Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hoping you are having a lovely Christmastide.
Remembering all of those we love and those we lost and will always love in 2010.

And looking forward to what is to come in 2011.

We're here on Cape Cod visiting Lou and Barb. The Corgis are having a great time, too!

Wishing you all the most wonderful days to come in the New Year.

With all my love, Cathy xo xo

E Reading Little Women

"Jo was the first to wake in the gray dawn of Christmas morning. No stockings hung by the fireplace, and for a moment she felt as much disappointed as she did long ago, when her little sock fell down because it was so crammed with goodies. Then she remembered her mother's promise and, slipping her hand under her pillow drew out a little crimson-colored book. She knew it very well, for it was that beautiful old story of the best life ever lived...." Beginning of Chapter 2, A Merry Christmas, from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I have a sneaking suspicion that Santa might bring a couple of E Readers here to the Santarsiero household for Christmas, you know, Kindle, Nook and the like. I downloaded Barnes and Noble's Nook for the PC just to see what all of the fuss was about. If you don't have a Nook you can download and use Nook for the PC right to your computer for free without owning the actual device. There are loads of free books you can get in an instant. I must say that I am impressed. I resisted the notion of ever being able to take pleasure in reading in an electronic format. I love books and glorious magazines. The old fashioned paper kind. I love the feel of them, the smell of them, the way they look stacked up on a shelf or table just beckoning me to take a break and escape into a story. No one that I know loves books as much as my 19 year old daughter, Laura. She is constantly writing and reading. She takes more books out of the library than anyone I know (yet still loathes the Dewey Decimal System) and spends every dime she has on books. She agrees that no electronic device can ever replace a real book for a true bibliophile.

Having said that, last night while The Mister was outside with the cable guy trying to figure out why our internet connection was screwy, I had the Nook version of Little Women up on my computer screen. After a few minutes I felt the familiar presence of Laura reading over my shoulder, drinking a hot cup of tea. I call her the 'grammar nazi' because she is constantly criticizing me when she sees the way I sometimes send out emails or instant messages with no capitalization, punctuation, etc. Homeschoolers! Sheesh! Anyway, even she was intrigued by the E Book. Within minutes she was reaching over my shoulder to get the mouse and clicking on all of the highlighted footnotes and annotations throughout the page to discover more information, definitions, and the like. Very cool indeed. So many of the classics and others are available and for free! I can see what a wonderful resource this could be for students who need to read books for book reports for school assignments.

Anyway, getting back to Little Women, I especially enjoyed the notes in the beginning of the book with the introduction and The World Of Louisa May Alcott. If you love Little Women, check out the Nook version. I think you will enjoy it if you have never read it before. It might come in handy on those snowy Winter days like this!

P.S. Do you love The Pioneer Woman? Who doesn't? Here's a link to a wonderful printer giveaway over on her Tasty Kitchen blog!
Have a happy day, my lovelies!
xo xo ♥ CS

Huzzah! I'm EBSQ's Blogger of the Week!

Thank you to Amanda Makepeace for inviting me to be interviewed for Art Meets Blog over at EBSQ! Wanna see? Pop on over here! ♥ xo CS

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

I dare you not to smile and clap at your screen
after watching this. Be sure to pause my playlist
on the left sidebar before watching! Thank you to my
AHA friend Suzanne for sharing it with me!

Love, Cat xo xo ♥

Dear Piggie

Dear Piggie: What do you suggest we add to the Thanksgiving meal this year for the corgis? What would be their favorite special treat for that day?

Patti Kleven
Lismore Pembroke Welsh Corgis

Dear Patti,

I would suggest you add seats at the table for your corgis, or at very least allow them to sit on your laps in order to fully experience the Thanksgiving festivities!

However, if those seating arrangements aren't an option, then you should definitely make sure they enjoy the feast by sharing ample amounts of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pumpkin pie.

-My siblings and I have never actually been allowed those accommodations, but you can be certain we would enjoy and appreciate the Thanksgiving holiday more fully if provided these luxuries!

