Creative Adventurez and Findz

  It is a great time to get out and harvest those fresh herbs.   I have been harvesting Basil, Oregano and Mint to make some dry spices to use in the fall and winter.   First make sure they are completely dry.   Second you can either hand crush them or use a grinder.   Then voila you can add to your spice jars.   Easy peasy and so satisfying. Have fun harvesting and making your own dried spices and /or teas.

  I am back from a long long break.... Last year, my husband Dave renovated the studio for me. It was a big project that has changed my life. I feel like I have a serious space dedicated to being creative. It has so much storage, places to work and to display ideas and works in progress. It is also a wonderful space to share with family and friends as we can all create together.  This is one of my first paintings of the spring cherry blossoms in our yard.   I started painting my pets. This one is of Belle one of our cats.    I started painting nature. Last summer was my first summer of creativity that really got me inspired. I tried Acrylic pour painting and really enjoyed that process. First Acrylic pour. This acrylic pour I used some paper under to create textures.   This is a photo of having fun teaching and playing with acrylic pour with Dave and Rola. A messy but fun time! In the summer I had some fun with friends learning how to make Mandala Painted r...

I have been busy in the garden making hanging plants for the deck and planters around the deck.Dave and Odelia bought me plants from the Annual IGA mother's day plant sale. Well I bought them but it was a mothers day gift. I am always up to weeding the buttercups, actually  I hate weeding the buttercups. Dave made a new bench for the garden and it looks great! I had to move plants around and re plant. I think it looks great now. I wanted something to break up the garden and add a feature. He also fixed the garden shed deck and now wow it is fantastic!                                                                      Planter with new soil.                                               ...

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate chip cookies... Has a great sleep last night and felt a "martha day" was in store to feed my family and nurture them ..got to go with  the inspiration. Tomorrow is going to be a cooking day maybe a Sheperd's pie and beet soup... yummy and healthy..added..applesauce Oatbran Blackberry Muffins.... Breakfast  for sunday morning! making homemade bread...hope it rises!!!

So our plum tree produced alot of plums this year wchich is very exciting. Especially since last year we only got 6 plums. The issue became what to do with them all. We gave some to my inlaws, some to staff, some to school volley ball team and then we eat them daily. Well at my book club the idea of drying them was introduced and I decided to venture into this project not realizing the work and well the smell.Yuck! First you pick the plums from the tree.... Next wash the plums. Cut the plums in half. Try not to cut your finger like I did. Place plums on the dehydrating racks. Turn dehydrator on. The Plums are drying...look pretty. Plums dried and boy do they smell...not my favorite. I ended up putting them inthe oven because I thought the dehydrator was smelly but it was the plums. It took about 8-12 hours or so. I turned things off and on again. After the have dehydrated  and cooled down you put them in a jar. I did put some in the freezer in...