National Gallery of Art

One of my favorite places is the National Gallery of Art. Not only is the Gallery very serene but it's one of the few places where all of the employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. The employees know where all of the paintings are located. I found this to be impressive given the size of the Gallery. My friend Diana,Brittany and I headed off for a day to the Gallery. We spent the entire day there, stopping for lunch in the Garden Cafe and later for coffee at the Gelatto Bar and Cafe. We browsed through the gift shop to find our favorite prints, some books on Impressionist painting and Chat Noir earrings (for Brittany). I took some photos to share with you.


 
Fountain at National Gallery of Art

 
                                       Walkway to the East Building at National Gallery of Art

 
 East Building Walkway

  
 Rodin's Thinker in West Building of National Gallery of Art


  
Monet's Jerusalem Artichoke Flowers


  
Pond at National Gallery of Art Gardens

Monet's Jerusalem Artichoke Flowers is the only Monet painting on display in the Gallery at the present time. The Thinker is my favorite Rodin sculpture. In fact, I love the sculpture so much that I have a replica in my studio. So it was a rare treat for me to actually view the sculpture up close. Also at the Gallery were the Degas sculptures of the Fourteen Year Old Ballerina. Both the actual bronze sculpture and the wax cast were on display along with several Degas paintings. The Gallery does allow non-flash photography of some exhibits but to be on the safe side it's best to ask the guard for each room if photography is permitted.

For those of you who love art and are planning a visit to Washington, D.C. you may want to consider a trip to the National Gallery of Art. The Gallery has so much to offer and it's usually not crowded. I think it's the best kept secret in D.C.



 
This is one of the beautiful Calla Lilies from my gardens.

I have several projects lying around my studio in a semi-finished state. Among the projects are a Yorkie Painting and my Hello Kitty Fabric project both should be finished and ready for posting by the beginning of July.


   

Tribute to Tempest

 When our kids were small we decided to get them a dog that would romp and play with them. At the time we had a ten year old Shih Tzu who loved the kids but didn't have the energy to keep up with them. We finally decided on a Collie and after several months of searching we found a beautiful Tri-color collie puppy. Collies are wonderful companions for small children because they are loyal and gentle. When Tempest grew up, in addition to being a playmate he assumed the role of  guardian for the kids. I couldn't have asked for a better babysitter. He would bark if the kids attempted to open the gate and leave the back yard. I was confident that I could leave Tempest in charge while I left the room long enough to cook dinner or do a load of laundry because he would "rat them out" if they got into mischief.

Although Tempest is no longer with us, it's Brittany that misses him the most. She has often expressed interest in having one of the photos of him enlarged so that she could frame it and hang it on her wall. This year for her birthday I decided to paint a portrait of Tempest and have it custom framed.

Beware of the Ides of March!

Anyone familiar with Shakespeare's Julius Caesar remembers the "Beware of the Ides of March" quote. When Brittany was in high school I used to send her off to school with a thought for the day. Sometimes it was a quote or just a nice saying. Her class was in the process of reading Julius Caesar and it was March 15 so the quote for the day was "Beware of the Ides of March". She laughed as she headed out the door to meet the bus. Ever since that time no matter where she is I call her and tell her to "Beware of the Ides of March". My husband laughed because he couldn't believe that this has some how become a tradition between the two of us.

Later that day, my husband was walking down the steps into the garage and the flip flop that he was wearing slid causing him to fall and fracture his leg. The next day when I visited him in the hospital I reminded him that it was the Ides of March when he fell. Hmm! Maybe Shakespeare was right and we should "Beware of the Ides of March". He has spent the last 3 weeks in a recliner with his leg elevated. He's convalescing well but still can't put any weight on his leg. I have tried to work on craft projects that don't require me to be in my studio so that I can be close by if he needs something. During this time I finished the Stacy Shawl and am completing Lions et Oiseux.

This is the beautiful Stacy Shawl from Wendy Knits Lace by Wendy Johnson. While the shawl was very easy, for someone new to lace, to knit it does require some knitting experience. Wendy's instructions and charts were clear and well written. I was a little confused by the Garter Stitch Tab but You Tube had a great tutorial. I loved the choice of yarn for the project. Dream in Color Classy was very easy to work with especially for my first lace project. I love the finished shawl and wear it with a white shirt and jeans as an alternative to a sweater.

This project calls for stitch markers to be placed to mark sections of the lace pattern. Stitch markers have always been a source of knitting frustration-the small plastic rings tend to jump off the needles and waste yarn looped over the needles tends to fray after several rows. I really like the beaded knitting markers available at the yarn shops but they tend to be a little pricey ($5 to $8 per marker). I bought a beaded marker to try it out. The weight of the beads held the marker firmly on the needle with no slipping. I liked the marker but didn't want to invest in a set of them so I came up with a similar version. Brittany and I have both tested my version and they slide along the needles easily and don't slip off. I'm posting my marker instructions so that you can make your own.





