Advent Tags 5 to 8 & Mermie Grandees ATC

Last night I made 4 more Advent tags.....It's a shame the photos don't glisten and sparkle as the real things do!

A purple Grungeboard swirl

A boyfriend for Mildred and Dot.... they'll have to fight over George in his Gingerbread "House"!!

A blaze of stars

A cluster of hearts

Mermie Grandees

Now a ginormous thanks go out, as I am lucky to have received a tiny unique piece of handmade art from Donna a lovely blogging buddy. This talented, generous, young woman has set herself a major task to make 50 individual ATCs for her blog followers, and what's more, the lucky recipients are asked to challenge Donna to produce whatever subject they select. Click here to take a look at her blog to see some more on her side bar link.

 My choice was to have a mini portrait of my three precious grandees as mermaids, (mermaids are one of Donna's favourite subjects... mermies she calls them!). This is the beautiful hand painted water colour I received and I am so thrilled with it. She has even given the eldest littl'un her golden curls! I can't wait to show this to the children and their parents and I'm sure I will have to create a story to go with the picture! Thanks again Donna for such a special gift.

We had a lovely day out today in Southport, ..... sunny and crisply cold. We had a good walk along Lord Street which is a boulevard of shops covered with a Victorian glazed, filigree, wrought iron canopy and we also went down to the promenade on the sea front . The joke is in Southport, that although it is a seaside holiday town, the sea never comes in!! People joke that they went for a paddle in Southport.... if they do it's a VERY long walk to the sea!!

The Wayfarer's is in full splendour for Christmas with some beautiful decorations and trees in this lovely Victorian Glass Arcade. I love to see old places like this kept in good repair and treasured.