Serenity Now

Oh the many usable and true to life quotes from Seinfeld!!! My boys have a bad case of cabin fever. I think tomorrow, now matter what the temperature, we are going to go outside if even for a brief moment. I have been trying to keep them busy playing Zingo (which is so much fun to play especially if you are four years old) and building with legos and reading books. Plus the husband got Rock Band for Christmas, and now both of my children know all of the words to Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive" and the words to "Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Right now they are pretending that summer is here in the bathroom. Both boys are scuba diving in the bathtub. I am sure that there is a flood of water on the floor, but I did need to clean it so really they are giving me a head start.

I have to finish my bag for my swap partner from this swap tonight so that I can send it off tomorrow. I needle felted some curvy lines to some wool for the inside of the bag. I am pretty geeked about this and already have plans to make an identical bag for myself soon. I am also going to make a bunch of these birds, because I love them so much. I am not sure if I am going to make them into a mobile, as seen here, or just artfully arrange them, like here. What are your thoughts? Perhaps I will do both of them!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas! I will be back to posting in a few days. Now I am going to bake cookies for Santa. Ciao!

A surprise in a red envelope

That, dear friends, is what the mailman brought me today. A lovely, lovely surprise in a red envelope from Melissa!!! It is a birthday and Christmas gift for me. Oh, do you want to know what I got? Well, three lovely candles from this store here, a book about aprons, a notepad with Michael Scott's face on it and, drum roll please, A NEW APRON!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously there is nothing like getting a new apron in the mail, especially one that was unexpected and oh so lovely! It is a full apron with apples and pears on it; it's white but has green, lime green, yellow and black and I love it. I wore it to bake in already, too. In fact I took off the apron I was wearing in order to wear my new one. I will take pictures of the loot and post them here soon. Right now, I have to go get ready for a birthday date with my husband.

The Zebra

I thought I would give you a lovely zebra to look at today. Don't you just love their stripes?

Better late than never

So I sort of forgot to post a Thankful Thursday! I don't know about you, but this holiday season seems to have me in a frazzled state. Hopefully I will return to normal soon. I have been VERY forgetful lately, which is not like me. Anyway, here is a Thankful Thursday post for you on a Saturday:

I am thankful for the Black Bean Tortilla Pie recipe from this book. I tweaked it a little, using vegetable broth in place of water and adding my favorite herb, cilantro. I would like to try it with the beer. I bet it would taste amazing. I have made this recipe twice in the past week!

I am thankful for Christmas break. I am looking forward to spending time with both of my boys and my family. I am hoping to have some massive art sessions with my boys. I will have to post pictures and tutorials for you. I have this great idea for waxed paper snowflakes...more to come on that.

I am thankful for aprons. Oh how I love aprons. I love wearing them. I love looking at them hanging on that pathetic nail in my closet. I am going to create a proper hanging tree for them in the next few weeks. Something similar to this here.

I am thankful...even though this seems a bit weird...for all of the snow we got yesterday. I am hoping that many snowpeople will be created in my yard soon.

Anyway that should do it for now. I have to go see what Batman is crying about. Earlier Casey Jones was being eaten by dinosaurs in a pop-up book. Maybe he has a paper cut.

Eavesdropping

Right now, I can hear my Ammon singing his heart out in the shower. I think he would shower for hours if I did not gently remind him that it has to end sometime. He made up some of his own songs this time (those are my favorites), hummed a few John William's songs and then sang a song from, I think, High School Musical or the Jonas Brothers. I am not to familiar with either since his cousin was the one who introduced him to both. At any rate, it sure is funny.

An obscene amount of sugar

That is what was on my kitchen table yesterday...an obscene amount of sugar. My sister and I made cupcakes from this book. The book is VERY highly recommended for anyone who like to dabble in the cupcake arts. We made the Vanilla cupcake recipe from the back of the book and it is pretty good. I liked it because they are not sickly sweet. We chose to make ours into the Christmas ornaments because they required the least amount of candy and skill with a pastry bag. We bought Starbursts to use as our fruit chew but we really should have bought Airheads or something softer. FYI about ten seconds in the microwave made the Starbursts much more manageable. I will have to take some pictures later today. The best ones are the ones the boys made. Ammon's has so much colored sugar and sprinkles on it. Eli's has so many mini M & M's on it that the top of the cupcake caved in. They had fun and that's all that matters.

Well, I am off to take a little nap. I have a cold again and my eyes keep watering as I am typing this. I do apologize for any unnoticed typos.

I forgot about Thankful Thursday!

Okay, so maybe I needed two mochas this morning. Geesh.

I am thankful for mochas (hee-hee)

I am thankful for my husband who surprised me this morning ;)

I am thankful for imaginations...Eli right now is carrying on a very intense conversation with Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Princess Leia. At least I have the light side of the force over here and not the dark side.

I am thankful for preschool Christmas programs.

I am thankful that I get to see my sister and, hopefully, 82% Serious this weekend.

Well, that is all for now. I have to finish putting laundry away, and folding laundry, and putting dirty clothes into the washer......

PS: Jaba the Hut is apparently somewhere in my house at the moment. I wonder how a Hut sneaked into my house without me noticing? Right now, he and Eli are talking about boots.

Good Intentions

Yes, I started out the day having good intentions. Last night, I decided to put some Swiss Muesli in the fridge for me for breakfast in the morning. I even used vanilla soy milk. A nice healthy way to start the day, I thought. I wanted to brew some green tea and just sit back, relax and enjoy the quiet. But, oh no! I forgot to make a snack for Eli's class! So I dropped both boys off at school and then ran to the grocery store to find a somewhat healthy, yet kid-approved snack. I ended up with Scooby Snacks and Apple Juice. What three or four year old wouldn't love that? I had planned on making some healthy and oh-so-tasty pumpkin muffins. Oh well. And as for my tea, well...I sort of ended up with a mocha instead. I am not sure EXACTLY how that happened. But it was good. And so were my intentions.

The long awaited elephant ride picture

Here she is...Laura the Elephant. She's so great, isn't she? I just LOVE elephants. I am not sure what is on her head, but I did really want to ask to give her a bath and then a massage for all of her hard work. I am in the middle, Eli is in front and then Ammon is behind me. I think I had the most fun that day. Oh, and the husband took the photo. Enjoy!

A Get-This-Done-Before-Christmas List

Yes...I still have LOADS of crating to do. I am thinking about getting some recruits. Anyone care to join me? Here is my list

•Finish two pirate quilts (this includes just quilting and binding them)
•Make two bedtime story and pj bags
•Sock monkeys or creatures...at least I have the socks!!!
•Finish my piece for this swap
•Crayon and/or pencil rolls
•Bake a bunch of cookies for the teachers at school

There. That's it. Shouldn't be too bad, eh? Well, I think I will go get started now. I will post pictures when I finish the projects. Hopefully I can get them all done. The only ones that will take a long time will be the two quilts. Plus I can do the baking while I am doing something else. Nice...gotta love multi-tasking! Well, I am off to put together a wish list over at Amazon for my mom. She asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I thought this would be the easiest thing. Oh, hey...I could send her links to Etsy! WOOHOOOOO!!!!!

19 Calzones

Yup. That is what I did today. I made 19 calzones, plus two batches of pizza sauce. Oh the mountain of dishes I created. The calzones were totally worth it, though. Half of them went to a family whose little boy has cancer. I also packed them a healthy salad with a Greek vinaigrette dressing and, just for fun, some homemade hot cocoa mix. I hope they enjoy it.

Well, I am going to spend some time with my husband. This internet connection is doing goofy things today. Hopefully it will be back to normal tomorrow. Sleep tight!

A Lovely Cup of Tea

Please read this post while sporting your best British accent. You can choose to use this accent either out loud as you read or as an internal dialogue.

This past Thanksgiving, I inherited some of my lovely hubby's late grandmother's bone china. I have loads of tea cups and MATCHING saucers, some creamers, sugar bowls and spoons, and teapots as well (pictures to come). I decided this morning that since I am by myself, I would have a lovely tea party with you, bunny readers, while drinking out of my favorite china cup and using the matching saucer. I dare say that tea has never tasted so heavenly. I am drinking a very strong English breakfast tea...very proper for the mid morning. I do feel only slightly silly, since I am still in my pajamas.

Enjoy the day...I am off to clean a very messy house. We all had a cold last week, and my poor, dear Nathan had a nasty bout of flu. Cheerio!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, bunny readers, I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving and give you Thankful Thursday a day early.

I am thankful for the craft/art time I just had with my boys. It turns out that singing while painting is genetic after all. All three of us do it!!!

I am thankful to create artwork again. I even have a call for entries to work with. Excellent.

I am thankful for the holidays and handmade gifts to come and make.

I am thankful that I get to eat LOTS of pie tomorrow!!!!

I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends, my dog and my very fat cat.

