Isn't this kind of personal?

Project Purge

2012-01-21T12:03:00.003-07:00

A project that I've been toying with is about fine tuning what is necessary and getting rid of the excess. We have a good sized house for three people, but it is starting to feel squishy and full and items that we don't use are taking up valuable real estate. It's not a systematic purge, I don't have the brain power right now, but it is a daily focus. Managed my tshirt drawer in the bedroom, keeping only items I liked and parting with the rest. Russ now describes that drawer as "sexy". He said it not me, but I gotta tell ya, it was super motivating. Every little step is a step in the right direction.

Life Update

2012-01-20T08:01:00.004-07:00

Can't believe we are almost at the halfway mark of Grade 7. Where does the time go?
Looking at getting Kia in some archery classes for the Spring, if you know of any great teachers, message me on Facebook or give me a call.
Everytime I think how the weather sucks for me, Roopert has it 10x worse because at least I get to use an indoor bathroom. He will often step outside, lift his leg, just as his body passes the door frame, do the deed, and then pop back in. Can't blame him, though it's going to mean a new backstair mat for the spring!
The drive...oh the drive. Actually it's not been bad. The car hasn't failed me yet, and the roads have been tolerable, some super icy patches but for the most part, as long as you don't need to brake or turn, you're golden.
Work is getting busy...YAY. I love me a busy work day. Struggling a bit in our very noisy and busy office of 4 women, but headphones help. Still on the laptop and can really feel my eyes fatiguing faster and faster every week. A new computer finally did arrived for me but it was a 64 bit baby, packed with developer software, that was a mis order. Ya, I probably don't need a $25,000 computer to do my job thanks. So the wait begins, again. Sigh.
The big guy starts a new job on Monday. He's exploring the Industrial side of construction. I tell you, us Workman's are doing everything differently in 2012. Geesh!

New Year...with Pasta...

2012-01-05T16:35:00.004-07:00

Don't think I mentioned that I got a pasta maker for Christmas...got and became the pasta maker actually. Check out me making some homemade cheese ravioli. The big guy thought I was a pasta savant...it was that good. I infused some garlic into some clarified butter and topped each ravioli with a drizzle of garlic butter, a steamy rich spoonful of delicious tomato sauce and some freshly grated parmesan. Divinity.
Trying some new things in the studio. Taking my paint out of my sweet little storage boxes and having them within arms reach. Think shallow shelving may be the way to go here, but for now, this is working.

Hello Shiny New Year

2012-01-04T15:40:00.002-07:00

I'm staring at 4 days off before the girl goes back to school. Seems like precious time and I feel more grateful for these rare days we can spend together. Distractions will rear their demanding little heads and I will fall for some of their ploys but I am hopeful that in my 38 years I have become wise to some of their tricks also.

A little success that I'm enjoying in the New Year is a clean kitchen every night. Taking the time to create the ritual of tidying our space and sharing the work amongst the 3 of us. Brilliant. Organization seems to be more achievable when one is busy, why is that? Necessity, perhaps? Whatever it is, it's good stuff and I'll take it.

Kia is seeming so grown up these days. She's handled a couple days being at home alone like a champ and truly is becoming more and more the young lady every day. Growing up. Feeling really grateful for this girl of mine and ever so blessed to have her and Russ in my world.

Diligence

2011-12-31T15:06:00.003-07:00

This has been the most powerful word/attribute I have focused on yet. I honestly, feel like I could choose this every year and it would be the only thing I needed because it's vision is so all encompassing. What I really tried to work on with this attribute was finishing what I started. Seeing my work to completion. It helped me work more effectively and find more joy and satisfaction in the work I was doing.

I had thought about just doing it again, but then I realized I carry it with me as I move forward. Instead I'm challenging myself with an attribute that I struggle the most with. Faith. I struggle with faith, always have. I'm not one to put my trust in something so completely that I'm fine with whatever outcome comes my way. Nikki's a bit of a control freak. And I know exactly why. I have no backup plan. The day of my Father's funeral it hit me...you screw this up, nobody has room in their basement for you anymore. There is no home hearth to enjoy or open wallet to support any financial blunders I may make.

This acted like a bucket of ice water tossed on my faith. Sizzle, fizz, gone. Well, I wonder if it was more my hopefullness, but the two are so interconnected...whatever it was it froze right then. So I guess it all depends on my works. I've heard of the scripture, "faith without works is dead," but here I had created my own twisted version of, "work and forget about faith", because if you can't make it happen there is no point in trusting in some sunny tomorrow.

Ya, see, I need this.

I need to refocus on this attribute. Of course it's not all dried up, it's simply time to redefine some parts of it, accept and be grateful for how very blessed I am and continue moving forward.

The Pursuit of Creative Diligence

2011-12-27T18:01:00.004-07:00

I was looking back over my art journey this year. It was interesting to see the lessons on the page...often from mistakes, and a willingness to make them. Diligence isn't about getting it right all along the way. It's not about perfection. It is the act of doing. Of getting up, and maybe doing something badly, but letting yourself persevere and turning down the volume on that judgmental voice inside your head that punishes you for trying in the first place.

I learned I can enjoy drawing a pregnant woman, and embrace all that is beautiful about this state of being, even if my own body rejects this state of being. My heart and mind still have a voice.
I learned that paint pulled across the page is powerful. That color feeds the soul.
Art teaches me that contrast is beautiful. Light is only truly great when it has darkness to provide a contrast to its brilliance.
I learned that sometimes it's fun to embrace the artistic ideas of another.
Art journaling doesn't need to make sense in mathematical ways to tell a story. A colorful bird can join journaling about a long winter and make total sense.
I learned that art heals my relationships and my grief.
I learned the joy of studying artists that I admire. Then I remember the joy of a white clean page all of my own.
Art and books remain two of my greatest loves...making a book for art = crazy blissed out Nikki.
I also learned that all pages are not meant to be simple. I look forward to more art mistakes and discoveries in 2012...

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T09:12:00.002-07:00

A lovely little Christmas was enjoyed by the three of us this year. Give me Christmas with many or few, I'm happy however it arrives.
It really seemed like so much to us, because it's been a tough few months. Maybe it seems even more satisfying when you know you had to really plan and save for the gifts and treats of Christmas.
I came across a great online deal at Amazon.ca on Black Friday for this Le Pan Google Android tablet. It was $160.00 with free shipping and I had an online coupon for 20% off the total price of that. I ordered it on the spot knowing I wouldn't find anything else that would be so affordable/awesome. Kia has LOVED it and both Russ and I have been pleased with it's properties and price.

Hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season. We've been playing games, watching many movies, reading magazines and doing art. We are finally getting out of our PJ's today and venturing out into the world to find some fun. Merry Christmas!!!

Turning 12 - A game of catch up

2011-12-26T12:17:00.006-07:00

Wow, I've definitely got some catching up to do. Came across these photos from Kia's birthday on a forgotten little electronic device...time to share. Hard to believe this was two months ago!As you can see Kia was not excited at all about turning 12. So ready to move on into new territory.
As her b'day was on a school night we had a small little family event that consisted of bowling at Bonnie Doon lanes, then off to fish and chips at Britt's followed by Chocolate Pavlova at home.
Yup, she's almost as tall as me. We'll be wearing the same shoe size by her 13th birthday, I can almost guarantee it!
Her birthday treat of choice...chocolate pavlova...link to family recipe blog...
Don't worry, we had more than enough crazy girls in the house a few days later to make up for our quiet birthday evening.
Our halloween decor was a vomiting pumpkin monster. So easy and artsy. We loved him.

5 days til Christmas

2011-12-20T16:45:00.006-07:00

Gotta say the countdown this year may be in the "epic fail" category. Life is full to bursting right now, with very busy lives and many good responsibilities that need doing, I've discovered that trying to fit all these little extra's in has been near impossible. For instance: Sunday was "have a candlelight dinner" - a lovely idea, only I had invited a single friend over to join us and it just seemed odd to have a candlelight dinner with a guest. Um, awkward. So we put it off. Yesterday was "go drive around and see the Christmas lights" - only problem the day took on a life of it's own and by the time we finished up it was 8:40. No time. It's great in theory, if not practice.

Not to totally give up, the kidlet and I are all over today's task of having a spa night. Wax hand treatments and Christmas manicures should be easy enough as long as we're done by 8:00 for my next meeting...

10 Sleeps Til Christmas

2011-12-15T15:54:00.003-07:00

I'm hoping for a nap so maybe I'll be lucky and get 11 sleeps til Christmas. The darn advent creator put Christmas shopping as todays activity. Didn't she know I would have eaten myself into a food coma at the work potluck and not have an ounce of energy for such frivolities today. By she I mean me and by coma I mean exhaustion. Well no rest for the wicked. The dog needs to get dropped off at the groomers, Kia needs to go to the neighbours and get ready for her first babysitting job tomorrow night. Then supper needs to get made and finally we need to hit the road for some holiday madness, er, Christmas shopping. Looking forward to a quiet weekend...

11 Sleeps til Christmas

2011-12-14T19:33:00.004-07:00

Our girl loves Second Cup hot chocolate. Crazy for the stuff. So tonight after YW we are off to enjoy some Christmas Cocoa with the hipsters at Second Cup. Ha. So busy though, I'm glad I made these activity cards long ago when I couldn't talk myself out of it. Making cake pops for our office decorations tomorrow as our group wants to win and we're not above bribery. Also making pistachio salad for the plant potluck. Russ is elbow deep in mechanical drawings for the theater in Fort Edmonton on top of a very long first day at work...yes you heard me. Another story for another time. Ho Ho Holy cow the Workmans are busy!

12 Sleeps Till Christmas

2011-12-13T18:00:00.002-07:00

12 Sleeps 'til Christmas...it's all about good things that relate to a dozen today and what better way to remind us of 12 than baking cookies. 12 for the band concert, and 12 for us. Chocolate crinkle cookies to be exact.

Gorgeous mild weather has been gracing us through December. My drive to and from work has been clear sailing with amazing sunrises making the drive in extra scenic. A quick stop at Michael's after work today to pick up candy melts for our next baking project: cake pops. The neighbors dropped by to see if Kia would start watching their sweet little one - and the babysitting jobs keep rolling in. Well, we're off to listen to the dulcet tones of a brass band...

Christmas Present

2011-12-12T22:12:00.003-07:00

12 sleeps before Christmas starts tomorrow. A little delivery system for our girl who is no more a little girl but is not yet a teenager. Little dates, special moments, and interactions to share the sweetest traditions that make Christmas, well, Christmas. I'm excited, I keep telling myself to be fully in each moment, to not be distracted when we share these moments. To unplug, not multi-task, but instead focus on the activity, the experience and really be there. I don't know why this is so vital to me this year...maybe because I realize, more than ever before, how precious time really is, and how powerful true intention is.

Balance - I miss you

2011-11-30T19:09:00.002-07:00

I came home from work last night, to the last straining light of the sun and I felt dizzy. Literally every step felt like a fight to stay vertical. It was one of those episodes of dizziness that spin even worse when you close your eyes. Luckily it didn't last long, but in another way it's a new state of being; feeling slightly off kilter.

I'm trying to balance my life and fit in all the things that I once did but I'm trying to do it with 34 less hours a week than I had before. Ya, I'm sucking big time at it. Last week was pretty bad, as I had a couple days that left me in raging wacko mode, days that found me and my family on our knees with daughter pleading in family prayers, "please help my Mommy be happy again." Ouch.

I know I can do it. I know I can fit in what matters most. I have to eliminate some of my fav things that don't matter at all and that is a tough pill to swallow. I have lots of time wasters that I enjoy. Haha. Farewell blog surfing, goodbye youtube subscriptions, adios funzio game - pretty much anything related to the internet's gots to go, and finally, so long laundry. Well, the last one would be most welcome but an unlikely cut from the team. A girl can dream right?

The annual advent basket should start tomorrow, but I told Miss Kia that now she's 12 - we're going do the 12 days of Christmas instead...que another hit to the tweener, but she seems to be okay with it. :) Though she may be making herself a scrapbook of disappointment I'm holding out that we'll figure this all out sooner than later.

