new addition

OK, so I didn't create her... but we are going to create a healthy and happy home for her!

Meet Pepper:

introducing....

LOWELL & LOUISE
our new crafting and creative empire. watch out world, here we come!

Our website begins! It is very young, so check back for updates. But it is there, and it is ours.

www.lowellandlouise.com

The etsy shop is up and running! Tell your friends! We have jewelry and lighting for now, and will have artwork and other creations there soon.

www.lowellandlouise.etsy.com

More items to be listed this weekend. Thanks for looking!

say cheeeeese!

My sister gave me a cheese-making kit for Christmas... it worked! We bought a gallon of milk, and made mozzarella cheese! We tried twisting & braiding some of it. You have to work quickly when it is hot. We also made some tiny cheese balls (bocconcini) and I marinated them in olive oil, garlic, and italian spices. YUM.

stirring the milk and checking the temperature

the curds and whey are separating!

you gotta stretch it. and it was HOT. next time we'll use gloves.

attempted braid, and a little taste test.

marinated bocconcini.

The kit came with enough ingredients to make THIRTY batches of cheese. Yes, three zero, 30. We will experiment with adding different spice combinations (instead of just salt) and maybe rolling it up with special things like ham or pesto. And in the summer, I will make my own pizza dough... and have tomatoes and basil from my garden, and make my own cheese and have a completely homemade pizza!

bathroom redo - stage 2

the light is complete! David made this new light for the vanity area over the holidays. Made of maple and a metal right angle. The wood came from scraps from the bed my dad made... so everything flows very nicely in the master suite.

before:



and after!!

bathroom redo - stage 1

The bedroom and vanity/bathroom upstairs got new life recently in the form of paint on the walls. They used to be blah and beige. Now they are a clean crisp light grey.

Before...


After...


Stage 2 is a new light for the vanity area, already in production. And stage 3 will be deciding how to decorate the vanity area wall... a decal? paint chips? artwork?

more jewelz

After creating that gold beaded necklace a few weeks ago, I just can't get enough! Here are some new creations, and a couple oldies but goodies.

delicious dish

I love spending time in the kitchen this time of year when it is too cold for me to play outside. My mother made a yummy salad for our Thanksgiving dinner this year:

2 sweet potatoes, cubed
1/2 red onion, sliced
baby spinach
lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

Spread the sweet potatoes and onion on a pan and cover with olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix it around so everything gets coated. Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. The potatoes will be nice and tender and the onions will be slightly crispy. Place on top of a bed of baby spinach, add 1/2 teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch more salt. Delicious!

thank you

Thank you everyone who went to Acme to view my first ever public art display!

These are just a few things that were displayed over the past two months. Thanks Acme, and thank you friends and family!

jewelry EXPLOSION!

I forgot how much I enjoy making jewelry. I used to make tons of earrings. I was inspired by my friend Shelly recently... she had on a cute necklace that she made. I decided to copy it. Here is my gold version:



I especially love the vintage-looking clasp.

After making one necklace, and getting overwhelmed in the bead section of the craft store, I decided to make some more jewelry!



I ended up making 4 pairs of earrings and 3 necklaces in one day. I am excited now to dig up some old jewelry creations and add beading back into my crafting repertoire.

sweet sleep

The last time I had a bed was.... well, I think that was in college in an apartment that was already furnished. So it has been a while. Since then I have had a box spring and mattress on the floor of the 3 or 4 places I have lived since then. Now that I own a house, it is time to get a real bed. I had an idea. So I told my Dad about it. I found some silver colored furniture legs at Ikea, and Dad made the rest! Made of Maple and Ash (headboard), and stained with a cherry color. The frame houses the box spring perfectly. I LOVE IT!!

Before (gross):

After (pretty!):

Next, I will paint the bedroom and the adjoining vanity and bathroom. Check back for before and afters of that project later next month.

kitchen creations

As the daylight gets shorter, and the weather gets cooler, it is time to spend more time being creative in the kitchen. Here are two yummy things to make!

1. Chicken Shlop (kind of like chicken pot pie)

1 or 2 chicken breasts
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
½ a white onion, chopped
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup frozen corn, thawed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of store-bought biscuits (the kind in the scary peel-n-pop can)

I baked the chicken breast ahead of time, and then cubed it. I sautéed the onion, carrots, and celery and added salt & pepper. I cooked the potatoes in water separately. I added all of this cooked stuff along with the peas and corn to a pot with the can of soup and warmed it up... here you have your pie filling! Then put a little bit of the filling on the bottom of a baking dish, add 6 biscuits (10 came in the can I bought, but I only used 6 of them and baked the other 4 for use in another meal later) then add the rest of the filling right on top of the biscuits. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until the biscuits puff up and start to peek out through the filling and get a nice golden crispy top. Very colorful and hearty and the leftovers are good too!

2. Tomato Sauce

I learned this one while staying with my friend Amanda (and Sabrina) in chilly Vermont.

Cherry tomatoes
Italian style breadcrumbs
Parmesan cheese, grated
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

Throw all that stuff in a baking dish. Leave the tomatoes whole, unless they are super huge, then cut ‘em up into about 1-inch cubes. Use about ¼ cup of cheese and ¼ cup of breadcrumbs for each pint of cherry tomatoes you use. Drizzle the olive oil over everything and toss the tomatoes until they are coated. Also add salt, pepper, oregano or whatever Italian seasonings you like. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or so, stirring every 10 minutes. I like to smash it up a little. Then use as pizza sauce or serve over pasta! I like to add fresh basil at the end... enjoy!

check it:

visit Acme in Carrboro, NC anytime from NOW through November 27 to check out my artwork on display!

canvas paintings/mixed media
bottle cap stuff
photos

all for sale!!

another nc

another NC inspired piece. with a stripe of phone book pages.

tennessee

More caps!!


These are part of a one Mr. John Winton's collection, I just made a home for them. They feature Memphis, TN and Germantown, TN where Mr. Winton resides. While making these, I had a neat idea for other map cap art... check back for updates on that!

a different light

Check out these lamps made from used ink cartridges! David made them. The chandelier is hanging in our kitchen. It makes the prettiest pattern on the ceiling when it is on... and it lights the space better than our original dining area fixture. I think we will keep it up for a while.


The smaller lights make great desk lamps or night lights... great for a dorm room! If you know a college student, send them off to school this month with unique and roommate-friendly lighting! Available at: www.boxlightbox.etsy.com