Oh No, Its Monday!

This weekend blew by just too fast! Maybe because it was so beautiful in the weather department. Most likely it was just 2 days. I'm so badly needing a day to myself right now, to stay home and play in the studio. Right now, am loving the kids at school but am really feeling like there is something more calling me.

Like art play!

Well, that's how life is isn't it?

The other side of the road always looks like the grass is greener.

So, now that I have had my Monday say, let me show you some recent creative endeavors.

The background on this journal page started with lots of stencils (like you can see on the right) that were wiped on between the pages.  Love how this sets some great colored background in a very unplanned style.

Here's how it all started.

My images are all stamped imaged (Chocolate Baroque) using brown and green ink.  I did take a Sharpie afterwards and darken the inks - but I love how these are silhouette images so I can do that without much effort. Finally I sprayed some yellow Dylusions to tie the page together.

Super simple, but what a great way to get the creative juices rolling so I can move onto bigger and better things.

Like my Halloween altered book.

Having SO much fun playing with all my stamps and die and paints in all those fall spooky colors.

Here's a couple of little peeks.

More to show you down the road.

Thanks for stopping by.

It Was a Beautiful Day

Even though it is almost October, it was an absolutely gorgeous day yesterday. The kind of day we New Englanders dream about, need to get outside into, that don't happen enough. The kind of day we wish everyday could be ....ok, I am sure you get my point.

Since I had to take Katie back to school yesterday afternoon, we took a little detour to York, Maine and went for a beach walk. She and I and lots of  other people with the same idea, out enjoying the beautiful day.

Cool shadow shot I took.

I got sand between my toes and it felt wonderful.

Oh yeah, worth the big smile.

We also went out for a late lunch. To Newick's in Dover, New Hampshire.

We split a petite lobster roll and 

a plate of these delicious steamers.

One of my favorites.

What a great day it was !

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

A Little Inspiration

You can always use inspiration, even if you don't think you need you need it.

And when you step out of that zone, this might happen.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Next Version

I have been playing around with the that Smutty Brownie recipe I posted a few weeks back.

I'm sure my newest version is nothing new to all those serious brownie bakers. Seems there are brownie combos  out there in all sorts and forms.

But here's my improvement on the cookie dough, oreo and then brownie layering version.
 http://fat-emma.blogspot.com/2013/09/fast-and-easy-hence-name.html
Here's the link to my earlier post about the original brownies.

(Not that those are bad mind you, just add peanut butter in any form and they get so much better.)

(Thanks Katie for the peanut butter cup suggestion).

Start with a box of these blonde brownie bars. Mix in a bowl and then put at the bottom of your greased pan.
Add these mini-peanut cups on top of the blondies.  They're like candy chococlate chips-YUM!

Then pour a layer of chocolate brownie mix over the top.

(Like the reduced fat makes any differnce at this point!)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes ro so. I ended up needing 40 minutes in my own oven, just so that they are baked.  Less if you like gooey, more if you like dryer brownies.

And you get these delicious treats!!!

Of course, I used Trader Joe's products, being a Trader Joe's junkie.  But you can use any brand you want, or make homemade versions even.

Just saying.

But my guess is you've already made something yummy like this unless you're standing mindless out in left field like I often am.

And if you are like me-

standing out in left field that is-
They were so delicious we ate most of them before I got around to snapping a photo-
just one corner left

I hope you enjoy my recipe adjustment.

Let me know,

OK?
I am going to make another batch and send 3/4 back to college with Katie, just so I don't eat them all!
So glad it is Friday.
Do you have any plans for this weekend?
Me, I am going to (hopefully) make an apple pie and  also make that  pan of these
brownies.
Who knows what else or what I will end up doing.
Thanks for visiting my blog.



Falling for You

I have been feeling pretty creative lately-pulling out my fall and Halloween stamps tends to do that me.  I don't use most of these stamps all year except in the fall, so pulling them out is like getting a  bin of new things. Plus I find fall inspiring-all the leaves turning and the crispness. My homebody gal starts coming out.

I will say there's one thing about fall I don't really like though-

the short days that just keep getting shorter.

Guess it makes the spring and summer all that much sweeter.

So I am showing you a very fallish journal spread. 

A brown painted background. Some traced leaved-once again I die cut the leaves (Sizzix) and then used the paper I die cut from as my stencil. Love that about die cutting- you get twice the fun from one cut.

