Teresa Sheeley

because i love my daughter

She wanted tea towels done a certain way...

so that is what she will get.  I ♥ my daughter. 

Preliminary sketches before a mix of print and embroidery...i think...

Perfect way to wind down this evening...doing little doodles.

Homemade Croissants

Oh boy!  Just let me say this.....making homemade croissants is a huge process....but SOOO worth it!!

I've wanted to try and make them for a long time, and Saturday when Dave and I went to this little bakery I ate daintily gobbled up a pain au chocolat {aka chocolate croissant}.  All the way on the drive home I must have mentioned a zillion times I am going to make these.  

So when we got home I hooked up with the internet and scoured for recipes; finally deciding to use this one.  I also watched this Gordon Ramsay video {because he is my secret crush} to see what he did with them.  

Needless to say he makes it look much easier.  And truthfully the process would be if you had a dough press and a proofing oven.  But going for it the good old fashioned way with sweat and tears you use a rolling pin and your muscles and a whole lotta of patience.  

Step 1 is to set your butter, which also takes some grit and muscle.

Step 2 - mix up your dough and wait 2 hours for everything to chill.

Step 3, 4, & 5  - rolling, folding, waiting, rolling, folding, waiting....see the pattern here.

...and then you wait overnight.

Next step in the morning you actually get to finish up!  

Step 7 - rolling out the dough to a 10" x 38" rectangle.  And then measure your cuts 5" apart oh and cut the dough down the middle so you have two strips.  

***note here:  When I do this next time I am going to leave it 10" to make bigger croissants.  When you use a 5" strip you get smaller ones...I want larger big manly ones.

Step 8 - cutting

see what I mean these are tiny triangles, I want larger ones.  You could probably roll out your rectangle to fit the size you need.  A lesson learned.  

Step 9 - rolling

Carefully with tender loving care roll them up into the crescent shape.  Also in this process you can add fillings to your croissants.  I added dark chocolate to a lot of mine because I love them so.  You can order the chocolate batons to go in them here, or you can use chocolate chunks.  

Step 10 - proofing

Waiting for these babies to rise is like waiting for an expected birth!!  I have no patience, seriously. 

**Another lesson learned here....make sure you proof them in a warm, but not TOO WARM place, because if it too warm the butter in the croissants will start to melt.  Remember you rolled a whole truck load of butter in these things, and they are chilled so when it starts to proof you don't want to get them too hot or your rising process will fail.  **Yep, I did it to a batch and they did not rise at all.....careful with this process.

Step 10 & 11 - sorry no photo, I forgot...but you brush your proof ready croissants with the egg wash and bake, and smell the best aroma you have ever smelled in  your entire life!!!!

Final Step!!

EAT

I do hope you try making them; it is an experience for sure, but trust me you will be completely hooked.  Much better than cinnamon rolls!!!  This recipe has a great flavor it's a keeper.  

my free art download for you..

I love this site that has free art downloads you can print for your home...I thought I would share one of mine with you.   Click on the art above to print your free copy.

If you have free art you would like to give for people to download - leave your link here on my blog!!  Sharing pieces of art is a wonderful thing!!

my love for books

My love for books has been a constant since I can remember.  Mom was going through some very vintage photo albums and we came across these newspaper clippings of me when i was just three and a half.  I loved that she always took me to the library.  My favorite books of choice were Millions and Millions of Cats and all the Madeleine books.  I remember this day clearly.  I was wearing a sweet little orange dress with my white knee socks and black dress shoes.  My hair was fixed just so and I was ready to pose.  Actually I was extremely timid and Mr. Judd scared me silly and he smelled like a pipe.  I had to sit really still and be a good proper little girl for the photographer.  Ugh, I was scared to even crack a smile.  But we made it through!  My favorite part of school was story time, I was always completely fixated with the teacher.   In fourth grade Mrs. Chevevert read my first ever chapter book out loud each day.  I couldn't wait to sit and listen to her read Charlotte's Web and then Little House on the Prairie.  I couldn't wait to read a chapter book all by myself.  Remembering many times when it was the last day of school I was waiting with great anticipation to go to the library to check out the summer reading program.  The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew row was my most favorite.  I still adore books but have traded in the library sadly for bookstores and digital copies of books for the Kindle.  I have two children's books in the works, that hopefully someday I will finish them.  Books are a big part of me. Currently I am reading War Brides and am just starting The Book Thief.  I'm always happy when people tell what books they are reading so I can check them out.  We don't have a good book store where I live so I rely heavily on Amazon.  What wonderful book(s) are you reading this winter???  I need to stock up again.  

