BEST MOSAIC SOUP YET!

Hi guys! Sorry I haven't blogged this week. I have been so busy! We had a brilliant session last Wednesday and the soup (at the end, as always!) was deemed by Sue to be the best yet, though to be fair, she hadn't tried the peanut and squash soup. Still, either or!

Giggle-city! We had a good old natter about our favourite films and (as promised, girls!) here they are:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE

BEACHES

HOOCHIE

OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

7 LBSLET'S DANCE

THE HOLIDAY

BRIDGET JONES' DIARY

WHO WILL LOVE MY CHILDREN.

I am sure there are many more but there are only so many things you can fit into a morning.  The mosaics are coming on beautifully and I just wish I'd had my camera charged!

I have since been to the BAMM meeting in York and touched base with my Northern Lights Family and was filled up with creative love!

Not enough hours in the day!

Here is the soup recipe:

3 x parsnips

1 x sweet potato

1 x red onion

1 x carton passata

shavings of fresh garlic (I use a veg peeler)

1/4 tub full fat cream cheese (can use creme fraische if you are being good!)

2 x knorr veg stock cubes in 1 pint hot water

garlic and chili flakes and herbes do provence to taste.

Ok - wash and chop everything. Put the cream cheeese to one side and place everything else in the slow cooker.  Cook for 2 hours on high.  Blitz with a blender then add cream cheese.  Add water or seasoning to taste if required.  Serve.  Gorgeous!!!

MOSAIC MADNESS AND CHICK PEA SALAD!

It was such a beautiful day today - I moved the tables nearer the window (duh - why didn't I think of it earlier!) and working without the lights made it a little cooler.

We had a good laugh (as per!) and the girls were so disappointed that I said I wasn't making soup. It was so hot I couldn't BEAR the thought of the slow cooker on in the studio.

They soon cheered up when I said I was making a salad, recipe at the end of the photo.

I am so proud of ALL my ladies! Bridget, Sue, Georgina, Janet (and now Kathryn).

There are some lovely individual projects going on - I want to make what they're making.

There are a handful of places left on our Wednesday morning (and Monday evening!)  workshops. At just £15 plus materials a session, you will agree this is fabulous value for a fun and creative filled morning! 

Although lunch is not provided as part of the course, I usually provide home made soup. Well, I have to eat and it is so much nicer sharing with friends!

TIP OF THE DAY!

Usually I say save all your mosaics up for a 'batch' grout but in hot weather such as this, make smaller batches of grout as it will 'go off' quicker in the heat.  Particularly if you are working on a complex mosaic which requires plenty of attention.

If you find you have some grout left and it is unworkable, add enough water to enable you to shape it into something to work on a future project.

Debbie Mosaic Salad:


You will need:


1/3 iceberg lettuce
1/2 red pepper
1/2 red onion
1/3 cucumber
1 x apple
1 tin chick peas, drained
150g mature cheddar
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
chili and garlic flakes
black ground peppercorns


Wash and tear the lettuce. Split into 5 bowls.
Peel the onion, discard pepper seeds and apple core, wash and chop all with cucumber.
Cut the cheese into  tiny cubes.
Place into a large bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir well and distribute between the bowls.
Serve with gorgeous fresh bread!


Yuum!

Lentil and Red Pepper Wednesday!

Last night was a wonderful session with our new life model.  Very pleasant manner and settled right into the group!

We had a couple of students off last night which meant I got time to do some drawing myself without detriment to the remaining students.  Such bliss! Forgot how gorgeous working with oil pastels are!

Well, in this morning, soup on, easels put away and table out for mosaic ladies.

Some 5 to 20 minute sketches from last couple of weeks:

Have been really looking forward to this dragonfly being grouted - this picture is just before it was cleaned up. It is gorgeous but I messed up the completed photograph!

Looking good!

Hive of industry!

 You can see the beautiful dragonfly in the background and Georgina's beautiful fairyland mosaic coming on a treat.

Tip of the day! Do not throw out left over grout - fashion it into a shape (like I did with this heart) and mosaic over it!

The benefit of coming to class is being able to bounce ideas off each other - and we did plenty of that today!

Love the change in colour Sue decided on and the extra depth of tesserae is going to make the number really stand out!

And of course, the soup! Recipe at the bottom.  I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Georgina who made some drop-dead gorgeous wholemeal and poppyseed bread to dip in today.  I love Soup Wednesdays!

Lentil and Red Pepper Soup:

1 bag of red lentils - cook as per packet instructions, rinse and drain.

1/2 x courgette, washed and finely chopped

2 x sticks celery, washed and finely chopped

1 x large red pepper, washed and finely chopped

1 x stock cube

salt and pepper to taste

chili and garlic flakes to taste

mixed herbs

3 x tablespoon tomato puree

 small cup of semi skimmed milk

Put the milk aside to add before serving.

Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours - reduce to low for final hour.  Blitz with a hand blender until semi smooth then add milk.

Serve with homemade bread and laughter!