My Demon

   So everyone asks, "Where's your website ,Lea Ann?" Well I got to thinking my blog that I rarely use I could begin posting on it more and sharing my artwork and the process. So begins the process of me becoming a self sufficient artist. I will share my life my family and my passion, here. I will begin sharing my art process through the stages of creation, birth and selling. The hardships I endure to live in such a way that lets me expel my creativeness and my uncontrollable urges.
 As an artist you are born this way. You cannot become creative, or even more creative. You have these uncontrollable urges to create, paint, or somehow take what your mind has and make it into something for others to see. I believe its like an addiction. Once that high gets you there is no going back. Once, you as a child, create something that your mind forced upon you, and the others around praise it; then begins the addiction. It is what fuels you. Then the day as an adult you sell this demon to someone that you have no knowledge of, you are a full blown addict. You will live how ever life allows in such a way to create and sell more.
 You grow into someone you thought you wanted to be, but soon realize how frightening it becomes. You create out of a craving and a need. When times get tough you pour more and more of yourself into these demons. Then you realize you have lost so much, yet the demon (your art) has grown.
                    These are my Demons and I Pour My Heart and Soul Into Them.

Roller Coaster of .....

My life has recently been a series of ups and downs. I have found that you are, what you say, you are. I recently learned the meaning of " you live and learn". I am starting all over in this exciting new life that I have no plans for. I learned that being an artist and a mother, may be two of my biggest challenges in life thus far.
I have been recently living as a starving artist at my mothers house. Which is probably one of the hardest things ever! I feel very blessed to have my family to help support me through this shitty divorce process. I really want it to be over so that the heavy weight I carry for it will be gone.
I am becoming more obsessed with becoming a successful artist since all of the divorce has begun.

I know no matter what, I will have my boys and my art. I decided that since I know now, people lie. I will always be married to my art, it doesn't lie, cheat, or run away from me. So now when a new partner comes into my life, I will never choose them before my art. That is like denying a part of who I truly am inside and giving another control over me. My art will be my controller not another human being.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have done much research with trying all out and this is my method.
*note* I have a front load HE Samsung washer
Recipe***

* 1- 4lb box of "Borax"
*note* this is in the laundry isle at most grocery stores, usually on the bottom shelf
* 1- 4lb box of "Arm & Hammer Baking Soda"
*note* this is usually in the baking isle
* 1- 55oz box of "Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda"
*note* this was in the Laundry isle, also on the bottom shelf
* 2- 3lb boxes of "Oxyclean"
*note* these may weigh a little more and you don't have to use it, but I have all boys and I feel I have too!
* 3- Bars of "Fels-naptha Soap"
**note* you will need to put these in a food processor or grate them by hand.
*note* OK this was hard to find at first, but once you do its no problem! I found it in the cleaning supply isle on the bottom shelf. Some have found it in the laundry isle and some in the soap isle. ALSO, you can use Ivory bar soap (I did and had no problem), and I have read you can use any bar soap, but this I don't know. I personally have only used the Fels-Naptha & Ivory.
* 2- containers of the "Downy Unstoppables"
*note* I mix these into my detergent that I am using, as I go (this makes ALOT of detergent, so I don't put it all into one huge container. I split it into 3 BIG containers.) I do this because I felt like without it, the detergent did not have any smell at all (which some love).

I take a garbage can and put a clean bag into it and then slowly mix all the ingredients together except the downy unstoppables. I only add these into the container that Iam using, so that they don't loose their smell.

Sew Free!

This site has so many free patterns! I am new to the sewing art, but I have grown to love it!
There is nothing better than making yourself something completely a "one of a kind"!
This is a free pattern they posted and it seems as though they post a free pattern every friday!
So enjoy! Because I will, and I will post my finished dress soon!

Lancey #4126

yum!! double crunch honey garlic chicken/pork

I found this recipe online and had to reshare it!! I found with the sauce to drizzle it on the top, but the family could have dipped anything into it!

4 large boneless chicken breasts Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally. Sift together: 2 cup flour 4 tsp salt 4 tsp black pepper 3 tbsp ground ginger 2 tbsp ground nutmeg 2 tsp ground thyme 2 tsp ground sage 2 tbsp paprika 1 tsp cayenne pepper Make an egg wash by whisking together: 4 eggs 8 tbsp water Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact. Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked breasts into the Honey Garlic Sauce. Serve with noodles or rice. Honey Garlic Sauce In a medium saucepan add 2 tbsp olive oil 3 – 4 cloves minced garlic Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but do not let it brown. Add: 1 cup honey ¼ cup soya sauce (low sodium soya sauce is best) 1 tsp ground black pepper Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

kid diggs!

My son had so much fun with this I had to share! I have been working on a project for my glass and stumbled upon this in my mess.

You will need regular clay, the kind that will harden(just about any hobby/craft store), and Durham's rock hard water putty(sells at Lowes), and something to press into the clay for the mold. (Bones, plastic toys ect.) You will take your clay, about 4 to 6 inches, and make a flat area enough to press the toy into, almost all the way. Then spray with water til you can wiggle it out and leave a mold into it. Then follow the instruction on the durhams putty on the mix (about 3 to 1, 3 being the mix 1 being water) and pour into your mold. Let it sit til the clay hardens (about over 1-2 nights) . Then take the kiddos outside with safety glasses and kids tools and let them chisal out their fossils! My son sat outside with a hammer on our concrete patio for hours until he got them out and was so excited about what was in the rock (clay).

My Obsession

   I never saw it coming, but growing up around it I never even cared about it. I, as a kid would draw and color for hours. I went to after school art like most kids play sports. I was in the Louisville art assoc. classes as a kid at the Portland museum. I went to the Water Tower and took classes there. As I got older I had a struggle between fitting in and playing sports and my art classes. I then chose art and as i got to thinking about college my life changed. I had my son and gave up all hope of a career in the arts.
Then 14 years later I began crafting to keep my hands busy. I bought a pendent made of glass and as fate has it I asked my dad how it was made. My dad has worked with glass for over 30 years and I knew he would know. He told me to come to his work and he would show me. I thought yeah right, but went anyway, and here my obsession began. I went that day and every day I had a chance after. I found my new medium and fell in love with it. I loved how it broke, and how fragile it was. I started to notice how the light reflected in it and here I began my journey.