Some final roses..Bran Muffins and Sennelier~

The day  was  golden  with such a glow the day I picked the last of the roses..(I keep saying that..and they keep appearing..)..
I have more as I type~
..before going out I painted my favorite teapot yet again  to be able to talk about this little Sennelier set.
And baked some muffins..some bran muffins from Marie..
Marie's are to the left..I like bran muffins and these were the perfect occasion to use my Lyle's Golden Syrup..Thank you Marie:)
I pop my muffins in the micro..I like warm muffins..they taste freshly baked then..

and some apple crisp muffins..

Back to painting..

First of all..
I am in LOVE with anything and everything Sennelier.
I will never forget my one time visiting there w/ Nancy in Paris and that sweet sweet gentleman being so nice to us.
I could have easily spent an afternoon there and my euros.
So many corners I did not explore..so many small things did not come home with us..
however..thankfully some did..
this small Sennelier set is available occasionally at our Omer De Serres store..and I think Amazon.Parka blogs reviews a larger set here..I love Payne's Grey.But I love to WEAR charcoal..black..grey.
Nancy's dress is Payne's Grey below.

Some of you may remember this birthday card I made for Nancy w/ this set.

I think they are wonderful..not chalky..not gummy..it's nectary:)♥ crisp ,pretty, bright colors that layer well..and watered down? The red can become pink..mixing a blue and red will give you a pretty purple..red and yellow an orange..they mix WELL.
A little brush comes w/ the set..I would have liked a metal white top to see the colors you are mixing..but I use the lid if I am confident..and a small white welled palette if not..
you would not regret this small set♥
Quality.
A great place to start..the brush..is very very small..I prefer a small travel brush that came with a journal one time..but it's a start..
you could just pack some paper..a Scott towel or sock..and a bottle of water and go paint somewhere for a while :)
Or try at home..not much space is required at all.
You can even play some music you love..cheaper than most outings..even cheaper than dinner out;)

A little side trip..

I visited St Armand's for the second time..the first time was several years ago..I went with my friend as she needed paper..this time I went because ..yes she needed paper but I wanted a smaller Canal book.They also carry Sabretooth...etc..I got sidetracked and did get paper but didn't get the Canal..oh well we will just have to go back.

Jacques said..he would take me back..
I don't drive into town..
I moved out to the country at 21..it's been 41 years..
I had no sense of direction back there..it's worse now.
I love the country but it excites me to see new things in the city on occasion..
like this fantabulous place.

This is a minute portion..a small fraction of the wharehouse/mill  they occupy..  papers are everywhere..from large large large pieces to small bookmark sizes..colors..textures..the list goes on and on..the papers are all made from fabrics and rags..no bleaching products etc..

So interesting..you can read about the papermaking here.
David Carruthers was there on site ..so nice..helpful.
I could have taken more photos but for some reason I am intimidated..I asked if I could take a photo and the lady said no people..I agreed of course and told her I hate my photo being taken..but that request took all my bravado..this is the only photo out of three that gives you an idea..of the place..it is huge.


I could have spent hours there..but Jacques was in the car;)

The little book I bought and one of the sheets .. (mostly Daniel Smith colors).
Hydrangeas in a Bonne Maman jar.The leaves are changing quickly now as the nights are cooler..
the light has changed yet again..
Mid day warmth is felt with the sun..but as of now 4.30 ish  the wind is cool ,the light still beautiful..but a bit of brr~

Bon Weekend~

Roasted Beet Hummus~Kuretake and Koi~

MMMM..love hummus and had seen roasted beet hummus popping up in so many blogs I decided to make some because the color appealed to me..
It was just ok in my opinion..I roasted the beets w/ evoo and garlic and s and p..

I used my processor and put the drained..rinsed chickpeas(1 large can)..put 2 large cloves of home grown garlic and the roasted ones..some evoo..the juice f the roasted beets..1 beet..1/4 cup tahini..s and p..lemon juice..a touch of water..even added a nice mix of roasted pine nuts..sunflower seeds..oil..garlic chives..sesame seeds..and still I found it bland.
Served on mini warmed naans.


Oh well.

