Finding myself... and my art

I love early mornings, maybe Sunday mornings especially. No one is up except me... and the cat. Even the dog has gone back to sleep after being let out for a few brief moments. I grab a bottle of water and anticipate the cup of coffee I can have after I finish this bottle; that thought makes the water go down faster... meanwhile I stumble onto some article to read. There are millions of them out there, and where my cursor lands no one knows...  

This morning I read an account by a woman named Amy. It somehow popped up in an email and caught my eye with a title of "7 lessons I learned While Finding Myself". This intrigued me as I feel lately like I am rediscovering or re-finding MYself. So I read on... it was enlightening, and encouraging. So I will continue to rediscover myself and know that is a good & healthy thing to do (in case I had forgotten that).

While talking about finding myself, I have to include my artwork. That is the biggest step I have taken lately toward determining just who *I* am after all these years. After 35 years of being a Computer Geek (in all facets of that industry) and 13 years of being an Accounting geek, I finally had reached my limit of Left Brain activity, and acquiesced to the pleadings of my Right Brain to come out and play! I've stayed semi-active in arts and crafts over the years but never REALLY gave it the amount of time I'd like to... there was always that pesky job that got in the way. Well, it's time.

I have been painting now for over 2 years ... acrylics... watercolors... mixing the two, and adding "alcohol inks", "watercolor inks", pen, and markers; Basically any and all types of other fun things.  I have found, too, when you make art...you have to share it. You just HAVE to... otherwise, it's like seeing a sunrise and not having anyone sitting there to share it with...so... on to a website, and a Facebook page, and Instagram - all sharing with different people. Oh, there might be a few overlaps, that's ok too... but I have 'met' people that I would otherwise not have and for that I feel happy.

Yesterday I worked on rearranging my website in an attempt to organize the different styles of art I have been creating. I have noticed I like abstract and impressionism the most, so that is what I do. Feel free to take a peeks. You might have guessed the web address already:  

www.BrushWithManyColors.com

No, you don't have to put in the Capital letters, I just do that for readability. 

I try to create (or work on) something everyday... yesterday I hooked up a drawing tablet my husband gave me 2 years ago. It was a thoughtful gift on his part, but I wanted to create with Real Things... not the computer. I think I was trying to break away from the computer and that just didn't seem to fit my plan... so it sat in a drawer, .. until yesterday. It took most of the afternoon to find the drivers for it, get it going and then try to download the software that was supposed to come with it... but in the end I was able to make at least a graphic I was happy with.. It will likely be my July 4th Cover picture on Facebook this year.  Here's a peek:

I love the little bursts I learned to create! But I don't think I'll be creating "art" with this device, I guess it technically is digital art, but my preferred type of art still comes out of a tube and is applied with a brush.

What's in a Week?

Well, in the past week I survived my husband being out of town for the weekend, responded to an urgent call for taking over our Friday watercolor group for one week, enjoyed the 1st Farmer's Market of the season, attended a webinar for building my business on Instagram, and painted...a lot.

None of which are outstanding enough to expound on in a blog post, but yet here I am faced with the white empty page that expects to be filled with something clever, witty or at least helpful.

I think, instead, I will post pictures of what I have painted in the past week, it might be more interesting.

Thanks for Visiting!

Acrylic
9x12















Samsung phone case

His Eye is on the Sparrow
16x20

Acrylic
12x24

One Fish, Two Fish

Alcohol Inks on Ceramic Tiles
4x4

Acrylic Painted Deep Space
Ceramic Tile Coasters
4x4

Water Color study of
Ocean Waves
6x8

 Water Color study of
Cactus, 2nd attempt
6x8

Water Color study of
Cactus, 1st attempt
6x8

Watercolor Techniques

Expect the unexpected ...

This is a little city scape I did to practice a few different techniques in watercolor. You have to be ok with it doing some unexpected things...

NEW Coconut Butter attempt!

Attempt #2 at making Coconut Butter

THIS time... I opened a bag of UNSweetened Coconut Flakes... dumped it in my Ninja Food Processor and let 'er rip... here we are at 3 minutes in. I only had 1 small bag and it isn't the recommended 6 cups... so we'll see.

 It's getting more toward creamy in 5 minutes!

It DID get runny and I put it in a jar, it would have probably been smoother if I had let it run a bit more but I needed to leave so it is at this stage and I put it in the refrigerator.

PS - this was a Salsa jar... so one Small bag makes this much.

A Good Day! and a PLAN

Sorry, this was from Yesterday... and I just saw it sitting in "Drafts" !!

Better late than never?

