The Makings of Every Day

That's a Wrap

2010-10-06T20:10:00.001-04:00

What a year it has been! In some ways it seems like just yesterday I was figuring out how to work Blogger and start my own little chunk of web space. In other ways it seems so far behind me, as I have learned so many things big and small.
- I have learned to knit over the past twelve months and in the last twelve days have come to realize that to experience true joy in knitting I need to choose quick and easy projects made with yarn that I fall in love with, no matter how impractical it is.
- I have learned that I love to cook and view it as an expression of love. I know now that scary recipes aren't so scary after all, that even simple recipes get messed up, and that you can always heat up a frozen pizza if that happens. I learned that there is a time to bake and a time to cook. If you figure out when to do what thing you will be in kitchen bliss (especially if you have help with the clean up).
- I have learned how to build a studio out of a guest bedroom closet, start a small business, and create an etsy shop. I have learned how to set up a trunk show. I have learned the definition of trunk show.
- I have learned that my taste in books is never-changing: Maine + Romance = Awesome.
- Thanks to Jason, I have learned that Maine is as awesome as I imagined it for all these years.
- I have learned that my amazing little girl thinks that I can make anything. I think that is so cool. More so, I think she is so cool.
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I hope that if this little corner of the web has found you, that it has inspired you to be brave, be silly, try new things, and above all never stop learning.
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And now, my friends, after a year of blogging I am choosing to step away from this space. This will be the last post of The Makings of Everyday blog so that I may continue to be a life-long learner and pursue new things, balance among them.
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Thank you for coming along for the ride! I have truly appreciated every comment and email and have loved making far-away friends whom I would never have had the chance to know otherwise. Many blessings to you all :)

Sincerely,
Danielle

Little Bits and Big

2010-10-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

I meant to show you this long ago, my little bowl of collected sea glass brought home from Maine--now proudly displayed in the living room. This picture reminds me of a lesson I teach the students in my class...
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I take two equal-sized containers and fill them with the exact same number each of large bouncy balls, medium-sized bouncy balls, and small beads. The difference between the two containers is that the first one is filled with the small beads first, followed by the larger items--the lid simply will not fit on this way. For the second container, I prioritize: putting in the larger items first and then letting the tiny beads pour around and fill in the cracks. The lid fits snuggly on with nothing left out. It's a lesson in prioritizing, of determining what is the most important and making room for that first. In teaching this to my charges, I get to learn it all over again.

A Blossomy Tree for Ava Grace

2010-10-04T21:24:00.000-04:00

A.k.a. the "Big One"--a 16 x 20 inch mixed media. Yowza! I just was in the midst of finishing up a few little details this morning, which hampered my photography a little bit. So, here's your view of it in the early morning light--surrounded by the materials for making such an item.

I love to infuse little details into my work: this one has a little birdie on the branch and a teeny tiny butterfly flitting off to the right :).

Barefoot Sunday Yearly Review

2010-10-03T19:08:00.000-04:00

Wednesday will mark my official blog-versary, marking one calendar year of blogging in this space. This means nearly 40 new Barefoot Contessa recipes this year, with more if you count making the favorites again and again. We just love Ina.

Our family favorites?

Roast Chicken

Cream Cheese Icing

Shortbread Cookies

Roasted Vegetable Torte

Recipes that I was most proud of:

Profiteroles

Danishes

What a year! So many delicious foods...so many steps and leaps forward into culinary competency. I hope that through this process of sharing both the successes and the blunders that I have inspired you to be brave and try something new in the kitchen :).

Alphabet Blocks for Ava Grace

2010-10-01T18:54:00.000-04:00

For a soon-to-be-born beautiful baby, custom alphabet block initials that match her shabby-chic nursery :0).

A Badge for Woody

2010-09-30T18:18:00.000-04:00

Amelia's school is having a scarecrow decorating contest as part of the annual Fall Festival. Amelia's kindergarten class has decided to decorate their scarecrow in the likes of Woody from Toy Story. Everyone signed up to make/provide a different bit of the costume. We got the badge--Awesome!

Serendipitously, Michael's craft store had a paintable wooden sheriff's star. Alas, it was a bit too dinky for a costume scarecrow. So, we grabbed it and the larger regular star to glue it onto and were off to create! We painted the sheriff's star yellow and, once it was dry, tacky-glued it onto the big star. Then with a little Sharpie love and some iridescent glitter we were set! How to affix? Quite honestly I am going to use a strip of duct tape to attach a large-size safety pin to the back. Is it bizarre that I don't own a hot glue gun?

The House on Oyster Creek

2010-09-29T19:07:00.000-04:00

If you have been reading this blog for some time now, you'll know that I chose this book (purchased pre-Kindle;) because of the beautiful cover. Set in Cape Cod, it's the story of a woman who moves to the Cape with her much older husband and young daughter. It's her story, their story, and the story of the people who live there. Full of rich language describing the not-so-charming facets of living and working in a fishing community, this book grew on me page after page. It is not chick-lit nor a "summer read" by any means. I wanted to bop the main character on the head sometimes and her stodgy husband almost always, but ultimately I ended up caring about everyone in the book and wanted to see it through.

One of my favorite lines:
Charlotte was made of empathy; she would accidentally glimpse the hopes and fears of the stranger behind her in a supermarket line. Her heart went out to people and she could never get it back.

Would anyone like to read this book? Let me know and I will get it to you, whether I pass it over the fence or head to the post office!

The Beginnings of Fall

2010-09-28T19:53:00.000-04:00

We're celebrating the beginnings of fall around here...in baking (naturally) and with decorating too. Since it's still in the very early stages I didn't want to be overzealous with the "autumness," if you will. I thought this little centerpiece was a nice bridge between summer and fall...or maybe I just wanted an excuse to buy one of each color pumpkin at the grocery store ;).

Primer Layer

2010-09-27T18:36:00.000-04:00

My first layer on a large-sized canvas is a white "primer" layer. It's regular acrylic paint, but I use it as a primer. It allows the next layers of paint a smooth and more evenly-pigmented surface instead of the dull grayish-white of the canvas. Also, it lets you feel as though you have started in on a project even when you have a little bit of artist's block ;)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Challenge

2010-09-26T18:44:00.000-04:00

Above is the (slightly blurry) representation of my most recent challenge: chocolate chip cookies from scratch. I was really happy with these highly-rated cookies from allrecipes.com. It was a very simple process and the cookies turned out really well. I know--it's Sunday--what about a Barefoot Contessa recipe? I tried but Ina doesn't have a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe, though she does sell her own mix. Hmmm.....

Handmade Kindle Cover

2010-09-24T18:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone! My kindle cover is all finished. I chose to do a smooth fabric lining and a knitted outer layer for maximum protection from both scratches and smushes. I'm really loving the color combination of dusty teal combined with raspberry. I kind of winged it as I went along, but if you are interested there are tons of tutorials for "zipper bags" and such online. The trickiest part for me was correctly positioning the fabric and zipper so that everything was facing the right way (I wanted the inside of the bag to be the pretty side of the fabric since the outside wouldn't be showing). The best part was that it was barely a two-day project since I used such chunky yarn: For non-knitters: think of how much faster you could paint a room with a 4-foot paint roller :).

