Lilac Window

Some random but possibly interesting facts about salad around here:

• not enough salad is consumed in this family.
• This may be due to the fact that lettuce just goes bad too quickly. Also, I usually make too much salad as a side dish, and then it goes bad, and I feel wasteful. But I have discovered, that I just need one head of Romaine Lettuce, and a ton of other vegges, and we can have salad all week. Just one or two lettuce leaves is enough when I put everything else on.
• I have a sudden aversion to buying meat. We may become weekend carnivores, and weekday vegetarians. We may not ready to be full vegetarian, but a couple steps closer.
• That said, we do like the bacon. Its even better with salad.
• I justify the bacon consumption with kale. We LOVE kale and bacon. (Pancetta would be so much more gourmet – but I’m not fooling anyone. We eat bacon, and I’m admitting it here.)
• Trying four recipes from Smitten Kitchen this week.
• Finding that children will try things they don’t usually like if the presentation is adjusted. This salad for instance. Inspired by this Cobb salad, I put ours out on a platter. It went over well.
• In order to remain satiated on this week of salads we include more filling ingredients such as bread, nuts, eggs, left-overs, lentils, rice…
• When making a salad I ofter just fry a few strips of bacon first. Then use that oil to toast seeds/nuts, croutons, left-overs, lentils, kale, anythings else that I want to put on. (fattening? yes. but, the argument is that these are to be little toppings, not the entire salad. And hey! its salad for dinner! and this way the kids eat it. Its win-win.)
• I love warm salad toppings. Hence my previous note. One a bed of crispy romaine and baby spinach, warm toasted anything is good. (especially with dressing)
• We try to have nuts and seeds around the house. Especially pine nuts.
• This week’s salad treats are pecans, and Swiss cheese. If I’m not buying meat, I can justify that too!
• boiled egg – a good thing to have around the house too.
• my favorite dressing: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, garlic, lemon juice, flax seeds.  – quantities to taste. And sometimes I add other things, like ginger, paprika, other spices… you know, I like to have fun.
• My favorite thing about the farmer’s market is the big bags of fresh herbs for $3.00. They seem to last longer than the store bought ones, and I feel like I can be really generous with them, use them for greens in the salad for instance.
• Jamie Oliver has a warm salad with roasted carrots and avocado that nearly kills me its so amazing. I will make it this week. He often puts hunks of toasted ciabatta bread in his salad. This makes a salad a meal, and is the best idea ever because the bread soaks up the dressing, and fills you up, and takes the whole “salad for dinner” concept to a new level.
• Oh gosh. Today’s lunch salad just blew me over it was so good.

I have a lot of interests. Sometimes I feel like I am divided all over the place. I have my own business, I paint, I do architecture, I have an interest in sustainable lifestyles, I am a mom, I am interested in education, I have this blog…

This painting is for an architectural project, but it felt like I was just doing what I love. And it made it onto this blog. I feel whole again. smile.

I was mucking around with paper yesterday, seeing what I can do with these little drawings. I had so many ideas, but the paper I was using wasn’t holding up well. I ended up going for the good old arches, and including a painted tone on a pencil drawing. Now I think I am in love. This little drawing went from a sketch in my book, to a sacred little object. The amount of clean white paper on the border, the simple lines, the reserved paint, is so restrained and minimal, it makes the sweetness and simplicity of the image so much “louder”.

As you know I have been struggling with finding a way to print drawings on the printer. It just brings so much more to the table than I really want to deal with. Its adding a whole process to the production of the “thing” that I just don’t want to deal with. I want to create objects of art that have lives of their own, and that exist because I handled, loved, and crafted them. Not that I am against reproduction, its just that I have mountains of original work that I would love people to have on their walls, rather than a photocopy. So. I have been thinking about creating these precious drawings, that can be reproduced by hand. At this point that seems more feasible than paying premiums for a print shop to do it. And this way the product is an “original”.

In a way.

But then, that also seems weird doesn’t it?

inspired by the first warm morning in a while, I made an outdoor – living room on the back porch.

