Merry Christmas

From our hearts to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

I've been a good girl, Santa... yeah right!
She wouldn't pose for me! and would turn her head the other way on purpose!  I had to keep a piece of cheese in my mouth so she would face me! lol (tricks of a dog photographer)

Waiting for Santa..

I made this little dress for her today and I felt kind of bad, because every time I would try it on her, for measurments, poor Daisy, thought I was taking her out on a walk..
we love you ! xoxo

Greek honey cookies- Joanna's Melomakarona

I can still smell the honey while I write this post! I was extra careful with measuring and baking times so I can pass this on to you, as a way to thank you for following my blog and for your support :) December marks my blog's second birthday.

                                                JOANNA'S    MELOMAKARONA

1.   1 1/2  CUPS OIL  ( 1CUP CORN OIL 1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL)
2.   1/2    CUP  SHORTENING
3.   1 CUP SUGAR
4.   3/4 CUP ORANGE JUICE
5.   1/4  CUP  BRANDY COGNAC
6.   2TBS.  ORANGE  PEEL
7.   2 TSP   BAKING POWDER
8.   1 TSP  BAKING SODA
9.    6.5  CUPS  FLOUR
10.   1.5 TBS  GROUND CINAMMON AND GR. CLOVES 
11.    1/2  CUP   FINELY  GROUND WALNUTS


Beat first 6 ingredients on high speed  for about 7minutes. Slowly add flour, baking soda, baking powder,cinnamon and clove mixt. one cup at a time and knead for about 7 min. Do not over knead, the mixture has to be soft.  Take about 1 1/2 tbs of mixture and shape into oval shapes. Place onto baking pan, one inch apart. Don't use flat baking sheets. You will probably need about two large pans and one small one.

Press down with a fork to make criss cross design on top of cookies.  Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees for 30- 35 min. The cookies will turn dark golden brown.

                                         SYRUP
2 CUPS    HONEY
2 CUPS   SUGAR
1 CUP   WATER
1  CINAMMON STICK


In a medium size sauce pan, on medium heat, boil all ingredients for 5 min. Skim off any froth. Please
do not leave unattended! clean up is messy if it over boils :(   turn off burner and keep pan syrup hot.

As soon as the cookies are done, take the ones from the small pan and place in larger baking pan.( I do this so I don't waste the syrup) 
With a soup ladle, pour syrup over each cookie slowly. Do this twice. Let the cookies sit in the syrup for a couple of hours or more. That way the cookies absorb most of the syrup. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.   Makes about 64. 

I'd love to hear how you liked them:)
Happy Holidays!!
xoxo

christmas ornaments :)

Fa la la la...this is what I've been up to since I got back from N.Y.  I know it's silly stuff, but seeing that little "yellow" guy on the tree, next to Daisy, makes me smile :)
Hope you are having a great holiday season. It's so inspiring to see everyone's art and Xmas baking!!  I will be baking Greek traditional Christmas cookies next week and want to share the recipe with you, so stay tuned.
xoxo

till we meet again..

Back home again, and I  still can't believe I was able to visit my family in the US! It was the most fabulous vacation! even the weather was great! unusual for NYC in Dec. Saying goodbye was hard..and tearful but I promised that I would be back real soon :)

This is my little makeup artist at her work, in Soho. I went to pick her up and she took me to this hip bar, where I had a St. Germain martini with a real orchid in my drink! ( I saved it for my passport journal)
I ate really great food and overdosed on cheeseburgers and hot dogs! lol  and chinese food! I tried El Salvadorian cuisine for the first time and fell in love!! oh yes and lots of roast beef sandwiches!
Thank god for all the walking, because I weighed myself this morning and I actually lost a couple of lbs! lol ! wow was I surprised!

oh and all those NY doggies!! Daisy would've have been real busy meeting so many friends.

This is the subway stop for the Musuem of Natural History.

and this last photo is for my little blog friend, Kendra, future paleontologist :))
My trip included a visit to Wash. DC, to see my dad and my little one, who is staying with him until she goes back to Parson's Art School (NYC) in Feb. I also swung by my old house..some mixed feelings there..but no regrets. Maybe my life would be way more comfortable and easier in the US.. but I am a dreamer and like a good challenge!  time will tell.
Ok, won't bore you anymore, I have been working on some fun stuff since I returned and will share on my next post.
I must go and catch up on everyone's blog. missed you lots!!
xoxo

passport art journal

A few days before my trip I saw the cutest altered passport on Teesha Moore's blog and decided to make one.

