Saturday, June 27, 2009

And Saturday it is!


Today at the market the flowers were sparse, rain you know. I planned to get bouquets to use for my niece's shower table decorations. But I had plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from. No Dream Burgers, though and that is what I planned for company on Tuesday. Plan B is in my future. There were these great blueberries and black raspberries which if I don't eat before then, will be in a fruit salad. Theresa's bread is for bruschetta along with the tomatoes from the same guy I got them from last week. I told Theresa's husband, who's name escapes me as so many other things do these days, that I wanted bread last week but ran out of money. He said I could have certainly paid him this week for last week's bread- file away for future reference. I got the last loaf today and it wasn't 9:30 yet. She was also out of tomato pie already!

How about the color of these onions (keeping with my purple craze)? They are going into the green bean potato salad and the ginger watermelon salsa. The terrific potatoes are for the salad, too. The purple ones from last week got two thumbs up from Jim and me when roasted with onion and rosemary for dinner one night.




I think I am going to make a small yellow squash casserole because it just sounded so yummy to me today! And I got the two goat cheese packages I talked about last week. Don't you just love the name Fromage a Trois? The other two bouquets are from last week AND still the gooseneck loosestrife from two weeks ago!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Post two-art


Can you believe it, two posts in one day? I should be working! This is the atc I made for this month's insect swap. The background is on white card stock. I used Tattered Angels new Glimmer screens Flights of Fancy misting tool, which is basically a mask. I spritzed Glimmer Mist Turquoise Blue and LuminARts shimmering mist Golden (?) I can't read it anymore- kinda dark olive with a coppery look. I stamped the dragonfly stamp from Hero Arts ( I've used this stamp for 10 years probably- it was my logo when I had my toiletries business)with Marvy Le Plume persimmon, peacock, and pale green (on some). Edged with Versacolor copper ink. Applied the dragonfly square with pop dots.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

A joy, one of my beautiful boys









My friend, Sue, made me think about music I like to hear. She posts a music link every Monday. This is a link to my favorite musician in all the world-my youngest son, Brian, who's music never fails to bring me a smile or to tears. You can hear a few of his songs here on his myspace page and if so inclined, his upcoming shows around town are listed, too. I knew he was a talent when he was 4 years old and sang "Devil with the Blue Dress". He taught himself to play guitar, drums and piano. Truly gifted, and not from his mom, so I can brag on him. I paid for a couple of piano lessons when I realized his gift, but he would never practice, which made me angry. He got by not practicing because of his gift, which made me madder. I quit taking him until he agreed to practice, which he never did. He didn't need to. He is a man who is true to himself, which I respect and honor. He had a full scholarship to U of L for music, but school was never his thing and music was not what he wanted to do full-time. He gave it up on the third day of class. Brian has always considered "work" to be something done physically.
He is an incredibly talented, artistic welder, too. I'm lucky enough to have been gifted a few pieces of his art. He welds kitchen equipment during the work week.
In addition to being a professional musician, and artistic welder, he plays and sings in a praise band at The Valley, a Disciples of Christ church here in town.
He's a great Uncle Brian to his nephew, who's just about as crazy about him as I am.
He's married to Kelly and has a step-son, Jake, our two most recent additions to the family!

More blog candy !

Here is a link to a great giveaway and a fun newsletter. It's international!
Create4fun
There is a quick link to the right where the logo is.
Enjoy!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

It's Saturday, therefore...............












a trip to the farmers market! Today I used restraint because I hadn't gotten cash yesterday. So, I bee-lined it to the purple cauliflower at Happy Jack's. Yea! 5 heads to choose from. I tried to talk the guy next to me into getting it, but he passed. Too bad, for him. I also picked up these green beans, (we had his two weeks ago and they were super!) and the potatoes. The purple ones (clearly I'm into purple this year) are sweet and purple all the way through. I'm sure a picture is coming soon.
Next door to him is the dixie cup flower lady (I didn't buy a Dixie cup bouquet this week) for a flat of flowers and a hanging basket, which I saw on email were on sale (the flat 1/2 price!) I asked the name of the pink fluffy flower in the Dixie cup from last week, of course I have long forgotten the proper name but the common name is "Joey", which was easier on my brain. Their place is Mt. Eden Greenhouse. The hanging basket, big and beautiful is replacing this sad thing. I'm not sure what happened, not enough sun, too little water while on vacation? But, it had to go.
I cut some flowers from the dying plant to make these two little bouquets, the one in the antique cordial glass had three little snapdragon blooms that fell off.
On to a cucumber from Conrad Hambley Farm, over to see what Byrnside Orchard had, his are the tomatoes, one free to try and bought three. They are grown in dirt bags in a greenhouse this time of year. But, he's sure he's made a customer for life. I usually get his cabbage.
Next cut flowers from Perennial Favorites Flower Farm, more gooseneck loosestrife and some snapdragons. My GS from last week is still pretty and I just pitched the zennias today. Next, Kenny's Cheese-still on my Cumin Gouda kick. I surveyed what Theresa, at Nature's Dream, had cooked up. I wanted a loaf of bread but, hum, no money. She had quiche, tomato pie, lettuce mix with edible flowers, cinnamon rolls and sticky buns (with and without pecans)blackberries and tomatoes.
On to check out Capriole Farms goat cheese. I sampled quite a few as I plan to buy next week for a small group I'm having over for a summer supper on the 30th. I think I'll have the three layered one that is caliente on the outside, and the plain one wrapped in bourbon-soaked grape leaves, it just looks pretty when you open it up on a plate.
A stop at Kentucky Bison for 4/1 patties and we're off to drop off the goods home and head to Sweet and Savory for breakfast where we can use a charge card. Every time I am in there I want to ask the woman to sell the place to me when she's ready to retire. Just what I'd love to have. Their hours are 9-2 most days and have breakfast all day and lunch after 11.
Also included are pics of the backyard. Can you believe how much the oak leaf hydrangea has grown, from down to nothing after the tree was removed. Oh, and see my morning glory reaching the top of the fence? How about that red cherry tomato that I'm going to eat this afternoon? How about a peak at the autumn joy and the sunflowers from last week drying for the birds?

