SUNFLOWER COLLAGE

SUNFLOWER COLLAGE

Close-Up of "Blooming Spirit"

The other day, I was perusing through my favorite blogs and came across MsElenaeous Rants and Rave’s, which is the title of a blog created by a friend of mine. Elena is a very talented writer who moved here to Roanoke, Virginia a few years back. Although she has made our mountainous area her home, she speaks of missing her life in NYC. I thought about her dilemma. Having lived in many different places after graduating from high school, I can sympathize with her. I think we all tend to compare our new surroundings with the area in which we grew up.

Full Length "Blooming Spirit" 12"x24"

In response to Elena, I immediately thought of a poem I wrote, titled “Blooming Spirit.” Coincidentally, I was working on a renaissance oil collage of a girl with sunflowers and after I read Elena's blogpost, I thought it would be serendipitous to name my sunflower girl after my poem. Here is the poem and details about my painting.

Side View

Close-Up of Poem printed on the Highly Textured Cloak

Just in case you cannot read the wording on Blooming Spirit's cloak, I have included it here.

“Blooming Spirit”

Her home was far away and she longed for the roots that had for so long held her life together; friends, family and familiar surroundings. Time passed as she quietly endured her sorrow. Finally, she rejoiced, for her soul, who knew far more than she, revealed a great truth: “Change is growth, you must bloom where you are planted.”

~Cheryl Dolby~

I do believe that it is important to “Bloom where you are planted.” If you choose to make the very most of the area or even situation you find yourself in, you will truly find that before long..you will be home again.

Blooming Spirit is an original oil and acrylic collage. I distressed her by using a crackle solution. I used the Renaissance Oil Method and collaged the background.

Blooming Spirit is for sale. I have priced her at $175.00. She is 12”w x 24”h x ½” For shipping prices to Alaska , Hawaii, or other countries, please e-mail me.

LAS VEGAS, ELVIS AND THE DANCE THAT WAITED FOR 57 YEARS!

LAS VEGAS, ELVIS AND THE DANCE THAT WAITED FOR 57 YEARS

Elvis and Vicky Andres

You are probably wondering what a post about Vegas and Elvis would have to do with a dance that waited for 57 years. I hope you will read the following story that goes far beyond the glitz and the glamor.

Wendy Marvin and a very friendly Elvis

Those of us from the graduating class of Warren G. Harding, 1962, anticipated our 50th reunion, which was held on August 9-11th. Many of us looked forward to seeing class members we had not heard from in over 50 years. Excitement was in the air as our leader, Virginia Nagy Hall, and her committee planned for the exhilarating weekend. Some of you may remember reading about our preparations here and here. For most it was going to be a time to get reacquainted with classmates. I, however, had a different agenda.

Show Girls surround Wendy Marvin and Tom Craciun

Yours Truly with Elvis

Virginia Nagy Hall and her b-Dazzled Shoes

Virginia's B-Dazzled Crocs

Memento Booklet Created by Jennifer McGarry Anderson and Cheryl Galloway Dolby with the help of a blogger friend of mine- Patti at Treasure Barn

Jennifer Anderson McGarry and Cheryl Galloway Dolby

Many years ago, 57 to be exact, when I was in the 6th grade, an incident occurred that I had not been able to shake through all this time. Our teachers decided it would be a good idea to have the 6th grade class learn to socialize by dancing together. We met in the gymnasium during our lunch period and one of the teachers played the waltz and polka on the piano.

Everyone Should Have a Chandelier Like This One in Their Party Garage

While some of the kids were ready for this, my best friend, Karen, and I definitely were still ‘little girls’ who played cut-out dolls and fantasized about the characters from the novels we read at the time. Karen and I preferred to dance together, our fluffy crinolines puffing out under our grey puddle skirts as we whirled around the floor.

