ah, cheap flowers

i took this picture the other day and i really like it. [i need some ideas on how to be creative and some motivation to do them! maybe i'm just not ready to "share" creativity yet, oh, who knows?]

these are some flowers (what are they? i don’t know flowers and they didn’t say) that i got on sale because they were old, but still very pretty. i got the silver pitcher from a box of random kitchen junk off of freecycle. i ended up going through the box and getting rid of most of it, but that’s one of the things i kept. i was going to use it as an actual pitcher, but then i thought that i really didn’t have use for it as that, so ta da, i like it much better with the flowers.

i think it looks a bit “country”, and i like country –and this is important– as long as it’s not country. ha. what i mean is that i don’t mind the country look in unique items, or natural items (such as flowers or old jars or a rocking chair), but i despise it in “fake” items, such as cow pot holders or sheep pictures. no thanks.

so, back to creativity. my initial idea with this blog was a general place to be creative, but i think it immediately took on a art feel to it, which is fine. however, i am thinking it should be a bit more than that, and should include home items, cooking, or anything that strikes me as interesting enough to go in here. so, perhaps instead of an art blog, which i never actually meant this to be, despite the name, i would prefer this to be a bit of a domestic blog, except, of course, i would never admit that openly because it would ruin my total badass rep. (cough)

mock chicken/squash spaghetti lasagna

i made something super yummy today. oh, and you get to see “how lauren writes a recipe”. i don’t use them, so i can’t write them!

ingredients:

- 4 chicken breasts
- 2-3 yellow squash or zucchini
- jar of spaghetti sauce of choice
- regular sized can of diced tomatoes
- ricotta cheese (maybe half of a small tub?)
- shredded cheese of your choice
- random tastey spices.. let’s see.. paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano (or italian season instead of most of those but i was out of that.)
- 1 lb. angel hair pasta (or less, whatever. we had insane leftovers.) or any pasta you want.
- some kind of baking dish
- bowl
- skillet

do this stuff:

pre-heat oven to 450.

ricotta cheese mix:

1. put the ricotta in a bowl (guess how much because I have no idea how much I used, ha).
2. throw in all the spices & mix.

chicken:

1. slice chicken breasts in half through the center (like stuffing a porkchop) and stuff the ricotta cheese mix in the center.
2. close.
3. put in baking pan or glass dish or whatever you have. (i don’t own a glass dish, how dumb is that?)
4. cover with half can of diced tomatoes.
5. cover with about half a jar of spaghetti sauce.
6. put in oven for umm.. an hour-ish? I checked it in 20 min. increments and I’m not sure how long it took.

7. (do squash stuff while waiting.) during the last 10-15 minutes, take a handful of shredded cheese and sprinkle it over the top of everything and it will turn out all crunchy and yum.

(umm, excuse my picture, we ate and then took a picture.  ha!)

squash:

1. cut squash into slices. (ignore my c-shape. i was going to do something else, and then had a chance of plans.)
2. throw in skillet and pour the rest of the diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce over it.
3. cook until squash is soft (or however you like it.)

put it all together:

put the chicken on your plate, throw some pasta on the side, and pour the squash & sauce over the noodles. eat.

lamp & preserves

um, i’m totally still alive! and i haven’t forgotten about this, i just haven’t been doing too much in the creative department.

though… i did buy these fantastic lamps from home depot, since i had a gift card for them. it was left over from the rebate on our washer and dryer. let me go take a picture!! i would take a picture of my whole bedroom, because it’s getting pretty nice, but umm, it’s a wreck at the moment.

and i found these at a yard sale awhile back, and i put sugar in them, because umm, i don’t even think i’ve ever had preserves. ha

short update

i took this picture a few weeks ago from my balcony and i know it’s not good or anything, but it makes me want to paint a picture just like it.

faceless

this is some of my pretty mess.

and this is what i’m working on right now. i like the concept, so i think i’m going to put it on real canvas. i haven’t touched real canvas yet. i’m scared.

i’m afraid of the paint. i’m very, very frightened of the paint. i have nightmares when i sleep that the paint is chasing me through a long, dark tunnel. just like this.

Tags: faceless, mess, painting

star earrings

oh my gosh, i love this. i have to, have to, have to, do this asap.

clicky

i am so behind on everything! summer is here and i have no time. it’s amazing. and geez, it’s not like i actually do anything and yet, even for me, summer makes things harder.

still alive

ack, i know i haven’t been writing, but i didn’t forget about this place. i’ve been very busy lately and i’ve been spending more time trying to get the apartment perfect, and going through pictures and organising, and not very much time creating. but, going through pictures is a lot of fun, so it’s okay.

i’m listening to the juno soundtrack, which i received for my anniversary today, and it’s so good. i think it totally counts as inspirational music, but for fun stuff, he he he.

i’ve been playing around with this cardboard box and paint, trying different things out and not really worrying about what it looks like, since it’s just a small cardboard box. oh, and i’ve been painting with acrylics. i started with oils, but they’re unfortunately terribly impractical in this apartment, but i’m sad because i love them so much more, but the acrylics are pretty good, i just have to get used to the colours not mixing as nice. they feel like painting with tempera paint on posterboard for a school project or something, lol. but they’re good enough for me right now. maybe if i wasn’t so darn afraid of the medium for oil and the spontaneous fires they can cause…

i’m terribly in love with these, and i’ll leave this entry with that:

1. Jsandquist
2. Rachel Austin
3. Misty Mawn

vintage

like i said in the last entry, i want to do some vintagey stuff in the bathroom. some day, i’d like to have everything in my home all vintage mixed with modern, lol, but that’s forever from now.

i couldn’t find the pictures that i liked at hobby lobby, but i found some neat things on art.com that i just like. hobby lobby had some neat perfume and makeup vintage art that i really liked, that mostly look like these first two sets. you can find these from paula scaletta at art.com.

middle two sets goes like this

a. Le Frou b. Doriane c. L’Instant Taittinger
d. Paris Metro e. La Boheme f. Avranges

the last two sets are from kimberly poloson.

i think i love vintage makeup/fashion, theatre, and wine/alcohol stuff the best. okay, well, i guess that’s enough for now, because i could probably go on forever and ever.

prettiness

i got this at hobby lobby for two dollars and i’m going to use it to be all artsy in, and write things down that inspire me and all of that.

and this, i got at a yard sale for 75 cents. yes, i know it’s a bit teeny bopper, but i still love it. i don’t know if i’m going to use it for make-up, like it’s intended, or for crafty stuff. i love the whole spots and stripes thing. oh, and sadly, i love pink. but, yeah, i want to do the bathroom in old vintage stuff like this, but i’m sure it won’t happen anytime soon. actually, i should post an entry with the pretty vintage stuff i want from hobby lobby. maybe i’ll do that tomorrow.

and i got this at the dollar jewelry store we just got. i got it awhile back, actually, but it’s so super i have to mention it.

guitar pick earrings

these were inspired by this post here on cut out + keep, which is one of my favourite websites now.

it was really easy and quick, but still fun and cute.

you need two guitar picks, two jump rings, two earring hooks, a leather punch or some other way to make a hole, pliers, and some jewelry wire (optional). i attached one jump ring to the pick, and then attached the jump ring to the hook with jewelry wire, because i wanted them a bit longer, and a bit different look than the ones on site.

but, overall, you can do it however you’d like.