So Long, Farewell and Good Bye

Here we are at the ending of 2011.   Seems like just yesterday I received an email about making resolutions for 2011.  I don't know about you but that seems like a total waste of time to me.  I cannot think of one person that makes them and keeps them.  So out the door RESOLUTIONS, one more thing I don't have to do or worry about.  I never made them anyway.

  Just enjoy the moment and go on with your life the best you can and I bet it will certainly be less stress.  Well this is not a dyed in the wool promise but hey it can't hurt a thing to think that way.   A large part of the time we cannot predict what will happen in life anyway.   Now GOALS are a different thing I do believe, write those little critters down, put the piece of paper away.  You know a place that you totally forget where you put it and when you find it------TA DA- most of your goals have been accomplished and you didn't have to stress over it.   Be sure and sign it and date it.  You don't know how many times I and hubby have done that and then discovered that the goals have been met.  We just high five each other and usually make another sheet of goals.  Humm I wonder where the last list is?   It will turn up when I am not looking for it, I know.  So onward and upward we will all go together for 2012.

Art and things related to it are in my life big time right now and as you know ART does HEAl.  I think I have said that before. but it is ok to repeat myself it is my blog and I love doing it for you.  

Here is a few Mandalas  I have done the last few days.   Some are with watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons and  a combo with real watercolors.   You know like in a tube?   I have very few of those but all together is a good combo..  

I am not certain if I am finished with them but thought hey my blog buddies might tell me if I am. 

This one kind of grew, I have seen paintings with things overlapping but wasn't sure if this is how it is done.  Still trying to decide if I want a black background or maybe just a black matt around it.   This one was done, yes watching TV.  I did with my watercolor crayons and just a tad of water.   Something else to do while watching TV.   Yea, if not I just go to sleep.  That can't be good company for hubby.   

This one the colors are a tad different than the others.  Grandaughter wants these framed together and may be her birthday present.  It's ok I don't think she comes and visits the blog so we won't ruin the surprise. 

There you go the Mandalas. It was fun to combine the zentangels and the compass work.  I hope you enjoyed it and so looking forward to 2012. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.    xoxo

 

A Christmas Treat for All to View

Well it is getting close to December 25th.  Oh the bright lights and celebrations and wonderful childhood memories all come back to you.   I certainly remember one Christmas, I think and not sure about the location but think we lived in Tacoma Washington at the time and the Department store was so beautifully decorated and the long line to see Santa and everything looked like a fairy land.  A night time parade and being with my Daddy and Mother and siblings, the excitement was more that our little hearts could take.  This was probably in  1949ish.  I was about 4 or 5 as best as you can remember way back then. 

Christmas cards are such a delightful part of  Christmas , well so many events happen during the season but this is one that gets to be written about today.  I do love sending them out and receiving them is a treat.  Seeing what the postman brings us in the mail is like getting a present.  The e cards are also a treat and we did get a beautiful one or two of those.  Such technology for today.   OK a bit of silliness-do you think when the Indians sent smoke signals around the Southwest that they would have ever thought about the Internet sending the e cards?  Can you imagine how pretty they would have been floating in the sky?  I mean they created some pretty awesome pics in the sides of stones.  OK, sorry about that had to stray a tad there. 

If you remember I had posted about the White Donuts and how that sharing of them helped me find some long lost Aunts and Uncles and Cousins over in England and Australia  .   Well in the mail I received one beautiful card, not that we ever get an ugly one and I think the ones that send them to us know our personality and they all are perfect for us. I save everyone of them and look at them during the year also.  I just had to share this card, we have never seen one like this and so beautifully sewn with jewel toned threads and the sine of them.  You know how I love bling. 

This is from cousin Janet in England and I asked her if it was OK to post this.  I just had to share it with you all.  So Merry Christmas to all and please enjoy this card.

This is the whole card, I couldn't believe it when we opened it, the sewing skills it took and the hours to create this. 

Trying to get a different view so you can see all the stitching done with love.  What a talent.

One more view all sewn by hand and on paper. 

One more view.  

So there you go, my little treat to you all.   We are wishing you all a Merry Christmas and my goodness what will 2012 bring to us?   I can bet some wonderful experiences.  I don't know if I will post again until 2012  but if not have a Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world. xoxoxox

The Princess Package

It is funny how things are changed or re purposed or morphed into something else.  Now I am not talking about the beautiful butterflies that go from a caterpillar into something graceful and light as the wind or how a little black seed turns into a fragrant flower.   It is hard to imagine how all that comes about, at least to me it is.  I know it is suppose to in God's plan of life and I certainly believe in the miracles of God.  It is still a beauty to behold though. 

