Busy Days

So, one awesome and unexpected/unintended benefit of having my art auction is that I got several Quake Aid commissions as well, and so I am drawing again!!!  I do, however, find it very hard and frustrating to try to do any work while the wee smalls are up and about and climbing all over me and my drawing table.  And so I have been drawing after dark, when the smalls are in bed.  And so I am not getting quite as much sleep, and so in the afternoon this is where I want to be:

A little Silmarillion, a little sun, a little snooze...

Just now, though, life is too busy to lay-a-bed.  Dream on.

And now I'm off to rustle up some dinner.

Quake Aid Project Update #4

My little art auction came to a close today at noon.

Thank you for all your generosity and support for my Japan Quake Aid project! We'll be able to make a $400 donation to the Red Cross with your help! I'm truly grateful to have such wonderful friends.

Again, here's a link to various aid organizations complied by the folks at NPR:
Crisis In Japan: Here's How To Help

Thanks everyone!

Quake Aid Project Update #3

Sooo... any counter bids out there?  I also have this yummy satsuma print that is looking for a loving home!  Please remember that I am closing the art auction at noon tomorrow.

Todd alerted me to the fact that his company is matching employee donations to the Red Cross through mid-April, so we're going to follow through with that and double our contribution.  They have already made a substantial initial donation to the Red Cross, so hooray for John Deere!

Thanks for reading.

More Info on Japan Quake Aid Project

Thanks to all of you who have read my last post and offered your encouragement!  I have opening bids on both my pieces, plus a commission for a new piece.  Thank you!

I think I will close the bidding on Friday at noon.  I will then contact the winning bidders, and we'll sort out payment and delivery logistics.

I'd like to list one more piece, a smaller print of a satsuma tangerine that some of you may recognize from my Christmas cards from a few years ago.  I'd like to start the bidding for this one at $15.

Satsuma, red ink on tan stock, black matted to 8"x10"

I found a fairly comprehensive list of aid organizations via NPR, so here is a link to that:
Crisis In Japan: Here's How To Help
My current plan is to donate to the Red Cross, but if the winning bidders have a different preference, I will certainly take that into consideration.

Once again, thanks for reading.

Japan Quake Aid

I've been mulling this idea over in my head for a few days now, and though I've never tried anything like this before, I hope it will help encourage everyone to give what aid they can.

So here's my little plan.  I'm a stay-at-home mama, and I'd like to donate funds that I have 'earned' myself, so I would like to auction off a few pieces of my original artwork.  You receive something lovely for your walls, and we both feel like we are making a small difference in a big disaster recovery effort.

I'd like to begin by asking $50 for each of these pieces.  They are matted and are standard size for easy framing.  (They're both hanging in my home now, in simple black wooden frames.)

Apple Blossoms, colored pencil on red stock, white matted to 11"x14"

Poppies, ink and colored pencil on red vellum, white matted to 11"x14"

I'm not sure what kind of a reponse I'll get, (anyone???), so I'll leave this post open for a few days, and try to keep everyone updated on the status of each piece.

If you are not in a position to make such a generous donation, but are still interested in helping the quake and tsunami victims, (and in owning some of my art!), I could try making some smaller pieces, too.  Let's talk.  And if you want to donate to the Red Cross or another relief organization on your own, let me know and I will send you a small token of appreciation.

Thanks for reading.

Kheer

Do you have basmati rice in your pantry?  Whole cardamom pods in your spice cabinet?  Sliced almonds, and shredded, unsweetened coconut?  Good!  Let's make some Indian rice pudding!

Adapted from The Food of India:

1/2 C uncooked basmati rice, rinsed well (yes, you can use whatever rice you have on hand, not just basmati)
10 cadamom pods, split and seeds removed
5 C milk, 2%-ish
1/4-1/2 C sugar (I usually make my pudding 1:1 rice to sugar, but somehow 1/2 C seems like a lot for this amount of milk)
1/4 C sliced almonds
1/4 C shredded, unsweetened coconut (or to be more authentic, nix the coconut and add 1/4 C golden raisins)

Bring milk to a simmer in a heavy saucepan and add the rice and cardamom seeds.  Cook, covered for about 2 hours, until the rice is creamy, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the sugar, sliced almonds, and coconut.  Serve warm or cold.  Kheer makes a great breakfast.  Yum.

I would leave you with a pretty picture, but we ate all our kheer already.

Home-y Things

I finally got a chance to play with my Christmas gift to the family, a tile set similar to one I had as a child that I loved.  This one is bigger and has both trapezoidal and triangular pieces for more design flexibility and is made from bamboo with lovely non-toxic stains, and it is pretty much as awesome as it gets.  Todd made the patterns to the right.  I think he is hoping I will vacate the frame soon, so he and Roo can have another turn at creating a design.

 It is currently on display on top of Moo's new dresser, next to his valentine from Roo, and his Hawaiian doggy and elephant baby book from G'ma Carrell.

Here's the side of the room with his bed:

We also got him a new bookshelf, which is turning out to be a super addition to his room - broad and low so that he can access all his books and toys.  Here are the results of several happy minutes playing by himself in his room while I was getting Roo up and breakfast going:

While he naps, Roo and I have been folding window stars to replace last month's snowflakes and hearts.  Today is a grey day, but these still look lovely with the light shining through.
 

Off to check my simmering chickpeas, make hummus, a batch of granola, and start broiling some salmon and steaming some asparagus for dinner.