looking out or in

It all waits beyond the window.  Did I ever mention this window?  It is an old vintage one I found at a yard sale I believe.  I really wanted two the same but that is tough to find.  Anyway, my son-in-law cut into the wall which separated my office space from the rest of the world.  I always felt very boxed in; and now I have a window to look out and it made it feel so much more open.  

I took this with my camera phone in the middle of tearing out the wall to fit the window.

My son enjoying my little space.

A little peek from the inside.  This is the space I use to do my artwork, graphic design work, and all things business.  No room in here to work my sewing machine, etc.  My workspaces are spread throughout the house unfortunately.  Someday I would love to have everything all in one room!!

But in the meantime it's good to make little adjustments to your home.  I love that we put this window in, and hope to put another on the adjacent wall.  That way the little boxed in room will have windows around part of it.  Using the vintage windows gave me the feel I was after by adding a more 1940's vintage vibe to the house.  I had a vision of office spaces in old buildings that had the paned windows separating the rooms instead of walls.  It was a cheap project and made me happy.  

 

randomly random

Dave and I ..or{Santa Claus or Kenny Rogers}, did a little budget work yesterday...and found out I was spending money more frivolously than him.  I mean I am paying close to $10 bucks for this blog every month and rarely use it.  I either need to get rid of it or maybe post like you are supposed to....whatever that may be.   When this photo was taken we were on our way to the hippie barter faire.  Whoa, I had forgotten how pot smoked filled it was; {which I didn't mind in my earlier years *wink}.  They are really promoting the " let marijuana be legal here in Washington. " I went there on a quest to find some wide legged hippy looking yoga pants....not to have pot blown in my face from people smoking blunts on every turn...ugh...sorry hippieland you are not my cup of tea anymore.  I just dig some of the clothing but not the shananigans that go with their lifestyle.  

{glimpse into hippie land} 

Yesterday I had a few moments to make myself a few pillows.  Sorry for the crapola pictures, but when the weather is gray; so are the photos.  It is simply dreary, and fall, and I love it!  

Today we will be busy shipping off orders, making new orders...I shall not see the light of day this whole week it looks like.  It's nice to have helpers stationed in the house with me while I have these orders to fill.  Did I mention my sweet little mama moved in with us?  She has her own cozy space at the other end of our house, kinda like a little studio apartment.  Her and her kitty cat are settling in nicely.  And I love having her here.  No more worrying about her safety and knowing that she isn't alone anymore.  Her dear sweet companion of 30+ years passed away in May, and finally she agreed to come live with us.  She shouldn't be alone at 86 in a big house by herself.  So now all is well!

Baseball Tee ~

Hey all!  So excited about the new baseball t-shirt that is available now.    They are a wonderful fit that come in sizes small to x-large.  Soft & cozy!!  Design is my original graphic.  

Order yours today!!  It will take up to 2 weeks for delivery.  

 Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.  

XL & M SOLD OUT!  

 

Sizes

Small Medium Large X-Large

a bit of a new path for me

A few weeks ago I accidentally blindly grabbed my watercolor paper block and just started to play with colors to make a landscape of part of the sea to make me feel like I was transported there.  Now I can't seem to stop painting landscape/seascapes.  I'm ever so drawn to the colors the sea entangles me in, but also want to be aware of the surroundings that are in front of me.  

I decided to go ahead and list these original paintings and not offer them as prints.  Although prints are fine, I feel that the real deal is such a better thing to capture the true colors an artist uses, and is a better investment as well.

So far I have 4 listings in my etsy shop.

acceptance/free with confidence/follow me/spirit filled

I am enjoying doing these small works, with more coming.  I also enjoy the fact that there are no prints to make, just one of a kinds an I hope you do to.

 

Creatively Made Home ~ WINNER!!!

And the winner is.....

 

#6

Karen!!  Congratulations and I hope you enjoy this most wonderful e-course!!!