I've been taking this little guy everywhere with me!

Daisy would have made so many friends here! NYC is full of the cutest dressed up doggies! I bought her a new pink collar with rhinestones and a pink sweater :) and lots of american snackies!

I went to this nice bar in Soho "Bar 89" where I had a St.Germain martini with a real orchid in my glass :)

As you can see, most of them are shopping receipts!!  Duane Reed(drug store) was really happy to see me and so were AC Moore and Michaels! lol
  I'll be extremely lucky if I don't get charged with over weight luggage, but I just couldn't help myself..there were sales everywhere I went!
I've been lucky with weather as well. Temps are in the 60's, warmer than it is in Greece (50's)! and that's really odd!
 Hope you all have a great and creative week :))
xoxo

New York City

Shop till you drop! Yesterday was the biggest sales day of the year, Black Friday, and it was hard to keep away from the stores..Walking on Fifth Ave. was a challenge, it was sooo crowded,  but I did manage to go to MOMA first, to see the Willem de Kooning exhibition, which was out of this world! and so were the murals of Diego Rivera! The museum was so packed that I feel I need to go back and see these exhibits again.

Times Square.

"Believe"  I just love this!  I got really excited when I saw this on the front of Macy's department store! It made think that anything is possible! if you truly believe!! right?!
  My next post will be about this super cute little journal that I brought with me on this trip :)) I've going around to your blogs and seeing lots of Christmas art that is so inspiring! Diana Evans has made the cutest cookie cutter ornaments! and Jen has made these beautiful cards..
Hope you all are having a great weekend!
xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!  I am posting from NYC and still can't believe I am actually here!  I'm sooo  thankful to be with my family :)
New York is amazing this time of year!! Magical! the city is dressed up in Christmas lights and decorations and it's hard not to get in the Christmas spirit.

Of course the first thing I did when I got here was to go see the Rockettes at Radio City Hall! WOW!

But tonight I had the most amazing experience...I went to see the Macy parade balloons get inflated! they are huge! 

I felt just like a kid!! The balloons were so colourful and they were held down by nets, so they wouldn't fly away! I wanted to stay there all night and look at them!
I will be posting more pics as I have taken hundreds of them, lol, but first need to find out how to download them on this comp, since it's not mine :) (these are i phone pics! awesome, right?)
I     L O V E     N E W     Y O R K!! 
XOXO

good morning sunshine :)

Do you sometimes wake up in the morning and feel like something good is about to happen? your heart beating real fast?  This is what happened to me this morning. I woke up with this strange feeling, a good one!  I  AM  GOING TO NEW YORK!!  I say this and still can't believe it.  I am actually going!

I will cook Thanksgiving dinner in the US. and visit with my babies!! and my dad :))
My next post will be from the big apple! OMG OMG OMG

i'm a little flower pot

This is one of the designs that will be featured on my new line of mugs :)
 Meanwhile, Greece is in a political turmoil. The government can't choose a new Prime Minister and  the country is left without a leader for days now. How embarrassing and sad... The Greek people are suffering enough as it is.

counting sheep

I've always had trouble falling asleep but lately it's been hell. I tried drinking chamomile, warm milk, counting sheep, everything...but still...no sleep! ugh.. How many telemarketing shows can a person watch at 3am?! lol mind you, most of these shows are American, so it's kinda of funny watching them in Greece.. Anyway, my friend (genius) downloaded all these relaxing sounds of falling rain, tide, countryside, wind chimes etc. and to my biggest surprise... it worked!!  I fell sound asleep listening to rain!!  Daisy gets a bit confused, though, because the cd also contains birds chirping right before it starts raining. (she thinks they're in the bedroom)
  So folks, the weather forecast here in Athens calls for.. non stop rain, every night!!  of course, now it makes me wonder...what if this thing gets addictive and I start have withdrawal symptoms if something happens to my cd...or what if it starts raining for real, in the middle of the day? will I fall asleep in my studio?! lol  will I start walking towards my bedroom like a zombie? just a thought...
Hope you have a great week :)) and a big thank you for all your lovely comments and emails. I'm crossing my fingers that I can make it to N.Y.C  for Thanksgiving. ooohhh that would be heaven..
xoxoxo

seeker of dreams...

