Fourth of July Patriotism

Cupcake picture courtesy of Ginger:

On Ginger's blog, she gives the easy recipe of how to create these patriotic cupcakes!

Is your American flag flying outside?

Sunbeams through Clouds and Bob Ross Teaching

While on the morning walk, I caught a photo or two of sunbeams filtering though billowing cumulus clouds.

It did not seem like too difficult a task to try and capture a few beams in oils coming through clouds on a landscape.  (Wrong.) 

This, after many painting attempts, does not nearly capture that view:

It needs lots more contrast in the lights and darks and many more layers of paint.

The late Bob Ross shows how to make clouds on a YouTube video:


NOW, after reviewing the Ross video, let's take a snippet of the cloud from the lighthouse canvas:

And with a little fan brush work, here is a later rendition of clouds with a bit of tutalage from Bob Ross:

The pinks need to be worked in, along with more white. It is a work in progress!

Headbands for Babies

A quick and easy knitted gift for a new baby girl: a headband.   Better yet: a headband with a flower on it.

Amy Andersen's free baby headband pattern can be accessed here!  Here is Baby Pink Headband for newest niece Karter:

Susan Anderson gives a pattern and video on her website detailing how to make these five petal flowers.  She calls them "pacifier clips", but these little gems can be used for a variety of purposes, such as making one and sewing it onto the baby headband.

This is Baby Purple Headband for Big Sister and Niece Ella.

Here are some close-ups of the "pacifier clip flowers" using the same double knit method:

Too bad those baby nieces Ella and Karter were not available for the photo op to go along with their new hair accessories.