Weekend Wrap up

This week was pretty busy, crazy and difficult. You know when sometimes situations aren't so great and you're frustrated and then it gets incredibly worse, and you think to yourself, "Wow, I guess things were not so bad before." That's where I'm at this weekend, it's been a struggle to focus on the positives but I managed to stay productive.

 I watched a food documentary, Step Up to the Plate, about French chef Michel Bras passing his restaurant down to his son. The restaurant is in the French country side but it's a very modern building and so is their approach to food. I'm really interested in chef's techniques and the cinematography in this film is amazing. The country side is so beautiful and it's entertaining to hear their story and watch them create.

I started reading Mindy Kaling's book. Her show has become my new favorite on Tuesdays. If you are familiar with her at all and like her work, I think you would probably like this book, her language is a little more colorful than on tv, but her take on things is pretty hilarious.

I've been trying to get back into painting, I bought some smaller canvases, I thought maybe I could do a series.  Here's the first one :)

Since I am a bit of a computer nerd, I was pretty excited to experiment with the new pattern tool in Adobe Illustrator CS6, for anyone that does graphic work this tool is a game changer! Basically before you had to draw the pattern piece once or enough for a repeat them build the pattern and duplicate it, it's hard to get sprawling patterns to match up, but this handy tool does it for you.
This makes me so happy!!

 I see Spoonflower fabrics in my near future! Here's some patterns I've been playing with.
Happy birdies and flowers I'm kinda obsessed with gray and navy mixed with pastel colors.

Earlier this week, I attempted to make a key lime pie, I used the wrong kind of milk, sweeten condensed is what you need, I was quite dejected. I really wanted pie, so I decided to correct my mistake and try again, with farm fresh eggs, I plan to have some for breakfast YAY!

So yeah, things could be better, and sometimes I feel like wallowing but getting things done is so rewarding. I'm going to keep focusing on the positive and start baking and creating more often.
How was your weekend?

Weekend Recharge

Even though it was rainy, cloudy and cold this weekend, I still managed to get outside and enjoy the cold weather.
I went to the Nasher and got to see the Ken Price exhibit, from the pictures and style I was assuming it was large sculptures made of out plastic or something, but I was amazed to learn it was ceramic.

This was my favorite piece, I love the color combination and texture, it kinda reminds me of something flower like.

I like the color combo on this too

His finishing technique is really interesting, he would paint multiple layers on and then sand them down to create and textured effect, it's really amazing to see in person, it's hard to wrap your brain around it. Even though I have worked a little with ceramics, I was baffled and intrigued.

Ken working with the clay

He started putting his own spin on a more traditional vessel, and created a very large series of cups.
I really like the ones with animal touches. This was a retrospective exhibit, I always love to see how people start out and grow as artist, how one idea transforms into another. Like for example one of his earlier cups was one with a snail, and then later his style became more geometric and rigid with bright colors and angles.

I always love being immersed in other people's work, it gives me hope and motivation to keep pursuing and what's important to me.

I wish my backyard was this awesome. All lush and green with big trees and sculptures, it's so calm and relaxing out there. I love it :)

We decided to go to the new park that recently open, it's built over a large highway, and there was food trucks! Even though it was cold, we decided to get ice cream sandwiches from Cool Haus.

you get to choose your cookie and filling

double chocolate cookie with vanilla bean ice cream

 

 

Then I went over to the DMA to take pictures of my favorite part of the museum, the glass sculpture installation that's arranged in the front window, it looks like Chihuly but I'm not sure.

love the colors

In short, I had a great weekend and got my batteries recharged. What's your favorite weekend activity to get your batteries recharged? Happy Monday to you!

Randomness

This week has been very busy and I find I get super lazy on the weekend, I know I should be up doing more but I really enjoying sleeping in and laying around watching movies.

I did manage to try a new side dish and I made a pot of soup with rotisserie chicken, beans, pasta, celery and a packaged garlic rice and quinoa blend. It was pretty good.

The new side dish was sweet potato tater tots by Alexia. I like sweet potatoes, but they get cold so fast so I wanted to try them prepared a different way, they were crunchy and delicious.
I might try to make fries on my own, we'll see how motivated I am to do that in the future ;)

I have been doing my drawings each day, and last night I did a quick painting with my crusty Crayola watercolors. I accented with a pen,  she's scruffy and cute. I am going to continue experimenting with paint with no expectations. I can't be disappointed when I don't have a specific outcome in mind :)

winter hat with flower accent

Here are my other drawings, bunnies, cats and a raccoon.