FYI cat diets do not work. The cat ends up eating a granola bar, wrapper and all, during the late night hours. Then said cat leaves it behind in a monstrous pile of hairball. Yuck.

On that happy note, I will be back with some thankful images this weekend. I want to do a conceptual blog post. I think it will be fun! Love you and be grateful!

Singing in the car

I always feel better after I sing in the car. I really do not know why...perhaps it is the alone time. Nothing but me, my thoughts, the road and loud music. Oh, and I get to pick the music, which is always a plus. Today it was Ani DiFranco's Canon (which is fabulous since it is a greatest hits of sorts), followed by Sarah Barreilles then a little John Mayer, just to represent the opposite sex, followed by the lovely Ms. Norah Jones. Wonderful. I got to think of art work ideas...which I needed to do. It's nice to just clear your head and do this once in awhile. Plus I bet it was a hoot for the other drivers to watch.

I got to spend lunch with a dear friend of mine who just kicked her fiance out of the house. I am so proud of her! He was not right for her and she FINALLY realized it! She's a great lady and deserves someone who will treat her like a princess. Anyway we ate this very yummy but very fattening alfredo pasta with tomatoes and spinach. Seriously...this stuff could rival chocolate cake or brownies! It's that good.

Well, I am off to spend some time with my boys. We have this new book called "The Pencil" that the boys LOVE, Ammon in particular. It is a WONDERFUL book that will most definitely be delivered under the tree by Santa! It has to go back to the library soon. So, I think we will read in the tent tonight. We have not done that in a loooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnggggg time. So good night, dear bunny readers, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite!

Thankful Thursday and Dale Chihuly

So today I am thankful for so many, many things. Here are just a few:

1. Clementines in my granola
2. A visit from my sister yesterday
3. Boys who have crazy imaginations
4. My husband
5. Good coffee from my French press
6. A furnace that works now...yeah!
7. Big, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky
8. Spinach and feta quiche (this was AMAZING)
9. My slippers that I got on clearance at Target
10.A good attitude...well I should say a better attitude than the one from last week.

I meant to write a new post last night after my boys were asleep, but I was channel surfing and came across a documentary on Dale Chihuly on PBS. The image above is from this web site. I LOVE to watch glass blowing. Funny thing...I did not know that Dale Chihuly does not do his own glass work. He has a whole team that works out his designs for him. He has something wrong with his shoulder and he has a patch over one of his eyes, making it difficult to do things with hot molten glass. He does these amazing, energetic, passionate drawing and then his team creates these drawings in glass. UNBELIEVABLE TO WATCH!!! It made me want to break out my torch and glass in my garage and make some glass beads again. I am nowhere near the skill level of these guys, but you have to start somewhere. So, 82% Serious...if you are reading this, would you like to come melt things with me in my garage?

Anyway I have seen Dale Chihuly's work in several different places and it is amazing. My favorite piece that I have seen in person is a chandelier at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art (KIA). If you have the opportunity, you must go see it. The best part about KIA...it's free to get in. HOORAY!!!

Here is a little something that made my heart sing...my Ammon asked me if I would take him to some art museums and galleries!!!! I KNOW!!!! How great is this! So, I am off to try to find something interesting for him. Have a great day and remember to be thankful.

Drawing from quotes, part three: Alexander Calder

"I love red so much that I almost want to paint everything red." - Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder's favorite color was red. I love this quote because that is what my Ammon would do...paint everything red. He told me once that when he grows up, he wants to build a city called Redville where everything is red! But what an interesting concept...everything monochromatic! Try to create a drawing or mixed media piece using only the color red. Or in true Calder style, create a three dimensional wire drawing using red coated wire! Go to Dick Blick if you would like to get some colored wire that is safe for the kiddos to use, too.

And here is another great quote about mobiles, since I chose to give you an image of a mobile from this web site.

"To most people who look at a mobile, it's no more than a series of flat objects that move. To a few, though, it may be poetry." - Alexander Calder

To me...they are poetry. Lucky for me I live very close to Calder City (Grand Rapids, MI) so I can see his amazing art anytime I feel like seeing poetry. I would LOVE to have one of these beauties in my house. Maybe I should learn how to make them! Now there's an idea!

Drawing from Quotes, part two: Pablo Picasso

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
- Pablo Picasso

I love this quote. I know that it is perhaps over used, but it is so true. So how can this influence your drawing? Well, draw like a child...from your heart and with no fear of what it will look like in the end. Just be proud of what you accomplished and then hang it on the fridge!

I also love this drawing. It is from the internet; don't you just love google images? Anyway, I feel that it is in the same vein as the Klee quote from earlier today. Up next, one of my very favorite artists, Alexander Calder!

Drawing from quotes, part one: Paul Klee

Here is one of my favorite Klee works, The Twittering Machine. I grabbed this image from the internet, so click on the title above for the original source. I would love to see it in person someday!

I thought this would be the PERFECT quote to start the day with...see if you can come up with a drawing based on this quote. The only rule: you cannot lift your pencil...unless you decide to hop, skip or jump:)

"A line is a dot out for a walk" - Paul Klee

More quotes to come throughout the day so check back often!

Tweaking and a giraffe photo

Yes I know, I know...odd title for a blog post. But seriously, I think this word best describes me at the moment. Tweaking. Tweaking my attitude, tweaking what I do everyday...tweaking my creativity and inspiration and tweaking this blog. Boy it needs some tweaking.

I am so sorry that I forgot about Art History Monday!!! I am going to post something tomorrow. I am thinking of sharing my favorite quotes from some of my favorite artists instead of some nerdy factoid...since I am in the tweaking mood and could use some inspiration.

BTW, to help tweak my creativity, I joined two new swaps, one here and the other one is actually for my kids. I am really excited to do both of them!!! I am the type of girl who needs some inspiration and a deadline to get me back into the swing of things. Hopefully I can tweak this and become a self motivator or whatever. Anyway if any of you out in blog land have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them. Just post them in the comments section. I do read every comment that I receive and love getting them. Part of my tweaking is to respond to these comments. I feel very disconnected from people...maybe this will help!

I also started creating a giraffe book for Eli using this website. Right now if you go to the Simple Mom blog, there is a special they are offering to the readers...so I thought I would try it out. So far, so good. Eli was watching me put some pages together and asked if I could make a zebra one, too. Ammon put his order in for one that he does all of the images for to give to grandma for Christmas. I think that is a GREAT idea! He wants to make a cowboy book. Where does he come up with this stuff???

Anyway the image at the top of this post is one of many giraffe photos in my book. I thought it was appropriate to post since I am tweaking my bad attitude. I just love it. I will share more later!

The Spider and a lesson in poison vs. venom

So last night my wonderful husband was hooking up a new dryer. Well, it is actually our old dryer, but it is newer than the one in the house we live in. Anyway he went down into the basement to turn n the gas and what was on the wall? A GINORMOUS spider! It was, without a doubt, the biggest spider I have ever seen in Michigan. I use to live in Arizona and saw my fair share of wolf spiders and tarantulas but this guy could rank right up there in size! Nathan put it in a jar with a tight fitting lid so that the boys could look at it. This spider was COOL! I looked online to make sure it was not venomous. It wasn't. PHEW! I think it was a Fishing Spider, but I cannot be sure. This photo was the closest I could find. I even went to the library to look for some kind of spider field guide, but came home with a couple of general info books on spiders.

BTW do you know the difference between venom and poison? Well poison is ingested and venom is injected. So it is impossible to have a poisonous frog, snake or spider. I guess unless you eat said animal or drink it's venom. But anyway they are all venomous. Interesting science fact. I think they also attack your body differently, too, but that would be gross to talk about.

Also good to know, for any of you out there who have a son that wants to turn into Spider-Man, there are LOTS of images of what spider bites look like and do to you. I showed Ammon one...now he does not want to get bitten by a spider to turn into Spider-Man. Thank you, Google images!

Oh...I will have two Art History Monday posts for you later today. I have to think of something odd and mildly entertaining. See you later!

Thankful Thursday

Honestly, there are so many things for me to be thankful for! Here are some random ones, in no particular order:

I am thankful for the Hulk skeleton that Eli made at preschool. It is totally green and fabulous!
I am thankful that Ammon is now getting the hang of being a second grader.
I am thankful that Harry Potter is back again...all of you that know my Ammon will appreciate this. Harry is so nice to have around the house.
I am thankful for long walks in the woods with my boys and my dog.
I am thankful that I have the privilege of being home with my boys!
I am thankful that I get to see my dad next week...I miss that guy a lot!

Wow...I should say I am thankful for my wonderful husband, too. He brought me a piece of cherry peach cobbler from the Grand Traverse Pie Company. YUM!

What are you thankful for?

Where does the time go?

What a question...if only I knew the answer. I have not had an internet connection for several days now and am just starting to get back to this blog of mine! I will have to post Art History Monday tomorrow, but for now I think I will catch you up on all of the things happening in my neck of the woods.

