Sunday 1 January 2017

Happy New Year!

We had a lovely New Year's Eve celebration. I hope you did too.

My Mum is Scottish and my Dad was Irish so it's little wonder that New Year's Eve celebrations have always been a big event when we were growing up.  I remember when we were small children, and fast asleep in our beds, Dad would come into our rooms and wake us all up just before midnight so we could welcome in the New Year as a family. Naturally, we upheld the family tradition yet again this year. We used to also adhere to the Scottish tradition of first-footing but we don't do that as much any more unless we have visitors who can participate as our first-footer.   

Beau (son) and his partner, David, came over for dinner and also to welcome in the new year with us. We played cards, listened to music, danced, laughed, and chatted the night away.  We welcomed in the New Year with this beautiful song — Auld Lang Syne — which never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Interestingly, Robert Burns, the man who wrote this popular song had never intended for it to be a New Year song but it became a steadfast tradition among the Scots.  I love this particular version. If it doesn't play within this post, you can go to the direct YouTube link HERE.


Beau and David left to head home at around two in the morning but Bradley and I stayed up all night to greet the dawn, as we did last year. The sunrise wasn't too spectacular due to low-lying clouds, houses, and trees in the way but it sure felt good to greet the dawn of a new year.


First dawn of 2017

I've been trying my hand at a few vegan desserts of late. This is the one I made for New Year's Eve —  a peanut butter mousse with whipped coconut cream, nuts, shaved dark chocolate which I then drizzled with golden syrup. Quite delicious! 


On the topic of sketching/illustrating, I have decided to give the 365 day challenge another go. I tried and failed last year but, this year, I don't think I'll be as hard on myself.  You can expect a lot of very loose, simple sketches.

Here is today's sketch. Last week, I pruned my Desert Rose right back and I'm happy to report that it is already starting to show new growth. 

I'm linking up to Sunday Sketches again. To see the work of other participants for this week, click HERE.

It is now 8:30 pm on New Year's Day and I've literally had no sleep for 40 hours.  My bed is calling to me so I will say goodnight and sweet dreams.

Wishing you all the best for 2017!

Love, light and peace.

22 comments:

  1. Lovely post Serena! Happy New Year to you and I look forward to seeing where the creative journey takes you in the days, weeks and months to come. :) Amazing looking dessert too! Vegan cuisine has come a long way, hasn't it? I remember a friend making a tofu cheesecake 30 or so years ago. . . it was, in a word, ghastly. lol So very different these days. . . YAY!

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    1. Thanks, Nicolas. A very Happy New Year to you also. Vegan cuisine certainly has come a long way. I recently made a tofu-cheesecake style dessert and even my non-vegan son loved it. I will be posting soon showing some of the other vegan food I have prepared.

      All the best to you for 2017!

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  2. Glad you had such a lovely celebration. Here's to a full year of painting and sketching whatever makes us happy! And to eating desserts that look as terrific as yours!

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    1. Thanks, Paula. Hear, hear on a year of painting and sketching. :)

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  3. What a beautiful post! I love the drawing you did and the vegan treats look yummy. Happy New Year!

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  4. All the best in the new year.
    Merle......

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    1. All the best in 2017 for you also, Merle. :)

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  5. 40 hours! hopefully you get some sleep

    and good luck with your 365 challenge :D best thing to do is not be hard on ourself if you miss a day :) takes the stress off so much if you just let what happen happen with it I think :)

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    1. Yes...40 hours. My body won't allow me to catch any sleep through the day and I'm an early riser at 4:30 every morning, no matter what time I go to bed at. I was so grateful for my comfy bed and I had a wonderful sleep.

      Thanks for the advice, Jen. That's exactly where I went wrong last time. I was too hard on myself and, when I missed a day, I felt like I had failed so stopped the challenge altogether. Big mistake. I read recently that it's always better to continue with a daily challenge rather than just give up. This is because, at the end of the 365 days, there will be a lot more productivity to show for it if we had just continued along regardless of missing a day here or there. This time around, I give myself permission to miss a day here and there. :)

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    2. exactly! :) continue and really the only one that will know you missed a day would be you ;)

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  6. I had my pajamas on by 7:00 p.m. on NYE. Our tradition is to be in bed before midnight. ha! :) There was a time when I partied with the best of them, but now sleep is much more important to me. Good luck with your daily drawings. I know you can do it. Dessert looks and sounds delicious! Now to see what first-footing is. :) Happy New Year!

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    1. Haha...I think I have only ever missed one New Year's Eve celebration and that was due to being sick. Thanks for the well wishes with my daily drawings. I'm more determined than ever. I hope you find the 'first-footing' tradition an interesting read. Happy New Year to you and wishing you all the best for 2017. :)

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  7. Happy new year!

    Sounds like you enjoyed your celebrations. Also, your desert sounds very tasty.

    We didn't bother to stay up. We woke for a while when the midnight fireworks went off, but then went back to sleep. I was awake to greet the dawn, but it was because I got up in time, rather than because I stayed up for it.

    Good luck with your challenge. I hope 2017 will be a great year for you!

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    1. Happy New Year to you too, Tori.
      All the best for 2017.

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  8. I have never heard of first foot. Been many years since I have stayed awake to greet the dawn of the new year...decades, actually. I didn't understand most of the words to the song, but it touches me, regardless.

    Good luck on the 365! I am going to try to do prompts from various challenges this year and already know I will never get to them all--but to not give up this time when I miss some. How silly, really, because I don't even link into the groups or post anything I do other then on my blog, anyways--LOL! Just for myself.

    Happy New Year, my friend!! May this be one wonderful year. :)

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    1. The first-footing tradition is seen as a way of bringing good luck to the household for the year ahead. Auld Lang Syne is basically a song about remembering and cherishing old friendships and loved ones...and also about toasting to good health and good will for the year ahead.

      Thanks for the good luck wishes. As Jen mentioned, I think the trick is to not be too hard on ourselves. If we miss a day or two, here and there, so be it.

      Wishing you a Happy New Year and a magical 2017. xo

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  9. Great post, Mum! I certainly enjoyed the New Year's Eve celebrations with you, Aaron, Beau and David. It was really fun. Dessert was very delicious! I love that version of Auld Lang Syne, thanks for the interesting fact that it wasn't intended to be a New Year song. It was great staying up to greet the dawn of 2017 with you! I wish you all the best for the 365 challenge, Mum. Definitely don't be too hard on yourself if you miss some days, but I know you'll do well. Love your sketch you've done, really good!

    Love Brad xoxo

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    1. Thanks for all your love and support, Bradley. It means a lot to me.

      Love Mum xoxo

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