Wednesday, December 10, 2014

How We Made A Beautiful Christmas Tree with Supplies Around our Property

This year we wanted to have a few trees for decorations but I didn't want to cut down a lot of trees and I didn't want to have to spend a bunch of money to get the look we wanted.  So being the creative people we are we decided to make trees from the items we had sitting around.

We ended up using the tomato cages for our garden, some zip ties, some branches from our huge evergreens and a string of lights.  Viola'  We had some super cute and very beautiful trees for the cost of nothing.


We started out at the bottom of our tomato cage and attached branches with the zip ties in a opposite pattern.  We did one on the left, one on the right, one in the front and then one in the back.  We did about 3 layers and the whole thing was covered.  We ended up attaching a couple of smaller branches were it looked empty or lopsided.


After we were all done, we wrapped it in a string of lights and added a bow.  We then put in the front yard over top a turned over pot so it would be a little more stable and plugged in the lights.  
It turned out looking like a real tree and I am happy it cost us nothing.  It seems to be a favorite spot of our kittens and looks even better at night.





Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours


Happy Holidays!

Here is the final picture we decided to make our Christmas Cards out of.  We all just kept laughing and what better way to spread holiday cheer then with a funny card.
Kids and Animals, how could we go wrong.

We hope the holidays are all that you expect and more.  May you be blessed with a full heart, a full tummy and surrounded by comfort and love.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Tiny Pieces, Tiny House, Tiny Bird Baths and Tiny Lanterns... So many adorable creations


Mom made this amazing little house this weekend with so many little parts.  This sides are cut up pine cone pieces and the roof is pine cone pieces she collected when she was out camping.  A squirrel had already gone to town on them and she liked the way they looked so she collected them and finally found somewhere to use them.


Mom came across some super cool tiny lanterns for fairy houses on Pinterest and showed them to me and I decided to try my hand at creating them with the supplies I had around the studio.  I am pleased with how they turned out but it is quite the challenge to work on such a small scale but I think they will be a lovely addition to her fairy landscapes.

I also decided to make some tiny bird baths for her landscape.  We have had this box of copper scraps forever and I hadn't quite found a purpose for them but they came to mind when I want to create these tiny bird baths.  I hammered in the shapes and wired and twisted the legs.  I think it turned out great.

Delicious Russian Tea Cakes from Betty Crocker ... The kind you just don't want to share.

I love the holidays and I love holidays cookies.  Every year I think that I'm going to be good and not eat so many but that is just not true.  They are beautiful, tasty and really someones feelings could get hurt if you didn't eat their cookies.  In fact I like to think I am doing mankind a favor but eating delicious holiday cookies.

Well one of my favorite cookies is Russian Tea Cakes.  It seems they only pop up around the holidays and when I eat one it is like a party just happened in my mouth.  They are almost so good that I want to grab the plate, smack away other peoples hands and horde them in my room.  Which by the way I don't do but it does cross my mind.  Well this week Mom made some for me and I am assuming for the rest of the family and they were so tasty.  She got the recipe from bettycrocker.com but we have included here too.  I give it 10 out of 5 stars.  Yup they were that good.





Betty Crocker.com

Russian Tea cakes

1 cup butter or margarine softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4  cups flour
3/4 cups finely chopped nuts I used  walnuts ground up
1/4 teaspoon salt

More powdered sugar for rolling cookies in

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Mix butter, powdered sugar,and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Stir in flour, nut, and salt until
dough holds together.

Shape into about 1 inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet about one inch apart.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes  do not let brown.  Remove from cookie sheet and put on cookie rack to cool slightly. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and let cool then roll in powdered sugar again.

What I learned about making a Handmade Leather Cozy for a Mason Jar.


This weekend I spent some time in my husbands shop helping to create items for his Etsy store and holiday presents for friends and family.  It has been so nice that he has lots of ideas for presents and I was very happy to assist him.

I learned a lot about the process of creating with leather.  He makes it all looks so easy and usually he just shows up with something awesome he made and I don't think twice about all the steps involved.