So I HAD my house cleaned, and then we had guests over for trick-or-treating. Therefore, my house is no longer clean but rather looks well loved and smells like candy and fun. I seriously think that the kids are just now coming down from their respective sugar buzzes. I am seriously considering next year to be the year of the Candy Fairy. She is a cousin to the Tooth Fairy and, like the Tooth Fairy, comes at night. What does she collect? The leftover Halloween candy and exchanges it for a present! The rule is that you may gorge yourself on as much candy as you like Halloween night, but you must leave a large amount for the Candy Fairy in order for her to be able to turn it into a glorious present. Neat idea, huh? I think the guys will go for it...hopefully. Presents trump candy anytime!

At any rate, I am feeling rather antsy today. So I think I will do a little cleaning, a little cooking and a lot of creating art, or at least organizing my studio. I really want to start selling and showing again...and I want to start my own Etsy shop. I know, I know...big to-do list. But I can do it! Oh...today is another beautiful day so I think the boys and I will play all afternoon outside before the weather turns ugly. Carpe Diem, I say! So, with that being said, enjoy the day and don't forget to stop and take a look at all the little things going on around you!

Useless Art History Trivia

First off, did you know that the Rome Pieta by Michelangelo is the only sculpture he ever signed? He carved his name right into the sash that Mary is wearing. Rumor has it that once it was finished, some people thought it belonged to a different artist other than Michelangelo. So, he decided to carve his name so that EVERYONE would know he did it and not someone else (perhaps a certain contemporary that he did not get along with...possibly Leonardo da Vinci?).

Second, speaking of Leonardo, did you know that the Mona Lisa is not finished. You can tell by looking at the background. Also, no one knows who she is or if she was even a real person! Pretty amazing since this is, arguably, the most famous painting in the world!

Well, there you go. Two useless trivia facts for you. Fun, isn't it? FYI I have not read the Pop Art book yet...I have been flipping through the pictures A LOT. I also checked out the Moosewood Restaurant's New Classics cookbook, which I am TOTALLY loving! They have an amazing flaxseed banana bread recipe...I did add some vanilla extract and cinnamon to it. It is so delicious and the perfect pair with coffee in the morning.

Now I am off to organize and clean this place. I feel pretty ambitious today so hopefully my to-do list will turn into an I-did-it list. Toodles!

Ding-Dong the witch is dead

Finally my head cold is gone! Not completely, but at least I have joined the land of the living and the doing again. I think head colds are the worst because you cannot think straight, you cannot smell or taste anything and they just suck! So, with that being said, I am on to do much needed house work. I will post two art history Mondays this Monday to make up for the one I did not do. I just checked out a book on Pop art from the library, so I am thinking some Pop art will pop up!

Difficulty Level: Easy

So sushi rice was not as hard as I had thought it would be, thanks to Mr. Alton Brown! I did not use any sushi fish...but Nathan had sort of California rolls. At least I got the rice done brilliantly!

Why Donatello is not turtle worthy

This is, quite possibly, the BEST lecture on the Italian High Renaissance artists that I know of. All of the credit is given, once again, to Dr. Richard Gergel. He tells this story with the most passion, since he LOVES architecture. Soon you will understand what I am talking about, so here we go:

Everyone knows that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael. Three of these are Italian High Renaissance artists and one is not. Can you guess which one is not? (this is where the Jeopardy theme song would be playing)

If you said Donatello, then you are correct. Donatello was part of the EARLY Italian Renaissance and died in 1466, a good 30 some years before the High Renaissance in Italy began. And so, based on this fact, Donatello is not turtle worthy (in some opinions). The other three are definitely Italian High Renaissance artists, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael. So who should have been the fourth turtle? The answer: Bramante. He was the architect of the day and famous for his work on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It should be noted here that he did not build or design this building himself...he just aided in part of it. I believe it was started by Constantine and then worked on by several other architects in the future (including Michelangelo!). But has anyone ever heard of Bramante? No! Plus Donatello has a nicer ring to it than Bramante. Bramante just does not fit with the other names like Donatello does. And so, poor Bramante is not the fourth turtle as he should be.

Well, bunny readers, here is the art history lesson that should have been posted yesterday, but I forgot about it. I have a head cold coming on...yuck...and have been a little out of it. Tune in next week for more fun with art history! I think I will continue this series with the Italian High Renaissance artists for now. They are fascinating individuals.

Dive in head first...my first attempt at sushi rice

Here we go...I have never made this before. Sushi rice. Wow. I will have to let you know how it turns out. Rice and I do not exactly get along well. Perhaps I can make peace with this grain in order to make sushi for my husband. Keep your fingers crossed! I do have Alton Brown on my side.

Catch Up

Wow...where did this week go? I have really been trying to post something everyday. Obviously I have not done that this week. So, here is a thankful Thursday for you to enjoy:

I am thankful for the sunshine and the fall leaves everywhere. So beautiful! I am also thankful that Eli wants to go apple picking again...I think I have an apple picker on my hands. I am also thankful that he was bummed to see the granola jar empty. It was flattering to know that he loves that granola SO much! I told him we would make some more after school today. I am thankful that Ammon seems to be doing better in school, making friends, all that good stuff. I am also thankful that a new episode of the Office will be on tonight. I love that dumb show.

What are you thankful for?

Oh, so that's why olive oil is so expensive

Oh the things I have learned from Greek mythology! Who doesn't love Greek mythology, right? Anyway, here is my thought on why olive oil is so expensive:

The people of Athens needed a name for their fair city. So they decided to have a contest between two of the gods, Poseidon and Athena. Whichever god bestowed the better gift to the city would, in return, have the city named after them. Well, Poseidon struck his triton into the ground and up sprang a salt spring fountain thingie. This is useful, since salt is used for preserving things. BTW, here is where I interject a nerdy art history fact; have I told you that I L-O-V-E art history? If you look at a photo of the Acropolis in Athens, and look at the back porch of the Erechtheium (the Porch of the Maidens (caryatids) is the front porch) there is actually a hole in the floor that the ancient Athenians left on purpose. Supposedly, according to legend, that is the very spot where Poseidon struck his triton into the ground. The hole is still there and is marked by ropes so that you know what it is and not just a spot from decay or something. Anyway, let's get back to the story. So the Athenians thought this gift was pretty cool and useful, but wanted to see what Athena would give. Athena gave the Athenians a fully mature olive tree grove. Okay. So that is definitely not as dramatic as mighty Poseidon striking his triton into the ground. Who cares about a fully mature olive tree grove anyway? Well, obviously the Athenians! As it turns out, and here is a fact from the story: it takes an olive tree 40 years to mature and bear fruit. 40 YEARS!!!!!!! That was a VERY cool gift and very lucrative for the Athenians. So, obviously, Athena won that contest hands down. And so the fair city of Athens was named after her. They even built a huge gold statue of her in the Parthenon! It is a shame that war had to destroy this statue. I have heard that there is a replica of it somewhere in Tennessee, though. Anyway, if any of you want a fun read, here is a link to Howard Crosby Butler's The Story of Athens. Scroll down to page 10 of the book to skip to the part about Poseidon and Athena.

And that, dear friends, is why olive oil is so expensive. Or maybe there is another reason but this one is more fun and educational. It takes an olive tree 40 years to mature and bear fruit. Wow. Maybe I should make Mondays Art History Mondays on my blog...or maybe things I have learned from art history. What do you think? I have the best one for next Monday already!!! I'll keep it a secret. It is, quite possibly, the best lecture on Italian High Renaissance artists ever....and all of the credit goes to Dr. Richard Gergel :)

Why I should be at preschool

One word: boxes. Today the teachers drug out a bunch of painted boxes for the kids to play with. HOW FUN IS THAT!!! I remember making forts and houses with my sister when we were little with boxes. Once we made a kitten sanctuary out of a bunch of empty boxes with my cousin. Let's just say we were in heaven surrounded by boxes AND kittens. The kittens loved it too...the boxes at least :) It makes me happy to know that my Eli gets to play with boxes! Did you know that the box was inducted into the toy hall of fame? I know, pretty cool, eh?

My Top Ten List...right now

No, not David Letterman style, just ten things I am digging right now.

1. My husband (he's great...awwww!)

2. My kids (loving the creative spontaneity)

3. Morning walks with my dog

4. Homemade Citrus Cleaner (this stuff rocks!)

5. Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave" (YUM!)

6. Avocados...as always

7. Fall leaves (even though I know winter is coming)

8. Oreos

9. My Dustbuster

10. My fat cat who keeps my feet warm at night

There...I think that does it. Of course there are so many other things, but these were the first things I thought about.

FYI I just burnt a pot of Kashi Pilaf, which is a real bummer. I guess I should not blog and cook at the same time. Noted.