   I guess how I reuse "things" now is morphing into something beautiful.   We use to call it make do but now it is called recycled.  So what ever it is I am doing some of it now.   One time sweet grandson called me a trash digger with his winning  smile and I just smiled back and said yes I guess that is my new occupation now.   Eldon even puts things by the trash to make sure it is trash or one of my treasures that I must play with. It certainly makes me think of what can I do with this?  

Day before yesterday my friend, Alexis, first texted me and asked was I up and home and then called me and she had found a beautiful site on the Internet.   On the site of Bluepurpleand scarlett.com she had found something to do with old newspapers.  Well I certainly have lots those little critters, they are like rabbits and coat hangers they just multiply like crazy.  We recycle them like good little troupers but still have an abundance of them.  My package flowers are not exactly like demonstrated and I added some pearls and some lace but certainly was a great inspiration for me. 

So wanting to make something pretty for the Princess, I made the package of all packages.  It is truly Princess worthy. 

I first dyed the paper with food coloring but the color wasn't deep enough on the pink/red so I used some of my old photography dyes and mixed with a little water I was a newspaper  dying mad woman.  I was spraying ink and water everywhere.   It took longest for the paper to dry.  I then tore it up in strips and made "roses", now I use that term loosley because I just kind of rolled and wadded them up and thank goodness for glitter, it hides all sins.

So here you go the Princess Package.  

A closeup of some of the newspaper tearing, I guess I liked it because it is  just tearing paper and I can do that like a pro.

The "Roses", I think I need to go to you tube and study a bit but certainly enjoyed doing this and with my trusty stapler, I got it done, well and my B6000 glue.

One more view, I used some of burlap for the base of it and pulled out some of the strings for a little interest. 

Here you go the finished Princess Package, afterwards I thought should have made it Christmas looking but guess the glitter will have to work double time on this one.

Thanks for stopping in and seeing what is going on in my world today.  We even got maybe 1/2 of an inch of rain.  Yea rain.     xoxoxoxo

It's Foaming !!!!!

Now in my cooking experience, which started in 1961 with NO experience what so ever- nada.  I would read my cookbook like a school history book from cover to cover.  I have only had one cooking experience that made me panic.  The cooking of gravy ?  Nope, not even when I tried making it for the first time and used like 1 cup of flour in 1 tablespoon of cooking grease.  Grease back then it was called.  Talk about a glob of mess and I mean a glob.  Looked something like the Blob, if you ever saw that old horror movie.   I didn't even panic when I tried frying Eldon an egg and it turned out like some horribly deformed alien. 

Now what do you wonder could make Annette panic ?  I mean I love horror movies and not one of those treasures made me panic or think anything other than great movie.  

It was cooking Peanut Brittle. Yes, a sweet sugary concoction of Peanut Brittle.   I followed the recipe Eldon's mother gave me, which was given to her from my brother -in- laws mother.  I was feeling pretty cocky, thinking man this is so easy.  Well when I put baking soda in the pan I was not prepared for what happened.  It made the golden brown sweetness turn white and foamed and foamed some more even to the top of the large pan I cooked it in.  I thought what have I done?  Have I  totally ruined my sugar and corn syrup ?   Well, after collecting myself together ( I was probably 18 at this time) I poured it into the buttered cookie sheet and immediately called Eldon's mother.  She just laughed and laughed and said yes it is suppose to do that and it was not ruined.   The soda just helps make it crunch and I cooked it correct so will not be gummy.   Whew that was a relief. 

Now here is what the brittle looks like when cooking to the correct temperature of golden brown.   You will notice that I use pecans instead of peanuts.  Seems after growing peanuts for so many years and eating the goobers  Mr. Eldon is allergic to the peanuts.  Not like he is to onions to the point of throat closing up but close.  So pecans to the rescue.   I did not take a picture with the foaming of it, goes to fast and sorry it was either good brittle or a picture for you.  

Here it is, so good and crunchy and no calories at all, at least in the picture.  

Now it was snowing that day so candy or some kind of cooking is what I like to do on those days or make bread.   I felt sorry for the fur babies and let them in.  They look like they are planing something here and I caught them red handed, but no they are actually on point waiting for me to drop something so it can be swept up with the lick of a tongue and a wag of the tail.

   Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.  xoxoxo

10 Seconds on the Lips and 10 Years on the Hips

I just love that saying.  10 seconds on the lips and 10 years on the hips.    I believe my friend Jane from Italy said that one.  I actually know who one of the "they" are.   A very talented  artist  also I might add.   It doesn't seem fair that things that are good are either fattening and or not good for you.   Now they have all the good food groups but guess the way they are put together is what makes it bad for you.   Kind of like Chocolate cake,  eggs and milk are certainly good for you but when thrown into a CAKE, it  seems like it turns on you.

OK enough of the rationalization of goodies.   Here is another one that I am not crazy about making and are a time consumer but oh my they are good.  Yes you can buy them ready made but just not the same I am thinking. 

