I was immediately drawn to these when I found them in the store. I am allergic to black peppercorn and was wondering if these would be a suitable replacement. When researching, I discovered they are in the same family as cashews, mangos, poison ivy and poison sumac. I read this AFTER eating it. After waiting the 24 hours for my internal poison ivy/major allergic reaction to take hold, I was pleasantly surprised to have had no reaction at all. Several life lessons learned.

Watercolor, acrylic, white gel pen, and glitter

I painted this with the real pickle right in front of me. I'm glad these taste better than they smell. I finished this one in record time.

Watercolor, ink

The classic childhood party drink of my memories. I always ate the cherry first!

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I was transfixed by the microscopic galaxy on this pretty plum.

watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I have loved fruit since as far back as I can remember. It is beautiful to look at, delicious to eat AND good for you? It really is the simple things.

Is there nothing that looks or smells more delicious than a fresh loaf of bread still warm from the oven just waiting for a pat of butter? 

 I have a tree in my backyard that produces fruit every other year. I wait longingly for two years for a harvest and then go crazy making apple sauce, apple pie, apple crumble, and apple butter! The anticipation makes them taste that much better.

watercolor, ink, white gel pen

An after dinner dessert. I just had to try to paint this because it is so pretty! If it's good enough for the Big Lebowski........

A family favorite.

Watercolor, ink, 

I scored these at the Boulder Farmer's Market.  They were as pretty as they were delicious!

watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Not cookin tonight!

Watercolor, ink

I love making this throwback dessert when I happen to have the ingredients.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Never a without this tea accoutrement! 

Watercolor, ink, gel pen

I purposely bought a slice of this, not because I wanted to eat it but I HAD to paint it.

Watercolor, ink

watercolor, ink

Citrus fruit is so pretty, smells so good and is really good for you.  I find myself constantly slicing any kind of citrus fruit and bringing it to my art table to paint.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Perfect barbecue fare.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

A dear friend left this on my porch from her farm share. I fell in love with the color and was touched by the gesture.

Watercolor, ink

I got a see through tea kettle to showcase my blooming tea. Of course it was too pretty not to paint.  The side view was a little disappointing so I got a top view. 

Watercolor, ink, white gouache, white gel pen

I made a cookies and cream  flavored lip balm so I wanted to illustrate 'cookies and cream'. Oreos are the first thing that came to mind. 

Watercolor, ink

Something in the soil makes these rocky ford cantaloupes the sweetest!! 

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

watercolor, ink, white gel pen

There is so much to love about the avocado. Not many other things can you say "good fat" about. Wish they lasted longer though.

Watercolor, ink

The prettiest things come from nature don't they? Not only are they gorgeous but so ridiculously good for you. Practically gives you superpowers when you eat these. 

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

A classic anytime. I made these on a snow day, brought them to my art table and painted them from real life.  I prefer to paint from real life if possible. I can smell the cookies and see all their bumps, curves and crumbs which adds a special touch to the finished painting. 

Watercolor, ink.

A big one from Costco.

Watercolor, ink

I love the time of year when you can find nuts in the shell at the grocery store. They taste better out of the shell. Maybe it is just because you have to work harder to get them.

Watercolor, ink

When you don't feel like baking, Costco has some pretty nice treats.

Watercolor, ink

No one makes it like they do. 

Watercolor, ink

A Classic.

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I'm not sure when I first discovered these but it was love and first bite.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

That pattern!

Watermelon, ink

A summer emblem.

Watercolor, ink

These remind me of Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop who keep a stash in their freezer. They are stealthily stolen but magically replaced.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Watercolor, ink

I had to buy one of these....strictly for reference material.

Watercolor, ink

A couple of times, when I was little, we vacationed at a lake in Vermont. Down a long dirt road was an ice cream shop. After a long day of outdoor swimming, fishing, frog catching and floating on inner tubes we would treat ourselves to a big soft serve cone. I always picked the chocolate and vanilla swirl.

Right from my garden to my art table, then on to my dinner table.  These grow like crazy in the garden. If you are what you eat, I'm definitely part zucchini.

In the quaint little town of Niwot, there is a little sushi restaurant inside of a grocery store.  In this little restaurant, is a chef who makes a Sunday Ramen soup that people come from miles away to eat. Luckily we are close-by!

