Sunday, March 31, 2013

April Desktop Calender


Here is your new desktop calender! Hope you enjoy!

Just click on image and save and you can add it to your desktop. 

This was from a photo that I took last year. I love not only how the honeysuckle grew around my sisters arbor, but how it attracted so many humming birds to it. It was something truly amazing to witness. 



Friday, March 29, 2013

Migratory Birds and Wildlife


The Red Winged Black Bird is always a sure sign of spring!




A pair of Canadian geese.


I don't know what this little fella is but he sure is cool looking. 






I had to photograph these white tailed deer.


My husband spotted this male pheasant!


Not sure what this guy was up to!


I had to look this up on the internet when we got home. Apparently this is the time of year that they establish their pecking order. This must be done before they can mate with the females. I think that the big guy which seemed to be hanging around these two in the process was the official referee!


My husband called to this one and he called back and in the process got himself puffed up for me to take this photo of him!




Some kind of hawk I think.



All this and more we saw at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. It is an amazing place located in Stevensville, Montana. If your near the area or think you may want to visit this is a must see opportunity!  

Friday, March 22, 2013

Cupcake Carrier


I made these peppermint chocolate cup cakes with cream cheese peppermint frosting for a party that I was going to. I searched all over the house for a box that I could transport them safely in. I came up with this which worked perfectly for transporting them as well as for decorating them. It's an egg carton that came from a five dozen box. I love eco friendly, reusable things! 

Have fun at your next party, and see the comments that come out of your cupcake carrier!
Have fun with it!
Abby

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Pussy Willow Branches & Dried Poppies






Here are some paintings that I finished last Saturday afternoon. The two dried poppy paintings are done on old fronts and back of a book. Paintings are layered with torn pages, painted with white acrylic and then painted with watercolors. I thought that it created a really unique style. Something new that I cam up with. Hope you like and feel inspired to make your own!

Abby


Monday, March 18, 2013

German Pancakes

This is a great tradition at our house on the weekends. I get special requests for it from time to time. It is something that fills us up past our normal lunchtime. It is quite filling. 


This is what it looks like before we put anything on it.


My husband likes his German Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Syrup.


This one's just come out of the oven ready to be served on the warmed plates. 

Funny story about these pancakes. I called my mom one day when my husband and I were first together and asked for her German Pancake recipe. I understood the recipe so I thought. I used the entire recipe per pie pan. So instead of only two eggs per pan there was 4 and double everything. It was quite intimidating to eat. In my embarrassment I called back my mom and said, "the pancake were good mom, but I don't remember them being that thick!" She said not that was for two not one! Well my husband and I didn't feel like eating for the remainder of day, but we couldn't have went without food for three days, that's how filling they were. 


German Pancakes

4 eggs
2/3 Cup milk (I use rice milk and it works just fine)
2/3 Cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons melted butter
Sprinkle of salt (optional) 

Grease 2 pie pans very well. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blend eggs on high in a blender. Then change speed on blender to low and add milk, slowly add flour, and melted butter, sugar and salt. Turn back to high on the blender. Then stop blender and pour equal amounts between both pie pans. I also use round 8 or 9" cake pans if you don't have any pie pans. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Lower temp to 325 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately on warmed plates.

You can add butter and peanut butter and then syrup, butter and powdered sugar or simply eat it the way that it is come straight from the oven.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as my family has for the past 30 years!

Abby





Saturday, March 16, 2013

A New Way To Decorate With Easter Eggs






This one has special meaning to me. It reminds me of the state of Alaska where I grew up as a young child. Being surrounded in Juneau, Alaska by mountains and the Pacific Ocean and lots of snow in the winter time. 





This was something I came up with the other night. I felt that for me it is very hard to keep beautifully decorated eggs from breaking every year when the occasion comes around and when putting them away again. This is a great way to display decorated with less fuss! So decorate a hallway, bathroom or guest room with these colorfully decorated eggs, it's sure to brighten up your day! 

I had a blast painting these. I am going to try to get a few more of these finished before Easter. I hope that these brought a smile to your day!

Happy Painting, 

Abby

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Spring Is On It's Way!







Here are my neighbors tulip buds coming up!



I love our springs fresh aspen tree buds!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Summer Mystery Collage Class 2012

My first eager students!
I felt so fortunate to have such talented students to teach. 


We like to get our hands dirty when we paint!




We also like to do sculptures with our erasers while in a painting class. This was her pony that she made while waiting further instruction. 




Here are some of the results of our Mystery collage pieces based off of one of my favorite artists Chuck Close.
The empty canvas awaits!
My stack of puzzle pieces to organize and arrange on canvas. 
Here they are ready to be set on the canvas.
I think the back is almost as pretty as the front. 
Here is the finished collage of Mr. Marcus Daly,The Copper King of Montana.
Here is his lovely wife Margaret Daly.
These were the original photos allowed to me for the purpose of this class. The are not to be copied in any way without permission from the curator of The Marcus Daly Mansion
I wanted you to see what the kids had painted before I cut them up into tiny little pieces for them to make their mystery collage from. 

I hope you enjoyed viewing and can't wait to show you a preview of what we will be doing this year for our Summer Art Kids Camp!

Abby