 Well I learned this weekend he makes it look easy but there are a ton of steps involved with his creations.  Besides creating a pattern and cutting all the leather to size, he has to carve the leather, punch all the holes for sewing and that's even before he starts to make it look amazing.  He then has to personalize it with leather punches.  Then its off to be stained and then painted.  That was my job.  I spend the morning hand staining all the pieces and then painting all the edges so it looked nice and finished.  I then traced and painted the design so they would pop.  When that was all dried he had to seal and condition the leather and then he hammered in rivets to attach the handles. Then sewed the whole thing together.

  I love how the cozy turned out and we posted it in his store but now I have a new appreciation for all the little details that go into his leather creations.  As a creative myself I know unless you are standing in someones shoes you never quite know how much work goes into making something and making it right.  I really appreciate all the work that goes into a handmade creations and I am happy there are other people out there that realize the work that goes into each product.

Monday, November 24, 2014

One of the Podcasts we Love! Explore you Enthusiasm with Tara Swiger

We really love Explore Your Enthusiasm Podcast by Tara Swiger.

She is so much fun to listen to and has so much helpful information about being a crafter, promoting yourself and making things work.

It is like having your own personal Cheerleader.

I have listened to all her podcasts and am always excited to see a new one ready to listen too.  You can find her podcast on her blog http://taraswiger.com/blog/ or I listen to her on my PocketCast app.  Either way she is fun, cheery, full of great information and just a real pleasure to listen to.



Super Yummy and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups cooked chopped chicken
16 oz. salsa
1 onion chopped
2 gloves garlic
tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin

12 gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas
10 oz spagetti sauce or if you like it hot use enchilada sauce but I did not have any so I used jarred spagetti sauce.
shredded cheddar cheese  1 8oz. package or one cup. We a lot of cheese so I used more.

Place tortillas in a large baking dish with paper towels  covering every few layers and then the top
with a damp paper towel. Put into oven at 350 while the oven is preheating for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet heat oil and add onion and saute until tender 5-6 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add salsa, chicken, and cumin to the skillet and heat through.
Remove tortillas from oven.
Grease bottom sides of baking dish ( 9x13) and spoon a little sauce into bottom of pan. I used the spagetti sauce here.
Put about 1/4 cup chicken mixture into center tortilla and fold in half and lay in pan. Lay them neto each other in the pan and they will stay shut. Put remaining sauce on top. Top with the cheese.
Bake 15 minutes.

Gluten Free Apple Fritters ... Big Hit at Our House


Gluten Free Apple Fritters

1 1/2 cups Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free all cooking flour
1 Tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


2/3 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples.I used tart apples but any apple will do.

1 quart vegetable oil

1 cup cinnamon and sugar

 Heat oil in a deep pan ( I used cast iron) to 375 degrees F


Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together then add the milk, eggs and tablespoon oil. Stir all together until thoroughly mixed, then add chopped apples and
just stir till they are blended.











Drop by spoonful into hot oil without crowding the pan and let them cook until browned on one side and then turn over to brown other side. This only takes a few minutes
so keep a close watch. Remove from hot oil onto paper plate or paper towels. Then add more mix to oil a few at a time. While they are hot roll in cinnamon and sugar.



This was the first time I substituted Bobs Red Mills new flour alternative 1 to 1.  I think they turned out awesome and nobody in my family even noticed that it was gluten free.

We did put the leftovers in a sealed Tupperware container and it did seem to get a little mushy after that.  Next time we will leave them out and see what happens.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Just got my Hand Painted Holiday Images available on Creative Market... They are so cute!

Hand Painted Holiday Images

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tiny Tepee and Fire by Creatively Happy For the Little Fairy Folk

Here is the beautiful Tepee and Fire my Mom made out of peeled bark and dried flowers.
She created a frame out of small sticks and then layered the sides with inside strips of bark.  The tiny fire is created on a dried flower with little sticks and strips of wood to look like fire.  I think she did such an amazing job.  I want to move in and enjoy the warm fire.

