Monkeying Around

Me + Monkey = Love at first sight!

Picmonkey that is.

OK so here's the thing. I have Photshop CS4, took classes in it in 2009, beginner, intermediate and advanced, got continuing education certificates for all 3.

Took several online classes to use it creatively.

Then got Elements 10 to simplify a little of the process.

Found Picnik and liked it for it's ease of use and instant gratification. 

Then Picnik left us. 

So this morning I decided to look into Picmonkey that I had heard a little about here on the blogs and I am so loving it!

I took just a couple of the pics from yesterday's post to play with , rather quickly just to take a test drive with the application, and see the results.

I can honestly say there is enough offered here to keep one busy for a long time playing.

As a matter of fact the Todd Rundgren song " Bang the drum all day" started playing in my head.

And this was with just a few clicks, not really taking any time , just doing a few comparisons.

As I got towards the end of my play session, I was really starting to hit my stride  and while I hated to quit, really did have to go to work.

I look forward to seeing how this develops ( pun absolutely intended)

For those of you looking for a quick fix and a replacement for Picnik, I would highly recommend this site.

The interface is really easy to navigate and use.

There is no album to save it to at this time, they do not keep your work on file you must save it to your own computer.

But Oh, the possibilities!

" I don't wanna work..."



I Heart Macro ~ Tenacious

Today is I Heart Macro over at Studio Waterstone .

It's been a few weeks again since I have gone out and focused on the little things in life and i have really missed it, while tending to all the big things like work and preparing for the holidays and family visits.

Looking out my windows from the warmth of indoors, everything looks dead and barren and wintry.

But upon close inspection this morning I find that nature is tenacious.

The strawberry leaves are coated with color and frosty sprinkles.

Long after the delicate petals of the lillies and iris have gone, the weeds still bloom and sprout life. 

Some of the bushes pose as holiday cards 

The salvia still basks in the morning sunshine, soaking up the dew and warmth for as long as it can 

The winter blooming camellia provides a tender contrast to the evergreen leaves that surround it.

So much beauty to appreciate when we just take the time to notice.

Hop on over to Lori's to see what everyone else is appreciating this morning!



2 Weeks Full- Part One

It is so hard to stay inside when all this beautiful fall weather and sunshine is beckoning outdoors.

It's been a full 2 weeks. everytime I say that phrase- 2 weeks, I am reminded of the movie with Tom Hanks, "The Money Pit" in which everytime he asks how long a renovation or step in the renovation will take they flippantly respond "2 weeks"

I have been going over to the Assateague island refuge to practice my nature photography and have been pretty pleased with some of the images.

This Crane has a fish in it's mouth having just plucked him from the water

This Great Blue heron tried to swallow his fish so fast he actually gagged, that's his tongue hanging out. In subsequent shots, he coughed up the fish and then swallowed him back down. Yum.

More to my liking is the pumpkin butter I made with help from the grandkids while they were here after only a half day of school on halloween.

Remember the neck pumpkin I told you about that we bought while on the field trip a few weeks ago? Well, that is what we used and I promised if it turned out well, we would share the recipe

It turned out well enough that when shared with people at our restaurant, their tongues look much like that of the heron and everyone was asking for the recipe. If you like apple butter or pumpkin pie you're sure to like this.

The littlest halloween witch helping me stir the pumpkin butter, is that a spell she's casting?

Pumpkin Butter

1 cooking pumpkin, we used the neck pumpkin

Peel the skin using a vegetable peeler, empty seeds ( we spread ours out on paper towels over a few pages of newspapers to dry and try to plant next year)

Cube the pumpkin flesh and put into a pot of water big enough to cook until tender ( about 20-25 minutes)

Drain in a colander

Place the cooked pumpkin in a blender  ( or food processor) and puree.

Empty the blender into a glass measuring cup or bowl and continue pureeing the cooked pumpkin until it is all pureed.

We got 12 cups of puree out of the one pumpkin, each will vary depending on the size.

Once measured, place all the puree into a crock pot large enough to hold it and add the sugar and spices.