Ketchup/Catch-up

2011-11-12T17:06:00.005-07:00

Little neglected blog...where do I begin? Life has been a bit of a blur lately. I guess it's fair to say that we've been in a blue period around here. Lots of transition, change, struggles. It's kinda felt like we having been living in a state of cautious living, as though life is a giant gasp with no exhale point. Not to worry about me and Russ as a couple or the kidlet - in that respect we are fine and for that I am so grateful.

I don't want to say more in a public forum like this, so I'll push on and share some things that have been happening in our little corner of the world. I have a job. Real pay cheque, boss, commute type of working. It's been so long since I've been out of the work force, and not going to lie, the searching was terrible. Hard on the soul, bruising to the ego, littered with terrible self doubting moments. My heart goes out to all those searching for a place to fit, it's so not easy.

I look back on my little job hunting journey that took 3 months and try to figure out what the lesson was... hmmmm, will have to get back to you on that one. I have to say that discovering my new job was the result of a serendipitous, walk through the door, silly prompting kind of moment. Everything fell into place, even the 4 week wait to start was a disguised blessing that allowed me to take part in Annie, get incredibly sick and then well enough to start without being the flaky new girl who is already missing work cause she's sick.

I work out past Fort Sask, a quiet 40 K drive through farmland and industry that overlooks some of the most darling hobby farms and agriculture compounds you've ever seen. I was worried about the drive, but so far it's been no problem and has passed quickly as I listen to various books on CD borrowed from the library. I work at a large manufacturing facility and I can honestly say that I'm learning gobs of info every single hour I'm there. I'm really loving it and my family has been incredibly supportive of this transition - so I feel crazy lucky and blessed.

I know this is cryptic post, but I'm feeling somewhat more cautious about what I share these days, but a lesson I can share is this: Keep moving. Even if life has tossed you on a road not of your choosing...keep moving forward and working hard to find your way. It may mean that you take a detour, but maybe it's the scenic route and perhaps it's the better journey.

Love to you and yours and prayers for all those experiencing a bumpy journey, may smooth roads lay ahead...

One Dozen

2011-10-26T19:59:00.003-06:00

click on image to make larger

Wow. Did those 12 years ever go by in a blur of tiny socks, ponytails, cartoons, sandwiches with the crust cut off, video games and dance lessons. Hard to believe that our sweet sweet girl is 12 tomorrow. She's at her last activity day activity and while she has been out I've decorated her bedroom door with a list of 12 things we love about her. So I'm going to go, and try to be okay with all this growing up going on around this house...and you, have yourself a great day and enjoy the ones you love.

Annie Week 2

2011-10-24T21:59:00.003-06:00

Survived! Now to deal with one heck of a cold.

Annie Week 1

2011-10-17T15:59:00.006-06:00

The first week of Annie has come and gone in a blur of busyness, let me assure you. It has been a family affair with Russ working with sets behind the scenes, Kia on stage and me calling the technical elements of the show, we have all been stretched a bit as we've participated in putting on a show. 4 shows down and 2 to go.

Kia was constantly on the go, she'd get home from school, have 20 minutes before she had to get ready in her costume and full makeup, good thing orphans are supposed to have wacky hair! A few binders and text books would get flung into our stage box and we'd be off. Don't have time for more details, but the photos should be somewhat self explanatory!

Some Timer Photos of the Family

2011-10-02T14:00:00.000-06:00

Can't begin to tell you how excited Russ was to take some photos in the backyard after this mornings Sunday session, but 10 minutes later we were done and had a few photos to show for it...though they are not us at our best, it's something checked off my list and I'm okay with that!

Off to watch the rest of conference...which I am loving.

Annie

2011-09-26T17:15:00.005-06:00

click on image to see larger

Here are the specifics for the upcoming show! See that little Annie on the poster, she's my little contribution...cute right? Lots of little projects from sewing, to painting to building have been filling our days and the show is coming soon!!!! $15 a ticket and at a real theatre!! Hope you can come - contact me if you'd like tickets or follow the info on the poster!

Orphan Apron and Pinafore

2011-09-21T10:28:00.004-06:00

I don't claim to be a seamstress. In fact the thought of someone inspecting my stitching sends me into a panic. I survive only because a seam ripper exists and I'm not afraid to use it. HA! What I do bring to the sewing table is a love for reworking vintage and gently used items into something different...in this case - Kiki's orphan outfit. I found a cheap boys shirt and a plain loose spaghetti strap jumper and morphed them together for this little creation. The full outfit requires a top and some bloomers but here's a glimpse at the apron and pinafore. My favorite cheat was cutting the button strip and button holes off the shirt and sewing them onto the back because I would NEVER be able to create perfectly spaced button holes and place the buttons just so. The spagetti straps were way too delicate looking and I ended up beefing them up with with the cuffs of the shirt. I love how it looks, and hopefully the production team will give me the thumbs up and I'll be half way done!

Annie

2011-09-19T19:03:00.002-06:00

You're going to be hearing a lot more about Annie in the upcoming days and weeks as the show is rapidly approaching (October 13-15th). I've been drawing, shopping and sewing up a storm for my little orphan and I'm loving the results. There are so many people who are working SO HARD at this, it kinda boggles my mind. I have such a little bit to do and it is invading my life in big crazy ways, but in comparison my share is a puddle and theirs an ocean!

Winter is coming

2011-09-18T09:02:00.003-06:00

I love the Autumn. Favorite season in Alberta, hands down. The Autumns have been very good to me over the past few years, something you appreciate when things aren't going as well as they have in the past. I'm actively seeking the simple pleasures this year, where as in years gone by my approach was more, Autumn what do you owe me, then expectantly wait for it. Very much a reflection of the circumstances of life right now...

Seems like everyone is reading the Game of Thrones series, though doubtful that my circle of friends are, haha. When I read the book it was called, "Song of Ice and Fire", some of you may recall it under that title. One of my favorite characters in that book was Ned Stark. Every family in the series has a motto of sorts, you know something meaningful to fly on your banner as you're invading kingdoms. The Stark family has an interesting statement: winter is coming.

Competing banners say much more fierce and mighty statements like, "Ours is the Fury" or "Fire and Blood". But the Starks from the North, where summer offers only a handful of days without snow, instead say the hopeful phrase of winter is coming. Cheery it is not.

I've thought about this phrase over the past few weeks, of how winter is coming and what my little family needs to do to weather the season. On paper it looks like we'll do just fine and really like Autumn, winter offers simple pleasures that come wrapped in shiny paper and smelling like turkey, so that's pretty fantastic! The only question remains...will it be a long winter and will we weather it well. Here's hoping.

P.S. Translation code: winter=challenge

Last Days of Summer

2011-09-16T11:34:00.004-06:00

September has been gorgeous. Cold crispy mornings that warm into toasty afternoons with bright blue skies and trees slowly seeping yellow. Today the wind is blowing leaves off the trees while the sun blazes through the windows... Loving the Autumn light, the colors and moving shadows that bring the house to life.

It's a good day ya'll.

What the what?

2011-09-13T09:34:00.003-06:00

Easy now, this is simply a show and tell of a stamp I discovered in a pack of old stamps I purchased. Clearly stamp collecting is a thing of the past because at the local Sally Anne one can purchase a bag of stamps (sandwich zip lock) packed full of stamps for $1.99. In such a bag I came across this little number. Um...ya. Really? Why is the plea for help offensive? Whose idea was this? Plus, if I was going on simply a visual diagnosis I'd say this kid is shy, not "retarded". Shaking head...say what you will about is in the modern age, we don't go around making stuff like this anymore and then plastering it to a bill we're paying. Baby steps!

remember

2011-09-11T19:17:00.000-06:00

Growth and Development

2011-09-11T10:43:00.004-06:00

Despite what the world may tell you this is really what life is all about. Growth and development. The Workman family seems to be currently enrolled in crash course on said topic. I'm reminded of some lessons I learned teaching preschool in my early twenties and their applicable to this topic and maybe to situations you currently are dealing with in your life:

Prepare more than you punish. This works when applied to a high maintenance child as well as when applied to mistakes of our own making. No sense in that little inner voice lashing you senseless, of course preparation done prior to an emergency is the best case scenario, but never underestimate the ability to plan and prepare rather than wield the reactive whip of punishment.
Communicate more than you control. I think Christ is the most amazing example of this principle, as the scriptures document his conversational relationships with the twelve and those seeking his help. He who could control the elements, chose to never control the will of another.
Encourage more than you criticize. We live in a world of judges. Reality shows are full of shows that pick apart, tear down, and criticize and I think judgement is stronger in the world today than any other time I can remember. Long live the cheer leader!
Love more than you isolate. I always found it odd that when a child was acting their worst we were taught to send them to be alone. I've gotta say that when I've been at my worst I've truly needed the most love. There is a time for both but remember to LOVE more.
Love enough to set limits. I always thought that there was no limit to love, and in a sense there really isn't, but in a much more real sense, there is. There is only so much time in a day, only so many resources at our disposal to all us to manage what we love.

Junior High

2011-09-08T09:48:00.002-06:00

Ready or not it came and went and we are surviving this BIG HUGE change in our world.

Another Year

2011-08-24T09:37:00.003-06:00

This may be the sleepiest birthday boy ever. Had to wake him up to have some cake! If you want to sleep on your birthday, who I am I to argue?
I literally slaved the afternoon away on this cake and it kinda looks terrible, but it tastes fabu! I don't know what it was about the German chocolate frosting but it would NOT boil in the double boiler. I literally stood there stirring over a steamy pot for 30 minutes before I gave up and put it directly on the burner. The birthday dinner was homemade lasagna, garlic bread, green salad and German chocolate cake for desert. I used this recipe and would recommend to anyone.
Not much time to art but I've been doing simple sketches in my art journal that I hope to revisit. Trying to draw a pregnant girl as I've been asked to make a drawing for a girl at my church who is expecting. We'll see what comes of it! P.S. This is not an announcement!!! Haha.

Back to School Look Book for Tweens

2011-08-18T16:19:00.004-06:00

Most small fashion shops put together seasonal look books. They're usually stylized photos of models wearing that season's fashions and accessories. We thought it would be fun to do our own look book for Kia and style different looks from the clothes in her closet and back to school is the perfect season for this project!Keeping it simple was key...we didn't even tidy up her bedroom (as you can see) we just took a shot and moved on.
We also learned what fit and what didn't. This top above is probably only going to fit for a couple more months, so we can make a note of it and she can work it into her wardrobe a few more times than other outfits to get some more wear out of it.
Trying outfits with different necklaces and bracelets was the kidlets favorite part. She can also write accessory ideas on the pages in the look book we make.

Once we had a dozen photos we simply printed a 5 x7 onto spare graph paper and put them in an old binder. Then she started naming looks, noting layers and jeans for each image and leaving room to write more ideas on what accessories she could try. We are talking hours of tween happiness people. It takes some work for Mom also, but a happy kid is worth it in my books!

Turning them into jelly!

2011-08-17T15:29:00.008-06:00

Do you remember these? This is the year I actually turned these lovely Evans cherries that grow in gobs in the backyard (by the gobful?, need a better technical term), into something edible. First thing first...you need some cheap labor. Cute hats are a must for all cherry pickers in my employment.
Hmmm...maybe a spotter will be necessary as this "bush" has grown to 14 feet high.
There ya go...now what a lovely view I have from my perch in the kitchen as I pop the pits out of hundreds of cherries. I just used a wooden skewer...easy peasy.
Lots of cherries, I think we ended up picking 6 gallons of cherries.
Along with my jelly making I thought I'd try a few recipes without processing the cherry and discovered that they make a lovely tart. Don't worry - I've frozen copious amounts for future girl nights.
The rest of the cherries didn't need to be seeded (YAY) and I just boiled them in a bit of water then strained the juice out. I used a couple layers of cheesecloth to get the job done. Then I gave up for the day and finished the rest this morning. As Beyonce says, "I don't think you're ready for this jelly."
Well maybe I wasn't quite ready for standing at the stove for hours and hours making 3 batches, but darn it I stuck with it! Seriously this stuff is GORGEOUS to look at, I mean check out that color. It's delectable...
The jelly is pretty darn amazing also. Tart and sweet and so bright both in taste and color. Gotta say I have a huge sense of satisfaction and a huge stockpile of sour cherry jelly - 24 jars!

