Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a lovely holiday.
I always enjoy getting things ready, but I am never that eager to take the decorations down. I have friends with a big house and they, at this point, keep the Christmas tree up year around to please their little granddaughter. Not a route I would like to take, but sometimes I am tempted to leave the tree up a little longer--say March.
In other news, the daylight hours have increased by approximately 35 minutes, so what's not to love about that.
And the sunrise and sunset have been spectacular. The photo above: a sunset. Love the cool yellows, and the purple near the top.
Gorgeous dreamy blues with a hint of purple.
A Common Redpoll ~ Handsome to the core.
And not all that common; I haven't encountered one for a long time.
* * *
My son bought me a lovely pastel set for Christmas. I've been experimenting with some of the colours.
Pastel
I always forget to take pictures of the different stages of a pastel painting. They go through a ragged stage, but I love how they come together as if by magic.
The light is garish today, but the top photo captures the colours well. (Notice that I didn't blame it on my photography skills.)
Thank you for reading along.
Cultivate Your Dreams
A lovely new year to you, Dixie. I see you are out and about in your glorious countryside, capturing the beauty with your magical brush. Sunsets and sunrises never fail to amaze, do they. Your watercolour is sublime. The sky, the sun dancing on the water, the distant hills, the water....the bushes hugging the foreshore....each element makes for a most beautiful work of art.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too, Kim.
DeleteMay it be filled with health and happiness.
At the moment, I seem to be 'hooked' on pastels. They are a lot of fun.
Thank you.
What pretty skies, and the painting are awesome.
ReplyDeleteThank you Peabea. :)
DeleteThe skies are really pretty and yes, the paintings too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday!
Thank you Veronica Lee.
Deletelovely sky photos. winter light has a magic of it's own.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your pastels.
I agree. The light seems almost transparent at times.
DeleteSo different from other times of year, and I notice a lot of colour in the sky.
Thank you, Tammie Lee.
So many lovely colors in a time of the year with "no" colors!
ReplyDeleteTrue...so true. I notice a lot of colour especially at sunrise and sunsets.
DeleteSometimes the bushes look purple...so pretty.
What gorgeous scenes! The photos are great and your artwork is just wonderful to see! You are so talented with the chalks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up at 'My Corner of the World' this week!
Hi Betty,
DeleteThank you for hosting, and thanks also for your lovely comments.
Best Wishes
beautiful photos... and lovely paintings.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day
Thank you, Tanza.
DeleteEnjoy the weekend.
Lovely photos and paintings. I wish I had artistic talent. Stick figures are all I can manage!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/01/a-peek-at-our-indoor-herb-garden.html
Thank you.
DeleteI, too, use to be quite good at stick figures. Then one day I decided to give drawing and painting a try. It's really all about seeing, I think.
I hope you give it a try.
Beautiful photo and pastel art
ReplyDeleteThank you, Clare.
DeleteAaah, looks spring, beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAh spring. It will be here before we know it.
DeleteDo I sound convinced? :)
Thank you!
The photos are just beautiful but your pastel is stunning. I would love to see your process. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteNext time I will take a few pictures. To me, pastel paintings do go
Deletethrough a strange stage, but they do, sometimes, surprisingly come together.
And a few hit the garbage can too. :)
Thank you.
Your pastel work is beautiful
ReplyDeleteFabulous pastel work, they are not easy to use.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy,
DeleteFirst I tried oil pastels with little to no luck, but I
do like the soft pastels. They have a way of their own.
Thank you.
Gorgeous painting.
ReplyDeletetook down my Christmas tree last week
Stay Safe
much love...
Hi Gillena,
DeleteChristmas trees are so beautiful twinkling away. I never
want to take them down. Good for you for keeping your tree up awhile longer.
Many thanks.
Have a lovely weekend.
a beautiful sunset photo Dixie! Thanks for sharing the cute Redpoll. I must look it up but I don't think we get those in our area.
ReplyDeleteAnd your pastel painting- breathtaking!! So soothing...
happy PPF!
Hi Linda,
DeleteRedpolls are so cute. They are a little timid, so they are often the last ones to
find a spot at the feeder.
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Best Wishes.
Beautiful painting and gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteI was lucky to see such a gorgeous sky on that outing. The colours always
Deleteamaze me.
Thank you, Christine.
Lovely pastel painting and photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteEnjoy the weekend...
Dixie, you pastels are beautiful! I know what you mean about how it all comes together, I get that way with the charcoals too. When I first started Kenny, he looked like a skeleton with a hat lol...isn't art fabulous? :) Your sky photos are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Rain. Art truly is fabulous. I am so glad art and I ran into each other.
DeletePainting, drawing was a dream of mine for a long time. So I can say "dreams really do come true."
I love your Kenny painting.
Thank you.
Such a beautiful painting & photos. Enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Riitta.
DeleteHave a great weekend too.
Fantastic photos and pastels! Have a great weekend, Valerie
ReplyDeleteThank you Valerie.
DeleteBeautiful shots! I feel like painting the first and the 3rd one. Your painting looks lovely. :) I haven't tried pastels yet.
ReplyDeletePastels are fun. I hope you give them a try, Tarand.
DeleteMany thanks.
Well done. The painting has an aura that is soft and serene.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Penelope.
DeleteI took my Christmas tree early, I wanted to be done with the year. The nativity I left a little longer ♥ Nice photo and painting! ♥
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever seen two nativities the same. I love them.
DeleteThank you.
Dixie - I laughed at your comments about Christmas trees! Ours is still up, and although we had plans to take it down after the departure of our guest, we just decided today that we might leave it up a bit longer! Your sky photos are incredible! And I love your pastel drawings ... thanks for linking up to Mosaic Monday!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, good for you, Angie. Or should I say Dame Angie? :) We can all need a little more Christmas this year, I think.
DeleteThanks so much for hosting, and for your lovely comments.
Wow ! Stunning capture of nature beauty in the painting. It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2021/01/garden-affair-gazania-beauty.html
ReplyDeleteYou have a very nice blog, Arun. I will link up for sure.
DeleteThank you.
Beautiful photos. Christmas is hard to “put away.” But I’ll be as excited as always next year. Have a wonderful week!!
ReplyDeleteI decorated very early last year. As a matter of fact earlier than I ever have in my life. So enjoyable. Thank you.
DeleteEnjoy the week.
Your pastels are fantastisc. It's always good to see other Artists work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
Happy MosaicMonday
Hi Erica,
DeleteThank you so much for your comments.
You have a lovely blog.
Best Wishes
Hi Dixie. Happy Monday. I am at #14 on Monday Mosaic linky
ReplyDeleteMuch💖love
Thank you, Gillena.
DeleteI'll be over to visit.
Fabulous photos ❤
ReplyDeleteMany thanks.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Dear Dixie,
ReplyDeleteI hope that you are well! I loved today's post and your beautiful photographs and artwork. I always feel such a sense of serenity and peace when I visit your blog!
Did you know that CONGRATS are in order? You are our Friend of the Week at Friendship Friday at Create With Joy. Hope this brings a bit of sunshine into your wintery world!
Have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Thank you so much. :)
DeleteIt does make the world a brighter aspect today.
Much appreciated and thank you for hosting, Romona.
Your pastels are amazing and the sky photos are very calming. What a sweet little bird, I'm not familiar with that one. Precious
ReplyDeleteDawn aka Spatulas On Parade
Beautiful post ! Thanks for joining in Garden affair. Keep linking.
ReplyDelete