The Meaning Of Christmas...

I just love everything about Christmas...

I am like a kid in a sweet shop with all the decors and twinkly lights. 

The joy and excitement of bringing the box's of Christmas decors out from the attic space, dusting them off and looking at them all again...testing the twinkly lights to see if they still work!. While decorating the tree in toasty foxy socks and eating a merry Home made mince pie...

We have a Christmas tree that is in a pot this year so it can be given back to local farms and be re-planted for next year. Its a smaller tree and was much easier to fit in the car. I've really thought hard this year to keep everything 'simple' and non expensive. All my decors are from previous years and I have plenty!.

My very clever 'costume designer' Twinny (who before having children worked for Channel 5's costume department and was a textile technician teacher at a 6th form college) made the wonderful elf doll's and Santa as Christmas presents a few years back. It means so much when things are handmade.  Some of the decorations in my box are from my Nanny and Gramps after they'd passed away. some things I really treasure from memories passed. This year our tree is much smaller so a lot of the decors Ive not even taken out the box. 

We as a whole family have decided its little gifts this year, hand made where possible and only spending money on the children. I find as I only have one child and I have a large family with 2 brothers and a twin sister who between them have 7 children!!~ it was getting expensive, so Ive really cut back. I actually find I am getting them more meaningful gifts and things they actually will use rather than just another throw away gift.

Food hampers I do for the parents. I find this really special and picking out things they actually love to eat and drink. I think like most parents they have what they need gift wise and another pair of socks for the men was getting a bit dull. Myself and my partner have birthdays in December, my Lovely Stevie's is next week!.

So we usually plan an outing and a nice meal rather than buying presents I love writing lovely, thoughtful words in a special card and we read them out to each other~ I cried last year when he wrote to me.

Its not gushy or overly romantic, just memories we've shared and a funny story. We end up with happy tears.

To be honest that is what the meaning of Christmas should be about in my 'traditions list'. Loved ones coming together remembering the year that has passed and thanking those who have been there.

  I'm not being a total Scrooge, I buy gifts too.

I have spent more money in charity shops and on the Market this year, doing my bit to help a charity and a local small local business.  And Ive been recycling where possible Ive even made some Christmas wrapping and gift tags from previous Christmas cards. And cleaned out old, pretty glass jars to put sweets in as tree gifts.

A lot of the Christmas cards on my shelves are ones I've had for years...'Ones Ive got myself.'..

Actually I haven't even started giving out cards yet, usually I do it around my birthday nearer to Christmas.

This time of year our cottage on the edge of Dartmoor is so cosy and snuggly and magical...

I love the early evenings turning the twinkly lights on. 

I love looking around our local little market town...The shop displays are so beautifully festive.

We have had some rare sunshine between the showers~ I keep saying 'please do not snow' until I'm back from my travels. Really looking forward to seeing my father this Christmas...

' Merry Christmas to you and yours'...

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I doubt i'll have much more time left to write a blog posting until after Christmas, Its all a mad rush leading up to Christmas with work, School, family gatherings and general seasonal stuff.

My little Etsy shop (link in sidebar) will be open until 15th December xx

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This is BBC Folk Christmas video...Me and my Mother watched it a few years ago...Its just so traditionally olde English songs...We loved it...I hope you do to.

Especially on a cosy evening with a Mulled wine...and a mince pie of course...Enjoy!!!!

Things made of Fairy tales and cats...

I seem to have been very busy lately, creativity flowing and Christmas around the corner...Its given a push in the right direction...Also I have decided to do a 'Solo' trip to London then on to the East Anglian Coastline to spend Christmas with my Father. I'm anxious about the journey alone. But its my free week over the Christmas period and I have a wonderful, Loving and truly 'fantastic' partner who's been happy to look after the family while I'm away. I feel bad for Sophia though, But she does understand how much Gramps needs me and my Mother, Stevies Mother and the rest of the family will spoil her while I'm away.

Its actually taken a huge weight off my shoulders knowing my father will not be on his own at Christmas. He cannot do the 6 hour journey to Devon, So I'm doing it instead. Saving up my pennies as we speak.

