The Christmas season...

 is always puzzle season, and these little pieces make me think of people every time.

Some of them are so beautifully patterned they appear lit from within,

while others are so bright they could be heading into outer space.

Some are deliciously bubbly, 

while others are filled with endless questions.

The quiet ones stand back,

and the sweet ones beckon.

The ones that are outwardly dark often hold lovely promise,

and some are aligned with the stars.

Whatever their appearance, they are endlessly fascinating

even when we're practicing social distancing.

My biggest wish for 2021 is that we can all come together to celebrate once again.

In the meantime, John and I will lift a glass to you and yours, with thanks for your friendship in this most puzzling year.

It's that time...

...of the year when many people, myself included, reflect on their lives.  What do I want in the new year?  What did I do right in the past one?  How's my life going?

As I look around me, all I can see is colour, colour, colour and I wonder how there could be anything better.

From projects on the go,

to projects barely started

to journals in the making (six at last count),

to paintings coming back from a show,

to mounds, stacks, closets-full of supply stash,

there is colour everywhere I look.

Heck, even the paper recycling has me mesmerized!

What the heck is that gorgeous Gelli-printed envelope doing in there?!  You know I snatched it back for my stash.

And believe me, I would never have been able to choose this life for myself.  I fully expected to be living the life of Riley somewhere in Belize at this stage,being waited on hand, foot and finger by a cabana boy.  I truly think the Universe is a joker, because it set me up for the best life ever - how did It know?  

So of course my musings wound up in a painting start, especially given that the Creative Jumpstart 2015 video start for yesterday was a collage.  And I got to use some of the cash and coin gifted to me recently by Laura's husband Ivor (thank you sir!).  I'm particularly fond of the Mickey Mouse head created by the coins (with apologies to Disney)...Joker indeed.  I'll post a video of the process once it's completed.

I'm ending this first post of the new year with massive gratitude - for family, friends, readers, art supplies, time to play, and colour,colour, colour.