Gift Travel Bags we Received When We Arrived at Avalon Inn-I think Virginia and the committee May Have Had Something to Do With This Surprise

A boy from West Virginia had just moved to our town and was transferred to our tight knit class. Ron started 6th grade with students who had been in school together since kindergarten and was finding it hard to fit in. I was later to learn that he had had a hard life growing up in the 'hollers'of West Virginia. His father had worked in a sawmill but funds were tight and the family had to move where there was a better chance for them to survive.

Ron’s life was drastically different from mine and the other kids in our class. Karen and I were assigned to tutor Ron. Another classmate, Frankie Aluzia, was to become his guide by taking him under his wings and helping him to fit in.

From Left: Tom Andres, Tom Craciun, Chuck Dolby and John Baird, Our Class President

One day, while Karen and I were planning our usual polka at lunch, Ron came up to me and asked me to dance. Being the thoughtless child that I probably was, I did the unthinkable. I said ‘no.’ Ron was humiliated and felt he was worthless. He retreated to the back of the piano, where he thought the other kids would not see his disappointment.

I was a child, yet definitely old enough to know better, I didn’t even feel a lot of guilt at the time. Not even when Frankie came up to me and scolded me for refusing the dance.

Liz Teachout with Dennis Steinmetz who Is The Director of The Young and the Restless. Such a Talented Class!

The years faded away and from time to time I thought about the dance I had refused. As I became older, I regretted my behavior. I remembered and was even at times haunted by the look on Ron’s face and the humiliation it held.

Linda and Bill's Chef for the Vegas Night-What a Job he Did. The Food was Delicious.

A few weeks before the reunion, I called Karen (yes, we are still friends after all these years) and told her that I had one objective for the reunion-just one person I wanted to see: Ron. I knew that if I did nothing else, I was going to ask him to dance. I resolved that if he refused, and he would be justified, I would accept it knowing it would be exactly what I deserved.

Pat Tutoki, Joan Zubek Sprockett and Bonnie Sloss Popowicz

The festivities began. Pomp and circumstance surrounded our reunion. The theme for the evening was Las Vegas. Our very generous and thoughtful hosts Linda and Bill, created a fabulous evening at their home. Limousines transported us to our destination where we were welcomed by a red carpet that was rolled out for the class members. Show girls greeted us by allowing our pictures to be taken with them. A spectacular show was awaiting us with none other than Elvis, performing all the songs of the 50’s and 60’s. An eleven member band, including singers played all evening as we danced the night away. A free bar was set up and the food was delicious. It was a night to be remembered forever.

I looked around the grounds for Ron but did not see him anywhere. Finally, a very tall, handsome and muscular man walked by. I craned my neck to read the name tag the committee had prepared for us to wear and sure enough, it said Ron. Could this really be the Ron of our 6th grade class? Surely not. When he passed again, I stopped him and was pleased that it was actually Ron.

From Left-Larry Howe and Wife, Frank and Andrea Calvin
Frank is Owner of The Rubber Band Gym

I immediately apologized to him for my behavior as I surely thought I had damaged him for life. Either that, I considered, or he wouldn’t even remember the incident. Not only did Ron remember but he told me that he was ever so thankful that I had remembered, since he thought I was so callus a person, that surely it was just a passing incident. He said that when the “queen of the 6th grade” had refused to dance with him, it set the tone for his life to come. I was astounded that he thought of me in this way. In my mind, I was far from being the queen of anything at that time. He told me that indeed, he had been marred for life.He said this in a tone that could be taken jokingly or seriously.

The band began playing “Twilight Time” and before I could ask him to dance, Ron appeared next to me saying, “ I believe this dance is ours.” We danced the dance that should have happened 57 years before. I’m not sure if Ron noticed the tears in my eyes or not as we danced and reminisced but probably not since I detected tears in his as well.

Yours Truly and the Beautiful and Generous Linda Marsteller

Sometimes I think that there are no real mistakes in life, only lessons to be learned. Leo Buscaglia said that too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. As I contemplate further, I think that perhaps kindness is the greatest wisdom.

