Home For the Holidays...

Happy Thanksgiving!...

...Wishing you a delicious day full of love, good food & prayers of thanksgiving.

 A Free Thanksgiving Printable by Pinafores and Pinwheels.

Free Thanksgiving by Call Me Victorian

 

 

 

On My Easel...

... I've had this drawn out for some time.  He looks like my little Bubbie.  I kept the piece at the front of the pile, often picking it up, then putting it down. (I say front of the pile because it was a stack, then the stack fell over and now they are all in a row like a library drawer- yes I have work to do!)  Feeling afraid to "ruin" it because I liked the drawing & planned to paint on white, using a built up of lots of thin layers, which is something a little new for me. This is the first layer.

Postcard size, acrylic on paper

I have been having fun doing these little ACEOs when I can get in the studio and paint. Doing a small pieces that I can get through in a short amount of time. Using vintage fabric & acrylics these girls came to life. I call them all "Love is Like a Pretty Blanket". I am debating on whether to sew on them as well and just might try it while I have all of my sewing machines out.

 Snuggles.

 

Create a Great Day!

Happy Halloween!

A little music for now & later...

A project by "Adventure In A Box" found on Pinterest.

Click on the Picture for Tutorial

Click on her Face to be taken to a Place full of Halloween Makeup Inspiration!

Halloweeno Jalapeno Poppers!!

I'm not afraid to eat them!

Click on the picture for the great recipe by The Hopeless Housewife 

 

Have a Scary Good Time!

 

 

Dancing in Color...

No Words Just...

 

Jalapenos!

Dinosaur size peppers!

 

My "Secret" Recipe

*

5 C boiling water

3 TBS salt

3 TBS sugar

5 TBS white vinegar

6 cloves of sliced garlic

*

This brine covers approx. 20 jalapenos, unless they are Epic in size!

 

Create a Great Day!

Blessings

Heartbroken...

...my heart has a great big hole in it.  I lost my little Reeda, my sweet baby girl on Saturday.  I was so lucky to have had her for almost 8 years. She loved me & rarely left my side. I loved her.  She was a handful at first because she was abused before coming to our home, had to fight for her food, and was just used to make puppies.  It's so quiet in the house without her because she demanded your attention.  My little angel dog Roadie is missing her. He knows what's going on.  He has been savoring his treats because he no longer has to gobble them down so she won't take them.  

It's the Future...

... this is just what I imagined flip flops would look like in the year 2014...

 

A Whale of a Time...

...Splash!  I painted these little whales on an old piece of wood.

which was inspired by the little clay whales I have been making. 

 

 

I just love them.  I know the more I make the better they will get. It's been a while since I played with clay. I made cold porcelain clay from this youtube video... CliCK Here to Watch. - (sorry the video will not embed)  I, however, used Elmer's Glue-All, mineral oil and a jar of cold cream from the Dollar Store... 
1 C Cornstarch
1 C White Glue
2 TBS of Mineral Oil or Baby Oil
2 TBS of white Vinegar
1 tsp tempura paint - optional - (I omitted)
Cold Cream for kneading
 

This cold porcelain clay air dries very hard but still needs a good top coat of clear acrylic.  I tried putting it in the dehydrator just for fun and that did speed up the process and didn't crack either, just an FYI if you are in a hurry.

I made this step by step video of how I make these whales.   I haven't fully decided what I am going to do with these yet...maybe on a bottle I have previously covered in clay?... possibilities.. Frig magnets, hair barrettes, pendants, ornaments, gift tags, ... 

 

 

I hope you try making this fun clay and the little whales! I'd love to see them!

Blessings

Roots...

Finished!

A little update on work in progress. Yes this is the same painting that is in the last post.  You can see how it's morphed.  This is a colorful piece! I'm almost finished with it but still have a bit to do before I call Him completed.

