Sky & Scones

Saturday was a great day -- I made Strawberry Scones for breakfast. This recipe: Vegan Apricot Scones was easy and delicious. I changed it, used Strawberries instead and I will make these again.

Saturday was also my cousins surprise birthday and I got to help her celebrate. While out driving after going to my cousin's birthday party, I couldn't help stopping to take photos of the sky. It was magnificent, the weather was beautiful. Clouds attract me. I find them very appealing, especially these peaceful ones.

"You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds."

~Henry David Thoreau~

The trees are just starting to get that beautiful, soft, yellow-green haze of new growth about them. And there's plenty of new growth inside my home too. My little seedlings are waiting patiently for Spring, real Spring, so they can get planted in the garden. I'm hopeful that it will be soon.

Red & Pink, Hook & Thread

I've been busy getting back into my routine again where I'm spending more time on my creative projects. The weather is slowly getting warmer and I've also been working in my yard and garden. There's a bit of color - I've found red being the Rhubarb:

and pink being my daughters shoes. She's helping with turning the soil:

We even got the "Sugar Daddy" Snap Peas in and hopefully it will stay the right temperature for germanation!

Inside I'm working on yellow, ivory, ecru, beige flowers -- handmade crochet flowers and trims for my art projects:

"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life."

~John Burroughs~

This is Spring & The World is Young again . . .

Winter has been long and cold, still holding on to blow across the area once again for a blustery day today. It's slowing down the progress of Spring. Nevertheless, it's officially SPRING and I'm starting to think of my garden and other Spring projects, my current art project, the first is a series I think - "The World is Young" - wonder & whimsy of childhood:

SPRING thoughts:

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the South wind
And curtsied up and down
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour;
"Winter is dead"
~AA Milne~

Close your eyes

and do not peek

and I’ll rub Spring

across your cheek

smooth as satin,

soft and sleek

close your eyes

and do not peek

~Aileen Fisher~

Close beside the path they were following a bird suddenly chirped from the branch of a tree. It was answered by the chuckle of another bird a little further off. And then . . . there was chattering and chirruping in every direction, and then a moment of full song, and within five minutes the whole wood was ringing with birds’ music. 

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, (Chapter 11,. 121

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.

~Solomon 2:11-13~

“This is no thaw," said the dwarf, suddenly stopping. "This is Spring. What are we to do? Your winter has been destroyed, I tell you! This is Aslan’s doing.”

~Dwarf~ 

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, (Chapter 11, p. 122)

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

~1 John 3:8~

Yellow Is My Favorite Color!

"The colour holds such warmth, brightness and attraction for us because it is the colour of the sun, the source that sustains us.  In terms of its physics, yellow has absorbed red and green and then reflects yellow back.  Red is the colour of life, blood and fire; and green the colour of growth and hope.  Little wonder that yellow has such a life-giving brightness. . . .  Goethe says: ‘Yellow brings with her the nature of brightness and has a delightful, encouraging, exciting and soft quality.’ " 

~John O’Donohue~ Divine Beauty

What is your favorite color and how do you use it in your art? 

New Art -- A Tag and Card

The past weeks have been a blur and passed quickly. In addition to helping my sis take care of my Mom, I've changed jobs and now back at my old job which is not as fast paced. So that has helped in reducing some stress in my life. My Mom is doing better and back at home so I'll continue to help with her. We're going through her belongings, sorting, decluttering, packing up what she wants to keep. Maybe in a couple of months she will be able move into a smaller place, an apartment.

I'm trying to rest a bit and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather. But not resting for too long. I've been able to do a little gardening and have some herbs and tomato plants started. I have even been able to work on a little bit of art and on my Etsy shop but it will be a while yet before it's open.

I also made a decision to invest in a die cut machine. Having a limited art budget and working space, I've been debating over die cutters for several long months. I finally decided to go with the Sizzix Big Shot. I didn't want a large, detailed, expensive die cutter so I've only looked over the hand operated ones. I narrowed it down between the Sizzix and the Cuttlebug but finally decided on the Sizzix Big Shot which I purchased at Amazon. First of all, it's in my price range, secondly I like the look of the base. The longer base appeared to be have the amount of room I'm looking for and sturdy enough to prevent tipping. From viewing some online videos about using the different die cutters, the Sizzix fit my needs. I like that different brands of dies can be used on the Sizzix. I bought five dies to get started with: Primitive Hearts, Scalloped Circles, Sizzix Movers and Shapers Tim Holtz Tag & Bookplate die, Spellbinders Nestabilities Card Creator Rectangles, and Spellbinders Shapeabilities Home Sweet Home. I'll experiment with these for a while but I'm sure I will purchase a few more dies that I think I will use often.  It just arrived a few days ago and I've already started using it! Anyone else have a die cut machine, especially the Sizzix Big Shot?

Here's  a couple of my creations using the large tag, wings, and little hearts dies:

Welcome Spring!!!

