How is Cuban Black Bean Soup like Mt. Vesuvius?

You know when you make black bean soup and at the end of the recipe it says to take out about a 1/3 of the beans and puree them in a blender? Okay, but maybe you didn't know that when you put something real hot in your blender, like simmering hot black bean soup, and turn it on to puree, it will blow the top off? In fact it is very similar to, you guessed it, Mt. Vesuvius! But, planning ahead, just in case you spill when you ladle the soup into the blender, put your blender next to the sink, which is also next to the coffee pot and those cute coffee bean canisters with the metal clasps on the lid. Just in case there is a little mess you can wipe it off the counter and into the sink. No problemo. Except now it went all Vesuvius on you and is on the wall, cabinet, canisters, spices jars (for the soup) and the coffee maker. But none got on the floor - woohoo. yeah that is fun!

Is it wrong to leave the coffee maker to be cleaned by the hubby, who is the morning coffee maker?

Cookie Magazine

Lots of treats here in Cookie Magazine, decorating, kids, food, even fashion (for me, oh well). I love this kid's room - especially the art display on the wall - kids art finds a place to hang and looks super.

hand drawn

Yup, thats my hand. For lack of something better in front of me.

painter portraits

I did these from portrait photos also. Can't remeber the photographer though. Draw with ball point pen. Color added with Photoshop.

sketching portraits from books

At night is the time I usually get to sketch. So I either sketch someone on the tube or from a book. I know drawing from a photo leaves a lot to be desired, but it is not very likely I'll go out at 10pm looking for people to sketch. So the next best thing is tv or book. Two books that I have recently check out of the library for this are pretty good. This one is great for expressions In Character: Actors Acting by Howard Schatz. I think it would be good for cartooning too. The other is Author Photos by Marion Ettlinger, it has very nice black and white photos of book authors. This sketch is JK Simmons from the InCharacter book. I think this is the first time I have drawn whiskers.