Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Patchwork Stocking with Vintage Christmas Ornaments …



I finally found inspiration and started creating holiday themed paintings. I pulled out some vintage ornaments, fired up the old record player with records from my childhood and tried to think snow. This is the first painting I completed. I am hoping to create some more holiday inspired creations once the Halloween rush slows down. Between Halloween parties, costume making, and carving pumpkins there has not been much time to paint.




















Thank you for stopping in.





Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch …








There are two family activities I look forward to each year, going to the pumpkin patch and going to the Christmas tree farm. On Saturday we went to our favorite pumpkin patch for a hayride and to find the perfect pumpkins to carve into spooky jack-o-lanterns. It was a perfect fall day.













My little pumpkins ...











Our lucky pumpkin ...











I love this picture, our little photographer did a great job.










Beautiful fall foliage ...







"Pumpkin in Colander" painting ...

Monday, October 11, 2010

MMM … Monday, Chicken Noodle Soup …



It’s starting to get a little cooler and fall is starting to creep into the air, so it is the perfect time for some soul warming soup. I love home made chicken noodle soup! It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Michael usually makes it on a Sunday and I will enjoy it all week long for lunch. It is yummy, healthy, and freezer friendly.


Here is the delicious recipe, Happy Cooking !!!


Ingredients

Stock Ingredients …

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped celery

chicken bones

3 quarts of cold water

Soup Ingredients …

1 cup small diced onion

½ cup small diced carrot

½ cup small diced celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

chicken meat

2 cups egg noodles

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Cooking Directions …

Place a whole chicken into a 400 degree oven for an hour and ½ or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool. Once the chicken is cooled remove the meat from the bones and set aside.

In a stock pot sauté 1 cup of chopped onion, 1 cup of chopped carrot, and 1 cup of chopped celery for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Next add the chicken bones and 3 quarts of cold water, allow the stock to simmer for an hour. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the stock and set it aside.

In another pot sauté 1 cup small diced onion, ½ cup small diced carrots and ½ cup small diced celery sauté for 3 minutes. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Then add the strained chicken stock and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime shred the chicken meat and add to soup. Add 2 cups of egg noodles, a tablespoon of freshly minced parsley, salt and pepper. Your chicken noodle soup is ready to eat once your noodles are finished cooking.


Enjoy !!!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Good Day Green Rooster ...




Happy Sunday! I wanted to share my newest painting, “Good Day Green Rooster”. I have been having such a wonderful time painting lately. I have been enjoying all the inspirational colors around me and putting them into my pieces.




I know I have to focus on the upcoming holiday season but I can’t seem to get into the Christmas spirit. I can’t seem to get all the amazing fall colors out of my head. I know I should be dreaming of a white Christmas but instead I’m dreaming of vibrant fall skies and brilliant orange pumpkins. I hope when I get back to work Tuesday I’m thinking of snowmen not jack-o-lanterns.





Have a wonderful Sunday.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Orange Owl …



This is my newest painting “Orange Owl”. I am really happy with how he came out .I wanted him to be vibrant and colorful. I love pairing orange and teal, it creates such a beautiful contrast. His colors are perfect for the fall season. Bright skies and colorful fall leaves were the inspiration behind this painting.





I created this painting on a recycled vintage tabletop. I had several vintage end tables in my basement and I recently disassembled them. What I was left with was some beautiful sturdy surfaces to paint on and several ornate spindle legs for other new projects. What I really like about this tabletop was the appearance of a frame around the center of the table.




I have several other owl projects in the works. Thanks for stopping in!!!