I painted today.  My Mom encouraged me to paint. When she asked why I am letting the enemy stop me from painting, I understood what was happening.  Although it was she who bought me unspun wool and got me sidetracked teaching myself to spin yarn (another post),  paint is what I did today! I must admit it felt good. I have lots of paintings in my head, however, these are random, nothing drawn out first.   My Mom and I talk nearly everyday.  I know God loves me because he gave me her as a mother.  She is really my best friend and she is kooky.  She is my root and she keeps me grounded.  Thinking about that I decided to paint on wood today. It's been a few years. I went back to my roots.  Old wood is still my favorite & most humble canvas. I need more wood!

 Right side of her face is Sweet & Compassionate~ the Left side is Strong & Hopeful.  I am not finished with her either.

ACEO size piece of wood

I also did a Whale painting but that's my next post!

Create a great day! 

Work In Progress...

...I finally picked up a brush. I attempted to finish a what I thought would be a beautiful portrait of a woman today. Hubby and I had a good laugh as I kept ruining her and ruining her.

As I started to wash up and call it "one of those" days, then I saw Him, (she had further transformed - no pictures - no words, hahaha) then she no longer existed. I'm not sure how He will turn out but I believe I am keeping the base color scheme. One side of the canvas purple & reds lit with light, for power & royalty. The other side, greens, blues & yellow for renewal, growth & His Light...

  

Thanks to my Followers who are still following and for stopping by! I know I have been neglecting my blog, "my happy place", a lot more than I should.  Someone I love is & has been fighting for their life so it has been very difficult as of late to paint. I will start pieces and not finish them. I have been drawing and working on some embroidery designs to digitize and doing some zentangles thanks to my sister's persistent encouragement. I should share some of them in my shops ...soon, but mostly I have been pacifying myself with yarn, thread & fabric, it's my comfort food, my soul food.  My BFF gave me an embroidery design for tea light holders, the battery operated kind, so I have been having fun making those.  Honestly, I didn't really like them at first but I was just looking at the picture, then after I sewed one out, I was hooked. In person they are so  much cuter!  Ok so some of you will know what you are getting for Christmas or what you will be getting when you come & visit.  I'm making a set for outside on the patio.  I have a concrete block wall around the patio and when I have a party I put real tea lights in glass holders all over the wall.  It's really pretty but it's a pain lighting all the candles and then making sure they are all out. I think these will be great for that. Combining a portion of the original design I am able to create any design I want as a tea light holder, well most.  I did list them to sell because they are so different and make great gifts.  If I get lots of orders I won't be able to make them all myself but I do have a person that will help.  Depending on the design each can take 15 - 30 minutes to sew out and I can't wait to get a little battery tea light in them as soon as they are finished!  Click on the Live Bold light below to see more.

Peacock & Pieces...

I had so much fun making this peacock bag with all my bits & pieces from vintage fabrics...

The peacock machine embroidery design was free at Free Embroidery Designs. 

Click HERE or on the picture for a link to the free design. 

As you can see I don't follow the rules when it comes to color, I made up my own peacock colors.

 

   The lining is a magical royal purple satin that they don't make anymore.  I only a a little left.  I'll admit I am a fabric hoarder.  I don't think I'll find myself on tv yet, but I do have a good stash.  I am about to bust it loose on some more of these bags though.  I put myself to sleep 2 nights in a row thinking of bags I can make! haha I am working on several now & hope to get them finished in the next few days. On has a Heart Locket w/ keyhole that has wings from Urban Threads, I am also working on a Butterfly bag. and I hand died white cotton fabric today for a Cherry or Strawberry bag that I want to make.  

 I died the fabric by floating oil paints on water, then dipping it in, making pretty marbling that looks so fun! Suminagashi  style. I hope it works, I've never tried it. I figure I will iron it, then wash it with Dawn and see what happens.....if it works you will see it on a new bag!  When it comes to sewing every seam has to be perfect. It has to be cut perfectly, no mistakes, so this is a good exercise to let go of some of that OCD that keeps me from creating at times. No Fear - if I wreck it - it's gone!

