November Desktop

It's Desktop time! I hope you enjoy it. Can you believe on Monday it will be November?

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Click here to DOWNLOAD  the 1280 X 800 pixel version

Happy Halloween

Queen Of The Night



Tilt Shift

I'm like a kid with a new toy. In mid November, I will be going to Las Vegas, for a long overdue family reunion. I am super excited about this. I'm going to see family members that I haven't seen in so long. It will be great. Lately, I have been a bit obsessed with tilt shift photograph, and I thought this would be the perfect way to capture Las Vegas. Tilt shift photograph makes things look like you are looking at a miniature diorama, rather than a photograph of something real. It's a fun effect, and the perfect thing to exaggerate the unreal quality that Las Vegas exemplifies. The problem was that I didn't know how tilt shift photography was done. Happily, now I know how to do it. Hooray! To get a little practice, and to figure out what kind of shots work best, I've been playing.  I had a couple photos, one from Chicago, and another from Vancouver, that I was experimenting with.  Be warned, I have the urge to tilt shift everything I see.

Fun, right? Perfect for Las Vegas, right? For all theses reasons, and more, I can't wait for this trip!

Flowers On A Friday - An Autumn Bouquet

2011 Calenders

I added the ever so special Gilding Lilies 2011 Calender to my Etsy shop today. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I hope you like it too.
Here is the official shpeel. It features 12 of my favorite images. It's professionally printed on luster finish photographic paper, so that the photos will maintain their beautiful detail and color for years to come. Making them suitable for framing after you enjoy them as a calender. Just snip off the calender portion of the print, once the month has passed, and you have twelve 5 X 5 inch works of art for framing or giving.

The twelve prints arrive unbound. Each month you can hang it on your inspiration boards or frig. Tuck it into your planner. Display it in a frame on your counter or desk. Clip them together and hang them anywhere. The possibilities are endless!
I think they would make wonderful and unique gifts too. Click on the link on the sidebar to go visit the Gilding Lilies Etsy Shop, and look in the Miscellaneous section to find these little beauties.
Thanks for humoring me during this obviously shameless promotion.
And Heeeere they are...

 Sorry, no Ginsu knives included. But wait, there's more...
No, not really, that's it.
And now, back to my regular scheduled blogging.

My Autumn List

There are so many things that get me all twitterpated at this time of year. Here is my list of little Autumn pleasures that I look forward to enjoying.

• Crunching through fall leaves
• Similarly, I love to drive through the leaves and watch them billow up behind me as I zoom down the road
• Eating vegan caramel  apples covered in nuts
• More eating - vegan pecan pie
• Taking photos of rain drops
• enjoying the smell of scented candles burning in my house
• getting together with family
• OK, this one is silly but I look forward to sleeping with my pretty, sweater wearing, hot water bottle (man, do I sound like an old woman!). It's so snuggly. Don't knock it till you try it.
• Baking acorn squash 
• Decorating a pumpkin - I have an idea for a non traditional carving idea. If it works out I will share.
•  Maybe I'll knit something quick, pretty, and simple (my knitting skills are limited, but the yarns are so pretty) 
• listening to the geese honking loudly as they fly over my house

Ahhh, that sounds good. What would you have on your list?

Meatless Monday - Rice Pilaf

Here is another one of my non recipes. I'm assuming you can all cook white rice. When I was little, I loved that "San Francisco Treat". You know what I talking about, right? Well, it's tasty, but not vegan. To create this yummy variation, I break up angel hair pasta into little bits. I then saute the bits in olive oil until they are golden brown. I then add the rice, water, a little minced garlic, dill, and vegan chic-like broth powder and cook it just as you would regular white rice.

Do you know the knuckle trick for cooking rice? You put the rice in a sauce pan, touch your finger to the top of the rice, and add water up too your first knuckle. Those proportions seem to work every time. No more measuring cups Folks.

Good Weather For Ducks

It's raining, hooray! I love the rain. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to build an ark or anything, but I do feel inspired by a the sound of rain on the roof. I love the way the world looks, when peeking out a window streaked with raindrops. The fragrance in the air, when the rain first begins to fall, is one of the most lovely sniffs going. Indoor activities, like painting and baking, seem a bit more romantic when it's pouring outside. And speaking of romance, is anything sweeter than snuggling up with your lover in front of a fireplace on a chilly and rainy day? I don't think so. (Hello, future Mr. Gilding Lilies, are you out there?)

So, for today I'm enjoying it. Tomorrow may be a different story because it's supposed to get pretty intense, and I'm spoiled, I like my electricity. Tonight, I think I will make a cup of tea, and soak in all the little gifts the rain gives to my senses.

p.s. I didn't get into the Renegade Craft Fair. So sad.

Flowers On A Friday - Vivid Colors

Nature is so amazing! This is a straight from the camera photo. No tweaking saturation or hue. No thinking that I can improve things. Just glorious, vivid, nature. Look at that color combination. I get all giddy thinking that flower actually goes with that foliage. Does it get any better? Not for me. How about you?

Happy weekend my Sweet Ones.

Words On Wednesday

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this time of year? Autumn is my season. The other morning I took my little Abby Dog out for her morning walk in the yard. It was so lovely and peaceful. Everything was covered in dew, and it looked all twinkly and white. The air was filled with mist, and it was so quiet. I looked down and saw these pretty little weeds decorated with drops of moisture on a million tiny tips. It was breathtaking. I plucked one, brought it inside, placed it on a vintage dictionary page I happened to have on the table (my life is a giant collage, what can I say?), and snapped this picture. Now, every time I look at this photo I remember that lovely fall morning, and I think of how much I love this time of year.