  A floral accented forest monster and floral accented letters. 

I was thinking how cool it would be if an elephant could spray paint out of his trunk.

I also went to the movies and saw Promised Land, the performances were really great! Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, and John Krasinski all have their different strengths and it was wonderful to see them together. The acting was really superb but it got me thinking or dreading rather, what will become of our environment and Earth in general.  I try to do my part, recycle everything I possibly can, and be thoughtful in my actions. Anyway I won't dwell on this ......  :)

Also I got this cute mug from, where else, Target!  This will have to serve as my dachshund

fix for now. 

so cute and silly :)

They have a cute circus theme for Valentine's Days home decor. With cute plates and cups.

Look at those cute little monkeys

They also have this dog shaped candy dish, but I'm not sure I really like it.

It's ceramic and kinda reminds me of Johnathan Adler but...I'm still not completely sold.

See more here

Ok well that's all for now. Hope everyone has a wonderful week :) I'll be back with more midweek.

Top 5 Tuesday

This is what I'm excited about this week! One of my favorite artist and etsy inspirations is the Black Apple. She paints marvelous paintings and creates all sorts of cute, and girly art. I am particularly smitten with her flower girl collection not sure yet which one is my favorite but right now it's the Geum painting.

I love her inquisitive expression

 I'm always excited about new movies and Wreck it Ralph is no exception. Much in the same vein as Pixar, Disney is taking ordinary objects and making them interesting and heartfelt. I am more excited about Ralph than Brave to me it's seems too similar to How to Train Your Dragon mixed with a headstrong Katniss type but we'll see. I'm trying to be open minded :)

Video game villains need support too

I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to go back to Dirt and I did sooner than expected. Now my strand of pearls succulent has a friend, a living stone succulent. I think it looks like cartoonish coral, and I can't wait to get some pretty flowers.

So happy together!

One of my favorite TV chefs, Eric Ripert always has a fun new spin on traditional recipes. My latest discovery is cauliflower couscous with blanched veggies.

Looks pretty amazing

He makes everything look so easy, I'm very excited to try it though, especially since my local fresh market carries bok choy. Get the recipe here.



And last but not least I love Sweet Bestiary's cute and playful creations. Especially her girls with bird pins. Her little monsters, finger puppets, and centaur like creatures are so quirky and sweet. But I'm quite taken with her latest offerings.

I love her attention to detail! Her braid is amazing

Hope the rest of your week goes swimmingly. What are you excited about lately?


photo locations: 1, 5

Local love- Bishop Arts District

I wanted to share my latest trip to Bishop Arts District this past weekend. I love all the cool eclectic shops and fun places to eat.....my current favorite is Bolsa. Their menu centers around local and fresh ingredients. I really love their pulled pork BBQ sandwich, they make their own horsey pickles and they are amazing! I plan to try their flat bread and bruschetta tasting sometime soon.

I also love Dude, Sweet Chocolate, they have very interesting dark chocolate offerings, and if you aren't sure about something they let you try samples in their fun little store. The staff is really nice and helpful. Last time I got to try tub of love and crack in a box which were delicious but I went with my old standby FM1410-2 pickled and smoked tomato jam soft chocolate toffee. I know it sounds weird but it has very subtle flavors it's sweet and a little bit spicy it has bits of jalapenos too. 

I love their packaging

I love looking around at the Artisian Collective, and seeing what new art is in the gallery. I was quite smitten with Brice McCasland's bird paintings. I can't find the ones I saw there but this gives you an idea.

I love his attention to detail

And last but not least. There is an awesome florist called Dirt. I'm sucker for pretty design, I love their logo almost as much as their arrangements. They do traditional flower arrangements but I really love their succulents, and after a couple years of drooling over them I made my first purchase.
It's a string of pearls succulent and you only have to water it once a month. That's my kind of low maintenance plant :)

Look how cute it is

 They also had beautiful pink peonies that smelled amazing and were literally the size of a baby's head. I would of bought some if I was going straight home. But there's always next time, I've got my eye on a couple more succulents that I'm super excited about.

So in short if you are looking for a fun place to explore you should take a trip down to Bishop.