Blog | Angie Allen

January 12, 2012

Sharpen

Life Palettes | 1 Comment | Leave a comment

This week I sharpened two one-gallon baggies full of No. 2 and colored pencils. I’m guessing there were 500 pencils in all. I purchased a $40 electric sharpener which broke after the sixth pencil. I sharpened the rest with the hand held sharpener I keep in my art bag. The next day I picked up this $17 beauty at Office Depot. She’s a dream.

____________________________

Life Palettes is a weekly series for 2012
Each week I create a color palette from a snapshot of my everyday life.
If you’d like to play along, check out ColourLovers for more about color palettes.

1 Comment | Leave a comment

January 11, 2012

Sketch a Day Adventure

Illustration | 0 Comments | Leave a comment

Materials: Sharpie, oil pastel, acrylic (black, red and white), pan pastel and correction fluid.

Last week I mentioned another Project 365. This year it will be a Project 366, which makes it feel more exciting. Over the past few months I’ve been drawing, doodling and sketching a lot. It brings me great pleasure and is something I can improve on from now until infinity. (Infinity is huge (pun intended) around our house. Kate is currently counting to infinity. I’ll let you know if she gets there).

Anyhow, January first I started my Sketch a Day Adventure. I do WAY more than one sketch a day, BUT I’m doing them all over they place. Sometimes I’ll illustrate parts of my grocery list or I doodle in the car while waiting for kids. I currently have 4 sketchbooks in progress. Ideally, I’d love to consolidate, but that’s not realistic. I’ve decided to do an illustrated journal. I’m inspired by Urban Sketchers and hope to incorporate that style into the project. I’d also like to start writing, using new mediums, layers and collage. Ultimately I want to get my hands dirty and loosen up.

Each week I’ll post one page from my sketchbook. Above is a mixed-media mess from the first week. I’m including it because the two pages have since sealed themselves together, lost forever. Live and learn, eh?

0 Comments | Leave a comment

January 8, 2012

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

In the Kitchen | 4 Comments | Leave a comment

Jack loves blueberries. They have been his favorite treat since he could talk. When I found a recipe for Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake on Pinterest, I knew it would be a hit. We were not disappointed. Our family licked the pan clean in a single sitting.

Packed with a whopping two cups of fresh blueberries and a stick of butter, the batter was to die for.

I followed the recipe to the letter. It baked up perfectly in 40 minutes.

Jack’s review: Delicious! My mouth is overflowing with flavor!

This oh-so-yummy recipe came from Alexandra’s Kitchen. I’m including Alexandra’s recipe below (mostly for my own personal reference). If you try it and love it too, please hop over to her blog and let her know!

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Serves 6-8

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk

* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Pin It

4 Comments | Leave a comment

January 6, 2012

OM | Silver Lining

Family + Friends | 7 Comments | Leave a comment

For us, winter break began the day before Christmas. It made for a hectic week before the holiday, a feeling I did not like. The week after Christmas was crazy, too. Too many social obligations, a frantic overnight getaway with too much cleaning and cooking, followed by my annual “get Christmas the hell out of my house” decoration take down.

There was a big fat silver lining. The first week of 2012 has been pure family bliss. I made a conscious effort to avoid structure. All we did was play. We spent hours playing Monopoly, Go Fish, Goblets and Operation. We read aloud 300+ pages of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We doodled, painted and scribbled. We made multiple trips to the book store and built lots of Legos (freestyle – no instructions). I even let the kids bag our groceries (I’m sure the lady behind us was thrilled). No one told us where we had to be and when. No one told us our art was not right or our rooms were messy. We just played and laughed and snuggled.

It was a glorious week.

________________________________________________

For more real life moments and details about the weekly OM meetup,
please visit Linda on her blog, A La Mode Stuff.

7 Comments | Leave a comment

January 4, 2012

Hello 2012

Etc, Life Palettes | 1 Comment | Leave a comment

I ended 2011 in utter exhaustion and a creative funk. While it was highly productive, I’m thrilled to see the year come to a close. Our kitchen renovation, an overbooked holiday season and perfectionism (internal and external) seemed to drown my spirit. I ended the year feeling depleted and beaten down by the very things that should lift me up.

