sticking to it ...

having so much fun creating with my new Epson label maker ...

at the rate I'm going I'll be out of tape soon!

reading instruction booklets is my least favourite thing to do...

but this time it was actually fun :-)

really easy to set up, change fonts , display settings and a booklet filled with accent marks, frames, and symbols ♥

single

&

double lines

I've been peeling and sticking labels on everything today :-D

every letter and/or card I've posted has a nice new sticker attached!

now that we are heading into March,

it's time to stop painting snowmen and birds with snowflakes on their feathers ...

time to think of flowers and new paintings started with watering cans

and seeds ... of course...birds are always in season ♥

 

today ...

a few have asked if I would share my recipe for gnudi when I posted it the other day.

they are a family favourite here in our home

and so easy to prepare

the key is to make the dumplings tiny as they will swell almost double in size as they cook

here's the recipe:

 

Spinach Gnudi

makes approx. 25-30 dumplings

 ***

1 1/2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup whole milk ricotta

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup all purpose flour

fresh bread crumbs ( a slice of bread in the food processor is perfect)

sprinkling of salt & pepper

 

~steam fresh spinach until just wilted

drain well and allow to cool then chop finely in food processor

~mix the ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan cheese, flour and spices

~add cooled spinach and blend well

~ form tiny dumplings with your hands using about 2 tsp of mixture

~tightly pack the mixture so it holds together

~roll in bread crumbs and place on a cookie sheet that you have dusted with flour to prevent the gnudi from sticking

~bring a large pot of water to the boil

~add gnudi (about 10 -12 at a time)

~when they begin to float to the surface of the water, set timer for 4 minutes

~remove from water with a slotted spoon to a warming plate

 

serve with a little (or a lot) of your choice tomato sauce

ENJOY

♥

while covering my paint palette today,

I looked down and noticed that the paint had created the perfect little

green pansy ♥

You have to take risks.

We will only understand the miracle of life fully

when we allow the unexpected

to happen.

~Paulo Coelho~

holding hands ...

My art apron ...

a canvas in itself

holding abstract  memories

of

brush strokes

&

and hand wipes

***

When I work,

and in my art,

I hold hands

with God

~Robert Mapplethorpe~

my old artists portfolio ...

when I pull it out, Archer knows we will be a while in the studio

so he gets comfy :-)

thought I'd share a few of them here today

as I reminisce ♥

I really think this doggie needs a make over ...

a little  paint will turn him into a Black Labrador in no time

this old chair once sat in my garden ...

surrounded by brightly coloured zinnia

and I planted holly hock from seed one year.   they grew so tall along the fence ...

we always have lots of bunnies in our garden ...

 

old paintings of my daughter {and fellow nature lover}  when she was little ♥

and lots of unfinished pieces ...

so many teeny tiny violas!

we always had a budgie

and Jacob was my daughters pride and joy

he had the vocabulary of a young child

the most gorgeous green & yellow

they both made wonderful models...

and hamsters,

we always had hamsters,

and I've mentioned here before, how I would write little stories around our budgies and hamsters & create  homemade books...

this was a scene from one of the stories ...

 

a sketch of me cuddling my new born son ♥

24 years ago!

and Mama mouse cuddling her baby ...

and to show how old some of these sketches/watercolours are, I found one that was dated :-)

***

Every human

is an artist.

The dream of your life

is to make

beautiful art

~Miguel Angel Ruiz~

baking, making & watercolour painting ...

one of the reasons I am such a Fall & Winter loving girl

is my love of home comforts ...

 baking,

 cooking

 anything home related ...

so this past week

while I watched the weather change from snow, to rain

and listened to heavy, heavy winds

I spent time

baking banana nut loaf ...

 making some gnudi for our dinner

with fresh tomato sauce

 found an old jar in the storage cupboard that was perfect for holding

toffees

 put some new fresh flowers on the kitchen table

 enjoyed the scene outside my kitchen window

 listened to the wonderful, soulful music of Ron Sexsmith - one of my favourite musicians

I remember  listening to the radio as I drove home one day and hearing a song "This is how I know"

I had to wait to find out who the artist was and once I heard the name, went out and purchased the C.D.  Since then, I've been a fan & had the great joy of seeing Ron Sexsmith play live (AMAZING)!!

I have this wonderful C.D. (Forever Endeavour) playing at the moment... my favourite song(s) being Life after a Broken Heart and Nowhere Is

 Jay bird doesn't stop by our garden very often

but always makes his presence known.

He wasn't very happy with the squirrels who were eating the almonds I put out :-)

so I had to make sure he got a few!

He thanked me by becoming just the inspiration needed & the perfect fill in for a bare spot I had on a painting I was working on ♥

 some pastel sketches ...

 while I watched the Olympics

~have a wonderful weekend~

unconditional love ♥ ...

he is with me 24/7

my most faithful and loving friend

who makes me smile each and every day

gets me out for nice long walks

never complains about the snow

he loves it as much as I do

hard to believe that this time a few years ago

he was a shelter dog

found wandering the streets

I wanted to bring them all home with me...

Archer

the Valentine dog

who touched my heart & soul

♥♥♥

I think dogs

are the most amazing creatures;

they give unconditional love.

For me

they are the role model

for being alive.

~Gilda Radner~

happy

saint

valentine's

day

♥

Happy Saint Valentine's Day ♥ ...

waiting on the kitchen counter

for my family

 ♥

chocolate chip muffins

made with love ...

 

some coconut macaroons

because they are my husbands favourite ♥

 

This little "chalkboard" has been hanging in the kitchen for years.

I made a few chalkboards as gifts one Christmas from vintage frames and chalkboard paint.

When it came time to make one for myself, I had run out of the chalkboard paint, so I used what I had available - plain black acrylic paint.  It worked beautifully!  I have written and erased many, many notes & quotes over the years and it is still holding up :-D

Love

must be as much a light

as it is

a flame

~Henry David Thoreau~

Wishing you a lovely

Saint Valentine's Day

♥

when it snows, it snows ...

looking out my window

I can hardly believe the amount of snow that has fallen ...

even though the weather forecast said snow

snow

it

did

♥

in the dew of little things ...

fonts... I love them ♥

experimenting with some today

and adding them to paintings ...

sitting here with my mug of morning tea

birthday flowers are still thriving

looking out the kitchen window

sparrows, juncos and cardinals at the feeders ...

warm popovers

with a little jam

oven door left open to warm the kitchen as I sit & enjoy this little treat ...

quick little sketches

blue and brown and orange

pencils & paint ...

and little dabs of white ink

on flower petals

and tips of wings ...

my sweet boy Archer

following  every step I make in anticipation of my next move ...

hoping it will involve putting on my boots & coat

and taking him for his walk :-)

for in the dew

of little things

the heart finds

its morning

and is

refreshed

~Kahil Gibran~