Sunday Sketches - Beautiful Eyes

My Sunday Sketches piece is entitled 'Beautiful Eyes'. It's done in my art journal in watercolour pencils (5"w x 7"h).

Lays Chips

Lays chips have introduced a bunch of new flavours into the market recently. Son K and I were at the grocery store and decided to try this one. We have to say it's pretty good!  It's hard to go wrong with potato chips.

Paint Party Friday - All Grown Up

For Paint Party Friday, this piece is done on textured pink cardstock (6" x6") in acrylic. When I was a little girl it was the most fun dressing up and walking around in my aunt's high heeled shoes.  Do you have fun memories of childhood?

Cute

Setting New Role Models

I saw this hibiscus in the neighbourhood, it looks like one, I didn't think they grew in Canada. It must be a special variety.

I think it's wonderful that Lego has recently launched its first ever all female set. The set is called 'Research Institute' and includes an astronomoer, a scientist and a paleontologist. It is sold out according to the video, and talk about setting new role models for young women!

Finally Made It

We finally made it to the Ripley's Aquarium in downtown Toronto. It was worth the visit! We waited about an hour in line for tickets, arriving around noon that weekday.  There were a lot of families and school bus tours.  It would be a good idea to go there around 7pm.  There is a $5 discount after that time and they close around 11pm, although you want to check the hours that day before you go.

And Martha said it's even easier if you buy online tickets.  You can choose a time, and bypass the line that way.

Here are a few photos I took for you:

shark

sea dragon

lobster

I forget what these are

Mini Cotton Candy Cupcakes

I got these mini cotton candy cupcakes from the grocery, it was only $1.49 for the package I think. They are divine!

Sunday Sketches - The Beauty

For Sunday Sketches, this piece is called 'The Beauty', inspired by a newspaper photo I saw of this woman with simple, perfect features.  Oh and what a beautiful dress she wore, although that one was black!  It's done in my art journal (7"h x 5"w) in watercolour pencil.

Toronto Food Truck

We didn't have much going on last weekend so husband M, son K and I decided to go downtown. Actually, we wanted to visit the new Ripley's Aquarium next to the CN Tower, but the lines were so long, wrapping around the facility. It seems afternoon weekends at the height of the tourist season was a bad time to visit, so we will try some other time. We passed by this interesting looking food truck.  It says 'street certified gourmet food'.  Poutine and hotdogs were on the menu, hardly gourmet fare, lol.

Here is a closer view:

Ripley's Aquarium (not!)...hopefully we will get there soon.

Paint Party Friday - Fairy

I did this winged Fairy in my art journal (5"h x 7"w) in watercolour pencil. She was inspired by a photo of a bird I saw spreading its wings. Happy PPF!

Cupcake Party

Daughter L was on the planning committee hosting a team building event recently at her company. She organized a cupcake making party for a bunch of men and women and it was a success. Everyone had a great time including the men. These are the cupcakes she decorated:

Peeking Through

I couldn't help noticing these tomatoes peeking through a neighbourhood garden the other day. I've never grown my own vegetables have you?

Warren Buffet offers this advice to college students and I thought it was good advice on life for everyone. He advises doing what you love, being a nice person and not to make the mistake of focussing on what you don't have.

Yellow Coneflowers

Yellow coneflowers are in bloom at this time of year. They are a tall flower, well over a metre (3 feet) in height.

I found an interesting article on the benefits of daylight, even through a window:

"There is increasing evidence that exposure to light, during the day, particularly in the morning, is beneficial to your health via its effects on mood, alertness and metabolism,"

Refocussing

Lily Pad

I recently met this couple.  In conversation, I asked the woman if she was retired.  She said she doesn't use that word anymore, she tells people she is 'refocussing'.  People tend to think retired people do nothing but laze around watching tv.  The truth is that most 'retired' people have very busy lives and schedules.  I rather liked that word and want to remember it!

Here is a heartwarming story I read in the newspaper.
A teacher rescues a student's guitar left behind on a streetcar.