Spring has arrived with chilly wind and snow flurries where I live but I'll go with the calendar to mark moving on to the next season! A few buds are appearing. The Pussy Willows, so soft and fuzzy, while little green stems are peeping through the earth. Moving on to a new season in a new, some what difficult way. My dear 82 year old Mother has been in the hospital for a week and is now temporarily at a physical therapy rehabilitation facility so my days are filled with visiting her. This is the beginning of giving back to her in a new way, of caregiver, protecting her, helping her. She was always there for me and now it is my turn to be there for her. There will be hard struggles ahead but with my Mother there will be much sweetness and smiles mixed in. 

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable."
~Joseph Addison~

Art Image: New England Landscape in Spring by George Henry Smillie 1898

Catching Up & Some Art From Claudine Hellmuth's Online Class

I'm way behind but I wanted to post some of the art I did for Claudine Hellmuth's online composition class back in August. I really enjoyed her class and she is a wonderful teacher, very easy to talk with. She views each comment, art piece and gives her thoughts and ideas.

"Spring Is Here"

"You and Me"

"On the Alert for Spring"

"Spring Beauty"

"Awful Tired of Keeping Still"

"Sundry Persons"

My sis is doing better, I'm settling in at my new job and now I'm doing some Autumn cleaning, getting back to routine again. It's starting to be a beautiful Autumn in my area. Happy Autumn!

Spring Beauties!

Spring is on my mind a lot, of course, especially the new, soft greens just appearing around the yard. They are the inspiration for my little "Spring Beauties" I've been working on. I used some of my old post cards and library rental cards for the background. They're displayed in my dining room right now.

 

 

 

 

"I am on the alert for the first signs of Spring"

~Henry David Thoreau~

Weekly Progress: Out and About -- At Home

OUT and ABOUT: My oldest daughter was diagnosed with severe iron deficiency and is having a series of three IV iron infusions with each lasting around 3 hours. The first was last week, the second one just yesterday, and one more next week.

For the first infusion last week, the stick of the needle was not pleasant at all because they had a hard time, there was quite a bruise which resulted in having to start another attempt in a different spot. Tiny veins runs in the family and that gives the nurses a more difficult time. The beginning of a slow process and this took approximately a half hour. Yesterday's stick of the needle was a bit better but still hurt -- the nurses remembered not to use the area of her hand that they used last week.

First, there was pre-medication in a slow drip of saline for about an hour, then came the very slow drip of iron to watch for any possible reactions, which thankfully did not happen. This lasted about an hour and half. With a bit of rest after removing the IV, she was done with her first infusion - 3 hours. The second lasted about the same amount of time. It's rough, not enjoyable at all but going well. She will be so glad when the last one is over. So will I! The view out the window from her cubicle.

AT HOME: I'm still working on my fabric Pussy Willows using different fabrics. One fabric is a polyester and one is a blend of polyester, nylon, and rayon. The first fabric gives a smooth finish and the blended fabric that frays gives more of a furry opened blossom look:

ECHOES:

Be sure that your children each day have:
Something or someone to love
Something to do
Something to think about.
~Charlotte Mason~
~Karen Andreola~, Charlotte Mason Companion: Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning
Charlotte Mason Research and Supply Company

Rules for Happiness:
Something to do,
Someone to love,
Something to hope for.
~Immanual Kant~

"...love the Lord your God..." Matthew 22:37
"...let us love one another..." 1 John 4:7
"...think on these things..." (whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy) Philippians 4:8
"...do your own business, work with your own hands..." 1 Thessalonians 4:11

A Blessed Easter!

I've been making fabric pussy willow catkins this week to use in my Spring & Easter collage pieces....

Little Pussy Willows came out on the trees,

Shivering and shaking in the chilly breeze.

Then they slipped their furs on, nice and warm were they,

Nodding as they welcomed Happy Easter Day!

~Lizzie De Armond~

A freebie for you from my personal vintage post card collection:

This Easter Bunny post card image is free to download and you may use it in your art only, NOT for Sale on a Collage Sheet or a CD.

If you use this vintage post card for any personal art or art projects for sale, please, make a reference back to me here at my altered heART works blog A Blessed Easter! Thanks! If you use this vintage post card I would love to see what you make. :-)

"He is not here, but IS RISEN..."
Luke 23:6

A Blessed Easter!

Still Inspired By Spring Pussy Willows

Salix Discolor -- American Willow -- Wikipedia

Spring is back again after a week or more of unseasonably record setting high temperatures. I'm still inspired by the Pussy Willows, a reminder of the new life soon to come. New Spring ATC and tag I made this week:

Pretty Pussy Willows

Growing in the hedges,
Smoothing with thy fairy wands,
Nature's ragged edges.
Lighting up the bushes
With thy touch of silver,
Thou art generous unto all,
Cheerful little giver.
Pretty Pussy Willows
Smile as if 'twere duty,
Is it marvel that we love,
Spring's first gift of beauty?
~unknown~

The Pussy Willow seem almost like little fury animals on the limbs -- sweet furry little kittens:

 I sometimes think the Pussy-Willows grey
Are Angel Kittens who have lost their way,
And every Bulrush on the river bank
A Cat-Tail from some lovely Cat astray.
~Oliver Herford~






Source: Illustration by Oliver Herford
Source: Poem by Oliver Herferd The Kitten's Garden of Verses

More vintage images of Pussy Willows from vintage books:

A vintage post card below from Little Birdie Blessings:

Pussy Willows below from the online book: Flowers From Here and There

Read the children's story: The Origin of the Pussy Willow from Overheard in Fairyland by Madge A. Bingham at The Baldwin Project

More Of My Watercolor Spring Time Pussy Willows

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! & March Melt-aways

March Melt-aways are one of my favorite cookies to make. I've used this same recipe throughout the four seasons and simply changed the frosting color: white for winter, pink or red for Valentine's Day or the 4th of July, yellow for summer, orange for autumn.

