Christmas Cardinals Eat Berries: Daily Art Practice
Couch Talk
The other day I was in my room folding laundry when I looked up and saw this beautiful, bright cardinal perched on the branch, surrounded by red berries. Despite there being no snow on the ground, this scene sings of winter. Although I love snow, the only thing I truly love about winter is the holidays. Getting together with family eating, celebrating and playing games is the best! I have married into an AMAZING family, and we all have so much fun together.
To kick off our Christmas season, tonight we are putting out our shoes to celebrate St. Nickolas Day. I made sure to buy candies with wrappers since they will be inside shoes that are worn. I have teenage boys so you can imagine their shoes are anything but sweet smelling.
If anyone has suggestions for St. Nickolas day or your country’s Christmas traditions, I would love to hear them!
Daily Art Practice
I painted a few more pages in my book, Watercolor With Me In The Forest. The exercises are very relaxing when I don’t feel like doing much but still want to paint.
StencilGirl Column
I am over at the StencilGirl blog with my quarterly column. I used various stencils to create a watercolor piece with a dessert theme. You can read the post HERE.
Tea Day
I am joining the Tea Day ladies, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My tea today is the Yogi Tea Advent Calendar. My SIL lives in Germany and she sent this to me for Christmas. I am enjoying a different flavor every day and thankfully, each tea is in English as well as German.
Please don’t forget to tell me about your Country’s special Holiday Traditions.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
Lovely advent tea calendar, I bought one for myself this year-it came from England and the little boxes are filled with organic mostly herbal teas. I have enjoyed it. I am not familiar with the StNikolas and the shoes-sounds fun. I bought this book too and was wondering if I should paint in the book-I see that you have, so will try that-the book doesn’t lie very flat though.
I don’t have any heritage traditions. my Mom’s family is from Germany, and my father’s from England. only thing I really remember is that Dad always opened one gift at midnight xmas eve but my Mom did not approve-we did it anyway haha Happy T
ps I love the photo of the cardinal in the red berries-very pretty
I read the line that you were doing laundry and it reminded me I had towels in the washer that needed to go into the dryer. So thanks. LOL That is a great shot of the Cardinal. I don’t celebrate Christmas, so I can’t help with any traditions. Your art books is fabulous and the tea Advent Calendar is very nice for you. Have a nice evening.
I’ve heard of St. Nicolas Day, but I don’t really know much about it. I think it’s fun that you’re introducing your children to these other cultural “events”. Just like your fun tea parties last summer. And your tea advent calendar looks fun. I’ve always wanted to try a tea one,. I’ll have to remember that for next year. And your cardinal is so handsome.. Great photo Kare. have a happy T day and week ahead. hugs-Erika
Your art is fabulous, as always. St Nic holas here is ceeibrated with shoes in front of the door, and figures made of pastry or chocolate. Have a hapy T Day, hugs, Valerie
St. Nicholas Day is not generally celebrated here, but when our first child was born we started hanging stockings up for St. Nicholas to spread the season out a bit and enjoy it over a longer period of time. We also started celebrating St. Lucy.
Happy T Tuesday!
I need a tea calendar!
Since my parents are gone, Christmas went with them. Glad you have fun these days together! 🙂
Cute Squirrel and the tea looks great, too.
Happy T-Day!
Oh how lovely that you celebrate St. Nicholas Day. I grew up with it, it’s celebrated in Germany, but mainly for the children. They put their shoes out in the evening and the next morning they are magically filled with sweets. We kept that tradition with out daughter when we moved to the States and I introduced it to the neighbors in my old neighborhood – it became a tradition there then as well. How come that you celebrate it? I had never met anyone before in the US who celebrates it (apart from German immigrants). and I’m glad that you do,
Loving your wintery Christmas post and your Christmas tradition sounds such fun 😊. I love your watercolour book and painting and how wonderful is that tea advent calender, we have a popcorn one this year. Sending you Happy T Day wishes! Hugs Jo x
Hi Kate, I love the Yogi advent calendar, I must see if I can get one! I also love seeing the cardnals, we don’t see these birds here. Happy T Day! Elle/EOTC xx
Lovely daily art practice Kate. Happy T day! Hugs! deb
Great photo of the cardinal and would make a spectacular Christmas card. A friend of mine teaches high school German, she celebrates St. Niklaus Tag with her classes. The day before or weekend she has everyone bring in a shoe so St. Nick can fill them. I’ll have to ask her if St. Nick and Knecht Ruprecht show up to evaluate the children’s behavior. Your tea Advent calendar is a wonderful way to countdown the holiday. Happy T Day