Winter White In My Garden

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of hot tea while I share with you the inspirations for my garden.  We are having cold weather in Southern California with snow in our local mountains - just a two hour drive away.  Our IceBerg roses will be cut back next week and there are a few stray  blooms left on the bushes that I picked and brought inside to paint.

Let's join Bentley, my Studio Assistant, to take a quick look around in the garden to see what is still blooming. 

                          The white Inpatients that were protected from the frost are still blooming.

The Paperwhites are blooming.  I always plant lots of them to give some Winter white color in the garden.

                                           

                                             A few white Geraniums are still blooming.

                                  

                                   The white Pansies are starting to bloom and do not mind the frost.

I love the way the last of the white Iceberg Roses look in the blue and white pot and decided to paint them. 

Thank you for stopping by.  I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those of you who follow my blog.  Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.

Wishing you and your family Peace and Happiness in the New Year.

Blessings, Erin

''Sing to Him a new song."  Psalm 33:3

A Little Healing Christmas Tree For The Children

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  We are having extra cold weather in Southern California with wind and rain and we are delighted to have a change in the weather - there is a feeling of Christmas in the air. Come into my kitchen and sit and relax for a few minutes with a cup of hot apple cider and a cookie while I share with you some beautiful and heart warming acts that are going on in our neighborhood  to honor and reach out to everyone involved in the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary to let them know how much we care.

By now most of you have probably read about the move started on the Internet and social media to preform a random act of kindness in memory of the Sandy Hook victims.



 

Actually it all started  with me when a neighbor put up a little Christmas tree in his yard with a note that it was for the children at Sandy Hook - it was on a little table with a note to fill out a card with a message for Sandy Hook and hang it on the tree .  It started raining right after he put up the tree but that did not stop people from leaving notes - he simply covered the tree with plastic to protect the notes from the rain.

Today it is not raining and the little tree has been uncovered.  It is so heartwarming to see children stopping by to write a card and hang it on the tree.

The little tree  was just the beginning - I heard about people letting someone get in front of them in the grocery store line, going out of their way to smile at a stranger, baking cookies and taking them to the Fire Station and Police Station,  giving out rain ponchos and blankets to those living on the street, dropping off toys at the local fire station for the Spark of Love Toy Drive, and other random acts of kindness.

Bentley, my Studio Assistant, and I took  an early walk over to our neighbors house who put out the little Christmas tree and left  him a note with a plate of Christmas cookies thanking him for the little tree and what he did for Sandy Hook and letting him know that he inspired me to pay it forward and perform a Random of Act of kindness.  I kind of felt like a 'Secret Santa" as we snuck on his porch while he and his wife were sleeping  to leave a note and cookies and it felt good knowing that I was doing a little something nice for my neighbor and his wife.

I am beginning to understand that there can be a sense of healing when  performing  an Act of Kindness in memory of the Sandy Hook Victims, and now I am going to participate with all of the other people who are performing #26 Acts. I feel like I am doing something in addition to praying and I am looking for little ways to do something special for strangers and or neighbors.  I planted pots of Paper whites to bloom for Christmas and now plan on sharing them with neighbors who are shut ins by leaving a pot on their porch with a little  note that it was  to honor the Sandy Hook victims.

Wishing you and your family and the Sandy Hook families  Blessings, Healing, Love, Hope, Faith and a Very Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year.    Erin
  

"This will be a sign to you - you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manager."   Luke 2:12

Quiet Time To Pray For Sandy Hook Elementary

Dear Readers,  

Instead of having our usual cup of tea and relaxing in my garden , please join me for a few moments of quiet time to count our blessings, hug our children and those near and dear to us, love our neighbors and pray that our Heavenly Father will comfort the citizens of Newtown and give strength to the families of the innocent victims, and that He will touch and heal the injured children and staff of Sandy Hook as well as their siblings, parents, friends and relatives and the first responders - in Jesus' name we pray - Amen.

It is with a heavy heart that I publish my post today.  Erin

 

God Bless everyone in Newtown and Our Country. 

 

             " Lord  help they cried in their trouble; and he saved them from their distress." Psalm 107.6

Christmas Cottage Card Inspirations

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of hot tea while I share with you the inspirations for my art.  Can you believe Christmas is two weeks way?   I bet you have been as busy as I have.  Today I am putting on final touches to my gift basket for a Christmas basket exchange.  I baked gingerbread and snow melt cookies and cranberry/orange bread.

Bentley, my studio assistant is waiting at the front door for you to come into our kitchen and relax with your tea and gingerbread cookies.

                             I am also including these Christmas plates in my basket.

Also enclosing these charming little jars of French jam - I just love the red check lids and they make great containers to store things in after the jam is gone.

This year I painted my own Christmas card - let's look at a few subjects in my garden and I will show you the one that ended up on my card!!!!

I decided to paint our red front door and add Bentley waiting to greet you and wish you and your family warm wishes and a Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year.

Dear Readers I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for visiting my blog this year and for your wonderful comments, e-mails, and to those of you who follow my blog.  I read each and every comment and cherish that you have taken time to leave me comments and read and follow my blog.

I will be taking a little blog break to spend time with my family and friends and will be back after Christmas to share Winter White with you.

Blessings, Erin

"And the angel said to them - do not be afraid I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people." Luke: 2

Snowmen Inspirations - Here - There - Everywhere

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of tea while I share with you the inspirations for my art.  Last week I promised to  share an old  posts about painting a Snowman door greeter.  Let's join Bentley, my Studio Assistant, to look for some Snowmen inspirations to get you inspired to paint your own this year.

My love for Snowmen began as a child when my Grandmother gave me a little paper mache box with a Snowman on top and I loved it so much that she gave me one each year. This year I hung one of my Snowmen on the front door wreath to give it a new look;. 

                                            Garden Lady all dressed up for Christmas.

                                The watering cans have Snowmen painted on them!

                                           Let's go inside to see more Snowmen.

I brought the outdoor potted pine tree inside and surrounded it with Snowmen in front of a window. 

I hope that you found a little inspiration to paint your own Snowman.  You can find a tutorial for the Snowman below on my blog post dated 11-29-10 or 11-30-08.

Thank you for stopping by.  I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those who follow my blog.  Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special,

Have a lovely week.  Blessings, Erin


                          "Prepare a way for the Lord, make straight his paths."  Mark 1:3