I added some paint and let it dry.

The next step was to stamp the words (Inkadinkado) and then I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil and some gold Perfect Pearls spray. A bit of doodling to fill in the leaves, and I have my page.

Not my usual complex background, but I am still happy with the results.

Always amazed me how a little change of light makes the leaves and the background colors look slightly different.

This is the stencil I used- called Sunburst.

It adds just enough to the page without overwhelming it.

Sometimes just repeating words or a pattern really makes the page pull together.

Yup, still stuck on patterns.

So glad it is Thursday.

Ready for the weekend!

If only it was Friday-

ha-ha!

See you again soon.

Apples 2

Last Sunday I made it out apple picking.
I had been wanting to go. Something about picking apples and fall.

Saw a sign at the local post office for pick your own apples and followed it.

This farm was only a couple of miles away from my house,

and what a beautiful little gentleman farm it was.

They had apples there that I had never had before, and we could taste while we picked.

YUM.

Amazing how different each variety was

in color, firmness,

shape and taste.

McIntosh, Macoun, Fuji, Liberties, Gala, Crimson Crisps and Honey Crisps, 

Zestars, Ginger Golds, Decosters

and a few others.

Look how purple these are compared the the bright red apples in the top photo.

The rain had cleared away and it was the perfect first day of fall. Picking apples is such a great seasonal way to celebrate.

Time for apple pie, apple crisp, apple cake, apple sauce,

never mind just crunching away on a fresh one.

Ha-ha.

Got to love it.

Man o man- totally random sentence,

but getting up mornings this week is so hard.

Tummy hasn't been quite right and

work is crazy busy-

doing National Honor Society applications this week-

and I just can't get my groove.

Feel like I am 1 day ahead of the kids.

Anyhow, enough of that from me.

Hope you're waking up and roaring to go-

unlike me-

ha-ha.

Come back soon.

Apples 1

Inspired by the season, I decided to make a journal spread about fall.

About apples.

My background is super red: paint, spray ink, stenciling, dripping. I used a Sizzix die to cut out an apple, and then used the leftover from the cut out shape to trace me some apples. I sketched the inner white lines,

and then painted that area white.

Doodled in some apple seeds, some spots, and added some die cut leaves which are sprayed green. Oh yeah, I needed to paint the stems so I did that too.

Then I stamped the words awesome and fabulous and added the word you. I added the little heart on the right too.

I love making my background full of color and texture. I love patterns too.

And I love fall and apples and all that jazz.

Don't you?

Time for me to head out for work.

Thanks for visiting today.

My New Friend

Meet Fritz, my new friend.

I met him at the farm where Katie and I went apple picking yesterday.

He was adorable. Big-he's a workhorse, but sweet and gentle and very friendly.

He loved eating drop apples out of our hands.

He slurped up the apples with his lips and chewed and drooled and oh it was  fantastic.

What a great experience I didn't expect to have.

I haven't been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time around horses in my life, and since my ride in Costa Rica, I have a whole new interest and appreciation of what great animals they are.

 I will go back and pick more apples soon just so I can visit some more with Fritz.

He's such a sweetie.

Thanks for visiting.

The Ocean is Calling

I am a Pisces. I love  the water. I love the ocean. We haven't been on our boat for 4 weeks since Dave's back has been really limiting what he could do. 

But yesterday the back was feeling a lot better and the day was pretty good,

so him and I went out for a little cruise.

Might be our last cruise of this season if the weather gets cold or wet. Boat comes home over Columbus Day weekend. 

And you never know with a New England fall if its going to have a feel of summer or a feel of the oncoming winter.

Here's some photos I snapped.

Wish I had my big zoom lense. There weren't a lot of boats out since offshore was a small craft wave and weather advisory.

And the birds were pretty cool.

Saw a seal too.

Not a very good photo.

Silly gull.

The sun was in and out between clouds and it was a bit windy inshore among the islands in Portsmouth Harbor.

There were still a few tourists in the area too.

Out for a cruise in Little Harbor

enjoying the scenery too.

I'll show you some other photos I took another day.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Did You Know?

Hi everyone-
Happy weekend!
Yesterday I had a fun Costa Rica reunion after work.
It was really fun to get together with my traveling companions.
The rest of my weekend-I am not so sure what's up.
How about you?