I had been lamenting that we didnt have a gate out there to prevent Emery from wondering off. But then I realized our large bar-b-que is big enough to close the opening. I was down because we don’t have comfy patio furniture, but decided to sweep, lay out blankets and transfer the couch pillows outside. The boys spent all morning out there, reading, playing forts and eating snack. We even had a tea party. The mosquitoes tried to spoil the fun, but I dug out my home-made insect repellent and they seem to be repelled enough to hang back. I didnt make it, but bought it from a friend who is a herbalist. But I am sure you COULD make it, if you were so inclined. The ingredients are:

Neem Leaf

Grapeseed oil

Beeswax

Essential oils of:

Geranium

Cedarwood

Citronella

Lavender

Tea Tree

Patchouli

It smells wonderful, and does the job. I’d tell you where to buy it, except she doesn’t have a shop.

three little paintings. the whole suburbia, car dependency, road, interchanges, and sprawl “thing”. It gets to you sometimes. but then, these are some pretty little paintings. So maybe its not all so bad.

I did these on the 300bl rather than the 140. Its completely different to work with. I didn’t realize how used I am to the 140, but I think I may fall in love with this. (hello $18.00 a sheet…)

Also, I imagined paintings that were much more developed but am entranced with the thrill of the fresh first layer, and so, for these I decided to keep it.

The signs are place-less for a reason. But I am sure you already got that.

thinking about green tea, I painted this yesterday. Also inspired by the wet green I see through the window.

Its SNOWING!

Hey. I have been doing these little studies with scraps I have lying around. I am loving the “object” quality that happens when you paint small. They are like little Polaroids.

What do you think is essential to where you live? Sometimes I feel like a foreigner in Calgary, even though I am Albertan by birth. But I think that sentiment is not uncommon. So many people come here from other places. I always thought helping new immigrants would be rewarding,and help me feel at home here, but I cant figure out how to do it with kids, or in my schedule.

Here is a painting I did as a commission for a friend. She bought it for her husband for his birthday. They are the proud parents of a new baby girl. Yup, thats them in the picture. The text is a prayer for children by Abdu’l-Baha.

Hiya!

how are you doing? I always gotta ask, even though I am going to talk about me for the next while. I actually honestly care how you are. Its just weird if I start pretending to talk to a real person. really weird.

Yesterdays idea of having models pose with my paintings has got me thinking. I actually put together a proposal for a submission to “The New Gallery” an artist run center in Calgary. I have no idea if it would fly or not. I have to work out the details. Also, that might not be the best venue for the work, but you know, I gotta try. The idea includes my paintings and some photography. I am on the prowl for a photographer to collaborate with.

In the mean time, I am working on the little paintings, and decided to tweek up the presentation of these a little. You know, iphoto’s vignette option, with a little edge blur. I so want you to like these paintings. I got a lot more in my head!

In this painting there is a little dialogue:

“good morning”

“good morning, love, how did you sleep?”

splash splash

“pretty good, after I carried Em into the other room, and got Marcel some water.”

“After that he came and slept with me. He wanted to cuddle”

“yeah. me too.”

Good morning.

did you have a good sleep? Ours was about a 6 out of ten. Which means I actually slept…a bit. Remember that drawing I did way back when Marcel was little? I was so frustrated that I couldn’t find people that I could relate to with the whole attachment parenting thing. I started drawing  a superhero mamma who was all powerful, to vent. I think it helped. Of all the images I did, this one had a style and feeling that I liked the best, but didn’t repeat. If I had I think I would be more popular. It is photoshop heavy and requires technology to reproduce, and I got tired of making art on my computer. You know?

Aren’t these photos incredible? I cant get them out of my head. they will become inspiration for paintings this spring. I have a whole series in mind.. I think it would be cool to do like a “spring collection” like they do in fashion. Then you can have build-up and sort of an event when you release the collection, and everyone oooohs and ahhhhs. It sort of diminishes the effect when you release an image one at a time over a long period of time. Then I could have beautiful models posing in old barns and stuff, while holding my paintings. That would be so awesome. I might just do it.

