It's Thursday and something very exciting to share!

When I started blogging I imagined this place as an art blog but I was so nervous to share my art that my very first post was a recipe.  Posting recipes has been fun and rewarding and now one of my recipes has made it big!

Check out Redbook Magazine's online article about healthy Thanksgiving recipes to see my delicious recipe.  This is so exciting!

Visit the original Apple Cranberry Thanksgiving Salad post here.


And a little Thursday fun.
 

Me.  London Zoo?  1972ish.

It's Fall!

Living in Santa Barbara I am often told we don't have real seasons here but I beg to differ. Fall may be more subtle here and often we can get unexpected days of summer heat but our weather gets cooler, our leaves change, the air smells crisper. Today we are awaiting a bit of rain and it's the first day in a long time I'm wearing a chunky sweater. No better day to have a little Fall blog round up.

I don't get very creative with my nails in terms of nail art although I like unusual colors so I already had this bright orange and adding the jack-o-lantern face was super easy using a black nail pen from the drugstore. I'm so happy with how this looks, isn't it cute?

My first ever blog post almost two years ago was about roasted pumpkin seeds. Roasting pumpkin seeds is an annual tradition in my house. Last year I decided to revamp my roasted pumpkin seed post. It has since become my most popular post. Some of my posts only get a few hits put this one has THOUSANDS. It's also my most pinned picture on Pinterest. Around this time of year people start to come up to me ask ask for the recipe, and no wonder...the recipe is the BEST! See it here.

My sweet daughter/model

A few days ago I made these awesome candy corn rice krispie treats.  The best part about them is that the yellow tastes like lemon and the orange like orange (and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries....sorry, couldn't resist a little Veruca Salt here.)  Anyway, I love citrus desserts.

 

 Here is the recipe I used.  Rice Krispie treats recipe  The only thing I changed is using the larger portion for both the orange and the yellow.  I actually thought I would use a little more yellow, it got thin here and there.  Another tip is that it was very hard to shape the colors into the cake pan without making a sticky mess and almost ruining my manicure!  I used wax paper to press the colors into shape and that worked well. 


I finally made earring to match my best selling bracelets (in the manicure picture above.)



See them for sale here

We still have more pumpkin carving and lots of school activities this week.  And looking forward to trick or treating on Thursday.

Hope you are all having a lovely week!

I've been busy!

 

 

 

Just a quick post to share some new jewely I've made.  All available in the shop.

WOYWW and 29 Faces

I really enjoyed my inaugural link up to What's on Your Worktable Wednesday's last week at the Stamping Ground.  It's so interesting to see other people's work space and projects.  Thanks to everyone who visited and left me comments.  I'm hoping I visited you back, I really try to visit everyone who comments and I think I usually succeed!

My work table lately has been the kitchen table.  Our small house, originally built for WWII veterans in the 50's, has no dining room so I can't even say I've taken over the dining room.  What I've done is taken over the corner of our kitchen table in our eat-in kitchen.

As I try to get a jewelry business going my art has taken a back seat.  To add insult to injury I am attempting the 29 faces challenge with mixed results.  Number 3 never even made it onto the blog.   I was feeling so bleck about drawing another face when I remembered a quote I love:

when in doubt, doodle 

And it worked because I love this one.  She is number 5. 
It turns out I love doodling hair.  Who knew?





This is what the kitchen table looked like today.

One of the dangers of being on Etsy all the time is seeing the great stuff for sale.  I fell in love with this tole box.  If I ever sell my jewelry at a show I can use it as my cash box.
And I am trying desperately to stay organized with jewelry making supplies. 

Back to the box, isn't it pretty?

For now I've decided to keep my stamps in it.
I had custom made rubber stamps made out of some of my Hungarian Flowers.  I love them!

This was my first sale and I experimented with packaging.  I think it looks so cute.



Visit My Etsy Shop

Figs, Figs, Figs!

In my last post I shared some of the reasons that I love September and I can't beleive I forgot to mention figs!  And my annual girls trip to Palm Springs which is at the end of the month.

I decided to share this painting of figs from a while back today so I can link up with Diana Evans for Sweet Saturdays.  I've been meaning to join one of Diana's links ups for a while but time gets away from me...

Watercolor on paper

Figs on my art desk...working quickly before the ants figure it out.

When the figs are overripe I like to use them in smoothies, fresh or frozen. I put them in the blender, skin and all. They add a nice creamy texture and a subtle flavor. They are high in calcium and other minerals, loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. What's not to love?

Fig & Peach Green Smoothie:
1 large fig, cut up and skin on
1 medium peach, cut up and skin on
2 cups mixed baby spinach, collard greens and kale (or any green)
about 6 oz water
add crushed ice if you like your smoothies really cold as I do
when I make fig smoothies for the kids I add barely a hint of greens and much more fruit.

Another amazing way to eat figs:


Slice figs in half and place face up on pretty serving tray. Put crumbled blue cheese and roasted almonds on each fig. Drizzle whole thing with honey.




And some most exciting news!  I sold my first piece of jewelry from my brand new Etsy shop.  OK, it was to a friend of mine...but still!

Visit my new Etsy Shop.

I'm also linking up with Alexandra at Sunday Sketches.

 

 

 

 

 

Old Fisherman

September is my favorite month. 
I was married in September, my birthday is in September and usually our weather is amazing.  Our weather is indeed amazing, probably too hot for most around here but I'm not really complaining.  My wedding anniversary came and went the other day (14 years!) and my birthday is quickly approaching.

This year September is also full of faces for the 29 Faces challenge.  Here is number 4 of 29 Faces.
 I created my own version of "Old Fisherman" by Hungarian artist Tivadar Csontvary Kosztka.  I'm pretty happy with how he looks.  I've never tried a man's face nor an aged face before.



