Challenge Win and Feeling a Lot Like Christmas

On Left is Renea's beautiful original. On the Left is my interpretation using a vintage First Communion image.

I was extremely excited to learn that I am one of two winners in a Scraps of Darkness forum challenge  where we lift a designer's layout. My entry was the First Communion journal page above right. I blogged about the challenge here. I was hoping to get a better picture of my page yesterday, but it was overcast and rainy, so the lighting was not cooperating.

I have also been  feeling the Christmas spirit. One yearly tradition I have is to begin listening to Christmas music right after Halloween. I know some people complain about celebrations beginning too early, and not having time for a true Advent season.

However, I have long thought that the early yearning for Christmas is all part of the Advent season of expectation and hope and waiting. To me, Advent and Christmas is one of those times of year when the world is, in the words of Celtic traditions, a thin place. "There is a Celtic saying that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller. A thin place is where the veil that separates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive a glimpse of the glory of God."

My art journal plans for Christmas is to join Shimelle Laine's annual Journal your Christmas workshop. It begins December 1. I may attempt to prep some pages beforehand if I have any time. I am so looking forward to this workshop!