meatless monday

I think I first heard about Meatless Mondays at Ecorazzi when they posted about Paul McCartney and his family helping to promote the idea. We already eat some meatless meals each week (pasta & pizza night for example) but, I wanted to improve on it and use Meatless Mondays as a way for us to think "out of the box" and create more fresh meals rich in vegetables. For a healthy well-rounded diet I think having our family eat meatless meals a few times a week is essential.

From the Meatless Mondays website:

Why Meatless?

Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

Read about these benefits in more detail here.

Today, I joined the movement and pledge to go meatless on Monday. I also signed up to receive weekly recipes via Eater’s Digest to help me start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives. Check out the Meatless Monday website for articles, recipes, seasonal picks and more.

i heart hydra heart

These custom order ballet flats made by Hydra Heart are adorable! They are 100% vegan and made with organic cotton. I hope to have some of my very own someday. Check out Hydra Heart's Etsy store.

avantegarden gallery public installation

I am awe of things done on such a large scale. I have to say, public installation art is one of things I miss no longer living in an urban area.

Posted by SprayBlog:

Avantgarden Gallery presents a video from the street intervention by Bo130 and Microbo . The performance is linked to the exhibition “Cut’N'Past and Dirty Fingers” at Avantgarden Gallery, via Cadolini 29, Milano.

The wall is visible at Via Palermo , Milano Italy.

east valley art guild

Last month, I joined the East Valley Art Guild Meetup Group. This group is free to join and is open to any and all artists, fine crafts people, art lovers and collectors.

I went to their June monthly meeting. It was a great example of bringing artists together to network and discuss art in general. It was really neat to be involved with a critique, I haven't been in a group critique since college. I personally didn't bring anything to my first meeting but, I do plan to bring something to the July meeting. For me, this is a first step in getting active in the arts community. It is an important step to gain resources, opportunities, and a path to being a better artist. Thank you Bert and Carla for encouraging me to get more active!

The meetup group is sponsored by The East Valley Art Guild which has over 200 juried members from 20 valley cities. The Guild organizes - 4th Friday ArtWalks, 2nd Friday Night Out events, participates in MACFest Saturday Arts Festival, and operates the Guild Gallery at 101, where they have exhibits and monthly meetings with speakers, critiques, and workshops.

If you are an artist located in Arizona, think about joining and get involved ...

slip n slide

Summer ... Summer... Summertime. Us Arizonians have been spending a lot of time in the water this week. It is essential to stay cool during these 100+ degree days. The boys got there first taste of the 80's childhood classic water toy; Slip n' Slide! It was a bit hit. I forgot how fun they are. Ethan wasn't sure on the technique so, I showed him how it was done and dove in fully clothed! Ahh, to be a kid again.

Pyrotechnics Art

Rosemarie Fiore is amazing, insane, brilliant and definitely wild! She is a fellow new yorker with a passion for working with nontraditional mediums to create art. Above she is wearing a gas mask and painting with fireworks! She uses color smoke bombs, jumping jacks, monster balls, fountains, magic whips, spinning carnations, ground blooms, rings of fire, and lasers on paper to create bursts of color. Her recent work is entitled Pyrotechnics Firework Drawings 2009. I read about her today on CRAFT magazine's blog.

bird watching

What a delightful way to spend our time - watching feathered creatures flit about in our front yard. I received a bird feeder for Mother's Day and it has proved to be a nice addition to our home. We have a flock of birds visiting daily along with some bunnies and a large lizard. We see finches mostly but, we have had a few colorful sightings like this beautiful red Cardinal. Bert is enjoying the company as the birds have taken to him since he has been replenishing the feeder (pretty regularly). The birds have even come to the front door and peeked in the windows when the feeder is empty! Too cute.

ship's ahoy! father's day card

Ethan and Hudson made this sea worthy card for Bert for father's day. I stumbled onto the ships ahoy! father's day tutorial over at Nini Makes blog and thought it was a perfect card to make with the boys. Hudson painted the ship and flag while Ethan painted the 2 sails and helped glue it all together. I used a scrap piece of cardboard as the card and heavy paper for the ship parts. I'm trying to think up a clever note for the inside in pirate talk ... how's this? Shiver me timbers! We mateys think you be the best captain there ever be!

Happy Father's Day!

painting in progress, dandelion

painting in progress, dandelion