Lately

 

Just a little update teaser to show you what I've been up to lately. 
It was time to turn some of my creative energy back to the three dimensional.

Stay tuned!

Lemon Olive Oil Yogurt Cake with Lemon "Cream", Gluten Free and Dairy Free

Lemon Olive Oil Yogurt Cake

It's been ages since I posted a recipe so I'm excited to share this one. My family has been loving this cake so much that I have made it three days in a row! It's that easy and that good!

You would never, ever know this cake is both gluten and dairy free. It is hands down, the most moist and fluffy baked item I have come across since I went gluten free (and if you are familiar with GF baked goods you know this is a big deal!)

Fully loaded

With just a sprinkle of confectioners sugar

Lemon Olive Oil Yogurt Cake

• 1 cup gluten free flour of choice.  I used Bob's Red Mill Biscuit and Baking Mix.  Any flour mix will do, even regular flour or a combination.  I've used corn and coconut flour with good results.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar OR do what I did and substitute a little SweetLeaf Stevia with the  granulated sugar to cut down on the sugar.
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup plain non dairy yogurt of choice.  I used So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk
• 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon.  You should end up with about a teaspoon of zest and 2 Tablespoons of juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix all and pour into greased 8 inch round cake pan, spread cake batter to edges of pan. Batter will be tick.  Bake in 350 degree oven.  Start testing the cake at 20 minutes, top should be lightly golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.  22 minutes is perfect in my oven.

Makes about 8 slices.  Prepared my way each slice is about 210 calories (without the cream.)  The cream is nice if you are making a fancy dessert but the cake doesn't need it to be delicious.  The first day I made this cake I also made the cream which lasted through the second cake. Refrigerate the cream in between uses. 



Lemon "Cream" from Go Dairy Free. 
See original source here, I've just reprinted for your convenience:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Juice of medium lemon
• 1 Tablespoon dairy-free margarine

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually add water and whisk until well blended. Whisk in egg yolks, lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly. Boil one minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool to room temperature, without stirring

DPP#1 Rainbow

For the first prompt of "rainbow" I tried something totally new. Rainbow acrylic paints applied to the paper with a string of yarn, watercolor rainbow on top of that, then white acrylic "raindrops" with bubble wrap. I wish the yarn rainbow was more visible but the over all look is fun

DPP # 2 Window

There are things that charm me every time I see them and near the top of that list (along with kittens and laughing babies) has to be red geraniums in window boxes. 

 

 

Started sketching in bed this morning.

I started with very pale gray watercolor all over the bricks and let that dry, that's the mortar.  Then I shaded in the dark windows and I added the bricks little by little making sure I varied the colors and how much water I added.

The bricks are finally done.

Adding the flowers and more color.

Adding some details. 
Despite the careful sketching and plotting at the beginning my window panes are uneven!

After all the watercolor painting was done I added shading and details with pencil, watercolor pencils and marker.


And from yesterday, DPP#1 Rainbow.

 

Art Makes Me Happy!

The continuing influence of index card a day. 

Creating art every day makes you happy!

 

Day 42.

 

If you know me outside of blogland or have followed this blog then you know that I am the kind of person who doesn't wake up in a cheerful mood every day.  All my life I have fought with my moods, melancholy and even a few times, full on depression.  I have also written in the past year that I am probably the happiest now than I have ever been but I still battle with feeling down for no reason or letting little things send me spiraling into bad moods that can last for hours or even days. 

Yesterday was the last day of creating an index card a day for 61 days.  Now I confess I didn't do art EVERY day.  I did art almost every day, sometimes doing many cards on one day and then skipping a day when I was very busy (or caught up in a great book!)  If I didn't pick up a pen or brush one day, I certainly looked at art, commented on it and thought about art, so for the sake of this discussion, though, lets say I did art every day.  I knew a few days into it that creating index cards I was in a great mood every day...maybe creating art was making me happy.

