my attempt at Andy Warhol.......

are you ever at a loss for gifts???.... i always try to make gifts personal... something that reflects the receivers personality, or interest... & honestly, there are times when i am at a total loss...
i have 2 men in my family that are creative spirits..... Mike my very sweet brother in law, who loves music... he has his own studio in his home... he writes, plays guitar & sings... i was at a loss..... i wanted it to be special, something i would create.  Then i thought of art... personal art that would capture him at his finest...in his element... doing what he loves......



I took a photo of him in his music room...... and worked in photo shop to create my (attempt) at andy warhol.... i cropped the photo and did a little magic.... after i completed by editing i sent a copy to staples and they printed the poster, I dry mounted it, framed it w/o glass, and covered the print in mod podge for the oil canvas finish..... as it turned out... it was perfect... and he loved it!!!!  it now hangs in his music room....

i did the same thing for my nephew jonathan... he loves art... he loves contemporary art...attempt #2...




Success....

they were unique, personal and they definitely captured both of their personalities.... the mod podge finish is perfect.... ( in true andy warhol style)  .... :)

i just wanted to give you a great gift idea for  (the hard to buy)  people in your family....

today i am headed into the city to visit IKEA..... and atlantic station with my daughters... where shopping is an event.... walking from Ikea to atlantic station is not an easy task... thank heavens for the bus (trolley) to and from atlantic station...

Cori vows she is moving to atlantic station after graduation, as she walks around the lofts claiming which apartment is hers....
 



 you have to admit... they are beautiful...

Enjoy your day....



a small addiction.......

lately... i have noticed a small addiction... my eyes zoom in on wood, anything made of wood that can be re-made or distressed or re-created.... yesterday, i stopped by an antiquey thrift shop while waiting on my youngest daughter erin to get off work... and there they were... bread boards.. i already have bread boards...


but... i couldn't pass them up... $2.00... i stood there thinking of all the uses for these unfinished pieces of wood... i thought of cookouts, picnic's, dinners... that is what i kept telling myself... i could see these beauties all lined up on a rustic picnic table ... outside, with strings of twinkle lights overhead.... serving cheese, yeast rolls w/ butter.... in a casual frenchy sort of way... that is my vision... in a thrift store, with $2.00 bread boards.... that needed cleaning...and..sanding...and staining... but, i loved them... i couldn't just pick one or two... i wanted them all... after all i had a vision... :)

so .... i brought them home & gave them a good scrubbing.......


and let them dry.....


and a little stain.....

 i think i made a great decision.... i love them all...  ... now to find a rustic picnic table & strings of twinkle lights... :)




am i ready for this?.......

.... ..yesterday... it really does seem like yesterday... i would rock my sweet daughter and sing every lullabye my mom ever sang to me.. i can see her looking up at me and putting her little fingers on my face as i was singing to my sweet baby girl.... the little pigtail girl...... ...dancing around the living room ...singing....  " i walk like an elephant" stooped over with her arm dangling like the trunk of an elephant....






..how can i go from that vision to ................................


my beautiful Loren has grown up.... she is graduating from college..AND. she is engaged!!  .... in the twinkling of an eye..."it happened" ... the dimpled face little girl...... became this beautiful woman....




I love you my sweet Loren.... and many blessings & much love to you & Devon...


(but to me, you will always be my little girl).....

-mom








...... british flapjacks

i have a dear friend Helene who lives in canada... recently she posted a photo on fb of her dutch babies... quickly i emailed her (she happens to be the worlds best cook/hostess extraordinaire)..& she replied within minutes... off to the kitchen with methodic intent.. to create my first dutch babies...
 a wonderful decadent comfort food.  she also sent me a scone recipe..(which was amazing).... i believe i am seeing a definite flour, egg, sugar pattern during my winter hibernation...
recipe swaps and my esoteric friends have filled my indexed cookbooks with tried and true... delicious foods i have never heard of.... especially recipes from other countries...
today i received another recipe from a friend  (carlene) who now lives in britain... british flapjacks..
did you know that if you ordered flapjacks in britain you'll get a granola bar made from oats and golden syrup?
of course i had to give it a try....




British Flapjacks

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup golden syrup (i didn't have golden syrup.. i substituted equal parts corn syrup & honey)

2 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)

Pinch of fine salt

Crunchy salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel, for finishing

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan. Combine the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir regularly over medium-low heat until the butter melts, the sugar dissolves, and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
Add the oats and fine salt, and stir to evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press it out in even layer.
Bake until the top is golden (the edges will be darker), about 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a rack, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then cut into 4 squares, and cut each square into 4 triangles. (The mixture will still be soft and a little crumbly; just do the best you can.) Allow to finish cooling completely in the pan. (The flapjacks will firm up as they cool.)
Before serving, top with crunchy salt to taste.

the kitchen smelled of comfort, warm delicious comfort.....the british flapjacks were a hit at the najour house.. i forced myself to put the (remaining) bars in a sealed container... & out of sight...