Winter Magic

I can't believe it's been 10 days since my last blog post! I don't think it's ever been that long between posts.
Perhaps the magic of the season has me under it's spell. Maybe I've eaten too many Christmas cookies and I'm getting way too lazy! Whichever the case, I just completed a very magical winter welcome sign with a lovely winter spirit woman riding a gorgeous white horse. On the horse's back is a show shoe hare. A few more snow bunnies are watching and following. She reminds me of a white witch or winter fairy, taking care of all the animals during the cold season.

I love how the snow sparkles in the sun. If the person who buys this sign would like, I'll add diamond dust glitter accents so it sparkles like real snow!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I was the lucky recipient of several wonderful gifts including a new set of hard anodized cookware from my husband, a huge box of Halloween goodies from my mom (everyone else in my family thought this was weird) and a Yankee Flipper anti-squirrel bird feeder also from my mom. If you've never seen this feeder, it's a riot. The squirrels go flying when they try to eat the seed. Here's a video: LINK.

Silent Sunday - Snow Smiles

Dickens of a Christmas

Yesterday was the best I've felt in a week and with an impending snowstorm, we decided to do something fun in the evening. I bought us tickets for the evening performance of A Dickens of a Christmas at the Mount Hope Estate & Winery (also home to the PA Renn Faire). Kevin and I hadn't been there since we were dating over 12 years ago and I thought that Zoe was finally old enough to enjoy it and stay seated for all the plays. I highly recommend this show for anyone in the area that loves Dickens, Christmas and a beautifully decorated Victorian mansion (and wine). The show consists of 3 different "plays". The host and hostess that night were a young Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. Zoe was the youngest person there and all the beautifully dressed women fawned over her. We all had a blast. I wish I could have taken more photos but they do not allow photography during the performances.

Zoe meets the Queen. My husband really liked her (hmmm, I wonder why?).


Hey I know why I had a kid! To hide my body:)


Pretty rocking horse under one of the many decorated trees.


Click here for some photos I took in the mansion last year for a Father Christmas event.


"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

Whoa

I belong to several art teams and groups, all of them filled with wonderful artists and crafters: EHAG (Halloween art), PFATT(folk art), Whoa Ebay Group (horse art) & Whoa Etsy Team to name a few. I wish I had time to be more active in these groups but I do what I can, when I can.

Over a year ago I read an article about a group of artists that mailed a sketchbook around to each other. I thought this was such a fun idea and bought a sketchbook for my horse art group with the idea that we could pass it around and auction it off for a horse charity when it was completed. Along the way we hit a few snags. It got held up for various reasons (including my own). I am so happy to say that all the artists who wanted to participate now have their sketches and artwork complete and it will be up for auction soon! I finished my work just this afternoon and I wanted to share.
Here is the link to see all the sketches. Please scroll down and click on "older posts" so you get to see every one's work. This book has made quite a journey and we are all so proud of each other!

Here are two of my sketches...




PS. I saw this squirrel outside my dining room windor this morning and he made me laugh. Just had to share...

Silly Kitty

Where's that little light on the wall?


It was just here!


I got it!

Tis the season to be jolly!

I married a wonderful man.
He noticed how I swoon over every feather tree I see and on his way home from work yesterday, he stopped by the museum store at Landis Valley Museum and bought me the most gorgeous, vintage looking tree! I love it so much, I had to share a few photos. It looks really nice with his antique wax ornaments. Now I'm on the look out for more vintage ornaments to hang. It also looks nice with a few other things I've bought at the museum store: a snowman bust reproduction by Johanna Parker (love her work), a Christmas countdown calendar, and a vintage looking Santa sculpture.




When looking for gifts to buy, I find museum shops are a great place to find wonderful, unique treasures. My other favorite place is Etsy. So much more rewarding to buy something from an actual artist or crafter than from a big chain store. Please leave a comment on this post telling me about the unique places where you like to shop for gifts. If you're an Etsy or Ebay seller, please leave a link so I can check out your shop!

