Mrs. Amelia Holt

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Mary Holloman

Happy Valentines Day

an open [sketch]book.

Suzanne & Edgar Cabrera have a blog called an open [sketch]book .... they create amazing sketches to document things that go on in their everyday lives. They call it "Illustrated Journaling".  Their illustrations are quite amazing (the ones of their adorable twin boys are some of my favorite) ... and I had the pleasure of photographing them during their fun workshop at Just Be, downtown Greensboro, this past Sunday.  If you haven't already, you should definitely go check out their blog... and prepare yourself to be amazed by their talent! They make it looks so easy!

I was happy to be apart of the workshop Sunday.  Thank you, Suzanne and Edgar, for your creative inspiration!

Just Be.

Yesterday I photographed a workshop by Cabrera Creative at Just Be.  Suzanne and Edgar are such an inspiring couple, I really enjoyed my Sunday afternoon.  In honor of their Illustrative Journaling Workshop, I sketched part of our photography studio at work.  These two reminded me how much I missed sketching... and I have to admit, it's much more enjoyable when it is not for school.  I played around with color and had fun with this sketch.

Photos from the Workshop coming soon!

Recipe 002 // Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients

- 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (thawed)

- 1 can of cream of chicken soup

- 1 can of chicken broth (I like to use the low sodium kind)

- 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Parsley

- 1 Tbsp. of garlic powder (the original recipe said to use one chopped onion, but of course I switched it out for garlic)

- 2 Tbsp. of butter

- 5 grands flaky refrigerator biscuits 

Directions

- Combine chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, parsley, garlic powder, and butter into the crock pot.

- Fill the empty cream of chicken soup can with water and add it to the crock pot mixture.

- Rinse the Chicken breast with cool water and add it to the crock pot mixture.

(Leave the biscuits in the refrigerator to use later)

Cook chicken and broth mixture in the crock pot on high for 4-6 hours.

- After cooking time has elapsed, take a fork and break up the chicken into pieces.

- Now, cut each biscuits into 9 pieces.

- drop the biscuit pieces into the hot chicken and continue cooking on high for 30 minutes.

- Stir and serve hot.  (add more water or broth if you want more juice)


And to mix it up... add your favorite veggies!


original source

How To: Make Fabric Flowers

Cut a strip of fabric about an inch and a half wide... the length of the strip will vary depending on how large you want your fabric flower to be.

After you cut your strip fold it twice to create an even skinner strip of fabric. (just fold it a few inches, you don't have to fold it all the way down the length of the strip)

Roll the folded strip down to create the center of the flower. - make sure it's tight!  Then fasten it with a dab of hot glue.

Take the length of the fabric (does not need to be folded any longer, that was just to create the center) and start twisting it outwards then holding it tight against the center of the flower... moving around the flower.

Continue this around the flower, dabbing it with hot glue every so often. And I also like to put hot glue on the back of the flower while I am making it.  It makes it more sturdy.

oh, and don't try to fight it... you will burn your fingers a few times!

 Once you have your flower to the size you want (or you run out of fabric) fasten the fabric with a final dab of glue. Make sure to leave some fabric hanging to cover up the hot glue filled back of the flower.

Now, generously spread hot glue all over the back of the fabric flower and then begin covering it with the extra fabric, covering up the hot glue mess.

 Once you have your fabric just the way you want it on the back of the flower, snip off the excess fabric.

I try to tuck the end of the fabric under before the hot glue dries all the way.

Congratulations,  you now have your very own handmade fabric flower!

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I have to give my husband credit for taking these pictures for me while I made this flower, I couldn't have done it without him!  He sat for 30 minutes while I said "do this" and "do that"... such a trooper!

Thanks, babe, you are wonderful! :)