birthday

Lucas the Lucky Lion

/ Jodi / 75 Comments

Lucas the Lucky Lion OriginalWatercolor Painting – 11×14

Lucas the Lucky Lion.

In a faraway land that was known as Zion,
lived Lucas, the exceedingly lucky little lion.

No matter the game – played morning or afternoon,
Lucas the lion was always the most opportune.

He seemed to be blessed
with the very best success.

And never did he possess
even the teeniest bit of stress.

Lucas knew he was king
of kickball and juggling.

This extremely lucky lion was tops at kicking balls and batting.
He even stole the show when dribbling, dunking, and passing.

But the thing that made Lucas the luckiest of all –
the skill that made him so very exceptional…

Was Lucas the Lucky Lion’s quintessential charm.
For there wasn’t a friend or foe he couldn’t charismatically disarm.

************************************************

Lucas the Lion is a special surprise for one of my BFs.  I was looking for recommendations on what to paint after taking a little break for the holidays, and she requested a Lucas the Lion and Harper the Hippo for her two grandchildren, who are fans of Klaus the Mouse.

I thought you might like to see a bit of the process I go through for a painting.

First I draw a pencil sketch.

Once I am happy with a design, I either redraw in pencil on watercolor paper or use a light box to trace the basic outline.

If the pencil markings are too dark, I then use a kneaded putty eraser to lighten up the lines.  If needed, I use some masking fluid to preserve any areas I want to assure stay white.

I then consider colors using my watercolor swatch charts, choose a few brushes I may use, fill my water bucket, and assure paper towels and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge are handy.

I am then ready to put on my first wash of paint.

After the first wash is dry, I rub off the masking fluid, and I begin adding layers, allowing to dry as necessary until I am happy with the painting.

Once my original is finished, I take the best photo I can of it for printing.  Most all of my paintings are available in our McKinneyX2Design Etsy shop in prints (sizes 11×14, 8×10, and 5×7 – matted or not) and greeting cards, like below.  For those friends who are local, my daughter-in-law (who makes beautiful rustic wood pallet signs) and I also have our art on display and available at Berry Vine Gifts in BradfordWoods, PA.  You can find all of our information here.

  

Look for Harper the Happy Hippo in my next post here at The CreativeLifeInBetween, which is scheduled to post Tuesday.

By the way, if you are interested in a custom watercolor painting of an animal character for a child you love, you can order via our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop at this link.  Let me know the child’s name and the animal you would like.  It will be an 11×14 original watercolor painting.  If you would like an original rhyming poem to go with it, that can also be ordered for an additional charge.  It will come printed on an 8.5×11 sturdy cardstock sheet that can also be framed.  Please allow two weeks for any custom orders.

My artwork can also be made into pillows and clocks and coasters and mugs and tote bags and a lot of other fun things – all available at Society6.  Let me know if there is a piece you like that I should add there.

Lucas the Lion Pillow

I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of this new year and settling back into your normal routines after the busy holiday season.  It was good to undecorate from the holidays yesterday and find time to paint again.

Happy Sunday!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Sprinkle Cookies

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

Sprinkle Cookies.

There was an old lady (well – let’s call her middle-aged)
who lived in a house.

She had so many sprinkles,
she didn’t know what to do.

So she poured them in batter
with butter and sugar,

and whipped them all soundly
and put them in the oven.

I found a recipe for Half Pound Sugar Cookies, which I slightly adapted to “normal” sized cookies, from Cookies & Cups.

These fun, buttery cookies just make you smile and are a great way to celebrate!  They kind of remind you of eating birthday cake in a cookie!

The family loved them.  They are just enough crispy on the outside with a tender, chewy inside to be the perfect combination.

Here is how I made them.

Sprinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp.
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2-3 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix butter and sugar with electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda, and continue mixing until well incorporated.  Add in flour on low speed just until combined.  Stir in sprinkles with wooden spoon.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and bake on a baking stone or cookie sheet for 9-11 minutes until edges just begin to brown.  Cool on cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor

/ Jodi / 50 Comments
Kathy's Bluebird in Watercolor - 11x14 140 lb cold press

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor – 11×14 140 lb cold press

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor.

I finally remembered to post a bird painting on the right day for Draw a Bird Day which a gang of friendly, artistic bloggers celebrates of the 8th of every month (when we remember!).

Kathy, who blogs at Backyard Bird Nerd, always supplies us with plenty of great inspiration with her bird photography.  She recently captured a photo of an Eastern Bluebird that caught my eye and inspired this very loose interpretation.  I used her bird as a model, but had fun splashing it up in the loose style I love to do.  I took some artistic license in changing the piece of wood to a twig, adding the tail feathers that were hidden in her photo, making it a bit more of a summery, green scene instead of winter, and having some fun with color.  Awww – the beauty and freedom of art!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This bluebird painting is dedicated to the memory of my brother, Johnny, whose birthday would have been today.  RIP John P. Towle – February 8, 1964 – December 27, 2016.  You remain in my heart always.