Publish Post

He gets sushi; I get flowers

Today was a romantic day, of sorts, over here. I went to the grocery store and thought I would treat my totally wonderful husband to his favorite food: sushi. So I bought this new kit thingie from Annie Chun and bought some goodies for him to roll up inside the rice, such as crab, shrimp and some cucumbers. What I did not know was that, after work, he went and bought me some flowers. No reason. No anniversary. Just spontaneous romance. I like this!

I now have to try to make my own sushi. I am totally into figuring out how to do things and I am in the mood for a new culinary challenge. I had also thought about trying to make my own phyllo dough, but I really feel like that stuff takes patience. Maybe I will research that soon. Anyway, back to sushi! I know I cannot get sushi grade fish, but I could always get creative with the California roll. So, if any of you readers out in cyberspace have any ideas, leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

On the art front, I started a big scrap stuff box. My goal is to create something using the contents of this box everyday, even is it is just a small thumbnail sketch. We'll see how this works out. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and start project 365 again. That way I get photos for this here blog of mine as well as some potentially cool art! I had started project 365 sometime in January. I should call it project 50-ish or so. Hence the reason to start over.

So, now I am going to do some bedtime reading without the internet or a computer. I checked out "The Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver from the library and want to read some of it. Is it weird that I love to read cookbooks? I also checked out a Rick Bayless cookbook that I have only skimmed through. I do love Mexican food.

Growing Up

Well...it is official. I have waited and waited and waited and waited for this moment and it has finally arrived. Eli is TOTALLY potty trained. YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He even told dad not to pee on the floor when he needs to go to the bathroom. Timeless and practical advice from a four year old.

In more growing up news, my Ammon is eight. EIGHT! It seems like only yesterday that he was four years old dressed as a pirate and eating a fudgsicle at my kitchen table. Where does the time go? I also know that he is getting older because he did not want to buy a costume with some birthday money from grandma. Wow. That is huge! Instead he wanted a skateboard ramp for his new skateboard that cool Aunt Courtney and Uncle Pat got him. Unfortunately the only ramp we could find at the store was not much longer than his skateboard, which would be no fun at all. So, dad and Ammon have their first boy construction project to finish: the skateboard ramp. Pretty soon it will be a half pipe in my backyard.

In more skateboarding news, Eli uses Ammon's old short skateboard. He looks too cute for words in that helmet while carrying the skateboard under his arm. The best part about this is that, right now, he is HOOKED (and I do mean HOOKED) on Back to the Future I and sings the "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News while pretending to be Marty McFly skateboarding. HILARIOUS! I am going to have to try to capture that on video.

Also, my sister came to visit this weekend and we had a wonderful time. It is so wonderful to have a younger sister who is sassy enough to tell me to get my rear in gear and make some art. I feel like I have to now or she will bug me about it. Plus, we have some ideas up our sleeves. More to come on that later. It made me wish that she lived closer to me or that we lived closer to her, one of the two. We had a great time talking about embarrassing stories, cooking and eating great food and watching the boys play with their birthday presents. I am definitely going to make it more of a priority to have more of those moments with her.

BTW I rock at the Star Wars Force Unleashed game for the Wii. I totally kicked Nathan's butt the other night. Well just once but it was the first time I had played against him. I had practiced on some Wookiees before he got home. So I am excellent at throwing the lightsaber and repulsing things. I even have Star Wars terminology now. How geeky is that? I do live in a totally male dominated household, though. I am surrounded by Jedis, super heroes, pirates, ninjas, etc. You already knew that, though.

Anyway so sorry for the long periods of inactivity here. Oh...I almost forgot! I fixed the camera reader situation, so pictures to come soon. I have the perfect idea for the first picture post over here at Blanco Bunny. I also have elephant pictures, zoo pictures and hopefully some hot-of-the-press artwork pictures. Fun! So stay tuned!!!

Where do the days go?

If I could only answer that question....well I have been a busy little bunny over here. I got some freelance work, which is awesome, and now I have to determine how much my time is worth. This is so hard for me to do and sort of strange, too. You want to make enough money and yet be affordable at the same time in order to make money, have clients/following. Blah, blah, blah. I will get to that again later. I am also going to, hopefully, participate in a holiday craft/art show so I better get my rear in gear...soon. I figure that if I do not sell anything at this show, then I will have some awesome things to give as Christmas gifts or swap or something.

For now, updates. I made these AMAZING apple pecan muffins from this book here, except I added cinnamon and ginger to the muffin batter and did not have pecans, so I used walnuts. Delicious. I have also made the ranch dressing from this book and the buttermilk mashed potatoes. All were a hit with the family. This is slowly becoming my new favorite cookbook.

Well, I have to go get my little Eli from preschool now. All I have to say is that four is a magical age. I truly love four year olds. They are fabulous little people. So full of excitement, curiosity and a little bit of attitude, but not much. I love how they can just dive into something new and not worry about the outcome. I think that I need to adopt that attitude. Yup...four it is!

It's been too long

It has been too long since my last post...summer ;) I do love summer. We went on a mini vacation, which was great and then the boys and I went on a series of hikes through the woods, which were also great. Then I sewed some stuff for some swaps and cooked and baked like mad for 82% Serious's bridal shower. I made this AMAZING bread from this book for her shower and will definitely have to make it again...soon.

The boys started school last week and my little Eli is going to preschool! He loves it so far, plus it gives me five hours a week to myself, which I am looking forward to. I promised myself that I would do no cleaning or laundry or things of that nature during this time. Only things that I want to do, like print on some fabric or whatever! Right now I am enjoying a cup of tea and blogging, which I intend to do much more often:) Also, I need to figure out how to get the pictures off of my camera. You see card readers do not like it when certain three year olds shove pennies into them. Sigh. I have fabulous pictures I would like to share and I cannot get to them. So frustrating! At least I know that the card still works, just not the card reader. I think I will have to bite the bullet and pay some store to do it...or maybe I could borrow a reader. We'll see.

Well, ta-ta for now dear bunny readers. Enjoy the day and celebrate the little things.

Wow

Wow. August is almost over. Well perhaps I am jumping the gun just a bit, but seriously where did August go?

We had a great vacation and then, the elephant! She was not in our yard as originally planned, but rather at the park just down the street a way. She was fabulous. I just love elephants. I find them incredibly fascinating. Plus she was an African elephant...my favorite! I love their ears! The boys and I got to ride on her, which was very slow but fun, and Eli and I got to pet her ears and neck/shoulder area. Ammon was petting her back. Their skin is so bizarre feeling. I love the color and the texture. I wonder if I could make some elephant looking fabric? Oh, I remembered my camera (yeah!) and my husband took pictures for us, so they will be headed your way. I promise :) No, seriously. I do. I will put them up here!

The boys start school in a few weeks, which I am thankful for. I think they are going a bit crazy being home with me all day. I took the time today to dig a hole in the backyard and put a tin can in it so that the boys could have a mini golf course. I have this great can opener that leaves smooth edges on the cans, so you can reuse them for whatever! At any rate Ammon played golf for the entire afternoon and into the evening. Eli just spent the afternoon stealing the ball and making his older brother mad. Ah little brothers are the best, aren't they! Oh, the best part about the golf was that Ammon was pretending to play Wii golf outside. That kid cracks me up.

On a happy note, I set up an art bar for the boys. I used some tin cans to put some art supplies in, Montessori school style, on this bar we have in the kitchen. Tomorrow I am going to dig through my stash of goodies and put random things for them to create with. I am hoping to get some great fun kid art for the walls. I predict lots of Spider-Man. Ammon did just invent a new super hero identity for himself. Fire Dude. Fire Dude is pretty cool. Just watch it...because if he yells, "HOT SAUCE!," that's when the flames shoot out of his hands. Also he can turn into a dragon AND shoot water out of his mouth, hydrant style, just in case he sets fire to something that should not be on fire. At least he is responsible. Smoky the Bear would be proud.

On a very happy note, that does not start so happy but ends that way, I have been kind of down lately. I guess you have noticed since I have not been here in a while. Anyway, I have found my inspiration again to create and get my rear in gear. Well, all of this happened after Eli pooped on the toilet ALL BY HIMSELF!!!!!!! I did not ask...he just did it. SO wonderful. I never thought that someone else's bowel movements would make me motivated to do art. Maybe it's a metaphor. I felt crappy, but that passed so let's wipe ourself off and flush the crap down the toilet. Bye-bye poopies!

So, I think that has informed you of what has been going on...at least a little bit. Oh I did get to go to a REAL tea party with REAL cloth napkins and REAL antique china for 82% Serious's bridal shower. SO great! In fact, I called her the day after and invited her and her husband-to-be over for a dinner party where I will use my Grandmother's Wedgewood China and the Waterford Crystal. I am thinking of going to find big gaudy hats and white gloves just for the occasion. Oh, and a nice frilly apron...something flirty and fun.

Anyway I must go to sleep now. I will be back tomorrow. If not, it's because I am playing with ink and fabric...or my sewing machine...or my camera...or my computer....or my dog...or my kids. No more crappy-ness allowed! Lots of love and sleep tight!