I can decorate his apartment, make a roast and play festive songs and hopefully jolly life up a bit for him after all his intense cancer treatments. But most of all I need a Daddy hug.  So that has been a huge positive in Life  lately...I'd been suffering badly with depression (I think its been all the worry).  I've also had some good sales in my Esty Shop, So all in the piggy bank for travel costs!... 

Fairies have landed in the cottage...I've been using Vintage post cards and images of butterflies and moth wings to decorate...I will be adding glitter after my next trip to HobbyCraft. Does anyone else have a Hobby craft near them? Its a fantastic Art and Craft supplies shop...I quite happily spend at least an hour looking around and gathering ideas in my head. Usually have to do the food shop first otherwise Id have nothing left for food after filling my trolley with art, craft supplies.  I think i'm turning into that Crazy Cat Lady...As All my inspirations to do with Illustration and craft have been to do with Cats...(Soon to be added to my Etsy Shop Link in side bar)...The adverts are filling up with Christmas advertisements already!!...and I noticed quite a few poeple on Instagram putting decorations and tree's up!??... eeeekkkk! Thats a bit too soon I think. 

Though, Christmas is in all my illustrations at the moment (well, need to get things printed up!).

The Photographs of the beautiful sky and countryside are around Dartmoor, Kingsbridge, Avon mill...We have had some lovely early evening walks over the weekends mainly...I love the sight of a Sun set on Dartmoor its breathtaking ~ Never could I ever get bored of this view.  The beautiful white Dartmoor ponies that roam freely over moors and woodlands are so friendly here too.  Avon Mill is a small garden centre with gallery of crafts shop, beautiful cafe/restaurant, clothing, gifts, home wares, florists and boutique shops...They had the biggest Pumpkin I have ever seen!.

Little Light shining.... I so Love Kate Bush...her music and voice speaks to my soul...Hope it does yours too.

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Hello November....

The Days seem to be whizzing past my very eyes...Its November already!?

Its been a very wet and windy week. Sophia's come home from school with very soggy socks three days in a row. Have you noticed the 'New' header on my blog?...Its taking me a while to get used to it. I drew the little illustration and then added words via photo editor. I keep messing around with my blog...I am like that in my cottage...always moving furniture, pictures on the walls...ect. Anyway...On a more productive front I've been adding a few more illustrations to my Etsy shop  (I share my shop with my comic artist partner so do scroll down to see all my illustrations for sale).

Last Week end we went for a wonderful walk around Dartington Hall and also had lunch in Totnes, I love the market there and all the shops set on a Devon hill...Wonderful gift shops, vintage shops, art shops, haberdashery, butchers, groceries, florists, vintage and food market, lots of charity shops and book shops. 

A bit of everything really...It has a Camden Market (in London) vibe about the place, arty, creative and relaxed.  Sophia was with her father So it was just a weekend with my partner~ it feels like a 'date' when we go out alone. Just do as we please...mooch about the shops...take time in the gallery space, take in the atmosphere in the Market square...listen to the little band play. Have a bite to eat reading books and magazines. Stevie is a comic artist in his spare time from his engineer job~ So we always get some art supplies in the lovely art shop there...I actually didn't buy anything in the art shop that day which is rare for me and Stevie just got some card stock. On our way back up the hill I got a magazine and a candle (spiced apple). I got some lovely ideas for dolls after seeing some vintage ones...still a work in progress.

I hope you're enjoying the seasonal colours out there this November?...Its a beautiful time of year. All the beautiful spectrum of colours in the leaves and fields. 

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(**New shop listings of prints **)

Pumpkins, Walks and Pinterest...