Here Ron and I are Getting Ready to Dance the Dance that Waited for 57 Years!

Tom Craciun and Wendy Marvin

Cheryl Galloway Dolby and Chuck Dolby

Chuck Dolby, Darcy and John Ashelman

Joyce Manzer Zek- I Met Joyce at the Mall In between Parties

My Lifelong Friend, Karen Gulakowski Price and Betty (Toni) Meade

Don and Roberta (Birdie) Pascute. Sorry about the Quality of this Picture. Don and Birdie are Not Seeing Pink Elephants-It was the Effect of the Glowing Pink Background

Marsteller's Beautiful Daughter and Husband

Marsteller's Son, Rick, Built the Fountains and Huge Decks Surrounding Their Home

Dave (Sam) Salvato and wife Jacqueline

John and Marilyn Pogue

THE DORAN COLLAGE

THE DORAN COLLAGE

The Doran

I love herbs and herbal lore. My studio draws me in often to do paintings or sculptures depicting women as herbalists. My Doran collage reflects the story I wrote about a Doran-an herbalist of the highest order.

Here is a close-up of the hair in which I created a three dimensional effect and a crackled background

Side view of the 1 1/4 “ siding on birch board

Last but not least, here is her story:

The Doran

Some call her a witch because in her presence, miraculous events sometimes occur. She is known to be able to cure many illnesses with the ointments, teas, tinctures and potions she makes with her herbs. She spends hours cutting, removing seeds, shredding roots, turning, drying, crushing, steeping and distilling. She uses eyebright, pennyroyal, primrose, lovage, borage and comfrey.

She carefully watches the seasons: She dies with the winter and rises with the spring. She is totally in tune with the harmonics of nature because she is able to see on luminous levels. She believes we are all in some way linked together; the birds, flowers, trees and plants and somehow are part of something much greater than we are able to comprehend.

She is majestic, serence and at peace with herself and the universe that surrounds her..she is a doran…

~Cheryl Dolby~

(The Doran is an original oil and acrylic collage 9”x12” with 1 1/4” deep frame for easy hanging. Price: $125.00. Shipping to United States only.)

RECIPE FOR THE BEST AND EASIEST ICE CREAM I HAVE EVER MADE

RECIPE FOR THE BEST ICE CREAM I HAVE EVER TASTED

INDIAN KULFI

Raspberry Kulfi

Indian cuisine was the theme for our Little Supper Club the other night. It was over 100 degrees outside and I knew our hosts kitchen would be hot as well as the picnic area outside so I decided to try my hand at Kulfi ice cream. I found the blog of Reena at Coconut Raita and just knew this dish was going to be a winner. Reena experimented with her own style and even though it isn’t traditional Indian, it turned out to be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. I made two of the recipes she included in her post. Pistachio and Raspberry.

The big bonus to this ice cream is that YOU DON’T NEED AN ICE CREAM MAKER to create this delicious treat.

Pistachio Kulfi

Reena only gave metric measurements, so I converted them in the recipes you find below. I also experimented a bit on my own. One thing I found out by experimentation and I want to pass along to you, this ice cream melts faster than the store bought variety. With that in mind, if you use fresh fruit, what happens is that when you thaw the ice cream, the fruit remains frozen. If you wait until the fruit thaws out, you have ice soup! I tried several different fruits with no luck. What I did have luck with though was any kind of nut like cashew and especially the pistachio. I loved the coconut ice cream that I made and will try some with chocolate in them as well. You can have a great time experimenting with this recipe. Have fun!

Pistachio Kulfi

½ cup. sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 oz. or more of pistachios
½ t. vanilla extract
½ t. almond extract

Place condensed milk, pistachios, vanilla and almond extract into a bowl.
In another bowl, whip cream and then fold into condensed milk. Freeze in a Cool Whip container or a special mold or small jars for about 6 hours. Loosen mold with warm water. That’s it!

