GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

I immediately knew what I had to do for the theme "Gifting".  It's a true story that touches my heart every time I share it.  The sketch is simple and done rather quickly, but the story will last a lifetime. This is "Jimbo" and he was "GIFTED" to me when Elijah was about 6 or 7.  They were at our house up North for Easter, and when they arrived Elijah said he had a gift for me.   As you can see from my sketch, the package was wrapped by him with all kinds of paper and miles of string and ribbon.  When I finally got it unwrapped I couldn't believe it was his favorite toy, a teddy bear he had since birth.   I said " Elijah, you can't give me your teddy bear, he so special, you've had him since you were a baby."  To which he replied  patting my knee.  "Grandma, I'm a big boy now and you are old, I want you to have him."  I hugged him so tight, and accepted his GIFT OF LOVE.  Jimbo has a permanent place on my...

"Like a Nest Home is a place Where you can feel secure Even when you lay an egg!" Sunday Sketches finds me doing art journal pages.  I have this sign hanging in my kitchen and I find it very true.  We can be ourselves in our homes, and if we mess up we know we are still loved and accepted.  A lot like how God treats us.   When we mess up, he doesn't send fire bolts from heaven, He loving holds us in His Nest, and forgives us and treats us like His children.  Don't you love that?  (I John 1:9) When I was just a young child my father taught me a silly little ditty which I have share some time ago.  But it's fitting today since a Dominecker hem has made it into my journal. Image from googleimages.com One Zip Two Zip Little Ziggy Zan A bob tailed Dominecker Tee, Toe, Tan It doesn't make any sense, a silly little rhyme, but because it was taught to be by my father, which I loss way to young to cancer, it's very special...

Every morning I make a jar of "refrigerator tea".  Know what that is?  Years ago a friend of mine in Chicago told me about this tea.  Everyone who has ice tea at my house agrees it's really good. In a plastic or glass container put 1/4 cup sugar, and little hot filtered tap water to melt the sugar.  Then fill with hot filtered tap water add a family size teabag and put in the refrigerator.  A few hours later you have beautiful amber colored sweet tea. I had several errands to run so the first stop was the little Bistro in Old Town Monrovia.    The cook greeted me as usual.  He's the silent type.  In fact he looked "stoned"....Oh yes, he literally is stone...HaHa   A vanilla latte was just what I needed to go over my lists and make sure I didn't forget any stops or items.   Got home and did forget to get the yarn at Michaels,  Oh well, I got everything else done. When I got home and went out on the ba...

Our daughter and family stopped by this morning so we had  brunch.  I made a zucchini bacon quiche. A few slices of the Cinnamon Sour Cream loaf, watermelon and red grapes. Sunday afternoon I attended a Baby Shower for the daughter of a family that lives at the Villa.  One of the games was to guess how many cookies and cream kisses were in the jar.  I made a wild guess of 122....well the correct amount was 117, so I won the jar!! Have you tried the cookies and cream kisses? The shower was lovely.  My friend, Priscilla, from the Villa and I went together.  It was a lot of fun and a little boy is coming into the family soon.   Saturday we had the pleasure of going to a tournament for Issac and Matthew (Our great grandsons)  Issac and Grandpa.  Grandma with Matthew.  He had finished his division and had  a Popsicle when I grabbed him for a picture.  I'm sure it was good.  It sure gave him rosy lip...

"When carrots evolve ~ they become carrot cake" This has been a very busy weekend so for my Sunday Sketch this week I'm sharing a page I did this week from my Art Journal.  This is a new form of art I've just recently been introduced to.  If you are not familiar with this form it's pretty easy.  You find an old book that you don't mind drawing in, and you use the printed page as your back drop.  It can be something as simple as mine, a sketch in ink and then prismacolor pencils for the color.  Usually they all have a quote or a saying.   Many who are pros at this form do much more intricate pages.  My favorite it Mandy ..check her out.  Click on her name. I love carrot cake...and that's what I'm doing for the first cooking class here at the Villa in October. To see all the other Sunday Sketches just click on the tree badge on my sidebar. 

Last night I combined two of my favorite Italian dishes.  Lasagna and Eggplant Parmesan.  I had a few lasagna noodles, a little hamburger and Ragu sauce, a fresh eggplant and some spinach. First I dipped the sliced eggplant in milk and panko crumbs and browned in a little olive oil.  Drained on a paper towel.  Then I layered meat sauce, noodles, fresh spinach and provolone cheese, another layer with the eggplant. finished off with meat sauce and provolone cheese....the result...Two favorites in ONE!  This morning was in the mood for some Sour Cream Cinnamon Bread...Had all the ingredience, so made a couple. It just looked nice on the table next to the Pumpkin Soup Tureen.  It was only there long enough for a quick picture.  Then I enjoyed every bite while it was warm with a dab of butter.  Mmmm. What's on your Thursday schedule?    