There is a real chill in the air tonight...Even a frost this Morning...Sophia looked quite cold this Morning stepping out into that crisp, frozen air heading off to School...The sun was out and looked beautiful through the window as I washed up...Its funny how much I miss going with Sophia on the early School run. Now she's at big School she walks alone...its great she has her own independence now and loves meeting up with her friends. But I loved that walk in the early Mornings...and I miss it, sigh. When she was younger I loved looking at the ever changing seasons through the parks. And heading back along the canal...watching the ducks and birds...crossing the bridges taken photographs as I passed the parks sensory garden where lots of wonderful roses grow and vegetable patch. The beautiful colours of Autumnal leaves laying on the paths...And that early morning Sun light through the parks big oak tree's....bliss!. I do still walk a lot...Even though I do have the car now. Stevie Loves walking as much as I do. And we plan our weekends around places we can walk.

Back cosy inside the Autumnal cottage...A few pumpkins from the market square ready for carving out for Halloween...

I've needed a 'Happy' fix this week as my father's health has taken quite a knock due to catching an infection while undergoing his intense cancer treatments and my mind has been full of worry, luckily he has started to turn a corner but we are taking each day as it comes and trying to keep positive and strong for him...He cracked an old joke on the phone this morning and it made me laugh and think he must be feeling a bit brighter to do that! Yay...To take my mind off everything my go to visual fix is Pinterest, kazzyloves (click to view).

In the evenings when I have some spare time I love looking for Seasonal inspirational boards...Do you have a Pinterest account? Let me know the name.  Autumn really does it for me its my favourite board on there...

I adore, love and have a serious case of the wanties for that corduroy green jacket and woolly mittens...And dreaming over the little white house at the end of the garden...And my Pumpkin carving never turns out like the white painted pumpkin below...

(please look up original source on Pinterest.com, some photographs my own)

Myself and Stevie over half term while Sophia had 4 days with her father had a Autumn Comic festival in Truro which we sell our artwork and stevie's Comic prints at. And we also went for a few lovely walk around the lanes and village of HarrowBarrow in Cornwall. We met lots of friendly horses in the fields around the lanes.  The sunlight was quite warm that day... 

We also went to the beautiful little town of Ashburton in Devon. I love the Vintage shops there.

I've also been working on Christmas Drawings in pen and ink for my Etsy shop...I will show you in my next posting. Do check out my Etsy shop in link on sidebar.  Its lovely that my 'new' Well being prints were popular on Etsy , my Instagram and facebook...So I've had a quite a few trips to the post office to send off my prints to customers...I'm saving the money for travel expenses to see my father every little bit helps.

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~~****~~~**** Shop Update ****~~~****~~~

Well, Good evening my lovelies I hope as I type this you are all snuggled up with your loved ones...

Just a little Shop Update...I've been busy adding new art to my Etsy shop (Shop link in sidebar).

I have been trying to add a variety of artwork (all reasonably priced Prints).

I have been thinking a lot about 'Well Being' lately and mental health. It inspired these New illustrations...

( these images have been chopped slightly for Copyright)

I have a dolly in my cabinet and these illustrations came from her face...I've kept them quite simple and seem to have proven popular on facebook and instagram. I have put the details in their cardigans and jumpers...thinking of the fair isle ones I love so much....They are also inspired by my love of the seasons...Christmas with the Angel girl, mushrooms for Autumn, birds nest for Spring and my love of tea and flowers for Summer...I hope you like them too. I am listing them with 'No Shipping Cost' (U.K only), You just pay for the print...As a little gift from me to you.