This painting (original, prints, and cards) is available at McKinneyX2Designs as well as Berry Vine Gifts.

Daniel Smith watercolors used:  Cerulean Blue, Indigo, New Gamboge, Cadmium Orange, Olive Green, Perylene Green, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Umber.

Be a Sunflower

/ Jodi / 72 Comments

Be a Sunflower.

Be a sunflower
on a cold winter day…

A burst of sunlight
when the clouds are heavy and gray.

Grow in places
people never thought possible.

Have a sturdy stalk and soft petals…
be wild and unstoppable.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

This little poem was inspired by a birthday bouquet of flowers from hubby.   As I gazed at them sitting bright and beautiful on the kitchen table despite the bitter cold and gray just inches away through the window, I realized we can all be bright and sturdy and soft and wild and unstoppable no matter what we or others think is or is not possible.  So let’s be a sunflower today.

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Triple Layer Cake

/ Jodi / 80 Comments

Peanut Butter Chocolate Triple Layer Cake.

Our family is pretty much huge fans of Reese’s peanut butter cups and all things peanut butter and chocolate.

So when it came time to celebrate one of my son’s birthdays recently, I was excited to try this Peanut Butter Chocolate Triple Layer Cake recipe I found at Life, Love, and Sugar.

Disappoint it did not!!! Oh the chocolately peanut buttery amazingness!

Want to see it a little closer?!

This cake is not for the faint of heart….  yes -it is only for the most serious of chocolate and peanut butter addicts!

Want to see what a slice of it looks like?

Yep – that is three heavenly layers of moist chocolate cake separated only by a fluffy peanut butter frosting and chopped up Reese’s peanut butter cups!

Can you even stand it??!!

As much as we all love our peanut butter cups, we decided this cake would be just as delicious or possibly even better with half the frosting, so that is how I will likely make it next.

You decide – half the frosting or all…. but I’m betting you are going to be somebody’s super hero if you make and serve this cake!

Here is how I made it.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Triple Layer Cake

  • Servings: 1 large cake
  • Print

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:

  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1/2 cup canola (or vegetable) oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup hot water

Peanut Butter Frosting:

  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 9 cups powdered sugar
  • 6-8 Tbsp half and half

Chocolate Ganache:

  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Garnish:

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare three 9″ cake pans by spraying them with Pam Non-Stick Cooking Spray then placing a parchment circle on the bottom.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt in a bowl.

Combine milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in an electric mixing bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixing bowl, and mix until well combined.

Slowly add the hot water to the batter, and mix on low speed until well incorporated.

Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove pans from oven, and allow cake to cool in pans for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.   When completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for several hours, overnight or for several days or weeks.

When ready to assemble cake, prepare frosting by combining the butter and peanut butter with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Slowly add half the powdered sugar until incorporated.  Add half of the half and half and combine.  Add remaining powdered sugar, then remaining half and half, and combine until smooth and fluffy frosting is formed.

Place first layer of cake on a serving plate.  Top with frosting and 3 chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups.

Add the next cake layer and repeat frosting and peanut butter cups.

Add the final cake layer and frost top and sides of cake, reserving 1 cup of frosting for piping decorations if desired.

Make chocolate ganache by heating 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream in microwave for 1 minute.  Add one cup of chocolate chips.  Let set for a couple minutes, then stir until smooth ganache is created.  Pour on top of cake allowing some to drip down sides.

Decorate top of cake with chopped and halved Reese’s peanut butter cups and piped florets of frosting.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A 60th Birthday Candy Bar Card

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

A 60th Birthday Candy Bar Card (in large print for the sight impaired!)

Turning 60 is nothing to SNICKER about.
Your joints may start to CRUNCH,
and your WHATCHAMACALLIT may not work like it used to.
You'll likely have BUTTERFINGERs,
and your mind may play TWIX on you.
We still wouldn't trade you for 100GRAND.
You are a HOT TAMALE and MOUNDS of fun!
Wishing you an EXTRA special birthday!

We celebrated a friend this weekend.
I've known Mary for over 30 years.
What a privilege it is to have "old" friends!  :)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Happy Birthday Dad

/ Jodi / 61 Comments

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad’s birthday.

I am so glad to have him in my life to celebrate.

This is one of the very few pictures I have from my early childhood.

As a child of divorce, many photos of my early life were destroyed along with the marriage that ended.  I suppose in an effort to erase the “mistake.”