I did however polish off so many Tostitos and Tostito Cheese dip..
We went to one of our daughter's for dinner and I sat in front of them..and never stopped:)

Scrabble..etc..French dip sandwiches..apple crisp♥
Fall is in the air.
It's been cool the last 3 nights and the trees are proof of the cooler air..they are shedding their green color for the fantastic shades of autumn..
a little football on Sunday..I love when Max waves to us all:)
They had company the night before and Max..9 ..at 9.15 PM announced he had to go to bed because he had a game the next day.
♥
So today I have two sets up..I painted the same teapot twice..and both could be vastly improved upon..the first I did on Arches paper with a travel set I have had for a long long time..my friend had one too..I liked that the water brush came with it and it was my first I think..
The kit is available on Amazon ..I find they are fun to travel with but again..more chalky than I like..

However if you go peek here..on Instagram..I follow this girl and most of her paintings are done w/ this kit..they don't look chalky with her talent!Becky..aka Caobecky..
I really should use it more..
Again Parka Blogs has a review..

Even Walmart carries it..

Here is a set I do like..not the above ones I painted..but below.. Kuretake ..you may remember those were my birthday gift this year..they were bought on Amazon..I don't find them chalky at all ,although more opaque..but vibrant!
Parka Blogs has a review..And it's fun to have all the colors right there..I used some paper I just love...the book is very big 10x14 and thick w/ a natural cover..the sheets are bright..white..lovely texture..deckled edges,this book was a gift..bought at Mtl Japanese paper shop and is from St-Armands.it is different than my individual sheets that some of you may have tried..if you look on their site there is an area for pads etc..mine is there..:)underneath to the right..my friend had the one bottom left..horizontal..for her landscapes.

So 5 stars to my lovely book and paper..and I do really like this green Kuretake set above..my favorite brush is Raphael Petit Gris Pur 0/2 le "803"~
Paints to me are what my Prismacolors..Crayolas..etc were to me young.I loved getting new pencils.
You will find me more in art departments than clothes depts.
And maybe that's why I get such a crush on artists..
all kinds..

Again most of my brushes are very ordinary brushes except my 2 Raphaels and some Japanese brushes..but the rest are generic to the stores,have come w/ the kits..or are waterbrushes.. etc..I have not invested in fancy brushes...
but I have quite a few..
and paints I am a novice..so check out Parka Blogs when you can:)Because I am not an expert..so far..in linking here..I have read and agree..it surprised me my thoughts were alike.

I think St-Armands ships..so maybe you could go take a peek at their site..it's a phenomenal place.

Bakewell Tart~Watercolors~And Internet Usage.

It's no secret I love the GBBS:)

And I have grown fond of Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry..

I hear things are changing..I hope I still get to see the show.

I like them together..and she is amazing.

81 years amazing.

Anyway..I have seen Mary Berry's bakewell tart here and there and decided to make one..I used the crust I have fallen in love with..I shared it here..

just try it..it's so easy and so good..

doesn't fall apart..crispy and flaky.

PS Edit today Sept 24th..in emailing with my friend Linda I remembered I omitted to mention here I had 4 tbsps of jam..I covered the base of my 9 inch fluted pan.

I must have merged a few of Mary's BT recipe found here and there.

I was quite unpro though and used an almond frangipane type filling I bought in the USA..

Next time I will make my own..because I do like being true to a recipe to give an honest review..as it stands it is delicious.And pretty.

So if possible even moe delish following the recipe.

the one on her recipe..

here..I used store bought raspberry jam..lovely sliced almonds and then a drizzle of icing sugar glaze..

after all fall was Wednesday..the 21rst..

I made a stew the 19th and it was boiling out..

I am in the mood for fallish food now.

Onto what is interesting to me..and I have no clue of knowing how to determine..

I have had an Instagram account for a long time..and never used it..never looked..was not even curious..lately..I became curious..seems our internet usage is at 75% after less than half time..

can this be it?

I would hate to think..that it takes up that much usage:(

And...

I mentioned I would sometimes talk about watercolors..

Now is a good time to start?

If watercolors are not for you..just skip:)

I know it makes for a long post.

Most..if not all.. my watercolor books.Some I have had for 100 years.

See the Quinn violet blob on the # above?

That was not planned I bumped my brush while loading colors for the swatches and it spattered on my man..it's my favorite blob..it ran into the beard etc..

that's what her art is about..letting colors merge and create beauty..