Vacation

Hello bunny readers. Sorry that I have been MIA for a long time. I am about to go on a mini vacation with my family, so I will be MIA for a little while longer. Things are pretty good over here. I have unpacked my studio, and now just need to organize it. I have made some bags and have been cooking a lot, and am going to print on some fabric and paper next week! YAHOO!!!! I also have a few collaborative projects up my sleeve with my boys. I will keep you in suspense about those. Until next time, take care and I promise to spruce up this blog with photos and such when I return!

At least the rugs are really clean now

How's that for a random post title? Well, there is a story to go behind this and it involves lots of smushed, stinky, fresh dog poop. Oh how I miss having a forest near by for the dog to go into to, well, you know. If I still had that in my backyard, then I would not have spent yesterday morning scrubbing rugs, my child's sandals, the floor, the carpet AND the doorway. How far does this stuff really go, anyway?

At any rate, my rugs are clean now and smell nice! That's enough about dog poop...let's talk about something a little less gross but equally as entertaining yet, oddly, still involving poop. My Eli has been wearing underwear for two days now! He's getting it down, this potty training thing. It's funny how we want this to happen so badly and then, when it does finally, you realize that the kid is growing up too fast for your liking. He is enjoying the vast underwear collection to choose from, however. I do have a question though...why do they put the cool pictures on the back of boy's underwear? It just makes them wear it backwards so that they can see Mickey or Lightning McQueen or the Wiggles. Perhaps tomorrow super mom can remedy this situation with some iron on transfers.

Good night, sleep tight.

I am trying to think of a post title

Oh, dear bunny readers, I have been neglecting this blog. Well, most of it is due to the crappy internet service we have now. Don't worry...Nate is already looking into getting that fixed. For three days in a row I could not log in. Ok, I'll be honest, I was not patient enough to wait for the internet connection to link to blogger. Ugh!

Anyway I may be going MIA for awhile again soon. I have to design the wedding invites ASAP, I have to print on some fabric for the swatch swap AND I have some sewing projects to finish. Wow. Plus I have these really plain area rugs that keep whispering to me to paint on them. I wonder how that would work or look? Boy do I really want to experiment. I think I will, too, because they were really cheap rugs and they are old. Plus, I have this dream of having them turn out SUPER cool and everyone who comes to my house will ask, "Where did you get that fabulous rug?" Then I can reply, "I painted it." Brilliant!

Thankful Thursday Is Here Again

I like thankful Thursday. It makes me focus on the positive rather than the negative. Today I chose to disregard cleaning and organizing and focused on hand printing some fabric and just playing with ink. I do love ink! I got a few cool samples that I will take pictures of later...most of them were experiments. Some worked and some need tweaking. I think tweaking is a better choice than a failed experiment. Who knows, I might like them next week.

I am thankful, also, for my boys who played nicely today so that I could play with my stuff. Eli took an incredibly long nap and Ammon was enamored with his "How to Draw Spider-man" book I got for him from the library. I showed him how to use the techniques in the book and told him that he would have to practice A LOT. Well, he did. A LOT!

I am also thankful that I get to see my dad this weekend. I miss that guy!

Well, now I am thankful for towels that will, inevitably, soak up the flood on the bathroom floor from the tsunami in the tub that just occurred. Hopefully it is not as bad as the last one. Yikes.

My super hero alter ego (and others)

Actually, I think most of us would benefit from this service, thus giving us more time to do the things we would rather be doing. Sigh. Anyway I am about to go on a cleaning and organizing rampage so that I can play with fabric and paint tonight. I did think that a new post would be a lovely, so here it is.

This weekend I went dress shopping for 82% Serious's wedding. We found one and it looks great! We also bought some bling to go with it, which I cannot wait to put on with the dress. I had a great time shopping with the girls. The best part of the day was when we arrived back at 82% Serious's pad, I got to see the very elusive and sneaky bunny negro that roams, or I should say hops, around 82% Serious's neighborhood. He/she is too cute! I knelt down to watch that cute little bunny nose wiggle as he/she was munching on some grass. I told the boys about it...they did not care as much as I thought they would.

And now for the grand finale...my super hero alter ego! Ammon is currently organizing a super hero party. Right now is the training session so that he and his guests can properly "stop the bad guys, mom." I am currently living with hand drawn, very colorful targets poster puttied to the walls in various rooms of the house and at varying heights. Some you kick, and some you punch (I did tell him that he could not actually do that to the wall. He just aims for the target and then kicks or punches the air). The best part is that he told me what my super hero name is, the Aproness. I fight mold, mildew and dust bunnies. Excellent. I even have a sidekick (which is 82% Serious) and her name is Apron Super-Girl. Want to know what our super power is (we share the same one)? We turn our enemies into aprons. How's that for conquering crime...I mean grime...in and out of the house!

Thankful Thursday (I like this)

Today (and everyday) I am thankful for my boys, who "made" me go outside to play football, frisbee, bean bag toss (well actually a game Ammon and I invented for him to practice math) and show off my excellent jump roping skills. I bet you did not know that I was on a jump rope team in elementary school, did you? Needless to say I impressed the boys with my jump roping tricks. Now I need to find a speed rope to show them double unders, forwards AND backwards. I wonder if I can still do a triple under? Yup. I still got it.

I am also thankful for shovels. They are very handy, especially when ridding the backyard of dog poop piles. I have never had to do this in my adult life. I have always been fortunate enough to live near the woods...which is where my dog would go to take a, well you know. The best part was my Eli telling me where the poop piles where. He's a funny kid.

Last, I am thankful for library books and pop art. This was EXACTLY the answer to help me with my book addiction. Just borrow them and THEN buy them if you really like it...plus most of the books I like are way out of my price range right now. Why do art books have to be so expensive? Anyway, I checked out an Andy Warhol book (I do love pop art) and had a totally different reaction to his art than I have had previously. I have seen his work in person at two different shows now, one focusing on his portraits of Jewish people and the other sort of a retrospective or "greatest hits" of sorts. I have to say that the portraits of Jackie O are so powerful...they give me chills. The last show I saw had all of the Jackie O portraits (both before and after his death) in a room with the JFK ones as well as part of Warhol's Death and Disaster series. Seeing art in person is so much more meaningful than looking at it in a book. I really feel like the viewer does not get the pleasure of having an emotional reaction to it or interacting with it face to face when you just look at it in a book...not that books are bad, though ;) I also rediscovered an old favorite of mine that I had somehow forgotten about...the portraits of Ethel Scull. LOVE IT! I love the photo booth idea for generating silkscreens and I love the big blocks of color. And, of course, there's the Cow Wallpaper. Oh how I love the Cow Wallpaper! I remember one Warhol show had the Cow Wallpaper right as you entered the exhibit, in all its magenta and yellow glory. My husband went with me to that show and simply smiled when I squealed and yelled, "Look, honey! It's the Cow Wallpaper!" As you can tell, I can go on and on and on about art.

The other reason why I am thankful for library books is that my mother, who is also addicted to books and a librarian, just ordered "A is for Apron" for her library because she thought I would like to look at it. Thanks, Mom!

And now, I am thankful for my fat cat who sleeps on my feet and my fluffy, warm down comforter.

What are you thankful for?

Tomato Jam and BBQ Sauce

Well, as I have said before, I am THOROUGHLY enjoying being a stay at home mom! Yesterday the boys and I went to the playground three times during the day, just because, took a walk after dinner (our new favorite family thing to do), visited the farmer's market and bought some zucchini for chocolate zucchini bread and just had fun. I think it was a well deserved mini break from moving.

On another note, since I have time, I made some tomato jam from Bon Appetit and some killer homemade barbecue sauce from this book here (which I HIGHLY recommend for anyone who loves to cook). Both recipes were a HUGE hit with the family, especially the BBQ sauce. My husband is addicted to BBQ sauce and has now told me he will not buy any because the stuff I made was WAY better than the stuff from the jar :) What a great compliment! BTW I did add extra garlic since everyone in my house loves garlicky stuff. Oh, I also made some sugared raspberries from this book (which is a great bedtime read as well as an invaluable resource in the kitchen). I have not tasted this wonderful jar of raspberry fabulousness yet...they need to sit in the fridge for at least two days. I am planning on sharing it with 82% Serious over some ice cream or yogurt or something.

So anyway I must update my resume and create an online portfolio ASAP. So, more updates to come, since I will be on the computer most of the day today. I hope the boys do not go crazy. I guess we'll have to go play on the playground :)

PB&J Pancakes

Yes, you read correctly. PB&J pancakes for breakfast this morning. I saw the idea on Food Network...I think it was Rachael Ray. They were delicious! I added about 1/3 to 1/2 half cup organic peanut butter to my pancake batter and cooked them as usual. Oh I also added some extra baking powder, just because I wanted them to be extra fluffy. Then I microwaved some of my homemade strawberry freezer jam to drizzle on top. Genius! Ammon actually proclaimed, after the first bite, "Mom, these are AMAZING!" I think we will be having PB&J pancakes more often.

