9 posts tagged “art”
Over the years Cracker Jacks has had many different surprises in their packages. I used to love finding mine in the bottom of the box just as much as the munchkins do today. I also used to love gold nugget gum, because the bag was a prize in itself.
I guess, it a way that was why I always chose "Bubble Gum" ice cream at Baskin Robins. You got to blow bubbles even after your ice cream was long gone.
The modern prizes in Cracker Jacks today are almost all made out of paper. However, the prizes I'm giving out in three Cracker Jacks boxes this week are not paper! These boxes will be all prize and no corn. I'll be randomly drawing three names from the responses I get this week. YOU could win one of the three prize boxes! Send me an email at the link on the word responses, or post a comment here to add your name to the drawing.
I found these shoes over at Riley Roos the other day. They are soooo cute. If only I could find them in my size...
Do you dream about cheese? Do you wish you knew which kind of cheese you would like to eat soon? If so, there is a special site just for you. They say that I'm hankering for Pecorino with my fall apples.
I've been hosting my mother this week. Not by our choice,but delightful all the same. She fell down a flight of stairs and fractured her ankle, so we've been working on projects with her leg elevated. All of my current art is in a "middle" stage right now. It looks halfway done with pieces here and there.
Here's one I haven't started yet, but feel I'm going to have to. Today one of my students asked me a question I've been wondering myself. "Have you actually done this project we're doing right now?" Um, no. I had to admit. I'm teaching you, and I know how to teach you, but I haven't actually done it myself. I know that sounds strange, but as I've taught the class before and my student's paintings received rave reviews, I'd only let it nibble at the corner of my mind. I think I'm going to have to do a copy of the painting I'm teaching...
As I'm not really crazy about any holiday that includes freaking people out, Halloween and April fools Day are pretty low on my favorites list. However, I do enjoy a good fall party and I found these delightful little cakes.
You'll need to record the recipe right away though. They are on the Cookie magazine site and I just got a notice that they are closing the magazine.
I've been teaching my students the good habit of daily sketching, including making a list of things for them to sketch.
This site caught my eye as they are trying to follow the "sketch-a-day" practice. One magazine that isn't disapearing (yet) is my Bon Appetit. It came in the mail yesterday and after looking at those yummy photos of Thanksgiving, I know you're going to be drooling on your keyboard.
Just you wait.
I've started artwork in the first fabric book, and I really like it! I had actually been struggling with how to cut a canvas without having it being pulled apart by the tension required to keep it stretched. By creating a canvas book, it eliminates the whole issue of tension caused by canvas being pulled around the frame. So, look for some holes to be showing up in subsequent pages.
The theme of this first book is "traveling around the world and through time with art". I know that's pretty broad, but I'm choosing one city/state and time period per page. This first one is of Kansas in the 1930's - 40's. The artwork in the book will be moving around the world as though someone was taking a plane trip.
It's the end of the season for peaches and blackberries. I'd gone picking with my mother on the day after peaches were done, so once again we picked nectarines instead. However, the growers had a few boxes of my favorite variety (Canadian Harmony) in the cooler, so I paid the price and came home with a beautiful box. Mom and I also went up to
the cemetary where my brother is buried. I love the path up there, it leads to this tree, and a tranquil view over the countryside.
I was cajolled, as I am once a year, to sleep outside. We went camping at a friend's place, complete with roasting marshmellows over a campfire to create s'mores. More marshmellows than usual succumed to the flames. I think the age of the campers had increased just enough to make them brave roasting their own, but not old enough to know what they were doing.
Scampy has braved cancer surgery for a second time and is doing fine. My dad couldn't help but fund one more doctor's visit. She's such a sweet dog, and so full of life. I love her expressive eyes, greying muzzle, and gentle spirit.
I'm SO excited! School is out for the summer and I already have one project whipped up! I visited a new shop close by and they had ruffles on their window curtains. A lot of ruffles. It inspired me to come home and make a ruffled pillowcase for my niece.
Of course, I had to add a ribbon pocket and a mini picture. Usually I clip the mini's on with a miniature metal clip. I thought it would be nicer to just tie this mini bunny on, as she might end up being laid on.