Beautiful Message and Beautiful Creations by BirdMafia on Etsy

I came across this shop on Etsy called  BirdMafia and I fell in love with the paper cut shadow boxes.  I love the message and the simplicity of the design. There are much more complicated images that are beautiful but this one was my favorite


https://www.etsy.com/listing/205663508/seek-adventure-ii-5-x-7-cut-paper-shadow?ref=related-1

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Living in the Middle of Everything in the Middle of Nowhere

The room with a view. That is what I think every time I sit at our dining room table. There is always so much going on outside the big window we installed that it is like a movie. You don't always notice the action but if you wait long enough you will start to see it. 
In the spring you watch the world around us come alive and the chickens hunt for snacks,
in the summer you watch the garden grow and the flowers explode, 
in the fall you keep track of all the leaves falling and wait for the tiny glimpse of the neighbors house and 
in the winter you watch the world turn to a white wonderland. 
You get to see the animals play and the kids roll together their snowman. You get to see the potential of what the yard is going to become next year and you get to ponder how "living in the middle of nowhere" (as friends and family sometimes think) is actually living in the middle of everything.

Just sitting here with my warm fire, my hot cup of coffee and the feeling of being exactly where I am supposed to be in my life. Happy and content of this chilly 16 degree morning. I hope everyone has an awesome day




Monday, November 10, 2014

Christmas Card Photo Shoot with the New Kittens



Here are some of the pictures we got from our Christmas card photo shoot.  This year we decided to focus on the kids and the kittens.  It was pretty entertaining trying to get the kittens to sit in their hats but we ended up with one very special image that will be our holiday card.

Photography by Heather Saulsbury

Digital Download Doodle Art Greeting Cards by CreativelyHappyOne on Etsy

Here are some of the amazing art doodle cards you can purchase and download on Etsy.   
This product is very easy to use.  You can instantly download the cards and they are set up to print on a regular size piece of paper.  You can print them out and send them just as they are or you can color them in for a more dramatic effect.  


Giveaway at HiJennyBrown

I created a digital download package called "A Step Back in Time" for the giveaway on the HiJennyBrown that is going on this month.  She is offering some pretty cool stuff  so please click on over and check it out.   The contest is going on at her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/hijennybrown  
I met Jenny through the online group on facebook that is called "In the Studio with Kari"  This is a invite only group of creative people that are very supportive and talented.  You can get involved by heading on over to KariChapin.com and signing up for her newsletter.  


Friday, November 7, 2014

How We Turned a Square Bookshelves into a Chicken Nesting Box

We have been busy moving our chickens into a new and bigger coop because our flock has doubled in size over the summer and they were running out of room in the old hen house.  Things have been going very well and we are almost ready to move them but we needed to create a new nesting box in the new house.  So we decided to create one with the 9 piece bookshelf.
Mom and I got (2) 2x4 that were about 8 ft long and cut them in half to end with 4 legs.  We screwed them to the side of the bookshelf from the inside after pre-drilling holes because we were concerned about the shelf breaking apart.  That went great.  Supported the shelf a  little and took the nesting box off the ground.
We then cut a piece of plywood to go across the back and had it big enough to go all the way to the edges of the 2 x 4 legs so we could screw into them instead  of the skinny shelf.  This really seemed to sturdy things up.  We only put  4 screws in the back in case we have to take the back off to clean it.

We then had some 1 x 2 strips to put an edge on the nesting boxes to keep the sawdust in.  We also pre-drilled and screwed these into the 2x4 legs.  This is my kitten helper that just seemed fascinated with everything we were doing

Here it is finished with the lip on all the boxes
We knew the chickens would need some sort of ledge to get on so they could get in the top boxes, so with the left over pieces of 1 x 2 we made supports for a 4ft 1/2" dowel.  We drilled holes first with a 1/2" bit and made sure the dowels would go through
After getting all the holes drilled we attached them to the sides of the 2 x 4.  We left them long enough to hang over both sides.
Now we just added some saw dust and are going to put in some marked eggs and hope the ladies like there new nesting box. 

This whole project including the shelf cost us around $55.  The tools we needed where a drill with a bit for screwing, a bit for drilling and a paddle bit for creating the dowel hole.  We also used a skill saw to cut with but a handsaw should work.
So the supply list we used was
(2) 2 x 4 x  about 96"
(2) 1 x 2 x 8ft
(2) 1/2" 4ft long dowels
Box of 1 1/2" screws
4ft x 4ft Thin piece of Plywood (that we cut to size)
9 Hole Bookshelf from Walmart

This was really an experiment in creating. I feel like it turned out pretty awesome but time will tell if the ladies like it and if it holds up.  For now it looks really good.  We might line the inside of each box with a small square of linoleum (got some leftover) and the ladies like privacy when they are in there boxes so we might add curtains.  Also we are not sure if the lip in front is tall enough so if it isnt we will add another 1 x 2 on top of it.







