Another box and a tree

I have made a second box, this time to enclose a gift for my sister for Christmas. I sprayed Adirondack colourwash Cranberry over the gesso, but thought it still too bright when it had dried. I overpainted with some Lumiere paint and some pearlescant liquid acrylic paints, so was happy with the end result.

The ornamentation on the lid is a hot glue gun melt onto a stamp - already in my stash! I am almost finished making Christmas presents now, just a couple to go. I always forget how long it takes to parcel everything up as well, but somehow it will all get done.

The neisosperma trees in the Gardens are flowering and fruiting at present. they are really lovely trees, native to this area, and supposedly rare - they have seeded so readily and so many have been given away, they won't be rare much longer. The blossoms have a citrussy perfume and the brilliant red fruit are a real contrast. I love the seeds though - they look rather like a brain, and are very, very hard.

the native rats like them and carry them away to their nests, thus distributing the seeds. The rats usually only manage to eat as far as one or two seeds inside, then the other one or two will germinate - nature is clever isn't it.

We are frantically getting ready for the big night of Carols in the Gardens on Saturday when a crowd of up to 3000 may arrive - hope the weather holds out for us. It should be a lovely evening for the children, I'll try to post photos next week.