Happy Thanksgiving and Bone Appetit!
XO Piggie

Ms. Piggy,

How do you feel about a similarly named corgi in the Emily Carmichael series?

~Angela

Angela Kau

Dear Angela,

It is a great honor to have a corgi named after me in a literary series, especially since this book was written before my time!

XO Piggie

"Ooh Piggy you are so sweet. My dog bounces 5 feet off the ground when she wants to go "OUT" to do her "bizzy bizzy" How do you let your owners know to open the door?"

Wendy Gould

Dear Wendy,

We have our pet humans well trained. They usually leave the back door open for us so we can go in and out as we please; however, they're also familiar with my specific disapproving look (and growl) whenever it's time to go outside.

XO Piggie

Dear Piggie:

When my pet humans come home from work at the end of the day, they are supposed to change into casual clothes and spend the rest of the night at home. However, they sometimes decide to go "out to dinner", or so they say, and this extra coming and going at night disturbs me. How can I discourage this behavior when they should be eating dinner at home like I do?

Sergeant Bobo

Dear Sergeant Bobo,

Pet humans are sometimes difficult to train and have a tendency to misbehave. They should know better than to leave home without our protective supervision.

This situation calls for a detailed team intervention in order to prevent them from leaving. In our household, each corgi has a specific job.
One particular example might be as follows: 1. Piggie loudly alerts the others in regards to the escape attempt; 2. Norah Jones runs interference by trying to trip them on the way to the door; 3. Buzzy Bear acts as a door block (with a very sad expression, of course); 4. Dottie Hinkle sprints out the door as a distraction, forcing them to chase her down, therefore causing such frustration that they give up their escape plans altogether!

Naturally this requires teamwork and cooperation with all involved. This needs to be a well-rehearsed plan, executed with speed and precision, to achieve maximum effectiveness.

Good Luck!
XO Piggie


Dear Piggie,

Why do corgis FRAP?

Love, Carter
Winddancer Inside Track

Dear Carter,

I believe that FRAP is an acronym for Frequent Random Acts of Play, and all corgis need LOTS of playtime each and every day in order to maintain their joyful and rambunctious disposition.

XO Piggie
Send your questions for Piggie to christmascorgi@gmail.com with "Dear Piggie" in the subject line. She stands ready to solve all of your problems. Piggie's fans can peruse her shop for Piggie approved gifts.

Happy Monday, my lovelies! xo xo ♥ CS

Ask Piggie

Good morning, dear reader!

We are pleased to welcome a very special regular guest

here at The Christmas Corgi.

Meet Piggie Von Espie.

Advice columnist extraordinaire.

Her motto: "It's all about me and what you're eating."

Piggie is owned and loved by Tom and Diane Blakeley.

She will be available for taking questions on life, love and daily mayhem from you and your Corgis and other critters.

Fair warning: She may give you her look of disapproval should she need to set you on the straight and narrow path.

Send your burning questions to Piggie at christmascorgi@gmail.com with "Ask Piggie" in the subject line.

Happy Friday, my dear Corgettes! xo xo ♥ Cathy

Quick chili for burgers in my favorite little Le Creuset

Him: "Hey Cat, you know what I could go for?"

Me: "Umm, no."
Him: "A really good burger on the barbeque. Can you make some chili?"
Me: "Coming right up." Hey, he's cleaning out the garage. Huzzah! His wish is my command.
Me: (again, this time to the to the Corgis who amazingly find their way under foot the moment I begin cooking) "Ground beef? Check. Olive oil? Check. Onions, garlic, tomato sauce, tabasco, spices? Check check check check check."

But first things first. I'll need my favorite little cooking pot.

