Author: admin

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A Burden Lifted

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30


Sometimes I come to Christmas full of joy and excitement for the season, and sometimes I just don’t. It’s easy to come to the end of a year exhausted and weighed down by life’s worries and the business of the “holiday season”. But Jesus offers more than rest from a season of business, more than refreshing in our weariness. Jesus has taken away our sin, the weightiest burden of all! All of our burdens we now cast on our eternal Savior who stands at the Father’s side and cares for us. That truth should fill us with joy and rest no matter the circumstances. With God on our side, what burden now remains?

Studio Update:

Apologies for the lack of photos this month. We had an open house in November (which I forgot to photograph), and I’ve been doing some planning for next year (which doesn’t exactly photograph well either). So, here’s a few woodland creatures getting ready for Christmas to fill the gap for December.

Sugar Cookies

  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 4 teaspoons milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and milk and mix till combined. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and extracts. Beat until combined. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out and cut into your favorite shapes. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, until golden around the edges. Decorate with your favorite frosting (ours is a Dream Whip-based frosting recipe that we’ve used for years). Enjoy!

That’s all for this month! Merry Christmas and happy new year, if I don’t see you before then!

Blair

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Yet I Will Rejoice

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

This comes at the end of Habakkuk, after God foretold how He would use a wicked people, the Chaldeans, to bring judgment on His chosen people. Though His judgment would be painful, God promised to also bring deliverance in His perfect time. Habakkuk’s response is a difficult and beautiful prayer filled with praise and trust. Habakkuk ends his prayer to God with this passage where he reaffirms his trust in God – no matter what. When everything is stripped away, what remains? When the comforts of life are gone, even when the essentials of life are gone, even still God is the one who saves, and he satisfies. We put our hope in him and find our joy there.

Studio Update:

The 2025 open house is just around the corner on November 15! Here’s a sample of what I’ve been working on for it… and hopefully, we’ll see you there!

AND! I have not only a downloadable 2026 calendar for you, but ALSO a set of coloring pages to go alongside! You can download a free printable version here, or I will also have printed and bound copies for sale at the open house.

Cranberry Almond Muffins

  • 5 oz all purpose flour
  • 3 oz almond flour
  • 4 oz sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 c frozen cranberries
  • Slivered almonds, for topping

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest. Add melted butter, sour cream, eggs, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Fold in cranberries and scoop into a greased muffin tin. Top with slivered almonds. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Makes about 12 normal sized muffins.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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How Much More Value

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31


This verse comes as Jesus is sending out the twelve apostles to preach the good news. They were to go on this mission with no provisions for the journey, and their message would arouse persecution. But, Jesus reminded them that God was greater. God is the one who ultimately decides life and death, and not one sparrow can fall apart from Him. If God upholds the sparrows, how much more will he provide for and save the ones who are made in His image and carry His message of salvation to others?

Studio Update:

I tried my hand at drawing some sheep… still working on those. Then I started painting some little birds, hoping to make a card set out of those. Did some plein air painting with Mom on our camping trip to Watkins Mill and captured a heron flying across the lake at sunset. And… I’m wrapping up the finishing touches on my 2026 calendar. Look for the digital download to come soon!

Apple Pecan Scones

  • 9 1/2 oz all purpose flour
  • 2 oz sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup cold butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup pecans
  • 1 small Jonathan apple, diced in small pieces

Combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add pecans. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Add the apples and finish mixing. Pat out into 1/2″ thickness and cut into 12 scones. Bake at 425° F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10


God is above all things. He made the heavens and the earth and spread out the stars. He knows and controls every aspect of creation, big or small. All of creation, every star, every flower, every creature, is made to exalt Him and bring Him glory. This great God is our God, the one who cares for us, and keeps His promises to us. We need not fear, for our God is our refuge and strength. Be still, stop, and consider who God is. Because the Lord is God, over all things, we can rest in Him.

Studio Update:

I’ve been working toward a 2026 calendar! Below is a sneak peak of the progress on the cover picture. I’ve also been working on a Christmas painting, and cows… because why not put cows with flowers? Cows have been sort of a fun outside-my-comfort-zone experiment to play with.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

  • 3 oz soft white wheat flour
  • 5 oz all purpose flour
  • 4 oz brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 5 oz peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped (plus more to ‘decorate’ the tops before baking)

Combine flours, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Combine melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla, and pour into dry ingredients. Add peanut butter and mix until combined and lumps are gone. Mix in chocolate chips.