Now candy making and baking is definitely an art, just like cooking and the kind of art that gets the fingers messy with paint and glue.   I love love love to do candy creating and baking but there comes a time, sadly that your body just can't handle a lot of it.  So just enjoy looking at it and no calories will fly off the screen and hook itself to you.  I do firmly believe though that when you lose weight the same little innocent pounds just hover around you like a little cloud and if you let your guard down-poof it attaches itself back on you.  I am not a scientist but do think in my heart that is what happens.

So what is on the agenda for today you ask?   Millionaires.  A good little combination of pecans, chocolate and carmels.  Now that is Eldon's job to unwrap the carmels.  I don't count how many is in the package so not sure if some sneak into his mouth while doing that job for me. 

The shine on them is the combination of melted chocolate chips, shortening and paraffin.  Yes paraffin the kind you can melt and put on top of homemade jelly to seal it.  Don't put to much of the parrafin  in the melting bowl and it will bind the chocolate perfectly. 

I just had to share what the inside looks like.  See no calories at all.  Sorry Santa had to tell a little story there. 

There you go, when it is cold or ugly outside I like to cook and this is my tidbit for today.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today .   xoxoxox

Who Names These Anyway?

You know it is funny the names "things" come up with.  You wonder who names them and how do they come up with the names?   There is a poem or saying that says a Rose by any other name would still be a Rose.  Now I could get carried away with this, but for the sake of Christmas I will not.   Maybe. 

I am on a cooking roll, that time of year where you hips say no and you mouth say YES !!!! I do  hope you don't get tired of looking at some of them. 

These treasures are called New Zealand Holly Cookies, so that made me wonder do they really eat these in New Zealand?  Are they a tradition and Santa won't come see you if you don't make them?    It takes a while to make them, so I only make at Christmas and only if I have time and not mess around with anything else that day.   You make a sugar cookie kind of concoction and gotta have tops and bottoms, then jam between the layers , then frost and top with Red Hots and then the fun part ----- paint the holly with a little brush.   Oh I know it is a job and doesn't make many but they are good.  The crunchy cookies soften to wonderful goodness with the jam in the middle. Well you are suppose to use raspberry jam but Eldon likes strawberry and I had a little of that and a lot of Apricot jam so a combo of all.  No not all flavors on one cookie but each 1/2 teaspoon of jam on each cookie.  

So I had to show them to you they are so pretty.  I put them on a plate I had china painted years and I mean years ago.   I had hoped to do a whole set but by the time I finished 12 plates I thought hooey with that. 

There they are, now it makes more that this but I didn't want you to have Holly overload. 

Now if you want the recipe just tell me and I will post here somewhere. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what going on in Annette's World today.  xoxox

Christmas Angel with Texas Hair

Well Ho Ho Ho to y'all.  You know Texas Hair is big or so they say, whoever they are.  The big and poofy hairdos?  Now I am not saying we all have hair like that nor do we carry six shooters and ride horses everywhere.  I guess we could if we wanted but our personal  steel stallion has about 405 or 406 horse power,  Now if you think about it you would get a big chuckle of us, I guess like the chariots, riding a metal thingie with 406 horses my goodness that would stir up a tad of dust.

I took a class off of Christy Tomlinson named She Art 2.  Now a sweet friend, gone to heaven now, had told me about this class so when part two came up I figured that was a sign to take it.  A lot of the techniques is what Zinnia on Roses on My Table taught us so it was like old home week for me.  OK enough babbling and wandering.  So where is she you ask? She a comin I promise.   I also took some close ups so you could see all the textures in it.  In the Artful Gathering that Zinnia taught a class in and ramrodded she taught us about lace and textures so I think these gals are all so talented and just share all they know to us. 

Canvas was suppose to be the base of this but I didn't have one so some hard board was the next best thing.  Use what ya got.  Right?  So here in the next few pics are some close ups with the textures, glitters and just stuff.  

There you go, now that is some texture isn't it?  I cut up, gasp, some old Christmas cards and just used pieces of them for the skirt.  I believe Christy said her husband thought of that.  This is just a fun thing to do and certainly won't shake the world but thought you might like a bit of whimsy for today.

Thanks for popping in to see what was going on in my world today.  Wait til you see what Zinnia has cooked up for us this time.  I will be getting back to my painting soon.  A new computer makes things actually flow like it is suppose to.  It is not like a battle royal every time you turn it on.   Course I can't complain it was over 8 years old. 

Thanks again and see you next time xoxox

December for Green Paper

OK I am on a roll,  well sort of.   Mary Green has a monthly contest if you will.  We take her furnished images and play with them and then post on her blog.   It is just a fun thing to do and sometimes my muse works overtime and other times it is there and makes me do it myself.   I personally think Muses are little fairies that just play with you.

