I am still here!!!

I haven't posted anything for a while but I am still here. Our holiday was grand! Spent it with my brother and his kids. I say kids, but really they are not any longer. Heather is almost 17 and Thaddeus will be 13 in a couple of weeks. I do miss Christmas with little kids around. But I'm sure one day we will have that again. (keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get grandkids someday) I have not been to the YMCA in a while, probably 2 weeks and I'm starting to feel like a slug! I've taken an oath with my hubby we will get back to our routine again after the new year is upon us! A new year and a new decade!!! 2010 here we come! Unbelievable. When I think about things like, the Y2K project I was involved in at work and the panic that swept over the well, the world! That was 10 years ago… what???? Can you believe it? I can't. The next decade promises to be a bright and shiny one. And it's almost here!!! I have not painted in a couple weeks either and I am missing it!!! I just bought some canvas at Aaron Brothers, 1 cent sale! So hopefully I'll be splashing paint again soon. But here is a painting I did, well 2 years ago now. I was late with my Christmas cards so I decided to do Happy New Year cards that year. Here is the original… poor Santa. He was pooped!!! Be well… Tj.

Merry Christmas Eve!

I just wanted to post a Christmas wish to everyone who stops by! Give the gift of time this year, share some with your family and friends, make some Christmas memories! Here are a couple of pictures from my Christmas pasts! Be well... Tj.

It's Lindsey's Birthday!!!!

My baby!!! How in the world did my baby turn 23?? Well I"m not sure but she did! Today is my beautiful daughters birthday, and she is now the grand age of 23! Happy birthday honey! I love you!!! I am so proud of you, you are a wonderful human being. You blow me away... really. You're so smart, and beautiful, you have a loving kind heart. You have brought me sunshine and happiness and so much love! Here are just a few photos of your life.

Grandpa, Grandma, you and me. Just after you were born. - Me and you at Carolee and David's Christmas party you are about a week old. Hard to believe I was 30 then. - You and me in Cannon Beach! 1989. - Lindsey and Nick in Little league! You were too cute and had such heart for the game! And look at Nick's game face! - You in your art show in Southside park! Lovely, colorful and talented! -When you had your purple hair!! - You in Vegas baby!!! Your 21st birthday, hard to believe it's already 2 years ago! - And you and your baby Pixi, just last month. I love you honey! Mom

Mom's candy III

I really intended to post this sooner, better late than never though!

Mom's Caramels

2 cups of white sugar
3/4 cup dark Karo syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 cups of half and half
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar syrup and butter and 1 cup half and half. Bring to a boil, add remaining half and half stir constantly. Let boil until it clings in cold water or 240 degrees. Put chopped nuts in bottom of pan. Pour mixture on top of nuts. Cut while still warm and wrap individual pieces in wax paper. Share with family and friends! Enjoy!!

Tomorrow, Friday December 18th is my baby's birthday! She is going to be 23, I can't believe it. How exactly did that happen??? Be well... Tj.

Memories of Mom

I wrote this last year and thought I would post it again, since I'm sharing her recipies I thought I'd share these memories also. More recipies tonight, for now this is dedicated to my mom, Rita. Miss you mom.

Memories of youth explode as visions of sugar and creamy butter this time of year
Mom's yearly ritual of creating sweet treats for all who crossed our porch
Caramel, divinity, fudge, marshmallow
The sound of scissors slicing waxed paper to small squares
Spooning golden gooey caramel hoping to hit the paper
Rolling and twisting attempting to trap the sweet surprises
The feeling in the spoon handle as it scrapes the metal bowl
Scooping pink, blue and white clouds of whipped mixture
Puffs of sweet corn syrup confections float through my thoughts
Pouring smooth creamy cocoa brown melted concoction from the pan
Hoping to level the luscious liquid on the plate with the old wooden spoon
The smell of chocolate fudge whirls through my memory, I still smell it now
Rolling the sticky white marshmallow in a messy mound of chopped walnuts
Fingers covered in nuts and candy
Mom’s smiling face smudged with who knows what
and her singing off key
The sights, sounds and smells of my mom’s kitchen rush back to me for the holidays
The kitchen table was the place to be. I miss that.
But mostly, I miss her.

Small works being shown...

I am also going to have some of my small works at the Marco Fuoco Gallery! I'm in 2 places this month, yahoo!! I will not be at Marco's gallery for Second Saturday, but my tiny masterpieces will be. Masterpieces... that isn't accurate Tj! He he he... see the postcard! Be well... Tj.

Mom's candy II

Ok, this one is for Margie. My friend Carolee's mom. She was a dear friend to my mom, and has been a great surrogate mother to me. Love you Margie!

Here is Rita's Marshmallows!

2 envelopes of Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
2/1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
walnuts, ground approx two cups

Boil sugar in 3/4 cup water until it spins in a thread when dropped from a spoon. 250 degrees
Remove from fire, soften gelatin in cold water and add to hot syrup. Stir until dissolved. Let stand until partially cold. Add salt and vanilla. Beat until think and fluffy and cool. Pour in pan sprinkled with ground walnuts and cover top of mixture with nuts. Place in refrigerator until set. Cut into squares and roll in ground nuts.

