An eighty year old couple decide to try for a child. They visit the doctor who asks the old geezer to produce a sperm sample in a bottle.
After two weeks, the couple return and the bottle is empty. “What’s the problem?” asks the doctor. “Well,” says the old man, “First I tried it with my right hand, then my left.
Then my wife tried it with her right hand, then her left. Then she tried it with her teeth in and with her teeth out, and we still can’t get the lid off the bloody bottle.”
Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my muse! Like it or dislike it, what about this art inspires your own art or creativity? Shimmer by Irena Roman!
DESIGNspiration
Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft? Mascara brush.
IDEA I LOVE
I like wonderful smells around my house, and I’m not so fond of sprays. That’s why I need this diffuser filled with scentsthat I can design myself! Let’s see, maybe I’ll start with chocolate brownie… moved to baked ham with cloves…vanilla with a touch of anise…. yeah, those smells won’t send me into an eating binge for about a week and a half. Maybe you will want to put in a more floral scented option. Here’s how you make your own diffuser:
http://www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz/diy-reed-diffuser/
IDEA I LOVE
Even if you’re not a knitter or a crocheter, my guess is you have a lot of scrap yarn allaround your creative spaces, cluttering up your space and your creativity. Why not take your scraps, find a pleasing color palette, then quickly crochet this pretty tablet cover. I really like this design a lot. And it’s so simple! Of course, if you don’t have a tablet, you can always store a framed picture of the love of your life inside and carry it around with you everywhere you go. Start here:
http://habitualhomebody.com/free-crochet-pattern-stash-buster-tablet-case/
Large pieced inner borders, smaller piece outer borders, and a gaggle of appliqué is what this quilt is all about. It’s not the most difficult of patterns but will give you some down time for creative mindfulness. We all need that disconnect from reality sometimes and this might be the perfect project to give us the small creative break that we need. I would probably change of the colors because these are not particularly my taste, but it is your quilt so play with the color palettethat makes you happy. Here is the PDF pattern:
http://www.fabri-quilt.com/images/pdfs/Basket%20of%20Charms.pdf
WHAT?!?! President “BOOB” art?!? Well, for once, I’m speechless! Thank you (I think?) artist,Emily Deutchman. Ummm . . . hmmmmmmm. . . . I have no words, actually … EXCEPT: AND YOU’RE DOUBTING YOUR ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE!!!!
To see more examples of the boobs who’ve sat in the Oval Office, CLICK HERE
REBECCA MILLER’S PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
Ingredients
- 2poundsheirloom or other tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4cupchopped mixed fresh herbs (such as chives, flat-leaf parsley, basil, and tarragon)
- 1tablespoonfresh lemon juice
- 1tablespoonolive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 12ouncespenne (3/4 box)
- 2tablespoonspine nuts
- 1/2cupricotta
- 1/4cupgrated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more for serving
Directions
- Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, herbs, lemon juice, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Let stand, tossing occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
- Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Toss the pasta with the ricotta, Parmesan, and enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy sauce. Top with the tomato mixture and pine nuts. Serve with more Parmesan, if desired.
These paper co*cktail umbrellas won’t keep you dry in the rain but they will certainly help you wet your whistle. Look, I think these are adorable for a party but I’m not sure I want to be crafting a bunch of umbrellas that all of my drunken friends will end up wearing behind their ear or tossing in the trashcan. It might make a cute mobile for a kids room, or part of an art project, or even as a vaseof colorful reminders that you are not alone (I particularly like the messages that can be glued to the top of the paper umbrellas. When I was in the hospital I was not allowed to have live flowers anywhere around me for about six months. When this is been up perfect and happy gift bouquet? Remember that should I ever needed another kidney transplant…) Get out your pretty paper because here is the tutorial for making these little bumbershoot’s:
http://www.alyssaandcarla.com/2014/07/14/diy-co*cktail-umbrellas/
Cutie cute cute! I love this zipper bag for so many reasons, not the least of which is the whimsical and fun and bright raw edge appliqué design. A perfect camera case (does anybody really carry a camera anymore?) But also a good makeup bag, portable embroidery bag, forcarrying your hexiehandwork…
Using this as just an inspirational piece only, what else – what other image other than a camera – can you come up with for your own, unique raw edge appliqué design? See, isn’t it fun to find something as a jumping off pointthencreating something of your own? Okay, sometimes it isn’t. So what! This particular tag and design is too coolnot to make. Here’s how:
http://www.minkikim.com/?p=671
Reading “Little House in the Big Woods?”
Now, I told you a couple of weeks ago that you needed to buy a bottle glass cutter at your crafting store. Aren’t you sorry you didn’t listen to me now? Look what you can create when you cut both the top and the bottoms off of wine bottles…really pretty little outdoor votives. There is no tutorial for this, but it also wouldn’t take a brain surgeon to figure it out. Looks like the artist also frosted the bottom of the bottle with either paint orglassfrosting gel. Just an idea… Here’s where I found the photo:
You can substitute 3 pounds of thawed and drained frozen sliced peaches for fresh peaches. If you don’t own an ovensafe skillet, transfer the peach filling to a 2-quart baking dish at the end of step 2 and continue with the recipe as directed.
Topping
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Peach Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (see note)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Pulse ToppingAdjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse bread and butter in food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
2. Cook PeachesMelt butter in large nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook peaches, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, 8 to 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 cup crumb mixture, sugars, lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
3. Top And BakeTop peach mixture with remaining crumbs. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm.
This new stove is set to change the future of kitchens forever. Just a concept item at the moment, largely based on the fridge that’s able to keep an active inventory of it’s contents, the Whirlpool touchscreen stove will allow you to see recipes from Pinterest, get Twitter and Facebook updates, read the news, get the weather and more, all alongside your stove. If you’re wondering how you could possibly cook using just a touchscreen, it uses the Thermador Freedom induction in order to heat the pots (while leaving the surface cool to touch. But considering this alone will set you back WELL OVER$4,000 without the touchscreen stove, will it really be worth the money? This stove isset to be released in 2020.
Find out more about theWhirlpool Touch screen stove
Since you have all of your embroidery junk out from yesterdays tutorial, I thought you might appreciate a little schooling on embroidering these pretty dragonflies. I love how the iridescent thread plays with the light. Honestly, I think this might be one of those tutorials (that’s not all that stellar) where the end result is fabulous if you take the time to practice the technique. So what else are you doing with your time? Read your needle and play! Start here:
http://www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz/embroidered-dragonfly-tutorial/
Christian LouboutinMalabar Spiked Red Sole Ballerina Flat, Black, $995
This “head on a stick” idea is so damn stupid that I love it x100! Look out, Tulip, Petunia, and Violet, because I am going to be “hounding” you for your high fashion, pretty faced, headshot so I can glue your face to they stick and carry me with you when I am on a teaching or lecture gig – – Or maybe not.
I don’t know, maybe these would be terrific sands for an outdoor party, props for a party Photo Booth, or favors for a doggie wedding. You decide, and when you do, here is where you begin:
http://thebarkpost.com/diy-how-to-take-your-dog-everywhere/
THE SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT WEBSITE?
“15+ Ways to Ditch Your Stitching Blocks,
Find Inspiration & Enhance Your Creativity.
PLUS . . . More Work on My LegacyQuilt!”
Take a look by clicking on the image: 
