And I am unapologetic.

Unlike many families, who unfortunately seem to rack up painful memories this time of year, my family always shined when it came to the holidays. I like to recall the memories with a heart full of sentimentality.

One of our family traditions when I was a child growing up in Liberty, Mo. was to go to downtown Kansas City and look at the lights. We would drive around looking at the fountains and buildings all lighted up for the holidays.

Sometimes we would get out of our old Dodge Dart, and we would walk around looking at the all department store window displays. Window shopping was one of my favorite things to do around Christmas.

One year, I remember falling in love with one particular window.

The display was a magical animated doll house, only there were no dolls. The house was inhabited by miniature mice, busily preparing for a visit from Santa!

I decided that I had to have a magical mouse house for myself, so I went home and wrote a letter to Santa, asking him to bring one for me on Christmas.

Although my parents tried to persuade me to put other things on my list in case Santa was unable to bring me a mouse house, I was stubborn. I wanted nothing else.

Sure enough, Santa brought me my magical gift!

I played with the mouse house for years, and I collected new things for it each year at Christmas. I still have many of the miniature mice and their furnishings.

I was reminded of the mouse house, which has been in storage for years, in a recent Twitter conversation with @JedBramwell. Jed is making a miniature movie!

Jed encouraged me to pull my mice out of storage and use them as part of my own window display for my art studio in Canton, OH. My hope is that another child will venture downtown with his or her family, and be inspired to dream as I was so many years ago.

If you are near Canton, you can see the window anytime during the holidays. I have my special feline nativity scene given to me by a friend a couple of years ago displayed in my other window.

You can also visit my studio and all the other great galleries and studios in the Canton Arts District this Friday for our monthly First Friday event. There is Snow Much to Do Downtown!

I will have my special canine guests from Friends of Stark Pound joining me again this month, and Ashley Brooke Toussant will perform live music.

And, as always, I will have lots of BZTAT art on display! Do you know someone who wants art under their tree this year?

I hope to see you at First Friday or some other time during the holiday season. Best wishes for a happy and joyful season for all!

Life is an adventure!

BZTAT

What will you be doing for Thanksgiving? Most of us in the United States celebrate this day by eating lots of great food, spending time with family and friends, and reminiscing about various family traditions.

My day will be low key. I will spend it with my mother, who lives in a nursing home.

No big dinner, just your average nursing home dinner and perhaps some turkey and pumpkin pie thrown in.

And that is fine with me.

Sometimes it is the simple things that matter.

My mother created the fabric that has woven the mysterious threads of my life, and I am grateful to her for that. I will cherish the time that I spend with her on this great day.

And then it is on to Black Friday…

If you are like me, you would prefer to avoid the crowds at the box stores during the holiday rush. I  like to shop at a local galleries (My favorite is Second April Galerie) or buy holiday gifts online.

My new site here has all kinds of interesting gift ideas. Check them out if you are interested! There are plenty of original artworks available in the galleries and lots of merch in my Cafe Press and Zazzle stores.

I will be adding new things and posting about them here as we move into the holiday season.

I hope that you have a safe and satisfying holiday. May your day be filled with love and adventure!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

In honor of Blog Action Day 2009, I have put together this montage, reminding us of how important it is to take care of our world. Climate change is real. Please take some time to reflect on the dangers we present to the natural balance of the world, and rededicate yourself to being the change our world needs.

If you are interested in a pet portrait of your animal, info about the process can be found here. Please email BZTAT to make an order or to get further information about getting a custom portrait of your pet.