To be brave, courage, chasing my dreams, reaching for the stars, feeling lost.. HOPE, having faith, destiny... this is what was going through my mind, while creating this 3D painting.
 I've been feeling so vulnerable these last few months and...really homesick. Dad this is a hint for you to send me a ticket plzzzz. I miss you..

trick or treat

ohhh how I wish I was there... I'm starting to get real homesick around this time of year.. sigh..
Hope you all have a great Halloween and eat loads of candy!!  my favorite is mr. goodbar. yummmm

art mugs

Finally in my shop! after months of trying to get these paintings the right size to be printed on ceramic mugs! boy I tell you, it's one thing, painting on canvas and then having to redesign for a different size project. I'm so thrilled to be drinking my coffee out of these cute mugs :))

I designed two of them for the holidays and couldn't wait till Dec.to post them. So here they are :)

My favorite one is of Yellow. I'm so in love with this little guy, I think my next tattoo will be of him ;0. he represents happiness and hope. he's my lucky little charm :) and I really need one right now...
can't wait to hear your comments. xoxoxo

I've missed you..

You probably thought I went back to Serifos and moved there, right?.. boy, do I wish! taking the easy way out, running away, a very piscean trait, which I happen to be. No, I've been here, overwhelmed by  personal stuff taking me away from my art. my inspiration.and my blog. The longer I stayed away from what I'm meant to be doing in this life, my art :), the more depressed I would get.. wheww. but back on the saddle, I am! ready to take on the world. lol  I have been working real hard this last week. I feel alive again, and praying every night that I stay this way.
I've missed you and hope you're well, creating like there's no tommorrow!!

The Greek Island of Serifos part four

Most of the pictures I took were of  doors! I am always fascinated by them. I have a big photo collection of doors from the Greek islands and maybe should have an exhibition of them one day.. just kidding. i just love them.

Serifos has hundreds of churches, most of them tiny, reminds me legos!

Every day after going to the beach, I would head over to this cafe and Art journal :)) it was everything I had dreamed of,  all winter..to be on a Greek island and just play in my journal!  It was the most rewarding holiday.. I came back to my studio full of inspiration and ready to get back to painting.
This is the view from where I sat :)

Another interesting place I found to journal was here. This room belonged to a cafe, it was very artsy with all sorts of paintings and odd household stuff on the walls. this room had no roof! which made even more fascinating! lol

one last picture of a gorgeous sunset..

Thank you for following my trip :) I now have to go catch up on all your blogs to see what I missed.
xoxo

The Greek Island of Serifos part three

Good morning sunshine :)

As I write this post, I am also preparing Christmas artwork to show to my galleries...feels kind of funny. I wonder how the island would be during December..

This is the beach in Ganema. The water was crystal clear.

On the way to Ganema..
I'm glad I didn't take my car, because the roads are so windy and narrow. better to take the bus everywhere on the greek islands.

This is said to be Cyclops cave!

This is Megalo Livadi beach. Do you see those trees, right on the beach? they look like pine trees, but they are salt water trees! they only grow by the sea! amazing?!

I feel extra lucky and more connected to Serifos, because I will be selling my work at "Thimisi Gallery" in Hora :)  Georgia, the owner, bought my pendants and will be adding more of my work for next summer :)

That's me sitting outside of the gallery. Isn't that a cute little bench?  and the yellow watch I'm wearing...I bought on the beach from a vendor for 5 euro!!  so happy and silly abt this watch :)) lol 

When I build a house on a Greek Island it will have hundreds of chimneys!! I'm so in love with these. This house has a very narrow bridge leading on to the veranda. how can one not fall in love with this architecture?..
I will continue tomorrow with the last part of my journey to Serifos and art journaling on the island. Hope you are having a great week :)
xoxox