Beaded Knitting Marker Directions:

Decorative beads- I used beads left over from previous jewelry projects but you can buy beads at any craft store. Try choose a medium size bead.

Small beads-tube of glass E beads,tube of glass seed beads

2 inch silver-tone head pins-usually sold in packages of 72

Small silver-tone split rings- 12mm size

Needle nose pliers

1. Place two seed beads on the head pin.

2. Place an E bead on the head pin.

3. Now place a decorative bead on the head pin.

4. Place another E bead on the head pin.

5. Place another decorative bead on the head pin.

6. Place another E bead on the head pin.

7. Use the needle nose pliers to make a loop and thread the end of the loop into the top of the last E bead placed on the head pin. Place the split ring in the loop that you just made. Hold the split ring in place and squeeze the end of the head pin toward the bottom of the loop to secure it ( use the needle nose pliers for this ). This will also keep the split ring from slipping.

Spring in DC

This past week our family had the pleasure of hosting Brittany's boyfriend Alex. Since Alex is visiting from Norway we took a sight seeing trip to DC. He was impressed by the beauty of the city and commented that Washington was unlike any of the other large cities that he had visited.

We had a great time in DC. The weather was beautiful and the Cherry Blossoms were in bloom. Living so close to DC I tend to take the city and all it has to offer for granted. I forgot how truly beautiful the city can be.

                                         Magnolia's in bloom along the Gallery Place walk way.


After a trip to the Air and Space Museum, we visited the National Gallery of Art. I had almost forgotten how beautiful the Gallery is. I love the fact that the paintings can be viewed up close. As an artist I love to walk up close to a painting to view the details (brush strokes, fabric folds and the lighting). Cameras are prohibited in some of the individual galleries because flash can damage the paintings but we were allowed to photograph (without flash) the the beautiful Rotundra.

                                                 Rotunda in the National Gallery of Art

For those of you who are thinking about visiting Washington,DC you will need a week to see most of the attractions. The Smithsonian museums alone can take several days to visit. The Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History are the most popular Smithsonian Museums. The National Gallery of Art has several wings and individual galleries. Alex has studied Leonardo Da Vinci and was interested in seeing his paintings. The night before our trip we searched the National Gallery's website and found a Da Vinci painting. This helped us to locate the painting at the Gallery.

I wished that I had more than one day to spend at the Gallery because I would have liked to have seen the new French Gallery. I decided to take a day trip back to the Gallery with my sketch book of course. The National Gallery of Art allows sketch books and pencils to be brought into the gallery. Visitors are welcome to sit and sketch the paintings but anyone who wishes to copy a painting must apply for a permit and use an easel and paints provided by the gallery.

Honey Roasted Cashews

Looking for something different to give your Valentine? How about Honey Roasted Cashews instead of the traditional chocolate?

I took a trip to New York in December and came across a Street Vendor selling honey roasted nuts. The aroma of the roasted nuts enticed me to buy a bag of honey roasted cashews. These were the best honey roasted nuts that I ever had. Since then I have been on a mission to find a recipe for these nuts. I searched the internet for recipes but none of them were able to recreate the Street Vendor cashews. Finally after weeks of trying to recreate the Street Vendor cashews, I think that I have come pretty close to the ones that I sampled in New York.

While the finished nuts were cooling on a baking sheet on the kitchen counter my husband saw them and just had to sample them. He loved them and couldn't resist sampling some more. In light of his glowing praise, I decided to share the recipe with all of you.


Honey Roasted Cashews:

3 1/2 cups unsalted cashews
2 1/2 tablespoons clover honey
1 1/2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup--don't use maple flavored syrup because the flavor won't be the same
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of vanilla Demerara sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If using raw cashews, place them on a baking pan and roast in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, stir the nuts and roast for approximately 5 minutes. Check them often and remove from the oven when the nuts have a light golden color. Set aside to cool. Skip this step if you are using nuts that have already been roasted.

In a small saucepan combine butter, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir to combine over low heat. After the butter has melted remove the saucepan from the heat.

Pour the cashews into a large mixing bowl and pour the syrup mixture over the cashews. Stir the nuts until all of them are coated.

Spray a large baking tray with cooking spray. Spread the nuts on the baking tray and bake for 6 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Remove the nuts from the oven and stir. Return the tray to the oven and bake for approximately 8 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and pour the nuts in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of vanilla demerara sugar over the nuts and stir until all of the nuts are coated with the sugar.

Line another baking tray with parchment paper and spread the sugar coated nuts in a thin layer onto the parchment lined tray. Let the cashews cool completely. Store the cashews in an air tight container.


