It's a Colorful Life Challenge- Brown

This week's color is BROWN.  I don't remember when I took this photo of a tree (or why) but it sure came in handy this week. :)

Every week (or so), I will present a new color in my blog and it will be your job to contribute a photo of that color.  I will collect all the photos and put them together in a collage.  And at the end of the summer, we will have a very colorful piece of art! At the end of the challenge,

 I will also pick 1 participant to win a print of the art piece, mounted on 1 inch thick wood frame.

This challenge is hosted by Creative Flair.  Be sure to follow to get the update as we go through the colors this summer.

Photo by Hubby

Frauke Avent    

   

                                                        



Just added this one.  Sunlight coming through the window produced a great shadow of wine legs.    

Bob McGinley    

 
                                        

Where Bloggers Create

No, it's not that attractive or interesting. This couch has been the place where I would sit and write my blogs.  It was comfortable, that's for sure.   But, it is no longer.  It is packed up with the rest of all my things as we move to our new house.  And I am so excited! 

I will FINALLY get to have my own studio for all my creations and a place for a desk.  In this studio, I will have my easel for my paintings, an island table for ongoing projects, a desk for my beloved laptop and STORAGE.  Oh, how I have dreamed of a place to keep all of my art things neat and tidy.  And I'm sure my family will appreciate not having my artwork all over the house.

I have even decided on the look of the room:  Burnt orange walls with lime green wavy lines circling the ceiling line and the word CREATE spelled out on individual canvases.

I Can't Wait!!!

Friends

4 boys being boys.  They climbed to the top of the hill, slid all the way down on their butts.  You can only imagine how dirty they were.  

4 Boys having a great time...just being boys.

Wordless Wednesday- 1991 Heitz Cellar Cabernet

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Spiced Popcorn

This original recipe post is from a favorite blog of mine, Food, Wine, & Pod Podge.  I highly suggest giving her a visit.
Start by popping 1/2 cup popcorn in the way that you like. We sometimes do air popped popcorn, but for this recipe, we decided to use Alton Brown's Perfect Popcornpreparation method.

We used 1/2 cup popcorn with 2 tbs peanut oil.




Toss to coat the kernels in oil, and quickly cover tightly with aluminum foil.



Poke a few holes in the top to allow the steam to vent.



Keep it constantly moving so the kernels don't settle. It will start to pop fairly quickly. Don't stop shaking the bowl until all kernels are popped, approximately 3 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside.

Now grab the ingredients for the spiced topping.



- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (the recipe calls for cayenne, but I couldn't find our cayenne so I substituted it with the chipotle powder)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt

And of course, we can't forget the most important ingredient of all...



Butter! The recipe calls for 4 tbs, or 1/2 stick.

Melt the butter, and then add the dry ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the ingredients have melded together.



Now go back to your big bowl of popcorn, and very slowly drizzle about 1/4 of the spice mixture on top. Toss the popcorn, and add 1/4 more, then toss, 1/4 more, toss, the last 1/4, and toss again. The goal is even coverage of the popcorn, so however it works for you!



Now dig in! This is an awesome salty-savory-sweet popcorn, and it goes great with a Corona on a lazy Saturday afternoon! Enjoy!

A New From of Discipline

Have YOU seen THESE?

These things are called Silly Bands.  They are little plastic bracelets in various shapes; zoo animals, rock band, dinosaurs, etc.  Lots of different shapes and lots of different colors, so attractive to little eyes.  Not very attractive to mommy's eyes.  At $5.99 for 24 for of them, they get not much more than an eye roll from me. 

BUT, the boys are fascinated with them and I am using it to my advantage.  Notice how my son poses when I tell him I want to take a picture of the bands.  Are those the CUTEST guns you've ever seen? 

 So here we are at dinner, with the new bands and after a very busy day of packing, the boys are acting up just a bit.  I'm tired! I'm tired of packing and I'm tired of asking the boys to stop goofing off and nagging them.  

Then it hits me.  I tell them that every time I have to nag re-ask them to do something, I will take one of their new bands.  Instant silence. 

I think I've got 'em.

I tell them they can earn them back by being good, but that this is how it's going to work for now.  The older one says "This is not a good plan". 

So far, after approximately 2 1/2 hours of being in effect, 1 band has been lost and re-earned.  In fact, just a minute ago, I reminded them it was time to go to bed after letting them talk for awhile.  They, of course continued to giggle.  I told them they would both lose a band if they continued and instantly,

NO MORE NOISE.  

Well, let me tell you that I am one happy mommy today, maybe even tomorrow.  We will have to see how long this one works.  

Buffet Place Setting

Original article from Martha Stewart.com

I saw these placemat settings for a party and thought they were sooo cute.  I have to try this.

Bundle place mat, napkin, and utensils in one convenient roll. Begin with a reed mat and 18 inches of 3/4-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon. Thread ribbon from below, between first and second reeds from right (leaving 6-inch overhang). Thread down a few reeds away. Bring up about 1 1/4 inches from right edge. Loop knife handle; pass through mat. Do the same over fork and napkin. Roll up mat from left. Tie ribbon bow around roll, and trim.

It's a Colorful Life Challenge- Black

This week's color is BLACK.  These are 4 different pictures of a Lunar Eclipse that my husband took and I spliced them together in Photoshop. 

Every week, I will present a new color in my blog and it will be your job to contribute a photo of that color.  I will collect all the photos and put them together in a collage.  And at the end of the summer, we will have a very colorful piece of art! At the end of the challenge,

 I will also pick 1 participant to win a print of the art piece, mounted on 1 inch thick wood frame.

This challenge is hosted by Creative Flair.  Be sure to follow to get the update as we go through the colors this summer.

These are some great photos that have been submitted

Bob McGinley

Frauke Avent

So, just send on over any photo with the major color in the photo being black and I will show off a few here and on my Facebook page every week,  So, get your cameras out and send over those photos.  You can find my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/creativeflairart

Post - It Thought #2- Haiku

Wordless Wednesday- Sunning Turkey Vulture

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