Christmas Card 2025

 

Hummingbirds - symbols of love, joy and peace; they bring good news

Advent Village: How it's going - 1

 

Advent 2025 - It's a Village

 I present here the parts of this year's advent project for my grandchildren:

The bases are 20" across. 

The set of supplies for use throughout.

The booklets are made from cardboard, wrapping paper, and pages from an old dictionary.

Now for the pages with the projects.

Houses

Store and bank

More houses

School

Library 

Planning pieces - these can be cut apart and placed on the base to plan placement of buildings. 

8 - more houses

Skating rink

Church

11 and 12 - houses

People #1

People #2

Shepherds

Sheep

People #3

Garage

Dogs and sheep

Wise Kings

Presents

Donkey

Mary and Joseph (2 options for each)

Star - also there will be some little twinkly lights

Birthday Number: 41

 

Birthday Number: 15

 

Magpie in Flight

 For a blog that is ostensibly about painting -- hence the name gesso* tales -- there has been precious little painting. This summer I played with paint a little.

Magpie in Flight

oil on board  

24" x 18"

    61cm x 46cm    

* gesso | ˈjesō |     noun (plural gessoes) a hard compound of plaster of Paris or whiting in glue, used in sculpture or as a base for gilding or painting on wood: the surface must first be given several coats of gesso | [as modifier] : gesso panels. 

    

Book Burrow

 

Worms

Spiders

Ants and Ladybugs

The Bee

A few process photos:

Folding pages gives the project heft. 

Cutting grass with some fold downs to keep balanced with the bottom folds.

The burrow, with the start of some dandelions. 

I have 2 of these journals left. I have to read them before I transform them. 

Birthday Number: 67

 

Book Room