Glittered Silhouettes

Silhouettes always reminded me of Grandmothers houses, where you sat on the divan instead of the couch, ate pot roast for supper and the closets smelled of moth balls.
I have been seeing silhouettes are all over the design blog world lately.
Okay, fine.
But we'll do it my way.
With sparkles.


I actually got this project done in a reasonable time, which normally means less than a year.
I always tend to have far too many unfinished projects.
Don't we all.
I just get excited when I see something new.
And excitement means "Oooh, look at that. I need that."
Which means a new project of course.
If you are one of those people that always finish one project before you start another and have a place for everything and everything in it's place, well then give me a few pointers on how you have become this craft superhero, because I evidently am the screaming weakling about to get devoured by the evil Half-done-pile Monster.
I have 3 (grown) children, but I only did silhouettes of my daughters. Besides I don't think my son would like this idea since when he was little he hated that his clothes always came out of the dryer with glitter on them from all of his sisters stuff.
This was really quite easy and will be going at the entry in their old rooms so I made them in colors to match.

DIRECTIONS
This takes a couple days for dry time if you are painting frames too.

I started with profile photographs.

Blew them up at Kinkos to 200% and 250% to get the right size on the regular copy machine, and did a reverse image on one.
Then cut them out carefully.
Traced them onto brown and black art paper.
Cut the tracing out.

Next is spray glue (Super 77).
Then glitter (Martha Stewart) to match the paper.

Let dry.
Carefully remove excess glitter with a soft brush.
Use double stick tape to adhere to backgroun paper, using a clean paper as a pressing aid.
Place in frames and....
Ta daa!

I took a bajillion photos but there was no way to get one without glare since I don't have a professional studio. I tried inside, outside, bright sun, no sun. So try to imagine the glittery cuteness of them before the glass okay. No glare glass also means no pretty photo. Oh well, they really are cute.
Just an added note...I took the glass off, you could not really see the sparkle, and sparkle was the whole point.

The frames were from Goodwill, $3 each. Not bad frames but sad, sad pictures. Who makes all this crap?

I painted them for each room and rewired for hanging vertically.

Broccoli Apple Slaw

I have worked at a supermarket for 31 years, 10 months and 4 days. How do I know this you ask? I know this because it has been 31 years, 10 months and 4 days. Many years ago we read in a newspaper that somewhere the nice young men in their clean white coats took a checker away in a straight jacket to the happy home. Be nice to your grocery checker, it is a tough job.

It is hot and sticky today and I am crabby when I am hot. The day the hot flashes start is going to be one scary look into hell for everyone I'm afraid.

A cool shower, a cool drink and a little white dog. Yeah, that's all I need. And a pool, with a gorgeous man rubbing my neck, and reality is good once again. And to set my alarm for 5am, so I get up for work tomorrow. Oh yeah, and a winning Mega Millions ticket. That's all I need.

Trying to beat the heat, or at least ignore it a little, requires a different plan in the kitchen. Hot ovens just make hot people. Salad, fruit and lot's of fluids do the trick pretty well for me. And ice cream.

I had this at an American Legion dinner and loved it. It is quick and simple. Where it comes from originally? Not a clue. I made a couple changes of course.

BROCCOLI APPLE SLAW

1 pkg broccoli slaw
1/2 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, or 1/2 c of diced red onion
2 apples, julienned, tossed in a little orange juice and drained
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/2 c roasted sunflower seeds
1 pkg ramen noodles, broken up

1/8 c red wine vinegar
3/8 c olive oil
1/4 c sugar
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground pepper

Mix the first 7 ingredients.
Mix the dressing and pour over salad.

That was tough huh?

Makes about 6 cups.

You can also add the zest of 1 orange into the dressing