Story Time Bookmarks

Here is bookmark number two. This time I used watercolor and ink. I do like a little color every now and then.Each bookmark measures 7.5 x 2.5 inch on watercolor paper.

King Richard III

First of all I desperately need a new camera. This one has had it all my pics are blurry. With that said, my newest project is making bookmarks. This is a pen and ink done on wet canvas. The canvas is not wet but you can use wet mediums on it such as ink and watercolor. I do not have the time to do many large projects, bookmarks I can handle. You might think, big or small what difference does it make, you could just do it when you have the time. The problem is when I draw or paint I tend to zone out and can think of nothing else, small projects can be done and finished and I want ignore my family.

It has been a long time sense I have worked with pen and ink; I had to practice some before getting started. Adding color to the cape was scary, but it turned out alright, I just need a finer pen next time. I have started a new pen and ink bookmark but I am doing it on heavy watercolor paper. I am trying to decide what I like best. I would like to get some prints of the bookmarks and maybe sale some. Hope you are finding ways to be creative. God bless.

"Yummmmy"

These whole grain pancakes look sooo good! I think I need to make me some. I got the pic and recipe from honey&jam.com. Go over and check out the web site great pics and food.

Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from 101 cookbooks

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup natural granulated sugar (evaporated cane sugar)

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice*

1 1/4 cups organic buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree**

2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted (melt in the pan skillet you are going to use)
butter, to serve (and for pan)

To make the pancakes combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, spice and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, and melted butter. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. Test for the right temperature. If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to dance, you are in the ballpark. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve with Apple Maple Compote

.
Makes about 12 large pancakes.

*don’t have an pumpkin pie spice? Its easy to make your own! Here’s a recipe.
**pumpkin pie puree is different from pumpkin pie filling. Both are in the same section of the grocery store, so be sure to get the plain pumpkin!


Apple Maple Compote

This is just about the most simple thing ever, hardly a recipe at all.

Apples
Butter
Cinnamon
Maple Syrup

Firstly, I’d plan on using about 1/2 an apple per person. Cut the apple into slices.

Next, add a pat of butter to a medium sized pan, enough to coat the entire thing. Next, add the apples to the pan and sprinkle the cinnamon over. Let the apples get soft, turning them over once, and sprinkling the other side with cinnamon. Add enough maple syrup to cover the apples. Let it bubble away for a minute or so. Pour over warm pancakes.

Red

Above images: 1.& 3.Shop: Toast 2.The Paper Mulberry - vintage farm tools 4. Shop: Katherine Hooker womens tailoring This collection of pics comes from one of my favorite blogs "The Paper Mulberry"

Tissue Paper

I love to decorate! One thing I enjoy doing is using paper. Fabric is expensive and there is so much decorative paper around today. I adore toile and I found this tissue paper at "Hobby Lobby". This was $2 the fabric is $13 and I get the same look. The Scrapbook paper makes great place mats as well. Happy Decorating!

Thanksgiving

"All Wrapped Up"

Giving gifts is such a joy; I do believe I enjoy giving them more than receiving them. Just to bring a little bit of joy to someone else brings the greatest pleasure. It is not just the gift I like, it is the packaging also; making that gift special for each person. Today it is so easy to just go out and buy paper, gift bags and purchase a card.We do not take the time to put ourselves into anything anymore. Hear is a simple idea.

I used buttons, ribbon, a hot glue gun, brown packaging paper and a box that had a separate lid.

I wrapped the lid and box separate


I did find and buy( yes I bought it ready made, only because it was perfect), a blank flower card. It was a real photo of a flower. I think it turned out nice. My niece will be very happy on her birthday.

"Baby Shower"

Recently a friend and I decorated for a "Bird Themed" baby shower, at our church. It was so much fun.Here are just a few of the pics.

We made a cup cake stand .I am a big fan of cup cake towers!The stand is made from three different size cake plates. These stands had rounded edges and you need flat edges on the plates for cup cakes. We put glass over each cake plate trimmed with eyelet. The cup cakes are topped with birds nests filled with blue and green candy almonds. The nests are made from toasted coconut. Some of the eggs have hatched and so there are chicks on some . We purchased scrap book paper in 5 different patterns to make birds, a banner, and other various decorations. You can see one of the little birds sitting on the table. His feet were made from swigs we hot glued into a v shape.The idea was to make the decorations have a patch quilt design, different papers but having coordinated colors . The bird house roof is covered with the scrapes of paper left from making the birds and banner.

We filled aqua blue canning jars with fresh flowers from the yard and some weeds I pulled up from the side of the road.

These are hydrangeas from my sisters house; the pink water in the bowl was made with red and blue food coloring . It was simple but cute.


I so enjoy doing things like this. The best part is having friends and family to do it with.

GOD has blessed me with a wonderful church family. They are truly my family and are a joy to be with.

Broken Ankle

Sorry I have not been posting, here is my excuse! Pray that I might be up and going again soon, if it is the LORD's will. Sorry I did not explain what happened! My family went on vacation this year it was the first since we were married. The kids wanted to see snow so we went to the mountains. We had a wonderful time! Well my family wanted to go ice-skating, I have never ice-skated and was planning on just taking pictures of them skating. My dear husband had dreams of skating together (: so I went. I was not out there five min. when I broke my ankle. We were skating outside and it had snowed. There was 2ft. of snow in front of the railing and I could not get to it. My skates got stuck up in the snow and when I tried to get out my ankle twisted and went down sideways braking my ankle. On the good side it did not swell bad at first since I was on the ice, it was cold!!