Christmas preparations

Our house has been a-flutter with getting ready for Christmas! Somehow, Thanksgiving whizzed by and now we're already into Advent! It crept up on us, which makes me glad I don't do a big advent calendar countdown complete with craftiness and activities each day for the kids. I took that pressure off myself awhile ago; let's me enjoy the days leading up to Christmas a bit more. (I put the pressure on AFTER Christmas - we do celebrate the 12 days of Christmas before Epiphany, but I'll keep you in suspense until then). We do enjoy making lots of projects together, but it's just easier if I don't have a one-a-day mentality. Four kids messing in paint and glitter and popscicle sticks for just one afternoon is enough to make me think fighting the mall crowds might be more pleasant. *shudders*

Today was a quieter, more focused craft time with my daughter. We spent a couple hours with the watercolors. She painted a phoenix. I was able to prep a canvas and finish two other paintings started earlier. Here's one of them, ready to be framed as a gift for my polar bear loving son.

I've been playing around with various illustration styles, trying to find something that feels like "me." I'm not sure this is it, but I think I'm getting close!