Tomatoes

I LOVE homegrown tomatoes!!! I always have. I remember going out to my grandparent's garden at a very young age, picking a big tomato and sitting right there on the grass to eat it....getting covered with tomato juice in the process. :) My favorite summer food was when Mama would make her fresh tomato relish...well that is what we called it then, now it is called salsa.  We would just eat it as a side - without tortilla chips - and then fight over who got to drink the juice left in the bowl.

 Somehow we ended up with all cherry tomato plants this year and they are all producing abundantly.  So I have been making all my favorite summer fresh tomato dishes all with cherry tomatoes.
YUMMM Bruschetta!!!  Salsa and chips!  Fresh Summer Tomato Pasta! Caprese Salad!

I like to just throw things together when I cook, although I do like to go through recipes to get some new ideas.  For supper on this very, very hot evening I thew together this salad to eat with tortilla chips.

I can tell you what is in it, but I really have no idea what the measurements are, and I don't really think it makes much difference on a dish like this.  It contains: Chopped cherry tomatoes, about a half the bowlful, I tossed in a part of an onion and three kinds of peppers (one being a jalapeno) chopped and a finely diced large clove of garlic , also chopped and added about a half of a yellow squash and maybe a cup and a half of black beans and the kernels off of two cooked ears of corn, I squeezed in the juice of one lime, drizzled olive oil over the top and seasoned with freshly ground pepper and sea salt then added a generous palmful of cumin.  All seasonings to taste. It is chilling out in the fridge just waiting to have some cold cooked chopped chicken added just before we eat it with tortilla chips.

I found these tomato items on Etsy.

Watercolor Garden Foods Note Cards by Susan Windsor

Needle Felted Heirloom Tomato by Sharon Yoder

Polymer Clay Tomato Ornament by Amy's Clay Critters

Many blessings, Zuda Gay

Making a Simple Heart a Bit Fancy

Hearts have always been one of my favorite things to make...well, hearts and flowers.  I can remember playing in mud when I was a child and making flowers and hearts. I loved playing in mud!  This is a simple little tutorial on how I throw a heart together.

I used Premo! Peacock Pearl right out of the package.  After conditioning the clay, I took about 1/8th?

of the package and chopped it up with my blade.

Pick up all the little pieces and smoosh them together.

This will give your heart a lot of depth and marbling from the mica

that is in the pearl clay.....LOVE IT!

 Roll them into a  smooth ball.

See the blues/turquoise and greens? Yummy!

With the ball of clay between your palms, roll it back and forth putting more pressure

on one side of the ball to make a teardrop shape.

I made this funny little tool to help create the cleft in the heart, I also use

a needle tool on occasion, it just takes a bit more smoothing to get the lobes

just right.

You just press the tool in to the wide part and toggle it back and forth until

you get it opened up to your liking.

 Notice that it isn't perfect, but it is a good start. :)

Smooth out and round the lobes

Until you get them to the shape you are happy with.

Next you need to decide where you want the hole. For this heart, I wanted the hole

straight through the lobes. You could also go straight down through the cleft and out the

point...or any which way you want your heart to hang.  Also,  you can insert a bail for hanging

if you so wish.

To pierce a bead it is best to use a drilling motion starting on one side and piercing part way 

through, turn it over and line up your needle and work the other side in the same way

until it comes out the first hole.  

I enlarged the hole with a bamboo skewer, then left a piece of a skewer in to keep the hole

and to hold as I decorated it.

At this point, smooth your fingertips over the heart like you are gently petting it

to erase the fingerprints.

 Collect some canes and clay to see what you want to use to

decorate your heart.

I chose a pink flower cane and a purple flower cane that were sitting in my

cane box just waiting for their moment in time.

I can't tell you how old these are...probably 5 years old or so.

 I like to do a bit of manipulation to the cane slices.

My "tools" are actually handmade glass ink pens from Italy. :)

Make up some bitsy little leaves from green.

Sweet!

Roll out a thin snake/vine and lay it on the heart then decorate with

cane slices and leaves to your heart's desire. hehe...get it?

Cure it according to the package's direction, put it on a ribbon and wear it proudly.

If you make a heart, I would love to see it!!
Check out my About Page and let me know what you think.

blessings, Zuda Gay

Stuff to Share

Some great stuff I've been reading:

Soo, so touched by this blog post!  I want to be able to do this:  Jesus Had Blue Eyes (or, "Plus One")

I read the Hunger Games Trilogy at the prompting of some of my grandchildren. I really liked them and thought they contained a lot of topics that would be good for conversations with the kids...which we haven't got around to yet. This blog post from Homespun Inspirations spells it out much better than I could: My Thoughts on "The Hunger Games"

Susan Branch and her hubby took the Queen Mary 2 to England and I am virtually traveling along with them. I'm sure they would be happy to have you along as well.  Susan Branch Blog

LOVED this on American Idol last week!!!!! 



