Just finished this table this morning:
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Pretty Scrolled Table
Next weekend is Chartreuse's Spring Market Days. I've been a busy bee and been painting like Van Gogh's painting frenzy in Arles. (I still have both ears!)
Just finished this table this morning:
Just finished this table this morning:
Friday, April 10, 2015
Geranium
I brought my geraniums indoors for the Winter. They're thanking me with beautiful blooms!
They're now outside enjoying the Spring sun and rain.
They're now outside enjoying the Spring sun and rain.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Red Rooster Stool
Winter's snow and frigid temperatures kept me indoors. Lots of baking and refurbishing thrift finds kept me from doing the iconic scene in "The Shining" (think "Here's Johnny!")
When I saw this stool, it was not pretty, but underneath all the dirt and grime, I could see red. I decided to paint the wooden seat black. I ran out of Annie Sloan charcoal chalk paint, and decided to wing it and used an old can of black chalkboard paint. And guess what?! It worked like a charm!!
When I saw this stool, it was not pretty, but underneath all the dirt and grime, I could see red. I decided to paint the wooden seat black. I ran out of Annie Sloan charcoal chalk paint, and decided to wing it and used an old can of black chalkboard paint. And guess what?! It worked like a charm!!
Monday, April 6, 2015
Josie
Wow...no posts since October....it's been a rough Winter. I lost my beloved lab, Josie. She was a wonderful girl. Very talkative and loving. The house is so quiet without her.
"Matisse Dog"
Josie loved to sit in the middle of my flower garden
Maddie and Josie
Josie loved the pool - she'd do a couple of laps
then sit on the ledge and hang out
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Homemade Granola
Most mornings, I awaken to 2 cups of coffee in a very large polka-dotted mug. Add a splash of milk and hazelnut creamer and I'm good to go for about 2 hours. Breakfast is cup of vanilla yogurt, a handful of raspberries (fresh/frozen) and for crunch...granola. It's like dessert for breakfast.
Store bought granola is expensive and fattening. I can make a large batch of granola for less than a $1...seriously. And it is yummy! My daughter goes through a batch every other day.
GRANOLA - basic recipe
pre-heat oven to 325˚F
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup unbleached flour (can use wheat flour, or bleached flour)
Optional: 2 cups nuts, dried fruit, etc.
Combine maple syrup, brown sugar and oil into a large bowl. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved (no lumps). Add vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon (optional). I like cinnamon, so I'd guess at least 2 teaspoons (1 tsp in the liquid, 1 tsp after mixing the dry ingredient(s).
Fold in the rolled oats and flour. Remember! old fashioned rolled oats. Not the instant oats. Not the steel-cut oats. Old fashioned rolled oats...like the kind that has the Quaker on the front of the box.
After thoroughly coating the oats with the oil/sugar mixture, you can add nuts, dried fruit, or a combo of the two.
Dump mixture into a sheet cake pan that has either been buttered/floured or sprayed with baking spray. Pat down the mixture so that it is even throughout the pan.
Lick hands. Wash hands...with soap.
Place baking pan in the oven (middle rack) for 40-45 minutes. Halfway through the baking, rotate the pan 180˚ and finish the last half of baking.
Take out of oven and let cool. Break off a corner of the granola as it is cooling...come on..you know you want to!
Once cool, break granola into chunks and place in airtight container (mason jar with clamp). Granola will keep for up to 2 weeks, but you'll be baking a batch in about 2 days!
Store bought granola is expensive and fattening. I can make a large batch of granola for less than a $1...seriously. And it is yummy! My daughter goes through a batch every other day.
GRANOLA - basic recipe
pre-heat oven to 325˚F
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup unbleached flour (can use wheat flour, or bleached flour)
Optional: 2 cups nuts, dried fruit, etc.
Combine maple syrup, brown sugar and oil into a large bowl. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved (no lumps). Add vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon (optional). I like cinnamon, so I'd guess at least 2 teaspoons (1 tsp in the liquid, 1 tsp after mixing the dry ingredient(s).
Fold in the rolled oats and flour. Remember! old fashioned rolled oats. Not the instant oats. Not the steel-cut oats. Old fashioned rolled oats...like the kind that has the Quaker on the front of the box.
After thoroughly coating the oats with the oil/sugar mixture, you can add nuts, dried fruit, or a combo of the two.
Dump mixture into a sheet cake pan that has either been buttered/floured or sprayed with baking spray. Pat down the mixture so that it is even throughout the pan.
Lick hands. Wash hands...with soap.
Place baking pan in the oven (middle rack) for 40-45 minutes. Halfway through the baking, rotate the pan 180˚ and finish the last half of baking.
Take out of oven and let cool. Break off a corner of the granola as it is cooling...come on..you know you want to!
Once cool, break granola into chunks and place in airtight container (mason jar with clamp). Granola will keep for up to 2 weeks, but you'll be baking a batch in about 2 days!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Boo!
I'm all about holiday decorating, and recycling. Found the perfect solution!
ASCP and wax, cutout letters, mod podge, and some black glitter!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Alaskan Brown Bear (Holly) Adopts an Abandoned Cub
I am a huge fan of explore.org's live cams. One of my favorites are the cameras following the Alaskan Brown Bears. An Alaskan brown bear is the genetic twin of a grizzly bear, but with the abundant food source on the Alaskan coast, the brown bears are significantly larger (1200lb ready-for-hibernation male Alaskan brown bear vs 800lb ready-for-hibernation male grizzly). There are 3 cameras that are remotely operated by volunteer camera operators (I am one). Those 3 cameras are:
Brooks Falls
Lower River West
River Watch (Lower River East)
A fourth camera (Dumpling Mountain) is a stationary camera.
Today, NPR aired an interview with Ranger Roy Wood, from Katmai National Park. Katmai has the largest concentration of Alaskan Brown Bears. The interview was about a female bear (sow) with a spring cub who adopted an abandon yearling (1.5 years old) cub. We, who have been watching the brown bear cams, have witnessed this drama playing out since July of this year. It is an amazing story and I encourage all to listen to it.
And! Go visit explore.org and look at all the live cameras! If bears aren't your cup of tea, there are rescue kittens and dogs, African wildlife, service dogs/puppies, etc. It is an incredible website!
Brooks Falls
Lower River West
River Watch (Lower River East)
A fourth camera (Dumpling Mountain) is a stationary camera.
Today, NPR aired an interview with Ranger Roy Wood, from Katmai National Park. Katmai has the largest concentration of Alaskan Brown Bears. The interview was about a female bear (sow) with a spring cub who adopted an abandon yearling (1.5 years old) cub. We, who have been watching the brown bear cams, have witnessed this drama playing out since July of this year. It is an amazing story and I encourage all to listen to it.
And! Go visit explore.org and look at all the live cameras! If bears aren't your cup of tea, there are rescue kittens and dogs, African wildlife, service dogs/puppies, etc. It is an incredible website!
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