Relaxing

2010-09-23T17:38:00.000-04:00

Even though I have become quite inept at relaxing lately, I am going to give it a try this evening. Until tomorrow, friends!

Sweater Progress

2010-09-22T18:41:00.000-04:00

Progress! The body of the sweater is complete and I have put one of the sleeves back on the needles for finishing. I made a relatively big mistake figuring out how to knit a sleeve. Rather than risk an even bigger error or worse, I decided to just make it work (and will do the other sleeve accordingly incorrect so that they match). This weekend I took Amelia to the fabric store to choose her own buttons. I think she did a lovely job of choosing!

Paradigm Shift

2010-09-21T19:29:00.002-04:00

A paradigm shift is required of me, friends! Jason sweetly presented me (the voracious reader) with a Kindle for my birthday. No pages to turn nor dog-ear, no covers to feel and admire. Hmm..It has its own perks though, ones that I am already falling in love with...book shopping at my fingertips, the ability to hold many books physically and electronically, etc.

For fun and in celebration of this paradigm shift I have decided to make, rather than purchase, a cover for it. A knitted/fabric combo that allowed me a brief respite from working on Amelia's sweater:

PS: Sweater update tomorrow! I'm pretty excited as it actually resembles a sweater!

For Julie

2010-09-20T19:52:00.002-04:00

Remember the blogpost For Kelsey, Definitely Maybe? Well, that precious baby girl was born this weekend and her name is Julie Ann :)) I set straight to work on a new mixed media--this one even bigger at 11 x 14 inch:

What came of the original art piece? Well, I decided to cover up the letters with scrapbook paper cutouts from the new artwork and made it into a companion piece. Now they have two :)

Barefoot Sunday: Shortbread Cookies

2010-09-19T18:10:00.001-04:00

It's true--I have made these shortbread cookies many times. Partly because they are so delicious and partly because as long as I haven't been totally remiss in upkeeping my pantry, I always have the short list of supplies on hand. Today we topped most them with our favorite: raw sugar and cinnamon. Then we tried something new on a few: chopped Nestle crunch. Not bad. The skill lesson for today was teaching Amelia how to level off a measuring cup:

The recipe is Ina Garten's Pecan Shortbread Cookies minus the pecans. Her regular shortbread recipe doesn't include the vanilla/almond extracts, which I think are the most important parts!

The Makings of a Saturday

2010-09-18T19:21:00.001-04:00

Today I made:
  - Coffee
  - Breakfast
  - A trip to the store
  - A little girl happy with a new doll
  - Art
  - More art
  - Knitting progress
  - A mess
  - Salsa
  - Myself a little tired...okay, a lot tired :)

What did you make today?

Proposal

2010-09-17T15:55:00.000-04:00

My friend Elyse has a very cool 14-year-old stepdaughter whose room needs a little re-do. Elyse wants to somewhat surprise her with new art for above the bed and invited me to do it (way cool). Not one to mess with the strong opinions of teenagers, I decided to start with a proposal and go from there.

I was given her likes: red, black, giraffe print, Audrey Hepburn. This is my proposal:

She has a queen-sized bed with a black headboard, so I wanted black to be the accent and not the dominant color on the art piece(s). To have the art be in scale with the bed, I envisioned three 11 by 14 inch pieces. As you can see, I have given her a starting point for options so that she can either agree or disagree and not try to pull ideas out of the sky (that's my job!). I am anxious to see if she likes any of the above! In the mean time, I am getting ready to begin on an autumn-colored mixed media for an adorable baby named Mason and a blossom-covered tree for soon-to-be-born Ava Grace.

This is so much fun!!!

Pretty Picture Post

2010-09-16T17:46:00.000-04:00

I am currently between art projects, so I don't have much to show you studio-wise today. However I do have my most favorite photographs from this weekend:
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This one is for my mom, the ladybug lover:

And I love these flouncy flowers--they remind me of ballerinas in their tutu's:

This one nearly got us caught in a rainstorm, but I couldn't resist those bright white birds again the dark and stormy sky:

PS: Blogger is being a little fussy today, so please excuse any large spaces or gigantic font!

The Confection Collection

2010-09-15T19:56:00.001-04:00

Introducing The Confection Collection! Of course, it all began with Cupcake Chic. My friend Beth purchased it for her adorable little girl Leah. Then the sneakies began! Beth's sister Rebecca commissioned me to make two companion pieces for the cupcake as a surprise. Due to the secretive nature (both ladies are blog readers;), I haven't been able to share the confection-making process in this space. Finally, the secret is out and I can show you what in the world I have been up to in the studio lately:

Each of these is a 5 x 4 inch mixed media art piece AND each has my confection signature, a "sugary" framing :)

Thanks to Beth and Rebecca!!

A Robot for Daniel

2010-09-14T18:59:00.000-04:00

Here he is! A robot for a very cool kid named Daniel. I was given lots of creative license on this piece--which was both fun and kinda hard. I knew that his new "big boy" room had lime green walls, so I chose a cherry red framing as a complement and went from there. Most of what you see is scrapbook paper that I deconstructed and then reconstructed in different areas and various layerings to make robot parts.

His boots are my favorite!

Sold!

2010-09-13T18:14:00.000-04:00

I am ecstatic to report that both The Hummingbird and Just Plane Fun have sold! Yay! Even more exciting is that they sold to two different people, one of whom I don't even know--just a fabulously wonderful Etsy customer.

In other shop news, I have just yesterday put the finishing touches on THREE custom orders--two companions for Cupcake Chic and a super-awesome Robot for a super-awesome little boy named Daniel. I can't wait to show you!

Barefoot Sunday: Provençal Potato Salad

2010-09-12T20:02:00.001-04:00

I have been waiting for what seems like forever to have the time/patience to make this very beautiful salad (it's so pretty that it graces the cover of the official Barefoot Contessa cookbook). I finally made it on Monday after making its first ingredient (the French potato salad) the day before. I couldn't wait to try it! I even made it ahead and let it sit like you're supposed to.

It was good. No more, no less. But please don't judge Ina--it is perhaps that our tastes are just not very French and just very much Italian. Despite being the one who prepared the salad, all through eating it I kept expecting the white bits to be mozzarella when instead they were boiled egg. In hindsight I should have taken it as a sign when the recipe said the eggs, alongside the anchovies, were "optional." Hmn...

Weekend

2010-09-11T17:00:00.000-04:00

I wish everyone a lovely weekend--either delightfully productive or restoratively unproductive! This everyday snapshot kind of image was inspired by the cool ladies at 3191 blog. The breakfast itself was inspired by my friend Amy (of course, I changed it a little ;).

