I just painted this watercolor of Teddy's youngest cat, Titus Andronicus. (He's playing with the ball that will be the Fiber Arts project for next podcast.)
My watercolor technique is insanely simple, so I'm thinking of providing a tutorial for the upcoming podcast, whose theme will be something like, "Pets Are People, Too." Every segment will have something to do with our furry friends.
Would you be interested in learning how I painted this watercolor? I guarantee you can do it, too, and no, it's not computer-generated. (Actually, I'm embarrassed to know that my sister Karen and my brother Jack will probably see this -- they're REAL artists, and I'm truly humbled by their work.)
So let me know in the Comments box if you'd be interested in how you can turn a photo of your favorite furry friend into a watercolor! You will need watercolor pencils and watercolor paper, and a printer would be helpful but not absolutely necessary.
Instead of making my usual pain de mie, today I decided to try a more rustic, although white, bread. This is called Brother's Bread, and it's from the cookbook The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking by Brother Rick Curry. (CLICK HERE to buy it on Amazon.)
Baking bread is so basic and easy and satisfying that it's sad that people don't do it much any more. While I admit to buying traditional baguettes from my local artisan market, I make my own sandwich bread and rolls. (I think it's difficult to achieve the right texture for baguette in a home oven, but I intend to give it a try one of these days!) The scent of rising dough and baking bread is just heavenly!
So, here are the photos of my bread baking today. I forgot to take photos at the start, so you just get to see from after the first rise until the finished product.
After the first rise -- beautiful and puffy!
Ready for the oven (I baked them on parchment and the bottom still came out nice and brown)
Fresh out of the oven!
Ready to eat -- and it is delicious!
If you've never baked bread before, you should give it a try. Even though it's winter where I live, and we keep our house very chilly, I made a nice warm spot for the first rise by turning on my oven to 200 degrees (Fahrenheit), and when it was done preheating, I turned it off. That provided just enough warmth to enable the dough to rise beautifully.
I'm not a great kneader, so I rely on my trusty Kitchen Aid mixer to do both the initial mixing and the kneading of the dough. I know, I know -- I should do the kneading myself, but I'm a real weakling! [Um, hey, that's probably a great way to build those flabby upper arms! I guess next time around I'll do the kneading...]
A challenge: If you've never baked bread before, don't be afraid! Give it a try!
Podcast teaser: Right now I'm writing my project sheet for next podcast's Fiber Arts segment, and I'm having fun!
CLICK HERE to listen to Podcast 008. Right-click on the link and save it to your hard drive. Or better yet, so you don't miss future podcasts, subscribe using one of the links to the right.
You can download the MP3 audio file (which can be played in iTunes or other multimedia players) and skip to whatever segment interests you -- check the minute marker for each segment.
INTRODUCTION
Today's bumper music is Auld Lang Syne, which was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788.
Here is a photo of our little holiday dinner -- which we had on December 23, because Ted had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (as usual!). I made fabulous filet mignon, sauteed mushrooms, onions, and potatoes, and Heavenly Peas. YUM!
And here's a photo of the presents under our tree on Christmas morning -- Titus Andronicus, Teddy's newest cat, is surveying the loot!
The cookbook that Santa gave me is called Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen.
My free Alice in Wonderlandredwork this time is The White Rabbit.
CLICK HERE to listen to Podcast 007. Right-click on the link and save it to your hard drive. Or better yet, so you don't miss future podcasts, subscribe using one of the links to the right.
You can download the MP3 audio file (which can be played in iTunes or other multimedia players) and skip to whatever segment interests -- check the minute marker for each segment.
INTRODUCTION
Today's bumper music is The Coventry Carol, which dates back to 16th century England.
Here is Teddy's cat Isis last Christmas -- her eyes look just like the glowing lights on the tree. Sadly, Isis passed away from kidney failure this past year.
Here is a picture of my retirement clock, a Thomas Tompion carriage clock made by Howard Miller. It has three sets of real chimes (Westminster, Saint Michael, and another I can't recall).You can just see the wall quilt that my sister Pat made for me for our 25th wedding anniversary in the background.
