Julie, Julia & Me

Late last week I came down with one nasty cold which unfortunately is still making itself known.   I kind of dragged myself through the day and even worked in the office on Saturday but Saturday night I took to my bed (couldn't help but put that in as it sounds so Jane Eyre-ish) and watched Julie & Julia.  Hands down a really great movie I mean come on,  there isn't anything that Meryl Streep touches that isn't considered amazing.  The woman seems a master at dialect and her acting skills bar none.  You truly do believe she is Julia Child whom I have now have decided I want to be.  I felt like jumping from my bed when I heard her recipe for Beef Bourguignon and giving it a shot but I knew if I lied down for a moment the feeling would pass.   John decided not to be inspired by Julia Child so didn't end up watching the film with me but I loved it.  Living in France, cooking at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, eating all the time, drinking wine with every meal.......perhaps in another life.


So feeling all Julia Child like, Sunday night I cooked up what I thought was an inspiring meal.... salmon with dill and a light curry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, maple syrup glazed baby carrots..... Just as I was about to sit down I said, in my best Julia voice, Bon Appetit.  The girls rolled their eyes and for the thousandth time this year thought I was just "weird" but better weird than boring I always say...oh, and the meal was delicious.  Julia would have been proud.

Work in Progress......

Lately I've been living in what can only be described as the valley of the carbs..... can't seem to get enough but today it stops.  Sometimes when I feel like I've got a lot going on that's the first thing that calls my name.  Today back to yoga and good healthy eating.

Many times friends will send me trailers of movies they think may interest me since I am an absolute movie freak.  I probably missed my calling and should have been a film critic.  Not that I have any expertise in that field but come on, how hard can it be?  Check out  LBS it looks great.......

The Chosen Few

Mixed Media on Stretched Canvas

Back At It

So as March break draws to a close I've headed back into the studio to start some new work and finish off some of the old.  I've got this piece that's been sitting forever but I continue to walk past it hoping some lightening bolt of inspiration will hit me and I'll know what the hell to do with it but so far.......no luck.  That could be a sign that "this isn't going anywhere so I should just bite the bullet and put it away" which I think is exactly what I'll do.  John is always freaking out when he sees pieces that I've pretty well dismissed because I don't believe they are going anywhere. He believes it's a waste which  I'm sure it is but if I'm not in love with it and excited about the possibilities (sigh) off to the closet it goes.  I continue to be my own worst critic.

I came across this great site quite by accident yesterday but I just love their spirit.  It's called
Salty Knits with the byline "knitters that got sick of knitting kitten mitts".  If I actually could knit I'd take a shot at doing what they did in their town......gotta love that ambition and creativity.

March Break

March break rolled around faster than I had anticipated and now it looks like it's going to be a  pretty busy week after all.  Both girls are working on and off as am I.  Tomorrow we're headed to the city to look for a dress for my oldest daughter's graduation.....it's almost guaranteed that I'll be tearing my hair out in clumps before the day is over.  The mall makes me crazy!!!!!

The warm weather is still with us and it totally feels like spring is here to stay.  I'll probably not seriously get back into the studio until the end of the week so nothing new to post work wise.  I'm really excited about next Monday as I'm headed to Midland to paint with my friend and artist extraordinaire, Carol Currie.

A Taste of Spring

Work in Progress..........

I'm back in the studio today after what has been an amazing taste of spring the past few days.  The temps here have been soaring and I've been taking some time to sit outside on the deck just to feel the warmth of the sun on my face.  Of course I have my pencil and sketch pad in hand and am calling it work.......

John, Holly and I took a beautiful walk in the woods behind our house on Sunday and after winter, which hasn't been in fact been a bad one, it sure felt good to see things melting and hear the birds singing.  I'm sure this won't continue but for now it sure is welcome to stick around as long as it likes.

Me at the creek on Sunday

camera in hand.......

One

Work in Paint & Thread

Sold

Odd for me to be blogging on a Saturday morning but I was here anyway checking out my Facebook and Twitter......god, technology is going to be the death of me but I do so love it.  I'm off to help out in John's office this morning and the house looks like a bomb has gone off.  Both girls were at a school dance last night and obviously decided that a midnight snack with no clean up involved would be oh so appropriate...am of surprised?  I'd be a fool if I was.  

On the studio front work is coming along well.  I've got a seascape painted out and ready for the wool/silk/thread part but have yet to begin.  Next week looks fairly open so I'll get to it then.  

A friend sent me this link which looks like something I'd love to see.

Olympics 2010

Building A Mystery

Work in Paint, Thread, Wool & Silk

The weekend was a complete write off for me due to the Olympics on Sunday.  Like many people I watched on and off for the entire 17 days and at one point that was about all I watched.  The men's hockey game for the gold on Sunday was almost too stressful to take so at times I would disappear into my studio just to relieve the tension which was absolutely crazy.  I think having it played out on our own soil had a whole lot to do with how connected everyone in this country was to the game.  

So my favs for Olympic sports were;

Figure skating  ...  

Evan Lysacek for the U.S. skated what I would call a flawless program...so very beautiful to watch
Joannie Rochette for Canada....a true example of courage and commitment

Skiing...

Absolutely mindblowing as I can't for a moment imagine myself careening down a hill at that kind of speed.  I'll take cross country anytime as it's just the perfect pace for me, slow and easy.  I'll admit I have given downhill a try but it just didn't seem to agree with me probably because I was terrified most of the time.  I would stop halfway down the hill, stand off to the side and hold an inpromtu meet and greet with whom ever else decided to stop.  Yeah, I'm a much better social butterfly than a skier.

Curling...

Watched no curling.  I just couldn't get into that game at all.  I'm sure it is interesting if you know what's going on but even for someone like me who likes things slow and easy......that was painful.

Hockey....

big "YES" as I watched both women's and men's hockey.  Dave Jamieson who coaches the goalies for the women's team also taught both of my girls grade eight in elementary school.  After the women won the goal four years ago he brought a couple of the players in with the metal to show the kids. Cool connection there.

Regarding the opening and closing ceremonies......

Not a lot of say about the opening as I thought it was pretty good but there were parts in the closing that were downright embarrassing.  The flying moose???  The oversized mounties??  The three singers whose names escape me now, rising up from three podiums singing "let's party" was almost too cheesy even for me.  The best had to be Neil Young singing "Long May You Run" and I also thought we were pretty damn good at poking fun of ourselves when the mime showed up pretending to fix the technical glitch that took place at at the opening ceremonies.


Time to get back to real life.