Nature abstract

Acrylic on braced luan

I painted this the other day in a frenzy to produce something to fill a blank spot on our bedroom wall. I gathered some leaves and pine cones while out walking Vinny and used them to start drawing shapes. It's rare that I paint something with our house in mind. I usually like to have other people's art up in the house, but can't afford any large pieces.

Abstracts are not usually my thing, but it's growing on me..

Around the corner

I keep passing this corner when I walk Vinny. I wish I could find some wet cement to draw in and watch it fill with moss.

5 minutes a day...

I jumped on the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day bandwagon a few months ago. Thus far I haven't veered off the basic recipe. I ought to try some of the wheat bread soon, but I guess I haven't tired of white bread yet. I've been known to eat a half a loaf right out of the oven with butter and honey (gluten anyone?).

The basic recipe is also really versatile. Aside from free form loaves, you can make sticky buns, pizza dough and dinner rolls with it. I'm still not certain how they calculate the 5 minutes... but it is quick and easy. Not to mention that simply knowing I can whip out some sticky buns at the drop of a hat makes the world brighter.

It's starting to get cold outside

Pillow Talk

I am so excited about these pillows! I'm excited because it's my first project using freezer paper stencils which was so easy, and I'm excited because it's the only thing I've finished in the past 6 months.
We got this uber masculine Ikea couch this summer which I love, but it was in need of a feminine touch to balance it out. Vinny has taken our former couch pillows out of commission, and so I wanted to make some large comfy pillows that could easily be washed.

I drew out some plant silhouettes onto freezer paper using some cuttings from our eucalyptus tree for inspiration.

Then I used an xacto knife to cut out the design and ironed the freezer paper (shiny side down) onto the grey cotton canvas fabric.

I used Jacquard textile paints to fill in the stencil. I wanted something bright against the grey, so used 157 Flourescent Violet and 105 Scarlet Red.

I let things dry overnight and then peeled back the paper and ironed over the print on the reverse side to heat set it.

I know it's only a matter of time before Vinny claims these as his own, but I'm trying to reason with him.

Yes!!

Yes, we have old bananas!

I only like to eat bananas when they're green. If they're not firm, I like them blended up with milk and cinnamon, like a licuado from my Mexico City days. When they get past licuado stage, it's time for banana bread.

This is the 2nd or 3rd loaf I've made from the Bon Appetit Cookbook, I checked out from the library. It's the perfect recipe. Super quick and easy. The bread is sweet, but not too sweet and always comes out moist and perfectly formed. It even tastes better after a few days. The recipe makes 2 loafs:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
1 cup solid vegetable shortening ( I use butter.... ymmmmm butter)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 6)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter & flour 2 9x5x3" metal loaf pans. Mix flour, baking soda & salt & set aside. Beat sugar, shortening (or butter), and vanilla in large bowel ( I use my Kitchen Aide mixer). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well in between. Mix in flour alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each. Stir in mashed bananas & nuts and divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool loaves completely in pans on rack. Remove from pans. Wrap loaves tightly in foil & store at room temperature at least 1 day and up to 3.

Yea... I've gone as far as 5 days, but I'm wild like that.