SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS…..

Thursday, December 22, 2011

SCHOOL DAYS,SCHOOL DAYS…..

…..Baby Girl attended her first Brush painting class in the studio.

Kc welcomes Kita.

Kathryn thinks it’s a good idea…

So Does Colleen ………

Hey Laurie Burton…she’s sitting with me!

Now see here Baby Girl!

Say hi to sweet Lynne Sims

For me?

Photo op time

Woops, me bad.

Hi Violet Lee.

Time to party. Colleen brought these delicious treats.

Kc brings this treat at Christmas and I go hog wild…

Here’s the recipe…you’ll thank me!

Kc’s Croutons with Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese, Mustard & Dill

(for 12 – double for 24)

2tb. Honey mustard

1 TB. Dijon Mustard

1 tb. drained capers

1 tb. finely chopped red onion

2 tsp. minced fresh dill

12 – 3/8th – thick diagonally sliced sourdough baguette

Olive oil

4 oz. soft goat cheese

6 oz. smoked salmon – not lox (lox is too salty)

Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend first 5 ingredients in small bowl

Arrange bread on foiled baking sheet. Brush lightly with oil and bake until crisp – about 6-8 minutes (depending on oven temp & taste). Cool bread.

Cover mustard mixture and bread separately, let stand at room temp. (may be made 6 hrs. ahead.)

Spread bread with goat cheese (room temp) then mustard mixture (Or combined mix). Top w/salmon. Garnish with dill sprigs.

Soooooooooooo yummy!!!

Lynne, these are the best crackers, the best cheese, the best best grapes ever!

Here’s Priscilla’s recipe for amazing Creme de Menthe Brownies

Prepare packaged brownie mix in 9X12 pan. Cool.

(use a fudgy mix, like the kind with can of chocolate sauce in the mix).

Cream: 2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3 T. creme de menthe

Spread on brownies and refrigerate.

Melt:

1 cup chocolate chips with 6 T. unsalted butter

Spread over creme de menthe topping & refrigerate again.

These can warm up in a room and get gooey fast, so best to keep pan chilled. Cut brownies into squares before the party, then refrigerate again.

For gluten-free desert, use Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Brownie Mix.

Now Laurie, if I laugh this hard how can I possibly teach?

Look at the Poinsettia card on the right…Kathryn painted it…I’m soooooo proud!

Courtesy The New Yorker

1 comment:

Okami said...: ah, puppies!! Those ears are doing great, that left one is staying up almost all the time. They'll be up great in no time.; December 22, 2011 at 9:05 PM

Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.