Cardboard Barn

2010-09-09T19:17:00.000-04:00

I found this really cute tutorial for a cardboard barn at RealSimple.com. Amelia had been talking about wanting a farm and the different animals she would have, so this fit the bill. Of course, we modified it a little to suit our personalities (and available supplies!). The most fun resource was a cork square (extra from a bulletin board). We used it for the roofing and then cut the extra pieces up and stacked them to make hay bales. Fun! After painting and drawing some details (painting, me; drawing, her) I let her cut up some string and glue it down for straw. Truth be told, I think I am more smitten with it than she is!
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PS: If a barn isn't what you are after check out this cool cardboard theater from MyCakies!

Birthday

2010-09-08T18:58:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday and I was blessed with this sweet little cake from Jason and a present from Amelia that she decided on and picked out all on her own (a framed picture of herself for my desk at work). So precious! She also picked out the wrapping paper and plates/napkins for my "party" and they were so...well, me. How cute is that?!

Selfish Baking

2010-09-07T18:47:00.001-04:00

I did a little selfish baking this weekend. Why selfish, you ask? Well, I made what I felt like making and what I felt like eating, without asking the others what they'd like. I also made it in half-secret, not feeling quite up to the task of receiving "help" from my little one. In another selfish move, I ate almost all of them myself ;).
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They were Soulemama's Coffee Crisps, only I added a generous dash of cinnamon. Delicious!!
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PS: If you live in a hot and humid climate, you will need to refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before rolling it out. Otherwise you are left with a hot mess...literally.

35:55

2010-09-06T17:55:00.000-04:00

35 minutes and 55 seconds--my personal best time! Thanks to all of you for your support (especially those shout outs via blog comment!). It was a happy birthday present to myself. Yay :)

Barefoot Sunday: French Potato Salad

2010-09-05T17:28:00.001-04:00

"There are no good substitutions for dill," the knowledgeable and apologetic produce man said to me as I stared down the empty row where fresh dill should be. "You just gotta leave it out." "Thanks," I said brightly. Brightly because it's not really his fault that my grocery store is sub-par. Oh well. I followed his sage advice and omitted the two tablespoons of dill.
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Turns out that I love parsley and basil so much that I didn't know what I was missing. This potato salad was full bodied and delicious. Unlike American potato salad, and much like the Italian potato salad that I will share here another time, this recipe called for no mayonnaise. Don't worry--the olive oil vinaigrette does just fine.
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I must confess...I made this only as a vehicle for an altogether different Barefoot Sunday recipe that uses this particular potato salad as a base. I am very excited to make it, as it's one of the "biggies" that I have always wanted to make. Soon, friends!
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PS: Here is the recipe :).

Just Because

2010-09-04T19:30:00.000-04:00

The other day I found the softest, palest, prettiest carnations that I have ever seen. I bought the tiny bouquet for a just a tad bit more than I usually spend and put them in a teeny crystal bud vase by my bedside. Just because. It's the weekend--do something nice for yourself too, just because.

This Moment

2010-09-03T18:38:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. - Soulemama

32, 5k

2010-09-02T16:04:00.000-04:00

My 32nd birthday is next Wednesday. As a little gift to myself I have trained for a 5k run on Labor Day. I feel like finally, after years of running off and on, I have reached the point where I understand what in the world runners talk about when they say that running makes them feel better (and not worse). Sure, my legs hurt and my face is tomato red. Jason asked me quite seriously if I was ok last night as I tried to catch my breath and gulp water simultaneously (attractive, no?).
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However, the turning point was on Sunday. I felt icky and a little fretful about no particular thing. So I ran. And then I felt better. Epiphany!

Takin' It Outside

2010-09-01T19:05:00.000-04:00

As the weather becomes more and more bearable (dare I say there was a slight breeze the day before yesterday) we are trying to be outside more. We, and by we I mean Jason, cleaned the play set of cobweb residents and prepared the yard for playing this weekend. And play we did...for about 11 minutes...then it was too hot and we went inside again. Hey--baby steps, right?
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Since I had already met my sweat quota for the day (more on that tomorrow), I sat along the sidelines of an Amelia vs. Jason soccer match and did what I do: make stuff :).
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PS: See that needle on the dish? Um, I dropped that somewhere between the deck stairs and the back door. Oh, the hazards of crafting...

Now I Get It!

2010-08-31T17:19:00.000-04:00

I was quite a sight to see last night...sitting in bed with several knitting books, knitting ephemera, pattern printouts, and the laptop in my lap trying to discern this complicated (to me) paragraph in the sweater pattern. The good news is that once I figured out what the pattern was trying to tell me, the actual knitting was super easy. "Transferring to waste yarn" simply meant slip the stitches from one needle onto an extra piece of yarn instead of the other needle. This will "save your stitch spots" for later when it's time to use smaller needles to add sleeves (duh, makes total sense in hindsight).
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I hope this inspires you to give something new a try. If I can figure it out you can too--and if you choose knitting and need help from someone just a few steps ahead just send me an email or comment. :)

Yay!!!

2010-08-30T19:09:00.000-04:00

Hurray! Word must have gotten out into the bird community about my pouty post from the other day. We got an adorable family of red-winged black birds (I looked them up) on our feeder this weekend--and they're a family of three to boot! Poetic, no?

In knitty news, after some exercise and evening chores (a.k.a., slight avoidance) I am sitting down to tackle the very scary section of Amelia's sweater pattern. For better or worse, I'll show you what comes of it tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Wild and Precious

2010-08-29T14:15:00.000-04:00

It's all done--my submission to Melissa Crowe's Embroidereading Contest. This took quite a bit of time...true, I did work on it in snippets here and there, but in culmination it feels as thought I have been working on this forever. I am calling it Wild and Precious.
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I have checked out a few of the other contestants and the competition is stiff! Too bad it's not done by community vote or I would be humbly requesting your participation ;)

Weekend Agendas: Lesson Learned

2010-08-28T18:18:00.000-04:00

We had very high expectations for today: find a cool (and inexpensive) backsplash facade for our too-dark kitchen and maybe hit a few furniture consignment shops. Well, after several fruitless back-and-forth trips between hardware stores, home stores, home, and back out it was 2:00 p.m. and we were all tired, cranky, and coming up empty.
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In an attempt to preserve the productivity of the day, since the laziness of the day was long over, we did take care of the lawn and wash cars. The house remains a mess but I am too weary from the day to think about it. Lesson learned: our weekends are for relaxing and hanging out--an agenda rife with expectation is sure to backfire!

Happy Birthday Jason!

2010-08-27T22:03:00.000-04:00

Happy birthday to my wonderful, smart, funny, strong, handsome, romantic, handy, resourceful, and silly "boy." I love you :).

