America's Next Top Shake Maker Contest

We are always making shake at home. Usually it's just milk and banana shakes and sometimes when we have extra fruits we will add whatever is at hand. While at Lela's we decided to each create our own recipes and turn it into a contest. I have been following the Bravo's Top Chef series for a while so this is what got me on this idea.

Here is Nora "reading" her recipe to me.

Luke trying his recipe....

Nora reacting to hers...




Mom drinking her shake...
The 3 drinks ready for judging by our oh-so-neutral judge, daddy.
Daddy tasting each shake while blindfolded...
Dad's reaction when he tried mom's drink. Not a good outcome for me...

Project we did at Lela's house

My mom had found this gem of a book in the thrift store. In the back the artist gives specific instruction on how to do cats on all sized boulders.

Here is Nora painting her own rock.
here is a page from the book. Aren't these cats just the cutest!!!?
I just fell in love with these fat kitties.
I ended up using coloring pencils instead of paint as advised in the book.
I did 2 rock kitties.

Making Pizza

The kids have been begging me to make pizza from scratch since this morning. We went for a walk to the fruit market and Nora began whining for pizza the minute she saw the pizza joint. I had to bargain with them and say we would make pizza instead. Luke was all excited until he had an hour-long tantrum which pretty much took him out of this activity.

The pizza came out looking like mana. It was roughly 3 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup water and olive oil.

We used pasta sauce for the red sauce and cheese slices for the cheese. They came out delicious.

Nora at the studio....

Nora often wakes up in the middle of the night to watch me paint then fade off again. She always tells me how much she loves whatever I had completed at that point. it should be no surprise then to see her also want to paint. She now wants to sit on my stool and paint on my easel.....making me have to work on some other project as she creates her little painting. But how can I say no to that face.....there is just no way...

Silly momma below...
She is so focused. She could literally sit here for about half an hour. Pretty amazing for a 3-year old. I encourage all parents to always share their passions with their kids.
She's on my easel!!

Bought a Drill to make Nature Jewelry

Bought myself a drill today with bits small enough to make small holes in "nature" items such as seeds, nuts, bark and seashells. I've been dying to make nature jewelry for a while now....so for my birthday I treated myself to the ability to explore this new art. I bought a drill, 2 bits 1/16 and 1/32, a vise and tomorrow I will take the kids to Rock Creek to find treasures to make my new jewels.....the kids are also very excited......

Check out this drill. It was $32 on sale at Ace......it's very heavy.....can't wait to learn how to use it......
As all changes in my life...this idea was sparked by a book.....and here it is.....I rented it from the library and it made me feel I might actually be able to do this.....
Here are some of the pages in the book....I LOVE art books....whenever we go to the library that is all I every get......I feel like a hungry child and looking everywhere for inspiration.
other pages in that book....
and some more......will share more as I get going......

Luke and Nora doing a lemonade stand.....

When we were at my mom's in Long Island, NY 2 weeks ago we had a lemonade stand.....did not make much.....but the kids had a BLAST...

Limes were on sale....so it was more of a lime-aide....
...and we made cake, not cupcakes.

Map Bracelets.......

I LOOOOVE using recycled items to make things.....I was at my mom's for 2 weeks where I had limited art supplies with me......she uses parmesan cheese for her pasta a lot and when she threw one out I knew I had t use it.....made 2 amazing decoupage bracelets....

I used maps we got from out trip to Easton, PA....
I coated them about 4-5 times with glossy acrylic medium......



I will place one on sale on Etsy in a few days.

Handmade gift I made a family friend....

Here is a gift I made for a family friend. I bought a good quality flat frame from the thrift store and decoupaged recycled magazine papers cut into squares for the mosaic tiles. I then used glitter puffy paint to outline the letters better.

Trying out an idea.....

I love making art from recycled materials. At my mom's she has a basketful of unwanted mail just waiting to be turned into a treasure. I created this abstract piece from magazine pages and a piece of firm cardboard.

Begin by rolling paper in all kinds of ways....thin, wide, small, chunky, tight curls, loose curls...

Once you have about 40 rolls, I spread glue on on the board.....ran out of modge podge...

Begin placing circles in the composition of your choice.

Done...but still needs to dry.
Dried out and much stronger this morning.
Will look great on a wall.