Bark At The Art

Bowling League- Week 5

I was extremely tired when I first arrived at the bowling alley. However, seeing that Michelle and I are still in first place on our small league woke me up! Michelle's current average is 114, and mine is 128. I'm hoping those averages go up by the end of the summer.

Week 5 Scores:

Michelle: Game 1- Score 121 , Game 2- Score 142, Game 3- Score 115  (Michelle totally beat her average all 3 games).

Rebecca (me): Game 1- Score 108, Game 2- Score 148, Game 3- Score 132 (I was sleeping the first game).

Tonight we won one game out of three, but we won overall in pins! YAY!

 

Below is a random photo of my cat, Gwen.

100 Days Until I Turn 30: So I made Mini Pies...

After a horrible headache in the morning, I got this idea that I should try my personal pie maker I bought this past December.  I followed a small recipe that came with the pie maker.  My Grandma pealed and cut the apples for me, but I did everything else. Below is a photo of the yummy filling I prepared.

The recipe actually told me to microwave the filling for 11 minutes.  I didn't know how well it would taste after being in the microwave, but it was very sweet and tasty.  I let the filling cool in the refrigerator while I prepared the crust. I used "ready-rolled 9-inch pie crust", which made the process easier.

Because I am an Artist, I felt the need for my pies to have interesting tops.

I did the "M" crust in honor of Memorial Day.  I placed the bottom crust into the pie maker, and put a couple scoops of the filling in.

Then I placed my beautiful lids on.  I only did two pies first, because this was the first time I was using the pie maker and wanted to experiment with techniques.

I baked/cooked them for 10 minutes.  The photo below is what they looked liked after they were baked.

Unfortunately, the bottoms were not thick enough and some of the sticky filling leaked onto the plate that I had placed the pies to cool.  One pie's bottom fell out a bit, and the pie's home had to remain on the plate until it was eaten.

I ended up making 3 more pies.  I even added some blue dye to make a couple of the lids more creative. See my creative pies below.

For the first pies I ever made, I think they didn't turn out too bad.  They weren't perfect, but they were fun to make!  The mini pie maker is so much fun to have, and I can't wait to make more tasty pies with it.  They didn't taste too bad either!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

 

Bowling League- Week 4

Tonight was the most important night of bowling, because it was the first time I saw Michelle in person as an engaged woman.  Michelle got engaged recently, and she is the first one out of my childhood friends to get engaged.  I still remember us playing house and running around our backyards.  It is a great honor to have known Michelle since I was 2, and it will be an honor to watch her get married.  Michelle getting engaged has nothing to do with bowling, but it made the night more exciting while we bowled. 

 

Week 4 Scores:

Michelle: Game 1- Score 114 , Game 2- Score 103, Game 3- Score 137  (Michelle insisted that her left hand was too heavy, which made her off balanced when she bowled).

Rebecca (me): Game 1- Score 139, Game 2- Score 115, Game 3- Score 115 (totally did not make my average last two games).

Michelle’s current average is 113, and my average is 129. Out of the four teams in the league, we currently rank number one (even with our low scores)!

 

Here is a photo of Michelle's ring and our team shirt!

Making of an E-book (Part 1)

Last summer, I decided I wanted to publish my own children’s e-book.  However, last summer was when I became a student again, and I hardly had time to spend on my idea.  This summer I have no classes, and I am making it one of my summer goals to finish my e-book.

My e-book is going to be a children’s book that is filled with my illustrations.  I do not want to reveal too much about the topic, because I want to gives clues about it in my blog posts throughout the summer. 

First clue about my e-book topic: the characters were inspired by my past illustrations/paintings.

Currently, I have the picture book written, ideas for each illustrative page written down, and ten sketches for illustrations completed.  I plan to have thirty illustrations for my e-book, which means I have twenty more illustrations to complete.

My plan is to finish the sketches for my illustrations, paint the illustrations, and then publish my e-book.  I would like to have everything completed before I go on my cruise on July 26.  This time line may be unrealistic, but I want to at least attempt to complete it by then.  

I will gives updates about my progress, clues to what my e-book is about, and how I will go about publishing my book in future blog posts.

 

Here is a random photo that has nothing to do with this post.  It is a photo I took of my skeleton Hector. When I look at this photo, I like to pretend Hector is thinking up brillant ideas while drinking tea.

 

Making of the Magnets

For all of you who don't already know, I make magnets of my artwork and sell them.  I recently just made a large order of 150 magnets for the Beardsley Zoo's Gift Shop, and I thought it would be fun to share the process of how I make them.

Step 1: I take a photo of my painting.

Step 2: I upload the photo into my computer, prepare the image in Photoshop and Indesign, and print 6 round images on one sheet of 8.5"x11" photo paper.

Step 3: I cut the printed paper in half, and then cut it in the hole puncher.

Step 4: I prepare the circle images on metal bases that act as front of the magnet.  I also put a circular clear plastic protector over the image.  In addition, I make sure I have the back pieces and magnets ready.

Step 5: I then place the the prepared front pieces on the metal press on one side, and the back peice on the opposite side.

Step 6: After the back and front is pressed together, I place the magnet on the back of it.