For Kelsey: Definitely, Maybe

2010-08-26T17:30:00.000-04:00

Our good friends are having a baby girl any day now! For the last good bit, this baby was set to be named Kelsey. Hence the very personalized art below:

Now it appears that this precious bundle may or may not be named Kelsey after all...silly me for jumping the gun (this was a gift!). SO...if this wee one's name IS Kelsey and/or something with six letters in it we are solid. If not, then I will be cutting out some fresh circles and someone else with a six-letter name can enjoy a very pretty mixed media piece!

Caterpillar Business

2010-08-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

I nearly ran face first into this very busy cluster of fuzzy caterpillars! I was so glad that they were still there the next day when I brought the family (and the camera) back for this most interesting sight. And now for a not-so-subtle transition into other kinds of caterpillar business, namely...The Custom Caterpillar.
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Back-to-school has me a little behind, but trust that I have a few goodies to show here beginning tomorrow. All four items are custom order mixed medias, but remember that if you see anything you like and would like tweaked just for you let me know!

For the Birds...In Theory

2010-08-24T17:06:00.001-04:00

We've been on the lookout for an inexpensive yet cute-looking bird feeder for some time now...one that we can hang just outside the living room window for easy visual access to adorable birds. We even bought the special food for "colorful birds" in hopes that we could expand our backyard bird crew (which currently consists of two noisy and fearless doves and one mockingbird).
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Well, it has been three full days and there has been nary a bird in sight. Is it possible that they are still up north in their summer homes? Even our own backyard birds have snubbed it (maybe they are offended that we bought such uppity food?). Who knows!?

Delightfully Bored

2010-08-23T17:01:00.000-04:00

After a very hectic back-to-school week for all of us, we were on a mandated family weekend: no scheduled events nor special chores outside the norm of yard, laundry, and grocery. The oppressive heat kept us indoors for most of the time...eventually cabin fever set in. Amelia and I headed off to the craft store in search of a wooden pirate ship for her to paint (we had seen them before). Once all was prepped and ready for Amelia, we grown-ups decided to grab brushes and get in on the fun. It turns out that family painting, complete with near misses and twister-like position changes, is great fun for all!
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PS: Here is a delightful and funny post about the beauty of Mason jars (you can see one of ours is hard at work up there!).

Barefoot Sunday: Cinnamon Honey Butter

2010-08-22T18:29:00.000-04:00

This week's Barefoot Sunday recipe was chosen under rather unglamorous circumstances:
   a) We are pretending it's fall--cinnamon is a must (even more on that later this
   week).
   b) I had all of the ingredients already.
   c) Said ingredients did not require heating up the kitchen with the oven.
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The resulting Cinnamon Honey Butter was quite tasty. We buttered up some multigrain bread as an afternoon snack while I made dinner (grilled cheese and salad in case you're nosy ;). We were very hungry, so you will see that there are some bits of visible butter in there because I was too impatient to wait any longer for perfect room-temperature consistency. Oh well! It was just for us anyway and it was very yummy no matter the visible butter bits. Say that three times fast!

Sweater In Progress

2010-08-21T20:35:00.000-04:00

Here's a little photographic progress report on Amelia's sweater. I got about an inch further today, which is exciting and a little daunting as I am rapidly approaching the very intimidating part of the pattern. It's a full-on paragraph that I simply do not understand, full of the knitting jargon and abbreviations that prompt me to scour knitting books and youtube for guidance. But scour I will, people, because I am going to make this sweater [insert determined facial expression here...and maybe a fist pump into the air]. ;)

This Moment

2010-08-20T19:32:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. - Soulemama

Frogging

2010-08-19T20:50:00.001-04:00

What's frogging, you might ask? It's a rather adorable term for a rather unfortunate knitting circumstance: unraveling your work because you have messed up royally somewhere along the way. It's called frogging because you have to "rip it, rip it" and start again (from where you erred or from the beginning).
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The photo above is of the complete frogging of Jason's hat. If I were being honest with myself, I would admit that something didn't feel quite right from the start. Perhaps the tension wasn't right or maybe the needle was too small. It wasn't until yesterday's fatal error of working it backwards and generating a huge hole that the frogging officially commenced.
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My thoughts? I'm just glad it wasn't the sweater ;)

First Day of Kindergarten!!

2010-08-18T18:52:00.000-04:00

Today was Amelia's first day of kindergarten--she was overjoyed to finally be a kindergartener! She shot out of bed and was so excited to get dressed and ready for her big day. As per tradition, via my family and now our family, we went out as a family for dinner and ice cream to discuss the first day's fun (no official talking about it until we are all together!). I am happy to report that she had an amazing day full of adventure, fun, and learning. And now we rest!

Back to School = Autumn...Because I Say So

2010-08-17T20:44:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that it is quite literally breathtakingly hot and humid outside, I am declaring it Autumn. Because when I think of back-to-school time (Amelia's first day of kindergarten is tomorrow!!) I think of shiny red apples and warm cardigans and a wee nip in the air. Which is nothing like my upbringing in Key West by the way...perhaps that is why I am slightly obsessed with seasons and places where they occur. Anyhoo... just for my own sense of fun I purchased the most autumn-inspired grocery flowers I could find as well as a Whole Living magazine with a big, red apple on the front and a new book with sweater-clad people atop crunchy leaves. That's a start. This weekend I am thinking of going all out and baking something with cinnamon in it--wild, I know ;)

Find Your Place of Peace...Then Go There

2010-08-16T21:42:00.000-04:00

Sparing you the details, I will say that some events this weekend left me feeling out-of-sorts and generally emotionally icky. Luckily such things were limited to the early weekend, so Sunday was available for a do-over. Through this process of blogging and blog-reading I have learned so much about what brings me joy; a sense of peace and quiet in my soul. It took a few hours of preparation but by Sunday's early afternoon I was just where I wanted to be: baking blueberry muffins with Amelia with the hum of the dryer in the background (fresh sheets!), fresh flowers bunched on different tables, and a basket of books and knitting waiting for me on the couch. All was right with the world again. I hope this post inspires you to find what fuels your soul and then inspires you to carve out some time to do it.

Barefoot Sunday: Caramelized Shallots

2010-08-15T18:18:00.001-04:00

Some history: a few years back Jason gave me a beautiful oven-safe All Clad saute pan (the kind recommended by Ina herself!). It's taken me three years to do it--today I finally put that pan in the oven (it is oven-safe after all)! The Caramelized Shallot recipe calls for sauteing the shallots in butter and sugar first, then adding red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan, and finally roasting the whole kit and caboodle in the oven for 15 minutes or so. We thought they were quite tasty...but there are some notables to mention:

1) When you add the vinegar to the pan, stand back! And turn the vent on! And maybe shield your eyes while you stir ;)

2) The shallots were yummy paired with baked chicken and mashed potatoes:

3) Beware that the completed meal is a tad on the rich side, so be sure to plan for a lighter dessert:)

The Very Best Studio Mate

2010-08-14T20:19:00.000-04:00

I have the very best studio mate in the world. As I work at the desk she is behind me, doing artwork of her own or playing with her toys as I listen to the musings of her vast imagination (I think she sometimes forgets I am there and un-shyly lets her imagination run wild). I can think of no better creative space!

