Donors Choose for my art room

Many changes have happened since I last posted a blog.  A new chapter has begun as I start the school year in a new state (hello Colorado!) and in my very own art room.  It feels as if we have been on a roller coaster the past few weeks, but things are starting to settle down and I am gearing up for the school year with my students.  I am truly excited to start the year with them and I want to make sure my students have everything they need to succeed, that is why I just posted the project  Shape, Color & Carpet in the Art Room...Oh My! on DonorsChoose.org.  Please take a moment to check it (and other projects) out.  If you know someone or an organization looking to donate to help students, schools and the arts, I would appreciate you passing along my project!  Also, if you give to my classroom by August 2, 2014, your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose.org. Just enter the code INSPIRE on the payment page and you'll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $100). If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks (Bonus!)  Thanks so much for taking the time to read and check out my project. 

san fran 01.2013

Last month I took a quick trip to San Francisco for work.  
We had a few moments to take in some of the sights.  
As seen through my i-phone....

sea lions at the Fisherman's Warf

San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia!

sweet window display at Swiss chocolate shop Teuscher

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

Ghirardelli Square

Capitol Building lit up in the 49ers colors - I was there right before the Superbowl

Trendspotting

May I suggest you take a ride on the World Famous Cable Car!

San Francisco was experiencing an "arctic freeze" when I was visiting....boy was it chilly!

Delicious eats & festive decor at The Stinking Rose...a garlic lovers dream!

a taste of king cake

King Cake 2013 - not bad for my first time!

Happy Mardi Gras!  Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday and is very well celebrated in the US in New Orleans with festive parades, rich foods, lively music and of course, colorful beads (they even have a mobile app!).  Mardi Gras does however have a rich, Christian cultural meaning, referring to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday.  A tradition of Mardi Gras is the King Cake, a cinnamon-roll style cake, with various fillings, with a sweet or cream cheese style icing in purple, green and gold.  When I was working at Martha Stewart TV I remember sampling my fair share of King Cakes each year as Mardi Gras rolled around.  King Cake season officially starts on Twelfth Night (January 6th) and ends on Mardi Gras day.  That's a lot of King Cake!  Different bakeries would send their cakes over to the studio for sampling and we even had New Orleans native Lenora Costa on the show to share her recipe.  The video is great because Lenora talks a bit about the Carnival Season and how it is indeed celebrated all around the world.  There is also the tradition of placing a "baby", or some other bean, toy or trinket, inside the King Cake.  Whoever gets the baby or trinket in their slice of cake will then have various privileges or obligations.  Perhaps that person will have to bake the next King Cake or throw the next King Cake party!  The icing colors on the cake each have a meaning as well.  Purple = Justice, Green = Faith, Gold = Power. You can read the history of King Cakes in many places on the Internet...but why not make your own!  Now, I did not try Lenora's yeast recipe.  I decided to go for what I call the "cheaters" version.  During the holidays I made monkey bread with a similar "cheaters" recipe and it was delicious!  Now if you have the time and ambition....go for the yeast.  If not, try this "cheaters" recipe and let me know what you think!  I used purple, green and gold sanding sugar so I didn't have to mix 3 different colors of icing...but I think it would have looked just as sweet with tinted icings!  Now....who will find get the lucky piece?

fresh out of the oven...let cool before you ice!

ooey, gooey, goodness!  approved!

"cheaters" monkey bread made over the holidays!

the sweetest time of the year

A Sweet Dani B Squirrel Cookie w/my felted acorns

I am always thankful for my family and friends. Of course the holidays remind us even more how thankful we are for what we have, and offer us a chance to give back to the ones we love.  My bestie Dan...Dani of Sweet Dani B , asked me to collaborate with her this year (as we have done in years past) and be a part of the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend in Brooklyn, NY.  Of course I jumped at the chance to spend the day with her, as well as my other good friend Amanda, an amazing baker (among other things!).  I will be bringing some of my felted acorns, Amanda some of her delicious cookies, and Dan will have her signature gourmet, artistic, one-of-a-kind cookie creations; all packaged and ready to bring fresh smiles to eager faces. As much as I am looking forward to selling some artistic creations to new customers this weekend, I am even more looking forward to the actual hours of the day.  A day to spend, with my good friends, talking and catching up, laughing, and enjoying our time together.  Check out Dan's super sweet blog post in anticipation of the weekend here. 

Special Edition pink & brown ornaments made in Sweet Dani B colors for Saturday!

Hope to see you this Saturday at Renegade ♥

 

hello fleet week

the Intrepid is permanently docked in NYC



This past Memorial Day Weekend my husband Tom and I decided to venture into the city for a day.  As we drove down the West Side Highway we remembered (and saw) that it was Fleet Week.  We decided to park and walk on over to the Hudson River and check it out.  Fleet Week is an annual event and being able to see and actually board some the ships was an incredible experience.  Many of the service men and women were also on hand to talk, meet, and receive thanks from the thousands of visitors.  It was indeed a rare opportunity.

entering the USS WASP



looking down to my right as entering, this ship is huge!

on the flight deck looking up

planes land here!

one of the planes on board with the city skyline

Tom checking things out

note the "give 'em hell" logo

peering off the ship with the city skyline

To all our service men and women...

Thank you for your continued sacrifices, dedication, and service.