And here is the clock in my son's fraternity house at the University of Michigan. It was a bequest from a graduated fraternity brother some years ago. This is one magnificent clock -- it stands 7 feet tall, and the chimes are so melodious. I sure wish I lived in that beautiful house (it's one of those huge historical mansions).
CLICK HERE if you want to learn more about Howard Miller's fine clocks -- it's a Michigan-based company!
I actually managed to get nearly all of my knitting and crocheting projects done for Christmas -- since it's only the 17th, I know I'll get another scarf done, and I hope to finish my mother-in-law's shawl. The photo below shows all of the Christmas gifts I've made so far, including the two unfinished projects. I'm impressed with myself, especially since I learned to knit and crochet just since September when I began my podcast! Yay me!
EDIT: It's the day after I first published this entry, and I just finished Ted's scarf, and here's a photo. (It's the one just started in the photo above.) Now I can concentrate on my mother-in-law's shawl!
CLICK HERE to download the Christmas Angel redwork pattern. Sorry, you Alice in Wonderland lovers need to wait until the end of December for the next installment!
THE FIBER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 19:40]
The supplies you need to make the fabric part of the Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging
The tree and gifts placed on the background fabric
The supplies to decorate the tree
The finished Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging
The back of the quilt showing placement of hanging pockets and chopstick hanger
CLICK HERE to download the Bejeweled Christmas Tree Wall Hanging project sheet.
CLICK HERE to go to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Web site.
THE PAPER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 27:07]
The Legend of the Poinsettia
The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas, but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing.
One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so we see them today.
The supplies you need to make the card
The petals folded and tied with ribbon
The open poinsettia
CLICK HERE to download the Poinsettia 3-D Card project sheet.
THE RECIPE [Podcast minute marker: 33:34]
The ingredients
Ready for the oven
Ready to eat!
CLICK HERE to download the Snowball Cookies recipe sheet.
GRAB BAG [Podcast minute marker: 36:22]
I wrote the song Lullaby in this segment when I was 15 years old. It is sung from the viewpoint of the young Mary, the mother of Jesus, to her newborn son. Like The Coventry Carol, there is a darkness that portends peril in Jesus' life.
CLICK HERE to listen to the song (right-click to download it to your hard drive).
Have a blessed Christmas, tell stories, and maintain family traditions. They are the threads that bind us, generation to generation.
And remember . . .
Creativity isn't a race . . .
. . . it's an adventure!
Last night I posted that I will record my podcast tonight. And today my voice is nearly back to normal, so I could do that.
BUT, wouldn't you like two really super Christmas projects that you can make as last-minute gifts (instead of two just OK projects)? I thought so! I woke up in the middle of the night last night and thought of a really great, seasonal paper project, and this morning I had yet another brainstorm for a fiber arts project. I need to create both projects from scratch, take photos, and write the project sheets. That will take me all day today.
So chances are I won't publish my podcast until tomorrow night, so please be patient! I guarantee it'll be worth the wait. I'm so excited about the fiber arts project, and I'm pretty sure you'll have the supplies in your sewing/craft room to make it as a last-minute gift.
A few minutes ago my son's oldest cat, Midi (short for "A Midsummer Night's Dream") was posing prettily on the piano, and I just had to take her photo. Here she is. (Note to self: Dust the piano!)
This weekend we will get our Christmas tree (usually a Fraser fir or a concolor) and put it in its stand in front of the living room picture window. (We don't decorate the tree until Christmas Eve.) This year we have a new kitty, Titus Andronicus, who is overly inquisitive -- I think we'll have to attach the tree to a hook in the ceiling, because I'm quite certain that Titus will be climbing it as soon as it's up, and we don't want a Christmas Tree Disaster!
Again, thanks for your patience! And, as Darla from Scientific Quilter reminded me, It's not a race, it's an adventure! LOL!
OK, so now I feel SO MUCH pressure from my fellow bloggers who are just burning up the blogosphere this week! Darla, Jean, Brye Lynn, and Allison all have posted podcasts this week -- so I feel the need to do the same. Even with my weak voice I plan to record tomorrow night (Wednesday the 16th) and post either the same night or Thursday morning. I'm not promising that my podcast will be the same scintillating quality, but it'll at least be posted.