Here is the original.  My kids like my version better...they think the original is "too creepy."

And my other big new for the month of September is that I've got my Etsy shop up and running!  So far it's only jewelry.  I'm hoping art is not far behind.  Click on my flower design below or on the right of the screen to visit my Etsy shop.  I'm so curious to know what people think and I will very happily accept constructive criticism.  :)

 I'm sharing at Paint Party Friday.

What's on Your Worktable Wednesday and 2 of 29 Faces

Today I'm joining all the folks at What's on Your Worktable Wednesday.

I've got a lot going on and my table is a mess but at least it's an artsy mess.  Sometimes it's just a mess because I pile other stuff on it and then I end up doing art in bed or at the kitchen table.



First of all here is my number 2 of 29 Faces that I finished yesterday. This girl spends a lot of time on her hair!


Here she is next two number 1, Green Lady.  I'm doing two on a page, I thought it would make them more interesting to look back at later.



 This is going to be the background of number 3.  I am not usually a multi-layer, all sorts of textures kind of painter but I always admire those that are so I saw this swirly stencil at the craft store and decided to give it a try.  Stay tuned.

 

 A while back I did an index card for ICAD using Hungarian folk art for the letters.  I've been working on making a bigger version.

 

 

 

29 Faces #1

Happy Sunday of a long weekend (in the USA.)  I hope you are enjoying!  I decided to participate in another challenge.  This time creating 29 faces in the month of September.  I've always felt like I wanted to practice my faces, they are not something I feel comfortable drawing. 

I'm not sure if this is a real "rule" of the challenge or just something I think I read somewhere but I thought the only "rule" is to use a medium you don't normally use.  So...here is my "GREEN LADY" is pastels, both soft and oil.  I did her in bed this morning while sipping my coffee.  I probably got pastels all over my white sheets!  I think she is pretty good for a first attempt!




And now I'm off to the beach!
 

 

I'm also sharing at Sunday Sketches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painted Hungarian Folk Art Flowers

By now you know that I am obsessed with Hungarian Folk Art.  Traditionally in Hungary this type of art is painted.  It is also embroidered onto cloth.  I use markers when I draw them.  I've tried watercolors but I don't get the bold, saturated colors I want.  I've tried acrylics but I had trouble getting the paint to behave.  Finally today I had an epiphany, not sure why it took me to long to figure this out...I painted with very watered down acrylics and I think it's a great first effort but there is definitely room for improvement....

 



 

There are 30 minutes between the time my daughter's school day ends and my son gets out. I spent that time drawing.



 

 

Ready for paint.






Painting in the flowers. I went over the pen lines one more time after the paint dried.


 

Detail of my wedding shawl which I pulled out for inspiration



Detail of my mom's tablecloth. Just a picture on my iPhone. I tried to "borrow" this but she wouldn't let me take it because most of the things I "borrow" never make it back to my mom's house. :)
 

Another picture of my mom's tablecloth.



Another little peak at my jewelry.
Hoping to have my etsy shop up and running soon!!


 I'm sharing this as DPP#14 Saturated.

And:
 

Easy Does It (or the LESS I try to do, the MORE I get done)

Do you remember these bumper stickers?

You don't see them around as much anymore but I remember seeing them a lot when I was a teenager and young adult.  They really bugged me.  They offended that part of me that thought that hard work is the way to go.  I have always thought that anything that was worth something took great effort.  Of course to some extent that is true and it's a lesson I'm trying to teach my children now. 

 You DO need to study hard for a test if you want to do well. 

You DO need to practice a sport if you are eager to improve. 

But here's something that is also true. 

Sometimes the LESS I try to do, the MORE I get done. 

I always have a million things going on.  I have a job.  Two kids, a husband, pets, a house and large yard (in a town like mine I am in the minority on this but I don't have a housekeeper or a gardener!)  I have lunches to make and laundry and so on and so on.  You know the drill.  On top of that, I have my art and I love to read and I need to exercise every day.  And just because I'm kind of crazy, I've decided to start a new business, too!

This week my kids went back to school.  We had a mellow summer and my schedule really slowed down.  Partly because the kids were home with me and I couldn't run around as usual and partly because I sprained my ankle and had to take it easy.   As soon as that bell rang Monday morning I was off like a crazy woman.  Going for runs (as the ankle allows,) back to Bikram Yoga, making jewlery, working on an art project, groceries, dishes.  It's exhausting!  I don't necessarily feel great for all the hardcore exercise even though I was so looking forward to getting back to it.  Ironically my ankle feels OK but my other foot hurts and my knees twinge. 

Yesterday I thought back to my summer, the mellow days.  The evening walks with Obi.  I felt good during the summer, I didn't gain weight, I kept up a regular but mellow exercise routine.  Maybe I don't need to work so hard all the time at fitting things in or staying fit.

Today I was planning to go to Bikram again but Obi and I detoured to the beach after walking the kids to school.  The ocean was so pretty.  The breeze lovely.  I stopped to take this picture

I stood still looking at the ocean for a minute. 
I saw a woman on a stand up paddle board moving at a leisurely pace right over a giant kelp bed.  Some distance away a man lay flat on a surfboard, not paddling anywhere, just floating.

Suddenlty out of nowhere an image of that bumper sticker popped into my mind. 

Easy Does It.

 

So I remind myself of some things I already knew and some new lessons:

 

It doesn't always need to be heart pounding exercise to do you good. 

 

I don't have to count calories all the time. 
I just need to eat healthy and wholesome foods.

 

I don't have to do it all.

There is no rush.

 

When I slow down, I actually seem to have more time and I get more done.

 

Easy Does It.

By the way, I love to read your comments so if you read my blog posts and have something to say, please don't be shy. 

You will make my day.