A Dinner Tale

I know December is behind me now; however, I wanted to share a little something that I put together just for my family for Christmas.  I thought it was pretty cool.  Although, I don't really know if they agreed.


Let me tell you about this Dinner Tale.  It all started on Thanksgiving day when I was in the kitchen just doing my holiday cooking thing.  I do the same thing every time.  The menu varies very little. I never start a day ahead with any of the preparations (not even the deserts) and after so many years, I have it down to an exact science.  I start about 6:30AM and serve at about 12:30 PM. 


This year I added a component.  To tell you the truth, I'm ready for some one to take over this holiday cooking thing and that inspired me to give them a way to do so.  I used my Canon Power Shot G9 in movie mode and while I didn't video the whole 6 hour event (I know they are glad about that), I just picked up the camera ever so often and told what I had done and went around the kitchen and talked about the progress of each dish.  I even showed and talked about the serving dishes and their history.  In most cases, which grandmother or great grandmother had passed them down to me. 


Another fun thing I did was when each one arrived, I picked up the camera and started rolling.  They all thought I was taking a picture and gave such cute posed smiles.  A couple didn't want their picture taken and I just said OK but kept rolling.  Then when dinner was served, I recorded all the banter that happens as they all come to the table.  You know, whose gonna sit where and who has a favorite spot to sit every time and what's that, etc etc etc.  


I can't tell you what a special memory this turned out to be.  I edited the video, added music, a little more narration, and pulled still shots from the video to design the DVD cover with.  Then I typed up all the recipes.  I printed them on a 12 X 12 sheet of card stock and using information from Zorana's workshop, I put together a little cookbook that accompanied  the DVD.


Everybody and I mean everybody received this as one of their Christmas presents.  It didn't matter to me if they liked it or not.  I just hoped that some day when they wondered how "she" did that, at least one of them will remember and still have the DVD and watch it.


And that's my dinner tale. 

Memory Journal by Zorana

Oh yes she did!!!!!  She went straight home and made this beautiful  little memory journal and mailed it to me.  You see, a couple of years ago when I visited her, I took her this very little blank journal that I made for her.  She saved if for just the right time.  I guess one could say it is a memory journal collaboration because it still holds memories of my trip to see her and is now full of our memories of her trip to see me.  

And do you believe this!!!!!  She sent me CDs of all the many photos that she took while here and she made this special little case for them. Thank you dear friend for being so thoughtful. xo  


And that reminds me, my repaired camera is expected today and I will be back in business and I can't wait. 

♥ Sharon

New Art Supply

Moleskin Journal 5 x 8 page 

My friend Zorana brought along a little inspiration clipped from who-knows-what.  She said it had been floating on here art desk for quiet some time.   I know how that is and you probably do also.  Well since it floated along with her to Texas from California, we decided to use to as our first inspiration piece when we started painting.  The above journal page is my interpretation of the inspiration and Zorana is sharing her's on her blog.

She tells the story best on how we ended up with the same new supplies to try out together.   Gouache is basically an opaque watercolor.  Zorana paints faster than I do and I could have diddled with this little painting for another couple of hours.  But we had more fun things to paint.  Will show another next.
♥ Sharon

We Played Hard

She came. She's gone and we played hard.  I love this picture.....it is like she is "flying".

Well actually, she did.  But she is already back home now.

What a grand visit we had ....
non-stop
talking
bird watching
jewelry making
painting
painting
talking
bird watching

Hey y'all wait for me

I know, I know, it is the New Year already.  And I did in fact have a big pot of black-eyed peas and cabbage yesterday on, 1-1-11, with a little cornbread on the side.

But today, I will take a step back into 2010 to celebrate Christmas with my little family. It is the way they wanted it. In just a few minutes, as soon as I finish this post, I will go to the kitchen to start the turkey, dressing and gravy.  We will also have a broccoli and rice dish and probably mashed potatoes and of course for those brats in the family who only eat mac and cheese, there will be that too.  A delicious cherry congealed salad and pecan pie was prepared yesterday.

So here I am starting the year with a little show and tell of my money gift envelopes.

I learned about this really cool scoring board from my friend Zorana.  She used one in her new online class (for a totally different project) and I swear, I never knew such a thing existed.

So of course, I had to have one.  And of course, I had to play with it. I made the cutest little gift envelopes with this gadget.  The big bucks envelopes are in the top photo and though you can't tell the second picture is a larger envelope and they hold the iTunes gift cards.  Which is another cool thing I discovered.

This is the Martha Stewart Scoring board and it comes with this handy corner template that makes scoring the sheet on a diagonal for envelopes so simple.

Basically, you can make any size envelope with a square or rectangle of paper or cardstock.  I used scrapbooking paper for the smaller envelopes and card stock for the larger ones.

So here is how:
On opposite corners of the square, you score the same distance from the point in.  Then on the other two opposite corners, you score the sames distance but a little further from the point. 

In other words:  Start with and 8" square of paper.  Let's say the points are Point A, B, C, D.   On point A and C, you score 2" in from the point.  And on points B and D, you score 2.5" in from the point. 

This will leave a little triangle at the edge where the to score lines intersect.  With scissors, you clip that little triangle off.  The photo to the left shows the little triangles laying to the right of the score board. 

You can leave them plain or you can play like I did and decorate them.  I spent way too much time doing this but I sure did enjoy it.

Now I'm off to cook.
Happy New Year!!!
♥Sharon

My Sister Story

Meeting in the Moon Garden
January/February 2009, Somerset Studio, Black & White, Volume 13 Issue 1
Very early this year the Somerset Studio call for "Black & White" art went out.

You know my "sisters" had to go.

I am thrilled and honored to be included in this beautiful issue.

Oh how exciting it is to have a little corner on the contents page.

And then, on another corner among page after page of beautiful black and white art.

It is all so very exciting, but that is not the story I was going to tell you about.

This story is about a blogging sister family.

It's about one blogging sister who dared another blogging sister.

And they each took the dare.

Two books.

Two blogging Sisters.

Two Artist.

Meeting face to face.

A page in my I Dare You book by Zorana.
(See this page in her book here.)
She returned my book with this beautiful page finished. I hope I have time to do another page in my book before I take it back to her to swap again.
Friday the 26th.
Two blogging sisters
meet
in
California and finish the year of 2008 making ART together.

You know we will show and tell.
Expect beautiful art next year,
Sharon