Christmas is almost here!

I still get excited about the holidays despite a sad but funny episode in my childhood.  I was about 5 or 6 years old when I hung an old stocking by my bedpost on Christmas Eve, only to find it empty on Christmas Day.  I wondered why Santa passed me by so I asked my mother why.  She then asked me with a straight face:  Did you wash your stocking before hanging it?  Maybe that is why Santa didn't leave you anything.  From then on until I figured out who Santa really was, I made sure my Christmas stocking was clean and fresh.

Thanksgiving gets me started on the holiday mood and I start thinking of getting the wreath out, putting some Christmas decorations together (but not a tree), and fixing up the place.  I also planned on sending Christmas cards but I ran out of time this year so I have sent e-cards instead (sorry!)

Since Thanksgiving week, I have worked on four (yes, four!) canvasses.  Because of holiday preparations and parties, I have put them aside.  Hopefully, I will get to finish them early next year.  I wish everyone one of the following:

    a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
    Happy Hanukkah,
    Happy Kwanzaa, or simply
    Happy Holidays

WELCOME 2012!!!

Happy New Year everyone! My painting "The Winding Road" placed first in Best-of-the-Rest for December 2011 at Barebrush Gallery; "Trapped" took third place in December's Favorite Nude of the Month!  Not a bad way to start the New Year!