This site is about my life in the art studio. It includes drawings, paintings, knitting and cross stitch and fun art techniques. I will also include recipes and yoga and book reviews. This is a lifestyle blog with intentional and simple living ideas.
Worsted 4ply yarn
4.5mm/ US7 Needles
Worsted weight yarn is a medium weight yarn. This type of yarn is recommended for knitting sweaters, hats, scarves, mittens, blankets and washcloths.
Happy Day
Caroline
Pray for Ukraine.
There’s nothing like a pasta casserole. It’s a warm dish that can be served with a salad.
This is a gluten free and dairy free recipe. I don’t make pasta often since I eat for Autoimmune disease. As an option, ground beef can be used instead of ground turkey.
Bring water to a boil cook pasta half of the time.
While pasta is cooking, brown the turkey, add salt and pepper.
Mix water and the gluten free turkey gravy mix.
After the turkey is cooked, add the gluten free turkey gravy mix. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down.
Add the tomato sauce to the turkey. Mix well. Turn off heat.
Sprinkle the dairy free parmesan cheese on the turkey mixture. Mix well.
Drain the pasta when it is done. Then put in the pan that can be in the oven. Add the turkey mixture. Mix together. Add the dairy free shredded parmesan cheese on top of the the casserole.
Put in the oven on 350f. For about 20 minutes or until it looks like the cheese is melted or brown. Remember, dairy free cheese does not melt like cheese with dairy.
Happy Day
Caroline
This was challenging to photo. The second photo shows the reflection
Happy Day
Caroline
Some silhouette drawings
Happy Day
Caroline
This is a crochet blanket I made a few years ago. It’s very long and wide
Happy Day
Caroline
This was the only day this week with some clouds in the sky with a blue sky. Today it will be cloudy and then rain will come in with wind. Then the inevitable, snow.
It’s cabin fever and it’s time to have the warmth and the beauty back in nature.
Happy Day
Caroline
This challenge is about shadow. I took photos of the shadow from the trees two days after the intense winter storm. The sun is shining and some of the snow is melting. It’s cold though.
Happy Day
Caroline
I have been on a mission to organize, declutter and rearrange every room in my home.
For some reason, there are not many photos of my studio before I started to reorganize. And when I get in the mood, I forget to take pictures.
The table is now a tilting table. I contemplated about purchasing it, but thought it would be helpful to tilt a table when I am drawing or painting. It is still in front of the window.
The small 8″x8″ paintings are no longer being sold on etsy. I found etsy impossible to keep up with. I felt it was more discouraging for me to work on it. It was too much stress of working a full time job and trying to establish a small business on etsy. I also felt the paintings I created were not being viewed even though I endlessly worked on the SEO to market my show. At the end of this decision, I realized I just don’t like to create art for a fast paced world and rather take time to cross stitch and knit and every so often paint and draw.
Another part of the studio that changed is where I keep my supplies. I decided that the shelves were cluttering my creative space. The closet was not being used effectively. I moved the shelves in the closet and now it is arranged in a neat, organized area.
The craft cart below has been helpful to organize all of my paint. It is nice it can be wheeled to the easel and the table. And kept out of the way when I am doing yoga. Below there is a link to a cart that is similar to this one on Amazon.
Now the chair, that will not be tossed out. Yes my cat has attacked it, scratched it and has claimed it for himself. I placed a chair cover over it in this bright orange fabric. I also placed other blankets on it to raise the seat for me to be at the table.
But who tends to be using the table? My cat. That’s ok, as long as my plants are not bothered. (I think he knows better) maybe.
The easel, right now is not being used. I tend to get inspired to paint when it is spring and I can open my windows!
Nothing else has changed. I still use this room for yoga. I want to work on art. But I am feeling trapped in my thinking and the creative side of me is just tired.
As an artist who went to art school, but never liked the business side to it. I am at a place in my life (midlife crisis perhaps) that I want to sew and learn how to make purses and aprons and quilts. I like the feel of the threads and needles in my hands.
Will I return to Etsy? No idea. Will I sell art? No idea. Do I still want to write a book about how to make art for an art therapy journal? Yes. Am I working on it? Not lately. Do I still dream of selling my art full time? Yes. But do I want to focus on it? No. Would I rather spend more time on art therapy and working as a counselor? yes, it pays well. Also I like blogging. Do I have ambition to finish my list of projects that I wrote at the beginning of the year? yes. I want to work on my knitting blanket so badly!!!
I have been focusing on decluttering, reorganizing and making life more simple. Also been working on learning more about eating gluten free and dairy free. I have been documenting my trials and errors of trying new recipes, making gluten free bread and cooking on a budget.
When I am not seeing clients, I am usually doing yoga or knitting. On the weekends, cross stitch comes out, because I can spend more time stitching without being interrupted.
There are books I want to read, but I am just not a reader. I prefer movies and stories than to read. Because movies allow me to stitch and listen together.
Happy Day
Caroline
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
This is a gluten free and dairy free recipe. Both the soup and salad is simple and quick to make. Add a mint water to the meal for a refreshing drink.
Ingredients
Rinse the bean sprouts from the can. If using fresh bean sprouts, also rinse. Leave the ends, as that is where most of the nutrients will be. Boil the bone broth. Add the bean sprouts and boil for 3-4 minutes. Add the green onion, garlic and sea salt and boil for 1 minute.
Green onions can be grown indoors. Place the roots in a glass jar with some water to cover the roots. Put by a window. I use a grow light since I have a lack of sunlight.
Ingredients
Boil the broccoli florets until it is tender, drain and let cool. Use a large size bowl for the salad to toss everything together. Add together all the ingredients along with the dressing.
This salad has a sweet taste because of the raisins.
A mint plant can be grown inside. Place it near a window for the sunlight. In the summer, you can put it outside for more sun. I use a grow light on my plants since my home faces the north and has tons of shade from the tall trees that sit behind my townhouse.
Fill up your glass with water and ice, then add two or three mint leaves to the water.
The other option is to add lemon or cucumber to the water for a detox water.
This is a great refreshing and energizing drink.
Here is the link for the grow light for indoor plants.
Below is a photo of the grow light in my home.
Happy Day
Caroline
Today’s focus is the closet. I have been taking time sorting through my closets and reorganizing and decluttering. It’s been a slow process. Because let’s face it, I rather not do this.
I started with my dresser. I put my PJs in there. Also if it is winter, I store my summer tops, vice versa.
Some things are being donated from this pile.
Then I place all tops on my bed from the closet.
I sorted through those. Dividing it into sections,
And look, I have been looking for this sweater
It’s amazing how it looks. I washing some light weight clothes. I might be able to start incorporating those in my winter outfits soon.
This is the donation pile.
4pawsartstudio, just has not been making art lately. I have been cross stitching, as my previous post gave you an update about Rue Paris. I will be knitting today in-between my client sessions. It will be snowing later, so I might just take another day to relax and tiddy up my downstairs. I am making barbeque chicken in the crock pot and later will make chicken patties for later in the week. I am working on tidying up my pantry and freezer. I have a goal to plan my meals and thought to wait until most items are eaten and I need to return to the grocery store. That is something to stay posted for in the future, is my menu planning. Art and painting will return, I am needing to get my house organized better with less clutter. (paper shredding is in serious need to be priority this week)!!!
Happy Day
Caroline
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