Isn't she beautiful? She knows she is. She also knows that when I enlist her
amazing enamel coated cast iron loveliness that I feel like a cross between Julia Child and The Pioneer Woman. This is a two quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven. The color is called Kiwi. Isn't it cool? I am also in love with the color called Caribbean. The next Le Creuset I buy will definitely be that color. And bigger. I love to mix things up around here. Le Creuset is a little bit spendy, but oh so worth saving up for. It cooks everything evenly, browns beautifully, simmers delightfully and is oven safe. Clean up is surprisingly easy. I always let my pots cool down before washing them. A short soak in warm soapy water and a non-abrasive nylon scrubbie keeps them looking brand new. I never use anything in my Le Creuset other than a wooden spoon. Be good to her and she will be your friend for life.

Now, let's make that chili for The Mister.

Chop a small onion and a clove or two of garlic.

Put a splash of olive oil in your pot.
Remember to tell her
again how much you love her.

On a low flame, slightly brown the onion and garlic in the olive oil.

Add about a pound of freshly ground beef and brown with the onions and garlic. Drain
excess oil if you have any. Lean ground beef = not greasy chili.

You'll need about a tablespoon of chili powder. I also add a pinch of sea salt, a few cranks of
freshly ground black pepper, about a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of dried oregano and a half teaspoon of cumin. Stir in a small can of tomato sauce or use a squeeze of tomato paste with about 1/2 cup of water if you'd prefer. We're not going for chunks of tomatoes and peppers and beans and things and cooking for hours. We also do not want too much liquid. This chili is intended for topping your burger and while the chili should be juicy, we want most of the liquid to eventually evaporate. We're going for flavor and a little heat.

Add a few splashes of tabasco

Add some crushed red pepper flakes for a little more heat.
Just how much you use is a purely personal thing.
The Mister and I like it on the hot and spicy side.

Set your timer for 10 minutes so you won't get distracted if there happens to
be a Hugh Jackman movie on TV.


Give it a little stir every now and then.

That's it! All done. This freezes well too, so you can store the extra if you have any left over, or make a double batch to keep on hand.

Here's John's burger. A simple supper can be perfect when you use the very best and freshest ingredients. A lightly grilled bun, a burger grilled to perfection, white Vermont cheddar cheese, topped with your yummy chili. John will add ketchup to this, and a slice of onion for sure. (After dinner smooches might be iffy...) Maybe a little salad on the side?


Do you use Le Creuset? Which pieces do you have? What do you love to cook in it? If you are even thinking about getting one, I highly recommend it. You will love it today, tomorrow, and always. Cooking.com is where I bought mine, (and lots of other great things.) Their selection is fantastic and I really like their customer service. Fan them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and be the first to hear of great specials Have a wonderful week, my lovelies! ♥ CS

Go Zenyatta!

I get all teary eyed just watching this magnificent, beautiful filly.


Run like the wind, big girl! Be safe and win big at Churchill Downs! ♥ ♥ ♥ xo xo CS

The Watching: A Corgi Puppy's Christmas Surprise

Would you like to help Corgis and get a fantastic Christmas book?

I am so proud to be a part of this lovely tradition. On a personal level, doing my illustrations this year was especially cathartic after losing my beloved Indy and Bridget and her puppies. The story is a complete delight, and my fellow artist friends will enchant you with their work.

Here are the details:

The Watching: A Corgi Puppy's Christmas Surprise

By Millie J. Williams

With original art by Lyn Hamer Cook, Sari Davies, Sue Duffield, Kay Folk, Karen Howell, Kim Hundley, Susan Jacob, Chris Landers, Ginnie Mickelson, Linda Ozelis, Diane Puntenney, Cindy Read, Cathy Santarsiero, John Scarinci, Barbie Sonnett, and Milllie J. Williams

“Everyone has a gift, they told the little corgi puppy called Twice, but hers certainly wasn't singing. Thrown out of chorus practice, Twice found solace with her friend Grandfather Oak and a flock of mismatched birds that he had helped her rescue. But with Christmas coming, Twice soon joined the rest of the corgis and other animals at the Castle in preparing for the Watching. This was the first year Twice would be old enough to attend this mysterious and magical event, so she didn't quite know what would happen in the field far beyond the Castle walls. She had a few secret plans of her own, however!”