And this is the awesomest contemporary architecture/house Ive seen. this kills me. kills. I want one so bad. I just need a good old stone building that’s falling to pieces. I would totally live in this. I would want like ten of them in different places, and then I would hike between them, and have wild flower honey and green tea for snacks. Then I would sleep there, wearing hand-made white nighties, and read and sew into the night, with candles. And I’d bring my paints, my laptop and some really good graphic novels. You can bring the board games.

Welcome back. How are you guys? I have been painting a little this week. BUt i cant share one with you as its a surprise. I have so many painting ideas – you know? “Never enough time” never felt more true.

Hey! I found three bands you might like. “Angus and Julia Stone”, “Jonsi” and “Broken Bells”. Do you like that sort of indie, pretty music? It sort of gets under Mark’s skin. He hates it. Makes him play the AC/DC so much LOUDER! I wonder if all guys are like that. Because I cant get enough of it. I play it in the morning, and it makes me feel like living. It gets me all tingly and inspired. It makes me think I might live in New York, and have a loft studio and lots of arty friends.

Here’s another question. Does facebook have some sort of freaky search/popularity engine in it? I always wonder the difference between “most recent” and “Top news”. I think it rates comments on how popular they are, and then shows you. That’s why I see the same people over and over, and their the ones that have, like, 16 comments. Yesterday I made a  random post about putting whip cream on macaroni and got like 15 comments, and lots from people I never hear from. That makes me think I might have jumped up a notch, and that I should quickly post some art on there.

I am a daydreaming wreck recently. I’m having a spring-life crisis. I am panicking that Im not making enough, not living my dreams, not serving AHHHH! Take me to to Kenya with Jenipher Waseke, at her school for local agriculture, and forget all this Angst! Put me to good use – please! SOMEBODY!!

That or give me a job at an art college, a second job doing architecture – with either a small office or for the city, a gang of hippies to build my straw bale with, my own art school with a successful gallery, time every year overseas with my kids, a good school for them to go to, a job for the husband that he loves, a great band of friends, and spare time with expanses of water, trees, birds… somewhere gorgeous….please?

And then I remember, I’m looking after and raising two big boys. I know. I know. But then, there’s my architectural certification that’s getting moldy, and a thousands of paintings yet to do, and my art school to run, and a passion for making things – especially out of paper. Designing books/layouts/presentations/workshops. Yeah, I gotta get on that.

Oh man. We gotta stop meeting like this. You want a matcha to chill out on the back porch a little? perhaps some Xi Gong too. “Get yourself Healthy” (Micheal Tse)

Hehe. OOps. I actually started this conversation because I wanted to link back to my very own Camping list, from last year. I am so excited I put it on the blog, or it would be lost by now. How great is that. My camping list is already made. Don’t you want to go camping with us? Its going to be so fun. I cant wait to sit, watching the kids throw rock in the creek, chatting with my friend, enjoying the smells and mosquitoes. eeeek. ecstatic.

I drew this picture, and then made the image in photoshop. I am really digging the pencil sketch with simple graphics. Its a immediate and raw way to get ideas out there. The image of daddy and baby, out for a walk in the burbs is both sweet, and telling. There is just so much mixed up emotion for me in the way our cities are designed and then how we use them. We create our own path, with those that have been created for us.

This brings me to my next point. I have been biting my nails and stressing myself out, trying to find a solution for someone who may like to buy a print of one of these drawings. I have been torn between printing them all fancy at the print shop, who will do an amazing job, but its pricey, and trying to figure if I can print them myself. Our printer is not top-of-the line, but is adequate, and I could make the things so much more affordable. Unfortunately it has been jamming everytime I try to put nice paper in it, also the quality is just not up to par. eeerg.

