subway art

there are so many takes on subway art.  and i had not yet tried creating my own.  and lately my craft groove has been dormant (along with my blogging groove).  but today i gave it a try.  a sweet friend is having a birthday...a big one.  so i decided to make her some subway art with the places and things that are most meaningful to her and her family.

what a fun project.

now i need to start one of my own.  how about it ball's?  give me your favorite family traditions, memories, places.  i'll see what i can come up with.

and don't tell me nothing.

geez.

you know we did stuff.

vintage paintings

these two small original oil paintings hung in my grandmother's house.  they were a gift to her from my mother.  i love these two paintings.  they are quaint, sweet and vivid, and, in person, have dimension and layers.  they make my heart smile.

my mother purchased them from the artist, eric linnell, in 1945.  she was on her way to work (her very first job) at wanamaker's in philadelphia.  the artist was sitting outside of wanamaker's on the sidewalk painting them.  still in their original frames, they measure only about 5" X 6".

they were lovingly handed from daughter to mother.

they hung in my grandma's house until she died in 1977.

after that they hung in my mom's house.

i've had my eyes on them ever since i can remember.
(so much so that i put my name on the back of them lest any of my siblings get any ideas that they might be going to their homes.)

recently they came home with me and they now hang in my house.

i see them every single time i enter my home.

love.

a gumball machine

i needed a gumball machine.  on a stand.  not that i was anxious for 10 grandchildren to be running around my house chewing gum and leaving it wherever....

no, i needed a gumball machine because this little girl is a sassy, i'll say hello if i want to, kinda gal.

i needed a bribe.  so when she comes over i can get some loving.

yep, i needed a gumball machine.

like this one.  because miss sassy will do just about anything for gum.

but every gumball machine i found was red and black.  and i wanted black and white.

so out came the paint.  spray paint.  one of man's greatest inventions. 

here she is.  all ready.

so come on over elise.  this nana can't wait to get some leelee loving!

i want to live here!

Tracery Interiors, Atlanta Homes Mag

yummy light, monochromatic, windows to die for, and worn, rustic wood to warm it all up.

but alas...i live in the desert.

why?  why?  why?

biscotti di prato recipe - piu delizioso

biscotti di prato because it originated in the italian city of prato.  it's a love acquired no doubt from my italian heritage.  and hands down this is the best biscotti recipe ever.  it comes courtesy of my niece (hey, sarah jones!) who got it from the mother of the owner of a little coffee shop she used to work at.

here's the recipe

biscotti di prato

cream 1 1/2 sticks butter

add 1 1/2 cups sugar

beat and add 6 eggs (save 1 egg white for top)

add:

2 - 4 tsp anise extract (i use 4 very generous tsps.  it is, after all, anise)

2 tsp of vanilla

2 cups minced nuts (walnuts or pecans)

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 to 1 1/2 cup chopped craisins (you can omit these)

cream mixture together.  shape dough into 2 loaves.  paint with egg white

baked on greased cookie sheet 35 - 50 minutes (yep, you gotta watch it)

to quote wiki..."these cakes are large biscuits, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still hot and fresh from baking in the oven"
so don't forget to slice and twice bake (or they won't be biscotti!) about another 10 minutes.

delizioso, squisito, prelibato.
p.s.  i'm back...i think.

winter solstice

it's no secret.  i hate winter.  that season of dormancy, darkness and cold.  motivation escapes me.  not a single fiber of my being is alive.  my time is spent curled up in a ball trying to keep my bones warm while my spirit plummets. seasonal affective disorder. it's the winterizing of my soul.  as the daylight wans i teeter into that dark, cold abyss.  my soul falls dead asleep without feeling or hope.   nature uses this time to rest.  to reflect, rejuvenate, and  replant.  i am now, slowly, taking my cues from nature.  and as the days begin to lengthen and the light begins to brighten i find myself waking up.

and for this i am grateful.

turn out the lights the party's over

done.  finito.

because about now my beloved christmas decor has turned into christmas clutter.

i need to get back to normal.

whatever that is.

christmas 2010

at carrabbas.  before the nutcracker ballet.

christmas eve dinner.  prime rib.  might have to be a new tradition.

its christmas morning.  where are those bouncing ball?  we've got presents to open!

happy will.  and apparently bumpa likes little people too.

drew was happy too...but was still looking for that nerf recon.  (yes, he found it.)

wessie got to building right away.  cool stuff.

geez nana...clothes...that all you got.

yea skechers twinkle toes rock!

elise was happy...she hadn't found her clothes yet.

now if we could get the rest of those bouncing balls home from michigan,

 we could wrap this christrmas thing up.

cause this nana has cooked her goose and needs to cuddle.

with this. (since the boy i live with went hunting...again.)

but i'm not complaining cause this keeps me nice and warm too.

with sleepytime herbal, lemon zinger, mandarin orange spice, cozy chamomile, peppermint, white hot chocolate, double chocolate, cafe mocha, and caramel apple cider.
and if this mormon momma gets to feeling edgy
she's got her eye on the butter toffee, hazlenut, raspberry chocolate truffle decafs.
thanks again babe...i love it.  but you should know if you keep up this hunting pace,
my new keurig will be getting the best of me.

christmas baking



UPDATE:  i'm out of biscotti...i'm out of pizzelles.
mom, can i borrow your pizzelle maker?

is finally done.  8 loaves of biscotti, 3 sheets of toffee, 7 pumpkin spice jar cakes, and about 18 dozen anisette pizzelles.

we are in sweet overload over here.

except for elise.  we can never get enough of her sweetness.

 
while baking she says to me, "nana, you're cute".
yep, full of sweetness and sass that one.

additions

i wish i could be one of those bloggers who posts everyday but things have been busy around here.  real busy.  and all this busyness has included a couple of new additions.

addition number one is by far the most beautiful, enchanting and heralded addition to come into our lives, well, since the last most beautiful, enchanting and heralded addition.

introducing

natalie olivia

natalie came into the world on tuesday, december 7, 2010 at 4:43 pm.

7 pounds and 11 ounces of pure joy.

i am most blessed.  she has filled my heart during a time i was afraid it was breaking.

and while natalie and mom and dad were resting in the hospital

this sassy little creature spent the night with me.

she let me take two pictures and then proclaimed,

"ok nana, that's enough".

during all this busyness i was drooling over christmas ball wreaths.  i had to have one.

i liked the more abstract ones best.  i didn't want my balls all lined up.

(in contrast to the days when i needed all my "balls" lined up and the boy i live with gave me some telling advice..."all your 'balls' are swimming on different ponds.  get used to it".)

so i made me a christmas ball wreath.  and my balls are not all lined up.

additions are a very good thing.