Relaxed Holiday Spirit

A Heart or a "B"...I choose Heart.



Lots of beautiful eggs!



A basket of wonderful treats!

I like my new relaxed holiday self. In the past I would have made the kids get dressed and properly groomed before they could hunt for eggs because it involved taking pictures, and they must look presentable in the pictures...they hate that. They want to get right to the hunt. My new philosophy is PHOOEY! Who cares...Martha Steward may cringe, but we're all happier for it. So above is three happy kids and a stress free Easter morning. I like that!

Hearts for Today

A flower petal from the geraniums above fell on top of this little rabbit. Cara Vejsicky found this one for me.

KFC popcorn chicken. Kids found this one.

On the school playhground, Paige found this heart...gum or tar? Don't know.

And finally, Maggie graciously left this one for us. Of course the kids discovered this one! It's wonderful that everyone know I like to photograph hearts. Not many escape notice around here!

My Favorite Number

Am I the only person who doesn't have a favorite number? Why don't I? Have I thought it wasn't important enough? Has a certain number never presented itself to me to be considered worthy? Or have I just not been paying attention? When someone asks me what my favorite number is, I want to have an answer!


So I gave it some thought and couldn't figure out how to decide. No number stands out for me...or carries special meaning. I thought about choosing based on their shape and visual appeal. With that in mind, number 5 appeals to me in a stylish way and 2 is beautiful and fun to write. My left brain thought I should research the meaning of numbers, called numerology, to see which number suits my personality best.


I narrowed my choices down to the numbers 3 and 4. 3 = creativity + expressing myself + new adventure and 4 = stability + home + back to my roots. Both of these numbers describe me well, but I must pick ONE. I went to another website and entered my name and birthday and received this:

Your Life Path Number is 3
Your Life Path Number represents the path you should take through life and the talents and skills you have to make your journey a rewarding one. Your Life Path will allow you to be creative and comfortable with yourself. You will approach life with a bottomless well of optimism. Your imagination will inspire you to create, and in time you will come to inspire others.

Your Life Destiny Number is 3
Your Destiny Number sheds light on those things you must accomplish in your life to be fulfilled. Your destiny is to create, and inspire others to create. You were meant to express yourself, to share the joys of creation with others, imbibe those fortunate enough to know you with the powers of creation and the joys of unbridled enthusiasm.

It was easy to make my decision after reading this. So 3 (three) it is!! I have been blessed with three wonderful children and know that if I pay attention I will discover many more three's in my life with special meaning. Now I'm off to discover my favorite color...why don't I have one of those either (does black count?)

A Little Maggie TLC

Yesterday the kids and I spent a fun day, all 13 hours of it, at Disneyland. So needless to say, I felt sorry for Maggie being home for such a long time all by herself. Today I wanted to make-up for my absence by giving her some TLC. She got to play in the hose which is one of her favorite things. Little did she know she was also going to get soaped up afterwards with special shampoo to help her allergies and soak in the backyard for 30 minutes (she wasn't too crazy about staying outside by herself for a while). Rinsing was playtime once again. Later it was off to the park to play ball...cuz it's all about The Ball!!!!

Sping Break Fun

Had a fun day at California Adventure and Disneyland with the kids to celebrate Spring Break. Despite the long lines, we successfully got on most of the major rides and enjoyed the World of Color show...a spectacular finale to great day. With only a handful of whines, minimal complaints and virtually no sibling fights, we had a fantastic day. When your seventeen year old tell you he had a great day, then you know all is well!

My Adventure Race Adventure

This last weekend Traci, Gigi and I completed the Renegade Dirty Adventure Race (a triathlon of sorts). What sounded like a fun idea six months ago, turned into a black cloud hanging over my head weeks before the race. Nervous about not knowing what to expect and knowing I'd have to push myself harder than I like to be pushed, I just wanted to back-out completely. But being the dependable person that I am, I couldn't let my friends down. So we arrived at Bonelli Park at 6:45 am in the not-so-comfortable temperature of 39 degrees and got ready to start. Our first leg of the race was the 3-mile trail run. Using our map, we had to find a handful of checkpoints, punch our passport and set off for the next leg of the race. I felt like I was on The Amazing Race TV Show.

This is one of the optional checkpoints we located off the main trail.

We completed the first leg in 1 hour 15 minutes sharing last place with another team who were also there just to have fun. Our next challenge was the 1/2-mile boat paddle pulling one member in an inner tube. After what seemed like forever, we carried our flotation devices through the beach obstacle course and finished at the rock climbing wall. Legs tired from running on hills, arms tired from paddling, now we get to use what little energy we have left to scale the wall. With that said and done it's off on the 8-mile all uphill, mountain bike ride from hell!



The beach obstacle course was one of the fun challenges along the course...teamwork was key. 



In the transition area getting ready for our ride, an event worker felt the need to remind us that we were entered in a race...we laughed and told him were not IN IT TO WIN IT, JUST HAVE FUN!

The riding leg of the race had some mental challenges mixed in with the uphill torture...a nice diversion from our pain. Rolling dice, putting together a puzzle blindfolded, and filling a holey tube with water to retrieve the ball put our mind to use instead of our muscles. We only stopped once to contemplate our sanity wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. Then, with God's grace and no catastrophes...we made it to the finish line as they were starting to clean up the event. We only got 5 points deducted for finishing an hour after the recommended finish time and best of all...we were not LAST...we came in second to last. But the most hilarious thing of all??? Take a look at the photo below.

Here we are holding our First Place Plaque. That's right...we placed first in 3 Member Woman's Teams. I probably don't have to tell you that we were the ONLY 3 Woman Team!  We'll laugh about this for a long time

Encouraging Words Inspire

The power of an encouraging word and heartfelt support is simply amazing. Yesterday I emerged from my cocoon  that I call home and touched based with a few souls I've been meaning to contact. When they brought up my art and fed me a kind word or two it made my heart sing. Those simple words made me eager to get back in the studio, to keep pushing forward even when I feel like giving up. Thank You!

With life stretching me in many directions, it's been challenging to accomplish much on my art journey lately. The mixed media piece above "Hellebores in the Field"  24 x 30 inches is one I recently finished. For my first attempt at a collage background and oil paint flowers, it's not too bad. It does, however, remind me of what I call Price Club Art which are the large oil reproduction painting you could once buy at Price Club. Oh well, it looks good in my bathroom.

The two pieces below are from Tim Gagnon's video course on Misty Trees. In one of my recent posts I mentioned taking this course to learn his mist painting technique so I could finish a painting I had started. The first Misty Trees painting I started on acrylic paper and found it was hard to blend the paint. So then I started the 12 x 12 inch canvas below. It was easier to work on the canvas, but I continued to work on both pieces for practice. When I look at them now I can't really see a difference. The misty trees in the background were a bit challenging and Tim made it look so stinkin' easy. Ignore my floating tree in the bottom photo. This was just the first weeks lesson...I think I have 3 or 4 more to go. Check back

Work in Progress + Muy Bueno Recipe

Trees and abstract landscapes are what I've been focusing on lately. Still learning how to get the look I want with lots of trial, error and frustration. I'm getting a little closer with the background of this Tall Yellow Tree painting. I love how the dirt blends with the bushes which blends with the sky, with no definite starting or stopping place. This is one in a series of three tall tree canvases that will feature various color trees and backgrounds, but with the same overall feeling.

I've been gathering tree photos and studying their shape and form. It's amazing how many different types there are. This one almost looks like it's exploding from it's branches. Again...still a work in progress.

Another forest of Aspen Trees with a more abstract feel, but I'm not so keen on the colors. They looked great in the photo with the vibrant colors, but when I see them on the canvas I realize I like muted tones better. Still pondering how to finish this one.

This painting is another attempt to simplify the image and give it a more painterly/expressive feel. The light area in the middle is a misty mass of tree trunks and I'm not sure how to paint it yet. I will have to get back to this one later. I found some online courses focusing on misty tree paining so I thought I would sign up and see how Tim Gagnon paints his gorgeous misty forests.

This winding river took on many different looks as I painted over and over and over it. It started out with too much detail (I always do that...I'm such a detail person). With each layer I took more and more out and made my brush strokes bigger and bolder. It's coming along, but I've sorta lost interest in it. Maybe if I put it away and come back to it later, it will call me to finish it. At this stage...it still looks a little boring to me.

This is a little mosaic I created with the colors I love: gold, red, green and blue. I don't know what it is about this combination that grabs me, but I'm drawn to it over and over.

Now For The Food...
The recipe below is another one I did not have time to revisit before I printed my cookbook. I knew it was good, but I needed to try it again before knowing for sure that the microwave can really do it justice. It worked like a champ. Give it a try and let me know what you think. I've only made the beef but would love to hear how the chicken or pork works out. Don't let my names for ingredients confuse you. If  you don't have my cookbook, simply make it with the ground beef and taco seasoning mix or simply use leftover taco filling. If you get confused, please let me know. Enjoy!!

Microwave Muy Bueno Enchilada Casserole

The microwave and Meal-in-Minutes Beef finish this casserole in record time. This recipe can also be made with chicken, ground chicken, turkey or even pork.
1 lb.                            ground beef + 1 clove garlic, minced + 1/2 cup chopped onion,
                                   OR 2-3 cups Meals in Minutes Ground Beef (MMB),
                                   OR 2-3 cups Zesty Beef Filling or seasoned taco filling but omit the
                                  Tex-Mex Spice Mix below
2 T.                            Tex-Mex Seasoning Mix or substitute 1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 can                          mild red enchilada sauce (10 oz.)
¾ cup                        salsa
1 cup                          frozen corn
½ cup                        diced, red pepper
12                              soft corn tortillas
½ cup                        cilantro, chopped
1 cup                         cheddar cheese, shredded
                                  sour cream for garnish

In a 10-inch skillet, brown ground beef with garlic and onion over medium heat; drain* OR if using MMB or Zesty Beef Filling, simply heat in skillet. Add Tex-Mex Spice Mix (omit if using Zesty Beef Filling or seasoned taco filling), enchilada sauce, salsa, corn and red peppers; bring to a boil then turn to low and simmer.

Cut tortillas into 1 inch squares and place half evenly into the bottom of an 11x7-inch glass baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with half of the meat mixture then ½ cup shredded cheese and sprinkle with half the cilantro. Top with remaining tortillas, meat mixture and ½ cup shredded cheese.

Microwave on high power for 10 to 12 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out hot. Garnish with remaining cilantro and sour cream. Add additional diced red pepper if desired.  Serves:  6

Notes:  Try red sauce with beef and green with chicken, turkey or pork. Black or pinto beans could be added to meat mixture is desired. Olives could also be added as a layer.

It's A Monster Jam Birthday

Scott (on left) with his Monster Jam buddies.

Six months ago if you asked me to go to a Monster Truck Rally (Monster Jam) I would have thought you were crazy. But, when my son Scott discovered Monster Jam on the Speed Channel, we found new family entertainment that was fun to watch. You never know what's going to happen and some of the jumps and recoveries are amazing. So, when Scott's 11th birthday came around in February and we saw that Monster Jam was in town, we thought that would make a great birthday party...and it did, for kids and adults! Don't miss the Grave Digger Video at http://www.facebook.com/HeartandArt (I couldn't get it to upload here).

Me and Lori at Bob's Big Boy before the Jam.

This Monster Mutt is the cutest...tail wagging and ears flapping while competing!

The whole family got into the action!

The Pit

Where Did February Go?

I can't believe February came and went and I didn't even post once...and out goes the 3x a week post goal! Oh well, good intention are the foundation on which I run. As for February, it got sucked up in the black hole of activities. Here's a brief summary of the month.

son #1 birthday + son #2 birthday + present shopping/wrapping/returning + dinner's out + parties + sleepovers + monster jam + valentine's day + girl scout cookie pick-up/sales/orders/booths/deposits/tracking + brownie meeting + brownie sock hop + talent show practice + softball practice + gymnastics + school volunteer + school newsletter design + Julia Child report + school holidays + superbowl party + doctors/dentist + paint + paint + paint

That about sums it up. Have a great day!

What I've Been Up To...

Forgive the crooked picture but my camera is in the shop and I'm using my phone to snap shots these days. Well, perhaps I'm not as slow a painter as I once thought. When I gave up working in my art journal this week to see what I could accomplish on canvas, I did pretty well. Considering I only paint for about three hours a day I think I accomplished a lot. This is a landscape I'm working on. I thought I liked the big blocks of color in the photo, but when I got them on the canvas, they just seemed boring. Studying this one to think about how I can make it more interesting.

This is something I just started on a whim this week. I still love hearts and would be willing to paint them if I can come up with a style that doesn't look juvenile.

This is the piece I'm still playing with...and I mean really playing with. Below is the before shot and I really think the transformation is amazing. Even though it looks like an apple with a crazy stem, hopefully it will look more like a tree later. I'm using rather bold colors for my taste, but wanted to try something new. Also getting a grip with the whole "Thalo" being transparent concept. I've never really used those paints over images, so the concept was not sinking in. Now I totally get it. the Thalo paints even glided on like butter compared to the more opaque ones. Anyhow....that's what I've been up to this week!

Me...Playing

Do not fear mistakes. There are none.

– Miles Davis

I found another passage in the book “The Zen of Creative Painting” by Jeanne Carbonetti which must have been written about me since I am so not a risk taker and DO NOT want to make a mistake.

"Playfulness: a key ingredient to discover what you love enough to choose to paint. Playfulness implies risk taking, free to make mistakes – big ugly, errors and messes.  Here’s the key…One trait above all others tells me right away if a student will become a dedicated artist: the willingness to go for the big mistake. The painter who doesn’t know how a color will look over there and tries it to find out, will go on to try more and more ways to say things, and in the end will find original forms of self expression. The student who plays it safe and wants assurance that a painting won’t be harmed won’t have the fortitude to go deeper and grow as an artist. I promise, you’re a better painter tomorrow for having made a mess today. When you’re at your worst, you are becoming your best.  With playfulness goes the spirit of forgiveness – letting go of preconceived notions of how something should turn out. The creative process is the constant interplay of artist and medium in dialogue. When your paint throws you something surprising, it’s up to you to respond to it freely, not to force a result. There’s a world of difference between forcing a form that you’re supposed to love, and creating one that answers “What do I really love?”