BTW I am on a quest to find the perfect curtains for my living room. I am thinking orange since I had to go neutral on the walls. Has anyone seen any fabulous orange curtains anywhere? I think I may end up making them myself. I just cannot find any curtains that scream buy me and put me up in your living room!

Oh, I am doing the 100 push-up challenge with 82% Serious. I am excited! I hope I get some nice ripped arms from all those push-ups.

Well good night for now!

I'm back!

Oh, boy was I ever happy to see the cable guy today! We just got our cable and internet hooked up in the new house. It is funny how you become accustomed to always having the internet and then feel awkward when you do not. Anyway today was a crazy day. The cable guy had to go downstairs to run some wire up to my bedroom for the internet connection. When I showed him how to get to the basement, I discovered that the sewer had backed up into the basement! DISGUSTING! Luckily it had just happened and I am renting the house so it is not my bill. So, after the cable guy left, my handy husband came home closely followed by the guys from the city to check out the sewer. They said it was not there end, whatever that means, so we had to call a plumber. He used one of those power snakes to snake the drain. He then yelled at me through the door, "Hey, ma'am, would ya like to see the stuff that clogged the drain?" I very smartly replied, "how smelly and gross is it" BEFORE I looked into the bucket. The clog was thirty feet out from the house so I had envisioned this extra large, huge, gigantic, stinky...well you get it. Want to know what was clogging it? Tree roots! Meanwhile my husband was in the middle of replacing a leaky faucet in the kitchen when the power goes out halfway through the installation. The funny part of this, the only flashlights I could find, mind you we just moved in so the flashlights are in a box somewhere, were the Mooing Cow and Whinnying Horse Fisher Price flashlights. Every time he needed light we had to listen to the barnyard sounds. We laughed, which was good because the day was really crappy. Get it? Crappy! Oh, I almost forgot...I had started a lasagna in the oven, which we did not get to eat because the power went out halfway through its cooking time. So we went out to eat, which was not as good as the lasagna. The funny thing is that this new house has an ancient old oven that rocks! It is small, but man does that thing heat nicely! When we got back home, the lasagna was cooked and the oven was still hot! The power came back on around 10 pm, pretty much right after we got home from dinner and driving around, so I immediately came to the computer and my husband went to the couch to watch something in cable. I think he deserves it after having to listen to me laugh while holding a flashlight. He kept getting dripped on by the faucet and did not exactly fit under the sink...small cupboards. The whole thing will be MUCH funnier tomorrow for him. Hopefully tomorrow I will have some art news or something to report. I have some placemats and napkins to finish for the BTRS Sewing Swap (see the sidebar) and I have to get my rear in gear making some fabric swatches for the swatch swap. YIPPEE!!!!

Redecorating: A New Family Activity?

So far we have discovered that Ammon likes to rip off wallpaper. Both boys LOVE to paint, especially with the roller. There is something magical about paint and a brayer...gee I wonder where they get THAT from! Anyway, Eli likes to pull out old carpet foam from underneath carpet staples with needle nose pliers! He was having a ball and did not want to leave the new house! The living room looks great...I picked out a nice buttermilk white color for the walls. It is neutral enough for the landlord and has a little yellow in it for me. The good news is that we ripped up the carpet and the hardwood floors are in GREAT shape! I am so excited about hardwood floors. I am also thankful for my husband who has a great attitude about the whole thing and pulled up all of the carpet and carried all by himself outside. Needless to say his two sons think he is the Hulk. Especially since he grunted the whole way to the garage. He did not turn green...a little red from being hot, but no green. I guess that is what radiation does to you and not humidity. I think my boys would have flipped out if their dad turned green like the Hulk. Their eyes were already popping out of their heads when dad picked up the entire living room carpet and padding by himself. I should have taken a picture of that one!

So I am going to attempt to go to sleep. I am still pondering over curtain colors and rug possibilities. I know must be rough, right. By this time next week I will be blogging, making art and sewing in my new house. Toodles!

Busy Day

Oh it has been a busy day today...a little packing, a little shopping for paint and stuff, a little painting and a little ripping off wallpaper. Oddly, I sort of enjoyed ripping down the wallpaper. I think it is sort of destructive, so there for fun...like demolition. Even my Ammon liked it! He thought it was "kind of like unwrapping a gigantic present." What a great kid! Eli wanted to help paint, which he did briefly, but was then taken by stacking up paper cups and knocking them down. It is fun being three! I am now officially excited to move in even if I cannot do all of the redecorating I would like to right now. I can learn to be patient...plus I have LOTS of sewing and fabric ideas for the house! I love being unemployed :) Now I am off to bed. I can feel my forearms getting sore from painting all of the trim. Good night and more updates to come tomorrow!

Moving Day is finally here

Well, dear bunny readers, moving day is finally here! It cane sooner than originally anticipated, but that is fine. Better than later, right? We picked out paint colors, which is SO hard for me because the landlord said only neutral colors. I am not a neutral colors kind of girl. I like them, but I prefer big bold color. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve, though. I was thinking that the first pictures I post on here should be before pictures and after pictures. That would be fun!

Also, I am SO excited about swapping hand printed fabrics in this swatch swap started at Jezze Blog (just go to the sidebar for the swatch swap post). I have already been contacted by four other artists and cannot wait to start printing on fabric! Check it out...it is so cool! Quite frankly, my head is spinning right now in surface design land. I am not in packing world right now, which is where I need to be. Sigh. Once the moving dust settles and the paint is dry I am going to contact others in this group to swap with. I love, no wait L-O-V-E, Jezze's idea about making a patchwork quilt out of hand printed squares of fabric!

I am back and I should be packing

I just got back from spending the weekend with my dad. He is moving out of state soon to start a new job. It makes me a little sad, but I know that this is good for him and my mom. I am bummed that my boys will not get to spend as much time with their grandparents, but their is always vacation time, right!

I just signed up for a bag swap over at Itching 2B Stitching . I do love bags. I participated in the fabric swap she hosted, which was great. I received so many fabulous fabric scraps its CRAZY! I see a fun crazy quilt or something in my near future...or should I say after I pack up the house. Moving stinks but at least I am going to all hardwood floors and air conditioning. Oh and the best part.....my very own art studio! I KNOW IT'S GREAT! I am really hoping that I will fully use this space instead of always occupying the dining room table.

So my new to do list is this:

•pack
•pack
•pack some more
•spruce up this picture less blog ( I know I keep saying this, but I will, I promise!)
•get a website going for my artwork
•start an etsy shop or something
•drink LOTS of tea
•artwork...lots and lots of artwork

Love you bunny readers!

Where did the week go?

So what happened to the days in this week? Wow did this week fly by! I really did not accomplish everything that I wanted to do this week...oh well. There is always the next week, right?! We have been busy with birthdays, I have been busy sewing bags for birthday gifts and, yes, a little packing. Just a little. I cannot wait to be settled into the new place. Then I can concentrate on things like posting pictures on my blog and sewing more things and playing with ink and pencils:0) I really do wish I was Mary Poppins and could simply pull everything that I need out of a bag. Oh, and I could fly by holding onto my umbrella. That would save a LOT of money on gas.

New Art Supplies = More Procrastination on Packing

Wow...I went shopping today with my Hobby Lobby gift card. I bought a new set of watercolors (to design 82% serious's invites), a new package of oil pastels (just because I do not have the 36 count), a cool new drawing pencil and pencil sharpener (again for 82% serious's invites), a fabric remnant (it's really great fabric), some embroidery transfers (why I have no idea; I just liked them and they were 23 cents) some blank canvases (my attempt to get the boys to make some cool art for me) and a fun, chunky basket to put stuff in. The best part was that all of this was either on clearance or on sale. HOT DOG! I love new art supplies. Sigh. Oh the possibilities......so if I go MIA for a while, you know where to find me. Packing, duh ;)

I should be packing....

Yes, I should be packing right now since we are moving in two weeks but instead I am writing a new post...I can't believe I went this long without posting. Geez! Anyway the photo shoot at the zoo went great. I took some really great pictures of the giraffes, zebra, ostriches and monkeys. Oh, and the peacocks. I also took the boys to the zoo on Saturday for some more photos; that one did not go so great, but I did get some funny pictures.

I bought all of the fabric for the BTRS Sewing Swap for the placemats and napkins. I am hoping that these will be really easy to make, although I am not good at mitered corners, yet. That is my optimism that one day I will be good at mitered corners.

I have a real itch today to do some printmaking or sketching or something. I have to design a website for my hubby and some wedding invitations for 82% serious. So, with that being said, I will go and eventually pack. Maybe.