I have had peacocks in my brain since our little trip to Daffodil Hill where they had lots of them including a pure white peacock!

 

I hope this inspires you to create something new!

Blessings!

I Like it Hot!...

......

 (I think those are 2 knitting needles. hahaha)

For the past few months I have been making a big pot of veggie soup every week.  I don't care if it's getting hot either! Today I plopped a big yellow hot pepper & special garbanzo beans into the pool. The broth was so good as you can see I already need to add water to this and I made it this morning.  The beans & the pepper really pumped up what may have turned out to be ordinary.  I love how every pot of veggie soup has it's own personality and I think each pot gets better and better until it's gone. I have been reheating the soup on the stove instead of the microwave. Just like Mom used to do. :) I now season each pot with extra virgin olive oil. 

The garbanzo beans (chickpeas) in today's pot were cooked from dried beans. I used a Punjabi recipe whereby you cook them with some olive oil, a big pinch of baking soda (amuses me to watch it foam), a tea bag, 1" piece of cinnamon stick & 2 cardamon pods. I added 2 cloves of garlic & salt.  I think it makes them taste a little like boiled peanuts and I love boiled peanuts, no one else thinks so, but I can dream a bit, nonetheless it makes them good! Try it!  I may try it with some other beans as well just to see what happens. 

Why all the soup? The past few months I have been eating vegetarian mostly. I have eaten a few bites of meat- very few and I do eat eggs and cheese.  I haven't really missed meat - except for chicken. I love chicken like Forrest Gump liked shrimp, however, even that is getting less appealing.  It's an attempt to get a little healthier,  learn how to cook more creatively, and a little bit for my BFF too, who is suffering so much that she can't eat meat. I can share some of the things I cook or can cook for her when I go down.  Sometimes it's easy to get stuck eating the same things all the time when you change your diet. Especially when you are on a diet. Eating vegetarian is way more tasty than I thought it would be.  I saw this show the other night on tv and they said salad is not the healthiest thing to eat when given a choice between a salad and Ham & Cheese Sandwich. People are getting sick from eating unclean salads (bacteria & such) more than any other food. So they compared the risk and for that fact alone the ham & cheese won.  I'll take a cheese & hold the ham :) Grilled cheese :)  I am feeling better and have lost a little weight as well. So yea!  

***

When the waitress in a New York City restaurant brought him the soup du jour, the Englishman was a bit dismayed. 

"Good heavens," he said, "what is this?" 

"Why, it's bean soup," she replied. 

"I don't care what it has been," he sputtered. "What is it now?"

***

If I had some spare time... 

Free Kitchen Vegetable Cross Stitch Pattern 

To Print Click on the Picture to go to link & download.

Make it a great day!

So Blue...

....not even these Blue Raspberry & Yellow Butter Cake Cupcakes with Sprinkles could make me feel better but my guys are happy.

I don't like raspberries, but I did try one (it was a visual thing) and guess what? They taste like very strong raspberries!  If you love raspberry then this new frosting is for you.  

The sprinkles are pretty on them. ($1 @ The Dollar Store) No,  I'm not getting paid for these ads. haha 

Inspiration some in strange packages sometimes.

The blue & purple are an interesting combo & may show up in a painting soon. hahaha

All fun aside, I am blue, very blue today, and I am asking for your prayers for my BFF, Bobbi, as she is now battling cancer & for her life for the 3rd time. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Thank you & God Bless you.

I'm a Dipper...

...but not a Double Dipper! I love dip. All kinds of dips. Dips intrigue me, so do sauces but that's another story. Actually, it's a love/hate relationship. haha I do feel a little less guilty eating this dip because there is some protein in it! I'm a tofu lover too. :) 

Yummy Garlic Ranch Tofu Dip

1/2 Block of Firm Tofu

(could use soft tofu if you prefer)
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 Tbsp Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix
1 green onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp lemon juice ( may add more if too thick)
salt & pepper to taste

Put all in food processor and blend until smooth.
Serve Cold.