Divide batter into 12 greased muffin tin cups and top with “decoration” chocolate chips. Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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Trust In the Lord

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

When we trust in our own understanding, we end up so empty. We don’t have all the answers, and we cannot control the outcomes. It is foolish to rely on our own understanding. The infinite God has given us instructions for life in His Word, but we quickly chase after “easy” answers to our problems and forget God’s ways. This leaves us disappointed and empty because only God can truly satisfy our deepest desires. If we humble ourselves before Him and walk in obedience to His Word, He will direct our paths and satisfy us with His love.

Studio Update:

In my mini paintings, I’ve been experimenting with colors mostly, and “Transparent Gold” and “Rose Dore” are magical colors (the two mini paintings on the left do not have those two colors in them). It’s been too hot to do much plein air painting lately, so I’ve doodled indoors and played with some all over designs. Working toward wrapping up my last two calendar pictures for next year!

Chocolate Pudding

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup sour cream, plus enough milk to thin sour cream to 1/2 cup total
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/4 cup sugar. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/4 cup sugar and cocoa. Heat until bubbly. Add the hot milk into egg mixture by three 1/4 cup increments, whisking well after each addition. Transfer the egg mixture into the pot and cook over low to medium heat until slightly thickened.

Add sour cream and cornstarch and whisk out any lumps, cook until thickened to pudding consistency.

Remove the pot from the heat and add vanilla, butter, and chocolate chips. Stir until butter and chocolate chips are melted and incorporated.

Pour into individual bowls or a tart crust and chill until set. Enjoy!

Anyway, that’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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Beyond Compare

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

Isaiah 55:8-9

This verse always makes me think of the back of a tapestry. From the backside, all that can be seen are knots and threads that are barely recognizable as a picture of anything. But from the front of the tapestry, the picture is clear. In the same way, our limited perspective often prevents us from seeing the full picture of what God is doing, but God sees it all. God’s ways are best even if it is not obvious from my present circumstances. God showed us his thoughts and ways in His Word; He is holy, faithful, merciful, and just. We can trust Him because His ways are perfect and nothing can stand in the way of God accomplishing his perfect plan.

Studio Update:

I’ve gotten to add several new pictures to my ‘plein air’ sketchbook. It only has like six pictures in it so far, but I’m super excited to see what adventures will come next! Still working through calendar pictures for next year, and couldn’t resist sharing this one! The reds and burgundies are not normally my go-to colors, but they’re so rich and deep in this picture that I’m thinking this color palette will be one to revisit.

Early Summer Pie

For the crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 6-8 Tbsp ice water

For the filling:

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
  • 2 cups fresh peaches
  • 1/2 cup sugar (can use more if desired)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

For the crust, in a large bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Cut cold butter into flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Lightly mix in cold water 1 Tbsp at a time until dough begins to stick together. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1h (or longer).

For the filling, in a small bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the fruit on medium low heat until it has released its juices. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and cook over low heat until mixture has thickened. Add the butter and stir until it has melted into the filling.

To assemble the pie, divide the crust into two portions and roll to approximately 1/4″ thickness. I usually allow a slightly larger portion for the bottom crust, and roll it until it fits my pie plate with a tiny bit of extra around the edges. For the pie as pictured, I cut summertime shapes with cookie cutters and laid them over the filling, but a traditional top crust would work just as well.

Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden.

Hope you enjoyed this month’s post. Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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The Lord our Help

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2


I think it is fitting that this was a song Israelites would sing as they journeyed toward Jerusalem to worship, lifting their eyes up toward the hill of Jerusalem and seeing behind it the skies and clouds above. When I look over rolling hills and into the skies and see God’s creation laid out in front of me and the grandeur of it all, it fills me with wonder. But, even more so when I remember that the God who made all this cares for me. The Maker of the heavens and the earth is my Helper, who meets my every need, rescued me from my sin, and made a place for me. Look across the hills, and up into the skies, and let your heart be filled with wonder and worship of the God who is our Help.