Not sure of the first time I was introduced the the ice cream sammy. It may have been the good humor truck that would peruse the neighborhood on a summer evening but these remind me of summer kickball, swimming at the community pool, and late night flashlight tag.  - sigh- the simple pleasures of a childhood summer.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Sweet cow makes this milkshake with ground up lucky charms.

Watercolor, ink

I don't think I've ever eaten this but I loved painting it.

Watercolor, ink

This hearty soup is both delicious and healthy.  You can add heavy cream but it's just as good without it!

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

This is what's cooking on a cold day in my house (especially for a sick day).

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

This reason this marinade is magical is that it transforms anything you put into it into a delicious meal!

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

A birthday tradition.  This cake is baked around the edges but there is a soft gooey center of chocolate in the middle....the 'tunnel of fudge'.

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

I had fun using my illustrations in photoshop to create this recipe. I took a photo with the ribbon on it then placed text and my illustrations on top. 

Watercolor, ink, photoshop

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

A family original created by Chris!

Watercolor, ink, hand lettering

Takes me right to Santa Fe where these are hanging everywhere.

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

I am forever picking leaves and bringing them to my art table to paint. I love all the vein-y lines and details.

Watercolor, ink

I have been always been fascinated with plants that can help us heal. There is something that feels so right about working in harmony with nature.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

One of my VERY favorites in my garden. An 'out-of-this-world' orange and they re-seed themselves! Fragile and beautiful...I await their 'show' every spring. Never fails to delight.

Watercolor, ink

Nothing signifies the start of fall more than seeing mums appear everywhere.

Watercolor, ink

Where all the good stuff comes from!

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

These were collected in my yard. Guess I was seeing the world in technicolor that day! Fall on steroids. Through my eyes, they really do look this magnificent. Fall is my favorite time of year.

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I saw these in a store in Santa Fe and just had to paint them. A little fancy for our casual household but I appreciate the aesthetic.

Watercolor, ink

Watercolor, ink

I want these. So I painted them instead. I still want them. 

Watercolor, ink

A pretty classic. I love to paint them, just not wear them. Tiny torture chambers.

Watercolor, ink

This is a habit I have had for a long time. Even if I don't feel like it sometimes, I ALWAYS feel better after. 

Watercolor, ink

I loved this pretty old fashioned looking barber shop with it's big red awning and classic red and blue striped pole. I never paid much attention to barber shops until I had three sons. Now when I look at them I see a rush of memories ranging from scary to downright hilarious with a hairy sticky lollipop glueing it all together!

Watercolor, ink

My family are definitely a breakfast eating bunch. We decided as of late to sample some of the local eateries each Sunday and we got stuck here. Local color, delicious home cooked food and all while making you feel like you are in the dining room of a close family friend.  Leave your formal clothes behind and grab the elastic waistbands instead. They can rock an eggs benedict like nobody's business.

I stumbled across this cute little wine bar in Santa Fe. It was on a little hill so it's on an angle (which explains the wedge). I was charmed so I had to take a stab at painting it.

Watercolor, ink

This little cart is parked on the Pearl Street Mall. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold shaved ice. Dragon's Blood is the flavor of choice for my kids. 

I have had a long running fascination with all things french. I studied the language from middle school all the way up to college and the closest I've gotten to using it was on a trip to Quebec. This is a kitchen that offers cooking classes. In France. Nuff said.

Someday.....  -sigh-

Watercolor, ink, embroidery, mixed media paper.

What I imagine it would look like in springtime (minus the hoards of Paris-in-springtime tourists.).

Watercolor, ink, embroidery, mixed media paper

Love these creatures. I happily share my gardening tasks with their productive buzzing in my ears, both of us in harmony and happily at work on our separate duties.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen.

I have been making lots of DIY beauty products and beeswax is a frequently used item so I drew this to illustrate beeswax. I think bees are really fascinating to watch. At the butterfly museum in Westminster there is a clear tube with honeycomb and your can watch close up as the bees work. I could stay there for hours.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Found this guy at our neighborhood lake. I was so enamored of this beautiful shell. It never fails to thrill me when I see one. It's the little things in life, ya know?