The puree to sugar ratio is 2 to1,  2 cups of puree to 1 cup of sugar.

You can use all light brown sugar or half white half brown.

For ours we used 3 cups of white, 3 cups of dark brown to the 12 cups of puree.

You can add individual spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice to taste but we used the McCormicks Pumpkin Pie Spice and used 2 tsp. for the batch. You can taste it and add more if you like but I liked this amount.

Stir all ingredients together well in the crock pot, turn on low  and prop the lid sideways to allow for the steam to evaporate as it cooks down.

I placed mine on 10 hours low which went through the night and automatically went to warm about the time we got up.

Once it really starts to cook, it will bubble and thicken and i used a wooden spoon to stir it all around about once an hour until going to bed.

Once it is as thick as you would like, the consistency of a butter spread, I ladled it into hot ball jars and secured the lids but DID NOT process in a water bath but placed it in the refrigerator for keeping.

There are conflicting ideas about canning pumpkin butter. There are instructions where you can process in a water bath for 40 minutes and also directions for a pressure canner, but the USDA recently suggested keeping it in a refrigerator instead of canning. Your call. I have purchased canned pumpkin butter at fairs and have lived to tell the tale. I may try that in the future.

Both grandchildren took a jar into their class to share along with some crackers.

It is great on toast or homemade biscuits and is the perfect fall treat!

Enjoy!

I Heart Macro

It's time once again for I heart macro over at Studio Waterstone

While taking the pics this week for the virtual blog book tour I couldn't help but see algae bloom underwater in this enameled piece.

Fall sweetness- we got raspberries on the bushes that survived this first year,

not enough to make jam but it's a start

When I looked at this shot, I saw a tapestry of sorts over to the right so I copied and cropped it out

Good inspiration, sort of impressionistic for artwork and jewelry dontchathink?

For even more inspiration, head on over to Lori's to see more macro goodness



Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry Blog Book Tour

Welcome to Day 14 of the Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry Virtual Book Tour!

It was back on April 27th of 2010 that I first met Barbara.

I happened across one of the many Etsy treasuries featuring Barbara's beautiful enameled beads and clicked to find out more.

I found her tutorial in her shop and immediately purchased it, printed it and read it through.

From there I found her blog and Painting With Fire Ning group which I joined on April 28th.

On April 29th I came back and bought the bead pulling station.

I remember writing to Barbara full of excitement over this newfound medium and in so doing found that we had a lot of things in common, one of which was our background in clay.

What initially drew me to this process was it's simplicity and the immediacy of results, the colors and textures you could obtain and the sheer beauty of the finished beads.

I was hooked! Or as Barbara likes to say, I have gone to the dark side!

You can read about my first PWF workshop with Barbara in Oct. of 2010 here and the second one this past July 2011 here.

It was a joy to follow along with her on the road to creating her book and I am thrilled and honored that she invited me to participate in this book tour to celebrate it's release.

Thank you Barbara for your confidence.

Now let's fire it up!

When I first received my copy of the book, knowing that i would be reviewing it for this post, I sat and read it from the beginning as if the process was new to me to see how well it could be followed along for someone who was totally new to the medium.

Barbara has done an excellent job at really starting at the beginning from explaining the process, setting up your studio, sections on tools, tips, techniques ( including etching copper sheet) and basic jewelry skills, terms and basic troubleshooting.  The first page I dog-earred was the one with the drill bits demystified which translates drill bit sizes to wire gauge sizes and mm and inches. Priceless!

There are so many projects in here to get your creative juices flowing but the one that I knew immediately I had to try was the  No Solder Bezel - Of Space and Time.

I followed Barbara's directions for making the domed copper cabochon blank and bezel and ended up with 5 sets to play with in one sitting.

The above shot shows all 5 sets, firescale and all.

I ended up enameling 4 sets, each trying something different.

The top piece has an enameled cab set in a bezel enameled in clear to showcase the copper.

The middle one has an enameled cab set in just a heat patinaed copper bezel.

