Pumpkins, Pumpkin and Chickens

Hey You,

Are you ready for Halloween?  I'm just about as ready as I'm gonna be.  My hubby and I carved up some pumpkins... he took a more classic approach and make a friendly pumpkin (who are we kidding? that smoldery smirk is out to find him a lady pumpkin. )  I how ever broke out the art supplies and decided to officially christen my gauge. It was hard to do tight curves  but it was really fun.  When I put a mini flash-lite inside I could see my designs glow... when I put a candle I couldn't see any of it.  The pumpkin was too thick and I needed to cut away more.  

I did a small one for my son and punched clear through ans was impresses that I could sort of write with the gauge.  :)

This morning we tried some rice cereal for my boy... he was really distracted and just kinda pushed the spoon out and drooled his food everywhere.   Cute, but rather unsuccessful.  I don't think he was hungry.... strange but true.

Any of you heard of Heifer? they give animals and farming tools to people who are struggeling.  It looks like a pretty cool project.  I'd like to help so im thinking of making some farm animal paintings and prints and a portion of the profits will go to Heifer.  (find out more about this cool project http://www.heifer.org/ )  So I'm pretty tiard to day for whatever reason but I get it in my head to paint chickens.... so these are my half cocked paintings of... well... cockerels and pullets.  

I haven't quite worked out a style I want to paint them in yet but the ideas are coming in.  By the time I get a canvass I might have a clearer direction I want to go in.  but for now... its what I got.

My little pumpkin is patiently waiting in my lap for me to be more fun... so I'm going to go..  as always comments are more than welcome :)
siC
laura

Restoring

Hey You,
 
Sorry I have been on hiatus. I have been writing half blogs and then not posting them.  They seemed too ramble-y and disjointed to post. In all honestly I didn't finish my thoughts. It is about an art piece I made and I'm super proud of it but writing in depth about it ...I kinda went with the flow, read it back and realized I was lost in spontaneous details.  Anyways, this is not that post. 
So updates on my little art world:

I did a craft fair with my paintings, I didn't expect to sell anything and I was correct but I did get feedback on what people liked and talked with more experienced artists so that was a plus :) AND there were lots of home made muffins, another plus!
I am on etsy now and I plan to be launching a shop to sell some of my originals soon!!  I'm looking into making prints and greeting cards too but we'll see.  ( recommendations are welcome) More on that soon!!

Kelly Rae Robert's E course has come to a close and I'm... well... going to miss it.  It was such a good motivation for me and in 5 weeks and my art presence on line went from a small album of my course work from collage and a few random paintings on facebook and an old online shop selling duck tape roses on etsy rotting away in the hollows of the internet... (probably untouched for 4 or 5 years) to a twitter account @CapenterArt , a blog (which you have found, yay you!), a business facebook page http://www.facebook.com/lauracarpenterart, I've resigned up on etsy http://www.etsy.com/people/lauracarpenterart?ref=pr_profile with new motivation (again no shop yet but I have goals set!) Not only have I been improving on the business front that I've managed to keep house somewhat better and we've been eating less chinese at ungodly hours of the night (yay! that stuff gets pricy after lunch!) 
Best of all I'm finaly considering myself as both a stay at home mom and a self employed artist!  woohoo! I know that's technically the easiest thing to do, call myself what I want to be called... but there seems to be these worthyness crutches we give ourselves like some how something crazy needs to happen before I can really be an artist.  I mean I've always called myself an artist but I was more referring to it as my favorite pastime and not my passion (well, second to God and family).  So yeah... I'm an artist!!

So some battery recharging was in order today and it involved a lovely stroll, a delicious warm dinner and a detour at the cheese shop (good grief I have a weakness for delicious cheese...free samples don't fight fair... some how they turned into salami and cheese for our next "date-night-in" too bad I'm not that into wine... maybe I'll get some grape juice for a touch of class...;)

Ok that's my progress report for now.  Next I want to get an online shop up and running, make a few sales, make a website & revamp this cute (but generic) little blog, and get me some business cards and start making prints!! oi much to do.  I kinda want it all in place before thanksgiving.  Will it happen? we'll find out!

So my recommendation is to do what you love and strive to make the necessary steps to making your dreams reality but don't forget to take care of yourself and reach out to those you love (and eat gourmet cheese... ) fair well lovely people, some pumpkin cinnamon roll dough needs tending to before it goes in the fridge overnight and then some pumpkin seeds require liberating from their orange prisons. 

siC
Laura Carpenter

PS: the recipie I am trying is found  http://katieatthekitchendoor.com/2011/12/05/overnight-cinnamon-pumpkin-rolls/  i don't have cream-cheese   for the frosting but it looks promising all the same :D (it didn't call for fancy shmancy welsh cheddar cheese with mustard seeds and love and fire?? )

Good Bye Summer [Helllllooo Caramel]

