My First Video!

I made my first mini movie clip - very excited to have completed it.  I would LOVE to hear what you think...

...so please comment below or e-mail me with your thoughts: puddlesprice@gmail.com

Turn up the volume, watch, and enjoy! 

Visit from Daisy

Meet our neighbor bunny, Daisy!  We've been trying to  pet her for weeks, and she finally let us.  In fact, I even got to...well, watch the video and see! 

^)_(^ 

Bunny LOVE! 

Just a Little Outing...

after the events of Wednesday, I had to get out of the house.  

With Florida in bloom, a nature walk seemed like the perfect remedy to a confused head (i.e. ME)!  

Love the colours!  Was hoping that the new Botanical drawing book would arrive today, but no luck yet.  Maybe tomorrow...

Water always looks so refreshing. Wish I could dive in too! 

More composition shots for the botanical drawings...can't wait to get a jump start on these. 

And of course a day out wouldn't be complete without a trip to our favourite Starbucks.  

Peekaboo's got us singing, Call me Maybe...anybody know it?!!! I bet you don't know the hand motions!  Baby sis, I LOVE you!!!  You make life so much fun.  

^_^ 

Mix n' Match Day

...in the garden.  Does anyone have those days where it feels like everything is going so well and then suddenly a storm hits out of nowhere?  Today has suddenly become one of those days.  All of these lovely pics came before the storm.  

Rock painting, watercolour journaling, and ink drawings - Mutti and Peekaboo have been working on so many fun art projects lately.  I fear that my drawings have resorted to sketches of the intestinal lumen, sarcomeres, and the inner workings of the Eukaryotic cell.  

I would post an image, but I fear that  few people would have much interest in my interpretation of the inner workings of the mitochondria and the electron transport chain.  Preparing for medical school applications and exams has my central focus - even in artwork!    

 Left: Mutti's work 

               Right: Peekaboo's Japanese Pagodas  

hmmmm....I think her inspiration came from Mutti's work in the drawing below 

^_^

Really love the pages in these watercolor journals that we made.  (click here to see our previous post about making them).  

This watercolor set is perfect for travel.   The brush holds water inside the stem portion of the pen so no worry about having a water cup.  It's small and easy to pack - perfect for trips to the lake and picnics. 

Notice the book...that would be my work for the day...study of the GI tract.  

Well, back to the matter at hand...

Can't help thinking about Scarlett O'Hara right now: tomorrow is another day! 

P.S. Can someone please hit that 'play' button on the instrumental theme song and flash a vision of Tara Plantation? 

Sous Chef in the Making

 

The Daily Roll...

 Yum!  I've been trying to perfect my Vietnamese Spring Roll technique.  These turned out to be quite delicious!

Light and fresh, I could eat these any day of the week.  I've found that the key to making them is not getting the water too hot when you soak the rice wrappers.  Peekaboo and I have been thinking about doing a video tutorial.  We are far from professional, but we LOVE making these.     

Mutti had some great ideas for rearranging the furniture this week.  We moved the hutch behind the couch and added some side tables next to our work area.  Amazing how a little adjustment can cozy up a room. 

The little student at work!  Peekaboo's been eyeing Mutti's art cart for months.  Little Miss Inventive decided to create an art cart of her own using her princess dessert table.  So inventive, my baby sis makes me smile.  

This week she had me in hysterics when she taught me her new 'teeth' language - speaking with your teeth clenched together and smiling at the same time.  Try it!  If you're not laughing now, you will be.  Age 6...it's tossed with entertainment.    

One of my favourite finds that Mutti and I came across on one of our antique excursions.  Some of these vintage maps are very old - 1930's!  We purchased the entire set for $10, which I thought was a steal.  It's fun to look at the way things have changed - names of countries, roads that have been altered or been added - so much history in the bundle of a map.  

Pup's sleeping, cake is baking...

Been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately with preparing for exams and also filling out applications for new projects.  Sometimes I wonder if my head isn't going to come off!  Half the time I think it's my own thoughts that stress me more than anything.

Love these needlepoint pillows that we made!  If you haven't tried bamboo pillow forms, think about using them for your next pillow project.  They really hold a nice shape, and your head will thank you for them...  

...the feel did take a bit of getting used to at first, but now I am mad for them!!!  They have that wonderful, crisp "scrunch" when you cuddle them.  Anyone know what I mean??  

^_^  

Whole Set of Fun

Can you waddle?  I'm learning how from Peekaboo!

How do I let my little sister talk me into such silliness? This morning she had my clothes picked out...our matching undercover Perry the Platypus outfits! It's been a crazy day here at the house. My sister keeps this house hopping.   