Drink the Wild Air

2011-08-14T09:46:00.007-06:00

I have so many illustrators that DELIGHT me and one such illustrator is Katie Daisy. She made a lovely poster using this quote and I totally was inspired by her work and had to add the quote and style inspiration into my own art journal. That's what I love about art journaling. There is so much inspiration out there and to explore the work of other artists.

We talk a lot about making work our own in creative industries. Plagiarism for profit or grade is not cool, but studying the style of those whom you admire is truly a must for growth...so it's a fine line. This is where talent and hard work pay off, not to mention being a person of integrity (you know who your parents wanted you to be, even if they did a crap job at it themselves).

Anyways back to this quote. There is something about the phrase, "drink the wild air," that makes me want to live life to the extreme and experience everything this world has to offer. It's so amazing me to me that a simple phrase like this can bolster so much excitement towards life. My thought on a lovely summer morning, take it for what it's worth...

Art Supplies - Shop Talk about Mediums

2011-08-11T09:58:00.008-06:00

As a frequent visitor to a number of online art communities - I read supply question and advice multiple times a day. It's truly the number one area of discussion for those new to art, all the way up to those more experienced in the craft.

I consider the type of art that I do mixed media, which means what it says, I use many different mediums when I create. I have made a few choices along the way. One was the choice between oil paint or acrylic. I chose acrylic because of how versatile it is with collage and other mediums plus I hate smelly cleanup and I'm not a fan of the unhealthy solvents used with oil. What many new artists don't realize about acrylic paint is that the polymer resin used as a binder in acrylic paint is an adhesive. Yup, that means you can use acrylic paint as a glue. Acrylic paint is waterproof when dry and speaking of drying...basic acrylic paint can dry incredibly quickly.

When I started I was so heavy handed with water. Literally I would have a puddle of watery paint floating on my surface. I didn't love the result but I couldn't be stopped! It worked for a time, but soon I was yearning for a more finished result. Enter A.G.L. Yes, I'm going to go all Rachel Ray and E.V.O.O. on ya'll. Acrylic Glazing Liquid is my medium of choice, I think I could live without every other medium if I HAD to, just don't take away my gloss AGL!

Many companies make glazing liquid. You can even by the stuff at Home Depot and the like. Debbie Travis' rocked the medium in the day, maybe you could borrow some from her. I try not to be brand specific in my advice. I don't love saying, THIS IS THE ONLY BRAND YOU SHOULD USE! BUT, I'm going to do it here. Don't waste your time and money with the other stuff; Golden brand Acrylic Glazing Liquid in Gloss is the best. THE BEST! I'd stake my 3.78 litre jug on it.

So what does this stuff do.

It turns any paint into a glaze. Thin, transparent washes of color that you build and build layer upon layer to produce depth and smooth transition.
Extends working time just enough for me. Now this is up to the user. I like an extended working time to a point. Don't stay wet for ages...I hate that. Other's love it. Me not so much and because of this Golden is just right for my patience level. Let me blend, let me move the paint where I want and then make it stay, cuz I'm going to move on and forget about it. I find with my face work having a longer working time essential.
Dries translucent with a crystal clarity. It gives depth to your work.
I use this as my adhesive ALL the time. I did the She Art course with Christy Tomlinson and used AGL in place of Mod Podge and had amazing results. I use it in my art journal every day and I use the Gloss finish. Every Art Journal soon learns that gloss is not a medium type they want in Art Journaling as it often results in pages stuck together. Not so with AGL. Just ensure the page is dry before closing the book and I've never heard the crackle of sticky pages from it.
I use it over my watercolor crayons instead of water. Because of it's ability to blend color and create smooth transitions the results are delicious!

The biggest benefit for me has been an increase quality in the finish of my work. There is a smoothness and a depth and a brightness that comes with using this product. I was introduced to AGL last summer by Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen in a course I took from them and I've never looked back. Ya, the best product related advice I've yet to receive in my journey with art.

Dare to do Art

2011-08-10T15:21:00.004-06:00

We talk a good talk around here. Great intentions, fairly average follow through and I know we are not alone in this type of life performance. So to say that we FINALLY did what we've been talking about all summer is really saying something. We did art outside. Messy painting, free flowing, liberating style art. The weather was divine, the yard had numerous shady spots to chose from, and instead of talking about it we did it. Happy summer arting indeed!

A little glimpse of August

2011-08-08T10:49:00.003-06:00

The young women came over to use the firepit on Wednesday. Only a handful of girls were in town and the cool part was that they invited Kia out to join them. It's hard to believe that in only 3 months she'll be in Young Women's for real! AHHHH!
It's good to know that she has a solid foundation of friends to make the transition easier.
Kia and her best friend had numerous hangouts last week and I put them to work picking saskatoon berries in the backyard, and rewarding them with yummy recipes. These scones were their absolute favorite. Yum.
Then there's Roo. Save us from this dog! He's taken to listening only to me and everyone else when he feels like. The shaw guy was just here and he literally barked none stop for 1 hour. He is a furry testament to the saying, "never give up, never surrender!" and not in a good way. :/

August Long Weekend of new experiences

2011-08-01T20:45:00.006-06:00

Not the easiest or cheapest tradition to start but we did it and we had a really great weekend. There were some simple activities, like biking to new places, finishing the diamond willow walking stick, trying a new flavour of gelato, but there was a few more elaborate destinations thrown in the mix also. The kidlet and I are always looking for strange reflective surfaces to take our pictures in. Not a new idea, but a new reflective surface...haha!
While enjoying the art galleries on 124 Street we had a fabulous lunch on the patio at the Urban Diner in Glenora - so yummy!
Gotta love the Aviation Museum. It was a great afternoon inspecting old airplanes and watching some old fellas restore some really amazing planes.
We found our house on this old map from 1984. Yup. Hi little green house!
Eek. Glad this plane is not going anywhere!
Do you think the restoration team are pro Edmonton?
Monday we spend the day at Praire Gardens up in Bon Accord. It's really a charming little farm open to the public and is home to the largest puzzle corn maze in the world, or so the flyer said.
Did some gem mining.
Took some really bad photos...because apparently I can't take a picture like a normal person...and if you're wondering why we are wearing beads, we'll it's because baby, I was born this way. And you get them as proof of admission.
Corn maze time. Good thing I married a scouter.
Even though it's the first week the corn maze was open there was some pretty tall stalks!
Miss Kia loved the enchanted forest - which is really just a bunch of old junk displayed in a little forest, but it was enough to get her imagination pumping. The ground here is actually bouncy, don't know how or why but it was fun.
Tree people. Cheesy goodness.
Hay bale jumping.
Archery. Seriously have to give this girl some lessons as she is really good at archery.
Dressing up in chain mail - whoa - heavy!
Petting zoo - no pigs were harmed in the taking of this photo.
A huge tree with 3 or 4 swings hanging from it had Kia begging us to buy a house with a giant tree so she could have a swing. Screw the square footage for this girl!

I can't even begin to recall all the *new* experiences we had - but the purpose of the weekend is to get out, have fun, do some new things and make some new memories and those were all accomplished.

New Thing #7

2011-07-31T11:32:00.003-06:00

Gorgeous weather up here in our little northern corner of the world and a fun filled weekend of new adventures is not disappointing. Here's a quick little snapshot of the three of us enjoying the afternoon sunshine at one of our many "new places and things" on Saturday. I'll hopefully have a post for Tuesday with a good deal of photos cataloging many of the things we did. Happy long weekend!

Weekend of New Adventures

2011-07-28T17:15:00.002-06:00

The tradition began a few years ago now... it seemed like a simple task: do something or go somewhere new. Something you've never done or a place you've never been - this has to apply to all three of us, so that makes it a bigger challenge and it applies to Friday, Saturday and Monday of the long weekend.

I've got a couple ideas and I'm hoping Russ and Miss Kia have a few ideas of their own. So here's wishing you all a long weekend of new adventures and family memories!

hello sunday

2011-07-24T10:04:00.004-06:00

a small mixed media piece made as a gift for a friend.

hello little neglected blog.

why am i ignoring you? you ask.

turns out the internet is a time waster.

who knew, right?

so i'm trying to "improve" myself - offline.

its radical thinking.

something a little blog like you wouldn't understand.

i'll try to visit every sunday.

heavy on the word try.

Limitations

2011-07-17T08:43:00.000-06:00

A repost from January -

I was talking with someone yesterday who waxed poetic about all the reasons why they can't have the creative life they really want. Not enough money, not enough time, a family that requires every second of their day. There was no idea I could provide to her that would help; every suggestion was rejected. All was lost, all was hopeless.

I walked away from our discussion feeling sad for her, not her situation, but her. She has closed the door to possibilities and has embraced her limitations. It was almost as if she was saying: my limitations are so much greater than anyone else's, I'm so alone in the world, because I can't have it all right now, I don't want anything. Which is kinda hard to take seriously when she drives away in a Cadillac Escalade...just saying.

What I wish she understood was that we all have some sort of limitation. They are par for the course. We can get bogged down because we don't have the "stuff" we think we need to really pursue our dream. This theory is proved entirely false when we think that most of the craftspeople in the world work their trade/craft with next to nothing. On the floor, in the street, with the most basic set ups you can imagine.

What I have learned is that the most important elements/equipment you can possess for the life you dream about is passion, focus, inner motivation and a burning desire to see your work completed. You can have the best art studio, the worlds most exquisite piano, or a wood working shop fit for a PBS TV show, but without these attributes you will never move forward. On the reverse side of the coin someone is creating masterpieces with one pencil, making music with an untrained voice and creating wood pieces with the aid of only a carving knife...passion wins every time.

To Nikki on her 38th Birthday

2011-07-11T12:34:00.000-06:00

Look at this magical book of color. This became my birthday gift to myself. Exactly one year in the making.
I set a goal to finish my 112 page art journal by my birthday. It would be a book that reflected my 37th year. It seemed like a simple goal but I was surprised by how big it seemed as I neared the finish line. This is a large scale book...9x12 pages and lots of them. There's preparing the pages, applying gesso, letting things dry...telling stories and going to deep places to find them. It wasn't just hard in the sense that it was material based intensive, it was kinda hard on an emotional level as well. Here it is below, at the beginning of the process...
When I started on my 37th birthday, I didn't know the journey I was about to embark on. It was simply a fun outlet...a new artist pursuit, to get my creative juices flowing.

Anyways....I finished this bad boy on July 8th...a day early. It was the exact day I envisioned for spending my birthday, but a day early. I think most people imagine that I spend almost all my days playing and painting, I hate to burst that fantastic bubble but I don't. I do set an hour everyday aside to create...but then real life sets in. Meetings, housework, driving, entertaining the kidlet, walking the dog, church calling, writing, time for friends...you get the idea. All good things, not going to deny it, but I longed for a day of nothing but art and Friday was that for me. Best early birthday ever. EVER.

Here are a few of the pages that have been created...lots of girls!

I don't know what my fascination with drawing girls is...but I know I have one. Above I was working on drawing a little girls dolly.
Christy Turlington and her She art inspired the above layout.
A new set of stamps can create all sorts of new ideas...the dresses and skirts above are from a stamp set, the rest is hand drawn.
I love the girl with white hair. Still to this day, she is one of my favorite girls that I've ever drawn.

Since I loved drawing girls...I figured it was fitting to end the book with a what else...a girl!
Lots of exploration with texture and color. I truly believe that the first stage of art journaling is exploration with washes of color and layers. It's a celebration of this new outlet, our enthusiasm over having this new creative adventure. Often it's all you do. You fill your art hour with page after page of glorious color. That is how it should be. Enjoy this stage...new layers will come as you keep playing and exploring. It happens when it needs to happen.
I've been inspired by other artists...and have explored their illustration style for fun in my art journal.
I've gotten really deep and told stories that are intensely personal.
My next project looms before me and I've given myself a much shorter timeline. Till the last day of summer. It's a pretty HUGE undertaking...which I'll tell you more about in the coming weeks. Till then...turn the computer off and be creative.

