It is December Already!

First off...this is happening on December 16th. In the historic Women's Council House on the corner of Young Ave and Inglis Street. I've taught a few painting classes there and it is a lovely spot with loads of parking. There will be hot cider and cookies and live music! My friend Bill Jardine will be singing and playing guitar for us. Most things will be on SALE too! I do hope you can join me.
We are in the midst of a really cold snap at the moment. Unusual for Nova Scotia this time of year. I'm not out walking as much as I normally do. I am a wimp when it comes to extreme temperatures, hot or cold. My internal thermometer likes middle of the road.... This is part of the rails to trails walk in Bayers. Lake. The water is frozen here but it loos like glass.
Ive done
I have been doing a bit of painting.... only just started consistently. My mum has been ill and things are now stabilizing and I can get back to work! This is 24 x 24 on beechwood with deep 1.5" sides painted pale turquoise. On my monitor it looks a bit bright and garish but the real colours are lovely! Every monitor is different so be aware that it will look slightly different for everyone.
This painting is called "The Red Wellies" I love it.  16 x 20 x 1.5" and the painting wraps around the sides.
I hope you have a great week!

Summer Bogo Sale!

BOGO Sale!! My twice annual buy one get one free sale is on for a week! Stock up on Christmas gifts and that special print you have always wanted! 

Lots of new prints in my shop. 

INSTRUCTIONS: Purchase the prints you want and in “notes to seller” write down the print you would like for FREE! 

Please spread the word:) Bargain hunters will be thrilled. Thanks so much for your support as always! XO

http://www.AliceinParis.etsy.com

Artist Coleslaw!

ARTIST COLESLAW

Yum! This is incredibly delicious, beautiful to look at and healthy too! I have to share this recipe with you and apologize for the lack of measurements. I just kind of winged it. Into a big bowl you toss a finely chopped half of a red cabbage and two medium carrots.Throw in a handful of pistachios and slivered almonds. Finely chop some green onion or chives.

Toss in some halved or quartered seedless grapes. About half a cup. They are a secret ingredient adding a wee burst of sweetness amidst the crunch. You could also substitute some sweetened dried cranberries or perhaps some mango! Remember, as with all salads, you add more of what you like and less of what you don't! Experiment and see what happens:)

Mix it all together. See how gorgeous that looks!!

The dressing is a blob (two large tablespoons?)of vegan mayo or regular, A tablespoon each of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. Stir it up and taste to see how you like it. Add and adjust to your taste buds. Salt and pepper.

 The consistency you want is a pourable one..... Just enough to coat the veggies. Toss and let sit for a bit to marinate.

And.......voila! A perfect salad for any gathering. Better the next day!

International Womens Day 2018

Happy International Women's Day! This is my grandmother Alice. The woman who I named my business after. My grandfather was a sea captain (he is on her left) and she travelled the world with him. She was also an entrepreneur with a keen sense of what worked. I celebrate her and ALL the women who forged the future that we inhabit now.

Warehouse Market on Isleville Street

I discovered this on a walk today! The Warehouse Market (2867 Isleville Street) held on Thursdays and Fridays. I was meeting a friend for a coffee and arrived early so decided to have a stroll around the neighborhood. What a nice surprise to stumble upon it!

 

It was this little sign that caught my eye and over I went to check it out...
The warehouse of Afishionado hosts Abundant Acres Farm, Holdanca Farms, Maritime Gourmet Mushrooms Inc., Gold Island Bakery, Pop Culture Brew Co., and Expresso 46 Thursdays and Fridays 11-7pm and Saturday 9-1pm They also have a wide selection of frozen product and an ever-changing supply of fresh seafood. 

Espresso46 serves amazing coffee and mouth watering Italian hot chocolate, dark and classic:) through their little window on the world:) A well kept secret except to those who are fervent customers! I ventured into the market and was pleasantly surprised. It is a utilitarian place with a friendly vibe.

 

There was a nice selection of produce from Abundant Acres Farm. I purchased some fresh pea shoots.

 

I also bought one of these!! or at least I thought I did:) The watermelon daikon. A bright pink mild and sweet radish, the size of a large potato..I actually picked up the other one...more on that later...

They sell wonderful breads... One of which was a Rye, Walnut and Prune bread which really appealed to me, but next time I will try it.