Raspberry Kulfi

½ cup raspberries
½ condensed milk
1/3 c. whipped cream
½ t. vanilla extract

With a wooden spoon, mash raspberries through a sieve. Be sure to use all the pulp except the seeds.

Place mashed raspberries, condensed milk, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Whip the cream in another bowl and add to the condensed milk mixture. Freeze for at least 6 hours. To release mold, run warm water over or dip it into a bowl filled with warm water.

Coconut Kulfi

½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup whipped cream
½ t. vanilla extract
¼ t. coconut extract
½ cup or more of coconut

Procedure is the same. You get the idea, now you can add anything (except fruit) to your ice creams to personalize. Let me know what exotic and fun ingredients work for you!

HOW I MAKE MY OWN CANCER TEA AND OTHER EXOTIC TEAS

HOW I MAKE MY OWN CANCER TEA

AND OTHER EXOTIC TEAS

Pineapple Mint and Chocolate Mint-Freshly Harvested

I love making my own teas because it gives me the versatility of creating exotic herbal blends, not found anywhere else. I’ve even gone so far as to create my own teas for particular ailments or diseases. I bought a book years ago that has been my guideline for creating teas to help with cancer, intestinal tract problems, nervous system difficulties and a variety of other health problems. The book is called “Healing Teas from around the world” by Syliva Schneider.

Of course, I use the book only as a guideline. I prefer to study effects of different teas and create my own elixir.

When my daughter, Kelli, found out she had multiple myeloma cancer 8 years ago, and after the initial shock, we decided to follow conventional therapy as well as look into alternative methods. Kelli is thriving today and I believe that the teas could have played a roll in her recovery.

You may want to check out an earlier post on how I prepare my herbs. The post is titled “Now is the Thyme” found here

Dried Herbs After Removed From Brown Bags

Basically, I dry my herbs in brown sandwich bags, place them in my car and wait a few days to remove. They dry quickly and impart a wonderful aroma at the same time.

Tea Being Placed Into Small Tea Bags

After the herbs have dried, I scrunch up the brown bags until the leaves are thoroughly pulverized. I remove larger stems and then add them to purchased tea bags that can be found online or specialty herb shops.

I used spearmint, pineapple mint and peppermint tea leaves for my pictures for the post.

The tea bags are then ironed closed and are ready for brewing.
I then place tea bags into zip lock bags with my logo and list ingredients.

The bags Are Sealed Closed by Ironing Them.

Below is a bit about the ingredients and the recipes I used for Kelli’s cancer teas.

Lapacho tea is made by using the bark found on the lapacho tree found in South America. It is reputed to have great results when used for asthma, stomach complaints and cancer and impede the growth of tumors.

Eassiac Tea or Original Indian Essence. This tea was reportedly used by the Indians in southeast Canada and many claims are made touting it as a cure for cancer. The ingredients are, roots of burdock and Turkish rhubarb, sheep sorrel and slippery elm bark. These are herbs that help strengthen the immune system.

Bark and Root Cancer Tea:

1. 1 t. each of the burdock, Turkish Rhubard, sheep sorrel and slippery elm bark or you could buy a box of Eassiac tea with these ingredients sometimes found in health food stores.
2. 2 t. crushed lapacho bark

Mix together and add to tea bag. I use several of these bags in a pot of hot water-let them steep for about 10 minutes or so. Tea is a bit bitter so honey can be added to your cup if preferred. Alternately, if you want a stronger tea, let herbs steep for about an hour and reheat the tea before drinking.

In a later post, if there is interest from my readers, I’ll give more information on methods we used to help Kelli keep cancer at bay. She is and has been in guarded remission for several years now but we, and I say we because I am her coach, continue a strict regimen to insure her continued remission and phenomenally good health. Her oncologist has told us that he thinks Kelli is a miracle case.