Jean Haines

In the past 20 years I have bought a few watercolor books..then in the past 6 years..I added some..and more recently 4..
I don't have that many as you can see..
and I don't know what I get exactly out of each one of them..yet..
I will read..experiment..and maybe get a better sense of what works for me..

but I know one.. I have particularly liked  very much..
and it is You Can Paint Watercolors in Twelve Easy Lessons/ Yuko Nagayama....
I will get into that one..later..on another post w/ another paint set or two.

So that's not the one I am going to talk about here..

I am going to talk about the Jean Haines one.. World of Watercolor..and the DS paints..

I have loved her work online and two artists had mentioned her in the same week..I'd love to get looser..so I went for it..

I am just starting to really look at it...it's beautiful..lots of animals...I may try the chicken..well I did:)but it's not presentable..there are koi..a koala..chickens..etc..
I would have loved more vegetables..outdoor scenes..countryside..etc..she has many books so perhaps I picked the wrong one..but I love her choice of colors..and the loose dreamy look of all her work here..Atmospheric it is called..
She has some nice tutorials..and I plan on practicing:)
And plan on reading her every word:)


there's a lot of what to have..in it..supplies etc..about which paints she had when starting out and how she  kept getting to know colors and buying more..and how they please her.
I admit to being such a paint lover..I love a new tube!♥
So..as I said just getting into it:)

I had mentioned the DS color cards..this is the only one my shop has..
The paintings you see..are 2 paintings I did..copying what I saw in her tutorials..albeit the Christmas tree one is minus a cute little child..

A funny thing about the man in the hat if you can make it out..she calls him a cowboy and in her detailed piece he does look like one..but in this one..I saw Monet.
The swatches I painted on the right hand side are not the colors I used..some yes..not all..
But I wanted to show you colors I loved on that card..and the quinacrodones win for me..
I have Quinn Rose and Quinn Gold..I have a few on my wish list..
I also bought Imperial Purple because of this card..and Anita's cards..you may remember I received dot cards from her:)

I don't like the luminescent colors at all for me.They are on the bottom portion of the dot card you see above.

The Christmas ornament one..I had painted something terrible on the other side so flipped it to paint this..the paper was still a bit wet..so wet on both sides..it gives it the feeling of fabric ..sort of when dry..
oh well..

here is my favorite paper/ art journal..one of them  ..I do have a few others;)
I bought it through Curry's online and I should have bought 2 in my initial order..I like it so much..I save it for things I apply myself to:)
I wish we could just go to our fave art store and buy them.
Thank goodness I have my big St-Armand's book♥

So first of all..this is for novices..like me..not the paper..but..

..see the cold press words above?

That means you will have some texture in the paper.
Hot press..think of it as ironed paper..
Rough grain..I don't like ..apart from the one I get in Montreal from St Armand..I love that one..it has a lot of texture..but it's not hard..hard to explain..

I save that book for small things here I like..a miniature cup..a miniature vase..I should really scan instead of taking photos at the last minute..it's brighter and whiter and crisper in person.

I love Daniel Smith colors..I love them..M Graham are vivid ..and I like the ones my Fl friend had me try..
but I think I love DS more..
I squeeze the tube paints into empty half pans or palettes..
those are like a collection though:)
Half pans and pans are hard to come by here..so I just ordered more from the UK..shipping is not great.More than the actual pans.

I'll come back to paints and the novice;) later..

I did get one comment I found very interesting about investing in watercolors for a débutante..

I read all the time..invest in the best paints etc.. you can afford..but I do know that painting will not be for everyone..

so..
Artist Loft  brand,cheap and cheerful..Michaels..Amazon..for loads of colors..the coupons do not work at our Michaels as they are considered always low price..
but if you want to SEE if you could get into painting..and do not want to invest too much..these would be fun..
I took an online art class 2 yrs ago..or 3 ..and the recommendation was Prang..I have those too..cheap and cheerful..whole different consistency..very bright ..rich gummy..
The Artist Loft..I compare to higher end Grumbacher ..I have the 24 color set that actually came w/ 23 colors:(
Amazon..I only noticed much later..
so I never said anything.