Fresh Shitake mushrooms...

There were quite a few people there filling their bags with produce and eggs and yummy goodies to take home.This little child was fascinated with me snapping away on my iphone:)

We became friends...

 So back to the Daikon.....when I got home and peeled it, I got this!!!

 and then this... after slicing into thin coins.

 

I then did this......

and added pea shoots, some pepito seeds salt/ pepper and tossed it all with a mild vinagrette! Yum! Purple Peaple Salad. The radish is crunchy and mild and slightly sweet.

So if you find yourself in the North end of the city on a Thursday or Friday or Saturday morning. Pop in and have a visit...

Mo and Jules's- Vegan to Meat Lover! New Restaurant

Mo and Jules is a very unassuming place tucked into what used to be part of the Esquire Motel on the water side of the Bedford Highway, 813 to be exact. The kind of place you might just drive right by.... don't!  The M stands for Mahogany and the J for Jules!

These two delightful women opened their doors 8 months ago and are super friendly and dedicated to customer service and good healthy food!

Before opening M and J's they had a busy catering business and clients told them they should open a "real" place:) They found this sun filled spot and decided to put down some roots. (By the way they still cater. Today they had two big catering jobs on the go..).  
What is wonderful about this place is that everyone and anyone can eat here!! People with food sensitivities and those who can eat whatever they want and those who choose to eat plant based.The menu is divided into two halves, on the left is everything vegan and on the right is anything goes. This is a sample of the all day breakfast menu! (top is cut off) Tofu scramble available.
M and J's have daily specials as well, Tuesday was All you Can Eat Taco day! 
A freezer holds meals you can take home and have later. I took my mum to lunch here and she took home home a split pea soup and veggie lasagna for later..
When you come in you can serve yourself coffee or a drink from the fridge and then Jules will pop by to have a chat and take your order and answer any questions you might have.
We both chose this!!! Basically a pile of veggies on a bun, and it was tasty!

I had a broccoli salad side with coconut bacon and mum had the sweet potato fries with curry mayo.
The menu is customer driven and both Mo and Jules are anxious to hear what you liked and what you might like to see on the menu and may try it as a special! They love creating food that pleases.The sunlight streams through the windows but from the outside, as I mentioned, it is a place you might not notice.
This is what my mum ordered, the avocado sundried tomato burger with sweet potato fries...
and here she is in blissful contemplation.... YUM!!
People are starting to become regulars and there was a small steady stream of customers. I will be back for sure!!! I hope you pop out to give them a try and say Shelagh sent you:)

March 11 Painting Class- Cats!

 Painting CATS!!

Join me Sunday afternoon on March 11 for a relaxing day of painting, chatting, nibbling on refreshments, and listening to music!

*We will paint a simplified version of this painting*

Ready to Unleash your inner artist??

Here is the link to find out more and purchase your spot!!

In this workshop we will be creating a painting featuring a cat or two or three! Use your own favourite felines for colour inspiration:)

I will help guide you and give some prompts but in this class, nothing is wrong:) Start the year with some colour and creativity!!

We will be painting with acrylic paint on 11 x 14' birchwood "canvas" supports. They have deep 1.5" sides and therefore are ready to hang when finished. You can use as much artistic license as you please to make it yours. I will cheer you through it step by step:)  NO experience needed but if you do have experience and want to join us for a fun day, all the better!

Please bring an apron or wear something an errant drop of paint might enhance. Casual comfortable, crafty clothing encouraged. 

Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided free of charge.Veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, cookies, trail mix, etc... Great music, good company and at the end of the day a work of art to hang and perhaps some new friends:)

ONLY 5 spots of limited earlybird registration available, $85 until they sell out or March 3, whichever arrives sooner. Classes sell out quickly so purchase soon. Last day to purchase class is March 9. Regular registration fee is $100

The class will be held at the beautiful historic George Wright House on Young Avenue. It was bequeathed to the Local Council of Women-Halifax by the billionaire upon his death which sadly happened as a result of the Titanic disaster. It is a lovely space.