 

Are you all enjoying the ends of summer??  We have been enduring day after day of over 100 degree weather ~ that can stop any time now!!!  So needless to say it's like when its winter and its too cold to go outside; well now its too hot to go outside, so I keep myself entertained with indoor projects until the sun goes down.  

I've been painting a lot of small landscapes mostly seascapes lately.  I LOVE how you just play with color and not have to worry about painting a subject right, which actually can be more difficult than painting subjects.  Playing with color is soothing, and I hope to order some oil paints and supplies to try my hand at that medium.  I know nothing about it.  But would love to learn.

I've also been enjoying the great produce that is so fresh and ready to bake, cook and just eat raw and organic.  I've been eating lots of tomatoes and cucumbers; that's one of my favorite snacks in the summer.  Fresh peaches, blackberries, nectarines, green beans, and fresh dill.  I love the smells and tastes of summer--not so much the heat..

Once again I am embarking on my college career; this time the master program for elementary education.  It will be 17 months or so of really digging into analyzing, and applying all that I learn to finally become a teacher.  So far it hasn't been too difficult or too time consuming but I am sure that will all change in the following months.  

And...have you all thought about particiting in Edie's online classical book club??

I am pretty excited about it.

I am not too familiar with classics so this will be a challenge and hopefully very rewarding and will even maybe enhance my brain a bit.  

It's getting late, I need a peach and am going to sleep.  

I will say hello on Wednesday, psstt..  it's my 50th BIRTHDAY!!  the BIG 5-Ohhhhhh!!!

I may just have to have a give away for that one, we will see I may be in the sand hiding my head too.

 

Creatively Made Home ~ Give away!!!

I have had a wonderful year with my daughter and her husband living here with us as they made the transition from college life to real life.  Now that they have left and are on life's little adventure; now it has left me with once again with an empty nest and a chance to re-focus my thoughts towards loving my home.

This wonderful e-course that is beginning in October is exactly what I need right now.  I am so excited and cannot wait to hear and learn from these very talented ladies.  I've had the opportunity to participate in one of Jeanne's other e-courses and trust me you will be very delighted at how professional and very detail oriented her courses are.  Together with some of her uber-talented creative friends they have put together this course to show us how they make their homes so inviting and magnificent.  

Honestly I have had major crushes these ladies homes for awhile now and can't wait to hear their concepts, ideas, and how they manage to put things together for their homes and how they have made them into such inviting, homey, and beautiful palettes that I have longed for, for my home.

 

You will get to meet and learn from these creative women:

Sara Duckett {Sadie Olive}, Jeanne Oliver {Jeanne Oliver Designs}, Tracey Leber {French Larkspur}, Kimberly Taylor {Kimberly Taylor Photography}, and Jen Rizzo {Jennifer Rizzo Designs}.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

* Each week you will have amazing truthful videos from not only the five teachers but other creative women.

* Each week we will take a room from one of YOU and all five women will give their suggestions telling you how they would transform the room with their style.

* There will be 50+ project videos.

These will be incredible videos that include everything from gardening, cooking, gift giving and decorating.

* There will be written tips from each woman telling you how she starts a room, picks paint, fabrics, etc.  You will learn where to start when putting your own home together.

* Tons of beautiful house photos from each of the five women.

* Videos that truly reflect what life is like in each of their homes.  The stuff that life is really about.  Believe me it has nothing to do with the perfect table setting.

* Each woman will share their own truthful journey about how they started making their home a reflection of their hearts.

* Each person registered will get an easy entertaining e-book to download.

It will contain go to recipes for beautiful and easy entertaining (they do go together), photos of table settings that take the stress out of having people over, favorite drinks and so much more (and their funniest entertaining story).

* There will be a private Facebook group to connect with other class members.

* There will be a once a week live discussion with one of the teachers!

* You will get printables and pdfs to keep and use again and again.

This course is about loving your home, loving your family and blessing those around you....and having fun doing it.

If you have taken my other courses you know how much I put into them.

This course will lavish you with ideas, beauty, inspiration, joy and encouragement!

Come and play house with us.

Class begins October 22.

Registration is now open!

...And I am thrilled to be able to host a give away for one of you to win a spot for this e-course!!!!  Just leave a comment to be entered and I will announce the winner Sunday  August 19th!!!

I hope you can join me in this wonderful course!!!