Ahh...Weekend

2010-08-13T19:39:00.001-04:00

I had a lovely week...yet I meet Friday night with joy and relief, wearing my pajama pants at 7:30 p.m. (I know. I am a party animal ;). I wish all of you a blissful beginning to your weekend.

Ladies: Grab Your Mowers!

2010-08-12T19:32:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I saw my neighbor (a work-outside-the-home-mom) mowing the lawn. My first thought was, "Seriously?! Is there nothing that we women don't feel we need to take on?!" Then I thought about how my neighbor was really smart and cool so there must be something to it.

Ladies: there is something to it. Imagine a chore where you can put on your headphones (or earbuds ;) and blast out your favorite tunes while totally tuning out the world. Imagine still a chore that stays done at least for a few days, unlike the beastly laundry and dishes which perpetuate while you are still working on them. It's satisfying indeed. Plus, it's cardio. Need I say more?

Two at a Time

2010-08-11T18:21:00.000-04:00

Whilst I work on Amelia's Tiny Tea Leaves Sweater I will also be knitting toward a winter hat for Jason. My first hat attempt came out okay enough...enough to be in Amelia's dress-up chest and nowhere else ;). The process taught me a lot, though, so I am ready to try again with the same pattern tweaked to my liking. Working on more than one project keeps it fun and exciting and I read somewhere that it is good for your hands and wrists to vary the motions now and again. I'll keep you posted on progress!

Burnin' the Midnight Oil

2010-08-10T17:51:00.000-04:00

It's getting busy around here! I have a few pieces in the works--all mixed media for now--with deadlines: baby due-date deadlines. To help me burn the midnight oil I set an old mirror atop the studio desk in an effort to get some light in there. It will do...for now.
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In some fabulously exciting news, Cupcake Chic has sold and is currently on its way to be a part of a new big-girl room for Leah (thanks Beth!). That's sale #4...and I am absolutely counting ;)

A Wild Work In Progress

2010-08-09T18:37:00.000-04:00

I am working here and there on my Embroidereading Contest entry. In a nutshell, it's a fun little contest by Melissa Crowe (Checkout Girl) based on poetry and word stitchery. Thank goodness you are allowed to use quotes from actual poets--I did a few rough drafts and they were...shall we say...awful. Luckily I stumbled on this fabulously lovely line from one of Mary Oliver's poems:
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Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
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Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Barefoot Sunday: Ice Cream Bombe

2010-08-08T17:22:00.001-04:00

Ta da! It's the Barefoot Contessa's Ice Cream Bombe from Barefoot in Paris. Well, kinda. We decided to use a different combination of flavors while practicing the skill of making it (as you can see I need a little more practice before this recipe is guest-worthy).

To make one of your own all you'll need is three different ice cream flavors (ones that you think would complement each other taste-wise and color-wise), plastic wrap, and a set of three nesting bowls. I wanted to make a small bombe since it's just the three of us, so I used Amelia's stackable snack bowls, which necessitated only 1/2 to 2/3 of a pint of each flavor. All it takes is a process of softening, smoothing out, and re-freezing a few times--which is really easy to squeeze in amongst other kitchen duties through out the day. Slicing required a knife run under hot water, but once it was served it hit the spot :)

PS: This time we tried lemon-strawberry-vanilla. I'm thinking of perhaps a chocolate layer next time...

Late Summer Salsa II

2010-08-07T18:55:00.000-04:00

I made more of my most favorite doctored-up salsa today. I love it so much that it was one of my earliest posts. I wanted to reprise it this sweltering summer...we love to eat it with scoop-shaped tortilla chips and beverages of one kind or another ;).

Thank Goodness for Popsicles

2010-08-06T20:14:00.000-04:00

Not to be overdramatic, but we are melting down here: temperature readings at 95 degrees + high humidity = 110 degree heat index. Yuck! I took this homemade Gatorade popsicle outside only to get a good picture...beyond that we are holed up in the house, and in today's case the movie theater, where it's at least bearable. I must say that popsicles have really been hitting the spot and have created a child-friendly way for Amelia to stay hydrated.
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PS: I found these popsicle sticks at Michael's.

Pink Pictures from Miami

2010-08-05T22:34:00.000-04:00

I certainly did not inherit my black thumb from my dad. Here are pictures from my parent's backyard in Miami. I did crop them for interest, however I think it's important to note that I did not mess with the color saturation at all. Those flowers really are those colors. The bottom one is my favorite :)

Tiny Tea Leaves Cardi

2010-08-04T17:29:00.000-04:00

I am a sucker for precious white cardigans on little girls--Amelia gets one (from the store) every fall so that we can cart it everywhere and add and remove as necessary through to spring. When I saw Madeline Tosh's Tiny Tea Leaves pattern I swooned. It is just so...darn...cute.
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I found some soft white yarn with a hint of sparkle to satisfy both my need to have the sweater match everything and Amelia's need to be fabulous. I am about five rows in and have already had to google and youtube a few things, as well as try to resist the urge to hurl the whole thing across the room in frustration, but I shall knit on!
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It's a good thing "fall" doesn't start here until after Thanksgiving ;)

Hair-Raising Headband

2010-08-03T17:05:00.001-04:00

A while back I subscribed to a cool knitting e-letter called The Yarn Players. They send me emails with fun and interesting (and free) patterns. My first newsletter included a pattern for this super adorable headband called The Hair-Raising Headband. As soon as I saw it I grabbed the yarn I had on hand and set to work because A) I could practice my new skill of purl stitching and B) I have the same hair-do as the girl in the picture (and I am only half-kidding about that reason ;).
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The band is the same width all the way around, which causes that bizarro hair bump thing at the nape of the neck if you wear it with your hair down...SO I have decided to experiment with knitting increases and decreases to create a tapered band. I'll let you know how it goes!!
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PS: Taking a picture of your own headband is a little tricky!

Rested

2010-08-02T18:22:00.000-04:00

Hello! I hope this post finds you well (or possibly at all, given my hiatus;). After preparing for, and presenting, both the week-long art camp and the trunk show I was feeling very droopy. Spending the week being taken care of by my family and hanging out with friends at awesome concerts was quite restorative. So I am back in the swing of things!! This week's posts will center on two completed knitting projects plus two in the works, some beautiful garden pictures from my parents' house (like the belladonna above), and the beginnings of another craft contest entry.
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As I like to say, superfun!!!

Multiple Choice

2010-07-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

What have I been doing?

a) Getting a terrible cold and pinched nerve in the neck from crafting.
b) Following Dave Matthews Band on their summer tour.
c) Jigsaw puzzles in Miami.
d) All of the above.

The answer is d! Ridiculous sounding? Perhaps. Awesome? Definitely. Well, except the cold and hurt neck part. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I will return with a "real" post on Monday.