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Where I live, I am surrounded by farms in all directions. It is an endless source of delight and inspiration. I have a particular fondness for the Alpacas. They look like great big real-life stuffed animals.

Watercolor, ink

These beauties are everywhere. I love watching them gallop around with their manes blowing in the breeze and the sun reflecting off of their shiny coats.

Watercolor, ink

Could this guy be any cuter or more aptly named? (It's real name is the Belted Galloway.....because of the belt, of course).  You don't often have the pleasure of seeing these as they are more of a hobby cow these days but there is a farm not too far from where I live so I have the joy of seeing them on my way to the market. What can I say? I grew up in a suburb in Jersey....this is the kind of stuff that thrills me.

Watercolor, ink

These rare little gems can often be mistaken for a really big bumblebee if you are not looking closely. They are magnificent and I always consider myself lucky when I spot one of these magical creatures.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I was sitting in my house minding my own business when I heard some loud knocking. I followed the sound outside and discovered this guy..........pecking a hole in the side of my house. Pretty but destructive. Persistent too.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I remember getting one of these when I was little. It might have even been a birthday party favor.  As an adult it seems rather cruel to put an animal in a bag like that but from a child's eyes it was magical. My sister has a goldfish that lets her pet it (It's true. I've seen it.) Maybe they have more feelings than I thought.

Watercolor, ink

watercolor, ink

I am a lover of all creatures big and small. I can find something to like about all of them......with one exception. I can not find one single thing to like about these blood sucking, disease carrying pests!

O.K maybe one thing. They are food for dragonflies. I LOVE dragonflies!

Watercolor, ink 

I love this classic shell. Not sure where it came from but it is in my bathroom as a soap dish. Instead of soap it really deserves a big fat pearl in the middle.

Watercolor, ink

I grew up one hour from the Jersey shore so I spent a lot of time there swimming in the rolling waves, beach combing and eating delicious fresh-out-of-the-ocean seafood. There is nothing like it. The sand dollar was actually found on a beach in Florida, perfectly preserved.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

These wily guys eat like princes at the Jersey shore. I have (more than once) had food stolen right out of my hands. One even pooped right in my lap as a thank you gesture. I hear it's very good luck. Still waiting.

Watercolor, ink

This is a live starfish that was plucked right out of the water in Alaska by a tour guide for our observation, then gently released. It was soft and not at all slimy like I expected.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I found this shell on a nest of bright green moss. The contrast of the purple and green was just so beautiful I had to take this home and paint it. 

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen.

Watercolor, ink

Fresh out of the Ocean.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I think these are so beautiful. Still on the fence about whether or not I like to eat them though.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

My sister is a business major by trade but that girl can bake a cake. I think a career change is in order so I made her this business logo to get her started!

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

This was something I designed for a contest that strathmore was having. It didn't win but I was still proud of how it turned out. Contests can be a great way to challenge yourself and make some interesting art.

ink

Watercolor, ink

My mother was a cytotechnologist (she stained and screened slides containing biopsy samples to check for cell disease). We always had a microscope around the house. I have always been fascinated with the tiny microcosms that exist, invisible to the naked eye. One of my favorite classes was microbiology. A doorknob will never look the same again!

Watercolor, ink

Such an incredibly fascinating organ. Just finished Henry Marsh's book (a famous neurosurgeon). Even more fascinated now, if that's possible.

Just some fun experimentation with watercolors. Science and art marry well.

Watercolor, ink.

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

Watercolor, ink

One of the things that I truly love about painting is the opportunity to perceive even the most mundane things in a new light. When you really take the time to observe an ordinary object you will be delighted to see a rainbow of colors and details. 

Watercolor, ink, white gel pen

I just loved this funky little antique loveseat.

My grandmother had the coolest dressing table in her bedroom. It had a silver looking hairbrush and comb on it and some fancy perfume bottles like these. It was so very ladylike and classy through my little girl eyes. It still is.

I love tea. I usually drink it from an ordinary mug but it always seems to taste a little better from the fancy cups.

A bath is the cure all for all that ails you.  

I see these stacked rocks from time to time when I am hiking. I like that they make you stop and look at them and really be present in what is in front of you.

I've always thought red hair was so beautiful. I have dark brown hair and it usually has twigs from gardening or laundry lint in it instead of flowers but this is my fantasy hair.