This Little Kitty Has a lot to Think About

We have welcomed two new additions to our house.  Some beautiful playful sweet kittens.  So of course I had to set up a photo shoot of them and take pictures.  They did really great but the shot I love the most was of the little girl coming over to see what the light is all about.  She is super cute and super adorable.  I thought this image would work for some many ideas and blogs so I posted it for sale on creative market.  So if you want to purchase and download your own version then just click on the image.
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Monday, November 3, 2014

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 5 ~ Opening an Etsy Shop, Conquering Your Fears, New Product Line and Update on our Hypertufa Project | Creatively Happy

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 5 ~ Opening an Etsy Shop, Conquering Your Fears, New Product Line and Update on our Hypertufa Project | Creatively Happy




Busy Getting our Items Listed For Sale Online

We have been very busy this week getting a new shop set up on Etsy.  It is called PNW Bushcraft and features my husband amazing handmade leather and canvas  products.  He is making some traditional bushcraft gear in his studio with leather and canvas.   The first product we are featuring is a Bushcraft foragers pouch.  It is a bag that attaches to your belt with a leather strap.  When it is all folded up it is quite small and very convenient and when  you decide you need a bag you just unsnap it and unfold this great bag made out of oil cloth canvas.  This is a very sturdy and well made product.  He created and redesigned it quite a few times before he came up with this final product.  It is hand tooled and hand stamped.  Please stop on by, take a look around the store and share.
 https://www.etsy.com/shop/PNWBushcraft 

We have also been very busy getting our fairy furniture up for sale in our own shop.  These pieces are so adorable and I can't wait for them to find new homes.  We got a set of furniture listed and also some chairs.
Our Etsy Shop

Don't Let Fear Stop You!


I would like to introduce you to your worst enemy.  The one thing that leaps at you first thing in the morning, the one that shouts at you when you think of veering off the chosen path, the one that heckles you when you decide to go big and your worst enemy has a name and its fear.  Fear of trying, fear of not trying, fear of changing,  fear of staying the same, fear of adventure fear of boredom, fear of being noticed, fear of be ignored.  The problem with fear is that it sits on both sides of the fence.  It hopes back and forth like a cricket, jumping in front of you at every decision.  Fear lurks in your mind and soul waiting to eat away at your very existence.
  We are not born with fear; we are taught fear from our parents.  It is disguised at parental concern but its really a introduction to fear.  We are taught to fear the unknown, the different, and the unfamiliar and use extreme caution about anything that is not familiar.  If a baby really knew fear then he wouldn’t learn.  A baby would not learn to try new foods, because he was afraid it would taste bad.  He would not learn to crawl because he would be afraid of what’s around the corner, He wouldn’t learn to walk because he would be afraid of falling.  We are born with the natural ability to wonder about things, to explore and to take on adventures.  It is not until we are accidentally taught to worry or fear things that we start to bury our need for adventure and exploring.  Fear is cocoon we wrap ourselves in that feels safe and warm.  It is also the very thing that holds us back from bursting out and becoming something new and beautiful.


When you confront your enemy and realize that the strings that bind you are simple threads that can be cut away easily then you start to conquer your fear.  When you block out the voice of fear in your head you start to come alive.  When you realize life is a grand adventure just waiting for you jump on then you have confronted your worst enemy and won the battle of a lifetime.  Your reward is the experience of new and wonderful things, the joy of the unknown and the knowledge that you were brave enough to face your worst enemy and walk away with your hands in the air shouting “YES I DID IT”



Written by Heather Saulsbury

Published in Enemies by Whatcom Writes

Sunday, November 2, 2014

What do You Do with those Stunning Photographs taking up room on Your Hard Drive? You let them make money for you.

