Tuesday 28 June 2016

Sweet Treat and a Sneak Peak!

I'm not much of a baker or cook - oh so true! Although I can do both when I try, especially when there is a special occasion being celebrated in my office.  Three lovely co-workers are retiring, and we're combining our June birthdays with the retirements.  What does that mean??  MAJOR FOOD  DAY...sorry for yelling...teehee.

I set out after work to buy a treat of some sort at the grocery store, but I forgot.  Thank goodness for the internet because finding a cookbook in my house would be next to impossible   I found a recipe that looked promising but felt the need to change the recipe a little bit.

Coconut Cookies

Preheat oven to 325

1/2 cup coconut oil, very soft
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup pecan, chopped (optional)


In a large bowl, mix first three ingredients until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients until combined well.  Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of mix, form in your hand and place of parchment lined cooking sheet.

Bake 12 minutes.  Let cool completely on the cooking sheet or they will break apart (yes, I'm speaking from experience).  Once cooled transfer cookies to a wire rack.  Should make about 24 cookies depending on the size you scoop.

I'll be making these again, but next time I think I'll use coconut sugar and gluten free oats.



I'm not embarrassed to admit, my 'expertise' was challenged this evening.  The first batch looked a bit light, so I set the timer for an additional two minutes.  After a while I thought, hmmm, that's a long two minutes. Well, that would be because I set the timer for two hours.  Big oops, but no burnt cookies...yay!  Then, somehow for the second batch, I shut the oven off, so at the twelve minute mark, the cookies hadn't cooked at all.  Surprisingly all the cookies turned, of course, except the cookies I broke when I picked them up before cooling.  I'm truly not inept.  I do think though I'll blame the migraine I had yesterday.

Oooh by the way - the cookies are delicious!

Thanks for reading so far - now to the sneak peak.




The start of another angel on a wood canvas,  I've got a long way to go until she's finished, so be sure to stop by again to see the finished painting and perhaps more sneak peaks of this and the other angels I'm working on.

Happy Crafting!!


Sand





Saturday 18 June 2016

Angel of Peace and Love

Welcome to my crafty little world.  I'm still having fun with mixed media - really not a surprise.  It's such a wonderful free form of art.  And yes, I can paint outside the lines. Happy happy!

What I've discovered though, is I really need lots and lots of practice painting faces, shading, and so on.  For this angel, I had kind of messed up her face and eyes big time, so, I completely sanded and started over. Pretty cool, eh!!


I also found I had gone a tad bland with the colours.  Once again, the beauty of mixed media - just add more of whatever makes you happy.  In this case - red, brown, yellow, white, textures.

How cute is the bird?  Love the long tail feathers.  Imagine my delight when I found the Monarch butterfly wing in one of my books!  It makes such a fun little crown!  I've learned so much, and have so much more to learn from Kelly Rae Roberts.  Awesome awesome awesome e-courses!! Yes, awesome times three!

After the paint dried, I added her wings and the rest of the finishing touches.  I  recently received my Stampin' Up! order (yay!), and in the gorgeous stamp set called Weather Together, is the word 'love', and it stamped beautifully onto my canvass.

Her message is powerful and also gentle.

Peace and love

Beautiful

Angel of Peace and Love.

Love!

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  As always, I appreciate your comments so be sure to click on the comment link below.


Sand

Friday 10 June 2016

More of something new and something else!

I'm lovin' mixed media.  Paint outside the lines (gasp!), and do what makes you happy.  This is my happy.  Mixing paints, being messy - no rules.  I bought a heavy apron that is now so wonderfully covered in paint from my hands and as my online artist instructor would say, you can see the history in it.  

Here's what I started a few days ago.  


Exciting, eh!!  Here's what I learned. Sand the wood before you put Gesso on it.  Well silly me!  I do tend to jump in with both feet and then realize I should have worn boots.

Picture two....


Adding collage elements.  And...here's what I learned.  It would be good to lay down some textures before..yes...jumping in with both feet.  This is a learning experience, but not a stressed out, crazy learning curve.  It's fun mucking about with paints and collage.

Picture three....



Now I'm cookin'...and having fun with bold colours!  Far from done though.



Next picture...

Well....I started another piece, but I will get back to this one.  Stay with me folks...I promise you a finished painting soon.


Fun Stuff & News

My mom is so sweet.  Tells it like it is.  No candy coating.  No filter.
I showed mom two of my paintings.  'I don't like them.  I don't understand this kind of art', 
I'm laughing now as I recall the conversation.  Told mom it's okay because everyone has different tastes.

Now to the news...I'm retiring after 37 years with the same company.  Am I delighted?  Absolutely!  


Thank for stopping by!  Please feel free to leave me a comment, become a member, follow my blog.  

Sand

Friday 3 June 2016

A Venture into Mixed Media

A few years ago, in a little town called Stayner, Ontario, I wandered into a lovely little shop and found an art piece that I just had to have.  Fast forward - a friend visiting brought a book for me to take a look at - Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts.  I flipped through the pages and had an ah-ha moment when I realized the art I had purchased was by Kelly Rae Roberts!  Since then, I've followed KKR's writing and artwork,and wanted to take her e-courses.  Imagine my delight when Kelly Rae celebrated her 10 year in business by offering her courses at a discount!  Weeeeeee!  

Soooooo....here goes.  If you're familiar with mixed media, you'll understand what this is all about - layering textures and colours,  Funny thing is when to stop.  Am I done the painting...maybe...LOL


Stampin' Up! folks - you'll see how I was able to incorporate some of SU's awesome products into the painting.  Not just for cards - yup!

Here's a look at it with a few layers.  Which side is up, down....at this point it - no idea.




What a fun process!  I haven't finished viewing all the courses, but I do have a couple more pieces in the works.  


I'm looking forward to this Saturday - visiting my fave SU demonstrator for the new SU catty launch! Love the products!!



Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Crafting!



Sandy 

Thursday 2 June 2016

Happy - A Retirement card

Do you remember the old television ad for Rice Krispies, where the woman throws some flour on her face to give the appearance she had worked hard at making delicious Rice Krispie treats for her family?  Well, this card kind of reminds me of that ad.  Super quick and easy.  Shhhhh, I worked for hours and hours...



Writing the message inside the card way longer than it did to make the card.  Sometimes I know what I want to say, yet it doesn't convert so well when I write, but no worries, after my third attempt I was happy!  And, whew - I hadn't already attached that layer!

Although 'happy' would work for many occasions, this is a retirement card for a lovely woman at work.  After 40+ years with the same company, having worked not only with me, but my mom as well, she's hanging up the headset, stepping away from her desk, and leaving for a well deserved retirement.  I'm so happy for her!  


Thanks for stopping by!  Happy crafting!


Sand