Little Shop of Colors

14
Jan
2013

Winter Mice in Watercolor

I thought it was time to expand my horizons and paint subjects other than flowers and fairies so I gave these cute little winter mice a try. This painting is based on tutorials in Linda Ravenscroft’s book, “How to Draw and Paint Fairyland–A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the World of Fairies. This comprehensive book not only shows readers how to paint fairies but also their environment and a host of other creatures–like these adorable mice. You don’t have to be a fan of fairies to benefit from the instructions in this book; there’s something for everyone wanting to improve their painting skills.

11
Jan
2013

Pink Tulip Fairy

categories: Watercolor

I painted this sweet baby fairy based on a tutorial in Barbara Lanza’s book, “Enchanting Fairies–How to Paint Charming Fairies and Flowers.”

10
Jan
2013

Easy Cranberry-Raisin Biscotti

categories: Recipes

There’s nothing I like more than stealing a few minutes of time for myself in the evening to relax, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, and nibble on something sweet. And these cranberry-raisin biscotti are a real treat. The original recipe called only for cranberries but I added raisins for a touch more sweetness and a bit more chewiness. These biscuits are highly addictive so plan on making a double batch since they freeze well. I like to freeze them in individual bags of two cookies each; they make great grab-and-go treats and they thaw quickly.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make cranberry-raisin biscotti:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 oz. white chocolate (optional)

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter, eggs, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, dry ingredients, cranberries, raisins, and pecans. Mix until blended.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each piece into a 2 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ x 1″ high log. Place logs on a cookie sheet covered with wax or parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Transfer logs to a cutting board. Slice logs on the diagonal into 1/2″ wide slices. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn biscotti and bake 5 minutes more or until slightly brown. Cool completely.

Optional: Melt the white chocolate and drizzle on top of the cookies (or dip if you prefer).

08
Jan
2013

Pink and Yellow Tulip Bouquet

categories: Watercolor

This painting, which is based on a tutorial in Fiona Peart’s book, “Tulips in Watercolor,” showcases my favorite Winsor Newton paint colors–permanent rose, Winsor blue green shade, Winsor yellow deep, green gold, and alazarin crimson.

06
Jan
2013

Creamy Corn Pudding

categories: Recipes

This corn pudding recipe is unique because in addition to the typical ingredients of corn, butter, milk, eggs, and sugar it also includes cornmeal for a still creamy but hardier side dish. I often serve corn pudding at holiday meals and pot luck dinners because it’s easy to prepare, transports well, reheats fine in the microwave, and both children and adults love its slightly sweet, creamy goodness. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make corn pudding:

Ingredients:

1 can (15.25 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (14.25 oz.) cream-style corn
1 cup half and half (or milk)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center of the dish comes out clean.

Corn pudding makes a great side for chicken, turkey, or beef. This week I served it with barbecued beef brisket (recipe below) and green beans. It was a great combo.

06
Jan
2013

Super Easy Barbecued Beef Brisket

categories: Recipes

This recipe for barbequed beef brisket is so simple and the results are so delicious that I reach for it again and again. It requires only a few ingredients, takes minutes to prepare, and cleanup is a breeze since its cooked in an oven roasting bag. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make barbequed beef brisket:

Ingredients:

1 beef brisket (4-5 lbs.)
4-6 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2-3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped

Rub brisket with liquid smoke, celery seed, and pepper. Place in an oven roasting bag (or an aluminum foil pouch). Combine the chili sauce, barbeque sauce, and chipotle peppers; pour over roast and tightly seal the roasting bag (or foil pouch). Bake at 325 degrees for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the meat is tender. Cool slightly then slice thinly against the grain.

I served this with creamy corn pudding (recipe coming up next) and green beans for a colorful presentation. Leftovers make great barbequed beef sandwiches; I like to top mine with coleslaw. Doesn’t this look good?

01
Jan
2013

Holiday Fairy

categories: Watercolor

I started work on this painting two weeks ago in hopes of posting it on Christmas day but with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays–shopping, wrapping gifts, baking, and hosting visits with family and friends–I wasn’t able to complete it until today. This little holiday fairy proved to be more time consuming than I anticipated. Oh well, better late than never. Besides, the holidays aren’t officially over until New Year’s Day, right?

This painting is based on a tutorial featured in Linda Ravenscroft’s book, “The Fairy Artist’s Figure Drawing Bible.” Here are some close up shots of my painting. I really enjoyed painting her and working with such vibrant colors.

31
Dec
2012

Hearty Winter Meals–Beef Stew

categories: Lifestyle, Recipes

On cold winter days like yesterday nothing hits the spot more than a steamy bowl of soup or stew, and this hearty beef stew really hit the spot. This recipe is easy to prepare but requires a long cooking time to tenderize the meat and vegetables, so you’ll need to plan ahead. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make beef stew:

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds of stew meat (or a 4-lb. boneless chuck roast, defatted and cut into cubes)
1 tablespoon oil
1 can (14 oz.) beef broth
2 cans (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup red wine (or cooking sherry)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 package fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
6-8 fingerling potatoes, cubed
Seasoning salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef in hot oil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring to ensure the meat browns on all sides. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, wine, soup mix, and onions. Cover and cook until the meat is tender (about 1.5 – 2 hours). Add additional beef broth or water if too much liquid evaporates during cooking. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 1/2 hour). Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls and serve with cornbread, butter, and honey.

31
Dec
2012

Holiday Decor Ideas–Winter Owl Theme at Anthropologie

categories: Lifestyle

Winter owls nestled in branches.

Perched high on a wall made of wood.

Swinging from swings. I like the birch trees and snowflakes painted on the rustic window panes.

A mason jar chandelier flecked with snow and filled with candles and bits of nature.

Tied with simple twine and hung from the ceiling. How lovely.

Old books covered with snow and cranberries.

Pretty perfume bottles.

Lovely ceramics.

And even more owls. Lots of fabulous holiday decorating ideas I can recreate in my own home. If you don’t have an Anthropologie store in your area, visit them online at Anthropologie.com.

31
Dec
2012

Tea at the Ritz

categories: Lifestyle

Each Christmas the women in my family meet for tea at the Ritz Carlton. We’ve been enjoying this tradition for over twenty years. Some of the ladies pictured here were toddlers when I first began the tradition; now they’re young women who will one day introduce their own daughters to the pleasures of taking tea.