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Shadows



I came into my office, spare bedroom, art room this morning and saw for the first time this lovely shadow cast on the ceiling. A shadow of my flower boxes! It's like beautiful lace.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Ok, I'm on a food kick


Today, I have been working at home on a totally boring HIV course I need to finish and submit for state approval. My husband is off on Tuesday, well, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in the summer. He rescued me from HIV and took me to the Butterfly Garden for lunch. (I really wish they would change their color combo on the website- I don't associate blue with very many foods, even though it may be a great color for a butterfly)I was out of my pjs and into my silk screened skirt in no time.
I am always tempted by cold soup, sweet or savory. Strawberry soup was on the menu so I HAD to have the pick three combo so I could have soup, salad, and sandwich. The soup was so pretty and was set off perfectly by the pineapple table cloth. I had to take a picture. It was so delicious, I decided to save it for dessert! Our server was gracious to put it back in the refrigerator until after the main course.
The poppy salad is almost always my choice there, a nice green salad topped with mandarin oranges, almonds and Parmesan cheese served with a poppy seed dressing. Along with it, I had a little tuna melt-scrumptious!
I'm getting worried about that cholesterol test I have to go get later this month.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Soup, bruschetta and lilies





The soup Jim made with the turkey stock from Thanksgiving (I was remembering a chicken, I guess) was yummy! The carrots and celery from the farmers market were oh, so fresh. I topped it off with flat leaf parsley from my garden.
This is the first bruschetta of the season, made with basil I grew, hydroponic tomatoes and garlic. This is a favorite summer treat of mine, I could eat it every night.
And finally, the lily my daughter-in-law gave me last Mother's Day has bloomed where it was planted and seems to like it there. I surely do. I is right by my front door.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Farmers Market Day






Today, as most Saturdays for us, we trekked to the farmers market. I was thrilled to see that sunflowers had arrived by the buckets full. This celery looked and smelled specially good and reminded me that I had delicious chicken stock in the freezer that would be a good beginning to some soup with this celery and the carrots.
I can't pass up a blueberry. I'm crazy about them but usually don't keep them in the house when Amy comes to visit. She loves them, too, but is allergic to them.
I had my first peach of the season, bought my first cucumber, missed the purple cauliflower again, but was promised one next week.
Now, why do I try to grow basil, with limited results I might add, when I can buy this for a dollar?
A woman from Indiana brings plants and these sweet bouquets in Dixie cups. They usually last all week! A whole lot of happy in a little Dixie cup.

Win a Zutter Bind-it All with Coils

Here is a chance to win some Bind-it All coils AND a machine at Paper Craft Pleasures! Head on over. I love my Zutter Bind-it All.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Class with Laurie Doctor










