School Shopping In My Dreams: Daily Art Practice
Couch Talk
Only a few weeks left until school starts and we are enjoying what remains of summer. This week, we went shopping for groceries and for school clothing. There were a lot of grumbles towards the end of our 3 hour shopping trip but we had fun just being together. We also had a movie day (instead of night), that was provided by our local library, a kit that includes a movie, educational books related to the movie, activity sheets and a bag of popcorn. We had a lot of fun activities provided by the library this summer but I will happy when they go back to in person activities as it is always more fun.
Baking
I did a lot of baking this week and stocked up our freezer. Again. Yes, my son eats a lot of cookies. He is a growing teenager!
From the Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home cookbook, I made Duff’s Chocolate Chip cookies which my son loves. I have tried SO MANY different recipes and he claims this one is the best.
And Atha’s Peanut Butter cookies also from Duff Bakes.
I made my favorite Blueberry Coffee Cake by Williams Sonoma.
I also made 3 more baked good items of which I forgot to take pictures. Maybe I will remember next time.
Shop Front Watercolor Challenge
For this weeks shop front I painted two buildings which happened to be pink. The first one is Bee Chang Hiang, which is a bakery. You can see the reference photo HERE. I loved the red lanterns in this photo and I couldn’t wait to paint this but it was my first time using gouache and I struggled with getting the consistency right, which made the paint difficult to control. I would love to try this one again some time in the hopes that I can make the lanterns prettier and less messy.
Another beautiful building in Singapore, Little House of Dreams. What a stunning place! And the flowers around the doorway make it dreamy. You can see the reference photo HERE.
Products Used:
StencilGirl Column
I am over at the StencilGirl blog today with my Column, sharing a garden journal I made to record this year’s findings/harvest. I had a lot of fun using my stencils and paints to make this project. You can check it out HERE.
Tea Day
I am joining the Tea Day ladies hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My tea today is Pukka Herbs Elderberry & Echinacea with Elderflower. Here is another clearance tea from Walmart that I recently purchased. As this is an immune boosting tea it is perfect for virus prevention. I don’t usually add sweetener to my tea but I am thinking this will be perfect with a teaspoon or two of honey.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
My mother’s chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies looked just like that. I can just about taste them!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Your baking looks wonderful Kate. I haven’t done much baking this summer. I did try a Japanese Kasutera cake today as it was raining. I’ve never had one or tried it before, but it looked a bit of a challenge and I wanted to try it. I will have to report back another day how it tastes since it needs to sit for 12 hours before you can eat it. Hard to believe school is almost back in session. Where did the summer go to? And your buildings in pink are lovely. Buildings are certainly your thing. Have a wonderful T day. hugs-Erika
Lovely artwork, Kate. Our schools have already started. I would love you to come bake and stock my freezer! Yum! Happy T Day.
I remember always getting excited when I went shopping for back to school supplies. Even in grad school, the joy was there, too. Of course, the cost of the books put a big dent in my budget (grin). That’s what you have to look forward to when your kids go off to college, too.
Of all the food you cooked this week, only the peanut butter cookies tempted me. I’ve wanted some since Christmas. Your drawings are beautiful and your garden journal is divine. I couldn’t figure out why you left so much space between letters in Journal until I saw how you filled the space. Very clever. I won’t give it away, so others can see it for themselves.
Your tea sounds lovely this week. I love herbs, but never thought of echinacea as an herb. Thanks for sharing your adorable drawings, your garden journal, those peanut butter cookies, and your tea with us for T this Tuesday,
Summer… we had none. 3 days, maybe 5. 51F right now.
School starts here soon, too. With Covid-tests on a daily basis… poor kiddos, that!
🙂 When my Hubby told me what he and his younger Brother ate as teenagers, oh, boy!!! Is that a German saying, eating the parents hair off?!
Beautiful painting. I was so lucky to be able to attend Chinese New Year in Perth, it was wonderful.
Still afraid to start with watercolors and now Hubby came up with super-expensice art stuff from another side… without asking me and it´s for me.
Elderberry to a German sounds rather mean, LOL.
Have a honeyly T-Day 🙂
All those baked goodies are making me hungry. (It’s lunch time). I still haven’t made cookies. I promised myself one day I’d make cookies, but I never have. Looking at yours, I must give it a try. Can’t be that difficult.
Your Singapore shops are gorgeous. I look at the photo too and you really do a wonderful job!
I also looked at your stencil column. I love your Garden Journal. It’s beautiful and also useful as you will try to remember next year what you planted, and what was successful or not. I noticed you have annual Rosemary. In this country it is perennial and grows into large bushes if left long enough.
Your Pukka tea look delicious. I’ll join you for a cuppa…
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
Beautiful art and food, what more could one wish for. Growing children do need a lot of calories, and your cookies and cakes look really delicious. Love the shop fronts you painted, really well done. Happy T day, hugs, Valerie
Wow, so interesting how we all have different back to school start dates – our kids went back 2 weeks ago. Your library movie project sounds very cool – great idea to pair up movies and books. Great looking cookies – yum!
Love all your art – especially your Garden Art Journal, but it is all fabulous. Always a treat to see what you have done!
I so wish our Walmart had teas like this and on sale too!
Happy T-day, Kate!
Hi! it’s been awhile, but I’m glad to pop by again. I see terrific art ~ Lot’s of yummy baking too! After 20 years of back to school shopping, it looks like I might be done and I’m going to miss it. I think I’ll take my great niece out for a special pencil case or piece of jewelry instead this week 🙂 Enjoy!
Movie Day sounds like fun. Those cookies look tempting. And that coffee cake, yummm! Happy T Tuesday
Once again, I love everything. I am in the habit of revisiting your blog regularly. So much inspiration. Thank you for your ray of creative sunshine.
good morning Kate, stopping by to say hello. I love watching Duff on food network so will be checking out his cookbook-thanks.
Beautiful art-as always Happy Tuesday and week hugs Kathy
Such beautiful makes and bakes! Loving your cookie recipes this week and your beautiful paintings 😀. I can’t believe that school is just around the corner again, where does the time go. A cuppa would be welcome right now too. Wishing you a very happy T Day! Hugs Jo x
I always enjoyed shopping for school supplies, but hated shopping for clothes. Fortunately for me, my girlies went to a school that required uniforms. It made things so much easier. You just reminded me I have some dried elderberries that makes a nice tea. Happy T Day. Your urban sketches are so pretty. especially the little house of dreams. Happy T Day
Wow you are busy with family and baking. Love the Blueberry cake and your house of dreams. Simply charming. Have a great day.
Fabulous post Kate. Your sketches are superb! I shouldn’t, but I could do with one of those cookies right now! I had a pop over to look at your fabulous garden Journal – so lovely! Belated happy T Day, Chrisx
Kate, I am seriously loving these sketches, especially the pop of pink in the second one. I’ve tried this tea too and yes, it needs a little sweetener. Hugs, Autumn
How many beauties have you created Kate! But first, those cookies and the blueberry pie have to be divine good, from here to heaven.
The insects are very beautiful, and I love the facades that you have painted, the red lanterns are perfect.
Happy T-day! I hope you’re having a nice week, classes start here in a couple of weeks too, so school shopping is done too.
I send you a big hug, Caty