Scarlet and Crimson

I've only got time today for a quick post, so I thought I'd share the treasury I just made full of delicious reds.

Handmade Cards

I've been making little ornament cards to send with holiday orders from my shop. Lots of fun to make! I'll be doing a shop update and adding some new things later on in the week.

DIY Advent Calendars

Growing up, Advent calendars were always one of my favorite holiday traditions. My siblings and I would take turns opening the little doors to reveal tiny hidden treasures or delectable treats. Having something to look forward to each day of December was almost better than Christmas Day itself, which could be a little anticlimactic. Also, I think I might just have an innate enthusiasm for small gifts because I would always get really excited about stocking stuffers too.

I've never made my own Advent calendar, but I've always thought it would be fun, especially if you have little ones to enjoy it. Here's a roundup of some awesome tutorials, most of which can be made in a couple of hours.

Silhouette Advent calendar by Le Papier Studio

Matchbox Advent calendar and Baby Sock Advent calendar, both from Martha Stewart

Embroidered Felt Advent calendar by The Purl Bee and Magnet Advent calendar by Jessie

What holiday things are you making this year?

Shop Update

I added a few new things to the shop this week. As always, I've got more stuff in the works, which will be listed soon. Happy Weekend!!

Give Thanks

Mini felt plush turkey from Drops of Color

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! No matter whether you're feasting on traditional Thanksgiving Day foods with family (the trick is to pace yourself) or just hanging out with friends, I hope you share lots of laughs and good times.

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." W.T. Purkiser

Scenes from Life

A few random photos from the last couple of weeks:

Reading about artists and drinking coffee; if this were a job, I bet I'd be over-qualified.

Attempting to dress for the weather. These wellies have seen me through a lot of rain and snow over the past couple of years, but I think it might be time for a new pair (ahem, Santa).

It was so foggy this day that I could barely see the buildings on our block.

I made tomato soup from this recipe, except I substituted low-sodium vegetable broth for chicken broth, cut the butter in half, used half and half instead of cream, and added a bit of pepper. Even with all the changes, it was still a very rich soup. If you wanted to make it even healthier, you could probably use milk instead of half and half, and I'm sure it would still be good.

My birthday was on the 10th, and my boyfriend brought home a pumpkin cheesecake from Pâtiserrie Poupon and Leonidas chocolates. So amazingly good. I'll share my presents in another post.

Pretty Ladies from the Portrait Gallery

Sometimes, I just want to run away and live in a museum. I think these ladies would keep me company and have lots of stories to tell.

Portrait of Rosalba Peale, Rembrandt Peale

Idle Hours, H. Siddons Mowbray

The Mirror, Robert Lewis Reid

Woman with Red Hair, Albert Herter

The Spinet, Thomas Wilmer Dewing

Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler, John Singer Sargent

Flickr Favorites

(Click on images to go directly to sources.)

Happy Friday

(click image to go directly to source)

What is everyone up to this weekend? I've made a list of creative projects to complete, but my brain moves much faster than my hands, so we'll see how much I actually get done. Other than that, I plan on reading, watching movies, and maybe a trip to a museum.

Scenes from Life

Let's take a walk, shall we?

First, make sure you have enough layers on; it's chilly outside.

Don't forget to look up every once in a while.

If you come across leaves like this, you must crunch through them...absolutely necessary.

Now we've had our fill of rich colors and dappled light. Next stop is the coffee shop.

Hope your day is awesome. xo, Mary

Shop Update

I've added some more ornaments to the shop, as well as a Snowflake Flower Brooch in winter white.

I've got a few more new things in the works, and I'm hoping to get everything listed by the end of the month.

Sandra Davolio

Sandra Davolio is an Italian ceramicist living in Denmark. I was introduced to her work when reading about the Pavilion of Art and Design London that happened last month. I love the delicate spiraling petals that belie each object's material and weight. Aren't they beautiful?

Alice in Wonderland

I love these illustrations by Leonard Weisgard from 1949. I'm frequently drawn to illustrated work from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, but I'd never seen these before. I love the all-over compositions and the texture of the pieces, which almost look like collages. His biography lists decoupage as one of the media he worked in, so it's possible that there are multiple layers going on here.

Don't you want to just climb into this world and get lost for a bit?

(via Retronaut)

The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.

Number 140 by Frances Photography

Unfurl by Petit Beast

Landscape 006 by whphotography

Woodland Print by Rocky Top Studios

*Post title is a quote by Lucian Freud.