Hey You,

Oi I'm pretty sleepy (yes it is three in the afternoon, my time) and my thoughts are probably disjointed... but holy cow its gorgeous outside!!  The leaves are falling the air is cooler but flowers are still blooming and the peppers are still growing (guess what the only veggies to survive my dictatorship were).  Its like summers is sad to go, but it knows it needs to. 
I'm terrible with good byes.  Pretty much always... it takes me like a minimum of 20 minutes to leave someones company unless I know I have a time sensitive thing to do next and even then I can pretty well guarantee I'll be late anyways.
Anyways the air is crisp and I went on a walk with my son in the middle of the day instead of like... 7 pm.  It makes more sense to be a chain coffee drinker this time of year as well.  Ever notice how a certain time of year there's certain flavors that are just so much more appealing? Cinnamon and caramel are definite fall flavors to me. Along with pumpkin and black tea... or red tea... I'm a total vanilla rooibos fan, but its so much better when its chilly out!

All these flavors get me into a rich brown and gold mood.  Today I was up in the shed where my unfinished paintings await in purgatory and I brought in 4 or so unfinished pieces to work with.  The one(s) I was most excited to find were these cream and brown palm trees and I was instantly inspired to work with them again (usually I cannibalize them) so I cleaned them off and added in some browns and golds.  Its kind of a beautiful marriage, if you will, because its so mellow and yet luxurious and though it features Summer elements its really mellow like a memory instead.  I think the time is also right to start working with crackle finishes.  

I bought a few different kinds last year looking for the perfect one and like a dummy I didn't try any because I was too intimidated. Maybe I'll review them here and let you know how I like them and what works and what doesn't.  Sound good? 
Well my little angle baby is wakening up so I'll let you go for now.  Let me know what Inspires you about fall in the comments below :)

You are beautiful and significant, may peace be with you.
siC
laura

Interactive Art

Hey You
I have been pondering the possibilities of Interactive Art lately.   Yesterday I finally sank my teeth into it and I'm overjoyed with my results! I will be selling some of these and pieces like these soon.  I cannot contain myself I feel as though i have made a genuine creative breakthrough!  I want to create experiences! I want to create happy memories! And best of all I want to give those around me permission to soar like Kelly Rae Roberts has done for me!  We all have God given gifts.  Do w truly live if we leave them in the box, afraid to mess up the pretty wrapping papers?

Fly.  Fly, baby, fly.

siC
Laura
Tell me what "Interactive Art" means to you!  I'd love to hear it!

Painting Up Date: Quail & Baby Love!

Hey You,


So in my last blog I alluded to the fact that I was inspired by the artist I featured, Rob Sandidge, and did some painting when I got home. The tree pictured is a dwarf Meyer Lemon that I got myself as a late birthday present.  (Yeah I'm that goofy... they don't really keep citrus trees in stock around January, gotta wait till late March or April.  So I gave myself a rain check for my birthday.  )  The quail... are California quail.  No, I haven't seen any in my yard yet, but when I was a kid I'd see them at my parent's all the time. 

If you've never seen quail they have this cute habit of traveling in a covey (to be technical) and one always stands watch while the others eat and they take turns like this and they alert each-other if they see any danger. That's good team work if I do say so. 
That was Sunday. 

On Monday I had declared an art day with one of my cousins. We decided to work with 4" gallery wrapped canvases.  I cannibalized a few old ones I had started and lost interest in and created  what you see here.  I have lots of empty wall space in my home (for an artist that's probably odd) and I was just given this adorable framed photo of my son, so I decided it was high time to make a "red wall" to go with my "grass cloth green" walls and so far I'm digin' the whole red white and green theme :) I might carry it on in my kitchen as well!  We'll see.

Here's a tighter shot of my favorite panel.  I love love love hand and foot prints right now! I'm obsessed with these precious toes and I want to savor their cuteness for ever. It took me three tries for the first foot and two for the second.  I'm getting pretty good at it. This is probably my fourth panel with his feet. Patience is key, like with anything.

As always, feel free to say hi in the comments because you are beautiful and significant :)
siC
Laura Carpenter

Ah that's taken care of, now back to painting!!

Inspiring Art: Robert Sandidge

Hey You,

Ok so I've driven by this art gallery quite a bit, there's a few good restaurants and some friends of mine out in this neck of the woods.  I've even stopped to see if they were open a time or two when they were closed. 

But today when I was eating lunch (well, ok, breakfast for lunch, lets be real, I had cinnamon roll french toast.) I noticed they were open and it kept nagging at me.  
I make it my business to go to all the local art galleries.  Last year I visited at least 4 or 5 on a monthly basis to try to catch all the gallery shows. I've never been to this one. So I mentioned to those in my company that perhaps we should go over there when we were finished and they happily agreed.

I'm so glad we did!