But I am so grateful for this photo shared with me by my sweet aunt of a birthday celebration that was shared by my brother and cousin.

Sadly, half of the people in the photo are no longer with us…
Cancer, aging, murder, suicide… Many of us can relate to similar losses.

But I have my Dad in my life, and today is his birthday.
And I am choosing to cherish these moments!

By the way – can you tell which two we are?
I think we look so much alike!

Happy Birthday Dad!
From your only daughter.
Your first-born child.

You were my first great love.
You are the man I am still discovering.
The Daddy I am still allowing myself to remember.

Thank you for being back in my life.
Thank you for healing the wounds.

Thank you for ending the nightmares.
Thank you for fulfilling the dreams.

I love you.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

 

A 30th Birthday Money Flower Card

/ Jodi / 23 Comments

A 30th Birthday Money Flower Card.

If you are looking for a creative card and/or gift for a special 30 year old in your life, how about making them a money flower card?

I needed a special card for a very special young lady (my daughter-in-law, Colleen) who turned 30 this past weekend.  I was trying to think of something creative like the Happy Birthday Money Cake I made for my son (her hubby!) a few years ago.

For the card, I started with a piece of black (any color will do) poster board cut to approximately 20 inches wide by 10 inches high that I folded in half to form a large card.  I also used two pieces of white 8.5 x 11″ card stock, 30 $1 bills and 1 $20 bill, approximately 33 dimensional adhesive dots, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid glue, a small piece of ribbon, and some colorful Sharpie markers.

I rolled all of the dollar bills tightly and adhered the loose end of each with a dimensional adhesive dot to the first piece of white card stock in the shape of a flower.  I used the $20 as the flower stem rolling it the long way.  I then drew around the flower with colored Sharpie markers, added two leaves with “Happy” written in one and “Birthday” in the other.  I drew a big bold “30” in the center of the flower, tied a bow on the stem, and then glued it to the front of the folded poster board using the Tombow glue.

On the inside, I listed 30 things we love about Colleen.  (That was the really easy part!)

You could use this for other milestone birthdays too and create different shapes.  It might make a fun wedding, anniversary, or graduation card too.

It was really fun and super easy to make, and even more fun to give to her.

Make giving the gift of money fun and creative!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

A Birthday Dachshund Puppy

/ Jodi / 50 Comments
8x10 Watercolor Dachshund Puppy on 140lb Saunders Cold Press

8×10 Watercolor Dachshund Puppy on 140lb Saunders Cold Press

A Birthday Dachshund Puppy Watercolor Painting.

I have to say I was a bit taken aback when we received a message on our McKinneyx2Designs Etsy page from a sweet lady named Sarah telling us (my daughter-in-law, Colleen and I) that she loved our shop and asked if I could paint a dachshund for her best friend’s birthday.

My first reaction was to immediately decline.  Then I decided to wait a day before responding and secretly give it a try… just for fun… to see if I could even do it.

I seriously allowed myself to have fun with it.  Not worrying if she would like it or not.  I had recently picked up a tube of Daniel Smith Lunar Black just for kicks recalling Debi Riley mentioning a while back, and thought this would be a great opportunity to give it a try.

For this painting, I used only three colors:  Daniel Smith Lunar Black, Yellow Ochre, and Permanent Deep Red, and I painted loosely and quickly.

I’m happy to report Sarah loved it!

And don’t tell Charlie…. but it makes me want want one of these cute little Dachshund puppies!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

23 Ways to Spend your Tax Return that can Make you Happy and the World a Better Place

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

23 Ways to Spend your Tax Return that can Make you Happy and the World a Better Place

My Money Cake was featured in a recent issue of Upworthy as one of the ways to spend your tax return that can make you happy and the world a better place.

Are you getting a refund?  Hope so!  And if you do, how do you plan on spending it?

Wouldn’t it be fun to make this money cake and give it to someone in need as a surprise?  So much more fun and creative than simply writing a check.

Check out Upworthy’s great list of ideas.  There are really some great ones that I plan to do.

How about:

  • Buy individual sets of flowers and visit a senior center to pass them out.
  • Find a cool and important project helping teachers and students on DonorsChoose.
  • Donate to a local nonprofit helping your own community.
  • Pay it forward in the drive-thru or grocery store line.
  • Buy new socks and feminine hygiene products to give to a homeless shelter.
  • Donate to Meals on Wheels, then grab a friend and volunteer.

It was such an honor to be featured in this great Upworthy article.  Thank you for reaching out Michael Calcagno.

If you haven’t heard about Upworthy, you should check it out.  Their mission is to change what the world pays attention to by featuring great stories about important issues to connect us and sometimes even change the world.  Because “we’re all part of the same story.”

Thanks for being part of my little story here at the creative life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi