Cake + Balls= CakeBalls!

Ever heard of cake balls? I'm sure you've seen and heard about cake pops as they are quite the rage... even forefronting cupcakes, gasp! I've tasted these cake balls only one time about a month ago or so and they've been on my mind ever since.

Well, last night I attempted to make these scrumptious delights and this is the final product. Listed below are the most simplest of directions and here is a very detailed link if you like lots of words and photos.

Cake Balls:

Box cake mix
Can of frosting
Bag of Candy Melts
Cake sprinkles

1. Bake your favorite cake. Let cool overnight.
2. Crumble baked cake in large bowl. (You can crumble with your mixer, just be sure to put bowl in the sink as you'll have cake crumbs flying all over.)
3. Mix one can of frosting into crumbled cake mix.
4. Place in refrigerator for one hour or more.
5. Scoop out cake mix with large spoon and roll into balls. Place on plate lined with wax paper.
6. Place in refrigerator for one hour or freezer for 15 minutes.
7. Melt one bag of Candy Melts in microwave.
8. Drop each cake ball (one at a time) into melted Candy Melt and roll around until coated. Dig out with fork and place onto wax paper.
9. Decorate with sprinkles or whatever you would fancy and stick balls back into refrigerator. When candy coating is hard (hardens quickly) set out for eating! Enjoy!

Happy Weekend!

Saturday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to work the dreaded "Snack Shack" for the kid's Little League because not only is it is for a good cause but my heart smiles when I volunteer.

Little bear.

More baby art... don't know why, it's all I seem to be creating right now. (And no, I do not have a baby on the way, in my future or my dreams.)

Random Musings:
Flourish. This is an interesting word to describe a life well lived. It means to thrive, do well, prosper in your highest productivity. I like to flourish and my moments seem so few and far between. We were not created to just exist, get by, do the minimum. No. We were created to flourish and thrive. Be our best.

How does one get there? There are many different paths to arrive at what may make you flourish but I do know for a fact that in order to get there, you need to take care of yourself. Take time out to stop and realign your energy. Ask questions about where you are in the moment. Stop saying yes to everyone and everything. It's when we can get quiet and hear our inner tickings, little bits start to flourish.

I'm going to go get quiet now. How about you?

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for moments that sparkle with clear and poignant revelations.

Yipee Skippy!

Here is the book called They Draw & Cook from the website of the same name, that two of my illustrations will be in. The book comes out soon and will be available here, on Amazon in the very near future. There's some brilliant goods in there!

Oooo, I can't wait!

Forty Days.

More baby patterns swimming around on my computer...

Although I've got baby on my mind and in my creative thoughts, I most certainly am most grateful to have a ten year old boy who almost never acts like a baby anymore! Tee-hee.

Random Musings:
I've been trying to give up sugar again and other things bad for the body and soul but somehow can't manage to stay on the right side of the road for very long. I'm frustrated. I'm groggy and foggy headed. I can't think.

So, somehow amidst one of my sugar comas, I came to the realization I've got to go big with this. Not just a few weeks here and a few weeks there but cold turkey, big guns and balls to the wall kind of BIG. Starting May 1st, I am eliminating all processed foods and sugar from my food intake for forty days. Yes, you heard right... FORTY DAYS. If Jesus can give up all food and water for forty days, I most certainly can give up potato chips, marshmallow peeps and yummy peanut butter cups!

Anyone care to join me?

Thursday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful there are two more days in the month of April to consume more Reese's peanut butter eggs before May arrives!

Oh, baby, baby, baby... OH.

Working on some license patterns. Here are baby themed patterns in not so traditional colors. It is really hard for me to work with pastels... they unfortunately are on my "can't stand" list.

How about you? Do you like traditional colors?

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for friendship... the kind of friend that calls for an afternoon adult beverage while the kiddos are jumping on the trampoline outside! Yes!

Resilient and Bubbly.

Someone ordered this custom art for their mother's 75th birthday. How cool is that? How nice to have a mom that is all of these lovely words and even more!

I heart words. So much. But the phrase . . . "Actions speak louder than words" is one I strongly believe in. I feel it to my core. I've had so many people throughout my life state proclamations and promises and when the time came to make good on those words, the actions were not there. So, when I heard this phrase many moons ago, it rang loud and clear to my soul and I've adopted this phrase as one of my mottoes to live by.

However, I've come to realize that words really do make a difference as well. Coming from a household that was low on positive and affirming words, I find myself craving these types of words. My ear longs to hear words that make the soul sing instead of dismiss and belittle. So this artwork is an action of etching positive words about a living person onto canvas as well as the heart. Me likey.

How about you? What kinds of words make your heart go a flutter?

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for just enough work, freedom to enjoy my hours and minutes and a delightful little boy who has been dishing out the hugs with love.

Happy 10th Birthday!

Happy birthday to a VERY special ten year old! May all your wishes come true. (Especially the ones that involve cake.)

April Give Away winner!

We have TWO winners for the April Give Away because I can't just pick one and Random.org was very happy to oblige. Maggie and Eric, please email me your addresses and a box of note cards will be on their way to your houses! Thanks for playing along!

Monday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for an impromptu breakfast with friends and the birthday boy!

Color your life.

I went for a walk today.

Lovely day with a light breeze and enough sunshine to warm your soul. While out wandering, I discovered a rainbow of delight. Take a peek at this intriguing find, nestled in the hills of San Diego.

Just around a bend, these creatures beacon you to step a little closer...

 Windows open up to the clouds above...

Watchful eyes make sure you will not be disappointed...

Nooks and crannies invite your discovery...

All the colors of the rainbow, including black and white...

Love is everywhere...

Hills and valleys of colored glass...

A lovely introduction...

How about you? How do you color your life?

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered in April's Give Away.

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a yummy lunch with a dear friend.

Eggies...

It's that time again... time for some cute Easter egg holders. These little critters are my Easter egg holder illustrations for fun times in the making. Copy to your computer, print out and hold some of your happy colored eggs. Enjoy!

How about you? Are you coloring eggs this year?

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a spontaneous lunch and movie with school friends!

Going to the dogs.

This is the beast who lives in has taken over our house. Today he is 6 months old. He's been to a 3 week puppy boot camp for extensive training and seems to have forgotten everything learned, he's an object of turmoil for our desert tortoise, and he requires A LOT of mental and physical attention. This being said, he can be quite sweet and lovable and is on his way to being a great dog. One day, hopefully soon.

Happy birthday Toby!

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into my drawing for April's Give Away! Any old comment will do!

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a productive day!

Discoveries.

Discover a new part of you. Try a different approach, a lighter attitude, a fresh outlook, peek between the lines. The possibilities are endless.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered in April's Give Away!

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for new friends through the kid's baseball team! Way to go Stingrays!

April Give Away!

New blog look, new product, and new give away! This is a boxed card set of four different prints made by a really nice company that produces quality items. The cards have an inspirational message on the front and are blank on the inside. Would you like some? If so, leave a comment from now until next Saturday at midnight. You can comment about anything but if you dare to, I'd really like to hear about how you embrace life. I'll post the winner on Sunday which happens to be Easter!

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for the extra large trampoline now sitting on my back lawn that took over 3 hours to assemble.

Breathe

Breathe. Something we do without thinking yet something we must think about when we are in panic mode, fearful, sad, out of breath, exhausted, etc. I don't know about you but like most people, I am a very shallow breather by nature. At times, I don't even know how my body is still standing by what little air I intake. Then I yawn. Or maybe I sigh and I remember... oh yeah, take a deep breath!

This painting says, "Breathe. You already are the person you wish to be."

Painting:

 Digital Sketch:

Random Musings:
This inspirational series I am embarking upon has got me thinking about change, and letting go, and enjoying the moment. Over the past few years, there has been a lot of change (mostly unwanted) and a lot of sadness (that too, unwanted.) An unusual amount of change for a short amount of time, in my brain at least, has taken me to places I haven't seen in a long time. Places of deep grief, places of despair, loneliness, and being very unsure of what and who to trust. Of course, all of this is nothing new in the encyclopedia of humanity but to me... well, it felt uncomfortable and scary.

So it seems that this season is starting to change towards new and wanting, fresh and challenging, inviting yet a little scary. This season of lightness is coming just in time to sweep out the cobwebs in my head. Take a deep breath and just breathe. Just breathe to feel the air fill the lungs, rejoice in life and stop letting fear get in the way and block the path.

It seems that we really already ARE the people we wish to become. It is inside of us, wanting and yearning to get out but we get in our own way. It is ourselves who block the progression. Maybe today, you can get a glimmer of your own person you wish to be by taking a big, giant breath. Join me. Breathe.

Happy Weekend!

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for some lovely unexpected warm weather and a poolside invitation!

Wishes do come true...

Another painting finished and off to the agent. Do you feel that wishes do come true?
Painting:

Digital Sketch:

Thursday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for this very long and filled day to be over. Whew!

Love & willpower.

Here is the finished Love painting. The small words read, give freely / be kind / walk lightly / speak gently. I am especially drawn to the very textured background. My backgrounds are tending to be layer upon layer with previous layers peaking through. Dimension. Me likey.

Painting:

Digital Sketch:

How about you? Do you seek more dimension in your life?

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for the will power to make myself tackle a task I've been putting off and now I feel so free!

Bloom.

This is the finished bloom painting and below is the digital sketch that helped me formulate my thoughts from inaction to motion.