I have my projects and recipe planned, but music isn't done, nor are show notes. I had hoped to sing a duet with my son Teddy, and he HAS been home these past two weekends, but I've not had a singing voice. So you'll get me singing a Christmas song I wrote when I was about 15 years old. Maybe Teddy and I will record our duet when he's home over Christmas and I'll put it in my December 30th podcast.
Yesterday and today I've been a baking wild woman! My family's Christmas celebration is very early this year (the 20th), and Michelle doesn't bake until just before Christmas, so I promised that I'd bake cookies and bring them. So this week I've made Snowballs, Almond Stars, 7-Layer Tortes, Pizzelles, and Mini Pecan Pies. I still have to make my favorite Christmas Cutouts and the Teds' favorites Koulourakia. Below are the 7-Layer Tortes, the Almond Stars (in the bag), and the second batch of Snowball cookies.
And here are the mini pecan pies.
Whew! I am just about cookied out, but I still have more to make.
You know, I don't even eat these cookies, and there's a reason why. After the holidays I'll share a "secret" with all of you -- something that some of you may know about me, but most don't. I've debated whether to share this information with you, but I think I will. It's pretty personal, but I think it might help you to know me better.
I'm still a knitting/crocheting maniac, too! I just started my husband's Christmas scarf, and my mother-in-law's shawl is in the works. I'm not convinced that I'll get the shawl done, but I'll do my best. Unfortunately, I doubt that I'll get Teddy's red vest done. It's one of the few gifts he asked for, but this vest requires immense concentration (it typically takes 13 hours to make this Edwardian vest, and I DON'T want to mess up the really expensive silk fabric I bought).
So. Here's hoping that I'll be in good voice tomorrow night, and my recording session is successful!
Because of my lingering cold, I won't make the December 15th podcast. If my speaking improves, I hope to publish one by the 20th. I apologize, but I'm sure you don't want to listen to me coughing!
I have started my mother-in-law's shawl and I think I might actually get it done by Christmas Eve. The pattern, as I mentioned previously, is the very simple ripple pattern, which is just the same row over and over, double crochet, and a couple of skipped stitches here and there. It's very pretty, and not really as boring as it sounds.
My Christmas cards are in the works, too. Everything is printed, and now I just need to trim and layer the card. Here it is.
I cannot remember where the silhouette image is from. I've had it in my image collection for years. I subscribe to a service called ClipArt.com, a repository for royalty-free images, and I think it might be from there. The sunset is another from my digital collection. It is an actual photo that I digitally enhanced to really make the colors pop.
I used Photoshop to make the background of the silhouette transparent, and then I digitally layered it on top of the enhanced sunset image. I printed it on premium photographic paper to make it look really rich, and then I layered the image on plain white card stock and folded it into an A2-size card (4.25 x 5.5 inches). Finally, I added just a tiny amount of yellow glitter on the star to give it sparkle (the image above doesn't have the glitter yet). The inside of the card contains the lyrics of "Silent Night," and a Christmas greeting.
My friend Kathie sent the coolest Christmas card ever! She created a quilt design (nine patch in a nine patch) with individual squares of Christmas paper, and then machine sewed in a zigzag around the edges of the pieces. It is so pretty and effective. If she gives her permission, I will share her card on my blog.
My sister Karen also created a beautiful card this year (as she does every year). This one is very involved, with a lot of fussy cutting and hand embellishment.
Hand-made cards are so special. I save every one I receive. My mom did, too. After my mom's death in 2000, we went through her things and found a box filled with every hand-made card she ever received -- some of my early cards were pretty primitive!
I hope you're all healthy this holiday season. It's so frustrating to be under the weather.
I'll keep you posted about when my mid-December podcast will be published.
My name is Ruthann, but family and good friends usually call me 'thann. I am a wife, and a mother to one fantastic young man. In my former life I was an instructional designer. Now I fill my days with crafts of all sorts, reading (mostly mysteries), and cooking. I am the designer of the world-famous Mirkwood Designs templates. I am also a vocalist and fingerstyle guitarist and the music you hear in my podcast is performed by me.
