Spring Art Challenge

Hello my sweet friends!

This week I came across a fun art challenge at Debbi's

lovely blog-"All In My Cottage"

http://cgtreasures.blogspot.com/p/spring-art-challenge.html

I have created a mixed media piece on canvas.

Close up view

"The dance is a poem of which

each movement is a word."

I began with the graphic image and altered it a bit in Photoshop.

Then decoupage it onto a framed canvas

added text, pearls, ribbon and hand panted flowers in the corner.

What fun I had creating this!

Thanks Debbi!!

Happy Friday EVERYONE!

Hugs :O)

Mary 

Snowdrops done...On to Tulips

Hi there my friends!
Well I do believe it is really Spring! 
In fact we are all kind of melting in the humidity here at school.
But, I do not mind at all... It is a welcomed change. 
 I just wish
the bad weather was not causing as much damage as it is daily in our southern states!!


Here it is... I think it is finished!

                                                                          TA DAH!


                                                "Snowdrops"

Well, as soon as I am done with work today I am off to our local Recycle Center. 


I do hope you all have a terrific evening and come back again soon!
HUGS :O)
Mary

Snowdrops

Hello My Dear Friends!
I hope your Easter Holiday was a lovely and memorable one!


I have just returned from a pleasant trip back home to Kentucky.
It was wonderful as it always is to get to visit my Mom and Dad,
Marlene and of course my brother and his family!
While I was there my Mom got quite ill and was quickly diagnosed with pneumonia.  She sure gave us quite a scare but I am so very thankful to report that she is much better!


Before I  left for my holiday
I had started a watercolor of the sweet flower here known as-Snowdrops

What do you think so far?

When I returned to New England I was very happy to be greeted by the lovely daffodils and tulips and forsythia now in full bloom!

  

It has been raining here like crazy and will continue for the rest of the week.  While in Louisville we also had some rain and quite severe storms.  One night I was awakened to the sirens and the loud speaker in my building telling  everyone to evacuate to the hallways because of the Tornado Warning!!

Thankfully.... we all escaped any harm or damage. 

Guess thats it for today!

I will continue on my painting and post 

more photos as I complete it.

Have a lovely evening!

Hugs!

Mary

A brief get away :O)

Hi there my sweet friends!
Its Friday and I'm
getting away for a few days!
Off to beautiful Louisville .
I wish everyone out there in "blogland" to have
a joyful Easter and I will be back shortly!


Ton's of Hugs!
Mary

Greeting Cards

Greetings my sweet friends!
I have been having so much fun creating paintings 
in a "vintage style"



Eventually when (work slows down)  I will re-open my Etsy store
and have cards as well as paintings and other original creations!







Did you know that...

Sending greeting cards to friends and family is a tradition that goes back about 200 years.  They  were mostly sent by the elite and wealthy in the early to mid 1800's. Most of the early greeting cards were hand delivered and many were quite expensive,  but they soon gained mass popularity with the introduction of the world's first postage  stamp issued in 1840. Hope you all are having a great week! Mary :O)

Having some fun!

Hello again !
I am still having some fun as I play with Photoshop!






"Jungle Gem"
Here my little dancer looks like she is climbing out of the palms.

"My little Flower Fairy"




I do hope you all are enjoying your weekend as much as I am!
That's all for now.
Hugs!
Mary

Photoshop phun!

Hi my Dear Friends!

I am teaching "Photoshop" to my Graphic Design class.

And today in my Drawing and Painting class one of my students posed in her dance costume.

So while I have a few moments I had some combining the two.

What do you think?

I think deep down in every girls heart  (at one time or another )

there is the secret desire to be a ballerina!

Have a great Friday Night!!

Hugs,

Mary

Cupcakes

Hello my friends!!
Gee.. What is with our obsession with
CUPCAKES?
I know I have always loved them but
they are incredibly popular these days!
I whipped this up for my good friend Renee
to use as her thank-you notes. 

Since I have Cupcakes on the brain today...
I will share this recipe with you!
LEMON BASIL CUPCAKES

Not your typical cupcake recipe!

• 24 Servings
• Prep: 30 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

30 20 50

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
• 1 jar (10 ounces) lemon curd
• 
  LEMON SYRUP:

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

5 fresh basil leaves

1 lemon peel strip (1-1/2 inches x 1/2 inch)

LEMON MOUSSE FROSTING:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon lemon extract

1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

GARNISH:

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1 new small paintbrush

24 fresh basil leaves

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon peel. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a small round pastry tip. Fill with lemon curd. Push the tip through the top of each cupcake to fill.
• For syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, basil and lemon peel. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Strain; discard basil and peel. Cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, 3 tablespoons lemon syrup, vanilla, lemon peel and extract until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Frost cupcakes. (Cover and refrigerate remaining syrup for another use.)
• Place corn syrup and sugar in small bowls. Dip paintbrush in corn syrup; brush over a basil leaf. Coat leaf with sugar. Repeat. Garnish cupcakes with basil leaves. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

YUMMMY! 
IF YOU TRY THEM LET ME KNOW  WHAT YOU THINK!

April Fool's

Greetings my friends!
Ah!!... Sweet long awaited for SPRING!!
The sun is beaming... the birds are chirping
 and the sky is a lovely shade of cerulean blue.


But no... In reality Mother Nature has pulled a
 little April Fool's joke on us here in New England.
We  woke up this morning to a nice heavy wet snow fall!!!

I arrived safely in for work but... maybe we could
 have used a tiny delay today.  I saw one accident occur only 3 cars ahead of me!
So, I am thankful to be sitting safely in my warm happy art room!


Welcome (anyways)April!
Warmer weather is bound to be here soon!
Happy Friday ALL!
Hugs :O)
Mary