Sunday morning I woke with a huge sense of relief. A weight had been lifted and I could see endless potential. I’m choosing to put my frustrations behind me and head into 2012 with realistic expectations and a focus on projects that motivate me. Here’s a few things I’m inspired to do:

Another Project 365 (it’s a Project 366 this year)! I’ve started a Sketch-a-Day Adventure. I’ll draw one sketch each day and post one sketch a week here. When I did my photography Project 365 in 2010, I discovered passion and talents I didn’t know I had. The project brought me great joy and motivation on a daily basis.
Use my kitchen to its full potential now that it’s a beautiful, functional space. I plan to try one new recipe a week and share my results here. Time in the kitchen is a great way to spend time with my kids. They are excited to learn to cook and I want to take advantage of that.
Reflect on everyday moments that make my life special. I will jump back into a la mode stuff’s One Moment series. In the past this simple exercise has helped me keep a healthy perspective on the joys and disappointments that make life interesting.
A new weekly series call Life Palettes. I will create a color palette from a photo taken of my everyday life. I’ve included the first one at the top of this post. This is not only fun (and potentially addicting), it’s a vehicle for me to create inspiration boards for my Sketch-a-Day Adventure. There will inevitably be days when I’m stuck. I will refer to these palettes when I need a creative nudge.
Lastly, I’m choosing a word for 2012. This is a growing trend I’ve watched for several years now. This year, I’m compelled to join in. My word is “EXPLORE“. I’m aching to try new things (mostly in the world of art and cooking). I plan to take loads of classes while I draw, cook and photograph my way through 2012.

Are you taking on a new hobby in 2012? Turning over a new leaf? Continuing a success from 2011? What are your hopes for the New Year?

1 Comment | Leave a comment

December 25, 2011

Collapse

Family + Friends, Photography | 0 Comments | Leave a comment

Christmas was lovely…
Cue post holiday collapse!
We hope you had a wonderful day, too.

Focal Length: 48 mm
ISO: 1600 Shutter Speed: 1/80 Aperture: f/2.8
Lens: Tamron 28-75 mm f/2.8
Used speedlight on TTL; bounced at an angle off ceiling behind me
(I know nothing about my flash so that’s all I can tell you!)

0 Comments | Leave a comment

December 20, 2011

Did someone say Cocktails?

Family + Friends, In the Kitchen | 0 Comments | Leave a comment

The holiday season has been a mad blur for me. I’ve been filling orders and spinning from random seasonal craziness. I had completely dropped the ball on blogging and other tasks (such as housekeeping and tire rotations) when my friend Linda (of a la mode stuff) asked if I’d help blog about a holiday cocktail. At the mention of cocktails, I dropped everything and said, Does St Nick wear red skivvies?!

Linda provided the supplies and labor, I shot photos and now we have a super tasty and embarrassingly easy cocktail to share with you. Below is Linda’s post. Yes, I’m that lazy. Enjoy!

I’ve been a fan of Nigella Lawson for many years. You may even say I have a bit of a foodie girl crush on her. While I’ve never made any of her recipes, I love watching her show and vicariously eating at her dining table. When I heard her on NPR last week, I listened intently. Her lovely British accent makes everything sound delectable.

Three quarters into the interview, Nigella mentioned a delicious and easy cocktail she calls the Poinsettia. It has only 3 ingredients:

Prosecco (any dry sparkling wine and it doesn’t have to be expensive)

orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)

cranberry juice

Since sharing a cocktail is as fun as making them, I asked my friend Angie if she’d try it with me. She snapped these beautiful pictures.

We both agreed that this drink is a winner. It is so good and goes down quite easily. Isn’t it festive looking? For decorative pizazz you could add cranberries, orange slices or curled and sugar orange rind to the glass or pitcher. Impress your friends and family!

I’ve added her books Nigella Christmasand Nigella Express to my Christmas list. You can find many more of Nigella’s cookbooks on Amazon.

Pin It

0 Comments | Leave a comment

December 2, 2011

Drawing Lab 25 | Contouring Toys

Drawing Lab, Illustration | 1 Comment | Leave a comment

The Assignment: Unit 4 | Lab 25 Contouring Toys
The task: Draw a child’s toy using contour drawing.