I love to take pictures.  I have my camera with my almost all the time and I take pictures of everything.  I love scenery, textures, people and animals.  Taking pictures of all of those things make me happy but after awhile I wonder what to do with them.  Over the last year I have gotten into portrait photography and it was really nice to have a purpose for my images.  I was capturing moments in time for other people so there was always somewhere for them to go, but I was still taking pictures of stuff.  That beautiful fall scene on the river, that classic red barn down the road, the very funky looking mushroom.  All of this and more was what my camera was still filling up with when I wasn't taking pictures of people.



I started to feel like maybe I should stop taking all those pictures.  I was just filling up my computer with pictures I wasn't really going to use.  Some of them I might incorporate into my artwork but most of them would just sit and get dust on them (if computer files could get dusty).  I tried listing them on Etsy as a digital download but that wasn't working.  They didn't seem to be moving and the market seems so saturated with way cooler stuff then stock photography.  I also had to pay every time I did that whether it sold or not.  So I stopped doing that, no need to waste my hard earned money.

Then one day on one of my online craft communities someone shared a blog post about Creative Market.  This person was a graphic designer and had found her home for her designs.  Her downloadable actions where extremely popular and she had started to gain a lot of momentum with her sales.  Well of course I had to check it out.

Creative Market only sells items you can download.  How cool is that?  It is full of stock photography, illustrations, actions, mock ups and more.  Besides being a great place to sell your creations it is also a awesome place to shop.  I am not a graphic designer by trade.  I have been teaching myself how to use Photoshop and it has been a long and steep learning curve but I was so excited about all the images this site had to offer.  The prices are really great too.

So I looked into getting a shop.  I thought I would just be able to sign up and go but that was not the case.  You have to apply to have a shop by showing them where you are selling your items elsewhere.  I shared my Etsy store and my website www.heathersaulsbury.com.  At first thought, I was a little annoyed by this but then I realized it like being in any show.  If they let everyone in then there are no standards and if they can see you have been putting in effort every where else then you are more likely to commit to putting out great products.  Not be a fly in and fly out.  I was very anxious to list on here and it only took a few days to get an answer.  Let me tell you my favorite part.  You DO NOT have to pay to list.  Yup, thats right.  You get to list for free and if something sells they take a cut.  How awesome is that.  I was on board, I was so excited and then I started listing photographs.  I found it very easy to do and tried not to go overboard.  I didn't want to fill my store with the same items as everyone else.  I decided to focus my images mostly on Pacific Northwest landscapes and Bushcraft pictures with a few animal and flower pictures tossed in.  Within a few days I had my first sale.  This was the quickest I have ever sold something online and I have been selling online forever (at least it feels that way).  I was so excited.  The best part was that they took there cut, put my share on my balance sheet and the item stayed listed.  I did not have to do anything else after the initial listing.  I liked this site even more.  Making money in  my sleep is one of my favorite things.  I don't have to go to the post office, I don't have to find packaging, heck I don't even have to pay to relist.


I am really enjoying being part of the Creative Market community and I have continued to sell my photographs as stock photography.  After getting comfortable listing and sharing I decided to look into their partner program.  It is another thing you have to apply for but for every referral who purchases something you get 10% of it for an entire year.  Seems like a pretty awesome deal.  You promote yourself, the site and other designers selling great things and you make money.  The part that is so easy about this is that the designs are amazing.  So far, anything I can think of they have.  It is really a group of very talented people and a wonderful resource for people designing blogs, logos, business cards and anything else you need an image or action for.

To sum it all up, if you want to sell your photographs as a stock image instead of letting them sit in that dusty hard drive then Creative Market might be a great spot to start.  I wish you lots of luck and hope my article was helpful.  I would love you hear from you and appreciate all the support.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 4 ~ The chicken coop progress, the best and easiest apply pie, new artwork from vintage letters and more | Creatively Happy

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 4 ~ The chicken coop progress, the best and easiest apply pie, new artwork from vintage letters and more | Creatively Happy




New Artwork by Heather Saulsbury featuring vintage letters. From a Podcast idea to unique Art

