Posted in Art & Design, Traditions & Superstitions, Uncategorized, tagged art, design, traditions on December 23, 2017| 14 Comments »
This was one of the RSPB Christmas cards I sent out this year – it’s Twilight’s Keeper by Dawn Maciocia. Click on the image to go to the RSPB website…
After a hectic few weeks in my new job at County Hall and spending all my spare time writing Christmas cards and letters, it’s time to sit back and admire all the cards we have received this year. Here are just a few of the charity-card designs that caught my eye. As usual, click on the image to go to the source. (more…)
Posted in Art & Design, Traditions & Superstitions, Uncategorized, tagged art, design, halloween, traditions on October 27, 2017| 4 Comments »
Halloween cat by Alina Kurbiel
It will soon be Halloween. At this time of year in the past I have looked for images of Jack o’ lantern and Will o’ the wisp, owls, cauldrons and skulls. This time I decided to choose some images of black cats, believed by some to be witches’ “familiar spirits” or animal guides. Click on each image to find out more about the source. (more…)
Posted in Art & Design, Traditions & Superstitions, Uncategorized, tagged art, design, traditions, winter on December 24, 2016| 25 Comments »
This was the main card I sent out to people this year, although thinking about it I’m not sure what makes it Christmassy – Moongazing Hares by Dawn Maciocia for the RSPB rspb.org.uk
As usual I wish you a Merry Christmas with some of my favourite designs from the cards I have received this year. They are all charity cards so click on the images to go to the charity websites. (more…)
Posted in Art & Design, Traditions & Superstitions, tagged art, design, traditions, winter on December 24, 2015| 12 Comments »
Art for Susan Hill’s story Can it be True? by Valerie Greeley and used on a card by Oxfam
As usual I wish you a Merry Christmas with some of my favourite card designs from those I have received this year. Click on the images to go either to the artist or the charity’s website. (more…)
Posted in Traditions & Superstitions, tagged traditions on December 24, 2014| 21 Comments »
A long-tailed tit features in this Christmas card designed by Sue Waddicor for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)…
I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas with a few of my favourite festive cards from charities this year. I sent out the one above to many people – and I received the same one from someone else, too. It’s a lovely long-tailed tit in a berried wreath – the berries look like mistletoe (very translucent like pearls) and perhaps snowberry (Symphoricarpos). And the leaves are a bit autumnal, very appropriate with our British winters starting later and later these days. See the RSPB website: rspb.org.uk.
Then there are my favourites from the cards I have received…
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Posted in History, Traditions & Superstitions, Uncategorized, tagged archaeology, art, design, halloween, traditions on October 31, 2014| 15 Comments »
Cauldron cake by The Cake Store – click on any of the images in this blog post to find the sources
As it’s Halloween, I thought I would take a look at the witch’s cauldron in history and myth. It turns out that as well as being an ancient household cooking vessel and a witch’s potion pot, the cauldron has been a mystical symbol of life and, in some stories, an instrument of death…
Posted in Art & Design, Traditions & Superstitions, Uncategorized, tagged design, traditions on December 20, 2013| 4 Comments »
Shiny! Pandora bangles seem to be all the rage this Christmas…
This is a sudden post. And all because there was a long queue of people through the door of a shop in Cardiff the other day and I was surprised to find it was the Pandora jewellery shop. The ideal Christmas gift for young and stylish women?
Very shiny, quite expensive, needing no thought at all, or maybe too much thought, (more…)