March Melt-aways

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1 tsp clear vanilla
½ cup powdered sugar
¾ cup cornstarch
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend the butter, clear vanilla, and powdered sugar together until well blended and creamy. Add cornstarch and flour to the butter mixture and blend well again. Dough will be thick. Refrigerate for at least one hour or more. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and then roll dough into approximately 1 inch round balls. Press down slightly with either the palm of your hand or a fork. The dough does not spread. I was able to get 20 on a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow to sit on baking sheet for about 1 minute and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes approximately 40 cookies.

FROSTING:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp milk (or lemon, lime, orange juice)
Optional: green food coloring &/or sprinkles

Mix powdered sugar and butter together. Slowly add a bit of milk (up to approximately 1 tbsp) until smooth and spreadable yet still on the thicker side. Frosting shouldn't be too thin. If it is, add a bit more powdered sugar. Add a tiny drop of green food coloring for pastel green color, more drops for darker color. Frost completely cooled cookies then you can top with sprinkles of your choice or leave plain. Allow frosting to set then store in a covered container.

These really DO melt in your mouth!

Angel Food Cake is my favorite cake and I love lime so when I found this recipe from Taste of Home, I knew I wanted to try it - it's even beautiful for St. Patrick's Day and Spring!

Luscious Lime Angel Squares

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (.3 ounces) sugar-free lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 prepared angel food cake (8 inches), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 carton (8 ounces) reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Refrigerate until mixture just begins to thicken, about 35 minutes. Place cake cubes in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. dish coated with cooking spray; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, lemon juice and peel. Add gelatin mixture; beat until combined. Fold in 1-1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread over cake, covering completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; top with remaining whipped topping.

Another great recipe for delicious Irish Soda Bread.

About St. Patrick:

MARCH 17, around 461 AD, St. Patrick died.

As a teenager, the Roman Legions guarding his community in Britain had to be withdrawn to defend Rome, as invading heathen hordes, such as the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals and Huns, were overruning the borders.

Unprotected, Britain was attacked by raiders, who carried away thousands.

Patrick was captured and sold as a slave in Ireland, which was ruled by the Druids, who practiced human sacrifice.

For six years Patrick herded animals until he escaped. In his forties he had a dream calling him back to Ireland.

In his Confession, Patrick wrote:

"In the depth of the night, I saw a man named Victoricus coming as if from Ireland, with innumerable letters, and he gave me one and while I was reading I thought I heard the voice of those near the western sea call out: 'Please, holy boy, come and walk among us again.'

Their cry pierced my very heart, and I could read no more, and so I awoke."

Patrick returned to Ireland, confronted the Druids, converted Chieftains, and used the three-leaf clover to teach the Trinity.

The Druids tried to ambush and kill Patrick nearly a dozen times:

"Daily I expect murder, fraud or captivity, but I fear none of these things because of the promises of Heaven."

Baptizing 120,000, using the three-leaf clover to explain the Trinity, and founding 300 churches, Saint Patrick wrote:

"Patrick the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure. None should ever say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing, it was the gift of God."

In the next century, Irish missionaries evangelized the heathen hordes which had overrun Europe.

Source: Bill Federer American Minute

Christ be with me, Christ within me

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
~St. Patrick~

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Stirrings and Hints of Spring

The Pussy Willows at the back of my neighbor's yard are beginning to unfold and open, I can see them over the fence -- one of the stirrings and hints of Spring. My watercolor of Pussy Willow and a poem by Kate L. Brown.
 

Pussy Willow

Pussy Willow wakened
From her winter nap,
For the frolic spring breeze
On her door would tap.

“It is chilly weather
Though the sun feels good.
I will wrap up warmly,
Wear my furry hood.”

Mistress Pussy Willow
Opened wide her door.
Never had the sunshine
Seemed so bright before.

Never had the brooklet
Seemed so full of cheer:
“Good morning, Pussy Willow,
Welcome to you, dear!!”

Never guest was quainter:
Pussy came to town
In a hood of silver gray,
And a coat of brown.

Happy little children
Cried with laugh and shout,
“Spring is coming, coming,

Pussy Willow’s out.”
~Kate L. Brown~

Pussy-Willow Time

That every footprint’s now a pool,
And every rut a river cool,
Are things light vernal hearts make nought of;
For mud time’s pussy-willow time
When tender-hearted bluebirds chime,
And unborn violets first are thought of.

 ~Robert Frost~

Betz White has a new way of having colorful Pussy Willow branches for an indoor arrangement.