Creative Types

I'm having a creative overload, I want to do it all, draw, paint, sew, crochet, create, create, create!  I went out and bought a huge 18" x 24" watercolor pad, a liquid water color set and an oil paint set.  I sat down and sketched out this sleeping fox on Sunday.

I'm not done with him but I am done for now.  I need to stop and think about what else I want to add or not add to the picture.  I don't have a clear picture of what I want the final outcome to look like so I need to stop and just let it come to me.  

Today I went out and bought some fabric because I want to make a few cute tops.  I have a hard time finding shirts that I like that fit me well.  I have a longer torso and am slightly taller than the average lady, not by much but enough to find that most shirts are just slightly too short for me.  Making my own shirts means I can correct this and have them fall where I want them to fall, so that when I raise my arms my stomach isn't showing, so I can tuck my shirts in and have them not un-tuck half way through the day.  I bought a 2 different kinds of cotton fabric, one a knit which I have never sewn with before but I have done my homework, have bought the necessary ball point needle and know to use a zigzag stitch when sewing with the stretchy side.   

Yes both are blue but they're two different shades, two different textures and one has awesome ice creams all over it!  It will be so fun for spring and summer!

Anniversary!

Three years ago today, on February 17, 2010 Joseph and I went on our first date to a bar in San Francisco called 83 Proof.  We sat up in the loft in those chairs and I talked and talked and talked. 

Birthday Baking.

For Joseph's birthday I made homemade eclairs. It was the first time I have ever made eclairs so there were bound to be a few lessons I was going to learn.

I learned that our oven needs to be 25 degrees hotter than what the recipe calls for.  My first batch came out small and not fluffy enough. Pâte à Choux (pronounced paht-ah-shoo!) requires a really hot oven to create enough steam from the moist dough to cause bubbles to create the fluffiness as it has no leveners. My 2nd batch came out MUCH bigger with large cavernous pockets to hold the delicious pastry cream.

Notice the difference in size, the front one is puny and small and sunken in the center while the one in back is fluffy, and full (and delicious).

I also learned to watch the chocolate sauce like a hawk.  The smell of burning chocolate is not pleasant.

And lastly I learned that trying something new that you've never made before is not really all that hard.  You have to be open to the fact that it may not turn out 100% perfect on the first go, but that doesn't mean you failed. Adjust and keep going.

California!

On January 16th I took off for warmer temperatures as in I headed to California to visit my family and friends.  It had been over a year since I had been home to see my family so a trip was long overdue.  I got to spend time with my most favorite person ever, my Grandmother, my awesome mom and dad, my nieces and nephew and of course I got to see my amazing friends!  Oh yeah and I hung out with some pretty cute animals too.

Ellie

Polly, the love bird.

 Daisy

 Chili, sleeping with me. 

 Chili sleeping on me again.

Polly (the cat) and Chili getting there nap on.

I have a few more California bound trips in the work for spring which I am super excited about!