Mint Tea All Ready for the Market~

GYPSY MOON

GYPSY MOON

"Gypsy Moon"

GYPSY MOON

SOLD-THANK YOU ROSE AND JIM

A storm was brewing. The winds
of change were struggling to free
themselves once again. She knew
she had
been too long in one place. The roots
of that place were starting to wrap
themselves around her being, pulling
and tugging at her once more.
She knew it was time.
Moving on meant transformation. It meant
leaving possessions, friends and
sometimes family. She was no stranger
to farewells. And, with each move,she
knew she was leaving a part of
herself behind.
Even though painful, she knew that once
again she must pull back her shoulders,
as if she were an obedient soldier.
She then must wrap the blanket of
memories around her and begin her journey
as she had done so many times before.
She knew she was Gypsy Moon, strong,
vibrant, resilient and constant.
She must begin...again.

~Cheryl Dolby ~

Once in awhile, I get in the mood to create something extremely textural. When I started Gypsy Moon, I wasn’t sure of the direction I wanted to go but knew I wanted the end effect to be mosaic in feel.

I created a paper batik and then cut it up into uneven pieces and glued each small piece together on my design. I glued tissue paper onto her head piece and glued it onto the design. Then, I painted the background with several shades of blues and browns and then crackled the whole thing.

Close-up of mosaic design

Close-up of crackled background

Side View

Although this is a small painting of only 8x10”x1/2” deep, it was very time consuming. She is for sale for $125. You can e-mail me if you are interested in purchasing her. We can use Paypal. Even though I usually don’t use blues in my work, I love the way Gypsy Moon turned out. Hope you like her story as well. I think there is a bit of gypsy in all of us.

The Colors In This Photo are Truer to My Original Painting

GROW YOUR OWN SPROUTS!

GROW YOUR OWN SPROUTS!

Tiered Sprouting Container

Several years ago, my daughter, Kirsten, who was a vegetarian at the time, ordered a salad with sprouts at a restaurant located at a beach resort. Little did she know that this particular batch of sprouts were grown in a pasture right next to where cows grazed and were contaminated. She came down with e-coli. She became very ill and fought for her life. The health division tracked down exactly where the sprouts came from so that others did not get sick. She finally, after an agonizing several weeks, became well, swearing off all sprouts forever. The entire family has been leary of eating sprouts ever since. Some family members like sprouts so much that they now boil them. Boiling probably destroys the nutrients. I love sprouts so I decided to grow my own. Growing your own sprouts does not eliminate all the dangers of contamination but cuts down on them tremendously.

Seafood Salad with Sprouts

I remembered using a 4-tier sprouting system years ago but had no idea where I got it or what became of it. I went online and found one very similar to the one I used. The sprouter had two reviews. One good and one very, very bad review. I gambled anyway and find that I absolutely love this sprouter. I’m not affiliated with them in any way but just want to pass on that I found mine at Williams-Sonoma.

These sprouts are fresh and I can control them, since I am the grower. Now as far as the seeds go? It is probably best to purchase organic grown seeds. There are many sites online that offer top grade sprouts.

Sprouts are chock full of nutrients, fiber content, essential fatty acids, AE and C complex, amino acitds, proteins and phytochemicals. Another bonus is that they are lowfat and taste delicious in salads and sandwiches.

"Plant Seeds of Kindness"

SOLD! THANK YOU TRISH!

To accompany my sprouting post, I have created one of my philosophy art dolls with a sprout quote. "Plant Seeds of Kindness." Well, it’s not necessarily a sprout quote but as close as I could find.

I hand sculpted her face out of clay, used material for body. She is has fully moveable arms and legs. She is 4” wide (wider with arms outstretched) and 10 “ high and priced at $38. These little "Philosophy Art Dolls," are fun and whimsical and make great gifts to cheer up a friend in need. If you’d like to purchase her, just e-mail me and we can use Paypal. Also, if you’d like for me to create a custom one for you, just let me know the color scheme and your special quote.