The sweetest pottery, ever! Julie Whitmore Pottery

many blessings, Zuda Gay

Doodles, Quotes and Colors

I love quotes. I write them down.....and then I often misplace them.  I love calligraphy...but I am not very good at it. I have tried it off and on for years. Although I can make the letters individually, putting together a lovely whole quote never comes out.  I decided that with my doodling it wouldn't matter so much that my writing isn't perfect or even pretty. So I scrounged around and found a couple of quotes that I had written down and lost then created a couple of doodles to go with them. :) Yay!

This one says "Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house..." which is part of a quote from Mother Teresa.

I love this quote by Madeleine L'Engle: "Inspiration usually comes during work rather than before it."

I've been playing a bit with some of the fun tools in the new Picasa 3 program and changed this one up a bit.

How fun is that?

blessings, Zuda Gay

Bloggy Goodiness...part 2

Since I have absolutely nothing going on in my brain, I will share some things I've been touched by or have found interesting that have come from other people's brains.

Did you know how dangerous button batteries can be???  Renee shares what she has learned the hard way.  Also please pray for little Kellsey!

The Dangers of Button Batteries

You never know how God might use you.  If you "listen" to that still small voice, you just may be someone's blessing or answer to prayer as Lora shares in her post my God-moment at Food Lion. Be prepared for goose-bumpies.

 OH!  You might want to take a peek at Lora's Etsy Shop, too!  Eager Hands

How to cut glass without a glass cutter...I want to try this! I wonder if I can do it without harming myself?   Cutting Glass tutorial.

One of my daughters has been providing us with Coconut oil for some time now.  A couple of months ago a friend shared a link about a doctor who was giving a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil daily to her husband who is dealing with Alzheimer's Disease and the ways it is helping him. You can check out the video and article here.  We use CO in our homemade deodorant, lotions and chapstick as well as in cooking.  It makes THE BEST popcorn!!! Here is a fun blog post with 52 uses for Coconut Oil.

Many Blessings!  Zuda Gay

Good stuff...sharing links from my blog list

I have been reading some really great things on blogs here lately. Amazing things, touching things and I have learned new things....which is always a good thing!  ; )

First is Chelsea's story (testimony). A touching story by an amazing girl who will be used in wonderful ways!

From Homestead Revival, Dear Daughter: The Heart of Modesty...what I've tried to teach, but never could say this well!

This is a Katie video...if you don't know Katie's story, read back. I cried.....a lot! Precious little miracle!!!   Sweet, sweet family...God is awesome!!
 
This painting is March's Monthly Challenge on Art Bead Scene, it is Street Scene in Montmartre: Le Moulin a Poivre by Vincent Van Gogh, isn't it delightful? 

They pick a designer of the week whose design reflects the challenge piece. I love this week's piece by Lynne Bowland


And....one of my flowers is on today's post on Art Bead Scene....super cool!


And lastly....Totally Tutorials is a blog with lots of...tutorials! I gotta try this one on making an adjustable wire ring base.




blessings, Zuda Gay

Team Love - some of my favorite things

My teammates have been listing some great items and I have picked a few of my favorites to share.  I am so blessed to get to chat with some wonderful people from all over the country and a few countries on the other side of the pond...as those in UK say. I LOVE getting to know them and learning things from them and admiring their talents.

This beautiful Envelope Pocket Album for photos was created by Judy of Mister Pen Quinn and JN Originals Judy always uses beautiful supplies and is one of the most immaculate artisans I know. No matter if the medium is paper or fiber each and every item Judy makes is beautifully crafted.

I've been sewing for most of my life so I appreciate well made clothing. Hannah from BananaOrangeApple creates adorable clothing for children as well as some lovely quilts. This patchwork twirly dress is made from upcycled fabrics and is almost as sweet as her model.

Please meet Harry Potter Parker. Isn't he cute with his owl Hedwig and the Sorting Hat. Parker is an original creation made by Katie of Kater's Acres. Katie's imagination is endless as she creates these adorable little guys and their friends.

Kate from Paintings by Kate Ladd is a wonderful artist. This beautiful painting of Two Iris is a lovely example of her talent. Kate also paints abstracts, landscapes collages and some very lovely floorcloths and home decor.

Joanna of The Dove Stop offers some beautiful floral felt brooches (and you know how I love flowers!) and some adorable cupcake ones as well as beautiful greeting cards. Since this year is Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee I had to feature Joanna's Queenie Brooch...besides, it makes me smile.

My last featured shop artist today is Kim of Clay by Kim.  Kim's shop is delightful especially if you are like me and love flowers, whimsey and a bit of fairy dust. Isn't this Cottage Fairy Door just lovely? I can imagine a fairy peeking at me through the little stained glass window...so sweet!

Many blessings!! Zuda Gay