Love,
Danielle

Trunk Show Rewind

2010-07-24T17:50:00.001-04:00

What a day! First up, I am sure you are wondering if anything sold. Um, no. Don't you worry about me, though. I got great exposure, great feedback, and wonderful tips from the other fabulous vendors. The doubly good news about all of this is that The Custom Caterpillar Shop is now fully loaded and ready for action (look over to your right for the handy link).
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How did I manage to do this all? With the support and patience of my husband and wonderful daughter who said, "Momma, I would buy all of this art because you are a great artist." Now that this is done, I am going to take some time away from the studio and the blog and spend some quality time with my loves. Thank YOU for all of your cheering. See you soon :)

For the Sassy Girls...and/or Their Moms

2010-07-23T17:40:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking it's the sassy girls that will be drawn to this hot pink gerber daisy perched atop a denim background. I include mommies in this too since, for some reason, I couldn't help but reminisce about the 90's while I was hand sewing this slightly tedious, individually beaded bloom. Petal after petal I thought about my collection of silver rings, watching 90210 and The Real World, and wearing this adorable-at-the-time sunflower baby doll dress with Sam 'n Libby ballet flats. Good times!
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Now, will tomorrow's trunk show be good times? It remains to be seen....cross your fingers please!
PS: Can you believe this has been five new pieces shown here in as many days? I have a few loose ends (literally) to tend to tonight and then I need a crafty break!

Skater Dude

2010-07-22T18:10:00.001-04:00

Another for the boys! Skater Dude is an action-packed 5x4 inch mixed media canvas showcasing an awesome dude and his skateboarding trick. I loved choosing the coordinating papers for this, though I think the shoes are my favorite part. Also, to make it ever so slightly more special, I carried the paper all the way to the sides for this piece:

I think it does the trick!
PS: I am loving all of the supportive comments--you all are so great! Thanks :)

Cupcake Chic

2010-07-21T19:42:00.000-04:00

I really want to take a bite of this shimmery, decadent-looking cupcake, don't you? Cupcake Chic is a 5 x 4 inch mixed media designed in sophisticated soft pinks and browns for those little ladies with a touch of class. To make it even more confection-esque I added a creamy, glittered edge frame which highlights the pretty dusting of sequined and paper-cut "sprinkles:"

I am so very pleased with how it came out!
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In hydrangea news, after sleeping and considering, I decided that since it's intended for young people it needed a bit more whimsy:

Hope you like it :)

Hydrangeas

2010-07-20T18:18:00.000-04:00

How cute is this wee teeny hoop?! I found a few of these 3" wooden hoops at the craft store on Sunday and I snatched them all up, greedy shopper that I am. The design of this hoop evolved as I worked on it, but I am satisfied that the finished product aligns with my initial vision: creating something for little girls who love purple vs. the scads of young ladies who adore pink. I may go back in and add just a few more embroidered leaf details and possibly tiny blossom sets in the blank spots. I am going to sleep on it, though if you have thoughts I would love your collective opinion. Tomorrow...a cupcake! But not the kind you eat ;)

Surf's Up

2010-07-19T18:19:00.000-04:00

Each day this week I will be highlighting a newly finished item for Saturday's show. "Countdown to Trunk Show" item #1 is a very cool piece, if I do say so myself. Surf's Up is an 8-inch square canvas layered with creamy acrylic paint, deconstructed scrapbook paper, and Sharpie design. I chose muted, masculine tones to create a very hip "surfer dude" kind of mood for this one. I had an older boy's room in my head when visioning this, but really I think it would suit anyone who loves the idea of surfing and/or this handsome and sophisticated color palette.

Layers of various kinds of white acrylic, plus layers of crisp white paper, create the depth of the crashing wave that this brave soul is willing to surf on.

Surf's up!

Barefoot Sunday: Corn Muffins

2010-07-18T17:28:00.000-04:00

Amelia directed this week's installment of Barefoot Sunday. She loves corn muffins and requested some when we were watching an altogether different show on the Food Network (sorry Neely's!). We looked up Ina's recipe and, of course, they are rated five-star...deservedly so. They are easy to make and so delicious and moist--you'll only need to butter them for fun rather than necessity ;).

My notes? Only one: Once again I experienced a disconcerting-looking batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients. All was fine--though I figured you could use the heads up. Enjoy!!

PS: Tune in tomorrow for my first installment of "Trunk Show Countdown!"

Morning Magic

2010-07-17T17:32:00.000-04:00

This morning I went out on the porch to read for a while and looked up to find this:

The rest of the morning was a frenzy of errands and chores, with one chore being particularly rewarding. After consultation with wise friends last night (having tried everything in my own repertoire), we came upon just the right formula for the task at hand:
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409 + Mr. Clean Magic Eraser + significant elbow grease = the cleanest my kitchen table has been in five years. Back to white from...uh, beige...it no longer needs hiding under a table cloth. It's so clean I could eat off of it--Ha!

Speaking of said lovely and wise friends, I was so excited to visit with them last night that I forgot to post. Whoopsies! Barefoot Sunday tomorrow :)

Two Words: Date Night

2010-07-15T18:35:00.000-04:00

Until tomorrow, my friends!

Good to Know

2010-07-14T19:45:00.000-04:00

I took this picture on the flight to Maine...it's of a wonderful article in Body & Soul magazine about how using your hands and being in a creative place can increase serotonin levels and thus increase your level of happiness. My own quest to craft some more happiness in my life, to maybe find the sweet spot where creativity meets earning, led to this week-long children's art camp.
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What I know now is that my love for children and the field of education and my love for art do not mix. While working with the children this week has been fun, and while I love the content that I am teaching, it is leaving me without any creative spirit at the end of the day. That part of my brain has nothing left for my own creating and making, whether in the studio or even the kitchen.
::
I am so, so grateful for the chance to peek into this life, the life of an art teacher. Grateful for the chance to climb over the fence, see that "whoa, the grass over here is not actually greener" and then contentedly climb back to my side. For so many reasons, this is good to know.

From Today

2010-07-13T18:57:00.000-04:00

This was quite a busy day!
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First and foremost, some fun news: The Garden Bunny has sold (shout out to Jayne!).

Painting with tots? My verdict on it: A good time was had by all! Now I need to go lie down for a while ;)

Tonight's business? Family game night is still going strong. This is the Curious George Discovery Beach Game, which is enough of a favorite that we gave it as a birthday gift just this past weekend--it's fast paced and has a decent mixture of skill vs. luck. If you have little ones you may want to look into it...

Ok, for realsies now I am going to lie down. Have a great evening!

Will I love it or love it not?