Glorious and Free

2011-07-03T18:47:00.002-06:00

Happy Canada Day Long Weekend!

Fashion Show

2011-06-27T20:26:00.004-06:00

The tradition: Girls dress like boys. Boys dress like girls. Wacky hijinx ensues. A little blurry image of the kidlet walking by. Had a pang of alarm, not going deny it. This is it. Two days of elementary school left. It's here. This is what it looks like. This is what it feels like: 90% happiness, 5% sadness, 5% freaking outidness.
In other boring news, I made a dozen coffee filter flowers for a bridal shower that I FORGOT at home. Kia and I were determined to display them somewhere so we decorated the front entry with these little bad boys - we'll retire them after the Canada day long weekend...until then...

The "ings"

2011-06-27T08:45:00.002-06:00

Listening: P!nk and Bruno Mars are my music buddies these days. though I don't know if they would play nice together.

Drinking: Brazilian Lemonade. YUM.

Eating: All I want are Nutty Over Chocolate Cupcakes from Crave. For my birthday in a week or so, I'm ordering this cupcake flavor in a cake form. CAN'T WAIT!

Wearing: Yoga capri's and a t'shirt. God bless the maker/inventor/suppliers of yoga pants. You have my eternal gratitude for making what is basically jogging pants more publicly acceptable.

Wanting: To summer in California. For real. I know why the population of California is equal to the population of Canada. Perfect weather...like..all...the...time.

Needing: to do a house tidy in preparation for a family visit Canada Day weekend.

Thinking: of all the projects me and the kidlet want to tackle this summer.

Enjoying: Moments of blue sky and sunny goodness.

Completing: my art journal - only about 6 pages left and my goal was to finish the entire giant book by my birthday. looks like i'm going to get 'er done.

ART: 6 of the latest pieces

2011-06-23T14:47:00.006-06:00

It has been awhile since I shared some of my art work (um, like a whole week) - so here's a remedy to that. I'm also hoping that my nieces and nephews don't read this blog as some of these paintings are gifts for them...and well, this has quite nicely ruined the surprise.
This set of paintings were done for two of my nephews. I knew I wanted to do something abstract for them - but didn't know quite where to start. Once I had the color palette decided, the rest just fell into place and I LOVE, crazy love LOVE LOVE the finished product. So much so that I might have a hard time giving them both away.
I have two nieces that have been wanting some art in their bedroom. They are teenagers. They're so fun and complete originals. I thought of doing an abstract for them, but I wanted to make something symbolic. I have a series of mixed media paintings I have been making for friends that I call my garden series. Usually the number of flowers is significant in some way. In this case, each flower represents one of the girls siblings. Orange toned one for Bree - Purple tones for Janie.
I'd love to make art for all my nieces and nephews eventually, and by the time I'm finished I'll probably hate everything I've made and want a do over!

This Saturday I'm involved in a bridal shower for a sweet girl from my church. I'm trying to keep the decorations simple, but I had to make a few little pieces for display...and maybe a dozen giant coffee filter pom poms - with hand dyed colors and stamped images...(I'll have to photograph and post them another day)...I also hand-painted a plain little book to have all the ladies attending write sweet messages and helpful advice for the couple.
So there's the latest and greatest! Time to pull more weeds in the garden while the sun stays shining.

It's the final countdown!

2011-06-23T09:26:00.006-06:00

What? 5 days of elementary school left. My first and last chance to volunteer at my kids elementary school. Recess infused school days are soon a thing of the past. People keep asking me, are you sad? No, this is our truth, I'm comfortable with it. Upwards and onwards.

Here is a divine kitchen MUST TRY that I recently found and did not want to lose! Something for the last day of school methinks:

Homemade Drumsticks - the ice cream kind not the chicken kind or beat on a drum kind. Brilliant amazing idea shared by emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Cranking out the work

2011-06-21T16:00:00.004-06:00

Over the past 36 hours I've been able to finish 4 paintings, a hand painted book cover, 9 huge coffee filter flowers, and a portrait for a bridal shower. In the midst of all that some laundry was done, the front garden bed was half-way weeded (before more rain came), I wrote for exactly the amount of time I scheduled for writing and was happy with what I produced AND I've been able to get some primary projects finished. This is not like me. This is the me I can be only on paper, rarely in real life. It feels good.

Having said all that...my house is a complete sty. Meh, something has to give.

Lost and Found

2011-06-20T11:06:00.001-06:00

On June 20th 1987 my Mom died.

On June 20th 1997 I had my first date with my future husband.

That is why June 20th is my Lost and Found day.

Heavy on the Found.

(reposted from 2005)

Father's Day - a day early

2011-06-19T09:36:00.006-06:00

Copious amounts of rain have been falling for a week up here in our Northern world. The vegetation is taking on a jungle like overgrown quality... We headed out yesterday in search of some adventures and here are a few of the results.

All of us enjoy antique stores. It's a mutual love we have for all things old and rusty. We hit the jackpot yesterday as we finally visited yet another Antique Mall in Edmonton. Kia was of course drawn to all things green, dented and weathered.
I fell hard for this little white unit. In fact it was so inexpensive that I'm truly toying with the idea of going back and making it mine.
There were lanes and lanes of shop vignettes to explore. Don't be fooled by the quiet isle in this photo. There were people everywhere by the time we left.
Russ was on a secret hunt for a vintage plane (or planer) for woodworking. There were so many to choose from throughout the building...he must have been overwhelmed with options and thus didn't choose any.
Crave Cupcakes and Cookies were just down the road, so who were we to resist? Sadly they didn't have our favorite peanut butter cupcakes (there were almost sold out of everything), so Russ got a double chocolate Whoopie Pie instead. We picked up milk in old fashioned glass bottles at planet organic and then I took them to our Surprise Destination.
The Melting Pot is a newer Fondue restaurant in town and you truly have to make reservations weeks if not months in advance to get in. It really was such a treat. We all fell hard and fast for the cheese fondue - wow. I think if and when we ever go back we'll simply do a cheese course and then dessert.
If you plan on going to the Melting Pot - prepare to make an evening of it. We truly had food coming constantly for 2 hours. Yes honestly. We were there for 2 and a half hours without booze... So that shows you what an evening this is.
They had some amazing dessert pots but we decided to stay classic with a milk chocolate pot and all the goodies. Yum. Sadly I had pretty much ruined my dessert belly with my over indulgence of shrimp and mushroom caps in the course before...boo, but worth it!
This is what two very full people look like after almost three hours of eating. Food coma setting in...

Summer. Service. Solitude.

2011-06-17T07:15:00.003-06:00

Only a week and a bit of elementary school is left for Miss Kiki. She has had the week of PAT's (Provincial Achievement Tests). Going to be real honest on this one: not a fan. I've never been a believer in generalized learning or in tests as markers for knowledge. Unfortunately the cheese stands alone in this theory. The sad reflection of these tests just may be on the teachers, rather than the students, but that is a rant for another day.

A few thoughts:

Summer. Hello I see you, you can't hide from me behind those rain clouds. Brutal rain clouds. Lots of talk going on around here of our projects for the summer. Kia and I have some big dreams. It would be very impressive if we could do even half the things on our list. Here's hoping!

Service. I'm off to the school today to watch my kidlet get a service award. She truly has given the school so much service, from supervising a classroom at lunch, to answering phones in the office so the school secretaries can have a break, her helpful little self is always there to lend a hand. Love that about her!

Solitude. My days of solitude are soon going to take a 2 month hiatus. It's a bit of shock to my loner system...but I love it. Long summer days with my daughter are some of my happiest memories. I've been thinking about what a transition this summer is for her, with junior high looming on the other side I pray I can find ways to help her prepare emotionally and mentally for this big change over the course of the next 70+ days.

I think I'm pretty funny

2011-06-16T11:01:00.004-06:00

I snickered to myself the entire time I was making this.
Art doesn't always need to be serious, or beautiful. Sometimes it just needs to convey a message. This one was made for the bathroom. A fitting message for those who spend a lot of time in the powder room.

P.S. Canadians spell it FIBRE not FIBER.

Hello Saturday

2011-06-11T13:30:00.004-06:00

Click here to see more of this amazing painting that my 11 year old daughter made for her BFF. I'm kinda over the moon impressed with it and her!
Not much else to share...hoping for a lovely day with the hubby, some sunshine, some entertainment...it's all good! Here's a shot of Roo taken this morning while he was out destroying the gardens.

Fairmont 2011

2011-06-10T20:06:00.004-06:00

I didn't bring my camera with me on this trip...how unlike me! I did manage to snap a couple of photos with the ipod, but really it kinda looks like every other year at Fairmont (2009, 2010)...had such a nice time. Sigh.

I Will Survive...

2011-05-30T12:42:00.003-06:00

I had a lovely Saturday afternoon attending one of my BFF's family be sealed in the temple. Really, is there something better? It allowed me to reflect on my own family and the many blessings that are mine. It was a hard week, not going to lie. The good news is, hard work can fix it, combined with some faith and prayer it will all be good. Great news is, I'm at the corner edge of a little time away from it all. If you don't hear from me for a week, just know that no news is good news!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

2011-05-28T09:49:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking about advertising and income in the blogosphere lately. . It seems everywhere I travel on the internet people are trying to profit from their blog. Every week there is a new online course to take, new blog sponsors highlighted and giveaways galore. I gotta be honest with myself on this, it kinda sucks the fun out of the blog hopping for me. Even some of my favorite bloggers are starting to feel less like individuals and more like commercials for a product (themselves) and I have such little tolerance for commercials.

I listened to a wonderful vlog on the topic by Lisa Hoffman, who explores the topic in a wonderful way and highlighted a few powerful thoughts. One I particularly connected to was the passage from Madeleine L'Engle, where she talks about how sometimes we choose to understand ourselves by looking in the wrong mirrors, "I've looked for an image in someone else's mirror and so have avoided seeing myself." L'Engle writes about her preoccupation with pleasing others and what they may think and expect of her over her own goals and vision.

This resonated so strongly because many of these blogs have become the wrong mirrors for me. Not to say they are bad, but they are not a reflection of my own vision. I've been spending less and less time on the internet because of it and honestly, it has become a great blessing. So what mirror are you using to see your reflection? May it be your very own and may you see your image clearly with loving eyes is my prayer for you.

6 years in the garden

2011-05-24T12:05:00.007-06:00

Here's a little cyber garden tour of what has been growing and attempted in the past six years of gardening here in our little patch of earth. A garden evolves, and nothing reminds me more of this than our back woodland garden. It's still not done! Patience, a lesson learned from gardening.

Those darn rocks have been the bane of my gardening existance. They once lined the way between the lawn and the garden, it was a horrible pain, where grass would grow through and be impossible to trim properly. It always looked unfinished.
Here you can see what I mean. Kia is standing on the border of rocks, but I'd already started moving rocks into the garden to create a meandering creek bed vibe.
Note the little skunk trap in the distance. Yes, my garden has produced 3 skunked dog encounters. Not so lovely. But back to the rock bed, so much work, but I'm really pleased with the result. Lots of trial and error has gone into discovering what grows and does not grow in this area. I thought ferns would thrive back here but they die a speedy death. Hostas, however flourish, as do Daylilies, so all is not lost.

Now onto the vegetable garden:

Peas are a delicacy that takes very little effort to grow. Who doesn't love popping a fresh pod of peas open and eating each sweet little morsel fresh from the garden. They rarely make into the kitchen around here!
Carrots. Really the ones in the stores are terrible compared to these core-less Nantes. It's sad that often the tastiest varieties of vegetables aren't available in grocery stores because they aren't durable enough for transport...yummy varieties are a huge perk to the home veggie gardener.
I've made my fair share of mistakes also. Like planting a pumpkin but not giving it enough room. I had no idea that these things required about a 6 foot square area per plant! That pumpkin vine attacked everything, even my barbecue was not safe from it's viney clutches.
Found this one of my very pregnant friend standing next to the best potato crop I have ever planted. Really those were some good, giant Yukon gold potatoes. Kari Lynn produced a rather adorable little girl as well.

