Project Update & Sydney

Once again, yes, I am still here.  This blog was created to center around an altered dollhouse but for some reason I have lost interest in that project.  Presently, the dollhouse seems more of a chore to me than a fun project.  I've packed it up and hope to return to it again one day.  So I decide to try to continue this blog but center around other projects.

The last couple of years I've been busy with art journaling.  I have been working my way through an artist pad, altering an old book, and working on a book I created from old holiday cards.  With the leftover cards, I created a mini journal with the hopes I could exchange back and forth with my best friend, but I have yet to receive it back... <Ahem!  Hint, hint!>   For inspiration, I've joined ArtGeeks ning and have discovered wonderful artists on YouTube.  Below is a page I did for an ArtGeeks prompt entitled "Holiday Papers".

Also, I joined ArtGeeks' mail exchange for February.  The theme centers around 'love'.  I'll be mailing off my envelope tomorrow.  Mail exchanges are new to me, and I look forward to see what I receive in return.   The only camera I have is what comes with my phone and the photos are a bit washed out.  Also I covered up the addresses.

Finally, I adopted another black cat two years ago named Sydney.  Come on over, Sydney, and introduce yourself!

Hmmm.... Could you find a more dignified position?  No?   Oh-kay....  Anyway, Sydney loves laying belly up (but don't touch the belly!), playing with toys, watching birds, and snacking on string cheese.  She can be fast asleep in the closet in the other room but still hears when I peel back the wrapping on a stick!

Well, that's all that is new with me.  Hope to be back soon!

Abandoned Art Blitz

Yes, I am still around! Hard to believe I have almost been away for a year.  Sadly, I haven't worked on my dollhouse but I joined Mixed Media Art on Facebook and participated in Abandoned Art:  Fall Blitz.  Hoping someone found my abandoned art and will post soon!
http://abandonedartblitz.blogspot.ca/

 

Side 1

 

Side 2

 

If you are the finder, please email abandoned.art.blitz@gmail.com and let everyone know!

Also, I participated in a mini challenge.  The challenge was to use the vintage image of a girl in witch's hat and a black cat in an altered book.  I had an idea using different images from magazines and needed something to finish off the page.  The vintage image provided the finishing touch I needed!

"Graveyard Siren"

"How pretty she was"

 

 

 

~D

Temporary Hiatus

Sorry I haven't been on lately.  There has been a lot of things occupying my mind.  First of all, I had to put away my dollhouse supplies so I would have room for Christmas preparations.  Then this week I had to say goodbye to my cat Poppy.  I knew the day was coming, but I was taken by surprise.  I thought we would have a few more years together.  Life's existing stress and disappointment is now mixed with grief.  I don't know how I will get through the holidays  If you come across this blog, I don't want you to think that it is abandoned or that I lost interest in my project.  I hope to return sometime in early 2012 and, maybe, with a new muse in my life. 

~D

Haunted Dollhouse: Bathroom & B-Day Gift Update

I was reminded by my good friend that I haven't posted in a long time.  "Every time I look all I see is the same Italian bread post," she commented.  I know I haven't been on for awhile, other things have had my attention.  I made sure to make time today to work on another room, the bathroom.  My friend offered some ideas for this room that I would like to incorporate.  So far I have the walls done and a clawfooted tub.  Blue, to me, is the color for a bathroom.  Not sure what to do with the floor, maybe grungy tile...?  I need to think of how to do that.  Vintage Tub & Bath has some great images of tubs, vanities, and other household furniture items.  Do you think the tub is too big in comparison to the witch?  I think it might be slighly to big but not sure...

Also, this is the completed b-day gift I posted about earlier here.  It is a bottle of dragon's breath.  My friend loves dragons and also loves the color cobalt blue.  I got this gift idea from A Fanciful Twist.  The idea is to place living flowers and greenery in a jar and seal it.  Moisture, or "breath" is produced.  Most of the weeds are dried up/dead in the Chicago area so I couldn't produce my own moisture so I added a little water, but it was either absorbed or evaporated.  In the bottle I inserted dried weeds and flowers, different types of glitter and stretched out cotton balls to resemble smoke.   I placed a wine cork in the mouth of the bottle and spooned wax from a melted candle over it to produce the look of a sealed bottle.  The label I found on Graphic Fairy, and I glttered wooden stars that I had leftover from another project.  My friend likes her gift very much and added it to her spice shelf.  I can't think of a more suitable place!