Now back to yesterday when I was thinking about my 2 months of ICAD's.  I was answering Tammy's questions on Daisy Yellow so I was really thinking about the impact of creating all these cards.  The overwhelming feeling about my ICAD experience was not just how fun and rewarding it was but it really made me happy. 

As I was scrolling through my blog reading list yesterday I happened upon this cute post from Heather at Rose Hills Design called "the Secret to a Happy Life."  Check out her blog, her are is to cute!  Heather said she never stops dreaming, learning, loving, believing and living...and then she invites the reader to add their own secret.  Without hesitation I said "creating art." 

By afternoon I had finished my last card and ICAD Roundup post.  It wasn't long before I got a comment from the very talented Cindy at The Slumbering Herd.  If you haven't checked out her blog, go now!  She is amazing.  She told me that my post was "the happiest and most upbeat blog post I have seen in ages!" 

And that was it.  What had been floating around my head for days and weeks culminated in that moment...it's true! 
 

It's true! 
 

Art makes me happy!

 

 

ICAD Roundup 2013

Here we are at the last day of ICAD for 2013 and I'm already looking forward to next year.  I can't overstate how much fun and inspiration I got out of this challenge.  I had never drawn on index cards before and the simplicity and casual nature of them opened up a whole new world of art to me.  I love that they are small, portable, inexpensive and accept a variety of media. 

 

Through this challenge I have explored doodling, zentangles, collage, found poetry, coffee stains, coloring on security envelopes and abstract subject matter in addition to my normal acrylics and watercolors.  I developed a love for my Sharpie pens.  My cards and pens traveled in my bag all over town.  I created art at swim meets, the golf course, on vacation and at parties.  I inspired friends to take up doodling and they now carry around their own supplies and give sets of Sharpies as birthday gifts. 

It's not unusual for one of my friends to approach me and say "do you have any cards?"

And of course, my answer is always "YES!"

 

 

All 61!

 Here are a few that haven't made it onto the blog yet.

 

Day 50.  Wax resist with crayons and watercolor

 

Day 51.

Day 59. Strange doodles

 

Day 60.  Magenta watercolor and white Uni POSCA extra fine.  I learned about this pen on the ICAD FB page during the "great white pen debate."  I love it!

Day 61.  Sharpie Circles.

A very sincere thank you to Tammy Garcia at Daisy Yellow for creating such a fun and safe atmosphere online to experiment, inspire and be inspired.  More than half the fun was posting my cards and seeing the reaction to them.  Browsing all the cards and commenting on other people's work was something I looked forward to every day.  I really enjoyed all the interaction and hope that we all stay in touch!

 

I'm looking forward to continuing on the Daisy Yellow and Tammy's Daily Paper Prompts. 

Hope to see you there!



ICAD's 52-58 The Mountain Series

I hadn't really meant to follow up my Ocean Series with a Mountain Series but doesn't it just flow nicely?  I loved how my ICAD's for my week of vacation turned into a little travel diary.  They will forever help my remember our week in the mountains.

Day 52.  The River. South Fork of the Stanislaus.



Day 53 The Lake

Day 54.  Pinecrest.  This is the same lake view as above but more realistic.  I like seeing how I went from the simple version above to this one that is actually recognizable to people who have been here.  That is the greatest compliment!

 

Day 55.  The wood pile behind our cabin.  It was actually more creepy with a bunch on cobwebs and spiders!

 

Day 56.  The bottom of the river is so colorful.

 

Day 57.  This is a spot we found for fishing.  I called it "the spot where Max yelled "FISH ON" although he lost the fish as he was reeling it in.  Overall we caught a total of 51 fish on this trip!  Most released but a few eaten.  This is also the place where my ankle throbbed and swelled up as I had twisted it badly a short time before.  It's still very sore and black, blue and yellow.  Middle Fork of the Stanislaus.



Day 58.  The view from the other side of the Lake.  I did this while on the big party boat we rented.  What a lovely day that was.  We stayed on the boat until almost dark and watch the sunset as it peaked from behind some thunderstorm clouds.