News & Updates from Wanda Lipski · Page 14
Well large swathes of France anyway. The photo was sent by a cousin who is doing a lot of sloshing about - and without a glass of wine in her hand!
Were sitting pretty since we live at 700m above sea level, although when we moved into this house I did find myself ankle deep in water in one of my cellars before we discovered that there was a pump and a well/reservoir inside the house.
So our hearts go out to our wetter cousins while we stay warm and dry. Ive been busy playing with animals this week and I hope you enjoy my latest creations featuring photos of animals inside their silhouettes.
If youd like a particular animal featured in one of these cards, then just drop me a line and Ill see what I can come up with.
Stay dry and ENJOY!
Last year I took a photo of hubby standing outside in the snow with a cake for 40, as we had to cancel his birthday bash due to the highly inclement weather conditions.
This year (his 76th) went much better and he was able to enjoy his granddaughter here shown helping him blow out his birthday candle (yes its a tea light ...
I had nothing else to hand). As we hadnt seen his family over Christmas we had to keep all the decorations up until we could celebrate Christmas and his birthday !!!
Nina loved the crackers ... they dont do crackers here in France and wore her hat throughout lunch.
I had a bit of difficulty translating the jokes for her though. Ive been busy creating a lot of very soft feminine cards this week, so watch out for them as I put them up.
Here are a couple of my other recent creation, so ENJOY !
We all know how the French pride themselves on being the cradle of gastronomy, and they just love the opportunity to get their teeth into something tasty.
The tradition for the 6th January is to share the Galette des Rois - the kings cake.
Traditionally made of puff pastry filled with almond frangipane our local patissier makes the best I have ever eaten. The cake is divided up into the same number of parts as there are guests around the table, the youngest guest goes under the table and says for which person each slice is to be given.
Inside the cake are two porcelain subjects (highly collectable) - a large one that designated the king and a smaller one to designate his queen who are then duly crowned and celebrated with alcohol.
Its a great tradition ! Yum. No cakes in my offerings for you this week, but ENJOY and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you ALL !
The city of Lyon has venerated the Virgin Mary since in 1643, the notables of the city promised to dedicate the city to her if she spared them from the plague.
The 8th September became her day.
When in 1852, the city commissioned a statue of the Virgin to watch over the cit y and to be erected atop the Basilica of Fourvière, it was only natural that it should be inaugurated on the 8th September.
But the weather was not with them and the inauguration was pushed back to the 8th December, feast of the Immaculate Conception.
People in the city lit small candles and placed them all along their windowsills.
The tradition continues, not just in Lyon but in the whole region and the 8th December is the start of Christmas celebrations in this corner of France.
The photo (from last year) shows the brilliantly illuminated basilica, because the original celebration has turned into a 4-day festival of lights that draws millions of visitors from around the world.
As you are reading this, I am busy lighting all the candles along all my (12) windowsills along the front of the house … Have a very happy start to the Christmas season and I hope you enjoy these two of my latest designs.
In our case, the small zoo of Saint Martin la Plaine in the Loire, where my son, his wife, hubby and I took ourselves as part of my 60th birthday bash!.
In this lion enclosure there was a sort of glass pod, so that you were actually in the cage with these wonderful felines.
I couldnt believe just how well this photo came out. There was a weak sun filtering through the chilly autumn day and those few rays of sunshine have picked out the fur of this leonine pair.
Just love them !!!
Staying on an animal theme Ive got some pandas for you and a very recent in the doghouse card, that should have you immediately forgiven for any peccadillos, like missed birthdays.
ENJOY!