This part of my blog is all about the things I collect or the things I make myself. I love so many things, I paint and draw and want to learn oils and pastels. I knit and crochet but want to learn tatting. I embroider and can turn my hand to most things given a chance. So much still to learn and do. I live in hope of some day reading all my books, learning all I want to learn and now I am learning to blog. You will often find my original poems, poor as they are I offer them here. I also appreciate other people art and will feature things I find that I have enjoyed. That includes pictures of fairies and fantasy or maybe just anything beautiful.
I try to use my own photo's as much as possible, sometimes I borrow from the web. If I inadvertently use your picture without giving credit, please do let me know and I will either credit or remove it, I hope you will do the same with mine.
If you wish to leave comments on my blog you can do that by joining google if you do not have a blog yourself, please comment if you can I appreciate that.


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

New pictures.......

Here we go again. A few more pictures. I am really enjoying this. I love my journal. I can't wait to start another. I am wondering if I should do something different in another journal? This one is basically trying to loosen up my technique. If one can call it a technique. I have never really found a nitch in my watercolour journey. All I know is I love the medium. When I first began I thought there were rules and regulations. I managed to take a class and was shocked. The woman used a light box and projector. She then traced onto her paper. Now I always thought one should draw freehand. The next class I took was with a guy and he said the same thing, especially with buildings. I somehow can not bring myself to do that. Even faces I have always sketched freehand and that's probably a reason mine do not look as good as the professionals.
My first problem that I saw though through taking classes was how I used the paint. Its WATER paint. I seemed to use it like oils. I did overcome that part fairly quickly. The next part was going through books and looking at paintings that I felt looked like a child did them. No detail. Later I became very fond of that style but could never do it. So this is my beginning, my new journey........my loosening up.
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I have enjoyed painting more cartoon like images. Flowers have been the easiest for me. That's what I am enjoying
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I love fairies, I have several pictures of fairies sitting on the moon and so this one seemed like something for my journal

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Tristen asked my why the cat had a spider on its bum..........umm well, thankfully he moved right along without a reply

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Kids cartoon characters

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This one was bad so I cut it down........

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I am not sure I will post many more, I am really filling in space until I can do something else to show. This weekend I am hoping my tooth is not aching so I might get some sewing done. So maybe a change of subject.
I have been messing with HTML codes and because of that I lost my last post...........it was my giveaway. I am giving the prize to Stacy as I only had two entries at the time I lost the whole thing. I lost the name of the other entry for that I am sorry. If you read this email me. Anyway.........that will teach me to mess around on the blogs. I did figure out what I did but that didnt help me to get the blog back. So sorry folks. I will post another giveaway soon. It will be a book on watercolor.



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

China Mark............

I was washing these little cups today. I wondered if they were any good. I will never use them. I looked at the mark but I cant find anything about them.

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I did finally find a maker by that name but still nothing about this set............its sort of pretty. The cups so small it makes me think that it may be a coffee set? Probably tea though..........any ideas?

Sharing with Little Red House

Saturday, February 16, 2013

The Wink..............


I have been trying to do the "wink" like I did on my other pictures. Well I found out how finally. Its done on LunaPic Photo editor. Here is the drawing that I did and now with animation.





Well I did it.....now to see if I can do it again?

She's a bit creepy don't you think?



The secret is to select the correct amount of area around the eye. You have to do that by trial and error. It takes practice and depends on the picture.

Other effects that are pretty.








I am sharing this
Also with Create with Joy, Inspire me Monday and also with

mop it up mondays
PJH Designs

Thursday, February 14, 2013

more watercolours..............


Not sure where this came from but thought I would show you anyway..........I like to do cartoons now and then.
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A garden in the woods.....


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Horse grazing in the wild.......



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Frozen tundra

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Why we do not trim our pine trees, it makes homes for little creatures


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A Rose

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The lady I began got some makeup

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All these are quick entries in my art journal............still not happy with any of them. They are still experiments but I am enjoying doing it. They only take a moment to do. I may yet get an idea for a real picture


I appreciate your comments and critique of my work.......hints are helpful as well as ways to improve, feel free to leave suggestions. Thank you all.
I am linking with Just add water silly at the artists play room


Monday, February 11, 2013

Mondays supper....chicken.

Tonight I took out some chicken breasts. They were huge. So I cut them in 1/2 to make four portions. I fried them in butter just to do the outside and seal in the flavours. I then took two cans of tomatoes, and a package of frozen spinach. Before putting that in the skillet I salted the chicken and added some Mrs Dash. Then I covered the chicken with the tomatoes and added the spinach. I moved it around so that it was evenly distributed and then added a dry vegetable soup mix for flavour..................


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This is what it looks like at this point.

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You will need to put a lid on and let this simmer until the chicken is cooked and still moist and juicy. Before serving you put a handful of grated cheese on top of each piece of chicken and put the lid back on.

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While the cheese is melting I made mashed potatoes. Serve and enjoy.


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A note for those who may not be able to get certain products that I used...............I used to make this simple. I cooked the chicken as directed but only used the stewed tomatoes. I added salt and pepper only. Then when the chicken was done I added the cheese and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. I hope this helps.............Mrs Dash is a salt substitute. I dont use it for that but it has some good tasting herbs in it and adds a little taste. I use sale as well.



Linking up with Clever Chicks blog hop

Friday, February 8, 2013

A few more paintings............

Some more pictures from my sketchbook.

This one I think was on my last post on paintings...........I didn't like it. I added something to it. These are really all just experiments.

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The next one is also an edit to one I have posted that I didn't like. The original has stems on the flowers and I was able to remove them. Better I think


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Poppies in the field?

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A Mermaid

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Making a picture from some scraps of work maybe???


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More Tweedles

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Half finished drawings....just putting them out there..............none of this stuff you see is going anywhere.....its just a sketch book, practice, experiment ETC. comments welcome. I need to improve.

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Linking up with

Linking with BWS tips button
and also with Create with Joy Inspire me Monday

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Easy comfort food...........

I do not know what this is called. I make it now and then a friend gave me the recipe many years ago. Its more comfort food for winter evenings.
We had a bag of potatoes that needed to be used up. My husband peeled and cooked them. First day we had them fried up and the rest I used today.
You will need some ground beef. Boiled cooked potatoes.
I probably had about a pound and a half of ground beef.One large onion. A can of green beans. A can of cream of mushroom soup. One can of milk. Salt and pepper and I put in some parsley. (dried)

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Slice the potatoes and onions and drain the meat.

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Put the condensed cream of mushroom soup in a bowl. Pour in the can of milk add salt and pepper. whisk.

Spray the dish you will bake this in with Pam or spread butter around the dish. Layer the potatoes, onions, green beans and parsley flakes and pour on some of the soup mix. Just so that everything is covered right to the bottom.
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Continue to layer and end with potatoes. Pour the last of the soup over the top.


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Cook at 350 for one hour or until the potatoes look nice and brown.
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This was really really good.

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You can do the whole thing from scratch with uncooked potatoes and raw meat it just takes longer. I preferred this method. The potatoes are just so tender, where as if you do raw they are sometimes chewy if you dont cook long enough.

Linking up with My Turn for Us
Linking up with The crafty block stalker


I made this today (Feb 21) with unpeeled red potatoes, (uncooked) and sausage meat. It was awesome............cook 350 for 2 hours. I bet it would do well in a slow cooker but would not have the nice browned top.