The Colors of Spring

 Hi there! Happy new week to all. What have you been up to lately-new art materials or projects? travel plans? new recipes? All of the above for me :) And I will start with a new recipe that is absolutely delicious and good for you ( I also had a bit of photoshop play (like the photo above) with the original image:

                                  Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine  (recipe at end of post)
 A few more photoshop images:

                                                   Food IS art!

 On a rainy afternoon recently I spent time making lots of die cuts to use in future projects:

 for my T Stands for Tuesday gals-that huge pink container on the right is my water bottle :)

Some cards and envies:

 Inspiration from a color challenge at the Simon Wed. Challenge Blog:

 and also these challenges: Altenew; the Simon Monday Challenge (Splash It On); and Work It Wednesday (Spring).

 Card details:

Products: white card stock, Simon Says Stamp Dot Scallop Border Die, Altenew Painted Flowers Set, Our Daily Bread Designs Wishing Words stamps and die, assorted Archival inkpads, Dylusions Black Marble Spray Ink.

Products: white card stock, Altenew Floral Shadow stamp set, Distress Oxide inks in Broken China and Worn Lipstick (also on the envies), Archival inks in Buttercup, Leaf Green, Jet Black, Simon Says Stamp assorted Moonshine Sequins.

For Art Journal Journey (theme this month is Magical Mystery Tour), and Paint Party Friday I have my May calendar spreads completed.

  Have a super week! I will be unplugged and at the beach with my friends over the weekend but will get back to visiting anyone I missed during that time once I'm back.

      " The less judgement the more curiosity, and the more curiosity the more creativity." 
                                                                           Michael Ray


                                     Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine 

1 Tbsp. olive oil       1 tsp. ground coriander        1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 c. chopped onion    1/2 tsp. kosher salt      1 tsp. ground cumin 

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon      1/4 tsp. ground pepper    4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained        1/2-1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved

1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

 Add oil to large heated pan. Add onion, sauté 4 min. Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and cook 4 minutes. Add chickpeas and zucchini. Cover, reduce heat and cook on med. to low heat 20 min. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Serves 4 -6. This is also great in a wrap!


                                              

Hopping Into Spring

 Hooray-it's finally feeling and looking like Spring here! Hubby and I spent the beautiful weekend mostly outdoors doing yard work, cleaning windows, getting out the hummingbird feeders, and putting out the outdoor furniture and cushions. I love it!

 That was not the weather we had recently when my 3 BFFS and I got together again. It was colder than expected, damp, foggy and raining but we ventured about 20 min. north going into the Poconos for a trip to Mountain House Country Store. Here are a few pics:

  non edible cookies:) Most everything in this store is either locally made or made in the USA

How I love this sitting room-AND the furniture!! If only I had a room for these chairs;)

This was just one area of the attic which was filled with antiques and vintage kitsch

This was the Easter/Spring display you first saw when walking in the main door. The owner makes the sculptured characters. This is only a portion of the store and I was lucky to get these pics as my camera battery went dead:( What a fun place to peruse!

 Of course I  needed  just had to have these items:

 Aren't they the cutest??? And not at all expensive. My springtime decorations:)
We then headed down the road for lunch at  Mama Lucia's Pizzeria which the owner of the store recommended.  I was able to squeeze just one more photo from my camera:

 Hot tea and a grilled chicken and vegetable "wrap" with a drizzle of pesto sauce and balsamic vinegar. The wrap was made of pizza dough but was thin like a crepe and crispy and oh so good! We plan on making another trip there on a nice day and hope to tour the winery next door too. Joining Elizabeth and friends for T Stands For Tuesday.

 The Simon Wednesday Challenge is celebrating their 8th birthday so I made this card for them:

 I used their logo which I cut from a postcard of theirs along with washi tape, card stock in black and white, sentiment from Altenew Painted Greetings set, SSS Moonshine sequins, and Versafine Onyx Black ink. They are giving away 8!!! $50 vouchers to the store and everyone has a chance to win!

 Also had some time to make a page in my art journal for Art Journal Journey with the theme of "Magical Mystery Tour" this month:

 Wouldn't you like to be able to fly and go wherever your heart desired? I am also joining Mix It Monthly (theme is Vintage and Turquoise)- I think the butterfly has a bit of a vintage feel, and Paint Party Friday.

 And my last project for this week:

 Products: Jet Black Archival ink, white notecard, bunny and eggs (Hobby Lobby), clear stamp (Papertrey Ink-Mega Mixed Messages Set), patterned paper (Echo Park), Dot Scallop Border die (Simon Says Stamp).

 I am joining in at the Simon Monday Challenge (theme is Hip Hop), and Work It Wednesday (theme is flowers, bunnies, Easter, Spring).

 And for those of you who will be celebrating Easter  (Sunday in the US, Monday in Canada according to my calendar) or Passover may the day be joyous. Blessings!

          " It is Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart. "
                                                                         Ranier Maria Rilke