2010-07-12T18:13:00.001-04:00

May I begin by saying this quirky and adorable flower is the only wildflower received from the CSA in its twelve-week run? Not the only kind of wildflower received in our bundle, mind you. The. Only. Flower. But I digress...
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This week is a little experiment for me. I am running a children's art camp (roughly ages 3-10), thanks to my lovely and trusting friend Lisa ;). I love art. I love teaching children. And yet, will I love teaching art to children? It remains to be seen in full...This first day was quite fun. I taught them about different kinds of paintings (landscape, etc.) and we sketched out the beginnings of their own mixed media canvases (the main event and take-home element for the camp). Wish me luck for tomorrow we paint, pre-schoolers and all. Wheee!!!

Barefoot Sunday: Pink Lemonade

2010-07-11T19:20:00.000-04:00

It's so HOT, as I am sure you know. Seeking inspiration for a low-effort, low kitchen-heating Barefoot Contessa recipe, I searched Foodnetwork.com for her recipes by rating. Five-star Pink Lemonade? Yes please!!

The making of this is so easy. The most high maintenance part was needing to purchase grenadine for only two teaspoons of "pink," but whatever...we'll have some Shirley Temples later this week ;). As for the lemonade, it hit the spot!

Notes:
- The recipe called for super fine sugar, which I couldn't find. We did just fine by stirring the granulated sugar directly in the lemon juice before adding any other ingredients.
- To yield 1 cup of lemon juice, I needed 7.5 lemons (good thing they were on sale!).

Pretty Pictures Post

2010-07-10T16:26:00.000-04:00

Happy weekend! Can you spot the birdie in the top picture?

An Acquired Taste, Perhaps?

2010-07-09T18:30:00.000-04:00

We had a few bunches of kale in our CSA bundle last week. Not wanting anything to go to waste, I did some online research on what I could do with this leafy green. Kale chips are all the rage, apparently; appearing on several "mommy blogs" as a way to get greens into kids. Together we followed this well-reviewed recipe and they turned out just as planned.

...except that none of us really liked them. The first chip yielded a "hmm...interesting" response. Following that, Amelia was done and Jason and I merely tolerated the rest. Oh, well. We're chalking it up to an acquired taste that we really have no interest in acquiring ;)

Little Seahorse

2010-07-08T18:22:00.000-04:00

Here's Little Seahorse...did you guess correctly ;)? This is a 6" hoop with felt applique atop gray linen. The belly, fin, and eye are accented with a light purple sheering that is very shimmery and fun. Each "bubble" is an iridescent sequin attached with the smallest of french knots so as not to interfere with any shine. The back of the seahorse is whipstitched to create a fin/scale look. I tried to spare no detail while keeping it simple at the same time. I hope you like it!

Fishies, Continued

2010-07-07T19:42:00.000-04:00

I couldn't help myself, I had to continue with aquarium pictures. Can you guess which sea creature inspired the hoop that I will show here tomorrow? I will give you a hint...it's probably not the sawfish ;)

Georgia Aquarium

2010-07-06T19:12:00.003-04:00

The second segment of Jason's anniversary present was a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. Each of us has an affinity for aquatic animals, as silly as that may sound. We marveled at the sheer size of the tanks and the variety of species within them. Amelia was not at all shy about sticking her hand into the stingray & bonnet head shark touch-tank. The most spectacular experience of all was seeing the four baby whale sharks (the "babies" are 20-23 feet long!). They were so graceful and beautiful, swimming peacefully alongside some very grumpy grouper fish and one very attention-hungry, somersaulting manta ray:) If you are ever in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend that you attend!
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Upon returning home I got started immediately on a new hoop for the shop, inspired by a very whimsical sea creature!

Braves!

2010-07-05T17:04:00.000-04:00

We're back! Though we needed to eat our weight in slushies, ice cream cones, and snow cones to keep from melting, we had a fantastic time at the Atlanta Braves vs. Florida Marlins baseball game in Atlanta on Saturday. Jason mentioned in passing one weekend (a good long time ago) that he wished Amelia could go to a Braves game before longtime Manager, Bobby Cox, retires. My wife brain logged that little tidbit immediately, and thus, this was his anniversary present from me. How does one go about purchasing secret tickets to an event one knows nothing about? With LOTS of help from co-conspirating family, friends, and 7th grade students (who helped me choose the right seats). Thanks all!!

Then, in all manner of coincidences, not only were our best pals also attending that game--it was "kids run the bases day" at Turner Field! Below is a (blurry) picture of Amelia and her best friend Ainsley running the bases. Supercool!

Butterfly Whispers

2010-07-03T07:50:00.000-04:00

Here it is! Butterfly Whispers was inspired by my friend Vanessa, who is having a precious baby girl this fall. This little darling is set to have a beautiful nursery in the softest, lightest hues. This one is an 11 x 14 inch mixed media canvas. Everything, with the exception of the butterflies, is hand painted by me in acrylic paint. The "frame" is painted in the butteriest pink I could mix, with silver accenting of course. This item will be available in the shop and/or the trunk show soon. Vanessa--this can give you inspiration for your custom design (or I can set it aside for you ;)).

We are headed out for a family vacation. Yay! I wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July! See you back here on Monday :)

I Splurge on Martha

2010-07-02T13:25:00.000-04:00

Even with a coupon, Martha products pack a pricey punch (say that three times fast!). As soon as I set eyes on this, visions of a project swirled in my head. A sizable 11x14 inch one. I'll show you the finished piece tomorrow!
PS: Happy Friday!
PPS: Punch pun absolutely intended ;)

Beach : )

2010-07-01T18:50:00.000-04:00

We spent a long, lovely day at the beach on Sunday. We want to have as many fun beach days as possible before any hurricanes and, of course, the dreaded oil arrive (so, so heartbreaking to say the least). It was a new beach for us, so let me tell you that this first picture makes me cringe a little because later in the day we learned of (and saw firsthand) sand spiders everywhere. Big ones. Eek!!!

Grateful for the Distractions

2010-06-30T20:03:00.000-04:00

The CSA farmers were late setting up today...which left Amelia and I waiting around in the humid drizzle of Florida rain...in work clothes. I got my favorite brown, high-heeled Mary Jane's all soaked and muddy :(. Luckily, we had some happy distractions to help pass the time.

A six-week old kitty called Smokey:

And these guys. Who promptly waddled up to shore to try and attack some ducks. It was wild. Literally.

Truthful Tuesday: Black Thumb

2010-06-29T17:01:00.000-04:00

Have you guys heard of Truthful Tuesday? It's a fantastic new blog movement where lovely ladies are revealing a little more "true" life moments in their blogs versus only the pretty or "blogworthy" moments, if you will. Click here to learn a little more from Hip Mountain Mama blog.
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My Tuesday Truth?

I come from a long line of farmers and landscapers...yeah, um, I am thinking that particular gene escaped me. The irony is that I love flowers and plants, as you probably noticed from what I tend to photograph. I just can't seem to take good care of them. If I happen to post a pretty picture of a flower you can be sure either:
   a) It's a purchased, cut flower from the grocery store.
   b) It's a brand new plant freshly home from the nursery.
   c) It's a lovely, healthy bloom from one of my neighbor's yards.