In the book, Carla quotes Charles Reid:

Contour drawing helps you see that the things you are drawing aren’t things, but rather shapes that intertwine and connect.

This statement rings true for me. I’ve found daily sketching and “contour drawing” has improved my skills. I now see my subjects in terms of lines, shapes and shadows, not a particular object.

Artist 1: Kate

Carla also mentions that children naturally make contour drawings. I think Kate’s drawings illustrate her point perfectly.

Artist 2: Angie

I enjoy contour drawing, but my perspective can get wonky. I like to follow my subject’s outline with my eye. When doing so, I lose track of where I should be (which is fine for a sketch).

This sketch was done while waiting at Jack’s guitar lesson. I spent 20 minutes going over and over and over the lines. It was mesmerizing and relaxing – so much so, I often forgot what I was doing. It’s not something I’m particularly keen on sharing, but it was great fun. So here it is!

Next week: Unit 3 Lab 26 | One-Eyed Monsters… Awesome!

_____________________

The Drawing Lab is a weekly linkup inspired by Carla Sonheim’s book Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists. Each Thursday, I post drawings from three generations of my family, my mom, myself and my 5 year old daughter.

You are welcome to play along! Share your drawing and a brief recap of your process, positive or negative. Post your work on your blog or on Flickr.

Please remember, this is raw creativity. Our drawings won’t be perfect or gallery ready, instead they will be an organic starting place for the artist inside each of us. For more about this series, check out my kickoff post. Happy drawing! Angie

1 Comment | Leave a comment

November 27, 2011

Holiday Photo Cards!

Stationery | 1 Comment | Leave a comment

Family photography courtesy of Val Lemieux Photography

I’m excited to announce my 2011 holiday photo card line. This year I’m offering double sided greetings with the option to incorporate up to six photos or add a personal message of approximately 500 words.

Detailed personalization and exceptional print quality make my holiday cards stand out from typical photo cards. My trusted printer offers stunning press-printing on 130# smooth cover stock. Press-printed cards have a sophisticated look that cannot be matched with cards printed on ordinary photo paper. Before I send your files to be printed, I take the time to add and format your personalized text, incorporate your photos with attention to visual balance and edit any photo issues that may “bug” you.

To place an order, review the design options in the catalog below. Choose your favorite style, write your text, select your photos and email me at hello@angieallen.com. I will send you an invoice for your cards. After your payment is processed, I will create a proof for you to review. After your final proof approval, I will send your files to the printer. You will receive your holiday cards 7-10 days after your proof approval. The last day to submit files to the printer is Wednesday, December 14 so be sure to factor in a few days for the proof process.

If you have questions, please contact me anytime. Cheers! Angie

Open publication - Free publishing

If you are on a mobile device and don’t see the catalog above, you can reach it through this link.

1 Comment | Leave a comment

October 31, 2011

Halloween Costume: Davy Crockett

Family + Friends | 3 Comments | Leave a comment

Last summer we were in a silly souvenir shop in South Lake Tahoe when Jack stumbled upon a ‘coon skin cap. He immediately fell in love the look and began asking about Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett… and ultimately his Halloween costume was born. Jack, like his mom, loves Halloween and takes great pride in his costume. He spent the last month or more researching Davy Crockett so he would get all the details right.

My dad (pictured above) had a old bison horn he made into a powder horn. Like the lady bug candy tote in Kate’s costume, the powder horn is the WOW factor of Jack’s costume.

Here’s what we used:

Brown long sleeved shirt and brown pants
Faux fur vest (found in the girls department at Target!)
‘Coon Skin Hat from local Outdoorsman shop
Brown fringe from Walmart fabric department
Faux leather satchel for candy (I made this myself… I winged it giving it an authentic “rustic” look. Ha!)

I originally glue-gunned the fringe on the costume, but it didn’t hold up after a rambunctious Halloween party. I went back and sewed it on. If you’re using the costume for one night of trick-or-treating the glue gun method will work well. If you have several events or you’re sending your little one to school dressed up, I highly recommend breaking out the sewing machine.

Davy Crockett wins “Best Costume”. Yeah!!