We see you!

The weather has been perfect, nice and cool with over cast skies. Great time to sit out in the serenity garden.  Still working on getting the foliage back, but things are coming along.  Trying to enjoy every bit of the fabulous breezes before the heat of summer sets in.  I can't help thinking, "Heat Miser, please stay away"!  

Hot tea, journal, and study time.

Sabbath Day: This n' That

Perfect day for a bike ride!

An afternoon of peddling around town is something I can't resist.  I love the fact that so many fun retro styles are easily accessible today. 

Retro bike, basket, glasses, dress, jewelry, purse...a girl can literally go nuts for being retro-chic!  

Confession:  I've quickly grown addicted to these daily rides around town and will even head out in the rain.  The fact that Mutti and I have matching Hello Kitty Bikes (special imports from Hong Kong) makes our peddle fests even more enticing.  When you have something cute at your disposal (i.e. our bikes), you can't resist enjoying them ^_^

 Thanks to Pandora music, Mutti and I put on a bit of Artie Shaw as we cruise around the neighborhood.  Both of us are huge WWII buffs...but more about that in a later post.      

Drip-Drop April Showers...

Such a lovely week, full of rain and project planning.  To me, rainy days are perfect for igniting new ideas.  Is it the winds, the fresh smells...maybe a stir-up of the earth's energy??  Whatever the reason, I LOVE to be at home creating during a storm. 

I especially love afternoon cat naps with the windows open and the sound of the rain pouring outside - serene naps are rainy day naps, for sure!  

Does anyone else share in this fetish?!! 

  

Hard to believe that my parents flew all the way to Vietnam to bring home my baby sister.  I can't imagine our lives without Peekaboo.  Traveling has definitely been on  my mind a lot lately...maybe something is around the corner, causing this itch?!  

Straight from the garden!  The rose bush is flooded with new buds.  

...New idea... 

Been thinking about experimenting with Botanical drawing/watercolour.  I've always loved the simple elegance and thought that now would be the perfect time to try a new art style.  

Home

So much to think about lately...trying to get the house ready for summer.  

It's been a busy week of spring cleaning and gardening.  With the warm weather suddenly upon us, Mutti and I agreed that it was time to get the house fixed up.  It's amazing how quickly the dust and messes can pile up!  Thinking about hosting some evening parties and festivities, we thought we'd better get a jump start on the garden so the house looks inviting and presentable.  

No complaints from us!  Working to get the garden lush again has given us plenty of excuses to make trips to the nursery - we could spend hours there.  Things are a bit sparse right now after all of the pruning and cleanup, but thankfully everything grows quite fast here.  Geraniums - they are such a happy and friendly flower - reminds me of my Nana.  She would be so happy that we have a pot of them.  

Mutti grows the most amazing violets I've ever seen!  How is this possible?  A neighbor of ours was so proud of their two, tiny little flowers that had sprouted on their African Violet.  I couldn't help chuckling:  if only they knew what a 'flourishing' plant truly looked like.  This violet is birthing new buds daily! Love it, love it, LOVE it!!!   

Yummy!  

Fresh from the garden, there's nothing like delicious summer salads and spaghetti with heirloom tomatoe sauce.  

With this semester flooded with schoolwork and med school preparations, I haven't set foot in the kitchen once!  Who's had time with all of the homework and endless laboratories.  All that to say, a celebration cake was long overdue.  

Recently a dear friend of our was diagnosed with high cholesterol and asked me if I could invent a recipe that was health conscious.  This Vanilla Chiffon Cake is amazing!!  Don't believe me?  I'll post the recipe in the next day or so, and you can try it for yourself.  I love the fact that you can dress it up anyway you like.  Also, it's a no fuss cake for those of you that have a hectic and never-ending busy schedule like me ^_^  

Check back for the recipe in a few days...

A few of our sewing and embroidery projects in the works.  Lots of new ideas...these are some samples.  

And of course what would the dailies be like without our darling angel (i.e. our perfect little devil), Miss Bunny!  Yet again, notice the bald spots!  

Ohhhh this dog and her nerves.  

I know, it sounds crazy, but poor thing really does have phyche problems.  She gets herself so panicked that she starts losing fur and goes bald; thus the lovely sparse patches around her neck.  Doesn't that sound ridiculous?!!  I won't even show you her back!  Oh well, bald and all...we love her just the same.  

 Super cute!  Found these tuffets at the World Market and absolutely had to have them - perfect pop of colour for the living room.   

I LOVE being home.