Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature

2008 Bloggies, You know.

January

2008

LifeCruiser ever so graciously nominated me for somethin’ in the 2008 Bloggies. Normally disappointed with all blog type awards, I don’t really care either which way – since nobody seemed, until now, to realize that there are ART BLOGS out here in the blogosphere that have been ever present for years. There are crafters and self-representing artists and folks trying to make a living and gain exposure and just share their work online.

This year. This year they’ve done it. The 2008 Bloggies have added my category – so I’m BEGGIN’ ya, go nominate me. Really. I’ll send you a box full of snoggles if you do. Check it out, the category is “Best Art or Craft Weblog”

You should also nominate your other favorite bloggers, because they deserve the recognition. Someone has to click on those links and go there to check ’em out, and that just might be the one click that blogger needs to really get the recognition they deserve. So go. Do it. Be cool. Everyone else is doing it. Not that you should cave to peer pressure all the time, you know, ’cause that’s really just crazy and not very smart. Just this one time. Just for me. Grazie.

p.s. nominations are accepted until the 11th.

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Filed under: Hahaha! That's Funny.

Monday-ness

January

2008

Before I get to work (on 4 client projects, so if I’m gone for a few days you’ll know why), I just wanted to stop in and note a few things, you know, a “for your information” kinda post. In a blog. Because this whole thing is a blog, and I’m writing a post. AKA: an entry. (Take note, MySpace users.)

There are only 8 shopping days left until my birthday. Do you kneed an Amazon wish list? Oh heck, I don’t want anything. Just show up and pat me on the head and offer me something for my hot flashes and mood swings.
I highly recommend you clean your hard drive if you haven’t done that lately. Seriously. This is your annual reminder. Don’t let your hard drive look like this. Or start making the death rattle.
Don’t let your kids run through other people’s yards. Rudeness, people. And don’t get mad, either, if people yell at your kids to get out of their yard. Teach your kids to respect other people’s property. Please.
If you read my blog and you want to be a guest poster or you want me to promote your stuff on my blog, you best speak up while you’re here. If I don’t know you, I certainly won’t hand you over the keys to my Porsche. Okay it’s more of a Camry, but with gold rims and leather interior. Except it doesn’t look as tacky as it sounds.
You, too, can make $27,000 a month blogging with a custom theme. Wheee! Something to aspire to.
I’m Twittering now, if you didn’t notice, that’s my twitter in the sidebar. For when I don’t have enough to say to make a whole big post about it. Enjoy.
I’ve been told my feed is being crazy. Is it? Come here and tell me if it is, please, so I can address the problem and get it fixed. Thank you!
Yes, I ate the fudge. I resented it at first, for cooking half of my finger, but I got over it. Quickly.
Did I mention four projects? I best git to work!

Got any tips for me today? Tidbits? Stuff I should know that I missed at your place? Fill me in while I work. I love distractions. :eyebrows:

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Filed under: Chit Chat

..and a Happy New Year!

December

2007

happy new year from intricateart.com and her whole family of critters!

Here’s to a New Year filled with a lot of smiles, a lot less hardships, more valuable lessons and hundreds of days to cherish. A year filled with great things, a year to follow your dreams, a year to revive the talents you might have given up on to take the safer path. Trust a little more, grow in your faith, and make those annual baby steps toward becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.

We wish you a sense of peace, understanding and love in your life this year, and look forward to the next 366 days. (It’s a leap year!)

XoXo,
Leanne & Family
(Dusty, Cocoa and Quintin, too!)

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth

Merry Christmas!

December

2007

Wishing all of you a very blessed Christmas, full of love, peace and thankfulness.

Hugs to you and yours!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth

The Christmas Rush

December

2007

You’d think that with all the running around and the recent worries and stresses in my life would help keep those Christmas Cookies from hanging on to my hips? Absolutely not. Lard is lard, I suppose. Listed in the sweetest of recipe ingredients or on my rear, it seems to have it’s ultimate destination ingrained in the tiniest of lardlike molecules. :grumbles:

I have my post-holiday work cut out for me then, as I have just 21 days after Christmas (that’s 21 birthday gift shopping days to you, friends) to get back with “the program”, which is basically reaquainting myself with those single serving meals and packing away my cookie sheets for next year. My goal is to hit my comfortable weight by my birthday, smack in the middle of January. Wish me luck. And quit sending me Harry & David!