Most people plant sweet peas in spring but I decided to try it in August. By mid September I had gorgeous sweet peas trailing everywhere...a happy discovery. They love the cool, so they are wonderful in Spring and Autumn in my opinion!

The new garden planter boxes are a delight. Russ build them a couple years ago and I have big plans for them later today when I put 70% of my veggie garden in.

I love the little side messes of planting season, they tell a story and let me know how old that bulb fertilizer is...good to know!

My compost love, caught on camera...pre-raised veggie garden beds.

Love these shots of us working on putting the garden in. My favorite thing to do is draw flower placement and redesign the vegetable garden placement every spring.

Container Gardening

I've started venturing into some container gardening. I love growing herbs in long rectangular containers like the one below. Two of these sized containers jammed with herbs keeps us in fresh herbs all summer and autumn.

I love having containers of flowers up the front steps. So welcoming.

A happy discovery has been the ability to grow Nasturtiums from seeding directly into the garden soil. Love them (the orange flower in the container below).

For the love of berries

Saskatoon berries are abundant in the yard. Such a good crop last year!

I have big plans for my Evans cherry bush this year. Syrups and jellies galore. Well, I can dream right?

The Firepit

I think everyone is aware of my adoration for our fire pit area. I love me a fire pit! It allows me to have the only part of camping that I really love in the comfort of my own backyard. Sadly during summer we are usually unable to enjoy it, (hello fire bans) but that's okay, I've learned that I love a fire early in the spring and late into the fall. These are the perfect evenings to really appreciate a fire.

Honestly, I look at these images and just sigh with contentment. What a happy place!

Projects

Always some little project on the go weather it be something small, like putting down weed barrier to larger projects, like making a mini golf course hole in the back, we've had some grand plans.

Though my most favorite homemade project is the gardening table that Russ built me. Love! It's looking more weathered and that makes me love it even more. Happiness.

Russ is always building something, here, he's working on our shed.

Often the projects are decided for us, like constantly raking leaves. It really never ends. Nor does the wedding. That's a task that is hand in hand with gardening.

Not to be left out, we have beautiful stamped concrete, which we love, but it needs to be sealed on a regular basis. No shortage of labour opportunities here.

Why do I love gardening?

That's kind of an easy one...it's the opportunities to share it with friends and family. To have a beautiful place to soak sunshine in and to spend time together in a place we tend and care for.

I've had 60 women play Family Feud in my backyard. What must the neighbors have thought?

We've spread out the tarp and slid down the little hill on hot summer days with my nieces.

I've had the pleasure of celebrating the end of the school year with girls graduating high school and young women happy to be done a hard year of school.

I've had friends gather around the fire and laugh late into the night. I've also hosted many Canada Day gatherings with the tables of yummy food and the perfect weather to enjoy it.

There is no mistaking the blessings that have come from my garden, from hard work and good friends. Really, if I can do it, anyone can.

All images taken in our yard 2006-2011 by me. Wow, I could keep going, but then I'd never get anything done around here. I think I might be blogging all week about gardening, you've been warned.

the SKETCHBOOK project

2011-05-21T08:54:00.003-06:00

The sketchbook project is a brilliant idea sponsored by art house co-op out of Brooklyn. The idea is to create a tour of completed sketchbooks that tour the country, only they are done by both famous and regular art minded individuals. There is no filter, other than seeing your intention to finish and returning your completed sketchbook for the tour.

The sketchbook is provided by the co-op and then the artist picks a theme for their sketchbook. I've been following the 2010 group and have been in LOVE with what they have produced, here are a few of my favorites.

If you are ever looking for some online entertainment go to YouTube and search "The Sketchbook Project". The results are amazing! You'll wonder how they ever could give them back.

Art Journaling: The Unfinished Page

2011-05-19T18:02:00.008-06:00

On one the message boards I frequent I responded to a discussion about someone feeling as though there page was undone, or unfinished...here's my take on the unfinished page:

I think sometimes a page isn't done because the message of the page isn't done within us. I have found that sometimes the lesson is in pushing to finish it, but sometimes the lesson is to leave it, turn the page and move forward with the intention to revisit that page in the future. I have pages that I have gone back to a year later and was final able to complete, in ways that I wasn't able to perceive before.

Art journaling is such a reflection of who we are and where we are. When we start we are all about the base, its so hard to see beyond that first level, to mark up the beauty of that first wash of color. My first art journal was filled with washes of color, almost entirely before I had the vision to add messages, text and imagery to the page. For me I realized that the process of adding color to the page was my act of celebrating the simple delight of me discovering this new creative outlet, and I didn't need to do more to find happiness. My lesson became perspective and the kindness to allow my new inner artistic voice to do simple things, to do things poorly or perfectly, and ultimately patience to wait for the page to transform on a timeline that was genuine and authentic to my journey.

Wow, it's like I was channeling my inner hippy guru. Love it. Ha!

May Long Weekend at Home!

2011-05-18T19:44:00.003-06:00

In anticipation for a long weekend out of doors, where the mosquitoes live, I set up the screen house this afternoon but now it looks as though it is going to rain buckets, which figures, but hey, I stuck in some pegs to keep it earthbound and rain eventually stops, so it's all good. Kia has a friend over for a sleep over as today was the last day of school for the week, and the two of them our snuggled up inside the screen house using it as a tent and calling it a backyard campout. Of course, they have a DVD player in there and are about to watch a movie, so they're not really roughing it!

Kinda missing our Fairmont tradition, but it's just been pushed a couple weeks away from now, I can practice patience.

Mother's Day Monday

2011-05-16T11:40:00.007-06:00

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

The glowing orb of celebratory mom's day fare has probably been pulled off the fridge by now, but I wanted to share this lovely thought with all the Mom's out there who might get this quote. It resonated with my today and made me right a bullet style letter to myself 12 years ago:

Dear New Mother,

Be kind to yourself, just as your baby is new to the world, so are you.

You are fragile and new and so tender.

A piece of you has been exposed to the world, you are so keen on protecting it and nurturing it and that you don't realize that you too need nourishment and protection.

Let the new mother that you have become find her own legs, her own voice, her own purpose.

You will be tempted to fall back and become the mother you had.

It will seem so much easier.

Let her walk beside you, but do not confuse her voice for your own.

This is your path, she has walked her own for good or ill.

You won't be perfect.

That's okay.

Be better than you were yesterday.

You are not lost, you were not left in the birthing room forgotten.

Breathe.

Be in the moment, remember your dreams, have patience.

Delight in your child, in those who support and love you both.

Live a life well lived.

More of the same

2011-05-14T20:22:00.004-06:00

Why am I calling this challenge 2 photos a day when I'm sharing like 6? I'm so abstract random. Just like my studio, when it's cleaned up...the workshop is suddenly calling his name and he must spend the Saturday puttering in the garage. Yay, that was the plan...so success! Russ has been hard at work making workshop storage stuff...um I'm pretty sure there is a more technical name but I don't know it. Something to do with his router...????
Kia is everywhere, practicing volleyball, drawing with chalk, playing with the dog, gardening, helping, telling stories, jumping on the trampoline, studying for a test, eating a snack...then repeat. So busy!
Some of the chalk drawings and her fairy garden all weeded and ready for a spring planting.
The Rooster who has been outside sniffing and exploring ALL day and is currently exhausted and sound asleep beside Kia upstairs.
I've been edging the woodland garden, and weeding. Endlessly weeding. I sat in one spot for half and hour just pulling the tiniest little weeds and grasses up. I realized I could probably sit there for the rest of the night at that pace and decided to move on. The soil back there gets so hard packed, it's kind of amazing that anything can grow in it.
Working on getting the grass back in shape. I've been handpicking dandelions that have started to hardy the spring and really need to fertilize the lawn, but mostly I think the grass is just craving water. I threw caution to the wind (literally) and watered a few spots even though the wind was high, I couldn't help myself...

It's been a good day. We had our first barbecued supper of the year (potato packets and steaks) and we enjoyed it outside on the patio. Really the only thing that could make this day better is a beautiful sunset followed by a clear starry night.

Ghost Post

2011-05-13T10:40:00.007-06:00

Blogger has been a bit fussy the last 24 hours and it looks like yesterday's post went awol. Boy did you miss out, if you didn't see it...haha! Right. I won't redo it yet, as I'm thinking it will mysteriously reappear eventually. Ghost post!Here's a shot of Russyl's workshop. It might not look that amazing to anyone but us, but we know how crappy this corner was looking prior to this photo. The junk wood pile that was moved, the dusting that was done, I'm happy we made this much progress so I'm just going to be pleased for a minute prior to thinking of how much is left out of this camera frame and directly behind where I was standing.

I had a great day in the garden yesterday, happily churning soil, popping dandelions heads up, and collecting sticks knocked down from the tree from the ferocious wind we've been having. I don't know where the time goes when I'm outside working, really it's missing time and absolute focused play for me. Ahhh, so great.

The neighbors rented a bounce house for their little boys birthday and it seemed like the whole neighborhood was outside enjoying their yards. We had salad for supper, which was the perfect meal after a day dreaming of growing vegetables. Hard work is really helping me feel that zest for life I was missing a day or two ago.

Math is not my strong suit

2011-05-12T10:19:00.000-06:00

Which translates into: 3 photos for 2 photo a day challenge.

There are two stories in this photo. One being, my windows - eww, gross! Time to pull out some windex, eh? Second, Kia and two of her besties walked home for lunch yesterday and enjoyed it like lunching diva's in the back, on the patio, with lots of laughs and conversation. It was, trust me on this, adorable.
I'm not one to brag about or complain about money on my blog and today is no exception, except to share this photo of Canadian Tire money that has been collected for quite some time, probably even some circa my dad. Russ thought there was more (It's about $30 worth), and I guess I should tell him now that there was, but that was before I spent half of this wad on a steam cleaner back in January. :) Sorry dear, but our kitchen door fronts thank you for your sacrifice.
One of the canvas bags has been completed. I feel a new addiction coming on.

My Mother's Day Gift and Painting Canvas Shopping Bags

2011-05-11T10:40:00.007-06:00

I have a love of handmade gifts and really, in my world there is nothing better that you can give me, especially on Mother's Day. Miss Kia has been working on these little stitches for a couple months with the Activity Day girls from church. I love that her leaders took the time to plan out this project and I'm so in love with the result!
Yesterday afternoon Miss Kia and I pulled out some plain canvas bags and we started painting our own designs on them. So far so good! Hope to share the finished look on tomorrow's photo blog. Best advice on canvas bag painting...don't waste time on titles like gym bag, beach bag...as this will limit the possibilities of what and where you can use it.
Yesterday I was feeling really disenchanted with life. Not depressed, just a tad lost at sea, bored, and deflated. So I headed outside, swept off the patio, raked leaves, dug in the dirt and lost myself in some much needed yard work. No, it didn't take the feeling away, but something productive came out of it, and I must admit that today I have a great sense of satisfaction for the work I accomplished.

Art that inspires

2011-05-10T09:37:00.004-06:00

My one hour art time completed, I thought I'd quickly share a few of the artists I have discovered on the internet.

One of my little cases of paint. This one is of my little collection of Golden Fluid Acrylics. Now onto some lovely artists:

Mia Araujo - I think I stumbled across Mia and her talent just prior to Christmas. I just adore her work. Her blog is a lovely diversion, but it is her flickr account that truly will amaze and delight you. The Four Seasons is one of my favorite pieces. So much detail, it boggles the mind.

Tokujin Yoshioka - His installation work blows me away. It is so simple and so powerful. I would love to experience a space he has transformed. He is also accepting intern's right now and I've never wanted to be able to speak Japanese so badly...oh and maybe be 19 again.

Krista Huot is an illustrator after my own heart. I love her collection of fairy tale characters and find her work a wonderful invitation to do something new with something old. We often get bogged down with the idea that it's all been done before. She reminds that it is okay to do it again, your way.