Sunday Sketches - Sailboat

This is a sailboat piece for Sunday Sketches. It's done in watercolour pencil (5"w x 7"h) in my art journal.

Muskoka 2014

Husband M, Daughter L, son K and I spent last weekend at L's boyfriend's family's cottage. It was a wonderful time, we felt spoiled.  One day, the family took us on a long boatride through the Muskoka and Rosseau lakes.  It might have been the best weekend all summer weatherwise.  We passed by some pretty boathouses.  Some of them look big enough to live in, let alone house boats.  (L's boyfriend's family just has a nice normal cottage, no boathouse).  We happened upon an Antique Boat Show at the locks.  We had lunch that at a nice restaurant on a golf course.  The Chicken Farfalle (bowtie pasta) I had was excellent, followed by this massive brownie dessert that we shared.  Here are some photos I took for you):

Muskoka boathouse

Boathouse

Boathouse

Port Carling Antique Boat Show

For Sale $10 Million

Son K and I went for a swim underneath this expensive property for sale. There was a little swimming hole we could swim into, under the rocks. It was so fun, I felt like a child again!

Chicken Farfalle at Lake Joseph Club

Our Shared Brownie Dessert

Paint Party Friday - Landscape

This piece for Paint Party Friday is a watercolour pencil landscape in my art journal (5"h x 7"w).

Ripening Crabapples

I was walking outside on a cloudless summer's day and noticed the crabapples are ripening:

Some even fell on the ground already:

It's a slow news day, I thought I'd share this duck slide video with you, so cute.

New Hotel Scams

Got this funny one from Martha recently:

I heard on the radio the other day of some new hotel scams to be aware of:



1. You check in, then soon after you get a call from front desk, asking to verify your credit card number...don't give it to them.

2. A fast food flyer under your door...you call and order with your credit card but it's a scam and now they have your number.

3. You connect to a wifi internet connection that looks like the hotel name but it isn't and they grab your information from the connection.

Creative Tuesdays - Poppies

Creative Tuesdays' current theme is 'Poppies'. I decided to do purple poppies as they do come in all colours. I even think these are the opium producing poppies. Opium is a drug which contains morphine and codeine. This piece is done on textured cardstock in acrylic (8 1/2"h x 11"w).

Math Formula to Assess Happiness

neighbourhood flowers

I found an interesting article last week:

"Life is full of expectations," says Rutledge. "It is often said that you will be happier if your expectations are lower. We find that there is some truth to this." 

The researchers learned what they already knew, that money doesn't buy happiness.  Happiness is more tied to expectations and rewards.  They hope this research will lead to better treatment of mood disorders.

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/researchers-develop-mathematical-formula-to-assess-happiness-1.1946304#ixzz39dPFuxrJ

Sunday Sketches - Antique Bathtub

This piece is done on textured cardstock (8 1/2"h x 11"w) in acrylic. It's called 'Antique Bathtub'. Happy Sunday Sketches!

Grass Jelly Drink

This is a new favourite drink of mine. I bought this can of grass jelly at the Chinese grocery store. I remembered having it in a drink at a Vietnamese restaurant awhile back. I found a youtube video explaining how to make it into a drink. Then I googled 'grass jelly' and discovered it is believed to have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, help heal stomach ulcers, fever. The jelly has zero calories and has a slight bitter taste so it may not be for everyone. Anyway, when cubed, mixed with milk, syrup and ice cubes, it makes a refreshing and delicious drink.

Paint Party Friday - Evening Gown

This piece is done on textured cardstock (8 1/2h x 11"w) in acrylic. It's called 'Evening Gown'.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Mexican Restaurant

Husband M and I went with some friends to a Mexican restaurant this past long weekend.  This was my entree...some hard steak tacos with pico de gallo.  It was good enough but my friend said her enchiladas were delicious.  It was a softer tortilla with more sauce.  Oh well, next time.  Everyone enjoyed their margarita cocktails.  I had Sangria which was also refreshing.