I also want to thank Theresa of Faerie Moon Creations for bestowing upon me the Kreativ Blogger award. She has a lovely Etsy boutique filled with all sorts of jewelry that would make great gifts:)

Finally, pop on over to Chronicles of Whimsy and enter her wonderful blog giveaway! I love her artwork and am proud to own an original!

Giveaway Winner!

The random number generator has chosen #131 - Possible Impossibilities Studio. I nearly had it draw another number since I hate to count that high:)

A big thank you from the bottom of my heart♥, to everyone who entered. It was such a joy reading all the comments.
I hope to have another giveaway in the Spring, perhaps on my birthday month, March.
I'm really sorry I wasn't able to get to every one's blog and leave a comment but this week I'm dealing with a sick child and a sick cat that had to go to the vet. The kitty is on the mend but the kid is still sick. :(

Back to the painting table now. I am working on a side saddle holiday sign and a few more pendants for the Etsy shop. Just completed this lovely Overo Paint Horse jewelry box at the request of a customer. Thought I'd share a picture of it!

I have some huge news I hope to share next month. It's eating me up inside but I have to keep it a secret!

O Christmas Tree!

First, I want to thank everyone so much for all the comments on my last post (if you haven't left a comment to enter my Christmas giveaway, please do). It has been a joy to read about every one's favorite Holiday memories. I encourage my readers to check out the comment section of my last post and see what people have written. Some lovely, heartwarming stories!

So we've finally gotten our Christmas tree. It was a little difficult because they were all covered in snow! I usually rush out on the first snow and take tons of photos but I was too busy shopping and then painting this weekend.

Here's the tree farm. Didn't have to drive far, it's only about a mile down our street.


Hmm... where is our tree?


Ah ha, here it is! Knock off a little snow, not too bad.


A few hours later, all gussied up. I'm loving the big, sparkly butterfly at the top I bought at Longwood Gardens this year.
And here's what I painted. Wish I could have gotten a better photo because I'm really happy with how it turned out. Just too grey a day for photos. I would LOVE to go for a ride in a sleigh like this! This 12.5" x 16.5" original sign will go up on Ebay tonight for a 3 day auction.



The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination. ~Ward Elliot Hour

Spreading Joy - Holiday Giveaway!

Today is the start of my Holiday giveaway! The winner will get to choose any pendant in my Etsy Shop that is $24 or under. Open to anyone in the world!
I will use a random number generator in one week to determine the winner (end December 11th, noon).

For a chance to win, please leave a comment about what was one of your most memorable Christmas/Holiday gifts, either one you gave or received.

Extra chances to win - please leave a separate comment for each entry:
1 entry for adding the above graphic with a link to this post on your blog.
1 entry for tweeting about this giveaway with a link to this blog post.
1 entry for following me on twitter. User name: GypsyMareArt
1 entry for becoming a Gypsy Mare Studios fan on Facebook (see right sidebar).
1 entry for telling me your favorite song on my Holiday playlist (see sidebar).

Thank you for entering! Back to painting for me...

Percheron

Haven't been able to get much done lately with the holiday. Then I had to paint the laundry room since we bought a new washer and dryer - that room was disgusting and really needed it - but I lost another day painting. This week I will be working on some custom horse pendants (interested? they make great gifts). I also started a holiday Shire sign and have a horse and sleigh piece upstairs in my head I hope to complete. I was able to finish a nice Percheron Christmas sign that I just listed on ebay today - 3 day auction. It's even available on an ornament in my Cafepress shop. Make sure you go through my direct link to save money. Ornaments make great gifts for your vet, farrier, barn owner, trainer, instructor, etc.!


I've always really loved this painting. It moves me. Be sure to click on it for a larger view and let me know if it moves you.
It's called An Arab and His Horse in the Desert by Jean-Léon Gérôme (one of my very favorite artists).



The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.
~Sharon Ralls Lemon