Soft Spring Bunny Watercolor 8×10
Everything
that is real
was imagined
first.The Velveteen Rabbit
I “real”ly enjoyed
painting this
soft Spring bunny
with a bright, hopeful eye.
I never would have
“imagined”
just a couple years ago
that I could possibly
consider myself an
artist.
Imagine
it
Real.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
That Moment.
That moment when a drip of water
crystallizes into ice with a single degree drop in temperature.
That moment when your eyes meet
and you truly see, and you immediately understand completely.
That moment when a song comes on
and memories and long-forgotten feelings flood your heart and soul.
That moment when the ringing phone
brings startling news that suddenly changes everything.
That moment when a single spark
ignites a rip-roaring, intensely scorching, blazing fire.
That moment of quiet wonder amidst the clamor
that reminds us that blissful peace is within reach.
That moment…
just one of the many…
that define our lives.
Cherish that moment.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Easy Sausage and Vegetable Quiche.
For those days when you want a hearty, substantial supper, but don’t feel like putting a lot of time and effort into it, this simple recipe is just the ticket.
It’s full of protein and veggies and could really be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
The secret to it being easy is in the fact that you don’t have to prepare a crust. You simply use a little bit of baking mix (like Biquick) to create an almost crust-like texture.
And the options are limitless for what you can put in for your protein and veggies. Exchange the sausage for bacon or chicken or turkey or ground beef. You could even leave the meat out and just add more veggies. Throw in any favorite vegetables you have in your fridge – mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, kale, tomatoes….. And use any kind of cheese you love. Exchange the cheddar for Swiss or muenster or provolone or mozzarella or even blue cheese or feta.
You get the idea… right? Toss in whatever you like, and you can have a wide variety of quick and easy meals.
I was recently reminded of this recipe when I came across a version of it at The Speckled Pumpkin. It reminded me of years ago making all of those “impossible” pies…. Impossible Cheeseburger Pie, Impossible Taco Pie, Impossible Lasagna Pie, Impossible Tuna Pie…. Anybody else remember the Impossible Pie craze? I may be back in the mood for these!
Serve it with a salad or side of roasted potatoes or even some chunky applesauce.
Here is how I made mine for our Sunday Supper last night.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Put sausage in bottom of stoneware deep dish baker or your favorite 2-quart round casserole dish or deep dish pie pan. Top with chopped onions, pepper, broccoli, and cheese.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk and baking mix with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour over sausage, veggies and cheese.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Dear Dictionary –
We’ve
talked about this
before…
Your book is lacking
a few words
I so desperately need.
I’ve already told you
there needs to be
a word created
to describe the
the overflowing feeling
of love
I feel
when I think
of my granddaughter.
Other grandparents
understand
this conundrum…
But now
I need
another word…
I watched
the movie
“Mudbound.”
An Academy Award
nominated
film
for best supporting actress,
best cinematography,
and best writing of an adapted screenplay.
And at the end,
I sat
speechless.
The anger…
The hatred…
The sorrow…
The heartache…
The hope…
The compassion…
The conviction…
The love…
Dear Dictionary,
can you give me the word
that describes all of this wrapped up in one?
And then I listened
to the closing song,
Mighty River.
and
I
cried.
I so want to talk
about this
powerful film.
But I don’t
want to
spoil it
for those
who haven’t
seen it.
Please
watch
it.
And let me share the opening verse to Mary J. Blige’s Song, Mighty River:
Life is a teacher, time is a healer
And I’m a believer like a river wild
Ego’s a killer, greed is a monster
But love is stronger, stronger than them all.
Can we
please
let Love Be Stronger than them All?
Please.
Hugs,
Jodi
Snow at Daybreak – Mars, PA – January 2018
Snow at Daybreak.
I stumble through
the early morning darkness
heading to the kitchen
for that first cup of coffee
to help prop open
my bleary eyes.
On my way,
I flip the switch
that turns on
the flood light
shining out
into the backyard.
What could be
more beautiful
than bright white
fluffy snowflakes
fluttering down
on a cold January morning?
Snow at Daybreak.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Midnight Snack Attack Cookies
Midnight Snack Attack Cookies.
“Oh No She Didn’t!!”
Oh Yes I did!!!
I made a cookie for those midnight cravings when you can’t decide if you want sweet or salty….. chips or peanuts….. a chocolate bar or a cookie……..
Yep… I put it all together in one glorious cookie I’m calling the Midnight Snack Attack Cookie!
Midnight Snack Attack Cookies
I simply started with my go-to cookie dough recipe for chocolate chips, but reduced the flour a smidge to make these cookies a little crispier. I then added some seasoned dry roasted peanuts and salty, crunchy potato chips with the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
The combination is HEAVENLY.
Use any kind of nuts you like. How divine would these be with cashews or salty pecans??!! I also think I would like to try them next time with barbecue potato chips. I think it would really kick these up a notch! Replace the chocolate chips with chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups or Butterfinger candy bars.