Thankful Thursday

I am going to continue in the tradition of 82% Serious with the Thankful Thursday post. I think they are a WONDERFUL idea! So what am I thankful for? Well, several things, actually. First up, my wonderful boys. They are so sweet. Ammon wrote a song this morning called "Dinosaur don't bite my finger off." He got out his little red and white Fender, yes he has his own Fender and not a yucky toy guitar. After all, Dad is a musician so nothing but the best. Anyhoo, he wrote the lyrics and started writing the music! No staff, just a bunch of quarter and eighth notes all in a row below the lyrics. It is still a work in progress, this creative process does take time you know, and I will keep you updated. After that the boys and I headed to the zoo where Eli got to spend his $1.00 on giraffe biscuits. I love seeing him smile when he feeds giraffes! FYI two giraffes were standing cheek to cheek and actually tongue wrestled over the biscuit that Eli fed to one of the giraffes. It was, quite possibly, the funniest thing I have seen in a while. Most of the moms thought it was gross. Not me. The boys and I bent down closer to get a better look. It was bizarre, funny and fascinating all at the same time! I wish I had my camera. I am planning on going to the zoo by myself on Friday to take some pictures of all the animals for Eli's new bedroom in the new house. Hopefully I will see some more tongue action....oh that sounded a lot worse when I actually typed it. Sorry.

I am also thankful for Thursday because that means Nathan comes home from Greenville. I cannot wait until we get into the new house and I do not have to be by myself all week. It is a lot of work and I now have a much deeper respect for single parents everywhere! Plus I just miss the guy. Ahhhh! He really is great, you know. In more ways than one ;)

And last, but definitely not the least, I am thankful for fireflies! I SAW ONE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO OUTSIDE THE WINDOW! I know what the boys and I are doing tomorrow night...we are going to catch a huge jar full of those little buggers! I can't wait. I wish I knew of a way to make a lamp that glowed like a firefly and the light would flutter like they do. That would be beautiful:)

$1.00 for Eli

Today my little Eli earned his very first dollar helping Daddy and Ammon pick up pop bottles and put them into the car to get recycled. He was SO proud of his dollar bill! I asked him what he was going to do with his dollar that he earned. I said he could save it to buy an Iron Man toy (which he keeps trying to negotiate a purchase of) or he could get ice cream at Mooville (they have a pig named Darla who LOVES to eat ice cream cones). He said no to both of these, surprisingly. So what, you may wonder, did my little Eli want to do with his dollar? He said to me, "Mama, I want to go buy a giraffe biscuit at the zoo. Let's go...I have money." So sweet. I bet tomorrow when I take him to the zoo that the biscuit he buys will be the best tasting biscuit those giraffes have ever eaten! I must make one note here...not only did he earn the dollar but then proceeded to look around the house for spare change. So far he has $1.25.

Aprons, an ulu knife and granola inspiration

I received an apron from the Feathered Nest Summer Apron swap. It came all the way from Alaska, along with an ulu knife! I have never used one of these before, but man does it look cool! It says on the package that you can skin a walrus, whale, caribou or fish with it as well as chop herbs and veggies and stuff. Wow! I am not planning on doing any of those things in the near future, except for the herbs and veggie part, but that is good to know. I cannot wait to chop up some herbs or something. The apron is fun, too, I just have never received a knife in the mail before! The apron is a cute little half apron with ruffles and two pockets. I like having two pockets on an apron. They are both very handy. Get it. Handy. Ha, ha, ha.

I also finished my apron for that swap, too. It is so cool...I did not want to send it. Good thing that I bought extra fabric! I'll just have to make one for myself. It even got the cool seal of approval from my husband! Now that is saying something. At any rate I used the Amy Butler half apron pattern again and the fabric is pink with surfboards all over it. I used brown trim and then did a lot of stitching in light pink in the brown to make it look like waves. It is so fun! I promise to post pictures...I have to figure out why my printer is not talking to my Mac. They use to be the best of friends and now it seems like they are ignoring one another.

I also had some inspiration while eating my delicious granola and yogurt for lunch today. I topped it with blueberries and a sliced up orange. I was munching away when I looked into the bowl and thought, wow, what a beautiful combination of colors! So I think my new kitchen at the new house will be inspired by the granola bowl! I guess you never know when or where inspiration will strike...sort of like lightning.

What took me so long?

I cannot believe that I did not write about my new fabulous apron from the Sassy Apron Swap! What was I thinking! Well, it is great and I have been wearing it all day since I got it on Thursday. The funny part is that it TOTALLY matches my other apron from this swap, which I find very funny and kind of cool. A while back I bought this ultra cool hook to hang my aprons on when we get to the new house (I did mention that we are moving, right?). I can picture them now, all lovely hanging from my vintage-ish hook from World Market. Don't aprons rock? I really think that my food tastes better and that my cleaning efforts are more germ and dust free as a direct result of wearing aprons while doing both tasks. At least we can pretend. Speaking of aprons, I have to sew my other one for the Feathered Nest Summer Apron swap.

FYI I must have a ton of ants in the yard because the peonies are HUGE I tell you!

Warm Fuzzies

Today was Ammon's last day of first grade. I was cleaning out his backpack and stumbled across his writing journal. I asked if I could read the stories and was given permission to do so. There was the usual story about Spider-man, Batman, Power Rangers and even a story about baking cookies (which sounded delicious by the way). I was surprised to see a story about making pirate quilts. It was actually an instructional or tutorial type thing. He gave a materials list, which consisted of only fabric and colored markers, and then a few steps, which, in a nutshell, were cut the fabric, color on it with markers, have your mom sew it and then put it in your bed. If only quilting were that easy! I guess I have to finish those pirate quilts soon...they are half way there, or maybe a third done is a more honest estimation. At any rate I was tickled to see that Ammon wrote about making pirate quilts and that it meant that much to him. As I have said before, and I will say it at least one hundred more times, I love that kid. He is SO great!

I must be off now, my other fabulous boy, Eli the giraffe fan, is telling me to type "the end." I love my little red haired stinker. So, here it is...the end.

She's rambling again and this time it's about ants

Yet again I am caught blogging into the wee hours of the night! I do have a confession to make...I broke my no sewing after 10 pm rule. The thing is the project turned out GREAT! I made a bag from Lotta Jansdotter's book "Simple Sewing" and used leftover linen fabric I have had for awhile. The best part is the giraffe patch on the front!!!! I used one of my test strips from the linoleum block that I carved. It is TOO cute and only took about 1.5 hours. I think I need one, too. I decided to make this bag for Ammon's teacher as an end of the year present. Tomorrow we are going to go shopping to fill it with stuff that Ammon picks out. That should be interesting!

Anyway I MUST post pictures soon and jazz up this blog-o-mine. I am truly sorry for repeatedly saying that I am going to do this but isn't the white space and san serif font just ever so lovely and clean and simple? I could go on and on and on about white space. And typography. Sigh. I enjoy the white space, but I am wanting some images. Back on topic...I took some photos today to post here. I am so excited; they are of the peonies that are just beginning to bloom. I got one great one with ants crawling all over it. I am hoping to take some more shots tomorrow with even more ants on the flowers. I am hoping that they will be more open. Sweet. I can't wait to cut a bunch of those flowers and make my table look like photos from a magazine. I will remember to rinse off the ants outside, though. Ants usually do not appear in magazine images about interior decorating. Did you know that peonies need ants in order to bloom?

In conclusion, I think that my Thankful Thursday (started by 82% serious) will be for ants. Without the ants, there would be no peony blooms. Or ant farms. Or ant eaters. And that, friends, would be a bummer.

Pause

Oh dear bunny readers, life must go on pause soon! It has been crazy over here. I had to take Ammon to the doctor's because he slammed his thumb in the car door. Thankfully it is not broken and he got to see an x-ray of his thumb which he thought was "totally awesome." I went out of town for most of the weekend to spend time with my parents at a horse show. They will be moving to Texas soon :( Then my car got hit in a parking lot!!!! AAAHHHHH!!! This was just a minor fender bender. No real damage. Just paint scratched off the bumper, which is plastic and not cracked. Phew!

Anyway my last day at work, as you are well aware of, was Friday May 30. It was a great day, complete with pizza, presents (which were unexpected and greatly appreciated...I do love getting presents) and a fabulous cake made by my friend Chris. It was chocolate mint and was divine! It made me aware of how much I meant to them and how much they will miss me. I must make a very conscious effort to stay in touch with all of them. They are a great group of people.

So far the stay at home mom thing is going great, too! The boys are fun but challenging. It was nice being home with Nathan all day on Monday, since we do not get to spend too much time together anymore. I also got my apron done for the Sassy Apron Swap ( see the sidebar) and have all pieces ready to send for the fabric scrap swap! I received a HUGE stash from a lady in Kansas, which I am going to turn into something fabulous! I also have my first commissioned bag to work on. My mom wants me to make her a bag for her birthday with my giraffe block print on it. She saw my samples hanging to dry at my house and fell in love with the giraffe.