So. I have not yet made it so that I can print them at home. I will continue to try, so I can offer these for less money in the future. But as it stands, I can offer this drawing (or any other ones I have) at $35.00 cnd plus shipping. They will be the highest quality print, archival, on 100% silk cover stock. They will be printed on 8.5 x 11 paper, but the image will be smaller to leave room for a border, and the fact is, they are small originals, so the image quality will be lovelier like that.

If you are interested, my shop is here.

thanks all.

During nap time I made myself some purple pants. I dyed the fabric yesterday – from an original baby blue colour. I used cheap dye that was supposed to be brown. I am not too fussy about colors and so I realize its all an experiment. Luckily I love purple.

So this is really the easiest pair of pants to make with a draw string waist. I used my jeans as a pattern. The thing I love about them is that they are boiled wool, and very warm. I know you think I am crazy to be making these in spring, but I actually made them for camping. I am always cold camping – no matter what the weather is like, and I tell you, pulling these on after swimming in a lake, or in the evening while roasting marshmallows, will feel heavenly.

We are going camping May long weekend with friends. I am so excited to get out of the city!

We had a wonderful mother’s day. We dont really do special occasions very well over here. I have been trying to put a little pizazz into things, but so often life has a way of getting to be too much, and I simplify to the point of, well, not doing anything at all. But yesterday was just a perfect combo of simplicity, family and special times.

The night before I made an apple cake/tart and candy corn for gifts. Both from Molly’s blog, that I adore. I invited my parents and the neighbours over for brunch. Mark made waffles and we had a feast.

The afternoon was spent at TnT (our local Asian market) trying to buy what I need to make matcha at home. It was probably pretty comical to watch from afar. We were like bumbling foreigners trying to figure stuff out, without offending, or looking too ignorant. But really being quite ignorant.  Anyways, we found a whisk, and then had to decide between all the green tea powders we found. One kind lady explained the difference between A,B and C grades.

Apparently the B grade is the lowest grade you would want to drink by itself. C grade is for baking and mixing lattes etc. A grade has the youngest leaves, whereas the B grade mixes the old and new ones. The younger leaves are better for you, and less bitter. So. there was a big price difference ranging from $30.00 for 50g and $6.50 for 100gr.  or even $19.99 for 600g!  After a little debate mom bought me the expensive one. I would link it for you but I cant find in online. They have the grade B one, that was in the Ten Ren store… but not the one I got. Perhaps I got shafted, or maybe this one is exclusive, or well, I dont know.

Anyways, making the matcha is fun. I watched a couple utube videos – thanks Mat and Chris! I just used a cereal bowl. I found a bigger bowl helps avoid spillage. I need a little practice whisking as its not easy to get it super frothy. Also, I found if I warm the bowl before-hand its much nicer, because it tends to cool quickly. I use my yogurt thermometer to measure the temperature to 170 degrees F. I make 1/4 cup of water to 1 scoop of powder. I drank three bowls of it yesterday, and one this morning. I am wondering if it is going to affect my sleep with the caffeine.

One interesting thing is that the matcha at Starbucks (that got me hooked) has a distinct fishy smell. Like strong sushi Nori. This tea is not fishy AT ALL. Which makes me wonder – is is supposed to be? This one simply has a distinctly green flavor that is slightly bitter, but pleasantly mild. If you don’t like the Matcha at Starbucks because of the fishy taste, I would definitely recommend making it yourself…(or come over and I’ll make it for you!)

Oh. And this morning I “renovated” the kitchen with a box of nails and a hammer. I nailed the pots I use most often onto the wall next to the stove. This has been the least expensive and the most practical home renovation I have ever done. My counters are clear, and I am not digging banging pots and pans around every time I go to cook. I also nailed the lids to the wall. This may not end up being so practical, as they are a little bit dodgy, but I’ll let you know upon further use. (PS. many people are afraid of putting nails in their walls. This seems crazy to me. Dry wall was invented because its so easy to patch. We all have left over pots of paint to patch up mistakes… and a few nails here and there can make all the difference in the world! So I say: go nuts!)