Today, I make my annual dough ornaments. I gave the recipe a couple of years ago but here it is again, for those of you who are :cough: bored today and want something creative and fun to do!

DOUGH ORNAMENTS
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water

Knead, add more flour to make it really doughy if needed, sprinkle water to make it more pliable as needed. Roll on very lightly floured surface, cut shapes using regular cookie cutters of your choice, bake at 250 for 2 hours.

Handy & Creative Tips:
– Roll them out on the backside of a non-stick cookie sheet so they don’t need to be transferred to the sheet.
– Fill in any cracks with water, smooth with your finger.
– Use a straw to punch out holes for ribbon before you bake them.
– Once completely cooled, paint them using metallic craft paint, or use a shimmery iridescent glaze over a solid color.
– Glue foil to the back to reflect the lights on the tree
– Use glitter sparingly to make them shiny
– String with ribbon and hang them on the tree!

Other things I have to share today before I forget:

This plugin. This plugin is called the “One Click Plugin Updater”. Once installed and activated, and provided you’re using the most recent version of WordPress – all you need to do is visit your plugins page every now and again and scroll to see which plugins need to be updated, click to “update automatically” and that’s IT. How much easier could it get? There are a few plugins, unfortunately, that aren’t loaded into the plugins directory in such a way that they update automatically. Those need to be updated manually (and you’ll know, because the “update automatically” prompt will not go away). Other than those – it is a sweet little plugin and it will make your blogging life just a little bit easier!
I am still decorating my tree here on my blog. Just a couple of ornaments left! Eek!
Christmas cards have been sent. Do let me know if you get yours by Christmas – so I know how much earlier I need to get my butt in gear next year! If I don’t know you well, just keep hanging around and I’ll nudge you next year for your address.
Mom is home from the hospital! She is happy to be home. She’s still having some blips but I’m told that it’s a side-effect from her meds, so once she is off of them she should be back to her snarky old self – only able to breathe and not have any more chest pain. Yay!
Catybug (my little stage queen) was asked to do a reading at Church this Sunday. I found her the most beautiful (and stylish) dress and she is so excited – she gets to read the whole story of Jesus’ birth. My favorite Christmas carol, O Holy Night, will be played on piano while she tells the story. I cannot wait, it is going to be so beautiful! Send kleenex. Love, A Proud Momma.
I got a new phone! Whoot! I know. I’m retarded to be excited about a phone. But wait! Let me explain! I’ve had a prepaid Verizon phone for years, just before Mark left for Iraq. While mom was in the hospital though, I blew through well over a month’s worth of a regular plan fee. THAT is retarded. When I found out that “In” minutes are free, and that most of the people I talk to are on Verizon, then I just outright had a “duh” moment. I signed up for a plan online, got a free phone, free activation and now I’m blowing cash to be all cool with my ringtones. Yes, I downloaded O Holy Night! :PHere are my first four downloads:
– 1234 (TV Version)
– O Holy Night (Martina McBride)
– My Stupid Mouth (John Mayer)
– How Great is our God (Chris Tomlin) – they have this titled wrong, took me forever to find it!

My only change would be John Mayer’s song – the lyrics that play when the phone rings should be “My stupid mouth, got me in trouble- I said too much again…”, but what plays is “I’m never speakin up again, it only hurts me”, and my choice would be WAY funnier for a ring tone.

There’s my random blabbering for the day, I do hope you enjoy it – now I must go make some orny-mants before Christmas has passed and/or I don’t know what day it is. (I thought yesterday was Thursday. All day. And I missed a family gathering. Love, Retarded Girl.)

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well?