So we were furnished a little calling card with a hand and roses, a black and white Victorian lady and a world map.  This is my rendition of it.  I also used a stencil with words and keys, printed up the card a couple of times for the hat and bottom of the bodice and some fun feathers I have been anxious to use.  I wanted to play on the idea that she was a traveler or a dreamer of traveling and I think they gussied up.

Where is this smashing lady you ask?   Ready for a grand entrance?  


Taa Daa here she is.

I just had to add some color to the little thing and make her some hair.   I don't have a clue how they could wear those giant hats but they were tough.   

That is what is going on in my world today.  Thanks for stopping by.   xoxo

A New Tradition?

Sometimes, when life changes things, you might have to cultivate the old traditions and then make new traditions.  Our precious Granddaughter suggested this to be a new tradition.  Even after walking a ways to our car.
After the Amityville Thanksgiving 2010 we thought we needed a treat, so a treat we did do. 

Now I know some about football and especially when Grandson played in high school and before that.  To me they wear colorful costumes and just run about chasing the ball and listen to lots of crowd noise.
Never in a thousand years did imagine this treat would be such a production.  Not one second was dull, not one. I thought hey Annette, you can do this again with Hubby, wonderful grands and 100,000 other people.  At least I didn't have to cook for them.  Just think of all the dishes.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo a picture is worth a thousand words so here goes.  Now I didn't take tons of them but I think you will get the idea of the production and grandure of it all.

Here you go the surprise.   it was certainly an awesome stadium and I think this TV screen may even be bigger than our TV at home. 

Here are the loves of my life.  I just had to get up high enough so you can see the whole shooting match.  We were in nose bleed section but the view was spectacular.   Now Allex is holding her new Dallas Cowboy T-Shirt almost ready to be a good fan with it on.  

Close up of my favorite people. 

the opening ceremonies are just as spectacular as the stadium.  Makes you proud to see our flag and the service men holding it. 

Now this is an entrance.  I can't remember but don't think they did this when we got to the stadium. 

You could watch the field and then see close ups of coaches, players and the Cheerleaders of course.  Oh the game also.  That is why we came isn't it?  Whew almost forgo there for a second. 

The half time show, now what can I say that would top all that we have seen this day.  It was presented by The Salvation Army.   We saw people rolling out all these metal things and thought what are they doing?  Well in about 7 minutes they put this stage together.   I kid you not.   When they announced who the concert artist was Allex and I looked at each other and grined real big and said OHHHHHHH.  Well Eldon and Addison weren't near as impressed as we were.  But they probably enjoyed the Cheerleaders more that we did so was a good trade off.

Here it is the 7 minute stage, had fire and all coming out.  They let the fans in and the ran to the stage.  Had we have known what to do ahead of time Allex could have been down there.   Hopefully next year we can get her there, wonder who they will have next year?

                       Just had to do a close up of him.  Oh and he can sing also

There you go, just had to share with you.  Some people call this Jerry's Place or World but I think it is still a woderful place for the Dallas Cowboys.  Oh did I mention they won at the very last 3 seconds?   I won't mention the game of December 11th. 

Thanks for coming by and seeing what is going on in my world today. xoxoxox 

Birds of a Feather at the Water Cooler or Stop and Smell the Roses

There are little sayings in the world which I know everyone has their favorites.  There is one about birds of a feather flock together.  Now I could almost guess that one is semi correct, I am known for not getting the sayings right.  BUT, I think this one is close enough.   Now you wonder what the little things visit about at a water cooler, or you may not have thought about it at all.    Maybe some idle chatter or wondering where they are going to fly when it really get cold.  You never know what the little feathered friends are chattering about.  Sometimes they are pretty noisy about it.

We have a little fountain at our back patio in a close area where we can view it all year.  Water trickles thru it most of the time.  Not that it is like Niagara Falls but the birds love it.  Being as my blog is decorated with little birds for Christmas  I just thought I would post them for you.

This little guy was the first to arrive, perhaps he is just looking for his friends and saying come on over it's good water.  Of course he had to flutter around and take a bath in it also.

Yea his friend came to visit, looks like a female came over to get a drink.   For some reason only two or three come at a time.  The others just waited their turn on the edge of the patio chair.  Really couldn't take their pics because if we moved ever so slightly off they would fly. 

We just had to keep taking pictures of them they were so cute.  We haven't seen them lately I suppose they got to cold and off they flew.  It is good to stop and smell the Roses and enjoy some free things in life.

This sweet little fairy has been part of our life for many years.  She just sits patiently waiting for the seasons to change.  Love her little face.

This is what the pretty Oak trees in our front yard looked this year.  They certainly out did themselves. 

 There you go what is going on in my world today.   I have a fun trip to share in a few days but didn't want to wear your eyes out.  Now off to go and do something else.   Thanks so much for stopping by and hugs to all.  xoxoxo