I love when a journey takes you to an unexpected place.  The idea I had started with last week was to have a podcast that featured old love letters.  I got excited, went on Ebay, bought some old letters and waited for them to arrive.  They got here so fast and I was so excited.  I couldn't wait to tear into them (gently because some were over a 100 yrs old)
 I opened the first package, which was a bundle wrapped into a blue ribbon and discovered a whole new world.  The letters started out with "My Dearest One" dated from 1903.  How exciting and thrilling, I felt like I was stepping back in time and peeking into a world I was unfamiliar with.  As I glanced through all the letters it finally occurred to me that this was a one sided conversation.  These letters were all written by men to a one lady and I didn't know her side of the story.  I realized then that my idea would need work and tweaking before it could become a podcast.
But the letters were beautiful and aged.  The handwriting was like art itself.  It seem like cursive will be a lost art in the next century but this 100 year old letters were gorgeous.  I decided to scan the and turn them into digital download backgrounds and list them for sale on my store at Creative Market.   I felt a lot better sharing them then just keeping them bundled up in my cupboard.

Yesterday I decided to paint again.  I have been busy working on the computer with my photography and hadn't been inspired to paint in awhile but yesterday it felt right.  I got out my paints and brushes and went to town.  I created a beautiful bright green and blue piece.  I wasn't done yet and decided to try mixing my old with my new.


I used some of the vintage letters, molding paste, stencils and acrylics to create this new piece of artwork.  This 12" x 16" piece is done on a wood panel.  I love how it turned out.  I almost don't want to part with it.  You can see this and more of my work on my facebook page. 
I feel good giving new life to this old correspodence.


Adorable Fairy Chairs

These are the 3 chairs that Linda built.  The two on the outside are all natural supplies and the one in the middle was created with woodcuts that were on clearance at Michael's.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 3 ~ New Cement Recipe for Crafting, Podcast Supplies, Delicious Chili, MMA Fighter Photo Shoot, Nature Classes and More

Creatively Happy

Here is one of the mushroom we found hiking behind our property.

MMA Fighter Mari Mata Photo Shoot

My wonderful and talented friend Mari Mata is a MMA fighter and needed some promotional shots for an upcoming fight in November.  We had a really good time doing shoots of her serious, smiling, kicking and punching.  We also tried some different lighting techniques to emphasize her great toned body.   This was a really short photo shoot due to time constraints but I am pleased with what we got.  I do plan on getting back together with her to try some more with a black backdrop, different lighting and maybe some more motion.  If you would like to see more of my work please stop by my photography page on facebook


Experimenting with new light weight cement option call Hypertufa for crafting outdoor fairy houses

We came across this new way to create outdoor fairy structures that is sturdy and weather resistant.  After watching a few videos online we decided to purchase the supplies at our local hardware store.  The supplies total was around $15 and we ended up with some pretty big bags.

We started really small and did our proportions in 1/4 cups in the 3-3-2 ratio.  The mixture was easy to mix up and was put in a flower pot to mold.  We let it sit there 3 days and plan on taking it out.  I guess it dries in about a week.

We will post an update with pictures after we get it out of the mold.

The Awesome Tree at Crescent Lake Fairholme Campground on the Olympic Peninsula

Here is that amazing tree I was telling you about.  You can see my husband standing next to it and he looks so mall.  The boys climbed right up into it and disappeared.  The tree happens to be in the boat launch area and is right next to the campground.  We stayed at the campground last year and beside being beautiful, they have campsites right on the lake.

Deilicous Quinoa Chili ~ Gluten Free and could be adapted to be Vegan Also


EVERYONE LOVES THIS CHILI

Around our house Chili is a favorite of everyone's.   So when we tried out this recipe that had quinoa added we were in for a big treat.  Besides being healthy it was also delicious and super filling.   Everyone is the house enjoyed, which includes two hungry teenage boys, my husband, my mom and I
This recipe is Gluten free and if you left out the ground beef it could also be vegan too.
Delicous Quinoa Chili found on AllRecipes... submitted by Gingerbreadgirlz

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Autumn Soup by Creatively Happy ~Gluten and Sugar Free

We love this time of year in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and we love a great soup on a chilly autumn day.  We also like to use lots of the items we have harvested from our own garden and the garden of friends and neighbors.  Here is the recipe we created using lots of fall harvest vegetables and fruit.  It is a favorite with everyone in our family

