Always Ariel

Your Life

2011-01-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

"Your life is what you agree to attend to." Jim Loehr
I am listing a few of my art and writing goals for 2011.
FINISH Putter's Book
Dysfunctional Cookbook to press by 5/1/2011
Complete Dysfunctional Art*O*Mat series
New Studio Set-up
UPDATE WEB SITE
Blog post weekly

Frida

2010-08-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

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

Sunday Morning Meal

2010-08-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Tree Climbing Snake

2010-08-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

I snapped this photo earlier today.

Ocean Isle Beach Photo

2010-08-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

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

new swap-bot cards

2010-06-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

On the way to Canada today!

Shepherd’s Center Used Book Sale

2010-05-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

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

Go Pirates!

2010-04-12T08:25:00.001-07:00

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.

Safe & Natural Easter Egg Dyes

2010-03-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

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!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Brooke Decides It's Time To Mow

2010-03-09T12:12:00.001-08:00

Red Shoes

2010-02-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

Need to buy Brooke a new pair of Dorothy shoes!

Go Heels!

2010-02-16T12:42:00.001-08:00

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

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

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.

Snow Day for Putter

2010-02-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

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

Salem Cemetery

2010-01-21T11:54:00.000-08:00

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.

I am loving my new boots!

2010-01-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

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.

Wishing you a...

2009-12-14T11:08:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa, and Happy Festivus!

Recycle Your Pumpkin

2009-11-01T18:46:00.001-08:00

Every year, one billion pounds of pumpkins are produced in the U.S. and many end up in landfills shortly after Halloween. A pumpkin is 100% natural and there are several ways to recycle or reuse your jack-o-lantern. Here are 4 ways to recycle your pumpkin.

1. Make a bird or squirrel feeder with your pumpkin. Fill it with corn, seeds, nuts, and fruit pieces.

2. Pumpkins make great planters for flowers.

3. Convert your pumpkin into compost. A compost pile can be as simple as a shallow hole, or you can build or buy a compost bin. You mix in kitchen waste, like fruit and veggie scraps, with yard waste, like grass clippings and dead leaves. Add water, give it some time and you will be rewarded with a rich compost. Here is a simple bucket method of composting. Cut the bottom out of the bucket. Dig a hole larger than the bucket to a depth that allows the cover to go on close to ground level. Put kitchen waste in the bucket, keeping the lid closed while the waste digests. The lid is important to keep moisture in the materials. After about 10 weeks pull the bucket and start another one in the garden.

4. One favorite in our household is roasting the pumpkin seeds. Separate the seeds from the membrane and rinse. Soak in salt water overnight. Spread the seeds on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, turning once. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Check out these fabulous flavors from UnassumingFoodie.com:

Italian Style Pumpkin Seeds: Italian Seasoning Blend, Parmesan Cheese, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Seeds: Cinnamon, Ground Ginger and Pinch of Nutmeg, Butter

Greek Style Pumpkin Seeds: Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend, Oregano, Salt, Olive Oil

The Distant Drummer

2009-10-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a story from my book "Farm House Hauntings." This one takes place at a farm located on Fraternity Church Road in Winston-Salem.
Brandon wanted a set of drums and plagued his parents with consent requests for a set. They knew Brandon had drifted through the harmonica, keyboard, bass, and finally the guitar stage and thought a set of drums would not be a wise investment. Finally they agreed on a compromise. They would purchase Brandon a snare drum and after he mastered playing it they would give him a full set of drums.

He had only had the drum for a few weeks and as his parents anticipated his interest disappeared. He moved the drum downstairs into the recreation room. Late one night his mother was awakened by a faint drumming sound. She looked at the clock on the nightstand beside the bed and saw that it was 3:00 am. What in the world was Brandon doing she thought. After a short while the drumming stopped.

The next morning, when she questioned Brandon about his early morning drumming he claimed he was sound asleep at 3:00 am. A couple of days later the same thing happened. This time Brandon’s mother decided to catch him in the act and went downstairs. As she opened the door the drumming stopped. She let out a small gasp when she saw the drum sitting in the corner. She ran back upstairs woke up her husband and told him what had happened. He told her she was more than likely dreaming and to go back to sleep. A few nights later the drumming started again and this time Brandon heard it. He jumped out of bed and ran to his parent’s room. He woke them both up and they all three heard the faint sound of drumming. As they descended the stairs the drumming suddenly stopped. Brandon’s father checked the doors and they were all locked.

