Winter Beautiful xo

Right between the Winter Solstice and Christmas, my good Australian friend had family come visit her for the holidays.  The plan was for me to take them all out to see 'winter' on the prairie.  We've had such a very mild winter.  As luck would have it, the night before we went out had a thick fog just full of moisture in the air.  It stuck to everything, and we ended up with a world coated in hoar frost the next morning!  How lucky for the Australian visitors!  I decided Beaver Creek Conservation area would be the best since there's a lot of trails through trees there - things for the frost to stick to.  Last year we spent the morning at Cranberry Flats.

As we drove up to the parking lot, I was thoroughly fulfilled by the fields and grasses!  (You know me... who needs trees?)  The grasses and seed heads were gorgeous.  It looks like thick icing sugar dusted on everything,  People love to take pictures of this dead tree that just won't fall over.  lol

Truthfully - the above photo was taken on our way out, after the daylight had filled the air.  The first photos were so dark and so blue before the sunrise.  It was almost spooky!

There was really no colour besides grasses and the peeled back bark.  The chickadees were out full force and followed us where ever we went.  Here's my friend with her guest waiting for the birds to come and land (which they did).

It was so very fun that morning.  On the way back out, OH MAN!!  That field just made me SO happy.  ; )

Once we got to the city again, the sun came out at the sky turned blue.  The guests went out again for more photos.  It was never ended change of scenery.  It was magical.

Wonderful.  AND THEN...  my friend introduced me to some photo filtering apps. These is so great, and gives me so many ideas...

and THIS!  ...

Isn't that cool?  My husband hates it because it's a 'fake painting' so to speak.  Still... I spent hours putting loads of images through it.  My dog - trees - fields - sunsets - lakes.... so fun.  : )

I hope your holidays were lovely and memorable.  All the best to you and yours,

Sunday Snapshots

While I was out delivering art on Friday, I had my camera with me!  I found some really great patterns.  We have a bit more snow now... but check it out!  Someone's confused.

nah.  don't feel like it.

This next image had some great patterns.  The snow really helped show off the directions of the branches.  It looks amazing LARGE but this size is blog size.  Sorry!

This is terrific, isn't it!?  There's lots of yellow out there with the snow so thin.  I adore the patterns in there.

The next photo is set in black and white.  I really love it.  With the snow, all that's left resembles ink drawings, don't you think?

You might find this boring, but I got pretty thrilled over these kinds of scenes as well.

The palette is so soft and the lines are so fine.  The last four images are amazing to view large.  They don't do nearly as much when they are small, but that's how they fit the blog.  You'll just have to trust me on that. : )

One last image... I thought this was a cool angle.

Then the wind started to bite and I headed home, very happy.

xo

Happy Sunday!

This Winter on the Prairie

(*This one is for you Joy! *)

Winter has been exceptionally mild and very bright and sunny.  We had our first dump of snow last week and it hardly shows anymore.  As you drive down the highway, you can still see GREEN.  It's very unusual.  Still, we've enjoyed a little bout of sledding and lots of lovely hikes in the fresh winter air.  On Sunday, I visited my mom.

There is a lot of yellow and blue out there.  And brown - it looks much like spring.  We drove north to Jackfish Lake and enjoyed a dinner of Elk and turnips.

little cell phone pic

The lake is covered in snow and frozen a bit, but I don't think you'll see anyone out on it.  It's not nearly cold enough yet.  The low winter sun is so lovely.  The shadows are long and the whole house is lit right through with sunshine.  Here's a picture at 2:30 in the afternoon so you can get an idea of what it's like.

We are enjoying the mild weather so much!  We spent a couple hours outside playing without mits.  It's really great.  My daughter brought her sled and went down a hill of leaves.  Oh well... it worked!  : )  In the bush, I could find more snow underfoot.  This was pretty - the crystals were so big.

And then by quarter to six, the light was gone and we hit the road for home.

Enjoy winter.  It's such a beautiful season.  : )

Sunday Snapshots

While we are on the topic of diagonals...

I like the way the sky mirrors the lines in the landscape.

So much grass to be seen!  We certainly do not have a lot of snow this year.

my dog and my man at Sutherland Beach

There's still so much earth and tail-end of autumn to capture out on the prairie.  I really love plants in winter.  I'm noticing the embellishments in my left sidebar on the blog.  'End of Autumn'.  The colours are spot on!  : )

Hmmm.... I wonder what the ground hog(s) will tell us this year?!  : )

Happy Sunday to you.

Things I Love Thursdays

I love winter.  I love the colours and the textures.  I love the sparkle.  I love the silence.

I love the elegant sunrises and sunsets we've been enjoying.  They've inspired a lot of new work.

I love the softness of this new set.  The ones I made last summer were vibrant and full of funky commercial prints.  These are full of hand dyed pastel coloured fabrics my pal Dahn custom made for me.  We barter.  I have amazing fabrics from her and I love to look for wee pieces to cut out that would be perfect on a postcard.  I love the challenge of finding just the perfect little parts.  There are four fabrics layered on this next one.  I love the hint of clouds placed so low.  I think this next one is my favourite out of this batch.

p.s.  I have a monitor that is not colour-set properly, so please let me know if they look more grey or yellow or pink to you.

