Personal Project: Happy Spring!

I'm celebrating the first day of Spring with new phone art!

[I didn't change my name, this copy if for my momma.]

I've been working on my calligraphy as you're no doubt aware, and I wanted to embellish some of my writing with flourishes and flowers. I finished the big piece I've been working on today, and to celebrate I used some of the pieces from it to put this happy Spring arrangement together.

I'm really enjoying experimenting with ink pen and then manipulating it on the computer. I get to draw all the bits, and then arrange and re-arrange until I have a composition I'm pleased with, rather than starting over every time I put a leaf or a word somewhere I don't like. The final result is hand drawn, but more polished than I'd likely accomplish if it was only hand drawn. Win-win!

ce

Personal Project: Dress Me

 

Sometimes when I'm inspired I get a little obsessed. Like what happened here.

This project was the same way. I had to run right out to get a variety of colored felt while I was warming up my glue gun. The first thing I needed were dolls for dressing. In this case I was inspired to use animals. Then I, ahem, designed paper patterns for the clothes.

[Yes. I did that.]

Then I went crazy with the felt my friends. Stone. Cold. Crazy.

'Girl you be rockin' that zebra print!'

'Pull the Rolls around Jeeves, I'm having drinks with the Hiltons.'

'Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah!'

There are skirts, dresses, and winter hats. Shorts. Ties. School uniforms. Career wear. Royal robes and crowns. These well dressed animals have a beret for pity's sake. There were glasses but the thinly cut felt just didn't hold up to W's styling technique.

[Meaning rough. That was a hard moment for me. Sniff.]
 
This was one of those projects that I got way more out of than W. I mean, she likes to play with it, but she doesn't stay up three hours past her bedtime creating just one more look!

[Yes. I did that too.]

I even toyed with the idea of a Spring Collection.

Really. Too much?

ce

Personal Project: Mini Polaroids

Sometimes things are better in miniature. Think burger sliders, mini cupcakes and donuts, doll furniture.

Aren't these adorable? I made a template to insert each cute little photo into and then printed them all onto magnet paper. A few cuts later [of the paper, not my fingers!], these adorn our refrigerator.

We see you W!

The magnet paper is actually too weak to hold anything to the surface, but I'm thinking these are art people. All form, no function!

What do you love better in miniature?

ce

[on the table] Chicken Pot Pie

Like the clover? I may need to make these again for St. Pat's!

I whipped up these little cuties for dinner tonight! I just so happened to have everything on hand and I was feeling a serious jones for some comfort food. They're a bit time intense because of the steps involved, but none of the steps are too tough.

They're also super clean. The 'gravy' is cauliflower, chicken broth and garlic. I started with a mirepoix, then added peas, green beans and chopped chicken. The crust is almond flour, arrowroot, egg whites and salt. It didn't brown up as much as I had hoped, but I was hungry and didn't want to wait any longer. As W is constantly telling me, 'I'm starving!'.

[Yes, we have chats about what starving really means and how she is most certainly not starving. I suppose that means neither was I! But I digress.]

In the last few days I've made a handful of new recipes that have been mediocre. One was even a total flop, like pour the rest of the batter down the drain bad.

[Surprised I was brave enough to try something else that was new? Me too. But thank goodness I did!]

These turned out really great! The flavor was just what I remembered from my last pot pie, and I don't mean the icky one I had in London, and the crust was tender and had a nice texture. Not quite buttery/flaky like one would expect from a traditional pastry crust, but I wasn't disappointed in it. I will definitely be making these again!

Tried anything new in the kitchen lately?

ce

Personal Project: Table Top Easel

 I've been dreaming lately about painting more. I enjoyed the bit of painting I did at Christmas time and I really enjoyed the sharpie art I did for my phone case, but the only painting easel I have is a rickety floor model.

[And it is WAY too cold to be painting in the garage right now.]

So I did a little research on table top versions thinking I would pick one up at Hobby Lobby or something. I didn't find one online that I liked very well but after looking at all the pictures it occurred to me I could perhaps make one fairly easily myself.

I discussed the project with my Dad and he told me about a millwork place near here that puts out their scraps for people to take home, free. All hardwood, varying lengths and widths. So the little brother took me over there in his pickup and we found a few pieces that could be just the thing. I stole the canvas ledge from the rickety floor easel and after a little saw work, pre-drilling and screws I very nearly had my table top easel. One last cut over at little brother's and she was complete!

I was so excited that after the kids were in bed I started on a brand new painting.

[Full disclosure: I often find paintings or photos I like and try to recreate them. They don't always spring from my own brain, which is the case here. I'm not selling it, don't judge me.]

I'm so very pleased with how it turned out! I'm really looking forward to carving out more time to paint, I find it very relaxing, I suppose because I know the pieces are just for me. I see bowls of cherries and beached boats in my future, haha!

ce