Yeah, Los Angeles got 2" of rain, and we got some of it.  My dearest was so excited he put out one of my bowls to catch some rain water...and he did ~ about 1/2 cup.  My plants were very happy to have some rain water too. We stopped at a couple Thrift Shop stops and found Freddie a new fishbowl, A set of King Size White pillow shams that will work great with my white spread.  Now that the bathroom is in fall colors, this very nice brown hand towel with cute border came home with me.  Two pretty green plates, a brand new Hymnal, and a trash picker upper...(don't know what there official name is). And a new little rooster picture.  How cute it matted in chicken wire and in a little white wood frame.  My kitchen soon will be called the "Chicken Coop".. HaHa. My friend Linda in Texas is the Queen of Thrift Shops and she mentioned in her blog she had hit FIVE yesterday and she got a haul...if you'd like to see it just click on her name. To...

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.      C. S. Lewis The theme for Creative Tuesday is "Dream".   I love this.  I am a dreamer and when I saw C.S. Lewis's quote I immediately thought of laying in the cool grass and letting my dreams soar!  I must confess, most of my dreams are when I'm awake...guess that's day dreaming.   This is a simple sketch then some watercolors...added some sea salt to the grass while it was damp to give some texture.  I got my chin too large..but nobody's perfect!! HaHa  You can see from the painting I still see myself thin and with red hair...see I truly am a dreamer...HaHa To see all the other dreamers.....just click on the C T badge on my sidebar.  Excuse me while I go find a patch of cool grass..... :)

This morning poor Freddie was reduced from his Ritz Townhouse Fishbowl to my mixing bowl.  When I was changing the water and washing his fancy pedestal fishbowl I broke it.  I have been so careful washing it every couple of days, but for some reason it just hit the counter when I was drying it and "CRACK" and it was gone. I have a tiny fish bowl I put him in when I change the water, but it's not even a studio for heaven's sake.   So started looking through my bowls and this is the only glass one I have.  It's a heavy duty mixing bowl, and not very attractive but will have to do until I go shopping. A new bowl for Freddie is on the top my shopping list.  

Saturday morning we went to Jon and Nick's High School for a Pancake Fund Raiser Breakfast.  Our daughter Julie invited us and got the tickets. The pancakes were delicious and breakfast also included sausage, coffee and juice. Besides the good food and being with family, the school band supplied some great background music.  They were playing "Swing Time" and doing a really good job of it. You can see Julie's boys are now handsome young men.  Nick a Junior and Jon a Freshman. When we got home we got a call from our oldest Daughter, Michel and she had a free evening and said she was coming in to take us to dinner.  How could we refuse...HaHa.  My dearest suggested the Claim Jumper and that's were we went. This was my choice and it's the tastiest dish I have in years.  I would do it again in a flash. Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sweet Potato.      Slow-roasted sweet potato stuffed with shredded chicken, gree...

(Click to enlarge and see the details) Sunday Sketches with Alexandra today finds Miss Mouse back on my drawing board.   She wanted to just sit and talk over a Caffe Latte.  I was more than happy to do this since I want to see how she thinks and not just what she does.  She thinks my scones are really good, haha, and the Latte was big enough for both of us.  I love seeing her resting her little arm against the cup.   I did this sketch in pencil, added the ink and then used watercolor pencils and a dab of water here and there for effect. To see all the other Sunday Sketches, just click on the tree badge on my sidebar.

We have had several days of really hot weather, high 90's and threatening to get to 100 +.  Lunches have been cool.  Today it was a bed of lettuce a scoop of chicken salad on tomato slices surrounded by strawberries, pineapple and grapes.  A few crackers on the side. Two of the new flavors we are enjoying are Dill Sea Salt Triscuits  with olive oil, and Rosemary olive oil rounds. It won't be long until the crock pot will be full of steaming soups and stews, but for now...let's keep it "cool". Hope you're having a cool day!

We got a call last week that a dear friend who had been a member of our church for over 25 years had passed away at 90.  The family ask my dearest to have her Memorial Service last Saturday.   We stayed with Ann and Jim more dear friends, and she took me one afternoon to visit a couple of "Barn Boutiques". I took some pictures, and picked up a few treasures for myself.  This corner looked like a Country Store. Lots of roosters and clocks.   Plastic eggs that looked real, but I liked the little basket so bought a basket and left the eggs.  I had another idea for the basket. A room full of all kinds of signs.  AND HERE ARE MY TREASURES    I found this Chicken Wire wall hanger.  Isn't it just too cute.  It fits perfect with my chicken painting and plates.   I decided to use it to hold the dishcloths I've been knitting. This is what I did with my little wire basket.  Fille...

Miss Saturday Mouse is the last of the series.  She spends her Saturday morning baking, and I think she going to share this cake with a friend.  I decided to do a profile on the last one so you could see her cute apron from a side view.  We have followed her through her daily chores and found her having a picnic on her day of rest ~ on Sunday. I'm not very good with collages.  So my week of Miss Mouse are not in order or uniform in size.  But you can see how she spends her week.  You can click to enlarge and see the details.  I tried to do a different fabric on her dress each day. Monday ~ She washes her clothes Tuesday ~ She irons her clothes Wednesday ~ She is knitting a blanket Thursday ~  She cleans her house Friday  ~ She does her weekly shopping Saturday ~ She bakes a cake Sunday ~ She has a picnic in the park. This has been such a fun project.  Not sure I'm finished with Miss Mouse...I feel a story may ...

  Would you please scoot over!! You know this is MY bed! OK, I can curl up in a little spot.  I'm real, you're not!!! A Day in the life of Molly.