So for today
a little of this and a little
of that.
First of all
its my 10 Things Saturday post-
ten things about me: Just random things.
You may not have wanted to know these 10 things,
but now you get to read them.

1- I am very short- just a tad over 5 feet.

2-I have blue eyes.

3-Sage green and other greens are my favorite colors. Second in line is blue. I LOVE color as a whole.

4-If I could wear sandals and a sweater every day of the year I would be in heaven.

5-One thing I can do and forget about time is play with my art supplies.

6-If I could have dinner with 1 person in all of time it would be Julia Child. What a life?

Now I want to add Anne Morrow Lindbergh to that list after reading my last book (The Aviator's Wife).

7-I don't drink coffee but I love coffee flavored ice cream. Give me a good cup of tea any day.
8-I don't like to get up at 4:45  in the morning although once I wake up I am awake. I am more of a morning person though.
9-One thing I don't like about teaching is I really want to take a vacation in May, June , September and October. I could go some place right now.
10-Two things I'd love to do right now- go apple picking and go walk the beach. I also would love a day all to myself to play in the studio. That is what I am missing from summer vacation the most.

So what are 10 things about you that other people might not know?

Also on the book front:

My Latest Read:

Back in the travel reading mode for the moment.

Probably because I am ready to hit the road again.
If only work didn't get in the way-
ha-ha.
Not  a bad read, pretty quick and enjoyable.
And I am stalking out a good pie recipe
lately-
something a little different but
YUMMY!

This book has some pretty delicious looking recipes.
Banana chocolate chip- yes, this is a pie, pie looks good to me right now.
Well, a lot of them look really good actually,
but the one I might go try in the kitchen
first.
And I have 2 books I really want to read-
in a reading mood lately-

The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers.  Its all vampires and magic-
read book 2 (by mistake- didn't realize it was a 2 parter).
Book 2 is called
Hide Me Among the Graves

Bought a used copy that is sitting on my nightstand of The Stress of Her Regard  and I really want to read it.
Also, I did buy this brand new in hardcover.
because I love Crosby, Stills Nash (and Young too).

Wild Tales by Graham Nash.
Can't wait to start that also.

New slippers too. I need them now that it is chilly and making the floors cold.

And I as I mentioned- I hope to go pick apples this weekend- still haven't gotten up to orchard.

This is what I am talking about!

Found a place near me that had a sign up for pick your own apples and I want to go check it out.

Work has, as it always does, gotten very busy.

Feeling a bit stressed and working on the de-stressing.

Everyone around, always needing something from me.

I need a bit of me time.

No, not a bit.

I need a big chunk of me time.

I get a little bit here and there,

guess I am working on that adjustment-

you know, back to work for 5 weeks now and

wishing it was the long slow days of summer.

Anyhow-

enough said.

Happy Saturday.

Blogger's Challenge

Blogger's Challenge this week is for fall cards.

Makes sense since this weekend is the start of autumn.

Mixed feelings about that-

I LOVE fall but it means the end of summer and it means we're getting closer to winter-which I don't like.

But fall is such a beautiful season, and I am glad to get into the fall weather, the cooler temperatures, beautiful leaves and yummy fall comfort foods.

Try to ignore the craft sheet background on this card, but I decorated the cardstock with tape, part of book pages and some Dylusions spray brown ink.

The image is from Chocolate Baroque.

I like images always pop when back on black paper, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek.

Big Boy

Another journal page to show you. A combination of pattern drawings, some spray ink, a cut out picture from an old yearbook, and a bit of coloring, doodling...

Nothing fancy.

No wild or unique techniques.

But the good news-

it is Friday!!!!

This week went pretty fast.

Today we're having a little teacher get together after work-

all us that traveled to Costa Rica back in August.

Can't wait for that-

And looking forward to a little down time and the weekend-

hopefully a little me time too.

Not much else new or exciting here in New Hampshire-

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

Dem Bones

I just like these photos.

I like bones.  I like shells.

I find them fascinating.

The diversity of life is just amazing!

But there's unity within diversity too.

Wish I had had time in Costa Rica to draw these.

I know I said I was done with Costa Rica photos, but these could be anywhere, couldn't they?
Glad you stopped by and took a moment to visit.