Studio Update:

We put a lot of work into the garden because we enjoy it, but it is so rewarding when those years of work transform into something so beautiful. We’ve been enjoying all the spring perennials and re-seeders. We’ve put out almost all the plants for the summer season (or at least those for the first wave), and the weeds are not in full force yet. One Saturday afternoon this month, I sat down in our “four boxes” and tried to quickly capture what I saw… but even a photograph can’t fully capture it…

Sourdough Rolls

  • 300g milk
  • 1/4-1/2 cup sourdough starter
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 20g honey
  • 200g soft white wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 300g bread flour
  • 1-2 tsp salt (to taste)

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, starter, butter, egg, and honey. Add the flours and salt and stir until combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise overnight at room temperature. After overnight rise, shape into 12-16 rolls. Sixteen rolls makes a small slider sized bun, 12 is more of a full-sized sandwich bun. If making for sandwiches, don’t forget to squash the tops down to make them flatter (else they will be almost spherical rolls). Let rise 30 minutes to an hour. Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature of the rolls are 190 F. Great as simple dinner rolls, sandwich buns, or for hamburgers.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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Every Promise

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

Every promise God has made finds its fulfillment in Christ. Because Jesus died and rose again, we know that God keeps every promise. No promise is too big; everything God has promised will be done exactly as He said. We can read the Bible and see God’s promise-keeping through the ages, and know that God has not changed – He is still faithful to every promise.

Studio Update

Just a few snippets of my in-progress pieces. Some clematis, snapdragons and larkspur in a very purple bouquet. A summer tree landscape and my “plein air” painting supplies… of course, the weather was cold and damp the day I had planned to go out painting so I painted the geraniums in the shelter of the greenhouse instead.

Mini Raspberry Tarts

For the crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 6-8 Tbsp ice water

For the filling:

  • 4 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 3/4 cup sugar, divided (can use less if raspberries are sweeter)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

For the crust, in a large bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Cut cold butter into flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Lightly mix in cold water 1 Tbsp at a time until dough begins to stick together. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1h (or longer).

For the filling, in a small bowl whisk together part of the sugar and cornstarch and set aside. In a large skillet, mix raspberries and remaining sugar. Cook on medium low heat until raspberries have released their juices. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and cook over low heat until mixture has thickened.

To assemble the tarts, divide the crust into 48 one-inch balls. Use a floured wooden tart tamper to squish the dough up the edges of each mini muffin cup. Spoon a small amount of filling into each muffin cup. There should be barely enough filling to fill each shell.

Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed this month’s post!

Blair

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Nothing Is Too Hard

‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Jeremiah 32:17


God is so much greater than we are. I often forget that God can do above and beyond what we ask for. We have only to look up at the sky and look around at God’s creation to know that He is greater. He created it all with a word, and upholds it day in and day out by His power. What is outside of His control? Is there anything that comes apart from His sovereign hand? Our circumstances don’t change who God is. Nothing is too hard for him.

Studio Update:

My favorite project from the past month… coral peonies and yellow tulips with dogwood blossoms! Then, played around with a random assortment of flowers onto a page. Mom and I started up a ‘tiny painting challenge’ together, so we’ve been creating some tiny art (for fun).

Almond Scones

  • 9 oz all purpose flour
  • 2 oz sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup cold butter
  • 2 oz finely chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, egg, vanilla, and almond extract until well blended. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until combined. Bake at 425° F for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blair

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Not One Is Missing

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

Isaiah 40:25-26

Sometimes when I look at the stars, I think of God’s promise to Abraham, that Abraham’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Through Christ, Abraham’s family has grown to include many Christians from so many generations, languages, and nations. The God who created and knows the stars is the One who keeps promises from generation to generation; the One who calls and saves His people. Because of His power, not one is missing. Because of the greatness of His might, multitudes of people will stand before His throne crying out “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Studio Update:

I finally finished carving my sketchbook cover… I think… sometimes it’s hard for me to tell when I’m done with a project. I also got to spend a little bit of time creating paint from my “backyard chemistry lab” pigments. It’s pretty fun to combine the pigments with the binder and mull it until it is smooth enough to paint with. It’s not the best paint ever, but it’s more about the process and playing with color than creating a perfect paint.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 6 oz butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  • 8 oz brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 9 1/2 oz flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • Chocolate chips to taste

With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, baking soda, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the cocoa, flour, and salt and mix until a stiff dough forms. Mix in some chocolate chips and spoon into a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 mins until golden on the edges and set in the middle. My family’s opinion is that cookies tend to keep better when slightly under-baked. This is not a license for raw cookies, but a warning to watch them carefully and to not bake them too long. When they come out of the oven, they may need to cool on the pan to finish baking/cool enough to get them off the pan. Makes 2 1/2-3 dozen small cookies.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by!

Blair