Sunday, December 19, 2021

Christmas Week Is Here

Hi everyone. I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Yesterday afternoon and overnight we had some snow. I snapped a few photos this morning before the hubby did some snow cleaning up and the dogs tromped around leaving footprints all over the place.




Can you see the one poor little chickadee is trying to get breakfast?  I walked out and shook the snow off the feeders for him and all his buddies. Funny how some of the chickadees just sit in the trees and do their danger call and some chickadees have no fear and practically land on you when you come near the feeder.
They really are fun little birds.

Before the snow arrived yesterday, I went out to disconnect the electric fence from around the bees. The bears and skunks should be hibernating by now. I also walked around the hive to give it a check, (it's too cold to open it), and I was glad to see the bees have been getting rid of some hive waste out the front. 


This waste means they are alive inside and just doing some cleaning as they are very meticulous about the state of their hive.  If the hive was suffering, cleaning would not be something they'd be up to. And yes there are a few dead bees, but most honeybees only live a few weeks so that is how it should be. If there were a lot of dead honeybees, then I would be worried.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here. It's not many days until it arrives, is it?

For today I want to share another page for Valerie's When One Door Opens Another One Closes challenge at Art Journal Journey.


These birds are  excited that Christmas is almost here.

This page was a lot of fun to make. I started with blue paint and some of  big cardboard snowflakes that came in a package of 50. (And they were marked way down as the craft store obviously wants them gone by the time Christmas gets here.) 

I glued them onto my page, outlined them, and then added a layer of glitter over the page. 

The birds are die cuts that I colored and embellished.  I hand drew, colored and fussy cut the bird houses and the bird feeder.  I also added a few of those shiny little snowflakes because at Christmas some glitter and sparkle is expected.

The birdhouses have a little opening or doorways for the birds to get in.  I think a some of the birds are bringing their holiday decorations back to their houses to decorate because they just realized how little time is left to get it done.

I also want to share one more holiday tag for Pinky's Everything Christmas challenge at Tag Tuesday.


The middle of my holiday stamp didn't transfer clearly, and when I went to overstamp it, I only made that part worse. So I added the hearts and the dots. I left the flowers peeking out at the top, as well as the birds and the skates, and added a small version of this skating boy from TH.

And if you are wondering about the stitching, I photographed the tag on the back of a journal page, but I like how it looked so I left it.

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you're not too busy to have a little fun this upcoming week. 

Have a great start to the week everyone. Thanks for visiting. 










17 comments:

sirkkis said...

Hi Erika,
you have very beautiful snow cover in the garden. How nice to look after the birds that they get food. We have no snow here; it's been raining for a week. Luckily for next week is coming colder and maybe snow.
I love especially your beautifully made tag! The bird page is nice, too.
I'm wishing you a wonderful week before Christmas.
Take care and stay well, my friend xx

Valerie-Jael said...

Hi Erika, it looks cold and wintry at your place, but the snow looks pretty! My docs always loved snow! Glad to hear that the bees are doing well and hope it goes on that way. Love your journal page and the colourful tag. Thanks so much for all your support at AJJ and Tag Tuesday, I really appreciate it. Have a great, new week, take care, hugs, Valerie

DVArtist said...

First of all you can have the snow. Ha ha ha. You know how much I enjoy learning about your bees. Very interesting the way they clean. Lovely christmas art. Have a great day today.

Angie's Recipes said...

A white X'mas is the best :-) Simply beautiful!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I see you got SNOW. LOTS of snow, at least it would be in my world. Thankfully none yet here. So glad to see the bees are thriving, even in their hibernating state.

I love your latest entry for Valerie's theme. Using those large snowflakes was brilliant. So glad you shared it with us at Art Journal Journey, too. I really like all the glitz and bling you added, too. Those bird feeders were brilliant. You draw so well.

That's a nice tag, too, These must be new TH paper dolls. I haven't seen this one before.

Iris Flavia said...

Yes, fun with the birds. Peanut and the siblings are like that, too. One looks on when I hand out nuts, the other runs away in panic. None ever says thanks, though!
Your bees are amazing. Looking forward to see what happens in Spring. Oh, and I hope our little brewery makes honey-beer again!

Love your birds. Oh, and the tag! Ice skating. Think this year... not (for me not since years and years, getting old, LOL).
The stitching is just perfect!
To a great new week! xx

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It warms the cockles of my heart (whatever they are) to see your many bird feeders, Erika. I have no doubt that others will flock to join that hardy little scout who was first to show up for breakfast. You get full marks from the Bird Lovers Appreciation Society for going outside to clear the feeders of snow. On the scale of meritorious behaviour that ranks very high and for such distinguished action I am sending you extra hugs this morning. Might even sneak in a kiss in the cheek! David

CJ Kennedy said...

Your backyard looks like a Christmas card. No snow for us down here. I'm not complaining. Poor little chickadee. Sometimes they just peck through the snow to get to the seed. They are fun little birds to watch. Glad to hear the hive is thriving. Cute birdhouse page. I've been doing some last minute decorating, too.

Divers and Sundry said...

What a lovely snow scene :) I'm glad to see the state of the hive. That's a fascinating project. We get an occasional chickadee. I wish they were more regular visitors to our patio.

craftytrog said...

You got a good covering of snow Erika! Glad to see you are looking out for the birds.
Pleased to hear that the bees seem to be ok.
Wonderful art, I love your fun bird page and beautiful Christmas tag.
Take care, and keep warm.
Alison

NatureFootstep said...

ah, beautiful snowy days. Our melted and it is now dull again :(
Love your christmas TAG.

Lowcarb team member said...

Beautiful snowy scenes ...

So pleased that your bee hive is doing well.

Enjoy your week.

All the best Jan

Elkes Lebensglück said...

So much snow, I'd like to go for a walk, it's a shame that there is hardly any snow on the coast here. I'm missing that.
Your creations are so beautiful.
I wish you a Merry Christmas, hugs, Elke

Neet said...

Your tag is lovely and I can see how you had fun making your journal page for AJJ. What a fabulously fun page it is, such cute birds and houses.
I have never seen a chickadee, didn't know about a warning call or anything about them. Am going to look them up now - I was getting them muddled with a cardinal (which I have never seen either). Love all your feeders.
So glad your bees are looking ok. Hope it continues to be like that for you.
Hugs & a Very Happy Christmas - Neet xx

pinky said...

Your snow photos are lovely Erika. We have nothing here other than rain at the minute, and very dark days! Wow I couldn't imagine keeping bees at all, bit of a coward but you are just amazing! Loving your door journal page and of course your gorgeous tag! Thanks so much for joining my challenge again this fortnight. I hope you have a lovely Christmas xxx

Michele said...

such beautiful winter photos! your tag is magnificent! thank you for linking to tag tuesday! xo

Jeanie said...

Yikes! You got snow! Is it still there -- I'm so behind!