Woodland Advent 2019, Day 24 - Here Comes Santa Claus

Woodland Christmas © Frances Tyrrell

Clara is home and safely in bed. The entire household is asleep now.  Even the woodland mice are tucked up for the night.  Just in time!

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 23 - The Way Home

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Even the little Raccoon attendants at the Great Bear's palace wave "goodbye" to Clara!

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 22 - Homeward Bound

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

"Time to go home now, Clara," said Prince Nutcracker.  "It is nearly Christmas morning."

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 21 - Applause

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Clara is surrounded by all the performers who have joined her in watching each successive display, and some of them are still up to merry hijinks!  The evening is drawing to a close and it is almost time for Clara to be home again.

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 20 - Stellar Trapeze Artists

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

The final performance for Clara, the "Stellar Trapeze Artists" from Australia:  fearlessly they swung and somersaulted high above the ice thrones, and to great applause slid down their ropes of flowers to take a final bow.

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 19 - Hockey Bears

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Next on the programme,  "Mother Grizzly and her Rocky Mountain Pee Wees!"

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 18 - Polar Bear Ribbon Dance

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Now for the Polar Bear's lively ribbon dance! "Clara's paws grew tired from clapping."

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 17 - Panda Pandas!

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Here come the Giant Pandas, with a lively juggling act! "The cups, saucers, teapot, and lid flew between the huge paws of the magnificent bears, but not one piece was broken." Avril Tyrrell, Woodland Nutcracker 1999

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 16 - "the Lesser Panda"

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

The little Lesser Panda of Nepal was the next performer to appear before the Great Bear, Prince Nutcracker and our Clara.

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 15 - "Le Cirque des Etoiles" begins

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

A lively show of music and dancing by Bears of the World begins with Rosa and Paco, spectacled bears from South America.  All of this for Clara, for being Brave and Kind!

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 14 - "Ursa Major"

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

The revels are about to begin at the ice palace of the Great Bear, Ursa Major.

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 13 - Up and Away

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

"Up and away they floated, and Clara looked down at her island home growing smaller and farther away." 

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 12

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

The Transformation scene:  Nutcracker the toy revealed as Prince Nutcracker, " a live fur-and claws bear". 

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 11, More Mice

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Of the Great Midnight Battle between the field mice and the tin soldiers we may happily record this - that a truce was declared and peace restored.

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 10

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

 "Late that night, everyone but Clara was asleep", so the story goes.  Things are about to Happen.

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

When Sears Canada made Christmas store displays of our Woodland Nutcracker in 1999 they did a beautiful job.   If I could have brought home one of the display items it would have been Clara's little sleigh bed, which was the closest to human size!

Woodland Advent, Day 9

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

"Thank you for a lovely party".  The visitors go home, the party is over, and little cubs go to bed.
(Almost).

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 8

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Nutcracker Bear "neatly mended" by Grandfather.  The party is almost over, and the magic about to begin.

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 7

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

The opening scene of The Nutcracker is the party, and what is a party without some music and dancing?  At the Bears' cosy island home the night was merry with Mother's "paw-tapping fiddle music."

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 6

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Here are Clara Bear and Grandpa, with the beautiful Nutcracker.  "Grandpa arrived with hand-made gifts from his workshop:  dancing puppets on strings, tin soldiers, and a handsome carved Nutcracker bear. "

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 5

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

"Long ago, far away from highways and city lights, where bright stars touched the tree tops and forest roots touched the edges of frozen lakes, a woodland family welcomed relatives and friends to a Christmas Eve party in their cosy island home.|"  Woodland Nutcracker, written by Avril Tyrrell

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 4

Woodland Christmas © Frances Tyrrell

"Four calling birds" from Woodland Christmas for the fourth day of Advent. 
Do "The 12 Days of Christmas" lyrics refer to "Calling birds" or "Colly birds"?  Our beautiful loons of the north are both, with their dark plumage and musical voices. 

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 3

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Three little Drummer Mice for Day 3 of Advent!  Little mice play a big role in The Nutcracker story and kept my brush busy all through the paintings for Woodland Nutcracker.  We'll be seeing more of them this Advent.

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell

Woodland Advent 2019, Day 2

Woodland Christmas © Frances Tyrrell

"Two Turtle Doves" for the second day of Advent, entirely surrounded by snow, as we are after the second early storm of the season.  It is quite beautiful, if rather too soon!

Lakeshore Woods, Oakville

Woodland Advent begins (again)

Woodland Nutcracker © Frances Tyrrell 

 Advent begins, the season of all good wishes and awfully long to-do lists. Hope and Joy are at the top of the list, and here is a Woodland cherub to celebrate the start of things. All the bears and creatures are from my two Woodland books, Woodland Christmas and Woodland Nutcracker, and Woodland Nutcracker is in stock in the Etsy shop.

Woodland Nutcracker book

On the domestic front, this little creature joined the household in June, at 6 weeks old: after an uncertain start they are getting along quite well.

Marvin and Merry

On the drawing board a lovely new book is in progress, details to be shared when all the art is done.  Last year's big illustration project is being published in the new year, The Generous Fish by Jacqueline Jules.  This beautiful story was a delight to illustrate.

"The Generous Fish"

More for Advent tomorrow! It is a dark time of year, but "Love, the Lord, is on the way" (from the Christmas hymn "People, Look East").