All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites. ~ Marc Chagall

Color me happy!

Getting ready for next inspiration and to load the color numbers into My Markers app.  (Available for iPhone and Android)  I select what color appeals to me instead of the number.  But maybe this will help keep me from buying the same colors.  I likes what I likes.

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Jo-Ann's 70th Year Celebration Bag - 99 cents

July 28/August 3 - $1.99 Simplicity patterns

Angel Mine

Now to get prints made and framed!

Netflix Stars - Thumbs Down Times Two!

The Guilt Trip - I didn't think Seth Rogen was funny at all, but dull and not that likable.  Barbra Streisand was just irritating.   Maybe it got better after the 20 minutes I watched, maybe the next movie I had waiting would be better.

This is 40 - Not much better.  I thought it was offensive visually and verbally.  For turning 40, they were still very immature.  I can't believe it was over two hours long, I gave it 30 minutes.









How many ways can you offend and make me cringe?  Eww.
Times infinity.
Don't waste your time on these two movies.

Wednesday Work in Progress - Angel Mine

Finishing finally!  This was from my Prisma colored pencil class.  I think I just got stuck on her face --   Add details, leave as is.  So I started touching up/penciling around other different areas.

I will post the picture of the finished result.

Be The Match

Register for the National Marrow Donor Program

Friday Flower

Unretouched pink Gerbera daisy from the new Fiesta Market Place bouquet taken with my iPhone.

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Perfect for ice skating, and I love the applause at the end with the live version - LOL!

Elton John - "I Need You To Turn To" (Live From Australia) - 3:14

Thursday Tea Time - Winner, winner chicken dinner!

This week - Pukka Relax
Cost:  $7.99 at Whole Foods

Number of teabags:  20
Caffeine:   None
Type of tea:   Herbal
Steeping time:  5 minutes
Add ins:   Natural Bliss Sweet Cream/Half & Half, StoveTop Stuffing (kidding)
Tea fragrance:   Chicken!  Seriously.
Ingredients:   Chamomile flower (18%), licorice root, sweet fennel seed (12%), wild fennel (bitter fennel) seed (12%), oat flowering tops, cardamom pods, ginger roots, marshmallow root (10%)
Opinion:  If you like fennel, you will love this tea.  Between the sweet fennel seed and bitter fennel seed, it tastes oddly like chicken and poultry seasoning.  I was hoping for marshmallow!  The fennel absolutely overwhelms the other ingredients. If my vata needs balancing and if this is supposed to help relax - it didn't.
Rating:  0

Love sitting on a bench

This is part of the hand-carved bench at The Yoga Haven in Galveston, Texas

New Fall 2013 Vera Bradley Wallpaper Downloads - Now for iPads and Mobile phones!

Click here to get the downloads for all three Fall 2013 screensaver colors and styles!

Heather

"Heather" seems to be the front-runner favorite - read about it here.

Lola

Click here for the background story on the "Lola" color print

Cocoa Moss

And the "Cocoa Moss" inspiration. . .

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Coupon Commotion - July 14/20
(Good luck trying to use them on magazines - have you noticed that lately?)

July 14/27 -
40% off Gutermann thread (excludes multipacks)

July 18/20 -
Simplicity $1.99

July 21/27 -
50% off all buttons

July 25/27 -
Burda $2.49

Free Penzeys BBQ 3001 Coupon!

Ooh, they have a new spice - BBQ 3001 

- Featured on the front cover of their Back To School 2013 catalog, which just arrived in my mailbox.

If you subscribe to their catalog, there's a coupon for a free 1/4 cup jar with $3 additional purchase.  Product Code 22239C for phone and online purchases

I'm definitely grabbing myself a jar - look all what's in it…vanilla beans?!
Paprika, black pepper, salt, mustard, nutmeg, citric acid, garlic, allspice, sugar, ginger, thyme, sage, white pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, natural smoke flavoring and vanilla beans.
How fun!  And yummy!

Call 1-800/741-7787 or visit their website to get on their mailing list.