Go Crazy! It IS a midnight snack attack fix after all…
Midnight Snack Attack Cookies
I received a gift basket of gourmet cookies for Christmas that had some fun combinations of cookies in them that inspired me to try these. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Here is my recipe.
Ingredients:
4 sticks (1 lb.) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
4 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups Nestle Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts
2 cups lightly crushed potato chips
Directions:
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.
Fold in chocolate chips and peanuts. Place dough onto counter and gently add in potato chips, folding in with your hands and trying not to crush the potato chips too much. Put dough in large Ziploc bag, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1 inches in diameter. Place on baking stone. Bake for approximately 11 minutes. Allow to cool on baking stone for 10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
ENJOY!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Red Crimson Abstract Floral Watercolor 11×14 140 lb coldpress
Red Crimson Abstract Floral Watercolor.
I was reading a blog post by one of my favorite artist bloggers, Debi Riley, where she discussed a technique where she starts her watercolor painting with white….
White!
Those that know a little bit about watercolor painting know using white is almost taboo – as the goal is to “preserve” the white by not painting where you want white/light to remain. Which, by the way, is a constant challenge, but one that makes watercolor so exciting!
So Debi talked about applying a wet white wash down first and allowing another color to merge into it while it is still damp. The white paint acts like a soft velvety foundation that the other paints react to in beautiful ways.
I first tried it just on a small 6×9 scrap piece of paper, and then I made three large 11×14 versions (the first two of which were torn up for more scrap practices). I rather liked how this one turned out, and I want to play more…… more with these colors and more with others. Such a fun, different way to watercolor!
Paints used for this were Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson, Indigo, and New Gamboge, along with Winsor & Newton White Gouache.
I first spritzed my paper lightly and randomly with water. I then painted on some white gouache with a large brush in bold strokes that resembled flower “petals.” I then dropped in Alizarin Crimson and dragged it a bit in similar flower petal strokes. I then lightly spritzed again to create movement, and I moved my paper around a bit. I then dropped in some new gamboge and indigo and lightly spritzed again. Then the hard part…. wait…. wait… wait – and don’t fiddle. Walk away and allow it to do it’s own blending while drying. A couple hours later, I returned to it and saw the fun blooms and splashes created by all the water on the paper. I added a few more touches of indigo to darken, splashed a teensy bit of crimson, and called it a painting.
What do you think?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Heart Bouquet of Love Watercolor
A Bouquet of Love.
If I could pick the perfect bouquet,
I’d pick a bouquet of love.
It would be filled with memories of special kisses…
a first from a shy young man who I still get to kiss goodnight each evening before falling asleep,
a first on the forehead and nose and cheeks and mouth of each of my baby boys the day they were born,
a first on the forehead and nose and cheeks and mouth of my granddaughter the day she was born,
the last one I gave my grandma when we said our final goodbyes,
the ones I watched each of my sons give to their wives on the days they said “I do.”
It would be filled with memories of special hugs…
that one my dad gave me when we first saw each other after almost 40 years apart,
the one his wife gave me the day she met me and told me my dad always promised her a daughter, and now she had one,
the ones I receive and give upon greeting and saying farewell to friends and family I love so dearly.
It would be filled with memories of cherished moments…
those every day moments –
a text, a Snapchat, a phone call, a visit,
walks with Charlie,
sunrises, sunsets, snowfalls, birds tweeting,
a card or letter or package received.
So as I spent just a teensy bit of spare time last evening
doodling and splashing paint to create a simple, inspired* Valentine,
I created a bouquet of love.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*Pinterest inspired watercolor – source unknown
A Snowy Stroll at Sunset – January, 2018 – Mars PA
What We Would Miss.
If we didn’t go out
to explore
or saunter
or simply to
unwind,
think of
all the
things we
would
miss.
Walking
isn’t always
just about
the exercise
for our body.
It can
also be
a break
for our
mind.
An opportunity
to commune
spiritually
with oneself
and nature.
If I didn’t allow
myself
the gift
to get out
and walk,
this
one
beautiful
moment
in
time…
Look
what
I would
have
missed.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Icicle – Dealing with Change – Mars PA January 2018
Dealing with Change.
If you
think
you can’t
deal
with
change,
think of
the drop
of water
who froze
in
midair
when the
brutally
cold wind
met
it.
It became
an
intricate flake
that
landed
on the rooftop
and joined
the
others
to form
a
soft
white,
fluffy
blanket.
Then
the sun
came out
and
warmed
it
just
enough
to create
a crystal
clear,
hard,
solid
icicle.
The sun
grew
warmer yet,
and
the icicle
melted.
The
drop of
water
fell
to the
earth
and
watered
the ground
where
the tree
grew
that
provided
shade
when
the sun
grew
even
warmer
yet.
It went
through
all that,
and
remained
beautiful
in
every
stage.
If a
drop of
water
can manage
through
all that,
You, too,
can
deal
with
change.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 