Again...this hit home with me and even though deep down I know what she is saying is true, it's so hard for me (the logical, perfectionist, left-brained person) to let go, be nonjudgmental and just play. Well, today I was just playing with my paint. I'm using this canvas as simply an underpainting so most of it won't even show. But I had fun playing with the paint, noticing which were smoother going on the canvas, which color combinations I liked, and basically just doodling. I'm trying to work on one subjective painting to learn to paint more intuitively at the same time I'm working on one or two objective ones (landscapes for me).

As I stated in my Monday post, I dedicated this week to working on canvas and not in my journal. I feel it has been a fairly productive week and hope to have some pictures to post in the next few days.

Courage To Begin "The Journey"

…there is no better way to develop skills than through trial and error. It is a matter of having the courage, in every painting, to try something new and to work without fear of making mistakes. Results are invariably more effective and ideas tend to evolve with far greater energy and impact when the painting process is positive and uninhibited. The ability to work with confidence and skill relies on experience, and this in turn comes from a willingness to experiment and learn from the consequent successes and failures.  – Artist, Claire Harrigan

While reading Clair Harrigan's book "Abstract and Color Techniques in Painting" the above passage really spoke to me and about me. I'm so concerned with making a mistake that I hardly get anything done. I tell myself that a canvas with anything but a perfect painting is wasted. I fear ruining something I worked really hard to achieve by adding the wrong color. I'm so afraid of screwing up that I can't paint freely. I know art journaling helps the creative process and helps develop skills, but I think I hide in my journal because it doesn't matter what I create...it's just a journal right?

I will:  

• have the courage to develop my skill through trial and error ON THE CANVAS
• work without fear of making mistakes and try something new
• think positive and work with confidence
• think of failure as a stepping stone to success
• put in the brush time to gain the skill to accomplish my goals
• JUST DO IT!

Taco Pot Pie

For those lucky soles that got my cookbook for Christmas this year (or those of you who bought one), I will be posting additional Beef, Pork and Chicken recipes here on my blog. These will be new creations or old ones that I didn't have time to perfect before the first printing.

This Taco Pie recipe uses one portion of my Zesty Beef filling but you could substitute regular taco filling instead. If you like pot pie, this one is a delight!

Taco Pot Pie

A twist on the standard comfort food…and so easy!
2-3 cups                     Zesty Beef Filling or taco filling
2 cups                        frozen mixed vegetables (or 1 cup frozen corn and 1 cup frozen peas)
1 can                          diced potatoes, well drained
1 can                          fiesta nacho soup (10 ¾ oz)
1 can                          diced tomatoes (if you like it spicier use tomatoes with green chilies), slightly drained
2 cups                        cheddar cheese
1 box                          refrigerated pie crust, softened (2 crusts)
                                  sour cream
                                  chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pie crusts according to package directions using a 9-inch pie plate.

In a bowl, combine Zesty Beef Filling, frozen vegetables, potatoes, soup and tomatoes; pour into bottom pie crust. Top with cheese and add top crust, fold edges under bottom crust and crimp edges to seal. Make several slits in top for venting.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Use a pie shield part of the time to prevent over browning. Serve by cutting into wedges and top with sour cream and cilantro

Serves:  6  

Notes:  If you like the taste of enchilada sauce, you might try adding a 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce to the beef mixture as well.

A Few More + A Little Further

Week #14 -- RESOLVE

Just had to stop working on this since it's just a journal page and I REALLY want to get caught up. Still need to add the journaling..maybe today at the beach...supposed to be 80 degrees today in So. Cal.

Experimental background page with snowy tree partially added.

Experimental paper border on a partially finished fall tree painting. I realized I was trying to paint little tiny leave and it was taking forever + detail is not the look I want. Finally got smart and used bigger brush strokes and it made a big difference. My left brain want to paint exactly what it sees...so hard not too!

Looking a little too bold for my taste. Needs lots of work...Again my brain want to paint everything, but what I really want is a loose, painterly, free-flowing impression of the original photo. I just gotta loosen up!!!

Week #15 -- BRAVE

I'm following along with Pam Carriker's Recycled Journal Pages Strathmore Workshop and will be using her style to create this page. This is just the first step of cutting and gluing. Next steps are under journaling and charcoal shading. Can't wait to work on this one.

That's it for now!

Thanks for stopping by!