Bon Apetite,
Suzanne

Hello Kitty Valentine's Rose Box

I just couldn't let Valentine's Day pass without doing at least one Hello Kitty project. Hello Kitty is so sweet that she seemed like the perfect choice for decorating a Valentine's Day box filled with heart shaped sugar cookies. Who wouldn't want to receive a Hello Kitty box filled with cookies?

For those of you who love Hello Kitty, I have another project planned. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet. I'm sorry for the bad pun but I will tell you that it's a fabric project.





Close-up of the top of the box.


Directions for Hello Kitty Valentine's Rose Box:

Cricut Hello Kitty Greetings and Doodlecharms cartridges
Dark pink, medium pink, white, olive green and black card stock
Fiskars paper crimper
Large purple brad
Self adhesive gold rhinestone
Stickles glitter glue-Ice Stickles
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist-Pearl
Smooch purple paint
6 Fabric Rose Buds
Martha Stewart Leaf paper punch
Foam Dots
Hot Glue Gun
White sheer wire edged ribbon
Martha Stewart Treat Boxes


1. Cut the heart from the Doodlecharms cartridge. Press the heart and the shift keys and cut the heart at 5 inches out of dark pink card stock.

2. Load the rounded edge of the heart into the Fiskars paper crimper. Press the handle and turn the knob to run the heart through the crimper.

3. Load the Hello Kitty Greetings cartridge into the Cricut machine. Cut Hello Kitty 2 out of black card stock at 4 inches. Next press the White & Fur/Bow & Nose key and cut the fur and flower out of white card stock. Press the White & Fur/Bow & Nose and the Shift keys to cut Kitty's flower out of dark pink card stock. Press the Clothes key to cut Kitty's outfit. Cut the outfit again out of medium pink card stock. Press the Clothes and Shift keys to cut the flower stem out of olive green card stock. Assemble Kitty according to the picture in the Cricut handbook. Using a dark yellow colored pencil color Kitty's nose. Use the large purple brad for the center of the flower in Kitty's hair. Apply a small amount of Ice Stickles to the flower and let it dry. Paint the flower in Kitty's hand with purple Smooch paint and let it dry. Apply a small amount of Ice Stickles to the flower and set aside to dry. Press the gold rhinestone to the center of the purple flower.

4. Place foam dots on the back of Hello Kitty and attach her to the crimped heart. Lightly spray Kitty and the heart with Pearl Glimmer Mist and set aside to dry.

5. Assemble the Martha Stewart treat box. Fill the box with cookies and slide the red cover over the box. Tie the white sheer ribbon around the box and make a bow. Use the hot glue gun to glue the point of the crimped heart behind the bow's knot.

6. Position three fabric rose buds on the left front edge of the box top. Use the glue gun to glue the roses in place. Repeat the process to glue the roses to the right front edge of the box top. Apply a small amount of Ice Stickles around the edges of the rose petals and let them dry.

7. Punch six leaves out of olive green card stock with the Martha Stewart leaf punch. Glue three leaves under the roses on the left. Extend the front leaf slightly over the edge of the box. Glue three leaves under the roses on the right.

Night Owl Scarf

Knitted lace is beautiful but I have always been intimidated by it. The beautiful lacy patterns would inspire me but the written directions always seemed too complicated-yarn-overs, knitting through back loops and increases and decreases in the same row. I decided to give knitted lace another try. A scarf seemed like a good first project because I didn't have to worry about shaping the garment. I chose Brown Sheep Nature Spun yarn and a Vine Lace pattern. The pattern is easy to knit and works well with a worsted weight yarn. For those of you wondering about the name, I decided to name the scarf for the late nights I spent knitting it (often until 2 a.m.) rather than for the lace pattern that I used.


Mozart modeling the Night Owl scarf.


This is the actual color of the scarf.


Directions for Night Owl Scarf:

2 100 gram skeins (approximately 245 yards/224 meters per skein) of Brown Sheep Nature Spun, Alpine Violet color

Size 7 knitting needles

This scarf was knit on Addi needles using a worsted weight wool.

Gauge: 5 sts per inch on Size 7 needles in Stockinette Stitch

Finished measurements: 8 inches wide and 54 inches long before blocking.


Cast on 40 stitches.

Pattern Stitch:

Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K3, *yo, k2, ssk, k2 tog, k2, yo, k1; rep from * until one stitch left, k1.
Row 3: Purl
Row 4: K2,* yo, k2, ssk, k2 tog, k2, yo, k1; rep from * until two stitches remain, k2.

Repeat Rows 1-4 until scarf measures 54 inches. Cast off.

The end and sides of the scarf will tend to curl under during knitting but blocking will take care of this. To block the scarf lay it on an ironing board and straighten the sides and the end. Lightly steam the the scarf with a steam iron. Don't move the scarf until it is cool to the touch.