The annual version of “The Watching” by Millie J. Williams, usually released for Christmas Eve, has become a tradition in corgidom, enjoyed each year by thousands of readers. The 2009 story―The Watching: A Corgi Christmas Tale―was published to wide acclaim as a beautiful full color paperback book with dazzling artwork. Now we are happy to offer the equally wonderful 2010 book, The Watching: A Corgi Puppy's Christmas Surprise.

This new book will ship beginning December 1, in time for the holidays. Pre-order now to be sure you have your book in time for Christmas. Orders placed before December 1 will receive a bonus bookmark with original Watching artwork.

Coming December 1: A special two-week-only eBay auction of the original art created for The Watching: A Corgi Puppy's Christmas Surprise.

Also Coming December 1: New holiday ornaments from CorgiAid's CafePress store featuring art from The Watching: A Corgi Puppy's Christmas Surprise.

All net proceeds for these books (after printing and shipping) benefit CorgiAid. The books are only $20 each, which includes shipping, so order extras as gifts for all your animal-loving friends, young and old. International orders are $27 each.

Click here to order your copies!

Have a happy day, my lovelies! xo xo Cat ♥

Boo!

A New Christmas Corgi Trinket Box!

Now on eBay! xo xo Cat ♥

~*Bliss*~ New Original Corgi Art!

What brings you bliss? Acting on small little creative sparks are one of the things that bring me bliss. Meet Cinderella. She usually holds tape measures and ribbons and Corgi leashes in my studio. I decided to deck her out for Fall. Who can resist sparkly orange lights and frothy black tulle? Not I. Doesn't she look smashing? She knows she does.

Say hello to my little friend Twiggy who is hanging around in my studio for Halloween. Yes, she has a tinsel boa around her neck. (Don't you judge me!)

Someone really needs to feed her. (hee hee)

Here is Bailey posing with my newest creation. Bailey just turned 14 years old a couple of weeks ago. I think she really misses Indy and Bridget. It makes me sad. Stella and Amy literally run circles around her and I think they make her crazy. They are wicked Corgi imps.

Bailey got prime rib on her birthday. ♥ She said it was pure bliss. Which leads me to my painting. I've entitled it simply "Bliss." It looks like a Corgi full of sheer joy and contentment. A little reminder for us all to seek out that which bring joy to our lives. Or as Tasha Tudor always reminded us, to "Take Joy!"

I have gone from one extreme to the other in creating this piece. What I mean is that usually I work in miniatures and my Corgis are typically about 2" tall. This piece is a BIG one, for me. It is 16" x 20" and I am completely in love with it. What do you think?

Click here to take a peek at the new listing or to place a bid.



Have a fantastic weekend, my lovelies! xo xo Cat ♥

Reinwood Lady Jane

A Bridget granddaughter, daughter of Stella and James, here is "Jane." I hear she is a little imp! Watch for her tearing up the agility ring in the future with Beth and Jon. For now, watch her here in her video debut. Pure cuteness. Mary Elizabeth and I are very proud of these awesome babies. Feel free to press the pause button on the red music box on my sidebar here to listen to Jane's theme song! xo xo ♥ CS
p.s. if you are reading this in
CreatingTheHive.com - Arts & Crafts Community you'll need to actually visit my blog to see the video. For some reason videos don't seem to show up in the imports! Sorry. (insert big sigh here...lol)

Three

This is my baby. OK, so he's really my baby's baby. But I call him my baby.

I also call him my little man, my little munchkin and my cutie pie.

Grandmas can do that.

His parents also call him "Goo" or "Goo Goo" or "The Goo."

We are SO going to confuse this cherubic child.

I just happened to have my mom over on the same day that I was going to babysit for Liam, aka the goo goo munchkin man. It was also his third birthday. We decided to have a little early afternoon mini birthday celebration for him. Complete with little presents and cupcakes.