Well I am off to fold laundry. Hooray. Maybe I will work on a website and some illustrations instead.........oh I almost forgot. Ammon keeps praying to God that he will get super powers, specifically flame throwing and x-ray vision. These are the powers for his super hero he created during art class today, Starfire Boy. Starfire boy sort of reminded me of a cross between The Human Torch from the Fantastic Four and Superman. I love that kid!

This is it!

Well dear bunny readers, tonight is my last night posting as a working mom! I KNOW! I am so excited to just be at home with my boys and am also a little nervous about the whole find work by myself thing, whether it's teaching, freelance, etc. Whatever happens I am just thrilled to have the opportunity to be with my boys. And have time to craft more!

So I played all day today. A little patchwork, a little printmaking, a little play outside with my two Spider-men, a little canvas painting and some cooking thrown in just to even things out. Fun stuff today. Now it is bedtime. I have to work tomorrow, but not next week or the next one or the next one or the next one....well I have to work just not in a boring office ;)

T.E.A.L.

This is great. You have to check it out, here. I am seriously going to try and find some typos to correct in public now! I had thought about it before, but was never brave enough to do it. Now I can say that it is a mission...of sorts. YAHOO!!! Break out the Sharpies and paint pens and study up on typography. Imagine a typo-free world where everyone used I and me correctly...oh and the correct usage of there or their or they're. Sigh. I think I should also take a photo of the person's face when I ask for permission to fix the typo(s). That would be funny.

Busy Bunny

Oh, I have been a busy bunny this week...which accounts for my absence here! So sorry! Anyway I have cut out all pieces for the Sassy Apron Swap and will sew it together tomorrow. I decided to do a Denyse Schmidt pattern for the apron and then a Lotta Jansdotter pattern for the tea towels with some patchwork on them to match the apron. I am super excited about patchwork! Yeah! I have carved some potato stamps to work with AND have started work on those Mac posters with the painted canvases. I have been baking, cooking, playing with my boys, etc. Yes I am tired but LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I have a second wind right now, but I do not start sewing after 10 PM. Things get quirky if you start after 10 PM. Finishing or continuing to work past 10 PM is another story entirely and is acceptable. Now printmaking after 10 PM is just fine. In fact late night printmaking produces some of the most fantastic stuff! On that note, I am going to get my ink and some fabric. Good night, dear bunny readers. You are loved! BTW are you totally curious as to what this blog will look like after May 30, my last day of work? I know I can't wait either. Give me your ideas in the comments!

And now, deep thoughts.....

Seriously...I am kidding. I just could not think of a clever title for this post. Anyway I am SUPER excited about designing wedding invitations for 82% Serious! I have so many ideas and just spent some time over at print & pattern. I love that site. You should check it out sometime. I am thinking about a line drawing of some helicopters for her. You know the ones that fall from trees in the spring time, not the real helicopters. I am also thinking about some kind of illustration of a tulip tree branch and its flowers. Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

On a side note, I have a huge amount of projects to finish for swaps! YIKES! Plus I told my lovely sister that I would make her a bag for her birthday. Oh and some sugar scrub, which I am still totally digging by the way. Maybe I should go do that. Or I could just keep blogging. Or I could go eat ice cream. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

So my last day of work is this Friday. I am SO EXCITED! I think that will be the day that I finally post a picture on this great picture-less blog of mine. I am not sure what it will be of, yet. But it will be fabulous. I know the suspense is killing you, right?

Well I am off to go sew or clean. Yeah right who am I kidding! I am off to sew!

Book Addiction and a Business Plan

Yes, I will admit, I have a book addiction. I love them. I love reading them. I love looking at them. I love how they smell, brand new from the store or fresh out of a box from amazon. Sigh. I ordered two new books, one about making artisan bread in five minutes a day (yeehaw!) and the other about starting your own craft/art business. I have seriously been thinking about that for a while and I think I am ready to do the small business thing full time now. My dilemma? What do I make to sell? So I thought I would list what I love:

•books (duh)
•paper
•fabric
•ink
•messy stuff (like wax and more ink)
•brayers
•great, beautiful typography
•drawing
•photography
•baking
•cooking

I'll think of something. All I know is, I am going to have a blast doing what I love!

Comfort

I love when you find comfort in unusual places. Mine occurred tonight while watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I know. Bizarre, but true! Anyway I cannot cook a nice pot of rice. I can cook a lot of things brilliantly, but not rice. I am going to attempt a method I discovered at Amy Karol's blog here and will have to report back to you about the success level. Ok so back to the comfort. It turns out Bobby Flay cannot cook rice either. The first time I saw this happen I thought it was just a fluke. Now it is official. He even admits it while making Jambalaya. It's comforting to know that not even the professional can cook a pot of rice. I still like his recipes, even though they are complicated and have a mile long list of wonderful ingredients, and I can sympathize with the man.

One thing I will learn this summer from Mr. Flay is grilling! I would love to be THAT girl who can grill! Bring on the heat and flames! BTW Bobby Flay has an AMAZING German apple pancake recipe. I have made it several times and it is always a hit. You have to try it!

Faux-bagels Experiment #1 and others

So I wanted to make some homemade bagels...an area of baking that I have never attempted before. After reading several recipes, I decided that it was too much of a hassle and that is the reason why they are so expensive to buy. I have these mini angle food cake pans and thought, hey what if I make some bread dough, roll it into a tube and bake it in the mini cake pan? The result: bread that looks like an angel food cake. They smell good. They are round and they have a whole. All of which are good bagel qualities. But will it fool the boys into thinking that they are bagels? I will have to let you know tomorrow...

On another note, I am almost finished with that henna linoleum block. I had to take a break to let my hands rest a bit. And I sort of stabbed my finger. Nothing major. Only one swear word and hardly any bleeding. I'll jump right on that horse tonight after the boys are sleeping!

I also had this great idea for Nathan's new office. He has some old Mac posters with Ghandi, Picasso, Einstein and Miles Davis on them. He gave the Jim Henson one away....what a dork! I have always thought that it would be AMAZING to make Muppets for a living. Anyway I am going to paint some canvases a solid color and then mount the posters to the painted canvas. The posters are an odd size, which means custom framing. Everyone knows that is expensive as H#$$! So wish me luck. They look fabulous in my head. Then again most everything looks fabulous in my head. Reality is another story. :) I think I am going to play around with a similar piece of paper and a junk canvas first. Don't want to ruin the Mac posters! They are so great.....

Clementines + Tuna Melt = YUCK

Two of my favorite things...tuna melts and clementines. They are NOT delicious when eaten together. YIKES! I did not think of that when I sat down for lunch today.

I am using my husband's laptop and boy does this keyboard take some getting use to! I just ordered a couple books from amazon, wow I know big surprise me ordering books! Also I found some fabric with surfboards all over it for one of the apron swaps that I am in. I am so excited to get sewing!

Update on the to do list:

•started the pirate quilt tops...excellent
•made some origami paper cranes and goldfish for a mobile in the making...now to make better ones for the mobile
•finished the giraffe, elephant AND henna design block prints...ok so the henna one is 90% done. I embellished just a little. I'll finish it later, I promise ;)

I feel pretty good about my progress, so far. Let's see if I can keep the momentum going. My plan for this week is to do a LOT of surface design. I must find my fabric dyes in the garage and crack those babies open!

Well, dear bunny readers, I am going to take a shower and then maybe go to the zoo or at least get outside. I would love to sew, but it is just to nice out. Oh, I almost forgot, I have to bury a dead bird first. Toodles!

TGIF...almost

I have to say that I am so excited for tomorrow to be done with. Why? Well because 82% Serious and I are having one of our crafty weekends together! I know! Oh how I love crafty weekends. It is true that sometimes we do not do any crafting at all, but that is not what counts. I just love spending time with her! This weekend we are planning to make some aprons and perhaps melt some glass in my garage with my blow torch. Fun times!

Happy Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day today. I woke up to the soft gentle sound of the rain and birds happy to have their tummies filled since I finally remembered to get some more bird seed for them. I sewed the tops to the pirate quilts, which was fun, and showed Ammon how to "drive" my sewing machine. I told him that he was only allowed to use it if I was home. I could see all sorts of things being sewn, which could be bad. Next we had an oh so nutritious lunch at McDonald's (I figured it was Mother's Day so none of that bad stuff in the food counts). Then the power went out at our house. Bummer. So the sewing stopped as well as my plans to bake cookies. Oh well. Eli and Nate took a nap while Ammon and I worked on his homework together. Then he wrote in his story journal and I cut out fabric for some zipper pouches. Still no power yet, so we went out to dinner. Mexican food! Then I was told that I could buy some new pots...which I have been wanting and needing for awhile now. I am so excited! I got three new ones, plus one of those hand blender/puree thing-a-ma-bobbers that Alton Brown always uses. So, as you can see, it was a great day. Now to just decide on what meal to break my new pans in on.........