Summer Vacation Diary: Crappy Art Edition

One thing that my daughters both really enjoy doing is creating a huge mess.  Luckily there is this thing called "Arts and Crafts" that allow you to make said mess but add glue!  When my 2 year old found a big box full of those shiny metallic plastic die cut thingamajiggies I figured "Hey, I'm a grown up now, I took art classes in college, maybe I can actually do something interesting with those!"
This is the result:

It is what one of my worst critics in college would call "Hippie Crap".  That sentiment echoes in my head every time I try do to anything artsy.  That a-hole really ruined my artistic self esteem.

Did putting the fake museum frame around it in Picasa make it look any better?  Didn't think so LOL  And I know you are dying to know what I made those fantastic clouds out of!  The answer is:  those round stickers you write prices on for your yard sale items!  Genius!  And yes its both day and night in my picture.  Hey its art, and you can't be wrong in art.

My other interest is painting.  I used to be pretty good at it.  Again, my best paintings were done in college around midnight when I was...inspired.  Watercolor is one of those things that can look amazing when done properly, and also the most washable paint ever.  This means I have tons of it.  I unfortunately have paper that calls itself "Watercolor Paper" but LIES!!!  Yesterday I tried to make a good painting, but was rushed.

Could be much much better.  I blame it on the bad paper.

Today I am considering breaking out the acrylics.  That is, if they aren't all dried up from sitting in storage for upwards of 3 years.  I found some canvases in the basement.  It looks like a good day to make some more Hippie Crap.

  

I Need an Intervention

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

That is, if you like yummy soft but crunchy-ish on the outside heavenly delight!

Since I can't write my blogs without putting in the babble that my brain is constantly rattling off, I have highlighted the important stuff in bold print ;-)

OK I hope no one is opposed to shortening here because it just doesn't work with butter!

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees!

First in one bowl dump 1 and 1/8 cup of flour. I use hippie whole wheat flour which makes it thicker, but you can use whatever you have laying around the house. Lighter flour makes them thinner. Next add 1/2 tsp salt (more if you like more), and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Or is it powder. The one in the box that's an odor absorber!!!! I can never remember the difference. Set this concoction aside for later.

In a mixing bowl plop 3/4 cup of shortening (butter FLAVORED is best if you have it, but regular is fine too) and then add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar. Sometimes I put in a whole cup of white sugar. I'm just crazy like that. If you want to change it up a bit and really taste heaven use Sugar in the Raw! YUMMY! If diamonds had a flavor they would taste like that sugar!!! Found in your hippie food aisle.

Using an electric mixer, combine these three things until blended. Next add a couple few eggs. If you have three, go for it. If you have two it will still work. Just makes them softer if you have more. Add to this 1 tsp vanilla extract and beat until the dough is doughy. Once its doughy enough slowly add the flour mixture until blended. If it seems too floppy add a bit more flour (Becca I am avoiding the "M" word just for you). Once you are satisfied with the texture throw in 2 cups of chocolate chips, chunks, or devlins. Whatever you have laying around! Stir these in with a big ol' spoon. Lick everything and then get two fresh spoons and drop them on the cookie sheets about an inch apart. No need to spray the sheets, the shortening will take care of that for you!

Bake for about 11 minutes. Remove and enjoy! Ok you may want to cool them a bit...

Here's a handy hint that I learned from the back of a Betty Crocker bag: to keep your batches from spreading make sure you cool the pans down in between dropping the dough on them! I just wave the pan around and if anyone walks in the way well, that's what I call collateral damage ;-)