You know it's going to be a GOOD day when you wake up with NO back pain!  YAY!!! Even the rain won't get me down, at least I slept through the reported 'storm' of 4:30 this morning!  (More YAY!!) So this morning, I have the goal of setting up a schedule, a routine I suppose, of which days I will Instagram, and then Blog, and then there is Youtube, and my website and Etsy!... oh my!  How do you DO it all? I'm not sure but I'm going to try. Maybe I should just try it in that order!... Let's see:

Monday - Instagram  --- @ruth.inman (check it out) 
Tuesday - Youtube --- "Ruths Art"
Wednesday - Blog --- brushwithmanycolors.blogspot.com
Thursday - Website --- BrushWithManyColors.com
Friday - Etsy --- Ruths Art Gallery
OK that's a start!!  Now I have a brain flash, so I have to go PAINT!!!  (that needs to be in the routine too!!)

Hugs All,

Ruth

Coconut Butter

I have been following this Keto eating plan for a couple weeks (and losing weight) and learning new recipes all the time. Also learning that some of the ingredients for these recipes I don't normally have in my kitchen, AND then can be a little pricey in the store. So this morning I decided to make one of the ingredients at home ... Coconut Butter. It's very pricey in the store $9 or $10 for a jar but this recipe assures me I can make it at home for 1/3 of the cost. All I have to do is put some coconut flakes or shred in a food processor and blend until I can't hear anymore!  So here it is, and while I'm typing this I hope my phone doesn't ring as I won't be able to hear it. LOL

We are going on 10-12 minutes at this point, with a couple stops to scrape it down and once to add the 2 Tbl Coconut Oil. So far, it's Very very moist, but it is supposed to get creamy, then runny... still waiting.  I am pretty sure I can come back and update this with pictures, if and when it ever gets there!  Stay tuned!

...So we are 40 minutes in... and I'm hoping we aren't going to burn out the motor in my Ninja! The coconut is very hot and steamy but as you can see, it is NOT creamy nor runny...yet...

Well I think I found the problem....

"You don't need a recipe for coconut butter. ... The flakes often turn into a smootherbutter than shredded coconut does. Do not use desiccated, sweetened, reduced fat or fresh coconut. Tip #2: Both a food processor and a high-powdered blender (like a Vitamix) can make coconut butter..."

So apparently, this is all you will ever get out of sweetened coconut... 

but I have to think there is something i can make with this?? Its so yummy...

I'm starting a new batch, using UNsweetened coconut...

check the next post for the results!

Sorry Ninja... All that work for nothing!

Turkey Burgers!!

Turkey Burgers!!

A few days ago, I said to my Mom... " we should change our eating habits and try eating healthy"
She said, "Ok"
Me: "Really? Will you do that? CAN you do that?"
Mom: "Sure I can do that, I'll do it as long as you do."
Me: "OK!!! We'll put some menus together of things you think you'll like... I already have breakfast and lunch worked out for me. I have a mean turkey burger I like to make and then I have it every day for lunch!!"
Mom: "Oh, that sounds good!"
Me: "OK... I'll get you the ingredients so you can add to your shopping list then on TUESDAY when the kids are back in school, we can make the burgers together over Skype!"
Mom: "OK!"

So I texted the list of ingredients to Mom the next day when she told me she was going out shopping. It was getting closer. I was excited!

Yesterday she texted and asked "How much broccoli do I shred for this? I'm doing it now"
Me: "WHAT?!?! I thought we were doing it together Tuesday??"
Mom: "Well, I went shopping and had it all so I need to do it now."

Oh, well... when I got home that day I had the ingredients also so I threw my batch together and cooked my burgers, so I'll share that with you all here, and it's a good place to keep the "recipe" so that Mom can find it for her next batch! Also, she omitted the spices, ...the onions... and the garlic... so next time she makes it, she's in for a Flavor Treat!!! here goes... give it a try! 

INGREDIENTS

1 - lb ground turkey
1 stalk fresh broccoli
2 long carrots or about 10 mini carrots
1/2 small onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 Tblsp. dried* Terragon
2 Tblsp. dried* Thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Put the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Use food processor or other tool to finely shred broccoli and carrots and onions and garlic. Add to mixing bowl. Then if you want to add grated mushrooms, you can but now add your seasonings. Mix Well.

Use ice cream scoop to portion out meat mixture and form into patties. Patties should be about the size of the palm of your hand. Flatten and put a small thumb depression in the middle on both sides; this prevents it puffing up into a ball. Cook in lightly sprayed skillet until JUST done and turn off heat.

 

When you are ready to eat one:

1. Take 1 burger from ziplock bag and put on small (microwavable) sandwich plate. Microwave for ONE minute, turn it over, (if your rolls are frozen, now is the time to add the roll to the plate) and  do ONE more minute.  (DO NOT assemble the burger inside the roll, it will just get soggy!)

2. If your rolls were NOT frozen, obviously you don't need to microwave them so just get your toppings ready... ketchup, mustard, whole grain mustard, avocado, etc...

3. When done, THEN you can assemble, and add condiments and Enjoy!!