Crock Pot Comfort Food

In the teacher's lounge last week, while heating up some leftover potato cheese soup and adding the bag of toppings I prepared at home, I realized that I take food a little more seriously than most... I think I am a foodie! When eating, I am thinking ahead to my next meal--what am I going to make? How can I spice it up? And more importantly, do I have the ingredients? I get markedly depressed if I bring a boring lunch to school, although now and then a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with raspberry jelly really hits the spot (See! I had to specify what type of jelly)...No l*ean cuis*ine's in the freezer or take out menu's in my kitchen. I mentioned to someone how cooking is my therapy and in that case, it seems I am in need of therapy on a daily basis!

:-P

I already know what I am making tonight for dinner BUT I am already equally excited to smell this potato soup cooking on my day off tomorrow.

• 8 cups diced potatoes ( I used small red potatoes and didn't peel them which made it a little more chunky)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth ( Speaking from personal experience, make sure your can opener works so you don't have to punch a whole in the top with a pair of pliers....)
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (I actually bought cream of mushroom instead and it was just as delicious!)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Add first five ingredients to the slow cooker... and, if you're anything like me, add some (A LOT) garlic... and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. THEN add the cream cheese, stirring until it melts! I actually used a pastry masher to smooth it out before adding the cream cheese but that wasn't really necessary.

Goes REALLY well with bacon bits, green onions, and cheddar cheese on top. MMMMM.


ENJOY!

Irises!

Busy bee these days.
Now I know why some artists are near hermits. You get an incredible amount of work done if you stay in and focus, even if that means that you may start to talk to inanimate things in your apartment...
I spent much of the weekend on my couch watching various Lifetime movies and football games while finishing up these paintings. My couch has the indent to prove it.

Each square is 6" x 6" with a thicker 1.5" inch edge--also painted! They will be varnished as soon as it stops raining and I can take them outside. I already listed them for sale on Etsy actually! I haven't had a sale in awhile (perhaps because I haven't listed anything new in months) so I'm feeling very pessimistically optimistic!

We shall see!

Can I just stay home and work on this today?!

New work!

I took the original photograph while hiking in the area...and a man walked right through with perfect timing. The lighting and the combination of feelings of loneliness and contentment made this irresistible. Not to mention how the fall weather gearing up outside is quite inspiring for such a scene.

The photograph itself shows a complete black silhouette but I just had to go back in and add detail. It started as just a very large drawing...primarily charcoal with a strong coating of dollar store hairspray..unscented of course! And then I got carried away with different materials...
The colors are washes of watered down acrylic paint and detail was added with sharpie markers. My sharpies kept dying and getting dried out with charcoal dust. So last night I started going back into the lines with black paint while enjoying the cheesiest of Lifetime movies.

So far so good I think. Updated pictures in normal lighting coming soon! And since it is on paper, a lovely standard frame may be in its future.
Side note...I have discovered another joy of living alone. I can leave my art stuff everywhere all over the floor in front of the TV and no one will care. YES!

Happy Friday!

My students often misinterpret each other's artwork. I had to stifle the laughter when two students called me over to tell on one another. They had been working on family portraits, which made for some interesting pictures and comments, such as "Oh that's my Mom, she is holding a drink, pink lemonade actually." (The drink, drawn very detailed, closely resembles a margarita complete with umbrella stirrer). I would like some of that lemonade.

Anyhow, back to the two tattle tales.
Student #1: Miss Fontaine, he said my Mom is fat."
Student #2: (rolling eyes) "I didn't say she is fat, I said that in your picture she looks fat."

Have a good weekend!!!

A Walk in the Woods...In progress

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

119. Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain,
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

I have been working on this painting for a year or two now. I can't even remember exactly when I began. I am using a rather poorly developed photograph I took while on vacation in Cook's Forest, PA where my extended family "retreats" every June. Every year we hike the same trails, stop for "scramble breaks" in the same spots, sing the same songs around the campfire, and head to the ice cream store every night.

I suddenly realized the other night, however, that this painting has an entire new level of personal meaning. The two figures walking along "Toms Run Road" are my Dad and my grandfather. Grandpa passed away a little over a month ago. Finishing this painting will be so bittersweet.

I know Grandpa will be there every year from now on, in spirit, as he always has been in person. He may be reciting the poem above and will definitely be carrying his trusty walking stick, just as he is in this painting!

Who knew a studio apartment could be so fabulous!

Thought I might share some pics of my little studio. I have decided that I really like older spaces. The details give it an extra level of charm and inspire my artsy side. The kitchen and art corner are currently not neat enough to merit any photography so I'll post some of those another time.....I really love having a studio, particularly one with hardwood floors and giant windows.
It is just big enough for me, perfect amount of space and still very cozy!

Curtains!!

The sunset the other night was breathtaking with the silhouette of the neighborhood!

I bet the view of me hanging out my window to get the best angle was even more interesting...

Sadly, on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings I am awake early enough to see the moon!

Silly early childcare at school.

Pre-curtains, the huge windows let in so much light!

And having a corner unit means double the windows.

Have no fear, even with curtains it is just as airy.

I would like to thank my crazy Greek landlord for convincing me to rent this space. I wake up every day thinking "Wait a second...I live in Delaware" BUT "Hey what a fabulous apartment!"

It is so incredibly me!

And I just discovered this past weekend with friends visiting that it can also "comfortably" sleep 7 (wall to wall air mattresses do count as comfortable).

Oh September

OH goodness. Where do I begin?

Good news--I have started painting again so more artwork coming soon.

Other news... in a nutshell...

• I walked past my car the other day, thinking it wasn't mine because of the Delaware license plate
  
• I am "dis engaged" but it's for the best
  
• I have a new apartment-- the loveliest studio you have ever seen, now complete with curtains! Pics coming soon.
  
• I have become an expert in parallel parking, even on dark rainy nights.
  
• My new school and co-workers are fantastic and run on "Greek time" which is perfect for my meandering nature
  
• I have discovered that while I am capable of carrying a TV up four flights of stairs AND putting a couch together, I had to take my car to PepBoys to get my license plate changed--silly bolts.
  
• My family and friends are the BEST and the reason that I am still sane. Lucky girl right here!