TESTIMONIALS

" Thank-you Shelagh, I learned so much. You are an excellent, patient teacher and a wonderful artist. "
"Wicked fun class! Thank-you!"
"Just a blast!~ Off to buy paint! Amazing results for the whole class!"
"Great day! I am thrilled with my painting!. The venue was nice and bright and the tunes were inspiring:)"
"Shelagh this was wonderful! The energy was so positive and I am feeling very accomplished. I can't wait for another!"
"Thank- you so much Shelagh, this was such a fun relaxing and inspiring day away from the regular routine"
"I will definitely like to do another one and would highly reccommend to anyone to do!"
"Loved the whole day! Will definitely come to another workshop. Thanks so much!"
Hope to see you there!!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/painting-cats-workshop-with-shelagh-duffett-march-11-tickets-43553705305
Find me at www.ShelaghDuffett.com

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your life

"You must first accept that while there are things that have happened in your life that you had no say in, YOU are 100 percent responsible for what you do with your life in the aftermath of those events. ALWAYS, every time, no excuses.” - Gary John Bishop

I am reading, well actually, listening, to a book on Audible called Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life I'm only about halfway through but this book is a real kick in the butt.The ideas are not new, and Gary is not a soft and fuzzy hugs all around kind of guy, but does a great job  telling us to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and ACT. If you don't like something, change; change how you view it or act change the situation.

We all have good intentions, grand ideas and plans but......

We are not our thoughts, we are what we DO. 

Bishop insists that we need to act on those thoughts and dreams, starting in the tiniest of ways if need be, even if we don't feel like it.When we choose not to act, we have to face the fact that we're not willing to move toward what we really do want. Inaction IS an action and can be debilitating, and have a domino effect, leading you deeper toward what you don't want. You may feel safe and protected in your inaction but it is not serving you.

I hadn't planned on writing a book review, "pep talk" when I started this post but his words have had an impact on me. There's nothing in this book I have not heard before but his language and words are to the point and basically tell us life is short and YOU are the key to changing it if you are not happy where you are in it! 

Here are some more quotes....

“Remember, everything is solve-able, and if you can’t see a solution, it only means you haven’t worked it out yet.”  

“You have the life you’re willing to put up with.” 

“Positive self-talk can dramatically improve mood, boost confidence, increase productivity, and more. Much more. In fact, as evidenced by Professor Hart and his studies, it can be one of the key components to a happy, successful life. The bad news is, the reverse is also true: Negative self-talk can not only put us in a bad mood, it can leave us feeling helpless. It can make small problems seem bigger – and even create problems where none existed before. Here’s the breaking news, your self-talk is fucking you over and in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.” 

Some takeaways.....

-You could change your life overnight if you gave up the idea that other peoples' opinions matter. Be willing to be judged by others and not let it get to you. 

- No one can read your mind. Say what's on it. Share your plans and ideas. That thing that's making you crazy, might not be on their radar. They could be completely oblivious.
- Even when you don't see anything happening, it is. Even when you're not quite hitting the mark, you're making progress. Doing the mental work and shifting your actions accordingly, sets things in motion.

 Uncertainty is where things happen; it's your personal pathway to growth. 

 images copyright Shelagh Duffett

Two More Winter Painting Classes!

Sunday, February11, Valentine Cottage! 

February 11, we will be doing a version of this little Valentine Cottage. Everyone will do their own thing:) Are you ready to Unleash your inner artist?? 

For more info on this class and to register, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valentine-cottage-painting-workshop-with-shelagh-duffett-february-11-tickets-42003113443

 

Sunday, February 25  Sea and Sky.....

Sunday, February 25, Sea and Sky... in this class we will be exploring sunsets and skyscapes over the ocean. A peaceful and reflective painting. The image displayed here is just for inspiration only. You will be creating your own seascape.....with guidance from me:)  

For more info on this class, and registration, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sea-sky-painting-workshop-with-shelagh-duffett-february-25-tickets-42001616967

My Annual Birthday Giveaway!

Well, well, well... it is January 8 again!! at least it was yesterday! Ha I'm a bit late posting this.... My birthday! and Elvis, Bowie and Hawking all share it too!! I always give away a gift on that day and this year it is a cornucopia of delights! (and an original painting!) 

All this and more. So, if you would like to receive this wee bounty, please pop over to my Facebook page where the draw will take place on January 12 and leave a comment. If you tag someone and your name gets picked I will send them a wee gift too!!! I'll draw a name on January 12! Happy January 8! Hope you had a good Monday:) Here is the link again: http://www.facebook.com/shelaghduffett.art/