Hi Friends,

Hello from very chilly Scotland!  It is currently -3C outside and very frosty and about -7C inside the house (I have no heating).  My lovely aunt passed away recently and her funeral was on Friday.  We will all miss her very much, but my cousins will miss her so much more, it is so hard when someone has been in your life for your whole life, there is such an absence, a hole that cannot be easily filled.  I know this from losing my own mother two years ago.  Anyway, in case you don’t read the whole post, in answer to some of the questions from last week about my reading habits:  the secret to “reading” so many books is AUDIOBOOKS. So technically I’m not reading them but someone else is reading them to me. There are many places to get audiobooks cheaply or free, including the library.  It’s a great way to get things done whilst also enjoying great books.  Win win. Also happily, this little girl is on the mend!  I’m optimistic that she will be back to her usual self very soon, which is a great relief in many ways.

So that’s good news, however I am now running about two+ weeks behind with everything else as I had to drop everything to take care of her (wouldn’t have it any other way obviously, just saying).  I planned to join in a few things this month – Art Journal Advent, Care December, Dephemerember etc, but I haven’t even started any of those apart from watching the videos so far, because I have an urgent need to get my xmas cards made and my overseas cards and packages posted (international deadline was yesterday!)  I’ve made a dent in the making but there is still a lot to be done and I just can’t drop everything to do some mindful/fun art journalling as that would not be fair on everyone else in my little book group who have already posted theirs to me.

Before I forget, here’s my cat mum mug for Tea Day, still using it and still eating baked oatmeal/porridge for breakfast, especially now that weather is so cold – it was -3C last night!!!!  Yes I still have no heating, you probably remember this from last year when I also had no heating, but it can’t be fixed and has to be replaced and costs $$$$ so another winter/whole year with no heating and no hot water is just how it is until I can afford to do something about it.  At least the toilet is fixed.  Prior to that a friend said “wait, you have no heating, no hot water, and no flushing toilet? You may as well go live in a tent in the wilderness.”  She’s not wrong lol.

Today’s Art . . .

Today’s art is a sneak peek of one of the cards I’ve been making.  There is a lot of die cutting required for this and I am making more than one of them so, there’s a lot of fiddly little bits of paper flying everywhere at the moment and the floor is covered in it.  It’s a shadow box card that actually does fold flat quite well for posting, just hope they survive the journey once I get to posting them.

Happy Mail . . .
Also I have some happy mail, a friend was visiting Whitby in Yorkshire, and sent me a postcard, because of the connection to one of my favourite books – Dracula by Bram Stoker. Stoker visited Whitby and was inspired by the gothic architecture of the Abbey and the rugged coastline, and included both in his book.

Currently Reading . . .

I am currently reading this book which is the second book in a series, and set in Iceland.  Since it’s so cold at the moment – did I mention it was -3C last night, I thought I would read something to warm me up haha.  I just finished the first book Snow Blind, and now on to this one.  Not a festive book but all that snow…

Ari Thor Arason is a local policeman who has an uneasy relationship with the villagers in an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland–where no one locks their doors.

The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by a murder. One of Ari’s colleagues is gunned down at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves a new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik. It becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all.

2022 BOOKS SO FAR – 79

Let me know what you think in the comments.   As always, thanks for reading!

Ingredients

mixed media paper, watercolour paper, glue,

Challenges

Art Journal Journey – Collage or Food & Drink
Altered Book Lover 
– T Stands for

22 Awesome Comments (btw comment moderation is on)
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mae
mae
December 7, 2022 1:13 pm

Is it really MINUS 7 degrees in your house! That’s terrible, totally pipe-freezing. I hope you can at least get a space heater somehow.

best…mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Kate Yetter
December 7, 2022 2:33 am

Your cards are so pretty and delicate!
I agree about the audiobooks. You get so many more read because you can multi-task. Some people say it doesn’t count as reading but I disagree.
I am so sorry about your Aunt.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Carola Bartz
December 6, 2022 11:48 pm

I’m sorry that you lost your aunt, and you are certainly right that the people who have been with us for our entire life leave a big hole in our life when they are gone. This is how I feel about my parents.
Good news about Miss Lily and I also hope that very soon she will be her old self.
No heating? OMG – how do you stay warm? That would make me very unhappy, I hate to be cold.
I think your Christmas cards will look very pretty. Happy T day to you!

C J
C J
December 6, 2022 11:03 pm

You’re a better man than I, Gunga Din. I wouldn’t be able to tolerate the cold. So glad to hear you kitty is doing better. Your Christmas cards are gorgeous! May your Auntie’s memory be a blessing. I hope the weather warms up a little bit for you. Happy T Day

deb
deb
December 6, 2022 9:57 pm

I’m so sorry to hear of your Aunt Elle. I do know that empty feeling. Now just let me say.. ‘NO HEATING!!’ My goodness.. i don’t know how you do it. AND no hot water.. I think your friend is right.. it does sound like camping.. I hope the tide turns in your favor soon dear.. Happy T day! Hugs! deb
PS. Oh and so good to see Ms Lily!

Kathy
Kathy
December 6, 2022 7:40 pm

Good morning, I am so happy to read your kitty is feeling much better. so sorry for your loss-hugs
I had tried the audio books in the past but they always put me to sleep lol and they are quite expensive too, hadn’t thought of the library-but living rural the libraries are quite a drive away for me. I do buy allot of kindle books, and real books too-easier fo me.
I am in Love with your cards! they look amazing
It’s sometines hard to find the time to do everything we want to do Happy T wishes

Bleubeard and Elizabeth
December 6, 2022 7:11 pm

It seems we have said good-bye to a couple of loved ones this week. My sincere sympathy for the loss of your beloved aunt. I realize no words can really express how I feel, but still . . . .

I’m like you. I normally have my Christmas tip-ins out the door by the 1st and my cards a day after that. I haven’t even thought of a design for my cards yet! Not fiddly and die cut like your, though, of that I am sure.

If you are listening to books, don’t you need a device specifically for the books? I remember when we had books on tape. Not so anymore.

SO glad Miss Lily is better. I bet that helps your pocketbook, too. I read what Erika asked about frozen pipes. I have a rule where the temp must be at least or below ZERO F for me to turn on my heat. I drip water into buckets and use the water on my plants.

Thanks for such a sweet post today, Elle. Still loving your Cat Mum mug. Thanks for joining us for T this Tuesday, dear friend.

Valerie-Jael
Valerie-Jael
December 6, 2022 6:37 pm

Hi Elle, so sorry to hear that your dear aunt died, I’m sure you are all very sad. Your cards are wonderful, as always, your work is beautiful. I read every evening when I go to bed, but during the day I listen to my books when I am arting or working and it’s a wonderful way to enjoy books. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

Jo - Let's Art Journal
December 6, 2022 5:46 pm

So sorry to hear about your loss, it’s extra hard this time of year and I feel for you as it’s nearly a year that my dad passed away ??. I’m so pleased to hear that Miss Lily is getting better, wishing her well ?. Loving your advent calender and Christmas die cuts – gorgeous! Take care and sending you Happy T Day wishes! Hugs Jo x

Nicole/DVArtist
December 6, 2022 2:35 pm

Hi Elle, so sorry for your loss. It is a day by day process to get over. Hmm why don’t you have any heat? That is just too cold for me. Your cards are just beautiful. Try to get warm.

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