Welcome Whimsical December with some Fanciful Creations and Tales

There are so many more lovely photos and details over at my shop.

And now for some tales about life and such.

November was grand, but I did feel a little like time was flying by too quickly.

So, I slowed it down as much as I could.

I baked the most delicious pecan pie and also a pumpkin pie from my own pumpkin that I roasted and pureed.

I think doing that kind of thing really grounds you and slows down time.

I cooked all the fixings for Thanksgiving and hosted our really lovely little yearly dinner at the country house.

My heart was soooo happy and overjoyed to be home in the country with music and pups and some of the people I love.

I then had a lovely visit with my mom on that weekend, and she gifted me this amazing advent calendar of little houses she put together, with a treasure inside each house box for the whole month.

She said that she spent a year putting it together.

It’s so touching. I will share some photos soon.

After all that I hunkered down into my painting nook and worked every day all day to make these pendants and necklaces.

One forgets the work load of all the detail, and the time it takes to complete them.

Then there’s the photo taking and listing making.

Well, before I knew it, it was December 6th, and I had been through a creative’s vortex.

It’s like time stops, and it’s just you working away feverishly.

I listened to two audiobooks, and a podcast on audible called my Mom’s Murder by Lauren Malloy, which I listened to intently.

To be honest, I have not finished the audiobooks, because Cher’s is 12 hours long and Priscilla Presley’s is 8 hours long, I think. And the podcast was two seasons. I also just blasted a whole lot of 70’s music.

But I am halfway through the audiobooks and they are very interesting.

So now it’s December 6th, and truth be told, I have not put up my Christmas tree.

There are a few Christmas things on the dining table and such, but really, I’m waiting for the bug to bite.

I think I resisted for so long because I wanted to slow down time, plus I was busy, and now here we are.

In the middle of all my creating I got one of those crazy random horrible allergy attacks I get a few times a year.

They have become more frequent and intense in the last 3 years, so I think I may need to get allergy shots again like I did as a child. It’s clear that I have become super sensitized to certain dust. My homes get dusted frequently but you never know when some gets kicked up somewhere hidden and I’m down for the count.

When my dad died and I went through his whole closet I had the worst allergy attack of my life that lasted 4 days. No antihistamines would even work. So, yes, I need an allergist again. There’s that bit of random information for your Saturday night. Or Sunday morning. Or whenever you might read this ☺️

Now the question is, should I put up a tree?

The people in my court say yes, because we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas and leave the tree up for much longer.

But my mom put up like 57 trees, a whole village, sled and a partridge in a pear tree, so maybe I can just enjoy hers?

Of course, if I don’t put up a tree, then I’ll feel like I am missing out on a yearly celebration.

But to be fair, there is a totally decorated skinny champagne colored tinsel tree that is always up in a little nook in my house. But perhaps that doesn’t count as a “Christmas” tree, because it’s been there for 7 years, haha!

I take my brush vacuum and gently vacuum it, just so that it doesn’t kill me with dust mites.

Isn’t that a huge tragedy, for a lover and collector of old things to be allergic to dust?

Life is sooooo ironic!

We had a chimney sweep at house two, so Mister Lovee had the pups for a couple days at the country house. When I got back there Poppy had clearly rolled on a dead rodent or bird. Why do things like that happen when dads are in charge? I immediately put her in a warm shower and scrubbed her down. She’s been acting super thankful for that shower, even though I had to catch her and carry her in because she didn’t like that I was up to some funny business and was super suspicious of me, haha!

She’s been acting more loving than ever, and I can clearly hear her saying, thank you so much for washing that stench off of me ☺️ In fairness, Mister Lovee did try to clean her off, but she needed a full scrub down, twice.

She’s so soft and cuddly again, my sweet girl.

I feel like I can’t even believe what two loving dogs I have in Teddy and Poppy.

They make me cry with their sweetness.

Well, I am off to make tea.

I am almost over my recent allergy attack, but I need a big mug of peppermint tea and a fluffy blanket.

I didn’t sleep at all last night and sat straigh up against my head board all night.

At one point I couldn’t not breathe through my nose at all and jumped out of bed in a panic but talked myself back down.

Coping skills are the most valuable thing I have ever acquired.

I’m not sure why no adult ever taught me about them or told me they existed when I was a child.

I had to find them myself in my 30’s.

Truly invaluable.

I watched the most interesting show about Neuschwanstein castle at 3 a.m., I’ll link it here.

I think that brings us up to date on some of the things happening around here.

The light was stunning in the garden today at about 3p.m.

Truly spectacular.

It was so golden, and it illuminated all the golden leaves on the tree and all those that had fallen to the ground.

It took my breath away.

I’ll leave you with a video of my pendant necklaces below.

I hope you are doing wonderfully well in your neck of the woods, and staying warm.

I just took the dogs outside a second ago and it is suuuuper cold here.

So, if it’s cold in the high desert, it must be positively freezing wherever you are.

Assuming you are in a colder climate than mine.

Now, to tree or not to tree…

You tell me.

Well, off I go, stay warm and cozy.

I will be back sooner next time.

All my best!

Love, Vanessa

Video with sound below…