Painting Kitty is a blog by Victoria La Paz, an artist I stumbled across in one of my online forays and have been so glad I have. Kitty refers to her daughter and muse and she paints her beautifully. I love her art and her ongoing journey as an artist is inspiring - she also shop talks about the process, which I LOVE.

I don't dare share more, because honestly, I've provided you with a solid hour of internet enjoyment with those four links and who has time for more!

All the interwebbing has destroyed my keyboard. No your eyes aren't having trouble focusing the letters have faded away, and on top of that it's just plain filthy. This little bad boy has been well used. A fitting photo of the day and reminder to clean your keyboard - cuz this one of mine be gross ya'll!

Ice Cream the Hard Way

2011-05-09T20:38:00.005-06:00

I love sending the message that my day has been all about art and ice cream. Two words on that idea: I wish! FHE has been Russ watching the hockey game, Kia and I occasionally raking the front yard, for what little time our exhausted arms can take it and all of us working on making ice cream in our Play and Freeze ball. Manual labour never tasted so good.

Goal for this week: 2 Photo's a Day

2011-05-09T10:00:00.001-06:00

In an attempt to capture a few more candid photographs I'm challenging myself to share two photos a day for the rest of the week. No editing, no special effects; just snap, upload share.

The photo above is of my daily one hour art session from 8:30 - 9:30. Truly one of my favorite parts of my weekday. I used my favorite art reference book, Botany for the artist by Sarah Simblet, for inspiration and suddenly a pod turns into a tree and I can see an entire illustration from a photograph of a Afzelia pod. I'm looking forward to adding some more goodies during tomorrow's art hour.

Happy Momma's Day

2011-05-08T17:39:00.008-06:00

This photo was taken less than 15 minutes ago...hows that for a just as good as being there moment. Russ and Kia managed to pull off a lovely roast chicken dinner and we're all full up! going to change into some comfy clothes, crash on the couch and maybe even have an ice cream treat...this Momma's tired.

Snippets of life from our Northern Perch

2011-05-06T09:21:00.014-06:00

Kia is all done her extra-curricular activities for the school year. She had her big Show Biz Kids performance last Friday to rave reviews and it looks like there will be an ongoing opportunity for a junior high aged class in the Fall - Yay!
We are thrilled that the spring has really and truly arrived. Not a bit of snow remains to mock me, and here I thought our front yard iceberg would be in place until May long weekend. So very happy to be wrong on that call!
The best $7.99 I've spent this year was on this bouquet of Lilies. I adore Lilies, they were the flowers in my wedding bouquet and every time I smell the scent wafting through my house I have wonderful memories to reflect on. Plus these flowers lasted 3 weeks!!!
For all my art journal friends, here are a few of the latest layouts...I purchased some acrylic ink and had to play with the product. Really vibrant color and gotta love the dripage!
Christy Tomlinson inspired pages via her she art series. I must admit I love drawing faces and coloring faces, so its so not my thing, but fun to try.
Ah, back to my happy place.
So this is the idea that crossed my mind yesterday and kept me busy for the next 5 hours. I thought it would be fun to make little posh mothers day badges for all the Momma primary teachers. They have little pins on the back, which was a sweet find at Michaels, they peel and stick and come in a pack of 24 ($4.99) which was perfect. I'm thinking I might do some sort of special delivery to the classroom as well, just wanting them to feel loved and appreciated for what they do. I really love how these turned out and God Bless Tim Holtz Paper Rosette die cutter I used at the local scrap store - for free!
Roopy and all his smiley cuteness. This one really makes me laugh for some reason, probably because he really looks as though he's grinning.
Happy Friday! And to totally toot my own horn, I'm on my second load of laundry already.

In closing some art reviews...so if you're not an arty - you might want to sign off here:

I'm a fan of Ranger Industries but recently I've had two of their products disappoint within a years time.

Over half of my Claudine Helmuth Studio Paint has dried up. I purchased a dozen colors and 7 of the 12 have dried up in less than a years time. The lids were tight and they were also stored in a lidded box. Not terribly pleased about that. I added Golden Acrylic Glazing Liquid to try to restore some usable texture but they remain ubber lumpy now. Yick.

The other issue has been my Ranger Heat It gun. At around 7 months of having it, it began surging heat and then going almost producing nothing, only to repeat. I stopped using it (worried something serious might happen with continued use) and went back to my purple heat gun. I would be disappointed with a 7 month life-span of any item I bought to stand up to moderate use. I really love Ranger products, so I'm so surprised to have these results with these two items. Just thought I'd give a heads up and perhaps see if anyone else has had similar problems.

My loves still outnumber my issues, so that's a good thing! Ah, distress ink, grunge board, fragments, die cuts, liquid pearls, stickles, Tim Holtz scissors...all lovely.

Todays Thought

2011-05-04T12:50:00.002-06:00

Now I'm thinking that yesterdays post was a little floofy. ;)

A reality moment of what today has become...my brains is curled into a little ball trying to process the amount of primary/scouting/cubbing/planning/reactivation/fun that is needed to make this calling take wings. Can't do it all right now. I must have vision. Must communicate said vision with the amazing team of individuals called to share in the blessings of all this work. All hard things for Nikki to do.

Diligence...check. So much to do, so very important to do it right.

Stretching....check. Not the fitness kind, the learning kind.

Tired....check. Why is the bed at it's most comfortable just before you get out of it?

Today, instead of Primary stuff, I'm filling the morning with housekeeping (boo! but must be done to stay balanced), some art, some business, and writing to round it all off. Note to self: Life is busy again tomorrow with jobs not of my own making so I should enjoy today a little more than I am.

Inspiration Tuesday - They won't all be winners

2011-05-03T09:34:00.007-06:00

A rainy spring day has chilled me to the bone and I find myself huddled deep in my granny shawl, trying to coach myself into movement and function. Found a FANTASTIC article of inspirational proportions that I wanted to share with all my art buddies. I found it through one of Milliande's tweets so you know it's going to be good. It's 50 Outstanding Illustrations shared at Inspiration Feed and it might just have you running for your sketchbook.

The image I shared today is a Chagal inspired whimsical mermaid. This was a just for fun piece to get me out of my head, as Lynn Whipple says: it got me moving my hands. I'm not sharing it for you to go, wow now compliment me. I'm sharing it because it ain't that great, and guess what, I'm okay with that. Plus, I dare you to find such a piece out there on the interweb, my strangeness might just be my own on this one. Oh, and check out this video by adorable Sadie, who draw's pictures...she's the sweetest! Happy Tuesday!

This Delights Me

2011-04-29T09:10:00.002-06:00

Moleskines + The Little Prince = Perfect marketing scheme for one Northern girl!

Woodbadge, I am doing it

2011-04-28T15:21:00.003-06:00

Everything scouting today. E V E R Y T H I N G. I think I might even be smelling like a scout. Nice. No royal wedding countdown for me (so not on my radar).

Mapping Diligence

2011-04-27T09:19:00.007-06:00

I would like to meet the person who feels they are absolutely on the right path, every moment of every minute. Really, we all need some moments of check and balance. Self reflection is truly a powerful tool.

I think of my husband who has always known what he wanted to do for a living. Never questioned it, never veered off course, though the road has provided some treacherous driving conditions, he has been alert at the wheel. Often it's been slow and steady, plodding toward his ultimate course. Sometimes he doesn't see the big picture behind each decision or detour, but the ultimate destination remains the same. I doubt he factored in all the variables yet he adapts and makes adjustments and keeps on expanding and growing and inching ever forward.

Diligence. That attribute I yearn for, is something I see in my partner. Let me not make light of his journey by making it sound easy, it has not been, and the challenges he has faced and still faces are his own. I simply want to share that this is something I admire in him and a lesson he teaches me without even knowing he does.

I think of myself. I'm on a road also, though sometimes it has not been my path. I can be the caretaker of other roads other than my own. It's in my nature to choose the path of the person I love over my own, not because they make me, but out of my own desire to nurture and care-take.

I think of the abandoned girl I have been. Stuck and lost on the road of my Mom after her death. Down in a dark hole, but still trying so despairingly to move forward on my Dads path well after he was gone from this world. I have tried to be the vehicle on abandoned roadways and it's a lonely, crumbling existence. I have been the curator of beautiful things in a world no longer breathing, to honor their memory, out of love and fear and longing and despair.

This in itself is it's own form of Diligence. You can't tell me it doesn't take dedication and follow through to wake up every day and tow that sad line. The problem is it doesn't move you forward. You are only traveling on road that "has been" and never can become something more. It is an impossibility. Quite literally you become someone who no longer is, but who once was.

My road again came up to meet me when my dreams of motherhood were challenged and the choice of a big family of my own making became an impossibility. Being a mother of one, providing a child to a man who wanted children, having no maternal arms to share my singular happiness with, sent me careening on a road padded in pillows, not wanting to be broken, not wanting to take any risks. A view of where I've been, rather than where I'm going.

But here I sit, with the attribute of diligence a sign post on my roadway. Diligence, 345 km ahead it reads. Maybe when I started it said 600 km. I'm moving. This road is of my own making. This old vehicle doesn't feel alone and jittery on the road anymore. In the rear view mirror I see the sites of some massive accident scenes, but the road has since been cleared and traffic can again move. Truly in this moment, I feel fueled by a wonderful husband, motivated by an amazing girl, cheered on by true friends. I might be a slower car, but it will get there. I know it, and that's a welcome change.

In the Studio

2011-04-26T14:53:00.007-06:00

A small abstract I did that began as a primary color study and ended up looking like some otherworldly volcano. Must admit I love abstract work that allows you to recognize something within it's abstract nature. So delightful to me.

heaven with

paint

pastels

charcoal

acrylic paint

and even

some

ribbon wand

making.

My time

happily spent

between

5 or 6

ongoing projects.

One needs

to dry

and it's

off

to the

other.

A glimpse of life in the studio. Playing in my handmade art journal as I admire the work of some of my favorite abstract artists. Flora Bowley was today's artist study and I adore her bright palette and style. A stretch for me, but a good stretch.

how the mighty have fallen

2011-04-17T16:45:00.004-06:00

I may take this back at a later date but, I want spring so badly, I'd even welcome dandelions. I'm not even hoping for a perfect spring, a flawed one will do. How quickly my ideas of perfection can be dashed and replaced by sloppy seconds. Haven't been posting for awhile, life's a good productive busy and I just haven't found the time to fit it all in, or even try to for that matter. Working on a big photo post for later this week, until then, take care of yourselves!

5 Random Photo's in 5 Minutes

2011-04-08T12:54:00.003-06:00

Haven't shared any photos in a little while and I realized that was because I haven't been taking any. So to remedy that, I grabbed my camera, snapped around the house for 5 minutes and well, in desperation, decided to pick 5 to share.

Starting in the studio...here are a few projects Keeks has been working on. I've seen such improvement in her confidence level to try new things. As I was working on my last art course, she decided to join in. She's still not quite done a few of her paintings, but I'm so impressed with how far she's come!
Kia's love of art is evident in her bedroom. She has an entire wall dedicated to art projects we've done. As our collection grows, I hope to add a couple art shelves so that she can better display her ever growing collection, while some gets curated to storage for a time.
The Spring Melt is upon us. Vast amounts of white stuff is melting on a daily basis. So much further to go before it's good and gone, but it's a start and I'm grateful.
As luck would have it the mailman was arriving just as I snapped this shot of the Rooster. He's gearing up for quite a ferocious performance of barking, running, whining, growling and jumping. In the background you can see paint sample colors on the wall...can't wait to paint the moss green away and embrace some blue. Though I'm finding that the discovery of the perfect blue is a very difficult pursuit!
Back down in the studio. A shot of my art journals. Some little images I've been working on. I have set a big goal for myself to complete both journals by my birthday in July (exactly 1 year since I started them both). The big black one is easily a couple hundred pages...while the one above is a homemade journal I made using Teesha Moore's YouTube tutorial. Working consistently on these - a little everyday - I should get there!
Well, that's a little group of images from a quiet Friday afternoon. Much to get done, so I best get to it. Happy Weekend!