The bottom one has an etched and antiqued cab set in a bezel enameled with transparent copper.

All of the cabs are enameled in place using the method described in the book.

The 4th piece is also an etched and antiqued domed cab set in an enameled bezel using several layers of opaque and transparent enamels which I used for my completed piece.

There were so many ways I could have gone with this one piece, more organic with leather and silks and other natural elements but in the end I chose to work with copper wire, beads, components and chain along with blue crazy lace agates, carved turquoise beads (which i have been hoarding for just such an occasion) and lampwork rounds by Julsbeads.

While I was working with these bezels so many ideas for filling them came to mind that i know I will be playing with these for some time to come!

Barbara will be doing a no solder bezels workshop at Art and Soul Virginia Beach in March 2012 and you can always check her website for all other upcoming workshops.

Now for the Giveaway!

Barbara is going to be giving away these enameled porcelain beads, yes ceramic beads, (a new way to play with torch fired enamels)  How cool or should I say hot is that?

Here's how to enter-  

1. Leave a comment on this post and become a follower = 1 chance

2. Tweeting, facebook or blogging about the giveaway and leaving a comment at the original Virtual Book Tour Post= 1 additional chance

3. While you're at Barbara's Blog, become a follower or saying that you already are a follower in your comment = 1 additional chance

You can earn up to 3 chances per giveaway. A winner will be selected by 10 p.m. eastern time and announced the following day.

You can check at Barbara's blog or here at mine for the name of the winner.

But wait- there's more!

To thank you for following along, we will have a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour! All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book. You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!

For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at http://www.paintingwithfireartwear.com/) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24. Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.

P.S. Unfortunately, we have to restrict the giveaways to U.S. residents. Winners should contact Barbara with their name and address through her author website: http://www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com/ so that you can receive your prizes!

There are still 3 more days to travel along on this book tour, don't miss any of these great stops!

October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, http://www.mairedodd.blogspot.com/

October 7, Gaea Cannaday, http://www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com/

October 8, Linda Larsen, http://www.objectsandelements.typepad.com/

October 10, Andrew Thornton, http://www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

October 11, Lori Plyler, http://www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com/

October 12, Diane Cook, http://www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com/

October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

October 14, LeAnn Weih, http://www.summersstudio.blogspot.com/

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, http://www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com/

October 17, Melissa Meman, http://www.melissameman.blogspot.com/

October 18, Lisa Crone, http://www.abeadaday.blogspot.com/

October 19, Shannon LeVart, http://www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/

October 20, Cindy Wimmer, http://www.sweetbeadstudio.com/

October 21, Laura Twiford, http://www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com/ *you are here*

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, http://www.treasures-found.blogspot.com/

October 24, Jennifer Cameron, http://www.glassaddictions.com/

October 25, Sharilyn Miller, http://www.sharilynmiller.blogspot.com/

Thank you for visiting!

*****WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! LISA PETRILLO OF LUCID MOON STUDIOS!!!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU CAN CONTACT BARBARA WITH YOUR SHIPPING INFO.

A BIG THANK-YOU TO EVERYONE WHO STOPPED BY,LEFT A COMMENT AND BECAME A FOLLOWER. DON'T FORGET THERE ARE 3 MORE STOPS AND MORE CHANCES TO WIN PLUS THE BONUS PRIZE DRAWING AT THE END CHOSEN FROM ALL THE COMMENTS!!!

A Little Catchup Please?

(Photo of boardwalk style handcut fries from our restaurant and yes, i know how to spell ketchup)

This past month has been so full of good things, but I admit, i haven't taken the time to download my pics and process to blog about it all until this morning!

I will try my best to keep it in chronological order and to the point.

Sept. 19th- Son left for Norway for work again

Sept. 21st- went out to lunch for our 31st anniversary and Ray had these gorgeous roses waiting for me at our table -top left( he's a keeper!)

Sept. 22nd- left for Artbliss for 4 glorious days

Sept.25th- returned home to the bouquet on the upper right, a tradition Ray does for my return when away ( even though i told him not to after the roses) Bottom right , when i returned the roses had opened fully and I have to say were some of the prettiest roses I have ever seen!