Life of Tea

Edgy

This is the Brazos River in Sugar Land, Texas.  I took it to the edge on July 4, 2013.

In yoga, they talk about finding your edge, and then just going a little bit beyond.

This is what I found looking over the riverbank edge.

Curiosity captured!

Good Morning Chai Latte

0.o   This is from the Rice University Coffeehouse.  They know caffeine!
And how to make pretty designs to make your day.

Chai Tea Latte with Espresso

Whole Foods - Inspired Plum Crumble

I tried Whole Foods Plum Crumble, featured in their latest in-store circular, "The Whole Deal"

This turned out very well and very yummy!  I like the twist on using vanilla wafers and almonds as part of the "crumble".  I did sub out Nilla Reduced Fat Vanilla Wafers instead of using Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value.  I also used my food processor on pulse instead of trying to break up the cookies by hand.  And I forgot to add the teaspoon of cinnamon to it, but a quick save of sprinkling a teaspoonful of Penzeys Cinnamon Sugar over the sliced fruit worked in a pinch.  However, next time I will remember to add the ground cinnamon to the crumble part to make it more cinnamon-y.

I will be making this again - it's very versatile.
I can see variations in the fruit - nectarines, peaches, cherries, apples…and subbing out the almonds for pecans and walnuts.
Definitely keeping the cookies.
Definitely!
(P.S. I added two extra cookies.  I love Vanilla Wafers and loved the idea of using them this way.)

Leftovers taste great on top of Greek yogurt for breakfast or anytime
…and ice cream!

You will definitely want to add this to your recipe file.

PLUM CRUMBLE


1 cup sliced almonds
4 tablespoons cold 365 Everyday Value® Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
20 365 Everyday Value® Organic Vanilla or Lemon Wafers (20!  not 20,365!)
1 1/2 pound pounds plums (about 6), pitted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use (a food processor) your hands to mash together the almonds, butter, cinnamon and wafers until well combined but still fairly coarse. Arrange plums in a (9 in) pie dish, and top with almond mixture, pressing it together in handfuls, and then scattering it in large pieces over the top. Bake until plums are tender and juicy and almond mixture is golden, 45 to 50 minutes. (To avoid burning, tent with foil during baking, if needed.) Serve warm or at room temperature.


PER SERVING:230 calories (130 from fat), 15g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 35mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 4g protein

Coloring...

Let Freedom Ring!

Happy Fourth!

Doing what you love is the cornerstone of abundance in your life - Wayne Dyer

I saw this on the Yoga Haven Facebook page and I thought, what a pretty picture -- then I noticed the flowers (which look like my paver stone), then the swan (Fred!) in the corner!

What a fun connection!

Fred Finished!

Now to get him framed and figure out how to make prints!

Click for the adventure and story of Fred
October 22
November 10

This was my color break-down and practice sheet.  You can tell towards the end I was getting impatient to start and decided to figure it out as I went along.

I also kept my dabbing/blending scrap pieces, they are pretty onto themselves!

Like doodling in watercolor paint!

I was trying to finish the rocks 

And I snapped a pic of my paints and last palette used.  I learned even though the dabs of paints have dried, if you achieved just the right shade, you can bring it back!

When I visited a local artist's studio, I took pictures of the workspace.
I'm addicted to the "Studios" and "Where Women Create" magazines.  You can tell and learn a lot about a person, an artist, their creativity from how and where they work.

Me?  Sigh.  I also learned if you stir things up enough you can get what you want.  Hmm, kind of a watercolor metaphor for life, yes?
I bought another watercolor paint set as a back up and
for when I need the purer, clean colors.
In the meantime, my used one pretty well defines me, too.  A little bit of this and that!

Love at first sight

July 1, 1984...

Trip to Lowe's!

...equals adventures and painting opportunities!

Behren's 12 quart steel bucket - $9.97
#89804

$2.99 Hummingbird feeder from Garden Treasures
#0419997

See also paver, stone and can, watering