poppies

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Monday, June 28, 2010

antler folk atc's

one of my greatest pleasures these days is hosting atc swaps on www.illustratedatcs.com and www.atcsforall.com (the 1st site is juried, the 2nd site is not). part of the fun is coming up with interesting themes that i'd like to collect. my recent obsession has been with antlered folks. you know, people with antlers. of course i know they don't really exist, but they look so awesome in art. and the cool thing is, it's easy to make antlered folk whether you are a hand drawn artist or a mixed media collage artist (like me). it's accessible.


just find some antler images online, print them out (and in my case color them), and add them to the person of your choice. antlers make anyone look striking.


what was really fun for me in make these particular cards was i also played with my other 2 obsessions: spray paint, and cool color combos--in this case yellow, aqua, and pink. to me, they mix a look of ancient times, when fairies existed, with a more modern look.


as always, i've added bits of intriguing text to further the sense of story. text is a common denominator with the majority of my art. here it is added in the background--finnish text, and then an english word or phrase. i really love how these turned out. what are some of your fave techniques?

Saturday, June 26, 2010

my (not so) secret garden

a week or so ago i had the itching to go to some yard sales. i hit pay dirt at the 3rd one i went to where someone was selling old gun and ammunition boxes. at $5 a piece i bought the 2 she had and decided i wanted to repurpose them. so now, instead of supporting war and terror, these boxes support the earth and nourishment. they have become my garden! since they didn't have a lot of space i also added a big black tub for some herbs.

here's what i am growing:

2 types of heirloom tomatoes
lettuce
hollyhocks
forget-me-nots
tarragon
thai basil
cilantro
parsley
dill





Saturday, June 19, 2010

knitted creations

a couple of weeks ago i started a knitting class with my friends laurie and natalie at college of the redwoods community education program. i absolutely love it! our teacher paula is kind and patient, and has the best stories. and the class affords me a couple of hours each week with my girlfriends.

our 1st project was to make a seamed hat--more of a winter cap. i used merino wool in some lovely colors for my 1st hat. it's made using a garter stitch and is super easy to do.



so easy in fact, that i made a 2nd hat so i could continue practicing. this hat is done i blues, teals, and purples. i am not sure who i am going to give it to, but the 1st hat will go to my niece thea.



i went to northcoast knittery today, for world knit day and got some help with my 2nd project--a coffee cup sleeve. it's much harder for me as it is knitted in the round and i get confused easily. if anyone has any tips for me i'd love to hear them!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

epicurean creation

so, many of my blog posts have been about the art i create--visual art that is. today i indulged in another favorite hobby of mine--creating edible art. beef stew is a simple rustic dish that wheb done well has layers of flavor--the meatiness of the beef, the rich aroma created from wine and the blend of herbs. below you will find the recipe i use when making beef stew, it's simple, hearty, and delicious.



ingredients:

1 lb of stew meat
1 large red onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 med red potatoes chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots
2 tsp thyme
1-2 bay leaves
beef broth
1-2 C red wine
2 tbs tomato paste
oil
flour
1 small bag frozen peas
salt & pepper to taste

directions:

dredge meat in flour and brown in a small amount of oil.
in the same oil, saute onion and garlic over low heat.
when onion becomes translucent stir in tomato paste and coat onions with it.
stir in the mine to this mixture, making sure you scrape up the bits on the pan leftover from browning the meat.
after wine has reduced by 1/4-1/2, add potatoes, carrots and meat. stir in enough broth to almost cover the mixture.
add herbs and salt and paper. raise heat and bring to a simmer. cover and reduce heat. cook until meat is tender, 1-2 hours.
when meat is done, remove from heat and add peas, serve immediately.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

nature's inspiration

the last place i expect to see nature rearing it's gorgeous head is at work. work is about paperwork, and deadlines, and driving, and courthouses, and tears--many things, but never nature. yesterday when i went to leave for my lunch break out the back door i happened to glance down. and what did my squinty eyes behold? a tiny, gorgeous, perfect tree frog. this little guy was so perfectly still, except for the blinking of his eyes. i am calling it a he, but of course it may as well have been a she. either way, a bit a beauty that made me pause during a busy day. lucky for both of us i carry my camera everywhere i go!



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