I find Grumbacher..in this form..chalky and that is the attribute I would give to AL..

and not because they come in pans..because I have pan ones that are not chalky..but to start..AL  paints..would tell you..in using watercolor..if you love to paint or not:)

Blablabla..I am a novice..my tastes..are novice like..but just in case some want to try:)

And that paper ..Michael's ..you can use your coupon and there is a LOT for that price..not textured..not flat..not great..but to start..:)

Or..we can just bake;)As I know a bit more about baking than painting..and even that not a lot...like many of you.

Bon weekend!
In case our usage gets cut off..I am publishing..now;)

Do you love peanut butter? Jam? I do...look what I found..

When I saw these..here..

I must have been trying to get to sleep..and stayed awake..

I mean..look...at her post..breakfast was but 9 hours away..:)

I have a bad habit..after my 1.5 hours of TV at night..I go to bed..resolute to read..on my mini..
I think I will switch to my Kindle..because the Mini  Ipad..has way too many temptations for me..

Blogs..emails..IG..Pinterest..
I end up not reading and planning the next day..a new nib for a pen..a new painting tutorial..an email from one of my girls..

my head just stays busy..
as in the case of the above muffins:)

Give them a try if you like muffins..pb and jam..use your best pb..and jam..I used muffin liners..sprayed..but I would not again..I would just spray the heck out of the mold..I made 5..halved the recipe and it gave me 5..
lovely warm..the next day pop into the micro about 12 seconds.

I have been practicing w/ manual settings..I have only ever shot w/ A or P..never all manual..

well all manual gets my Olympus to to want to play....whereas in automatic ..or the P or A..it would not..always in different light conditions..now it plays with me..
so it's a learning curve..but I love it..

one thing that can be discouraging..is finding out which camera/lens someone you admire has..

and discovering..it's in the THOUSANDS.

Jacques is very supportive  of my blog...he says..it's not like you would ever want to sell any anyways..and he is right..

One thing I would like to try though..is getting photos larger like on Wordpress..because try as I might here..it doesn't work..they are HUGE..then on the other computers they are all cropped off..
so I stick to what Blogger lets me do w/out knowing what I am doing..
After the brocante Saturday ..I stopped by such a favorite place of mine..the park at the lake..there is some land art and it is so nice and natural there with the wildflowers..
I spotted the newer Inukshuks right away..I had not been in a little while..
we went more often when the boys were not at camp..
I don't think I went once with Jacques this year..first of all it has been HOT..ter than usual..
and I love to dawdle and take photos..when the leaves will change and it will be cooler ..he'll come walk the trail with me..
there's just something about the water that attracts me like a powerful magnet.
I met a man who was with his binoculars..,camera and monopod in tow..very nice..we started talking and he showed me some of his photos and the practicality of a monopod.Fun to learn..another nice young man was there..you never know who you will meet and who will just help make your day a better day.
I loved seeing the lady reading also..all by herself..so peaceful.
Some people know how to make a day better on their own.
It is a beauty of a spot♥

I repainted this 3 times..this was the first.
The next I painted on Fabriano cold press/rough grain..I am not crazy about it..too grainy..maybe for flowers it would be better..then I tried w/ ink first..on the rough again..not good either..so this is the only one that caught my feeling of the lady reading.lots of stamping going on to detract..


So Sunday..I stayed in..in the last few years I have bought a few watercolor how to books..

I am not experienced enough to give reviews..but I am going to:)
Just in case there are novices like me..who would like either a new book to be inspired by or new paints or paper..

nothing deep..and not many..maybe all in one review;)

Review #1..not Fabriano grano duro block..too many craters..for a day at the park:)For a novice.

Aprons~ And..Pinafores and the change..etc...

Not five minutes after I took the above foto in the gardens..a formation of geese flew overhead going south!

The annuals are still very nice..:)I loved this fresh new one.

And here is a little idea for some of you..

AACK..the change is happening..the first tree to show autumnal changes is our maple to the right if you are staring at the back yard..we have 3 maples..one golden..2 reds..and a tamarack..they are at least 100 years old ..our treeman Dominique told us..
And sure enough this happened..I noticed Tuesday.. it is because of the cooler nights..
The grasses are tall in the borrowed landscape..the wild black eyed Susans are still great sports..the pink hydrangeas adore this time of year..and the last of the roses are taking their curtain call..
the morning glories are turning to seed..the sedum takes a place of importance like all the hydrangeas do..
Indoors ..the light is changing..in the kitchen so bright..in the sunroom  a little darker..it's the height of the sun..soon we will need sunglasses to look at our computer screens:)

It is bittersweet for me as I love fall..as my mom did..but I know what's ahead..and although I settle into winter exceptionally well now that I do not work..it's the monochrome of winter that can get heavy on the eyes for me..and the shoveling for Jacques..always bothers me.
However..it's a fact of life here..we love the seasons..we have to get with the program..


