A Valentine Treat.....

Chocolate is such a fun food! You can do so many things with it so I thought I'd share one of the ways I spoil my family. Here I melted one bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips in a double boiler over low simmering water. You don't want to go to hot. While this is going on put 8 oz. of cream cheese in your mixer bowl to soften. You will find out later.
Next I lightly oiled, and I do mean lightly as the chocolate will slide down the sides if you over do it, my favorite vintage sand tart molds. With a spoon I spread some of the melted chocolate in and around the mold to cover the bottom and up the sides. You want it thick enough to not break as you take them out of the molds but not too thick as they will be filled with a yummy treat. Next I put about a 1/4 of a cup of the melted chocolate in a squeeze bottle with narrow tip.
I then piped out the chocolate onto wax paper and went over the designs twice to make them stable. The photo above is the heart shell inverted to show you the pattern. I actually put all of these in the fridge to set up. I took them out and tweaked the molds until the chocolate shells pop out. If they don't pop out fairly easily put them in the freezer for a few minutes.
Place the shells on a nice plate, you can line it with a doily or whatever suits your fancy.
Back to the cream cheese. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat on low. While this is going on melt 2 T. butter and add. Now add the leftover chocolate and beat one to two minutes. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and beat until nice and thick. You can add 1/2 t. of vanilla as well. I used a cake decorator bag but you can just spoon the mixer into the chocolate shells. I added the little heart decorations I'd made earlier and then piped whip cream around the edges. Chill covered until ready to serve. Delicious. This recipe will make about 10 cookie size shells and filling.
Enjoy!

Angelia the Angelic

The name makes me want to have another child, just so I can use it....hmmmm I have a grandchild on the way...I could talk my daughter into using the name if she has a daughter....lol. Today as I was putting the finishing touches on this piece my grandson and I went through the button box together.
Emmett was having great fun taking the buttons out of the cigar box and putting them on the paper plate with me. I had to run in and put more flour in the mixer for the bread, and got caught up in something else and before you know it.....

The living room was covered in buttons of all sizes. I walked out and he, in his cute little way, with arms outspread and hands facing me, told me in Emmettator speak, about his reason for decorating the carpet, the couch, and hallway with buttons. He's a good boy though, and helped me pick them all up.
Angelia is my newest creation up on ebay. Take a peek at her auction if you get a chance.

PFATT Marketplace...It's Official!

It's official! I'm so excited to become a part of the fabulous line up of artists on PFATT Marketplace. Many of my friends are there, and folks who's art I've admired for years. I feel like I've finally grown up....lol. My first piece is the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.
***********SOLD!*************
I love Americana and with the inauguration of our new president I'm sharing by creating some Black Americana pieces. These have been very fun for me!
Who doesn't look forward to Spring this time of year and Easter is just around the corner. I used paper doilies pressed into clay to provide a lacy look to this darling bunnie's collar. Check out the slideshow below to see more detail of all these pieces, and then scurry on over to PFATT Marketplace for some fabulous eye candy.

PFATT Video Thanks for stopping by!

Angelica the newest angel on the block....

Though Angelica has fire red hair, her temperament is sweet as can be. She's a combination of sugar and spice and everything nice. Created from wood, with soft wool hair, homespun fabrics, vintage buttons, and scrapbook papers, she's the perfect guardian angel to hang up by your bed, or in your favorite sitting room. Angelica is 20" long from the tip of her halo to the tips of her toes. She's simply sweet!

And the winner is.......

Judy! Congratulations Judy, I will send you an email to get your address so I can get these out to you. To everyone else who took the time to stop by and enter, thanks! Come back again, as there may be more give away fun to come.

Sneak Preview!

Well I can't say Lions and tigers and bears...oh my! But bunnies and a Sam, oh wow! They will soon be found on PFATT Marketplace, and I'll be sure to send you a note to share. This is just a sneak preview of what's to come...and there may be more!

