10 Steps to Get Back to Your Blogging

>> Saturday, October 16, 2010

I have been away from my blog all summer having lots of fun running a seasonal farm stand with my husband, but as the season has been winding down I have been longing to get back to my art, blog, and other adventures. Now it's time, but jumping back in the saddle is a bit scary. When something makes me nervous, or seems a bit daunting (even good nervous and good daunting) my natural instinct is to procrastinate. I've noticed that my husband also seems to have this trait, and when he is in the throws of procrastination he usually:

1. Does some cleaning up It's usually either his desk, or his workshop.

2. Makes a list.

I think I'll try it!

Hmmm....it seems I already did the cleaning up part, and made enough soup to feed the town, and baked cookies. Looks like it's time for the list!

The title for my list will be: 5 Steps To Get Back To My Blogging

1. Make a fire because it's chilly and it will put me in the "snuggle up with my laptop" kind of mood.

2. Check my e-mail, Facebook page, etc. Always the first step of procrastination when on the computer!

3. Check my Google Analytics. That's sure to light a fire under me!

4. Peruse all my old "virtual" haunts to catch up on what I've missed over the summer and become inspired.

5. Compose

Hey, it worked! It's nice to be back:)

In Search of the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

>> Friday, April 23, 2010

We are getting ready for the opening day of our Farm Market, and one (delicious) thing we have been doing to prepare is testing out chocolate chip cookie recipes. It can't just be any old chocolate chip cookie that we sell at our farm stand- those farmers are hungry, and our cookies need to measure up to the Monument Farms milk that we will also be selling. Seriously, with a house full of boys there is A LOT of milk drinking going on, and they DO notice if I bring home something other than Monument Farms.

We are only on our third recipe, and while they have all been good we haven't found a winner yet.
If you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe I'd love to try it! In the meantime, I'll keep baking AND hitting the gym.

Happy Easter!

>> Sunday, April 4, 2010

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter.

Paste Paper meets Barn Board

>> Monday, March 22, 2010

I've been getting in to my husband's work shop lately and snatching up pieces of old barn board.

I love that this wood came from an old Vermont barn that, a hundred years ago, was housing farm animals, hay, and seed. That barn was probably a families' livelihood. I find it an alluring prospect to take these scraps of wood and make them in to something new.

Now, I can't build a table or a bench, (I leave that up to the big guy) but I thought I could try to combine the old wood with some of my paste paper collage. I found some vintage wire in my grandpa's old workshop and I started creating. This is what I've come up with so far...

I like them! I think they'll look great at the farm stand this summer. In the meantime I'll keep creating and putting them in my shop.

Happy Monday!

Whimsy and a Conundrum

>> Saturday, March 20, 2010

If you know me, or have read my blog for awhile, you know two of my favorite places are Florida (where I grew up) and Vermont (where I now live). What I especially love about these two vastly different places is their natural beauty.

I used to love to go to a place named Drumlin Farms when I lived in Concord, MA. It was there that I got the idea for the pyramid of farm animals. They had a pen and ink drawing of a stack of barnyard animals on one of their newsletters. I loved the idea and made it my own through paste paper collage.

After I made "Vermont Whimsy" featuring a cow, sheep, pig, and rooster, I decided it would be fun to also make a "Florida Whimsy" featuring an alligator, manatee, turtle, and egret.

They make me smile so much so that I do not want to part with the originals. The conundrum is that the prints look fabulous mounted and framed, but a little ho-hum photographed on their own. Any ideas out there on how to make an unframed print's true "cuteness" show through in a photo? I'd love to hear what you think!

Too Cute!

>> Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I ran across this picture the other day and I just had to share it. It's of my dad as a little boy at the White House Easter Egg Roll. He's the cute little guy holding all the eggs. I'm not so sure he wants to share those eggs...

Don't you love their little outfits? I think this picture would bring a smile to my face even if it wasn't of my oh so adorable dad!

Happy Wednesday!