6th Deer of Christmas - Sparkle, Sparkle!

Today is the day! I am finally stringing the lights and hanging the baubles. Its time for things to get a little sparkly around here.

  This silver deer is ready to party and so am I. So crank up the Christmas carols and pass the eggnog!

Here's a little inspiration from You TubeYou The best light shows from the past few years.

On the Fifth Deer of Christmas - A Disney Classic

Who doesn't love Bambi?

And this really is my favorite sweater - it's the comfy thing I change into when I get home from work. In fact I'm wearing it right now.

What amazes me most about the film Bambi are the incredibly dreamy watercolour backgrounds. It also amazes me that these original watercolours and the hand painted cels from 1942 are still intact and even available for purchase! Hint! Hint! any of you wealthy benefactor types.

 Of Course if Bambi isn't your thing...feel free to watch this short film by Marv Newland.

On the Forth Deer of Christmas - SUPPORT DANCE!

This little deer was made all the way over in Japan. He's part of a set of 2 and he was given to me by my friend Claudia Fancello. Claudia is a Contemporary Dancer, she's got moves! I am lucky enough to have seen her preform several times and the projects she works on are so interesting and innovative.

In one piece the dancers created sounds- various beats on a keyboard, looped tracks and even samples of human voices and random sounds like glasses clinking together as part of the performance. They then used these samples to create the score to which they performed.

 The Troupe is called Public Recordings, they are currently hosting an indiegogo campaign to raise funds to launch a new show this spring. SUPPORT DANCE! Donate if you can, after all it is the season of giving!

On the 3rd Deer of Christmas, my True Love Gave To Me...

...Blue Mountain Pottery!
It's as Canadian as Maple Syrup.
The Blue Mountain Pottery Company was located in Collingwood, Ontario. Its stopped producing the distinctive black and green pottery in 2004. But don't worry - I'm sure your grandma, your auntie or even your mom has a gold lettered fruit dish from their trip to Wasaga Beach back in '69.

My favorite Blue Mountain Pottery pieces are the adorable ceramic deer which I own quite a few of. The colours are really spectacular, and each piece is unique having been glazed by hand.  Its amazing to think of the factory - ceramic artists busily hand dipping each little deer, vase or ring holder.  Then the final step.. the Legendary GOLD PEN writing the name of the resort, or casino in perfect script on each fired piece!

 I recently learned that there is a BMP Appreciation Society. I plan on sending in my membership dues any day now!

On the Second Deer of Christmas - A Lil' Somenting Red!

This Lil Deer is the smallest in my whole deer collection. He might be a scant 1inch tall, and I don't remember where he came from, but he sure is adorable. At Christmas I am amazed by the miniature towns that adorn the table tops and mantles in decorated homes. My dad is a model train enthusiast and he builds a special Christmas edition of his train with my niece Amelia each year. (Happy Birthday Lil Millie!)

 The colour red... nothing screams Christmas more than a red dress, red tinsel red bobbles, red Christmas crackers - Call me a purist but all these trendy orange and turquoise Christmas decorations can fade away after this year - I'll stick with Red Green and Gold.

 One last "Lil" thing, be sure to friend Lil' Bub on facebook. He's overcome obstacles and really embodies what the Christmas spirit is all about!

12 Deer of Christmas - Day 1 - I'd have a Blue Christmas Without You

The 12 Deer of Christmas - I've been doing my own kind of Christmas Countdown the past few years. This year I am featuring the deer of my own collection to usher in the holiday season. Day 1 - this blue deer was made for me by Stacey Hubbs - She is the brains and braun behind Edible Antiques - a heirloom seed archive and distributor. She has the best seeds to get your garden started, organic and anti-gmo. Plant a seed and taste some history!

Space Cats!

So over the past month I have been working on a special quilt for a good friend of mine.
I've been having fun researching images and thinking of ideas incorporating both robots and cats. The results have been a cute crew of Spacecats!
My favorites so far have reinterpretations of famous robots and outer space heroes but with feline features. Also its been fun thinking of ways to incorporate some ideas and memories shared over the years of knowing my good friend Trish. Amazing how many of our memories are a little "spacey".
Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for looking,
nella

PS that first one is Bowiecat, truly a space oddity.