If you happen to love postcard making, there's a flickr group I put together here for anyone to join.  There's a tutorial up in my tabs across the tops of the blog.  And there's postcard supplies here.  

Have a great Thursday!

Happy New Year - The Sun is Shining

Now that the dust of 2014 has settled, I'm completely shocked to face the fact that it is already January!  What on earth happened to 2014?  Last I knew, I was building my new dream studio with the pleasure of knowing i would be creating in it all through the winter.  I would have the WHOLE entire winter!  Then I spent October to Christmas trying to sell my home.  The dust indeed is settling.  I have been wrapping my head around the notion that I am staying.  I am staying!  It's mine - and now where did I stash everything to make way for all those open houses and last minute showings?  !

Dusting things off, putting things back, rooting back where I began to uproot...  it's hard to trust the process.  It's a but like waking from a good dream, and then trying to relax enough to pick up where that dream left off.  I hope if I can let down my guard and settle back in.  I want that dream back!  Do you know what I mean?

So after much rearranging and setting up again, I began a new batch of Prairie Postcards.  They are all pretty pinks and white and blue watercolour washes of winter landscapes with bits of twinkle.  They are the softest, gentlest landscape postcards I've ever made.  I hope to show you them soon.  The still need a bit of tweaking before they are complete.

And in other news...  we woke up to a beautiful sunny day.  It's clear as a bell and colder than ever!  MINUS 50 Celcius with the windchill!  Some of my windows have been painted over night by good ol' Jack Frost.

Have a sunshiny Sunday everyone.

Things I Love Thursday

Yes, it's been DAMN cold lately.  I was sick of winter for the first time in my life... but it seems to have completely passed.  Everything is SUNNY SUNNY SUNNY.  There are rainbows in the sky around the sun each morning.  How can I not step outside and smile?  I have been having such an amazingly enjoyable time outside.  I love sunshine.  I don't love heat.  So it's all good.  Minus 20C is highly enjoyable again.

I love walking my kids to school every morning.  My daughter won't, but my boys still hold my hand.  My middle kid will eveb kiss me good-bye at the backdoor in front of his friends.  No one teases him.  In fact, they look a little heart warmed by it.

I love how tall I look here.  haha.

I love the blue!  Blue sky (look at all the shades), and blue winter shadows.  I cannot tell you how this brilliant sun lifts my spirits!  The fresh cold air reminds me that I am alive.  It's a wonderful energy.

'sun dog'

Buddy and I walk around the park, breathing it all in.  I miss my morning walks.  I am glad I have this guy to get me motivated.  I get back home totally refreshed and ready to go.  : )  Thank you for that Buddy!  Now I shall sit and stitch by the window.

Things I Love Thursdays

I love stitching,

and winter,

and white,

and a combination of those three.

Sedna's dress, detail

i love stitching snow and beading ice.

Yay!  Wait... What's that?  Do you hear that?  I think I can hear Karen Ruane all the way from the U.K. shouting, "Whoopee!  It's about time!"  lol  That's right, the Winter Dress is on it's way to becoming a reality...

Things I Love Thursday (and winner announced)

There was a beautiful sun-shiny morning outside, and I could see a HUGE grey sky rolling in.  So packed up the kids and headed out to Grasswood & Valley Road south of town to catch the light before it was gone. 

 

I love that one.  I may change my banner to that. We'll see.  What do you think?  I went out looking for winter scenes to put to fibre.  Here are some birches in the sun for only a few moments more...

I love this next one.  I like views like this.  It happens whenever I have the horizon down low in the photo.  It curves up at the edges.  I love how expansive it is... such a BIG sky.  I have an almost identical version of this taken in August.

Oh my goodness.  The things I love.  I feel so anchored to this land and so freed by this sky. 

I could 

stare 

 at  

 that  

  forever. 

But you want to know who gets the two magazines from the giveaway?  I drew the numbers 13 and 14.  Congratulations to you both! #13 - Wendy/It Is What It Is, and #14 - Sherri/speedyqltr.  All I need is your mailing address and they will be sent tomorrow.  mysweetprairie at gmail dot com. 

Take care everyone!!

~Monika
enjoying her day off!

Fabric Give-Away!

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It's snowing again.  

This time, hopefully it will stay!  Isn't it pretty!???

 

You know I'm pushing you to say 'yes' ?  : )  

I love winter. 

Just to cheer you up, I'm giving away four fat quarters 

of Moda fabric in winter blues & soft greens.   

I think they would be great for some lovely holiday project.

I love winter so much in fact, that we celebrate it.  

We open our gifts after supper on the longest night of the year, 

and go see the sunrise VERY LATE the morning after.  

From then on, the daylight grows longer.   

Until then daylight hours shorten.  

Needless to say, we sleep a lot in winter. 

To enter, leave me a note about anything you love about winter.  

It can be an outdoor activity, a cookie recipe, a tradition, your favorite sensation...

  

My random number generator will select a winner on Monday.

You have until midnight on Sunday, November 14, 2010.

(Hive members, please come straight to the blog and leave your entry 

here, otherwise you might get missed.)  Good luck everyone!!

Have a great and productive Tuesday!

~Monika

sewing in Saskatoon   

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