Productive Weekend

I finally finished a painting I've been working on forever this weekend.  It's not that it was particularly complicated, but I have just been particularly not motivated.  However, I knew these cold weekend in winter were worth something - forcing me to work on projects I have otherwise put off.

One of these days when I have a bigger place to work, I'll get a better easel.  This painting is 16" x 20" Oil on canvas. Part of my ongoing amusement park series of paintings.  I'm going to enter an application to the Kansas City Plaza Art fair when they open in February.  I've heard it's kind of expensive to get in to, but we'll see.  I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

We Did It!

© Arnaud Frich

We're definitely going to Paris!  We've decided to go in June, and I can not wait!  Instead of a hotel, we're doing an apartment rental in Montemarte through the lovely people over at Haven In Paris.  I love the fact that we're staying in a quiet area, and that it will feel like we're actually living there for a week.  Here are some wonderful photos of the small studio apartment we'll be staying in:

Of course we went with the most affordable rental they had, but it had nothing but amazing, glowing reviews.  If you want to go wild, they have beautiful 5 Bedroom rentals for up to 7000 Euro a Week.  I'd say that's slightly out of our price range :).  I don't even know what I'm most excited for:

Whether it's seeing the Sacre Coeur out of our window every morning...

Strolling the streets of Montemarte

Just walking around enjoying the Parisienne life...

Place de Vosges in the Marias...

Or shopping?!

By the way, aren't the photos of Paris amazing?  Head on over to Arnaud Frich's website to see all of his amazing photos of the City of Lights.

Ugh...

View from my office window.  Up to 9 inches of snow on the way.

I hate winter.  Yes, I'm a party pooper, a Debby Downer, a winter hater, and I am generally no fun.  But my lips are chapped, my skin is dry, my hair is both stringy and full of static (an interesting conundrum), and my dogs keeps shocking me with their noses.  So all you snow-lovers can bite me.  Sure, snow is fun when you're in school and it gets cancelled and you don't have to go anywhere.  But if my wonderful husband hadn't offered to drive me to work today, I would have probably cried.  I wish I could hibernate until spring...

DIY Craft: Morovian Star

Image Via Design Sponge

I'm a sucker for a good paper craft, and when I saw this Morovian Star on Design*Sponge a couple of days ago, I got really excited.  I will say, it's not the easiest paper craft I've ever done, but it's definitely one of the prettiest, and the colors aren't season specific.  It would be pretty to do these in a bunch of scrapbook papers and have a ton of them hanging from the ceiling.

You can get the link to the template here:  Template and you can get written instructions HERE.

The first page is the template for all of the points, and the second page is the core.  The solid lines are cut lines and the dotted are fold lines.  The little flaps are meant to be glued.  I used elmers, but I'm sure there's an easier way.  There's really no easy way to do the core because it will eventually be a solid round piece and it's hard to glue that last flap.  Here's mine:

Yes, it was taken with my phone.  I got elmers glue on everything.  One tip:  Score all your folds lightly with an exacto knife before making them!  This one took me a couple lunch breaks over about three days to do.  A fun weekend project to do indoors while it's cold and snowy outside.  Enjoy!

On The Menu: Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole

I love a good casserole.  Just throw everything in a dish and bake.  For someone who hates cleaning up, these one dish meals are perfect.  I received the Lady and Sons Cookbook from my brother two Christmases ago.  This is one of the recipes I make most consistently from that cookbook, but of course, like every other recipe I love, it serves 8 people.  The modified version below will serve more like 2 - 4.  And unlike most Paula Deen recipes, this one uses NO butter.  It's a Christmas Miracle!

Shrimp and Wild Rice
Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. Shrimp - raw, deveined, tail off
1 Package Uncle Bens Long Grain and Wild Rice
1 Can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Bell Pepper - chopped
1/2 White Onion - chopped
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce
8 oz (1 Cup) shredded cheddar cheese plus an extra handful for the top

Shrimp with seasonings, bell pepper and onion

All the ingredients with the cheese on top

Mmmm...Enjoy!

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

2. Cook the Uncle Bens Rice According to the Directions.  We usually buy the 90 second pouches that cook in the microwave.

3. Combine the rice with the rest of the ingredients including the 8oz of cheese in a square baking dish or small casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining handful of cheese over the top.

4. Bake about 40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has turned into a nice brownish crust.

New Year's Resolutions

So, I don't normally make New Year's Resolutions, but I figured there is no better way to make a pact with yourself to improve your life.  I'm a little late with the New Year blog post, I realize this.  So here it goes, my list of resolutions!

1. I will not self-diagnose myself using google, WebMD, etc. This one I've already broken...BUT, no more.  I promise.  I will set aside my hypochondrianism in favor of opinions from actual doctors who will diagnose me if I am actually sick/dying/suffering from zombie apocalypse virus.

2. Be more patient.  My husband thinks I was born without patience, and this is true.  I wonder if I can buy some at Target...  But seriously, being more patient might help my lingering anxiety issues.

3. Go to Paris.  Simple enough.  We don't have kids, and we need to do one more big trip before the big "C" - that's children, not cancer.

4. Get healthy and feel better about myself.  No, this isn't one of those, "I will start working out 5 days a week and eat nothing but fruit and cayenne pepper" resolutions.  But I need to do something.  At least my husband runs with our doggies and takes them for walks.  I pretty much sit around.  I know if I just got in at least a little physical activity I would feel better and healthier.  Plus, seeing Black Swan (as crazy as it was) made me really miss ballet.

So those are my goals.  I would love to hear if anyone else has made any resolutions this year!

New Etsy Watercolors Available

Head over to the Etsy Shop today to see some new watercolors...