be that Anchor for our soul!

And that is reason enough to celebrate... even in June!