I’ve been wanting to visit the Huntington in San Marino ever since I stumbled upon it (online) in my quest for wedding locations last summer. (It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since then!)  The Huntington was out of our price range but still remained a place of interest; what I found most intriguing was their scholarly library.  I’m not sure what it takes to qualify but not just anyone can go in and start poking around the old books.  Luckily for the rest of us, there are beautiful art exhibits (permanent and changing), architecture and expansive gardens.  My husband and I went over the weekend and I must say, we fell in love with the place!   I felt like we were on vacation, in a land far, far away.  If we lived in the area I would seriously consider getting a yearly membership.  If you are ever in SoCal or are a local you must visit.

I took a ton of photos and have included some highlights here:

I came away with my one required souvenir, the sweetly illustrated Kate Greenaway’s Mother Goose which you can get on Amazon (but it would be so much better if you visited the Huntington gift store instead).

New watercolor paper.  I normally use off-white hotpress (I love it for detailed work) but I stumbled upon this more textured, ecru-colored stuff that tickled my fancy.  Perhaps it’s this new paper, with its darker tone, that gave rise to Felix’s moody mix of murky green hues.  I’m not sure he’s finished but if not, he’s close.

Felix is actually a cheery example of a 8-armed fellow and surprisingly modest too.  He wears his medals with pride but doesn’t like to brag about his feats of strength.  He can be a little vain, however, and takes care to regularly groom his short golden locks (which, as you might imagine, can be quite challenging with a life underwater!).

Where the Cardinals Sleep; 8.5 x 11 watercolor on paper

This is one of those pieces that had a very humble beginning.  I’m acquiring a much better habit of sketching to just draw and see where that takes me.

The other night Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow was on TV and with hot chocolate in hand (seems like there’s almost always hot chocolate involved any task I do!) I drew this lass, a cardinal friend.  Can you see references to the movie?  I think they kind of snuck in there unconsciously.

This watercolor and its sociable birds remind me of the time when I was younger…I was outside on my parents’ porch while my mom watered her garden.  The birds always liked to come by when she was doing this, perhaps because the fresh water was so much better than any standing pools they could find.  A house finch flew down from the birch trees and landed on my arm, Sleeping Beauty-style.  I was in a state of delight and concern for I had never experienced an encounter such as this – was this bird really friendly or was she trying to tell me something?  She looked at me and chirped and hopped from side to side a bit.  She jumped onto my shoulder just before tweeting her good-bye and flying back up into the trees.

I hope everyone’s week is off to a good start!   This past weekend was nice and chilly and I spent a lot of time knitting for the holidays (a certain nephew needs a hand-knit stocking for his first Christmas).  Anyway, I have a little gift for you…

I’m giving away a bunch of “Our Tree Dresses” holiday cards!   A blank card for you to keep or use.

Instead of selecting 1 winner for a big prize I’ve decided to have a lot of little prizes for many of you this year.

SO, here’s how it works:

• Leave a comment: You don’t have to say anything in particular BUT I would love to know what you’re looking forward to this season. It could be holiday or non-holiday specific!
• Make sure the email address you enter is correct.  I’ll collect the emails and send you all a message (from dearliette {AT} gmail {DOT} com) at the end of the giveaway.
• Reply back with your mailing address.  (Don’t worry, your personal info is safe with me and won’t be sold, distributed, etc.)

The giveaway closes Sunday night, November 22th OR when I run out of giveaway cards, whichever happens first.  One card per reader; open to everyone.

Happy Commenting!

Update: Silly me, as Tracey kindly pointed out, I never mentioned what I was looking forward to this season!  Two every exciting things are happening: 1) My husband and I are celebrating our marriage (Reception #2) with my in-laws and 2) My dear little nephew’s first Christmas!