A Rabbit....I saw a rabbit..... WIPS

Oh, yes....he was announcing the Queen of Hearts and then getting ready to run..... Where is he going you ask? Well, you will have to check back and see, I will be announcing that soon. He will also be joined by a few of his friends, including Uncle Sam. History and Bookland Classics are just a few of the places my creative mind wanders. So stop by again and lets wander together. By the way, if you haven't done so yet, scroll down to the announcement of our AHA Valentine Give away and get your name in, and then click on the banner to the right and follow the links to the other give away opportunities. Have fun!

Angelique ....Angels are among us....

Sweetness and light are emanating from her face as she looks upward with hope. Angelique was created using acrylics on heavy watercolor paper. The painting was mounted on layers of papers, embellished with lace, beads, feathers and a brass locket. She comes ready to hang and has a scripture verse on the back ... And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel.....Numbers 20:16. Stop by my ebay auctions to see her today.

AHA Valentine Give Away!

At AHA our hearts are all a flutter because we are hosting our first Blog give away! Several of our artists have created lovely goodies for you to try and win. All are celebrating Valentines Day so share the love with your friends and tell them to stop by our main AHA blog, and see who all is participating. All you have to do is leave a comment here and your email address and you will be entered to win my two "love note" cards with matching envelopes. These were created with graphically altered prints of a new angel painting I will have up on Ebay starting tomorrow. I added layers of scrap book papers or doilies, and sweet little Valentine stickers, glitter, and lettering so that each one is an original. I'm off to see what my fellow artists have listed on their blogs so drop me and line here, then follow me to the AHA blog by clicking on the banner to the right. Oh, the give away ends on Saturday the 7th so you will by notified if you win and asked for a mailing address to send your gift. Thanks for stopping by, and have fun!

Angelina, angel of love....

Love flies softly on the wings of angels
with tender words and hearts to share...
A kiss, a touch of loves first blush
as lovers eyes gaze into eternity....
And pledge forever love,
as hearts take flight on the wings of love.

See Angelina now on ebay!

Obama Inaugural Commemorative Ornament

Ben has a big smile on his face as he knows he's going to be celebrating big time next week! Another Black Americana piece, Ben was created using an egg shaped gourd. Check him out on ebay right now......

Celebrate America!

It's time to celebrate a new year and new president. Whether you voted for or against the incoming president we all have the opportunity to see history in the making. Many did not expect to see this upcoming day, when we would vote a black man into the office of the presidency, but I say, why not?! We are supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. No matter who they are, what their ideology is, it takes a certain amount of bravery to run for office in this day and age. So let's say thanks to the out going president for his efforts to keep us safe and secure, and thanks to the new president to be for being willing to tackle such a huge mountain of tasks that will come his way. In my efforts to get into the mood of the celebration I've created this Primitive Black Americana Uncle Sam. He stands 27" tall, so he would make an impressive addition to your Americana collection. Find him on ebay today.

American Holiday Artists and a day of rest

If you are looking for something beautiful to ponder go to the AHA blog and see what some of our artists are cooking up. There are bunnies, and horses, and kitty's and more. Our wonderful director Suzanne Urban has guided us in bringing on board the best of the best in creative arts. We have an excellent role of artisans who are from all walks of life, but who have the same goal to bring beauty and joy into the lives of their collectors. Come take a peek and you will see what I mean.


For those who like a moment of reflection here's a wonderful Sabbath day poem I found that I would like to share.


A Day of Quietude by Reid Crowell
It would not be at all amiss if we
Took one whole day to live deliberately....
To leave the ceaseless whirl and seek a lane
And walk its peaceful, shadowed length again
With thoughts attuned to nature's growing things;
To hear the feathered whir of thrushes' wings,
To stand in silence by a curving stream,
Unruffled by a vagu or fretful scheme;
To hearken to the whisper of the grass
As over it the playful breezes pass,
To bring our scattered selves to bear until
We really see the sky beyond the hill.
To have an evening meal with prayerful grace,
To note attention to a spoken word
And try to show we have truly heard;
To gain a calm in which to hear a sage
Speak from the frame of some old classic's page.
And underneath the sprinkle of the stars
Look upward from the earth and all its scars.
We would face days ahead in better mood
For living one bright day in quietude.