Yes, he is wearing a pink birthday hat. Sorry, John. It was that or

the Corgis' Christmas reindeer antlers. We went with the pink.



Really? I can open another one? Cool.



Umm, yes, that is frosting on his face.

And these are the coolest markers from Crayola.
They only color on their special paper.
Not on the walls. Or on your clothes. Or your skin.
♥ Awesome. ♥


My mom always decorates her cards with the coolest stickers and things...

We had lots of fun.

Because when you are three, happiness is all about singing Happy Birthday,

blowing out the candles,

the noisiest party horns, and opening the presents.

OH! Yes, and the sprinkles on the cupcakes.

♥ CS

American Holiday Artists Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to "Miccosukee" who the Random Number Generator says is the winner of my Corgi Art prints. Please email me at christmascorgi@gmail.com so I can get your signed art prints mailed out to you straight away. Hopefully there is a way to contact you on your comment!

Remember to visit the AHA Studio Marketplace every month on the 25th for new and exciting artworks by a wonderful juried group of holiday artists. Thank you to everyone who has visited the new site so far and for all of your lovely comments and emails about it. We are all very excited and so happy to be a part of it!

Warmly,
Cathy

Mutiny

The wicked imp Corgis have been removed from the studio so I can work in peace. They are all grounded. They are in separate rooms doing chores and making the house sparkle. Hopefully, they have learned their lesson. I doubt it, but hope springs eternal. Have a happy day, my lovelies! xo xo CS ♥

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn!

It has been quite a miserable Summer around here and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy to see it go. I'm missing my Bridget and Indy terribly. I'm looking forward to Fall and everything that comes along with it. Apple and pumpkin pie season, sweater weather, seeing far away friends, old friends and meeting new friends at the PWCCA National Corgi Specialty, the holidays, and let's not forget less frizzy hair weather. This morning I could tell I would need a sweatshirt because John and I were fighting for the covers and we were surrounded by wee beasties who were trying to snuggle down to keep warm. The Corgis were stirring so I got up to take them out so he could sleep in (a very rare treat for The Mister.) I made some coffee and turned on the computer.

Every once in a while I receive an email from Jane Dewey that I know is going to make me smile. Long time readers of this blog know that her Corgi, "Diva" enjoys dressing up and hamming it up for the camera. Here are a couple of photos of Diva.

Just look at her with that net veil hat.

She knows she looks smashing.

And who else could pull off wearing a spider on her head? Not many of us, I tell you.

And lest you think 'the Diva' is all fluff and glitter,

here is a picture of this little athlete during her MACH run.

Not to be outdone, here is Nelson, another of Jane's Corgis.

He is sporting his Sherlock Holmes outfit.

How can there be so much cuteness in one little body?

Elementary, my dear...

Enjoy this Labor Day, my lovely Corgettes! I hope you are doing something fun or relaxing. I'm finishing up some new original artworks which I'll share with you later on. Give your Corgis a cookie and a big kiss on the nose for me today, will you? xo xo -Cat ♥

Celebrate Tasha Tudor Day with Marjorie Tudor!

The Tudor's expert gardener, Jenna, with Tasha Tudor's last Corgi, Megan.

Megan aka "Meggie" Tudor

Greetings, my lovelies! I am so pleased to welcome you, my dear reader, here this evening! Here at The Christmas Corgi we are celebrating Tasha Tudor Day, on this what would have been Tasha's 95th birthday. I am having a cup of tea in Tasha's honor right now. Earlier today, the power went out, as it often does here in my neck of the woods. Rather than embrace the darkness, I went to get a manicure, complete with bright red nail polish. Not a very Tasha Tudor thing to do, I know. But all of my fellow artists will surely appreciate the few and far between manicures we manage to get. We usually have our hands full of paint and clay and so on and so forth. Tasha was famous for her love of her turkey red tablecloths, so when I look at my shiny red nails (which I'm sure will only last for a day or two) I will think of her.