The littlest munchkin has a penchant for frozen blueberries. We stored all of ours away in the deep freeze in the
cellar, so I never noticed that they were being snitched. That is, until I went to get some ice cream and found it completely melted down the inside of the door. Aargh! Last weekend I got to cook up all of the thawed meat and fish. This week it was all of the berries.
I've seen two baby deer this week. We think that Apple, Plum's baby, had a fawn this spring. The munchkins have taken to calling him/her Cherry. The second baby was one I saw today, on the way to pick up the older munchkins from Challenge Camp. (They did a ropes course camp.) The deer were walking down the road in front of us. It startled me, and I really should have climbed out of the car to focus properly, but I just took shots out the window. Next time I'll think more clearly!
One of my friends, Maja Ledgerwood, requested a custom item, so I worked on the pattern this week.
As the family walked through the room I was working in, they all had their own opinons as to what the end product would be.
It was so facinating to hear from each individual, and was so inspiring! I thought I would pose it to you as well, to see what you think I should be making from the pattern in the picture. Just click on the email sign on the left-hand side and send me your opinion. Or email me here.
I'm still working with the support staff in India to find out how the system swallowed my cookbook file. When it posts, I will certainly let you know. I'm counting the days now. I think it's interesting how long it will take for them to sort things out... If I could find my Adobe Writer disk, I could just make it available here as a .pdf, but alas, I can not.
These colors caught my eye in a flower case this week, and this Australian online magazine (Paper Mache) is pure eye candy.
I went to a benefit brunch for Baby Blues a few weekends ago and they had the most scrumptious spread. The caterer was in a giving mood too and donated these petit fours and mini cheesecakes. I restrained myself and only had one mini cheesecake and my favorite Tazo tea. If you are dying for an excellent cheescake recipe, my friend Aaron is a chef who loves to make flavored cheesecakes. He can send you one or I can get a recipe for you. Let me know if you would like me to post one.
I found a new project to work on. (That is, it's been in my head for forever, but I started on it today.) I'm making a sample model for myself first, so it won't be ready to see here for a little while.
The deer is still a work in progress too, as my laptop held the picture that was going to be her background. My laptop screen bit the dust, but my new machine is enroute. I just *hope* that I'll be able to recover what is on that dear little box...
I found my little deer drawing, on my favorite day, Thursday, naturally. I will start working on her background this week.
I've watched two movies about determination lately, Rudy most recently and Cinderella Man a few weeks ago. I don't care for either football or boxing, so it was delicious to see both directors rise above their focus on a respective sport, to their applicable life lesson. I so appreciate it when people are able to reach outside their own circle of knowledge and tie into where others are at an empathetic level.
I'm in the middle of the Phantom of the Opera right now, (read EMPATHY) but I'm more delighted with the sparkling colors... and intriguing questions such as "Where did Christine Daae find such lovely stars for her hair on the opening night of La Carlota?" Ah, I know, such depth to my questioning...
My cousin Kristi (Miracle Haven) encouraged me to create art pieces in more sizes and on something other than children's clothing. She suggested new items that would be available to a wider audience than mothers/aunties/girlfriends with little ones to spoil.
So I am responding by listing my very first original art piece on Etsy. I'm doing it in an ACEO (playing card) size so that it is very easily affordable and yet is still a one of a kind (OOAK) piece of art.
It is a colored pencil/ink/watercolor. It will go up next Thursday night around 11pm (on the West coast of the US.) There is only one of these going up as it is an Original, so I wanted to give you all a heads up.
It's easy for me to become so involved in the things I need to "do" that I forget to open my eyes to things going on around me. But I have little people in my house that bring me signs that spring and new growth are occurring. They brought me outside to see the freshness of what is happening right beyond my front door. The first daffodils peeked their heads out at our house this week. What fresh greens appeared at yours?
In my last post I asked you to send me the name of your current favorite animal. I've had two animals suggested so far, and I'm encouraging you to de-lurk and don't be shy in telling me what your new favorite is!
I've been working on the Valentines and they are ACEO size. (This means that they are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches, a bit larger than a business card.) Right now elephants are figuring prominently in the artwork going on these cards. If you can inspire me with another animal suggestion, you may just see yours pop up in this mini size too.