Get in the Christmas Spirit!
Now Playing : Oh Holy Night
[audio:ohholynight.mp3]

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, In The Kitchen

Stage Fright and Delight

December

2007

mini me angel stage freight Church Christmas Program 2007' class=

Our Church Christmas program took place this past Sunday and it was so sweet and wonderful to see the kids put on a play about Baby Jesus’ birth. The funniest part of the show was seeing my usual kooky crazy Chickeymonkey (see above deer-in-headlights girl) frozen like a statue on stage. Her mouth, which flaps non stop at home, just barely moving while she sung her part – her hands, which only stop when she sleeps, tucked inside of her angel robe holding perfectly still.

Yes, people turned and gave me the “how cute!” giggle grins – while I sunk lower into my chair wondering how the bodysnatchers got into my church.

In all seriousness, it was adorable. Every play needs a stage-frightened kid, and mine fit the bill perfectly. I like to think that she just knew all the movement would make for blurry shots, and she knows how much I love to take photos of my kids!

Meanwhile, my other normally quiet and reserved girl (yes, she is too), beamed and giggled and romped around IN HER PAJAMAS on stage. She was completely in her element and it was really awesome to see her have so much fun playing her part!

Here she is with our Pastor being all engaged and cute – he had just asked her if she thought anyone would mind if he wore HIS pajamas to church. heh! It was sweet. Her reply: “Well that would be awkward!”

I just love this time of year – the warm fuzzies floating around the air seem to catch just about everyone. Even my mom, who is recovering slowly but surely (thank you for your continued prayer!), has a peace about her that is really indicative of the season. I’ve found myself being more calm and patient – especially on the road, where I usually tense up and get aggravated really easily. I know we won’t be having any kind of extravagant Christmas this year, but it seems more special anyway. All the stuff and fluff could fall away, and I’d be content to sit in the living room and just gaze at the tree and enjoy the warm glow.

Are you celebrating Christmas, or just another Holiday? I’m curious, what does Christmas mean to you?

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth

Custom Blog Design – Pamibe

December

2007

pamibe custom wordpress blog design western theme

I launched Pamibe’s new design last week, but then left town so the tweaking was done upon my return. It’s really a cute theme, and I ended up taking Laura’s advice and incorporating Pam’s pups in the header – which was really a great suggestion and WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?!

Stop on over and have a browse around her new theme. The comments are cool, too – so be sure to leave one!

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Filed under: Custom Illustrations, Graphics, Blog Designs

Nog’alicious Cookies

December

2007

This is the fourth year these cookies have been requested at my house. This year I’ve made a few little tweaks to the recipe. If you’re looking for a really easy and REALLY tasty Christmas Cookie that will quickly become a family favorite, these are it! Even one of my very good friends – who doesn’t like egg nog – loves these cookies.

egg nog eggnog Christmas cookie cookies recipe

**Modifications made in 2007 – see previous years for original recipe**

1 c. butter softened to room temp.
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. **Southern Comfort Vanilla Spice** Egg Nog
1 tsp. baking soda
3-3/4 c. flour

Beat butter & sugar until it’s creamy.
Add spices, Eggnog & baking soda to butter & sugar, blend well.
Add flour 2 cups at a time, mix (with mixer) until combined.
Spoon onto nonstick cookie sheet, dip a cup in sugar (holiday colored sugar, sugar/cinnamon, sugar/nutmeg, your call), smoosh the dough a little – don’t flatten them.

Bake at 375 for right around 11 minutes, when you can see the bottom edges are just gold and the tops are still creamy off-white. Do not overbake. Let cool on the cookie sheet, transfer to an airtight container to keep them soft.

(Previously posted December 14, 2004 and November 15, 2005 and December 6, 2006.)

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Filed under: In The Kitchen

Custom Cat Portraits – Moggie

December

2007

custom graphite pencil cat portrait original artist art' class=

A long wait in the hospital waiting room, a box of pencils and a hand held sharpener. I worked Moggie’s second pencil portrait, a 6″ x 6″ piece to compliment her first portrait – which I finalized as well, adding whiskers and her name to her tag.

I’ll add a new scan of her first portrait behind the cut if you’d like to see that one in it’s finished state.

I’m offering these graphite portraits at $2 per square inch, which is a really nice price for an original piece of artwork. If you’re interested in having a graphite/pencil piece done, please get in touch with me through my “contact” form (linked in the top menu).

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