My class today at LVAA was a treat! I haven't taken a class in forever and this was one that touched on a lot of art subjects I find appealing: bookmaking, journaling, and backgrounds. It included some surprising insights as well. We did informal introductions while we ate a yummy box lunch from the Cheddar Box. How can you go wrong with art and food? I was glad I wasn't the only person who has no formal art education. Some had never done any art, which made me feel at home. One of my classmates was a patient of mine who I knew had been doing some watercolors in recent years.
Our formal class started with a formal beginning. A time of stretching and breathing that I found wonderful and I plan to incorporate it into any creative time I set aside. It is worth the effort. I tend to be a person who can squeeze a lot out of life but sometimes sacrifices the details in the midst of it. So, my new intention will be to be more open and inviting of the muse.
We then took our seat where our supplies were and did a little more breathing, sitting. A poem by Antonio Machado, The Wind, One Brilliant Day, was offered by memory, by Laurie to begin our art journey. I thought it was just terrific and really spoke to me. I often think I have nothing to offer as an artist and that I should give away my paints, paper and endless assortment of creative tools because I feel I have no talent to go with them.
Our first instructions were to write words maintaining constant contact between the wax marker and the paper (Arches Text, I think)to background music. The wax marker was white and our paper was cream. This is actually a very nice exercise, it allows for free, uninhibited thinking. We wrote in bold cursive and covered a 12x14(?) paper front and back. I wrote so much I ran out of wax. We added African alphabet letters written with Sumi ink applied with a shell. I like the feel of the shell in my hand, I think I found just the one on the beach this summer to use as a writing tool. We first copied a line of letters without looking at the paper and then copied a line connecting the letters.
Next, we added walnut ink and Sumi ink to the paper we wrote on. I love the results. The wax marker is a resist to the inks. As with all workshops, you don't do your best work, because layers don't have time to dry (which can be good and bad)but you do enough to remind you of the techniques. We added the walnut and Sumi inks but no additional text to the back of the paper after the front had dried.
On black Arches cover paper (and boy, do I like this paper), that we had divided into 5 rectangles of varying size, we wrote with our shell and Sumi ink (black on black)another line of letters from our exemplar, making sure to fill in all of the "box". In another box white gouache, which is a nice opaque white on the black paper,was used to write two lines of letters that touch and also overlap rows. The third box we used white pen to write in cursive, the poem, all words flowing without lifting the pen. The fourth box was block printing the poem in capital letters with color pencil, again not lifting the pencil and connecting all the block letters. The color pencils were also used to fill in the space around the letters in the black on black box. I didn't get to box five, but it was just designs with color pencils. I'll get to it later in making another book.
We cut our cover, using a template, out of the black paper, made the folds and slit for the tab. Our background paper was cut to size, folded in half and pierced in the middle and about 1/2 inch to either side of that hole. We made holes in the cover for the signature and sewed it with simple stitching to the cover and I added a bead. I didn't have time to use the hot foil pen, but I want one.
I love my little book and will do more with it in the future. But, mostly I loved a day for ME, with artists, food, a poem, and just some breathing in and out.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Background with cauliflower dye



I cooked (okay, really Jim did) my yummy purple cauliflower from the farmers market last night. See it hiding on the left side in the vegetable picture? It really was some of the best I've ever had and thought the dried juice from the water it was cooked in looked lovely dried on my white plate. Which gave me an idea- how would it look on paper. So, down to the kitchen I went, watercolor paper in hand, to try it out. I have some plastic pipettes and after trying some on my craft pad and dipping the paper, I opted for pipetting it onto the paper instead. Some of the sugars in the juice burned when I got a little crazy with the heat tool. I think it is a wonderful color and dyed a paper towel, too.

Monday, June 01, 2009

A Day at the Races and Art at Churchill Downs




Before you think I'm addicted to gambling, let me say I hardly ever go to Churchill Downs, really, only about twice a year but, this year we had tickets to the Derby and were asked to "family day" by friends who work there. So, twice in one month is probably a first time for us.
We had a table on Millionaire's Row on the 4th floor, 5 or 6 betting windows in that room, and access to the balcony outdoors to watch the race as it was run. Sunday was a lovely day in Kentucky, low humidity and sunny with a light breeze. The company was great, too. Some former high school and college teachers, a real estate agent and us. I had met one of the other guests on two other occasions. Jim and I got there 5 minutes before the first race, made our wager, chosen by the horse's name at home, and walked out to watch. We won! That started a streak that had me cashing 8 tickets included an exacta. I've never been so lucky, and it is luck, I assure you. I pick horses my names and jockeys. Yesterday, it was a winner. Calvin Borel-Ky Oaks, Derby and Preakness winning jockey-didn't let me down on Cow Creek Cat (I like "cat" horses). For all my ticket cashing, I came home with only a small profit but since most days at the track I leave with less than I came with, it was a great day!
One of the highlights was taking a guided tour of the racetrack, something I had never done before. Rosie, our tour guide from Germany, was a treat and very informative. We got to go into the paddock area where the horses are saddled and mounted, tattoos checked, and lined up for the post parade.
I was 3 feet from Calvin, that's him on horse number 4, "Goes"! He gave a friendly wave. Jack got a great picture that I hope he emails me. We got a race track history lesson, stopped to wager (I won again), and went out by the winner's circle to watch the race, then over to the circle for the trophy presentation and picture taking of the owners and sponsors of the race. Back inside we saw the murals of caricatures of the Derby winning jockeys and Derby winning trainers by PEB. It is added to by the artist, every two years.
There is a great glass chandelier in a entry way made in Louisville at Glassworks. Too hard to get a good picture with my phone, though.
What a fun day!