It's no secret I love aprons..and all summer I have looked at the "pinnies" a very talented girl sells at our brocante....they are not used as aprons but as pinafores..I had seen some on rough linen..on Etsy etc..the girl at my brocante has a pale grey one she wears over an off white plain thin cotton dress..and I have loved the look all summer..
 one day ..I was tidying a cupboard in our dining room buffet and again laid eyes on a tablecloth I had from my mom..
..and the story I remember ..is that my grandmother was quite the stitcher..
I have a couple of her embroidered tablecloths..and rarely use any of them except when we are the whole family ..12..  w/ extensions in the table etc..
...all of a sudden in looking at this écru one..I thought of the Pinnie girl.I brought it to our brocante and asked Lynn..(aka the Pinnie girl :)) if she could make one out of this tablecloth..it was linen and I loved it.. she  said she wasn't sure how she could make the embroidery work..I called her after 10 days because I was not able to go the Saturday  we were away and.. she said..she had not had time..
I said don't worry Lynn I know it's hard..and if you can't I will buy one of your pre-made ones I love them so..

I actually got my lesson because another girl had white cotton sleeveless dresses..and I waited too long..they were all gone and she could not get more..and it has been the hottest summer in eons here..so yes I learned my lesson..

sooo  2 Fridays ago she called  and said:"I think you are going to be very happy w/ your Pinnie".

Well..I went the next day..and I cannot explain how moved I was..
She made the embroideries and cut work fit so perfectly!
I just love it..I rarely show clothes etc..but I had to show you her craftmanship..and care..and talent.I sew..I know well made:)
Not only that..but she had made a bag for my Pinnie..from the tablecloth too..

These are great for many ages..not just older girls..they are quite popular here.
Every week she has many orders..she's at least 20 yrs younger than I am and it looks great on her.. Mylène and Noah and Giuliana came for tea and pie Sunday ..it was sunny and cooler..and I asked Giu to take a pic of it w/ her phone.Because they liked it too:)So here you have it:)

I love how comfy it is..the deep pockets..the cross back..
it dresses up jeans..dresses down a white linen dress.
I have no regrets of using the tablecloth..I never used it and it would have been in a garage sale when I leave this world..:)Along with a lot of other "treasures":)
♥

This is my favorite way of dressing..always has been ..Jacques and I are so different..he is so sporty dressed..always. has more clothes than I do..he was a golfer most of his adult life and his clothes reflect that.

I am not a sporty dresser..I love the look of a sporty girl in golf shorts and a white polo..but I look ridiculous and feel ridiculous..you have to wear what you feel so good in..
I like layers..and leggings and artsy things..longer skirts and boots..and ballerinas..never ever shorts..skirts over my bathing suits..not in the water..but I only ever go in the ocean..
skirts over footless tights..legwarmers..

big sweaters..lace..bows on shoes and sweaters..  on a skirt or a coat too....frills..linen..cotton...white..beige,black..charcoal.. I have 2 coral pieces..tops ..and my girls say ..that's your color;)
I never wear them..Too flashy for me.
And yes my denims..shirts..jeans..dresses..white shirts.

That little touch of the bag..w/ the pinafore?
Stellar.

The loaf ,is a recipe I have had since Feb 2005/Bon Appétit..I just saved the page..there is an article too:)
I have no idea who wrote it?  Ina? and old Julia recipe?
no clue..but the recipe is in the link..I have enough marmalade and yogurts at any given time that I can do this ..spur of the moment..even though I was not excited by it..apart from the E Dehillerin pan from Lee-Ann and Jonathan..that I made it in..Jacques really liked it w/ Susan's crème fraiche~:)

Merci!

I am still painting..and wanted to show you the cute book I mentioned..:)Purplicious♥

Bon weekend everyone~


Look how uncanny..had placed my coffee..cream(in my mini cow creamer..) ..placemat and my half muffin..opened IG..

:)