Also while away, the tuberose FINALLY started to open and bloom. The buds had been there for, I kid you not, over a month!

What you don't see written here is all the prep and gathering that takes place to be able to go away for 4 days between work and tools and charm swaps and packing etc.

Speaking of charm swaps, Anne was our hostess for this years' swap and did such a fantastic job i told her she probably would have the job for life!

She made up bags for us with our names and a checklist on the back to check off who we gave to and received a charm from, so organized!

She had her charm and gift bag attached to the bag with a bracelet blank also for us to be able to attach the charms if we wanted.

I created my charms for the swap from an original collage of mine under glass with attached czech glass beads and matching envelope.

I chose to photograph the charms for you here in their packaging as so much time and care goes into each one, the packaging is just as special!

We all enjoyed swapping and eating pizza and then Jenn, provided all the supplies and taught us all how to make a box out of scrapbook papers! It was so cool, I can't wait to make more! She said she would post the tute on her blog also.

This is the best part of the retreat. Look at all those happy smiling faces, full of Bliss!

The top shows the instructors along with Cindy and Jeanette and  assistants. They all put on an amazing retreat and if you can you need to start planning to attend next year. The caliber of instructors coupled with the great venue and attention to details which Cindy and Jeanette are so good at makes this a premier retreat in my book. This was my second year attending and I'm already looking forward to next year!

The fire alarm went off at one point and we all had to evacuate our classrooms until the fire company appeared and gave the all clear. I joked that they came to put out Bette's smokin hot credit card!

Wax on with Deryn Mentock was our first class on friday and we all had the best time in there discovering the secrets the bezels held! It was my first foray into encaustics and I'm hooked!  I really think we all could have stayed and just played and made more and more! 

Saturday night we also took the Boho Hoops class with Deryn

I had 2 classes with the fabulous Richard Salley.

The first was Lasting Impressions where we created our own etched copper stamps which we then used to stamp into hot solder and bezel set a stone for pendants and earrings.

The last class i had was on sunday called Watch This and while I was most excited to take this class, i left after lunch before finishing my piece as I was getting really tired and knew I had a 4 hour drive home and bad weather ahead. I'll post pics when I get to finish it.

(L-R, Jennifer Davies-Reazor, Heather, Carol, Richard, Bette, myself)

One of the best things about retreats is the after hours visiting with friends old and new, laughing until the wee hours and sharing stories and lives.  I miss you all.

Clockwise from top left-  Wax on pendant, BoHo Bliss Hoops still awaiting their danglie stones, Lasting impressions pendant with carnelian, and origami box.

Oct 6th I celebrated another birthday, (my husband's is today, and we will celebrate together tomorrow at our daughter's) and my daughter had us over for a special dinner and this custom cake complete with dragonflies, butterflies and lillies! ( she's a keeper too!)

Then I was asked to go on a field trip (literally) with my granddaughters class to a farmstand complete with pumpkin picking, hay rides, corn maze and all kinds of fun things for them to play with. We learned all the different types of pumpkins and gourds and I even came home with a neck pumpkin as they told us they were the best for cooking as the whole neck of the pumpkin is seedless flesh that isn't stringy and makes the best desserst. I plan to try to make pumpkin butter with her one day this week and if it turns out well, will share the recipe.

It's been a long time since I was on a school bus and I can testify that the ride has not improved.

 Not. One. Little. Bit.

That same week was grandparents day at their school and we went to share that fun too!

Also, a lot has gone on behind the scenes that i can't share with you yet. I have the blog book tour reveal on friday and have been working on those pieces, I am involved in a round robin and can't show that yet either and I have also been trying to catchup around the house after the busy summer, excavating my bead table and workbench and various surfaces in my house. I am also taking a couple online classes which I will leave for another post.

It is all what i enjoy most about this time of year, settling back in, getting domestic, enjoying family times and the wonderful weather, clear October skies and slower pace.

Hoping you all are enjoying the same!  See you friday!