Coco, A sweet chocolate cupcake doll

Coco is my newest offering on Ebay. She is a sweet little chocolate cupcake doll. Made from muslin, hand painted and embellished with sparkly frosting trims. She's sweet, adorable, and ready to fill your home with love! As always each of my creations are one of a kind

originals. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you are having a creative and restful weekend.

Beatrice Bunny is gearing up for Easter....yes....already....lol

Isn't she a darling little lady, all spiffed up for the parade? Well, actually she's been trying on different outfits, as Beatrice never likes to wait until the last minute. And since this is such a big event she does want to look her best. For a little FYI here's a link to see how big the Easter Parade has grown in New York City.

A New Venture.....

When you have an Aha! moment, and figure something out that has been haunting you for awhile its the best feeling in the world, well okay next to a hug from your grandchild or your husband tells someone on the phone how beautiful he thinks you are... 

Okay, so I talked my husband into letting me have a macbook for my birthday last year. I struggled at first having used a PC all my computer life, so I asked my dear friend and co leader of AHA what to do and she told me to start googling for all the things I needed to figure out. Wow! I never dreamed it would open up so many doors to creativity! But it has, and I'm addicted to designing on my computer now. So to feed my addiction I'm offering my services, for a fee of course, to help design banners, blog pages, auction templates and so on. So, if you like what you see for my back round and banner, contact me and let's get creative! I will still be working on my sculpts, paintings, ornaments, and dolls, but this is so much fun that I want to share it with you. I will be creating pages with links here on my blog and hopefully my website, with samples of my work that you can choose from, or we can do a custom design. 

Oh, and the photo above? My mom, grandma and great grandma. Aren't they beautiful? Mom was only not quite 2 there. She is my inspiration.....

Sweet Suzie Snowgirl

Sweet Suzie snowgirl is all decked out, just in case her favorite snowman rolls on down the hill. She is created from a bottle gourd, a perectly prim little lady. You can find her now on ebay so click here.

Chocolate for breakfast anyone?

Twas the day before Christmas Eve and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except this little mouse. I stole to the kitchen, great treats to prepare.... in anticipation of my family, who would soon be there.
I put butter, and sugar in a large pot to melt, and toasted some almonds while tingling with the excitement I felt. I stirred and I stirred until the syrup turned golden, and added the almonds and poured into the waiting pie tin. I sprinkled some chocolate chunks over this sweet treat....and soon they melted from the candies warm heat. So I spread the chocolate from edge to edge, and dusted the chocolate with fine walnuts and set the pan on a cool ledge. Oh yes, as a cook I surely know this that toffee and chocolate in the morning......is absolute bliss!

A Special Wish for You!

On this Christmas Eve I wish to thank all who have made this such a wonderful year for me. No matter how you celebrate, may the spirit of the season fill your home with peace, love and joy. Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

We were making a cake and then there was an explosion........

The little elf you see in this picture was the cause of the explosion... he reached for the mixer switch before I could stop him and whoosh! Flour and sugar and pumpkin and all sorts of stuff all over as you can see. Emmett the elf loves being my helper, but he requires close supervision as he has no elf control yet. But, as all good little elves, he is willing to go to an elf improvement course to learn. So after Christmas, we shall start getting him ready for next Christmas.

I like what you've done here too!

"Oh, you did such a wonderful job on the tree!", I told the elves. They were so pleased they forgot to ask for their cookies....which is good as I still need to bake some for them.

Well, okay, I did bake some, but somehow they disappeared....hmmm... I wonder.....
Oh, and the card display is perfect! It's easy to add to, and I can reuse the ribbons year after year! Pssst. I will tell you how they did it if you want......

The elves are done!

"I like what you've done here!", I told them as I was taking photos. I love my Santa collection! My faceless Santa in the middle was created by a dear friend from North Pole, Alaska as a thank you for letting all the sisters invade my Anchorage apartment for a sleep over. We were stacked everywhere, and boy was I glad to have 2 bathrooms there....lol. All but three of these Santas were created by me, Susan of Seasonal Whimsies created the darling Santa with the string of lights in the middle of the smaller group photo. The other Santa created by a wonderful artist Linda, of Gourdqueen Originals, is the Santa on the far left. He is a tall gourd in natural colors with a large hand sculpted sunflower. Now I'm off to take photos of my favorite ornaments on my tree. I hope you are having a wonderful season so far!