Meatless Monday - The Easy Way

Here's the story. I decided I wanted to bake the Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, and share the recipe with you. I went back over to my old, and abandoned, blog to find the link for the recipe, and I started looking around. There are some great recipes over there! Some of them might have to find their way over here, but chances are, many of them won't. So, I thought I would give you the link to this buried treasure, of sorts.

I'm still in the mood for the cookies (and they really are the best ever) so I will be making some this afternoon. Won't you join me? 

Flowers On A Friday - I'm Back

With a big sigh of relief, a tear for what I lost, and a vow to diligently do back ups, I return. It really makes you wonder, about the people that sit out there, creating and spreading computer viruses.

I choose to think of people in a positive light. I know it's not all tiny, pretty blossoms, but for the most part I think people are a pretty good lot. A few bad seeds, to be sure, but over-all a glass half full group. I don't want to change that view, it comforts me, and I think over-all it leads to a happier life. Then occasionally, you become aware, that sometimes people just want to be wicked, and it's disturbing.

Well, I say it's time to put back on my comforting blinders. I'm ready to enjoy all my lovely readers, and go back to thinking about all the kindness that there is out there in the big old world. I'm glad to be back, thanks for the support dear ones.     

Baby Steps

My computer is back. Empty, but back. Hopefully, I will reinstall all the pretty picture software tomorrow, just in time for Flowers On A Friday. May the force be with me. Allow me to reinterate, I CURSE YOU RKIT/Bubnix!

BIG Computer Woes

So sad, the virus totally destroyed my operating system, so my poor computer has to be completely wiped clean. UGH, doesn't even begin to describe it! So, here I sit in a coffee shop typing away. Just thought I'd share an update. Hopefully, my computer will return soon, and I will begin again. Off I go to ease my computer withdrawals with a bit of caffeine. Thanks for the support, I miss you all.

Meatless & Computerless Monday

Hi Kids,
my computer isn't feeling well. It is running painfully slow, and it needs to go to the computer doctor. RKIT/Bubnix, I curse at you! All the "quarantining" in the world, will not get it to let go of my system. I hope the computer doctor is open today. So anyway, no Meatless Monday, from me, today. Please eat your favorite veggies though, it will make me so happy. I'd love to add a pretty picture here, but the time it would take could cause me to lose my mind, and we wouldn't want that, would we?
Hopefully I'll be back soon.    

Flowers On A Friday - Lavender On The Window Sill

Happy Friday my sweet readers. xoxo

Some Serious Romance

I don't know, maybe it's the total lack of  romance in my life right now, that prompted me to make such a sweet and sentimental image. Whatever the case, here it is, in all it's girly glory. I'm really happy with it's ephemeral quality and the fact that the heart appears to float just above the hands, like a reminder of how we must nurture, and be gentle, with this thing called love. It's steeped in symbolism, and it makes me happy to look at it. I hope you like it too.

Meatless Monday - A Special Guest

Hi everybody, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I'm excited today because we have a guest visiting. The lovely Ann Marie Whittaker of I Am An Age Old Tree. I Am Stars In White Snow. Has been kind enough to share a yummy and beautiful vegan recipe with us. She first posted it on her blog (which is totally beautiful!), and I was so impressed with it, that I asked if she would be willing to share it over here too, and she agreed. So, here we go, take it away Ann Marie Whittaker.

I am so thrilled Jennifer asked me to be apart of her Meatless Monday series. What a treat!

I have been vegetarian for just over three years now, and have had a few bouts as a vegan as well. One of the many benefits that come from being either a vegetarian or a vegan is that you have to get creative with cooking. When people first find out that I am vegetarian (or vegan) their first question is often, "What do you eat?" I reply, "I eat a lot."
This recipe is so easy and so tasty. The quinoa, beans, and lentils are an incredible source of protein; the veggies are full of good fiber. My husband and I often make this for road trips or camping trips, and often we pair it with tortilla chips. I hope you enjoy it too.

ingredients:
quinoa
lentils
corn, on the cob of course
green onions
red pepper
yellow pepper
black beans
put it all together:
first thing, start cooking your black beans (i let mine simmer in a little crock pot for a few hours). then i cook the quinoa & lentils together like i cook rice (water to quinoa/lentils 2:1). at the same time i'm boiling the corn. while all of that's cooking dice up the green onions and peppers. when the corn is done, use a knife to saw off all of those delicious sweet kernels. then mix everything in with the quinoa and lentils...salt & pepper to taste. yum!

Photos by Ann Marie Whittaker

Recipe Testing

Hi Everybody, I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I have some stuff to share. The wonderful Kim Klassen has come out with a Photoshop Recipe Book.  I volunteered to be a recipe tester. What fun! I tested three of the recipes, and here are my results.

I'd never done much with gradient map adjustment layers, so it was educational to experiment with that. Kim's tutorials are really wonderful, and the recipe format makes them super easy to follow. So, if you are stumbling along with Photoshop, but know that you haven't tapped into all the possibilities (isn't that true for most of us that have Photoshop?) I would highly recommend picking up a copy of the recipe book, it's a great tool. Congratulations Kim! 

Flowers On A Friday - Red Rose Wreath

It's so late in the day, did you think I forgot? Nope, here are your flowers. This little beauty was hanging on the gate to welcome people.
Have a wonderful weekend. You'll be hearing from me over the weekend because I'm doing something fun, and I'd like to share. It involves some recipe testing, but it's not what you might think. Tease!

 

October Desktop

Hi Kids, can you believe it's October already? Here's a new desktop for you. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD the 1024x768 vesion here

DOWNLOAD the 1280x800 version here