I am thrilled that Tasha Tudor Day is really catching on, as I truly believe that Tasha was a national treasure. She has influenced me in so many ways. When I was a little girl, I remember seeing Tasha's Corgi illustrations and I thought that Corgis were magical creatures. Now, having lived with them, I know that I was right all along. Tasha had so many fans for so many reasons. Her fan base continues to grow. Some people love her for her art and illustrations, some for her famous green thumb and fabulous gardens, some for her lifestyle. She truly incorporated much of her love and appreciation for the 1800's into who she was, from the way she dressed to her daily life. She did what she loved and as Thoreau said, followed confidently in the direction of her dreams. If you are unfamiliar with Tasha, please spend a little time learning about her. You will be so glad that you did.

I am so happy to have Tasha's dear Daughter-in-Law, and artist extraordinaire, Marjorie Tudor here to share some special things with us on The Christmas Corgi Blog today.

Hello Marjorie!

Here is Marjorie with Agatha Kitty.

Marjorie has been as busy as a bee. She just returned from Northern Vermont to spend some time with her colleagues from Boston Children's Theater, with whom she collaborated on last year's adaptation of The "Velveteen Rabbit." Marjorie said, "I had a fabulous time with Burgess, Toby and Daniel. Burgess Clark is the Executive Artistic Director of Boston Children's Theatre, Toby Schine its Executive Producer, and Daniel Blake the Musical Director. BCT is the oldest theatre of its kind in New England and this past year extended its outreach to young folks in the Greater Boston Area from 800 to almost 10,000. I am so pleased to let you know that "The Velveteen Rabbit" is being relaunched for the upcoming 2010 Christmas season, and Burgess Clark's charming adaptation of this classic children's story includes live actors on stage as well as talented puppeteers. It's a wonderful show, so am very pleased. Boston Children's Theatre is over sixty years old. Burgess Clark and Toby Schine it's Executive Artistic Director and Executive Producer, respectively, are working to make it an international presence, which it already is in Germany. We eventually hope to bring this particular show to Japan. Puppetry is very popular in that country. Here are some photos of my Velveteen Rabbit adventure last year, which involved live actors as well as the eleven puppets I made. Of the eleven, four were the Velveteen Rabbit, one of them old and worn out from being loved up by the Boy. The little girl, Lucy, is holding one of the three Wild Rabbits...very soft and wild looking" said Marjorie.

And here they are!

Who could resist such cuteness?

This is where the magic happens at Marjorie's house.

It is her artistic workspace. Isn't it lovely? Below that is her "trusty

non-electric Singer sewing machine made in Scotland in the fifties.

I love it! A beautiful machine!" says Marjorie.

Among Marjorie's many talents is doll making. Here is one of her dolls, Elsie that she made and just could not part with.

Elsie is a twelve inch doll. She has carved and jointed basswood arms and legs. Her head and chest plate are modeled from Pro Sculpt. She is in the collection of Hannah Tudor Wyman.

Marjorie gives doll study retreats at her home. Classes are small, with two or three students at the most, and it is a two or three day deal. She also gives marionette making workshops. Marjorie said, "I just finished one with a delightful thirteen year old girl last week. We had so much fun, and she made a really lovely doll. I was impressed with her work." We will have to have Marjorie back on the blog to tell us more about this and to share more photos of her other crafts that she has made and some more lovely Tudor family traditions ( I'm thinking maybe Christmastime, Marjorie? )

Happy faces with their cut wool owls.

Students from Japan with their cut wool bunnies.
A marionette workshop student.

Tasha Tudor has done so much over the years to delight Corgi lovers everywhere. One of the most coveted prizes that is given out by the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America's regional clubs is "The Tasha Tudor Certificate" for winning Best of Breed at a Corgi Specialty Show. Tasha was a member of the Mayflower Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club in New England, and it was well known that she was very impressed with anyone who dedicated their life to the protection and welfare of the breed she loved so much. I remember having the opportunity to ask Tasha once what was the greatest number of Corgis that she had at one time. With a twinkle in her eye and and impish look, she said, "Oh, twelve, I think. But one can never have just one Corgi." But, as Tasha headed into the Winter of her years, she did have but one sweet Corgi at Corgi Cottage.