***** just did a happy skip around the cottage...I'd only just listed them on my new etsy shop and had two sales!!!! 

~~~~ x ~~~ Yipppppeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! ~~~ x ~~~~

I feel like my Illustrations have taken a new and exciting direction this last year...I feel more inspired than ever...Please give me your feed back? I'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas .

I use my Pinterest account to save/pin my fav and inspirational art, photography, home, seasonal, crafts and ideas from all over the internet...It always inspires me to see my boards... Do you have a pinterest account?

(link to Kazzyloves on pinterest in my sidebar)

Thanks for your feed back and lovely messages...

Happy blogging,

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Goosey Fair, Toadstools and a Heron

Our little town next to Dartmoor holds a Goosey Fair in Autumn...Roads are closed and Children from local Schools like Sophia's get the day off (and my partner took the day off work)  during the fair...Its a very long standing tradition here...Obviously when it started many moons ago it was for the local farmers to sell live stock...

It does still have a smaller live animal market on the day.

But over the years (and taking to our elderly neighbour) it has changed quite a bit to a big fair ground comes to town with a ghost train, rollercoaster, merry go rounds, big wheel, stalls with candy floss and big lolly pops, honeycomb treats and all the sweets you could think of... Such a hive of activity ~Lots of outdoor market fairs and the long standing indoor traditional market...cake stands, artwork, pottery, bric'a'brack, books, honey, haberdashery, butchers, fruit and veg, Devon cream teas and pastries. Outside its more aimed for street markets with clothing, bags, christmas gifts, wreaths, flowers, chocolates, sweets, toys. Its a huge event. And great for local businesses.  I just love walking around taking in the atmosphere. Children laughing on the rides and families enjoying time together...We spend most of it in the traditional part of the Live market wondering around taking in the buzz and atmosphere of it all...where you can see all the varieties of geese, ducks, chickens, sheep and horses...Lots of home made cakes, jams, chutneys, honey, artwork from local artists and crafts people.  Enjoying Hot chocolates in the crisp Autumnal day...such a fun event!. Late into the evening you can hear the buzz, music of it all from our cottage windows..Distant joys of laughter.
And boy' my feeties ache...from all the wondering around.

(images of event from above and vintage photo of man with goose from Devon council website)

And I thought I would share our Mushroom guided tour photographs from last Sunday...We had such a wonderful day...The Nature reserve even put all the different varieties of mushrooms on the research table outside the nature reserve hut. It was wonderful to explore. I dont think i'd trust myself in the future to identify the edible ones!~ they can look quite similar some of the varieties. 

After being in a very busy part of the reserve we walked further into the woodlands crossing small wooden bridges over little streams...Sophia was looking at the fallen conkers and collecting beautiful coloured leaves.

We stocked to have a picnic by a bench and next to it was a beautiful poem by Ted Hughes...Its part of the poetry trail there.

Stevie spotted a beautiful Heron by the river...I quickly hid between the long hanging foliage and tried my best to get a photograph of it.  Sophia had a friendly Robin come and eat her crusts.

The Sunlight flooded the woodlands with magical dappled, flickering light...cobwebs looked sparkling in the light and bird song surrounded us.  An elderly couple had the most amazing telescope camera and told us there was a Buzzard on the low hanging branch~ It was amazing watching the Buzzard digest a small rodent.

Before we headed home we drove to the 'Devon guild of craftsmen' gallery...to look around the new exhibition there...Sophia created art work in the creative kids area of the gallery~ it was plates of food. And she made cupcakes with tissue paper, crate paper and embellishments. I looked around the gallery shop so many beautiful, inspiring prints, cards and books...We ended up having tea and cake in the attic cafe there too.

Home and cosy. The nights are really drawing in now...lots of candles burning and shepherds pie in the oven...

I managed to sort a little space with a 'new to me' cabinet~ A studio space. Where I can work away in the evenings and get a little more creative. As I seemed to always end up on the kitchen table. And by the time I got into a craft project or illustration someone's homework needed the table or dinner plates and i'd have to clear it all away again. So just under the attic space Ive made a little corner just for 'ME' ~ Yippeee!.

I was wondering around the garden last night...picking up rotting apples. And on the over hanging foliage on the back fence I noticed ' Hellebore flowers ' .  It must be from next doors garden and seeded in ours this year or carried here from birds or wind.?! . Such a delight!. I'm making the most of this wonderful warming Autumnal sunshine in the garden...By the time Winter arrives We wont be able to use this top part of the hill top garden as the steps are steep and made of flint and slippery during wet periods and icy in frost and snow.

My father's not had the best of weeks with trialling his new cancer treatment. His energy levels and strength seem low and causing him to feel quite depressive and so very tired. I really hate this cancer!. I so wish things will improve. At the moment its just on going 'backwards forwards journeys to London'  Guy's Hospital and the treatment is so intense. The Nursing staff and Doctor's are doing the best they can and I really take my hat off to them. We should all be Thankful for the NHS.

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