On three little insights

2011-04-06T08:45:00.005-06:00

On Dog Ownership

Roopert is the Melvin Udall of the Yorkie kingdom. This dog has some major neurosis. Lately he won't eat in a regular way, the ONLY way to get him to eat is to shine the light laser around his eating area, yes really. To which he will respond with rapid tale wagging and manic eating. You can also get him to eat by saying, "where's your ball?" But only while actually playing with his ball, during a time where he has dropped far from your reach and you'd like to throw it again.

With the spring thaw upon us, the weather is such that he can go for walks again. Help me! I (stupidly) forgot what a nightmare it is walking this little 10 lb bark machine. He's not all bad, thus he lives, he makes us laugh, he gives lots of love, and you can tell the intention behind the bark is a desire to protect and probably a pure love of making noise.

On Spring Cleaning

Kia ditched the school ski trip and stayed home yesterday. I decided to put her to work and not make it a fun "skip out on school" day. Really, it was put US to work as we ended up rearranging her entire bedroom. We unearthed a mountainous pile of candy, really what on earth could she be saving it all for - and thus came to the realization that she isn't really a candy eater. Chocolate yes, pez and candy necklaces - no. We found the Nintendo charger we lost and replaced and the replaced charger and yet another mysterious third cord - we are rich in Nintendo chargers. I steam cleaned the walls, she brutally edited her book shelf, we purged clothes and reorganized her jewelry collection. By 7:00 (6 hours later -of off and on work) she finally finished, room vacuumed, shelves dusted, showroom ready.

On Finding Time for Art

Well that line says it all. I have so many good things that I can fit into my life, it's really about finding a balance. Carolyn Rasmus spoke at a TOFW a few years ago and talked about Simplifying our lives. An exert from Good reads:

Based on the premise that the most destructive aspect of stress is what it does to us spiritually, the author outlines eight principles--using each letter of the word SIMPLIFY--to keep us from becoming so distracted by trivial commmitments that our spiritual view is dulled.

S - Still

I - Integrity

M - Mercy

P - Prudence (pruning)

L - Let Go

I - Impossible

F - Fortify

Y - You

Some people consider my pursuit of art and writing to be trivial pursuits and truly, if they define trivial pursuits as areas of our lives that produce no financial gain - yes, these are trivial pursuits in my life. It took me years to truly let go of that judgment, even though I'm still effected by them. I'm reminded by this little list of words that art provides me with Stillness. It puts me in a place where the impossible becomes possible and truly I am fortified and stronger because of the small little windows of time I take out of my life to pursue art and creativity.

Conference Weekend

2011-04-01T13:04:00.003-06:00

Food. PJ's. Conference on TV. More food. AND...no where to go. YAY! Check out the Conference Weekend section over at our Workman Family Recipe blog for some recipes. Enjoy!

Spring Break Cookie Baking

2011-03-30T15:37:00.004-06:00

A busy little week of outings, late-overs, hang-outs, food, video games, movies, art projects, family history, sewing, sunshine and long days. Ki is out with some friends and I've been exploring a new cookie recipe while enjoying the sunshine flooding the kitchen. Spring might actually be in the near future...anyway these cookies are Oh, so yummy. Sorry to the non coconut lovers...you don't know what you're missing!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

From the Sono Baking Company

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter (room temperature)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 TBSP pure vanilla extract

12 oz best quality semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like mini)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup old fashioned or wild rolled oats (NOT instant)

Set the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350'F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats if desired (I used an ungreased cookie sheet). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, beating until the flour is absorbed. gently fold in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut with a rubber scraper. Gently fold in the oats.

Use a Tbsp to scoop out the dough onto the prepared bans, placing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time - 11 - 12 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Yes, Master

2011-03-22T09:45:00.002-06:00

The week I have been waiting for with FlyLady has arrived:The Master Bedroom. Like most of us, I neglect this room. The top of our dressers become a catch-all for the stuff I don't know what to do with or don't have time to deal with. Plus it's small. I don't have the blessing of living in a newer home where the Master Bedroom is this amazing size with a gorgeous walk-in closets and a giant bathroom. We're living like Englishmen over here in a house that's a year older than we are. Our room has been brown since we moved in. Sadly, it will be staying this way a few months more, as I have no desire to paint it while it's freezing out. I do have dreams though, dreams of lighter walls, better closet organization and a new toilet in the master bathroom. I don't want much...honest. Those three things could see me through another 3 years in this house, then we'll need to talk. Talk about something bigger and better, more of a retreat, with a fireplace. A girl can dream.
Anyways, on with reality and today's task is cleaning out the dresser drawers - and parting with those items that no longer fit or are needed. Something even people with a bedroom like the one above must have to do also, right?

My Glee Rant.

2011-03-17T08:52:00.013-06:00

Putting on my internet fire armor before I say this, as I'm sure the anonymous poster backlash will be epic on this one, but what the heck is up with Glee? Haven't been watching for most of the season but the other night, under the excuse that there was nothing else on I watched an episode. Stupid stupid stupid. Not something I plan on repeating.

Does Glee have an agenda? Could the producers be quietly getting back at every conservative Christian that ever done them wrong (or moderate, liberal Christian for that matter)? Case in point...the mockery of the Chastity Club and the musical numbers meant to drive the audience to mock Christian content. There was a distinct message: Christians are naive (afternoon delight number), Christian morality is a lie (chastity club membership), Christian material is one note drivel that has had it's day (the performance by the other show choir). For show about breaking stereotypes, it sure seems happy to enforce some others.

The rule for watching Glee in our house has always been, I'll watch it first and then if I think my 11 year old can handle the content, I'll let her watch also. That ship sailed first episode of the second season of Glee and frankly, I soon stopped watching also. After this weeks show, I remember why, I'm not the target audience for Glee.

The "Britney Spears" episode had some scenes that really bothered me - the student in the library, brought naked to Sue for a reprimand - then Will Shuster doing sexual moves on a student in the final number - um...this isn't just bothersome, it's actually considered sexual deviancy. Not fodder for a comedy about students IMHO. Then the episode entitled Grilled Cheeses...oh man where do I start - really it came down to Finn seeing the image of Christ on his sandwich.

I'm so tired of seeing 27 year olds (Puck and Finn) portrayed as teenagers - if you wouldn't hire an actual teenager to do those things, maybe you should question the material? I don't like seeing 14 year old girls try to sell me clothes I should wear and body shapes I should have. It's not age appropriate, and it doesn't honor the target audience and quite frankly is a form of pandering. There you go...rant over, lesson learned, channel changed.

Downward Dripping Dog

2011-03-16T08:48:00.006-06:00

Have you heard about hot yoga (sometimes called haute yoga, bikram yoga)? It's kinda like doing regular yoga in a sweat lodge. I'm trying it for the first time this morning. Mmmm...warm/ewwww...sweaty. Should be a challenging time. 90 minutes of yoga is always difficult for me, but adding the heat...now that should be interesting.

Zone 3 - FlyLady this week

2011-03-14T12:45:00.003-06:00

Still trying to do a moderate amount of housework - this week it's zone 3 - which translates to bathrooms and one other room. With the disaster in Japan I have decided to clean and take inventory of our food storage cupboard as my 'extra room', and a side project of filling our 72 hour kits.

My heart is just broken for the devastation felt all over the world through this seemingly endless onslaught of natural disasters. It's a reminder to me of the importance of getting my life in order and being physically prepared for events that could effect my own family and community.

And you can quote me on that

2011-03-13T10:58:00.002-06:00

Hello light - hello sunshine at supper time. One small step for light deprived Canadians, one large step towards the possibility of Spring. I know this is very controversial thinking...but I love Spring Daylight savings time, I'm such a fan I think we shouldn't ever Fall back.

Flying in the Kitchen

2011-03-11T07:59:00.004-07:00

Friday - seems to be my FlyLady touch base day. It has been a week in the kitchen. Today I'm going to attempt to work under the sink, which is a job I meant to tackle 3 days ago. It's never too late to join in. To join us you simply have to declutter in your kitchen for 15 minutes a day. If you want to do more, you can but don't have to, although we all spend way more than 15 minutes in our kitchen whether we want to or not. Might as well have the intention behind it, right?

5 Random Thoughts

2011-03-10T15:51:00.003-07:00

Have you seen my husband? He's been missing for a couple weeks, word on the street is that he'll be back to a regular human schedule by the weekend. I hope so, I miss him when he's ~~working like Taiwanese miner~~ gone.
I'm really enjoying working in my new primary calling. I love the ladies I get to work with and the best part, aside from their awesomeness is the food! One of the ladies I serve with has treated us to the yummiest food every time we have a meeting, cinnamon cake with cream cheese frosting, and cream cheese smothered in red chili pepper jelly with an assortment of crackers. Fat and happy baby, fat and happy.
Dental woes...my back molars filling fell out, then tooth chipped...now I need a crown. Only not the cool princess/queen kind. The, hope this keeps your tooth firmly planted in you're jaw when you chew kind. At least it costs as much as a real crown would - so that's great.
Roopert started vomiting this morning (gross - and it's going to get grosser), I dashed out of bed like the house was on fire, got him to barf on the linoleum (hello easy clean up) went back to bed feeling fairly smug with myself, got out of bed and promptly stepped in a little pile of barf that I'd missed. Darn dog.
Family History bug has gotten to me and I've been having so much fun researching my family history. I found a couple family tree links that my Grandma on my Dad's side had worked on, and think that's pretty darn cool.
Kia is still the greatest kid in the entire world. She did FHE on Monday and shared with us that she had read the entire For Strength of Youth pamphlet in bed the previous night and shared with us some of the areas that stood out to her. Um...ya, she really did.
Art and how I haven't had a lot of time for it. (que frowny face and sound of a puppy whining). This bums me out, but hopefully in a couple weeks life will present some more opportunities for arting afternoons.

Shabby Apple

2011-03-09T11:31:00.003-07:00

My recent obsession is dresses. I always thought I didn't have the figure for wearing them, but realized that I just needed to admit to the figure I really do have and I've actually found a couple dresses recently that I love. My favorite favorite place to look at dresses is the online shop: Shabby Apple. The dresses are gorgeous, stylish and usually modest to boot. I must say I haven't ordered any dresses from this site, as I still feel my best bet for finding what works is by trying them on, I have had great luck finding dresses that fit at The Bay and Winners.

Some of my favorite dresses from Shabby Apple are the Liz and Darcy dress, the Champs Elysees dress, the Ingrid dress, and as a Mom to a girl who now shops in the ladies section, I can't help seeing Kia in everything! What dress sites or dresses do you love? Please point me towards some websites that you love or styles that speak to you.

Flying: Day One

2011-03-01T13:29:00.004-07:00

Hello (Hello) Hello (Hello), How are you today? FREEZING.

March has started on a good solid stride, regardless of the frigid temperatures, the car still started so life must continue, yes?

Sunday delivered a brand new calling in church and today our presidency met for the first time for what I can only describe as the most effective, on task, meeting I have every had the good fortune to attend. Yes, really. Super excited about what is in store and this great chance to serve with some amazing women.

I also woke up to the first day of March which previous posts have let you in on my desire to get my house tidied up - and I'm taking on the FlyLady zones. I'm so eager to get this house cleaned up (spring cleaning time) that I'm over eager and have to keep reminding myself to pace myself as I have an entire month to get it done. As soon as I finish this post I'm on it. That sounds unlikely when I type it like that, but really I will, Scouts honor.

In the cracks of the day I have my final week of M3 and lots of course material to watch and projects to complete. A trip to the library is in order and I must go grocery shopping as it's the first Tuesday of the month and discount day at most of the grocery stores. Busy busy goodness!

Thought for the day: We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action. ~Frank Tibolt

Flying like the Lady herself

2011-02-26T15:19:00.003-07:00

Russ and I were slacker parents last night as we sent Kia to the family dance with another family and then we took in a really bad hockey game at Rexall where the Oilers lost 5-0 to St. Louis (when the Flames aren't playing who do we cheer for?). She had a great time without us, so all's forgiven.

