ArtUnraveled

Once again, it's summer and I'm in Phoenix! Today was Day 1 of ArtUnraveled. my class was Jane LaFazio's " 10 Objects, 10 Ways" . This was a great class -- Jane never disappoints!
This class was drawing and watercolour, using a variety of pencils, black ink (pens), coloured ink and watercolours.
















this feather was my favourite of the day:




















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Location:ArtUnraveled

Our Royal Week

This year, at the cottage, our theme is "Queens"

I chose to be Queen Elizabeth II  -- the queen who I have actually seen in real life. Don't I look like her?

 I took this photo before I left -- you will have to wait for more until I return -- because there is no cell phone and internet at this cottage (what's with that??? Mr. B said that I sounded like a teenager when I found out, lol). So it's Pinterest detox for a week.

I'll leave you with some of my favourite Royal pins.

I wish that I had time to decorate like this:

Source: justbaustralia.com.au via Martha on Pinterest

How to make crowns from lace (my friend Meep tried this -- I'll let you know how it worked)

Source: thisismeinspired.blogspot.com via Martha on Pinterest

Then I'm off to Phoenix for ArtUnraveled. WooHoo! (more on that soon)

Aaahhhh, summer....

I'm finally doing that cottage thing. Relaxing with friends.

Cross your fingers that we have great weather, okay? Although, it has never happened before, so if you live in the North-of-Toronto area, be prepared for a week of cool weather and rain :)

Mixed Minded

I'm a bit behind on the postings :)
In May I traveled to Kitchener to attend a Donna Downey class at Mixed Minded. I love Donna -- she is so funny! The class was called 40 by 40. Forty background techniques. Yikes! I didn't actually finish them all. My favourite technique was using pan pastels -- but I likely won't be using that again because of the fixatives involved (and, really, do I need a new obsession?). I love using stencils though.....

 

 

Full disclosure! While I was there, I had to BUY some things at Karen's onsite store.
I bought:
Some stamps --  2 suzi blu, a decorative Christy Tomlinson and a bla bla bla stampotique stamp....

So I've totally cheated on my frugal year, but I'm still doing well, I think!

Sadly, some of my stamps that I brought with me got mixed up with someone else's materials and they didn't make it home (my favourite paisley foam stamp!) I hope that they make it home some day!

Summer of Salad

I've decided that I will eat salad every day for lunch all summer. Which is a big thing for me. I normally say that salad isn't a meal. Salad is something that you eat WITH a meal. But my body is kind of looking like some soft, ripe brie lately, so I'm trying to be proactive about the situation. Eating less carbs.  Salads and Zuzana Light's workouts should do the trick.... I'm already down almost 10 pounds!

Today I'm having some quinoa salad with lime, cilantro and curry.. and dried cranberries.
I forgot to take a photo of mine. Click on this one to link to my pin and then go to the recipe :)

Source: allrecipes.com via Martha on Pinterest

I'll also be having some salads with some fantastic gourmet tofu that I picked up at Dufferin Grove Farmers Market yesterday.

Thank you

I'd like to thank everyone for helping me to have such an awesome school year. I left Kindergarten kicking and screaming (literally), but Grade 1/2 was fine. So fine that I'm doing it again next year!

I took some time last weekend to make some simple thank you cards to thank my students for the year end gifts that they gave me. And to thank my amazing 2nd floor caretaker, Helen, who keeps my classroom in tip top shape. She happily leaves my teacher-cave (that would be my desk area) alone. Today is my first official day of summer vacation. I finished cleaning up my classroom and putting everything away yesterday. I'm still in school mode though. I'm psyched about next year and I want to start planning right away! I'm forcing myself to take a break. Well, for today, anyway.....

Here's today's Pinterest pick. Isn't it pretty?

Source: toryburch.tumblr.com via Martha on Pinterest