One of the other gifts I included was a candle.  I got the idea from The Polka Dot Closet.  There is a great project on how to add an image to a candle.  I didn't have a rubber stamp of a dragon, instead I printed an image onto tissue paper.  You just need to tape tissue paper to a piece of paper so it will feed through your printer.

Sometimes homemade gifts can make the best gifts!

~D

Recipe: Italian Bread

I've seen recipes for Italian Bread and always wanted to try making a loaf -- a good Italian bread with a soft inside and a crisp, chewy crust.  I found a recipe and adapted it to make one loaf.  It is an easy recipe, and it doesn't take much time to prepare except for the time to rise twice.  Bread is especially good with soup, may I suggest Butternut Squash Soup from Our Best Bites.  I also made the soup over the weekend and it is wonderful!

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Italian Bread

1 c. warm water
1/2 T. yeast
1/2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 T. sugar
2 3/4 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (check water temp on yeast packet) in a large bowl to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).
Add oil and 1 1/2 c. flour; beat for 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/4 c. flour to make a stiff dough.
Knead until smooth and elastic; about 10 minutes.
Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides; cover and let rise until doubled.
Punch down and shape until a long, slender loaf.
Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Place loaves in an and cut diagonal gashes on the top of each loaf.
Cover and let rise until double.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes (maybe 30 minutes).
Spray with water during baking for a crunchy crust.
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(Please ignore the dirty oven!)

Ohhhh... The anticipation!  Can't wait!

The recipe suggested spraying the loaf with water during baking for a crunchy crust.  I did it after placing the loaf in the oven and three more times at 5 minute intervals.

Oh, yea, that's the good stuff!

Put way too much butter on my slice!

Mmmm....  warm bread with melty butter....

Italian Bread & Butternut Squash Soup

The bread is very good.  The inside is soft and moist while the crust does have a crispness to it.  It is not like a good Italian Bread that is bought at a bakery or at some grocery stores.  I would love to know the secret to creating the bread with a crisp and chewy crust.  Does anyone have any ideas?  Do you know a good Italian bread recipe?  If so, please post the link and ideas. 

~D

Art & Crafts Project: Halloween 2011 & B-Day Teaser

Finally I finished a project for my door.  Projects always take longer than expected!  Creating the background was the most fun... paper, glue, apply paint and wipe away some of it away...  I am not very good at drawing.  I found images online and resized them.  Then I printed the images, cut them out, traced, painted, wiped away paint and threw on a light dusting of glitter.  Finished off with ribbon.

Also this past week, I've been working on a b-day gift.  I got the idea off another blog.  I won't reveal the gift until my best friend receives it because she is a Google Buzz lurker.  But here is a sneak peak for everyone and a teaser for her!...

What can it be?  Well, besides the obvious, a cobalt blue bottle (she loves cobalt blue).  Hmmm....  Glitter stars.... Hmmm...  Any ideas?

Is that glitter in the bottle?  And...  What is the rest?  Hmmm....

~D

Geese

The geese have been gathering and honking away for a few weeks now.  At certain moments the crescendo is quite loud, espeically when I have the door and window open.  I always turn my head toward the lake and wonder what exactly is going on out there.  What are they saying to one another?  Are they deciding everyone's position in the "V" for their journey South?... At least for those who actually go South.  Are they arguing over a departure date?  When I first moved here, the lake and land were packed with geese and ducks, I never saw so many ducks and geese in one place, but now, the numbers have decreased.  I didn't even see any ducks today, just geese.  This picture only shows a small amount of the geese that are actually out there on the lake. 

Oh, look, a lucky penny!

Find a penny,

Pick it up,

All the day,

You have good luck!

I put this penny on my balcony railing this past Spring.  Heads-up, of course!  I never remember it is there (like today), and when I see it, it takes me by surprise for a moment before remembering how it got there.  Regardless, I say to myself, Oh look, a lucky penny!  Find a penny, pick it up, all the day, you have good luck!  But I never pick it up, I leave it there to be found yet another day.  Hope it survives thru the Chicago winter.  If it does disappear, hopefully, it brings the finder luck.

Anyway, I hope to have a project and card to share later.  I am busy with the three C's -- Cooking, cleaning and crafting!

~D