Step 7: My magnet is complete, and ready to sell. It is a fun way to sell my artwork!

 

 

If interested in purchasing a magnet of my artwork, please visit my Etsy Shop.

Bowling League- Week 2

I am on a bowling league, and I started the new season last week.  I have been doing this league each year with my friend, Michelle, for the past 5-6 years (lost count).  It is not a competitive league, and it is designed to just have fun bowling.  There is usually a wide range of ages in the league, including kids. Sadly, this year only 4 teams signed up.  However, it does not bother me, because I like to hang out with my friend and enjoy being able to throw a heavy ball down the alley each week.

Michelle and I have named our team "Pink Ladies" after the "Greace" movies.  I have known Michelle since I was about 3, and we grew up loving the movies "Grease" and "Greace 2".  We actually watched "Greace 2" first, and till this day will say that the second one is our favorite.  I start thinking of the bowling scene, every time I bowl with Michelle.  Because we are dorks, we have team shirts that say "Pink Ladies" (no one else has team shirts).  In addition, we have a mascot stuffed Guinea Pig with a pink bowling shirt on it.  Michelle is obsessed with Guinea Pigs, and I gave it to her last year. So now we use it as our "Pink Ladies" good luck charm.

Anyways, enough of my bowling history.  My goal is to have a higher bowling average on the last week.  So here is what our scores were last week, and this week.

 

Week 1:

Michelle: Game 1- Score 115, Game 2- Score 152, Game 3- Score 86 (Michelle rocked the 2nd game, but came up short the last one).

Rebecca (me): Game 1- Score 125, Game 2- Score 99, Game 3- Score 118 (I forgt to mention, we aren't good bowlers).

Averages starting out:

Michelle-117, Me- 114

 

Week 2:

Michelle: Game 1- Score 121, Game 2- Score 121, Game 3- Score 104 (I told Michelle I would buy her Frozen Yogurt if she scored 121 on the 3rd game too, but she failed).

Rebecca (me): Game 1- Score 122, Game 2- Score 176, Game 3- Score 149 (Did much better this week).

 

Tonight we bowled an additional 3 games to pre-bowl for next week (we can't make it next week).

Week 3 (pre-bowling scores):

Michelle: Game 1- Score 114, Game 2- Score 115, Game 3- Score 96

Rebecca (me): Game 1- Score 131, Game 2- Score 105, Game 3- Score 142

I will be able to find out on week 4 what our new average is on the league.  We were so tired from bowling 6 games tonight that I think Michelle and I will regret it in the morning.

 

Anyways, here is a random photo of Michelle and I as teenagers in 1997.  Notice the lovely posters in the background?

Carpe Diem- My Goals Before I turn 30.

I’m turning 30 on September 4th.  I start fall classes on August 27^th.  I want to keep busy before both of those dates, because I want to get the most out of my summer.  So, I created a list of goals.  First list I want to complete, and second list is to do if I have extra time.

 

Things I want to do really badly this summer before I turn 30:

• Finish my E-book (I started my concept for a children’s e-book last summer, but never really got a chance to execute my idea).

• Read two books for pleasure (I cannot remember the last time I completed reading a fun book).

• Lose weight (I would like to weigh 130lbs by 30. That is 23lbs I need to loose).

• Paint a self-portrait, or at least be featured in one of my paintings.

• Finish painting the peacock painting for my Aunt Rose (I started a painting for her about 5 years ago and never finished it).

• Paint “Zhanna” the Tiger.

• Read more about Respiratory Care (I want to be prepared for the Respiratory Care program I am starting August 27^th).

• Update my websites (I’m bad at that).

 

Things that would be cool to do this summer before I turn 30:

• Go on a cruise (Will be doing that on July 26^th)

• Work on my latch hook rug I started. (I like to create all kinds of things.)

• Raise my bowling average. (I just started my bowling league this past Tuesday).

• Visit Longwood Gardens at least once a month.

• Bake with my Grandma Mary.

• Sew a quilt.

 

I won’t be upset if I do not complete all these goals.  However, I feel it is good to set goals and make plans.

 

Here is an old random photo I took of my dog, Mr. Mac.

What? I have a blog?

Opps….I have been neglecting my blog!  Time for that to change!  Since last summer I became a student again, and have not done much online updating on any of my websites.  As of 2:45PM, I finished my classes for spring semester, and officially began my summer.  I am taking no summer classes, and will not have another class till August 27^th.  Yay!  So no more excuses, and I promise to write on this blog at least twice a week until August 27^th.  Currently, I am planning a list of goals for the summer that I will post within the next 48 hours. So hopefully that future blog post will be more interesting then this boring one.

 

Here is a random Macaw photo I took last year that reminds me of summer time!

My Painted Mushroom

I painted the mushroom below for Kennett Square's Mushroom Festival. You can bid on this mushroom online till 9/7/11. Rest of the bidding is during Kennett Square's Mushroom Festival, 9/10/11-9/11/11. Please visit website if you are interested in purchasing it.
http://www.mushroomfestival.org/painted-mushroom-auctions

 

Giveaway #6 Winner

Thank you to all who have participated in Giveaway #6. The winner is Pamela James and her Facebook entry was randomly picked by www.Random.org.