Oh my goodness this guy, Robert Sandidge, is truly phenomenal!  Now I'm sort of a snob when it comes to art, I must confess, scenic themes aren't normally my thing, not only not in my art but in most others as well. Yeah snobby right? All I mean to say is they aren't usually my favorite. Ironically I've been painting them lately so maybe I'm maturing and I just don't know it yet. So yeah, there I was just stepped in the gallery I started looking at the first painting on the wall to the right and worked my way around the room then I realized the guy who was telling these young men (ok school boys) about art was not only an artist but the artist and we were in his gallery.  He was explaining the importance of a focal point and how lines in the painting need to lead the eye around the painting to the focal point. Not only was it an important rule I had forgotten about (and will remember as I continue to make art! )  but I realized all his work was very smartly planed art and he intentionally led your eyes exactly where he wants them in his pieces and held your attention, much like looking someone in the eyes.   All of the paintings were captivating.  Riveting. 

I would be remiss if i didn't mention another reason why these paintings were special to me.  They are of my home town, a lot of them any ways. these grape vines and these hills with scattered trees around them are what I'd see on my way to my grandma's house.  He truly captured the beauty of California.  From the cows and chickens in the rural counties to the trollies and San Fransisco and the cypress trees along the coast, he captured it perfectly and in turn it captures you. 

He and his wife were so incredibly welcoming. They came over to us to see my son and we got to talking and, honestly I liked them immediately. Jackie took us all through their home to show off the studio, different pieces and, good grief, I fell in love with this humungous koi triptych. Any ways, Beautiful work and just about the nicest people you'd want to meet. If you're ever in the area I recommend you check 'em out.

I made a new painting today inspired by his work.  I'll post a blog about that one some time this week :)

Check out Robert Sandidge here: http://sandidgegallery.com/

Be inspired.
siC
Laura Carpenter

Oatmeal Crust Apple Pie

Hey you,
Ok so... I really have no vision to make this a food blog (unless it involves coffee) but I love takeing recipes and making them my own and today in my frustration I some how cobbled together something so amazingly delicious I surprised myself.  Since I want to remember what I did for future reference and I'd be happy to share it with you i figured I'd document it.  I took two recipes and blended them together and tweaked them based on reviews and my own tastes. The crust and topping came from THE SPICE HOUSE http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/apple-pie-with-oatmeal-crust-recipe (that website looked really cool, i wonder if they carry Haitian vanilla?)and the filling was more inspired by Betty Crocker... because Betty Crocker can do no wrong.  I don't know if its a pie or a strudel or a cobbler or what but its worth repeating, so without further adieu:

Oatmeal Crust:
1 cup oats
3/4 cup flour
1/4 ground flax seed
1/4 tightly packed brown sugar
a dash of sea salt
a stick of melted butter
a tablespoon of honey (because it needed more liquid)
and some water maybe a bit over a table spoon... I wasn't paying attention, it was just a healthy splash alright?

Topping:
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup tightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
cinnamon and allspice to taste, perhaps a teaspoon each
a handful of chopped pecans, optional but highly recommended, these things taste so good when you toast em like this!!!

Filling: 
4 or so apples cored and thinly sliced (firm green apples of coarse! peel em if you want but I left the skins on, I think skinning them is pretty unnecessary)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ground flax
a few dashes of cinnamon
a few dashes of allspice
3 tablespoons butter (not melted)

Preheat oven to 425 (Fahrenheit)

Whisk together the dry ingredients for the crust. Add in melted butter whisk a bit more then add in water and honey.  Make sure all ingredients are just incorporated. I guess over mixing pastries is a sin of some sort.  Pat into a crust shape in your pie pan forget the rolling pin, that never does me any good, your fingers like getting all sugary and buttery anyways.

For the Filling: Stir together brown sugar, flax and spices pour over apples and make sure they are well coated.  dump into pie pan.... um if its not making a mound over your crust you don't have enough apples.  just sayin, those babies cook down.shave your butter with your all important butter knife and spread the shavings all over the top of the pie.  This is called dotting.  I think.

Ok make the topping first mix the dry ingredients, add melted butter, pecans mix well spread evenly over apples. You know the drill, look at you go, you pro cheffy you. 

Put it in the oven, like a boss. for 40-50 min. I checked on mine after 20 min and found the crumbs to be dark brown which is excellent because that's how I like LOVE my pecans... toasted well.  but I did cover it with foil for the last 20 and kick the temp down to 400 degrees.

It was pretty good I feel like the crust I modified came out perfectly... its not "pretty" but its so darn tasty I don't see why you'd care. It did brake a little but that's not something I worry about I'd rather it be delicious than serve nicely.  

Oh yeah let your pie cool before you cut it. Then put it in your mouth and enjoy it because that's where it belongs.  And feel good because you got your healthy fiber full and amino acid rich flax for the day.

Feel free to say hi in the comments because, you are beautifull and significant.

Peace be with you.

siC,
laura