Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Frida


Here is a piece I did for a Frida Fan. It reminds me of Bette Davis in the film "The Old Maid."

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Sunday Morning Meal


Leaving my garden that has now become a regular feeding spot.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tree Climbing Snake

I snapped this photo earlier today.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Ocean Isle Beach Photo


He allowed me to walk within a few feet to photograph him.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

new swap-bot cards


On the way to Canada today!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Shepherd’s Center Used Book Sale

Decided to stop by the book sale last night. I picked up a few books and helped to support this great organization. Here is a list of the books I purchased:

•Old Farmer’s Almanac
•Counseling the Depressed
•Japanese for Busy People
•The Ultimate Golf Journal
•Dogs That Point, Fish That Bite
•Greek Bible
•Jacob the Baker
•Essential Russian

Dixie Classic Fairgrounds

Thursday 9am – 9pm Friday 9am – 9pm Saturday 9am – 3pm For more information call the Shepherd’s Center @ 748-0522

Monday, April 12, 2010

Go Pirates!



I am now the official blogger and photographer for Nick's little league baseball team. So far his team, The Pirates, has won two games.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Safe & Natural Easter Egg Dyes


Before you pick up your Easter egg dye kit this year, consider going green and using natural dyes! Did you know that many food colorings contain color additives such as Red No. 3 and Yellow No. 5? According to the FDA, Red No. 3 can cause tumors and Yellow No. 5 can cause hives. So for a safe alternative look in your refrigerator and pantry.

Natural egg dyes can be made from a variety of ingredients. Here’s a list of what I’ve tried. You can mix and match materials to make different shades. Have fun & experiment.

Red/Pink: beets, canned cherries, crushed cranberries, and red sports drink

Orange: yellow onion skins, lemon peels and ground cumin

Red/Orange: chili powder

Light Yellow: tumeric

Golden yellow: canned blueberries with two tablespoons of turmeric

Green: spinach

Blue: red cabbage leaves or blueberries (crushed)

Purple: grape juice

Brown: coffee

Dyeing Methods from organic.com

Method 1—Hot
Place eggs in a single layer in a large, non-aluminum pan. Add the dyeing ingredient of your choice—it’s best not to mix until you are comfortable with experimenting. Cover the eggs and other dyeing “agent(s)” with one inch of water. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per quart to help the color adhere to the egg, and bring to a boil. Next, simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the desired shade is achieved. If you cook the eggs longer than 15 minutes, they will become rather tough.

Method 2—Cold
The cold method is the same as the hot method with the following exception. Once ingredients have simmered 20–30 minutes (depending on desired shade), lift or strain the ingredients out of the water and allow the water to cool to room temperature though you may wish to try keeping the ingredients in the colored water to give the egg more texture as the dye will become concentrated in areas where the vegetable touches the egg. Submerge the eggs until the desired color is achieved. You may keep the eggs in the solution overnight as long as it is refrigerated.

The longer the egg stays in the dye, hot or cold, the deeper the hue will be. Using vinegar will also help the color deepen. (If time is short, you can use fresh and frozen berries as “paints,” too—simply crush the berries against dry, boiled eggs!)

Once satisfied with your creation, place the eggs in an egg carton to dry. If you like, rub vegetable or mineral oil onto the dried egg to create an attractive sheen. Don’t forget to document your successes for next year!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Red Shoes


Need to buy Brooke a new pair of Dorothy shoes!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Go Heels!


North Carolina defeated NC State Saturday at the Smith Center, 74-61, snapping a 4-game losing streak at home. Go Heels!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Valentine's Day


I decided to put together some gift bags for a nearby nursing home. I found these bags in my studio and painted the hearts with acrylic paint. Putter watched as I stuffed them with lotion, chapstick, tissue, slippers, candy and stuffed animals. Alice and Rosalind visited each resident as they delivered the bags. This is how I decided to "show the love" on Valentine's Day.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Snow Day for Putter




I decided to adorn Putter with a few colorful hearts and let him romp through the snow.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Salem Cemetery

Recently I spent the afternoon at Salem Cemetery in Winston-Salem. I was taking photographs for a swap with Swap-Bot. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Friday, January 15, 2010

I am loving my new boots!


Made of soft leather, the Kiele Boot features embroidered cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms have symbolic meaning both in Chinese and Japanese cultures; in China the blossoms are a symbol of feminine power, and beauty. Japanese culture associates the cherry blossom with impermanence, because it is a delicate flower that blooms for a very short time. It’s as if to say not to get too attached to a particular outcome or become emotional because “this too shall pass” in time.