The next day Brandon decided to take and hide the drumsticks. A few days went by and nothing happened. The third night the drumming started up again and Brandon ran downstairs. He opened the door and saw the drumsticks on the floor next to the drum.

This activity went on for weeks and the family decided to investigate the history of the farmhouse they had purchased. They were shocked to learn that a young 14-fourteen year old boy named Alan had committed suicide in the basement. In fact he had died in the very room that they had turned into a rec room. After talking with Alan’s surviving relatives they were surprised to find out that he owned a drum set and would spend hours in the basement practicing. They said that he was always depressed and that the only time he really seemed happy was when he was playing the drums.

The drum playing went on for several weeks and then stopped. Although the family does not hear the drums they claim that often they find the drumsticks placed on top of or near the snare drum. Brandon thinks its “kind of cool,” but is a little disappointed that the phantom drummer is a lot better drummer than he is.

Sam & Nellie

2009-08-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sam and Nellie were dropped off yesterday and need a new home as soon as possible. Sam is a Beagle-mix and Nellie is a Lab-mix. Both are around seven years old. They are both very sweet.

Brooke's 1st Birthday Party

2009-07-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

I love to read!

I love this!

Raleigh Book Signing

2009-05-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

The book signing in Raleigh last week was great. I was at the Wolf's Head Books booth space along with Barbara and Harvey. When you are in the St. Augustine area make sure to check out their store.

Wolf's Head Books Inc., ABAA
67 San Marco Ave. St. Augustine, FL 32084
wolfshead@wolfsheadbooks.com
(904) 824-9357

New Book Almost Ready

2009-04-22T08:17:00.001-07:00

I am really excited about this new book! It has a great message for adults and children about being a responsible pet owner. It is scheduled for release in the fall and Putter will be on hand at pet stores to pawagraph the book.

Coming Soon... the Adventures of Franklin & Theodore

2009-04-03T11:03:00.001-07:00

My Little Shamrock

2009-03-17T17:13:00.001-07:00

2009-03-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Tis like a morn in spring.
With a lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing
When Irish hearts are happy
All the world is bright and gay
When Irish eyes are smiling
Sure, they steal your heart away.

Wishing You A...

2008-12-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa, and Happy Festivus!

National Novel Writing Month

2008-11-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

I just signed up to participate in the National Novel Writing Month. Participants begin writing November 1 with the hope of completing a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Last year I signed up but did not manage to complete the novel by November 30. This year I will write 50,000 words! NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought about writing a novel but for some reason just can't seem to get started. If you want to write a novel this month log on at www.nanowrimo.org and sign up. And remember it's not about quality but quantity. Now what will my novel be about this month? If you have any suggestions let me know.

Robin's Pumpkin

2008-10-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

I decided to carve one more pumpkin. This one is a surprise for my friend Robin. She is seriously dedicated to her cats. So I decided that this cat would be perfect. I am planning on taking it over later this evening and placing it on her front porch.

Putter examines his pumpkin...does it really look like me he ponders?

2008-10-28T17:15:00.001-07:00

Putter with his pumpkin

2008-10-28T17:11:00.001-07:00

Milliande Creativity Club

2008-10-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Soon you will be able to view some of my art in progress pieces at the Milliande Creativity Club.

Putter's Pumpkin Portrait

2008-10-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

I decided to carve a pumpkin in honor of Putter.

Midwest Book Review

2007-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

I did manage to get a review in the Midwest Book Review.

Natasha Parker
Reviewer

Ariel Bouvier has created a family that transcends the meaning of the word eccentric. Dancing Aunt Dixie tapped dance so fast she gained the nickname "Machine Gun." Uncle Herbert, an evangelist, was booted from his congregation after insisting that his two dogs, Sampson and Delilah, would be joining him in heaven. Cousin Huey searched the Himalayas year after year for the Abominable Snowman until he disappeared on one of his summit attempts. Aunt Ida Rose lost her pet chickens to foxes and decided to move to England take up fox hunting.
From hippies to inventors to chicken farmers, this is a family that will make you laugh out loud. Ariel Bouvier has a very unique talent for developing some of the most interesting, eccentric characters you would ever want to meet. And the photographs are simply priceless. "My Dysfunctional Family Tree" contains 45 photos and profiles that will keep you entertained page after page.