I've been on a decluttering and cleaning blitz for the past couple days. I've decided that I'm doing FlyLady again through the month of March - in an effort to get some spring cleaning done around these diggs of ours. I have convinced a couple friends to join in, but the more the merrier - please jump in an join us!

Here's a shot of our Music room/Russyl's office - it probably doesn't look like much to anyone but me but it has been covered with junk and stacks of odds and sods for the past few months. I managed to tidy it up today and get his space back in shape - a huge accomplishment. It's been a long, indoor winter, time to use my stir crazy sensibilities for good!

Friday Smile

2011-02-25T11:50:00.004-07:00

I saw this image on little chief honeybee's site and it made me grin. This is such a simple, sweet little wedding proposal to Lindsay seated in the front of the log, oblivious to the question she's about to be asked.... A happy image to take into the weekend.

A Change is Gonna Come

2011-02-21T15:13:00.005-07:00

Our front room is undergoing some changes. Our palette of moss green, orange and a mix of brown is slowly being transformed to chocolate brown, blue and cream. My subscription to Canadian House and Home has been earmarked and water-stained as I've referenced different looks. We have spent many a Saturday looking at show homes, and checking out furniture stores as our little family explored what we liked and what we didn't like in the wide world of design. Not the easiest task as we are an opinionated bunch.

Above is a sneak peek, so to say, of the future color palette as it sits against our moss green wall - which hopefully I will find the energy to paint this week. The couch arrived last week (it's really a sectional of a 3 seater sofa with an attached chaise) and has been enjoyed on a daily basis. We reupholstered the ottoman from brown to this blue damask pattern today. We have some dream pieces of hand crafted furniture on the wish list for Russ to build this summer and of course more art to be discovered and possibly made for some of the other corners of the room.

I think it will be lovely and liveable by this weekend, and possibly even better by the end of summer. A work in progress...just how I like it.

Mermaid Continued....

2011-02-17T13:32:00.003-07:00

This Mermaid is a feisty one. She's giving me grief! The rose came together wonderfully, but still needs to be deepened somehow. Her hair...ugh her hair. I'm thinking I'm going to soften this very harsh look she has right now with some glazes of burnt umber. That should mellow it out some...I thought maybe I'd try to relate to it's bold color palette in her tail.

I looked at oodles of fish tales and fins. I really felt drawn to a more botanical shape and so I took a huge risk and designed her tale after an Arum Dioscoridis, a lovely rare bulb found in and around Israel. . I thought it was so beautiful in it's shape and almost fin like - why not a flower as a mermaid tale?

Honestly, it's a bit of an unbalanced train wreck at the moment...but I still see something I can salvage. I love the rose, the tale and her face...so basically I like more things than I dislike. The body of her tail hasn't even been really worked on yet, the green is just the base and I have some ideas where I can take it. So much work ahead to get this one back on track. Just thought I'd share the latest and (not so) greatest.

Mermaids

2011-02-16T08:56:00.006-07:00

For the first time in my life I'm drawing mermaids. I don't embrace the shell bikini mermaid, she's kinda not my thing, (though no disrespect to those who love that) so it's been fun trying to work out what a mermaid is to me. I have a couple weeks to focus on this and so far, I gotta admit, it's crazy fun.

I found a beautiful misty photo spread by my favorite fashion photographer Jamie Nelson. I find so much inspiration from Jamie's work and this series for Allure magazine made me want to run for my art supplies. I must say that my girl resembles Kiera Knightley more than the model in the shoot, but hey, maybe I was thinking of Pirates of the Caribbean instead of mermaids.

I'm loving working on wood. I'm using a 16x16" beechwood panel that I picked up on clearance at DeSerres. Wood is super absorbent and I actually found that my watercolor crayons worked terribly on it, don't know how my course teacher Tam had such lovely results? Mine went from bad to worse and finally in a fit of frustration I grabbed my Prismacolor pencil crayons and the results turned my mood around. I was thrilled with how incredibly well the pencil crayons worked on the wood and all the shading of the face was done with my Prismacolors and a few Derwent soft color pencil crayons over a thin wash of watercolor crayon and white acrylic.

On the right side of the painting a mermaid tale is to be drawn swishing up behind her. Russ is of a strong opinion that I should stop here, after I complete the rose and just leave the wood. Very Audrey Kawasaki like - whom I adore. I don't know...I think I'm just going to go for it and if it is terrible...no biggie. We'll just have to wait and see!

For anyone interested in colors - here is what I have and what I used - please note these are not watercolor pencil crayons...:

Prismacolor pencil crayons that worked well for skin tones - Light Peach, Peach Beige, Beige Sienna and Blush Pink - Yellow Ochre also is nice but I didn't use it here.

Derwent Coloursoft pencils that work well include - pale peach, peach, ochre, light sand, white, and blush pink.

Where Eagles Fly, over Mountains High

2011-02-11T09:45:00.005-07:00

Image of Roopert's dead Lovie - we love things to death around here...literally.

Yes, it is the season of love. Where the naysayers blame the greeting card industry and the kids wonder...what's a greeting card? Valentines Day isn't such a big deal around these parts. I've tried to make it a bit special over the years by making a nice dinner for my family (at the very least a great dessert) a candlelight dinner and perhaps a little homemade gift or chocolate treat.

In December my family actually asked me to "dumb down dinner" - an intervention of sorts. I guess I was going a little extreme with my dinners as they were eating meals such as toasted coconut chicken with a curry cream sauce and greek beef gyros with homemade tzatziki and other such titles night after ever loving night.

It was a bit much for their palettes, which wanted more basic fare such as french toast, mac and cheese and soup. I didn't really love the idea at first as my hopes of living life through the back of my Canadian House and Home magazine subscription were dashed - but I got it and I listened. Clearly some of you must be thinking, these people are crazy, but it did turn into something that made my life easier and that's a good thing, right?

Not going to listen for special days on the calendar though. I get to dust off my magazine jackets and go all gourmet on their tooshies and they have to deal! Oh where do I begin?

In other news I listed our couch and love seat on kijiji last night as a free item. INSANE response. To say that I was bombarded with interest would be putting it mildly. Kia was actually growling in frustration as she was unable to string two sentences together without the phone ringing to interrupt her every thought. 20+ phone calls and 41 emails later, the front room now sits empty and waiting new furniture arriving on the 15th.

It was really important to me that this furniture be free - we picked it up for $200 bucks 10 years ago from our neighbors and it had definitely earned it's worth and value in its lifetime with us. I wasn't sure I would be able to get rid of the old set...silly me! Roomates wanted the set, newly divorced parents rebuilding their lives, young men starting a life on their own...oh the stories... People offered me money and couldn't believe when I refused. No matter, the furniture is gone and Roopert now lives without a perch (and that is an entirely different amusing topic).

Much love for Mucha

2011-02-05T12:53:00.003-07:00

It's been very much an art week around here. How is that different than any other week you are probably wondering, but this week I got to go into Kia's school and teach an art class over 7 periods. I was thrilled with how great the kids responded to the class and how engaged they were with the project. It was a really great experience for me and made me love all the messy wonder that is art all the more.

I thought I'd share the image of my Mucha girl attached to the background. Doesn't quite blend the way I saw it in my head, so since this photo of the work, I've been adding some highlights and shading...blend blend blend is my motto today. I have no desire to get out of my PJ's and greet what looks like a very miserable winter day, so I'm hoarded up in the basement trying to find other pursuits to keep me busy.

Show me a Bad Painting

2011-02-02T09:28:00.007-07:00

before...2005

During a course back in August called Chaos and Calm by Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen we were encouraged to revisit a bad painting, one that we had started and then abandoned in discouragement. I knew just the painting to choose.

I started this little bad boy the year we moved to Sherwood Park - That was circa 2005. Remember when blocks were so big? Ya, back then. Anyways, it sucked, couldn't make it come together the way I envisioned...and really to be honest, I didn't have a vision. I had seen a painting in a home decor magazine and thought, "I could do that". Nope, I couldn't. Painting is harder than it looks!

Enter August of 2010 and I'm challenged to rethink it. Do I just gesso over that bad boy and start again? I've done that before...a lot. Instead I challenged myself to stick with the original base of the painting and if not make it better, use it as a ground for experimentation. I looked at each block as though it was an opportunity to try a new technique or texture and it was so fun. It doesn't delight me, though I do feel it's better, but this one was about the process. Every second of the redo was fun. Love that.

Today...2011

Thanks Julie and Chris for the kick in the pants I needed!

Mucha

2011-01-31T16:55:00.004-07:00

Have you heard of Mucha? He was one of the creators of the Art Nouveau style, a style I seem to have a natural affinity for. He's the inspiration artist behind my course work this week. His backgrounds are decorative and quite complex. I began working on a background early this morning. Kia had no school today so the two of us have been hard at it in the art studio, listening to my course online and trying not to dip our paint brushes into our drinks.
Later I began working on a girl that will be cut out and placed on the background when it's completed. I was inspired by a palette of frosty limes and silvery grey. We'll see how it all comes together...still soooo much to do - like get my girl to not look like a Barbie.
Kia is hard at work on some studies of chinese ink paintings and a lovely portrait of a girl surrounded by bubbles that I'm loving watching her make. The weather is incredibly cold, and it's been the perfect day to hole ourselves up and paint. That's life around here this Monday...

The 90's weren't all bad

2011-01-27T15:04:00.006-07:00

Heard this song today and it took me back to 1994 - to Prince Rupert, to Shannon, to the ocean and forgotten beaches. Yes, my hippie is showing, but I'm a B.C. girl - it can't be helped.

P.S. Comments are back on, for the time being. Kind of an experiment - cause I actually kinda like disabled comment but not many of you appreciate being silenced. :)

The Latest Illustrations

2011-01-27T10:18:00.003-07:00

Still working on this portrait of Kia. The hair and the dress are the areas that require quite a bit more attention. I'm kinda done for now...need to walk away for awhile and revisit later. So yes, this illustration and I are on a break.
My Goddess for my course. She's based on the model of Mother Nature. I must admit I had a hard time connecting to the Goddess archetype. I'm sure there is loads of inner exploration I should do to figure out why that is, but the meantime I look forward to doing new magical mythical makings in the weeks to come.

Isn't this kind of personal?

Project Purge

Life Update

New Year...with Pasta...

Hello Shiny New Year

Diligence

The Pursuit of Creative Diligence

Christmas 2011

Turning 12 - A game of catch up

5 days til Christmas

10 Sleeps Til Christmas

11 Sleeps til Christmas

12 Sleeps Till Christmas

Christmas Present

Balance - I miss you

Ketchup/Catch-up

One Dozen

Annie Week 2

Annie Week 1

Some Timer Photos of the Family

Annie

Orphan Apron and Pinafore

Annie

Winter is coming

Last Days of Summer

What the what?

remember

Growth and Development

Junior High

Another Year

Back to School Look Book for Tweens

Turning them into jelly!

Drink the Wild Air

Art Supplies - Shop Talk about Mediums

Dare to do Art

A little glimpse of August

August Long Weekend of *new* experiences

New Thing #7

Weekend of New Adventures

hello sunday

Limitations

To Nikki on her 38th Birthday

Glorious and Free

Fashion Show

The "ings"

ART: 6 of the latest pieces

It's the final countdown!

Cranking out the work

Lost and Found

Father's Day - a day early

Summer. Service. Solitude.

I think I'm pretty funny

Hello Saturday

Fairmont 2011

I Will Survive...

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

6 years in the garden

the SKETCHBOOK project

Art Journaling: The Unfinished Page

May Long Weekend at Home!

Mother's Day Monday

More of the same

Ghost Post

Math is not my strong suit

My Mother's Day Gift and Painting Canvas Shopping Bags

Art that inspires

Ice Cream the Hard Way

Goal for this week: 2 Photo's a Day

Happy Momma's Day

Snippets of life from our Northern Perch

Todays Thought

Inspiration Tuesday - They won't all be winners

This Delights Me

Woodbadge, I am doing it

Mapping Diligence

In the Studio

how the mighty have fallen

5 Random Photo's in 5 Minutes

On three little insights

Conference Weekend

August Long Weekend of new experiences