ART WALK!

Success!  Tonight was amazing!  My ward had an art walk for their ward party, and the turnout was astounding!  There is so much talent in this ward, ranging from paintings of every size, shape and style, to sketches, blueprints, photography, jewelry, sewing projects, scrapbooking, woodwork, baking and more!  The people who participated in and donated their time and talents to tonight's event made it all that much more special.  A wonderful gathering of over 100 friends who had the opportunity to learn about each other's talents was a great way to spend the evening.  I was able to show some of my sketches and a painting or two, as well as try my hand at the pastry art by making three different kinds of fudge (recipes to follow).  Being able to try my hand at something new and to have the opportunity to share it with and get the opinions of others really helps me develop my talents and for that I am truly blessed.  From the panini bar, to the artisan bakery, to the art walk itself, tonight was definitely a success! 

FUDGE RECIPES!!!!

Funfetti Cake Batter Fudge

(This was a fun fudge to make because of the sprinkles, and it was a good recipe to make for sitting out on a tray for three hours because it set well and didn't melt.)
  
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (about 1 3/4 bags)
3 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
Sprinkles (I used rainbow sprinkles, but you can use any kind!)

Pour milk and white chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2-3 minutes, or until white chocolate is almost completely melted. DO NOT OVERHEAT. Stir until completely blended, melted, and smooth.
Immediately add vanilla and almond extract and combine thoroughly. Add a handful or so of rainbow sprinkles and fold in quickly because they will melt (and if they are stirred for too long they’ll turn thefudge an ugly gray color).
Transfer to an aluminum-foil lined or well-greased 8×8 inch baking pan for very thick fudge, or a 11X7 inch pan (this is the size I used and it worked perfectly). Let set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Once set, cut into cubes (peel off the foil if you used it!). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Peppermint Fudge

(This fudge is my favorite of the three that I made for tonight.  I usually don't like peppermint taste in anything, but this was good.  It also set up well and didn't melt.  It was super easy to make and fun to make the swirl designs in the white chocolate with the food coloring.  Yes, sometimes I still act like I'm four and have fun with stuff like that.)  :-)

Ingredients

·         1 (12 ounce) package of white chocolate chips or high quality white chocolate bar

·         1 (16 ounce) container vanilla frosting

·         1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

·         8 drops red food coloring

·         2 Tablespoons crushed peppermint candies

Directions

1.    1Line an 8X8 pan with waxed paper.

2.    2Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

3.    3Stir in the frosting into the white chocolate chips.

4.    4Stir in peppermint extract.

5.    5Spread into prepared pan evenly.

6.    6Drop 8 drops of food coloring evenly spaced on top of the fudge.

7.    7Using a knife swirl the food coloring.

8.    8Sprinkle top of fudge with crushed peppermint candies and press down slightly.

9.    9Cool for about an hour in the fridge.

10.  10Once firm, turn fudge onto a cutting board and cut into small squares.

White Chocolate Cookies ~n~ Crème Fudge

(This fudge was the most difficult to make out of the three.  Boiling was involved and it didn't really set up the way it was supposed to, like the others did.  Don't get me wrong, it tasted great, but it wouldn't thicken all the way and became too runny when it was set out at room temperature. If you can find a way to keep that from happening, more power to ya!)

Ingredients

·         1 cup sugar

·         3/4 cup butter 

·         1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk

·         2 (12-oz.) packages white chocolate morsels

·         1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow cream

·         3 cups coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 25 cookies), divided 

·         Pinch of salt

Preparation

1.     Line a greased 9" square pan with aluminum foil; set aside.

2.     Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add white chocolate morsels, marshmallow cream, 2 cups crushed cookies, and salt. Stir until morsels melt.

3.     Pour fudge into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cookies over fudge, gently pressing cookies into fudge. Cover and chill until firm (about 1 to 2 hours).

4.     Lift uncut fudge in aluminum foil from pan; remove foil, and cut fudge into squares

Seeing Feelings

As much as I love listening to and playing music I can't, for the life of me, compose.  I have so many emotions for so many songs that are running through my head, but I'm not skilled enough to put them down on paper, so I paint instead.  I don't show off my paintings very often because they are personal and I have found that people take more offense to feelings that they can see, rather than feelings they can hear.  This is one such painting that a few people have loved of mine, so I decided to share it with you.  There may be more to come later.  Let me know what you think.

Let's Begin! (A little bit about me)

I have loved music all my life. I come from a musical background, with my mom's mom, my aunt and my mom all having choir backgrounds, and my dad's mom and my dad both being pianists. I also have siblings who play the violin, viola, cello, piano and sing. At about age three I would sing nursery rhyme songs using my grandparent's fireplace for a stage during family gatherings. I loved singing every week in Primary, and it helped that my dad was the Primary pianist. At age six I was in a singing group called "Kathy's Kids," and I still remember the actions to some of the songs we did. When I turned seven, my dad started me on piano and I still, somehow, have the ability to play. At age ten, I started violin in school and played all the way through my senior year in high school, being able to play in the pit orchestra for our high school musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." At twelve, I joined choir in church, and at thirteen I picked it up in school. The violin was my instrument of choice for a while, until I graduated high school. After high school I had the privilege of taking violin, voice and cello lessons for a period of time, and I tried my luck in auditions for the ASU Herberger School of Music with no avail, so I'm minoring in music instead. I have also auditioned for the Symphony of the Southwest and EVMCO, for the experience if nothing else, and I am auditioning again for EVMCO this September on violin. I have also tried my hand at the viola, upright string bass, half-size harp and acoustic guitar, but singing will always be my first love. I have never given a thought to going professional because I love being able to play and sing at my leisure, and I am still able to perform for the extended family every Christmas Eve. I love almost all types of music, but my favorites are musicals and classical music. One of my favorite things to do while listening to classical music is to guess the era and composer before the piece ends. If that doesn't make me a music nerd then I don't know what does! I have also taken part in an a capella group. Right now, I do anything from writing lyrics to arranging two- and three-part songs for Christmas to writing quartet pieces for my siblings and I to play.


That is a look into the talent portion of my music, but I also have a thirst for the knowledge of how music affects people and why they listen to the kind of music they do. I have worked a bit with different aspects of how people with diseases and disabilities are affected by and respond to music, and I get a lot of my research from Oliver Sacks, especially from his book entitled "Musicophilia." I have also dabbled in music therapy and how that career can be both challenging and rewarding, as well as how music therapy helps reach people who have had all other hopes abandoned by them and those around them. I find it particularly interesting on how certain music helps with stress, which I am kin to. Music theory also fascinates me, because of all the different ways one can write a piece of music, and all the different tools they have at their disposal. It answers all of the 'why' questions I so frequently ask when I'm learning something new. Last, but most certainly not least, I love the different feelings I get with the different pieces of music. Each piece or song speaks to me differently, even if I'm using two for the same thing. I love the way music joins together the most unlikely people, sometimes in the most awkward situations, and makes them friends through even a single song. "Music is what feelings sound like," and it is universal.