This was my favorite, I loved the marshmallows! I could not find a photo of anything that looked close to the yummy goodness my mom made!! But I did find this photo that has marshmallow in nuts right at the front, but also has other tasty coverings, chocolate, coconut, peppermint and ?? I guess you can use your imagination! Enjoy! Tj.

December Second Saturday Show!

I'll be showing my art, including the most recent Holiday paintings, at VOX this month. See the flyer for more info!

Christmas Art

3 pieces I finished for the Vox Home for the Holidays show, and also I am going to make some prints for Christmas cards! All 3 acrylic on canvas paper. Will be matted and framed and ready to hang! Be creative... Tj.

Mom's candy

This time of year brings back wonderful memories of spending time in the kitchen making candy with my mom. She always made plates of home made candies and cookies to give to family and friends. So, I thought instead of making plates of goodies, (really... I just don't have that skill anyway), I thought I would share the recipes with you, maybe one of my friends or family have the required skills! Hey if you make some, let me know how it comes out ok?

Rita's Divinity

2 egg whites
3 cups sugar
3/4 cups white Karo corn Syrup
3/4 cups water
1/2 Tsp baking powder
pinch of cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla
nuts if desired (pecans or walnuts)

In pot on medium heat, stir the sugar, syrup and water, baking powder and cream of tarter stir until sugar is dissolved and bring to a hard boil. Test after about 10 minutes, when syrup forms a hard ball when dropped in cold water. Beat the egg whites until really stiff. Slowly add the sugar mix to the egg whites, beat at high speed. Add 1 tsp vanilla and nuts if desired. Spoon divinity on wax paper, I remember using 2 spoons, one to scoop one to push the sticky divinity off the spoon. You have to work quickly as the divinity hardens quick. Oh, and my mom used to add food coloring to make them different colors, pink... green... blue. Not my photo, I hope no one minds! Enjoy!!

A couple of new art pieces

Just a couple of random, holiday paintings. Peppermint, and Santa Skully. Peppermint was going to be the background for another painting, but I liked it too much to paint over. They really look better in person. Both acrylic on canvas paper, 8x10. I have others in my head just waiting to get out too!! Soon... Be well! Tj.

True life story #521

Lindsey, Joe and I went out to get a slice of pizza this afternoon, and people watch at the new ice rink they put in for the winter months. While there, the wind came up and the trees let loose of some of their leaves, it felt like a winter wonderland of snow... well except it was fake ice and leaves falling in place of snowflakes. Hey it was 60 degrees, what do you expect? The camera didn't really pick up the falling leaves, but if you click on the photo you can kind of see! Be creative! Tj.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

Memories of childhood Thanksgivings bring Norman Rockwell like moments flashing through my head! This Rockwell Thanksgiving so brings that feeling of family and home to me. As a child we had huge Thanksgiving feasts, my mom had 11 brothers and sisters, and I have 53 first cousins. Yes, quite a large family! Most of us lived right here in Sacramento. We were almost always together for Thanksgiving. Our home was often the gathering place. Our dining room table expanded into a very large table, it sat about 2 dozen people. Then there would be the "kids tables", one in the kitchen, one set up in a bedroom. The "bar" area was set up in the garage and there would be aunts, uncles, cousins everywhere! We don't have quite the large gathering we used to, and it is usually at my house but not this year. This year I am going home. My brother Tim lives in our childhood home, complete with the table where we spent so many Thanksgiving meals. Thaddeus, my nephew, wanted to cook this year. He is almost 13, and has aspirations to be a chef when he grows up! He has quite the feast planned for us, I feel blessed. I am thankful for many things, my beautiful family, friends, health, a job, our home. I am also thankful to live in these times where we have the technology that allows us to share and make friends with people we might never had a chance to. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be blessed, be well. Peace to you all. Tj.

Nicks birthday!

Flash back to November 23, 1981, 28 years ago... I gave birth to my first child. A beautiful baby boy who we named Nicholas. Nick you were a big beautiful gift. I love you and I'm so happy you were born! My life would not be as full of love and life without you. You were a happy loving playful child and have grown up to be a wonderful and loving man. I am so proud you are my son.
Here are a few photos.
Here is me and his dad Adam, before Nick was born. Newborn Nickie 8 pounds 15 oz. After 30 hours of labor we were both a little spacey! Nick and me on his first birthday reading a book. Nick splashing around. Nick and Adam at a baseball game. Nick me and Lindsey in Cannon Beach Oregon! Nick's 21st birthday with cousin Thaddeus (Thaddeus looks like Nick don't you think?). Nick dealing poker at the World Series of Poker last year! And Nick today. Happy 28th birthday honey, I love you!!!

New painting

I finished a painting this weekend for the Following the Masters painting challenge. This challenge is open to all mediums and you can replicate or give your own interpretation of the master painting being working on. But this month is a little different. For Challenge Nine no specific painting or Master artist was provided, it was left up to the individual to show who you are inspired by. I've always loved Leonardo da Vinci's Man and I saw a similar interpretation on a t-shirt once. It's always been on my to paint list so I gave it a shot! Black and white is not my usual, but I like it! I will send to the blog and see if it gets added. So here is Tj's Bass Man, acrylic on 12x12 canvas. Be well and go create! Tj.