Snowmen everywhere!

Here a snowman, there a snowman, everywhere there's snowmen! I've added these darling pieces to my listings on ebay so head on over and check them out. The bear ornament has a gift box attached and will hang on your tree. The Santa snowman gourd is a large piece, and very fun. You will smile each time you see him. The little snowman is another gift box shelf sitter.

Oh, and an update on the elves....they are still working, but want more cookies so I'd better get to it. Will post the results of their efforts tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! PSSSSSSST! The large snowman, and small gift box snowman are sold!

Santa's Elves have struck again.....

and just look at the mess they created! They have said they will only finish if I make some cookies, so Emmett and I will make some spritz cookies this afternoon and see if that works. I will post more photos....IF.... the Elves follow through on their part. Off to get those cookies started.....

Let the Christmas Season Begin!!!!!

The best way to start the Christmas season in Utah is to go to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Hundreds of workers spent many hours checking bulbs and wrapping strands of lights around trees and bushes on Temple Square and the effect is breathtaking! We went there last night after having gone to a movie, "Australia", which I highly recommend. Then we went to the La Cai restaurant for Vietnamese Pho soup, which is a rich broth with loads of noodles, chopped green onion and strips of beef. You add fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, a squeeze of lime, fresh jalapeno slices and for my family lots of Sriracha sauce and feast on the heavenly fare. The bowls are huge so I never can finish mine, which is fine as this makes a great breakfast too! So then we went downtown and joined the hundreds of other people wending their way slowly to the square where the lights were so clear and twinkly. They have several Creches on display, as well as hand cut luminaries with greetings in many different languages, that lined the stone flower beds. Believe it or not, there were still some hardy pansies blooming in the beds. It was relatively warm for this time of year so many folks had light jackets on and the atmosphere was festive yet peaceful. A must see if you ever come this way during the holiday season.

The most important reason to be thankful.....

is my faith in God. Without our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, none of what we have would be possible. I have been so blessed, even though there have been some very serious tragedies and circumstances in my life, to know that they are up there watching over me. The most precious gift of the gospel has been a lamp to light my way and my wish is that everyone could know and understand this for themselves. May the Lord bless and keep you during your Thanksgiving holiday.

The 6th reason I have to be thankful is friends....

Friends are what keep us from being too weird! If we only focus on family we lose sight of the outside world around us. We forget that service to others keeps us from being too selfish, and that receiving service from others, keeps us humble. Here are three examples, the kids helping paint our house in Oregon. Without them we would have another summer of painting to look forward to. They had fun, and got so much done that I will have little to worry about next year. The next photo shows friends supporting Annie in our celebrating her completion in her Young Women Personal Progress. We have a program at church that encourages our young ladies to develop their talents in many areas of their lives. Annie completed her goals and that day was awarded with a beautiful gold medallion she can wear as a reminder that she can do what she sets out to do, as she stays faithful to her beliefs.
The next photo is of a friend and her grand daughters. I had a class this summer to teach friends how to create the little Santa ornaments I make from gourds. This was so much fun, and gave me such satisfaction that I could share what I know with friends. They went on to create Christmas gifts for family and that is wonderful! I don't have photos of my online friends, but in my ebay group AHA I have met some wonderful creative folks that have shared their talents with all of us so we can learn and grow in our own creativity. I've made new friends, and am enjoying the time I get to spend with them. Friends are so important!

Reason #5 to be thankful......

Knowledge, the knowledge I have now and what I have yet to
gain. I'm grateful for the knowledge I've acquired to be able to create paintings like the one you see here. I'm grateful to know how to gain more knowledge. The freedom to learn, to strengthen the talents we are blessed with, and share with others are all intertwined. And with that freedom to learn, I'm grateful to be able to discern what is right and wrong, and get rid of untruths. Our intelligence, personality, and willingness to choose good over evil are the only things we can take with us into the next life.