Through The View Finder...

...Can you pass by a ViewMaster, an old Stereoscope, ViewFinders without taking a peek inside? I can't!! I have to peek!  I especially love finding an antique photo viewer, I have to pick it up.  Moving pictures? Even better!!  Those machine that you pay a nickel to watch moving pictures...get me my change purse!
These little Zendoodles/Zentangles Girls are done in red ink & watercolor. I darken the edges to make them appear as though they are futuristic antiques as seen through a ViewFinder.  All are up for auction, just click on the above page link to place a bid.  I am working on a larger piece like the hollyhocks. I'm having fun with these! When I start I never know how they are going to turn out.

 "She Dreamed of Growing Cupcakes"

 "Sprouting Ideas"

"Hidden in the Bayou"

 

"Visions of the Perfect Tea Party"

"Hollyhocks in Okinawa"

I Love Bread too Oprah! ...

... it's all about the bread, bout the bread, bout the bread!
A few of my recent creations...

 

Look at my JJ!

He loves my "Piggies"!

I saw them on Pinterest but made them my own- they taste like bbq! Sorry not sharing that recipe yet! ;)

Can you believe he is 8 already?!!  Happy Birthday JJ!

I made his crazy birthday cake but cake is another post!

 

Easy Bread Recipe

 In mixing bowl combine:

2 C flour

1 tbsp yeast

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

approx. 1 C warm water

( adding more water if necessary to make thick batter)

Stir until well mixed. Cover with plastic and let rise for about 1/2 hour in

warm place.  My tip if it's winter I will put the bowl in a larger bowl of warm water to help  

rise the dough and keep it warm, replacing the water when it's cold.

Scrape dough down with a fork and put on floured board, divide in half.  

Flour gently and work into a shape or put into

greased pan or glass bowl to rise again and then bake.  

Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes.

This is a basic recipe - I have added herbs, cheese, lots & lots of garlic...more sugar...

For a softer sweeter dough use milk & add a few more tablespoons of sugar!

As you can see I've tried a few things I've seen on my beloved Pinterest.  I've

got a great Board called "Rollin' In Dough". 

Easy to make it in the morning and bake it for dinner!

Make it a great day!

 

 

Destination Inspiration...

... Half Moon Bay...

We took a little birthday/de-stress 2 day trip to Half Moon Bay in April.  The stress didn't stop so I could use another little trip again!  This year it's been one traumatic horrible thing after another, but hopefully the tide is changing. I feel like it is; and I am beginning to paint again. I need to paint again. Painting is healing and I have missed it.  Well tucked away in "the vault"  was our trip and thoughts of this huge carnivorous plant place that we went to. It was so cool.  Our cameras died almost the minute we got in there so I don't have any pictures of the awesome displays. 

 

 

 

 

My Beach Angel. View from the top of the cliff...

I did it with my feet!

World's Rare Plants

http://www.worldsrareplants.com/

Looking into the glass globes or potted plants it was like looking into another world. A Jurassic world or Underworld or Fairy world.  The owner was full of information about the plants as well. One carnivorous plant he showed me was 40 years old. He said if you have one you will never have any knats or a fly in your house. hahaha  Fasinating with a little creep factor.

The building was full of fairy & gnome gardens & really unusual things. A large selection of little ceramics to make your own tiny world too.

So begins my new series.... which I'm trying to name... Help is appreciated, just leave me a comment!

"Lovely to Eat You"...

"Full Moon in Half Moon Bay"...

LOL

 

 

I did 2 paintings on pieces of wood...but I think they are so whimsical, weird & wonderful, I am keeping those for myself & hanging them on my patio, but there will be more ...

Coming to a Ebay or Etsy Shop or Spoonflower shop soon!

 

So be on the lookout! You never will know where you might find a little inspiration!

 

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!

A Song, A Service & A Show!...

... On Sunday I actually slept in late, which is rare. 

Must have been that cushy bed.

It was nice but at the same time I was very disappointed

that we missed church services at Grace Cathedral. 

We decided to take a walk down to Chinatown,

 just a few blocks at the bottom of the hill. 

While standing in front of a little tea shop,

a big man in a black suit, bowler hat & a

big beautiful husky baritone voice came up to me & 

sang me a joyful spiritual song! 

Unfortunately I didn't get his picture. 

After that Hubby was inspired & decided we should

walk up California Street & go visit the Cathedral anyway. 

Walking up California street on the way up

took every butt muscle we have. But Surprise!

(no pun intended) It was worth it!

When we got there they were having a special

Asia- America service!

So I got a song, a service & a show!

 

 

 

Satyr-1, a street artist we met by the park.

Of course I had to stop & watch for a second.

 I can't wait to go back & see his work finished.

 

 

 

A pretty plant vendor's string gardens on the street. She

was shy & wouldn't let me take her picture.

Hey Tom Hanks I found Zoltar! That's Big! haha

(loved that movie)

 

A beautiful statue on California Street. Half way there.

Had to stop & get a picture just to rest for a second!

 

Grace Cathedral sits atop the highest hill in San Francisco.

A beautiful girl in kimono who did a Japanese dance,

part of the service in the Cathedral.

 

Taiko Drummers in the courtyard of the Cathedral.

After all the walking up & down hills,

and the beautiful Asian service;

Hubby said he was craving Japanese food!

So we popped into Sushi Toni

on the way back to our place and got a little bite.

 

 

Yum...nap time!