'Carve it Up'

It was so long ago I had forgotten that I sent an entry to the Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine 'Carve it Up' reader's challenge back in November. It was an unexpected thrill to see my entry (the pink Bleeding Heart relief print) as I flipped through the pages of my recently received March/April issue.

I love Bleeding Hearts. I have quite a few of these plants in my garden and it won't be long before they will be in full spring bloom. They reseed so easily that every year I have plenty to give away to friends and can share the love.

© K. Johnson 'Dicentra' - 4" x 6" relief print

As I turned to the next page (86) I recognized a name from a blog I've been following for the past six months or so. The black and orange fish print shown below was made by Kim Henkel.  More of her creative endeavors can be seen at her blog Letting in the Light where she generously shares her artwork, ideas, techniques and experiments. Some of the truly unique and beautiful pieces Kim makes with tea bags are highlighted in her "Tea Bags and Creations" post from March 3rd. The inspiration of her warm and earthy palette stands out in these photos from where she lives through the long winter's of Canada.

Two Tuesdays - Collage #4

2012 Collage Challenge

© K. Johnson, 'Rusty Warmth' - 7" x 5" collage on paper

All the collages in this series can be seen here.

Two Tuesdays - Collage #3

2012 Collage Challenge

© K. Johnson 'Bountiful' - 5"x7" collage on paper

All the collages in this series can be seen here.

Happy Valentine's Day

K. Johnson

World Nutella Day

Yes, I know it's Superbowl Sunday but did you know today is also World Nutella Day? I had not heard about this "holiday" until last February when I was browsing some of my favorite food blogs. It's described as "a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to eat Nutella."

I have to be honest and say that I am really not that big a Nutella fan. I could never eat it out of the jar with a spoon like I do peanut butter (tell the truth - you do it too!) but...
It is absolutely delicious in this recipe I found in an old Better Homes and Gardens Magazine!

I have only made these cookies a few times because they are so rich and decadent but World Nutella Day was a good enough excuse to turn on the oven and get baking.
Superbowl snack? Valentine's Day treat?

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 cup Butter, softened                   
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 13 0z. jar Nutella
2 Eggs1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup chopped Hazelnuts (toasted and skinned)1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
5 oz. White Baking Chocolate, melted                                  
                
              
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until all combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add Nutella and vanilla and combine. Add eggs one a time, beating until combined.

Beat in as much of the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture as you can. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Stir in chocolate pieces and hazelnuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are just set. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Remove cookies onto wire racks and cool completely.

Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies. Let stand until set.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.   

See more fun and interesting Nutella recipes at the Plain Chicken blog.               

Sketchbook Challenge - Doodling

I haven't written about the sketchbook challenge in the past few months but I have been following along - reading about it more than sketching though. I was glad to hear that the hosts decided to continue this challenge into 2012. January's theme was Doodling. What could be more fun - just play and make random unplanned marks on a page using any tool you like and see where it leads.

This last one was done using Jane Davies ink doodle technique. Drop ink on a page, lift and move the page around letting the ink draw the lines. Then when dry you can go back in and add some paint or pencil. 

Two Tuesdays - collage #2

2012 Collage Challenge

© K. Johnson 'Cup of Tea' - 5"x7" collage on paper

All the collages in this series can be seen here.

Two Tuesdays - collage #1

This is the beginning of a challenge to myself that I've been thinking about for 2012 - to post a new collage on this blog every other Tuesday. Last year, I enjoyed getting back to working with collage and want to keep exploring the process by using different materials and trying out some new color palettes.

© K. Johnson 'Winter Visitors' - 5"x7" collage on paper

This is the first collage using some left over holiday napkins and other scraps of paper. Cardinals are one of my favorite birds to watch in the winter. The red is so striking against a white snow background. They always show up in pairs. If I see one at the feeder I will look to find its mate who is never very far away. I keep the bird feeders full and am rewarded by many daily visitors that always put a smile on my face.

All the collages in this series can be seen here.

Spring in January?

We haven't had any snow or even a really cold day yet this winter but still all I can think about is Spring and getting back in the garden. With spring on my mind I had fun working with these soft colors to create this fabric postcard for a Cloth Paper Scissors Reader's Challenge. I've never made or tried to mail a fabric postcard before but I dropped it in the post box this morning - I hope it gets there in one piece and before the Friday deadline.

I sprayed liquefied acrylic paint onto a gelatin plate and used a stencil I cut to get the print. Then embellished with a sharpie marker, thread stitching, circles and dots of pearlescent paint (doesn't show in this photo) and edged it with some lacy trim.

Merry Christmas!



Ocean House, Watch Hill, RI

   It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. 

~W.T. Ellis