"After Owyn passed away," said Marjorie, "Tasha wanted another corgi, and she wanted to get one from an English kennel. So, I researched and found one (whose name has completely escaped me), which offered pups with super dispositions. Winslow, Amy and I drove Tasha down to Logan airport to pick Megan up. What a little angel she was...and in perfect condition. We were sure the stewardesses had pampered her on the flight over. Tasha sat in the back seat with Meggie on her lap all the way home. This sweet little pup never whimpered or fussed, just snuggled up with Tasha until we arrived back home in Vermont.

After Tasha passed, Megan came to live with Seth and me. She is a very good, healthy, and happy little girl and quite a character - keeps my two kitties in line and never leaves my side. Her favorite adventure is to go for outings in my car, and of course, she is the perfect gardening companion, whose self imposed job routing out marauding voles (Timmy Willies), she enthusiastically pursues.
Here are some amusing photos my son Benjamin took of her in a red jacket during hunting season last year. She looks super cute...and also the watercolor I did of her for a Valentine card. Was thinking of offering corgi watercolor portraits at some point. What do you think?"

Umm...that would be a great big YES from me, Marjorie. ( Let's hold her to that one, my little Corgettes. If you haven't signed up for the lovely Tasha Tudor and Family newsletter, you can do so from their website. Some of Marjorie's work and lots of other wonderful things can be found there, so you will be the first to know what is new!)
　
Here is Meggie.

I think she agrees that she does look 'supercute' in her red vest!


Here is the watercolor Valentine Marjorie did of her.


More Valentines.

Be still my heart!

Winslow Tudor and Megan.

I think Tasha is very happy knowing that her Megan is loved so much.

"I often think of Tasha, often stroll through the old gardens surrounding Corgi Cottage... so many memories" says Marjorie. " We were neighbors for thirty-five years, my children's Granny. To be perfectly frank, that's how I think of her, always ... our Granny. She was my mother-in-law, my friend, my teacher. The knowledge she shared with me, whether it was a gardening tip, or instruction in the arts of watercolor, doll and marionette making, or cooking is priceless. I cherish her memory, not just on her birthday, but every day, and join with, not only our family in the celebration of her remarkable life and legacy, but with all her dear fans. Tomorrow there will be a special celebration at The Rookery. Winslow, no doubt, will bring a yummy cake along with some hand cranked ice cream. Meggie and Annie, Elizabeth Rose and Christina's, Sophie, will be there enchanting us all.
Tasha had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh. I'll share a memory about something she found rather amusing. Tea time, one afternoon around four o'clock in early April, Lazarina, the dove, swooped down from her perch on Tasha's shoulder and landed "plunk" in the middle of a delectable chocolate cake. It was very funny, and we had to disengage the discomfited bird, who had sunk completely into it and wash her carefully off. She fluffed her feathers dry on the warming shelf of Tasha's old cookstove while we drank lukewarm tea.
So, dear friends, I say to you, as Tasha Tudor, herself, would say to you ... "Take Joy" and "To thine own self be true."

Jennifer Tudor Wyman, Hannah and "Granny" Tasha


A photo Tasha took around 1963 of her corgi puppies, and below that, Thomas Jefferson corgi. (Recognize him from the Valentine above?)


David Austin's Heritage, One of Tasha's favorite roses.
Thank you, Marjorie, for sharing a glimpse of your creative life, for all of the wonderful photographs, and especially for celebrating Tasha Tudor Day with us. Those of us who hold a place for Tasha in our hearts are truly kindred spirits. ♥ CS

P.S.Be sure to visit the links in my previous post to Storybook Woods and all of the other blogs celebrating Tasha's birthday today. If you are reading this from a feed, just click on over back to my blog for all of the other links. Here are a few links to our past TT day posts. 2008, 2009.