Painting:

Concept Sketch:

Random Musings:

Today, someone sent me one of "those" forwarded emails. You know the kind... some sappy sentiment sandwiched between two flashing smiley faces and it is supposed to make you smile. Then you are supposed to send them to 100 of your closest friends and heaven forbid if you break the chain. Gasp! Bad things will happen.

I always break that darn chain and so far, my house is still standing. So most of the time I just hit delete and don't look back. I know if you ever sent me one, you will understand my delete trigger reflex and not take it personally.

But, today, I paused my finger above the delete key and read the email. This nice sentiment was number 2 out of ten. I thought I'd share this, it's my effort to not break the chain.

Do you know why a car's windshield is so LARGE & the rearview mirror is so SMALL? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE... Look Ahead And Move on!

Nice thought to end the day.

Tuesday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for time to catch my breath today.

Season's passing.

Today I finished up a mural at a dentist's office with some hand painted text and more leaves. It's all done and I think a nice addition to the office. This is their logo that inspired the painting...

I dropped of some paintings at my agent's today... finally. It has been a while since they've received art from me and I have to say it sure feels good to be feeling creative. My slump was a very unwanted visitor and now it's good riddance!

How about you? Can you mark the moment when you have passed through a season and are onto greener pastures?

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to have a crazy puppy that needs A LOT of attention.

Trusting

This is a new painting from a new inspirational series I've been percolating in my brain for a while now. It seems that the time is as good as any to branch out and trust that my wings already exist.

Painting:

 Sketch:

How about you? Do you know you already have wings?

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for two entire days of sleep to ward off a terrible cold. Life is good when you are on the mend!

Wish.

Wishes really do come true. Don't you think?

Happy Saturday.

Saturday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a movie marathon day so my darn cold may leave soon.

Smile.

I don't believe I've shown this sketch for another mural yet, but this one has been in the working for a while. It is for a dentist's office in La Mesa area. The tree and the leaves are from the dental office logo and if you look carefully, the leaves are smiles! Clever. (Wish I could say that was my logo work... but it's not.)

Today I made the logo come alive onto the walls. I'll be going back to do the large "dental care inspiring" words and finish up some more smiling leaves another day. The kid had to accompany me as he is off of school for spring break. Payback for all those football practices I waited around for, right? Poor kid. Lucky for him I paint fast.

How about you? How did you spend your Friday?

Happy weekend!

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to have lots of time to rest to get over a really bad cold.

Bloom where you land.

Another bloomin' idea. This one is almost finished and I'll post the before and after when it's done.

Random Musings:
After spring break is over, the kid is going back to school full time. No more part time home schooling. He's asking to go back because he feels he is missing out on stuff there. What kind of stuff? Mostly social but some educational that gets covered on his away days. At first I wanted to fight it and not give up so soon as it's only been two months and we are just now getting a groove. But then I thought that maybe I should look at the fact that the kid WANTS to go to school and that hasn't always been the case. So, back he goes. Hello two extra days for ME! He-he.

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a fun afternoon at the movies with friends and kids and my nieces.

The course of love.

Here is a digital and partially painted sketch for a new canvas. Of course the final will have lots of texture and more dimension but you get the idea. This is something new for me that seems to be working out quite well... making a digital file of my painting plans. Usually I keep the plans in my head, getting lost behind worry and insecurity but not anymore! Hello pixels.

How about you? Do you make mental notes or tangible ones?

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to have happy puppy back in the house. Puppy boot camp ROCKS!

Spring brings hope.

Hope is in the air. My redbud told me so.

This artwork below is going to be printed onto canvas for my friend's friend. I hope she likes it!

Random Musings:

Tomorrow our little fluffy puppy comes back from training camp. He's been gone for 3 quiet filled weeks and hopefully now he has all the tools to be a very mindful dog. He's cute, loveable and smart. He's also very young, gets into mischief and has a tendency to destroy any form of a manicured yard. 

I am eager with trepidation.

Monday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for a spring cleaning, well the clean house afterwards that is!

lovely words on a Sunday...

"…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are."  — Pema Chödrön

More Words...

This word art is for a very lovely person's 40th birthday....

I think I'd like some chosen words hanging on my wall. How about you?

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for things working out better than I had planned.

Some "word" for a Sunday.

New beginnings.

Surprise, surprise and delight to me... I was featured on another treasury. I have been ignoring my Etsy site, well pretty much most of my art for some time now so it blows me away and humbles me desperately that people see my art and take the time to appreciate it. Mmmm, to new beginnings!

So after realizing Etsy still goes on with or without me, I've put a few more items in the shop and updated the look a bit. Clean sweeping I might say. Here are a few of the new items...

Happy weekend to you!

Saturday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a little more inspiration in the creative area in my head.