The snow has arrived at Kerjacob.

So, when we woke up this morning this is what was here at Kerjacob.

It is very cold and the shopping I'd hoped to do might not be happening !

So pumpkin soup will be made and I'll be staying near the wood stove.

Working on some new folding books.

Today I've been doing some more work on some new folding books.

I'd done the artwork before Christmas so today was

selecting the ribbons and fixing them into

the covers of the books.

Front and back covers of a book.

Then it was measuring the paper which will be folded to make the pages.
I do miss the huge guillotine I had when I was working !

Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll cut the pages, fold them and then fix them between the covers.

I so wish I had a studio instead of working on the kitchen table but that's the price
I pay for living in an old house which is being renovated, one day, one day I'll
have my space and I'll probably never want to leave it.

Jugs.

Time to move on from Christmas but I must say letting

go of the Christmas tree is always hard.

In France decorations stay until the end of the month

so I'll let the tree stay just a week longer.

All my adult life I've loved jugs and over the years my collection has grown.


In latter years I've bought from potters but have also looked at
and bought old jugs from brocantes,
 they would have been used everyday in the household.

Dried white hydrangea flowers in a brocante find jug.

I am lucky to have a big, deep window ledge in the kitchen.
Its on the north facing wall and was put in by Mr P
 to give us more light.
The old houses don't have windows in their north facing walls.
The depth of the window is because the stone walls are just so thick.

Some of my jugs sit there and I look at them everyday and everyday
 I love them and their simple elegant forms.

Some of the jugs hold seed heads drying and because their forms
 fit well with the simplicity of the jugs.

The sprig of heather was given to me last summer  by the grandson of our neighbour
who lives an amazing chateau, her grandchildren
 normally come for a holiday in the summer.
Its special to me, it was such a lovely thing to do.

I have a few little pots like the salt glazed one in this photograph. I use them for salt and this one is
filled with garlic.



A very grey day here, because we live at the top of the hill above the forest we hold onto the mist, sometimes all day.
Later I will get on with some art work.

Happy New Year and more photographs from Kerjacob at Christmas.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Let us hope that we have seasons again.

Like many of you it would be good to have

 Spring, 

Summer,

Autumn

and 

Winter.

I am especially hoping for a year with good health,

the last two haven't been good for me, however

I am well now and looking forward to a 

creative and happy 2013.

This Christmas

 I have had the time to enjoy putting favourite bits and pieces 

around the house, especially in the lounge which we finished 

a year ago.

I was lucky enough to find these curtains in Emmaus
 ( a French charity ).
I thought they would be the correct size for the doorway in the lounge.
I am delighted with them and how they cheer the room

 these dark wintery days.

               
               







Below are more photographs of the lounge in its Christmas dressing.

Limed beam above the mantle.

Stars of nature and man.

Crowns sitting on some of the books.

Our little tree decorated simple in white and silver.

The fairy sits happily on top of the tree.

I bought these sweet little velvet shoes at a brocante and I
just had to add them to the tree.

We bought this handsome fox some years ago.
This Christmas he's in the lounge with his own crown.
( we don't know if it is a he !!!)

I found the beautiful candle holder and Father Christmas at another brocante.

The star looks like its with the moon
 ( its the reflection of the light )

Each Christmas we always make each other cards. These are this year's.

Mr P made this one from Samuel, Pie and Tortue.
( He did add their crowns on the computer )

I made a little folding book with a message on each page.
It was bound with a grey silk ribbon.

This is the little book unfolded.

This last photograph are the beautiful roses left for us by our neighbour.
Each year Marie arrives early ( whilst we're sleeping ) and leaves
 a New Year gift of flowers for us.

Life at Kerjacob is good.