Oh well! We can't be good at everything!!

Cookies and Tea for Me!

2010-06-28T19:09:00.001-04:00

My artwork is now featured, and for sale, at a most darling little girls' party wonderland called Cookies and Tea for Me. Yay!!
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The owner asked me to make a business sign to include with my art. Actually it went more like: "Do you have signage that you can display with the art?" and I said "Absolutely!" and then I had to absolutely get busy making it. Such was the task last night and oh-so-early this morning (hence the inferior lighting and pre-caffiene crookedness):

I will also be participating in her trunk show in mid-July (details soon). This is getting exciting. So exciting.

Barefoot Sunday: Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

2010-06-27T19:26:00.001-04:00

Barefoot Sunday is back! With all of the blueberries on hand from yesterday, what better recipe to make than Ina's Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins? The first thing you do is make a huge mess:

Ha! You know you've made a mess when cleaning up the cooking requires the vacuum. Despite the mess, know that the muffins were quite yummy and did have the sugary, crusty "coffee cake" quality that the name promises.

Some tidbits you may need to know:
1) The wet ingredients did have a curdled look to them, which if you are not used to seeing when baking, can freak you out a little.
2) Using big, fresh blueberries caused the muffins to be tasty but not hold their shape when unwrapped. Heads up!

I am SO glad it's summer...back to the beach, back to the kitchen, yeah!

Blueberry Picking!

2010-06-26T16:40:00.001-04:00

My friend Roseann clued me in to a delightful little treasure only a half-hour drive from the house--a blueberry farm! For all my dreaming of Maine, this was quite a pleasant surprise and treat. It was so amazing to see the beautiful color changes that happen to the berries as they ripen. From white, to pale pink, to vibrant pinks, purples, and blues my camera just kept on clicking. And since they grow on bushes, Amelia could easily reach and hold the bucket, which pleased her greatly. Thanks Roseann!

Now, as it is stormy outside, we are waiting rather impatiently for this to get out of the oven. I'll let you know how it turns out!!

The Butterfly

2010-06-25T17:30:00.000-04:00

Here is The Butterfly! It is heading to a store alongside The Hummingbird, hopefully for some good 'n plenty Custom Caterpillar exposure. Speaking of a different kind of exposure, I simply cannot figure out how to photograph hot pink felt without it coming out looking red. The red you see below? It's pink I tell you!! Not even close to red in person.

And because it's Friday (yay!) here is a "fun" one:

Happy weekend to all!
PS: If you like either of these pieces and would like to have your own in a similar style or color palette, just send an email!

Rumor Has It

2010-06-24T19:38:00.000-04:00

What an adorable cover, no? Who could resist! This from the back of the book:

Newly single, Tilly Cole impulsively accepts a job offer in a small town as a "Girl Friday." Fun job, country house, fresh start, why not? But soon she finds herself in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the town's most desirable bachelor--Jack Lucas...

Chick lit at its best I tell you! I found it funny, readable, and down-to-earth. It had enough characters in it to keep it interesting but not so many that you lose count and forget who people are (don't you hate it when that happens?). Tilly is perfectly frustrating as a lead character and Lou, the teenage girl of the house, is incredibly likable and fun to read about. I liked this one so much that when my Borders coupon clicked into my inbox I ran out and picked up another book by the same author. Good stuff!

A Hummingbird's Companion

2010-06-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

I am working on a companion piece to The Hummingbird, in embroidery/applique versus mixed media canvas. So far it has been quite a bit of felt-cutting followed by arranging, rearranging, some more arranging, and finally sewing :). I am shooting for a Friday blog-post with the finished piece. Tomorrow: a Book Bit! It seems like forever since I have felt passionate enough about a book to share it in this space. Tune in!

Knitting "In the Round"

2010-06-22T19:38:00.000-04:00

...also known as knitting on circular needles...when making items that are tube-shaped such as hats, sleeves, etc. I was quite intimidated by the thought, but pushed forward when I saw this free pattern that was too cute to pass up.
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As it turns out, knitting in the round is easy and in many ways more fun to me than straight needles. The circular needles are shorter, thereby feeling a bit more manageable in my hands. Even better, it's psychologically easier for me to complete one rotation of stitches at a time verses going back across a straight needle (Sort of like running...I would rather make a one-mile lap than go down the street for a half-mile and have to retrace my steps back home).
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PS: In lieu of a fancy stitch marker, I used a safety pin to mark my spot at the beginning of a row. Whatever works, right?!

Weekend Fun

2010-06-21T20:07:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful weekend--full of a whole lot of hanging around and only teensy bits of homekeeping and yardkeeping. Brownies were baked. Movies were watched. Dog toys were fetched (kinda ;). Blocks were stacked and tumbled. Birds perched on the fence, only to fly away mockingly as I ran to the window with the camera, and I cast on for my very first knitted hat (details on that tomorrow--knitting "in the round" is a hoot!).

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T19:32:00.001-04:00

We spent the day taking very good care of the boy who takes very good care of all of us on all days (today included). Happy day to you and yours!

The Hummingbird

2010-06-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

All done! The Hummingbird is a whimsical 5 x 7 inch mixed media canvas. Truly, I have got to figure out a way to properly photograph my mixed media pieces because this picture does not do this wee bird in her garden justice! It is precious in person. Precious!
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In exciting news, I will tell you that The Hummingbird is not set for the shop. It is headed to a store in town for selling (more on that later). BUT--if you would like a similar art piece, customized in size, design, and colors just for you, just shoot me a comment or email and we can work something out :)

Evidence of Art

2010-06-18T18:32:00.002-04:00

If you were to drop in for coffee one afternoon, you would most certainly need to scoot aside some artsy materials to make some space for yourself. Growing up, my family always said that I left a trail wherever I went (at the time it was likely Seventeen magazines and scrunchies). Over a decade later it is no different! Just a mere few of my trails:

I do love (and use) my studio. Stuff just seems to spill out of there all by itself;)
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Today was the last day of Creativity Bootcamp. I have so enjoyed the process and the friends made along the way! Speaking of, I have a lovely mixed media canvas to show you tomorrow. It's called The Hummingbird and it's oh so pretty. Until then!

Inspiration, Round and Round

2010-06-17T18:59:00.000-04:00

I have been so inspired by women in this electronic world we call the blogosphere lately. Alli from One Pearl Button inspires me to put my artistic eye (and effort, natch) into how I dress each day. MyCakies and Lovely Design blogs each helped me see that rearranging even the tiniest areas of the house will help me love my space again and therefore clean it ;). As always, Soulemama is my greatest source of inspiration for all things. In cleaning out my bathroom and closet today I decided to keep my makeup in a pretty bowl instead of a zippered bag that gets crud caked into the bottom. The bowl will probably get cruddy too, but at least it will look pretty while it all accumulates!

I learned that I inspired my friend Rebecca with this post the other day. Thanks for letting me know, Rebecca! I am loving the round and round of it all!!