Greeting Cards

Mr and Mr

Mrs and Mrs

My friend S and I met for a walk this past Saturday morning.  We were both feeling a bit down, I guess it is August and we feel that the carefree summer is winding down.  Well, that is my problem anyway.  We browsed some stores, I was looking for place card holders, thinking it would be a good way to display my small art cards.  The dollar store or a party store may be a good place to find those.   I noticed some pretty greeting cards and S  pointed out the 'Mr and Mr' wedding cards, and the 'Mrs and Mrs' ones.  Have you noticed those?  S told me a girlfriend had recently informed her that her 18 year old daughter wanted to become a man.  Both parents are supporting her in this decision as it had come about from a long time of soul searching.

We stopped in at the bank and asked a few questions about credit cards and new accounts there.  We decided we could get more details online because everything is online these days, even application forms.

S ran into a friend at the grocery store.  I realized we had bought our new door locks from her locksmith business  a year ago when we replaced our windows and doors.  I remembered how smart she was and how much she had helped ease the process of us settling on locks and door handles.  It was a quick and efficient process.

On the way home, we saw some wild raspberry bushes and they looked exactly like the one that is growing in my garden!

Feed My Starving Children

Garrett Popcorn

Daughter L  returned late last week from  a 2 week training course in Chicago.  It was her first business trip!  Besides eating too much, she learned a lot and continues to enjoy her new job and co-workers.

 One day, there was an organized volunteer activity to Feed My Starving Children, an intelligent food bank.  It was not a part of her job, more of an opportunity to get to know her new team members.  Feed My Starving Children  has developed an easy to prepare food blend that is very inexpensive and nutritious. They ship it to starving countries worldwide. L and her co-workers had to help assemble the food pouches that day.  She was very impressed with that innovative non-profit organization.

L said Chicago is a big city like Toronto, but with many more large office buildings downtown and a lot more homeless people.

She brought us bag of Garrett Popcorn which is as good as they say it is.  This bag had caramel popcorn with cashews.

Snowflake Ice

This is a milk flavoured snowflake ice. When one of my sisters was visiting from Florida a few weeks ago, we went to one of the Chinese malls around here and went to this dessert place. With this particular 'snowflake ice' you choose 3 fruits to go on top of it. I chose coconut jelly, mango and watermelon. I loved it and will definitely go back there. It tasted like the Hawaiian shave ice.

Sunday Sketches - Simple Sunrise

Good morning and welcome to Sunday Sketches.  It's the Civic Holiday weekend with Monday off for many people.  The Civic Holiday is celebrated on the first Monday of August and it's a public holiday in some provinces and territories.

 I did a simple sunrise ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in acrylic.  I found this Maori Proverb to go with it:


                    Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you

At the hairdresser

I believe I have a wild raspberry plant growing in my garden! I can't wait to taste them if it comes to fruit this season. At first I thought it might be a wild rose plant because of the thorns it has.

I've started going to the hairdresser every 4 weeks now as my hair seems to get grey faster than ever. He had an interesting customer chatting to him this week. Hairdressers must hear all kinds of stories, sort of like being a therapist. Anyway this man would've been in his sixties and he was telling the hairdresser of his plans to move to England. They are off next week to find a house there. His wife is English, their kids are grown and live in places like Vancouver and Malaysia. It seems they have no close relatives in the Toronto area anymore. He spoke of the books he was reading, saying how history repeats itself. It made me think that we would learn from this wouldn't we?

As I waited my turn, I browsed some magazines. I saw this tube squeezer product in a catalogue. It seemed useful for those who make a mess of their toothpaste tubes, such as son K.

Paint Party Friday - All Occasion Card

Welcome to the month of August, time to turn those calendar pages.

This is all occasion greeting card in acrylic (5 1/2"h x 4 1/4"w) for Paint Party Friday.  I was looking for ideas of what to paint this week.  I settled on some kind of greeting card.  There were a couple of birthday cards on Pinterest with daisies on them that I liked.  But my daisy didn't look right, so I decided to make it a chrysanthemum!  I'm quite pleased with the way it evolved into something of my own.