Autumn Soup

Ingredients:
1 Sugar Pumpkin
1 Delicata Squash
3 Asian Pears 
1 Red Delicious Apple
All of those will need to be peeled and cut in 1" chunks

4 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups Water

1/2 White Onion Diced
1 Tsp of minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Butter
Those will all be sauteed together before putting in soup

1 Tsp Crazy Salt
1 Tsp Braggs Spice
1 Tsp Rock Salt

Put all ingredients in a large pot and cook until all ingredients are soft (about 1/2 hour on medium heat) I then blend it all into a puree.  I use my blender but you could use an immersion blender too.

This recipe can be sweetened with honey if necessary or sometimes we add cinnamon or nutmeg.  Also the pears and apples can be substituted for whatever you have growing.  This recipe can be made vegan by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock too.  This is such an easy soup and delicious.  I hope you enjoy it.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 2 ~ Gluten Free Cornbread, The best Fall Soup

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode 2 ~ Gluten Free Cornbread, The best Fall Soup and Good Lighting During an Outdoor Photo Shoot.| Creatively Happy




My fall planting arrived from Brecks today

This is one of the peonies we just planted on the property which should look beautiful in the late spring next year.  This one is supposed to bloom twice for a longer growing season.

Delicious Gluten and Sugar Free Cornbread Recipe from Gluten Free Mama

Gluten Free Cornbread from Gluten Free Mama
I am a really big fan of Gluten Free Mama and got this recipe in my newsletter.  The only variation I made was to substitute coconut sugar for granulated sugar.  This is a delicious Cornbread recipe that easy and quick.  Everyone in the family enjoyed and didn't seem to notice it was gluten and sugar free.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Creatively Happy Podcast Episode !

Creatively Happy

Our First Ever, straight from the Studio Podcast about our life of being creative on our 11 acre hobby farm in the Pacific Northwest

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Beautiful Head Wreath for a Photo Shoot

I just love how head wreaths look in photo shoot and I wanted to try one myself.  So I went to the local craft store and found some beautiful flowers on sale and decided to try my own.  I took a long piece of leftover burlap and folded it in half and then sewed on all the flowers and leaves.  I then sewed on long thin straps of leather so I could tie the wreath on.  Here is the first photo shoot I tried with the head wreath and I love it.  I will plan on making more.  Perhaps poinsettias on the next one for the holidays.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Inkjet Printer Photo Experiment

I have always loved the idea of being able to transfer a photo.  So last month I experimented with transferring a photo onto wood using gloss medium.  Honestly the drying time and then the rubbing time was way to much for me.  I had to let the image sit overnight and then I had to rub and rub and rub and rub (see where I'm going with this) until the paper came off that left the photo behind.  Needless to say I wasn't very happy with the results of all that work.  So I put that idea on the backburner until I watched some more videos this week on inkjet photo transfer.  I saw a whole new technique that allowed instant satisfaction. So I decided to try the new method because i happened to have all the supplies sitting around our place. We had saved a bunch of wood ends from our shop build so I gathered a few of those and sanded them down.  
The first attempt went okay.  I put it directly on the wood and thought it didn't have enough contrast so next I tried lightly brushing the wood with white paint and then putting on the image.  It seem to turn out a lot better.  Next I wanted to try a color image so I printed out one of my owl paintings that was bright and colorful. The transfer went well but I didn't get the image centered.  So I got the idea to use some spray inks to fix it and to try as a background effect.  I really like how it turned out 

and put a black and white image transfer over the top.  I decided to try an actual photo image and experimented with small blocks of wood.  I watched one video where the wet the wood first and then applied the image.  I tried that method and my inks ran together.  I also tried applying the image and rubbing it in but that seemed to smear stuff too. So in the end I just printed my image out on the waxy paper and pressed it onto the block.  It turned out good.  I also tried to do a much more detailed image that was in all purple shades and that one didn't work at all.  So it seemed the bright colors or the black and whites seemed to work best.  It also appeared that the surface I was transferring onto needed to be pretty smooth unless I really wanted the grainy look.  
Here is the video I watched about how to transfer an image with an inkjet printer.